Does the crew stay on board during the charter?

Chris de Kock
Yacht charter broker, DMA Yachting

Yes. On a crewed gulet or motor yacht the captain, cook and deckhands live aboard for the whole trip, in their own crew quarters separate from the guest cabins. A gulet listed with 6 guest cabins genuinely sleeps 12 guests; the crew occupies none of them.

They are also the heart of the experience: the cook turns out fresh Turkish meze and grilled fish all week, the deckhands run the tender and toys, and the captain knows which cove is glassy at breakfast and which fills with day boats by noon.

Gulet crews in particular are known for warm, attentive service, and a good one is what turns a Blue Cruise into the trip people talk about for years.