Deluxe cabin charter is ideal for those who cannot put a group together for private charter, and still want to experience a luxurious week at sea on board a high quality gulet at an affordable price. With the Ms Flas VII you have this possibility, and all meals and beverages are included in the price throughout the weekly voyage.

Every Saturday starting on May 2 – June 6, 2009 and again in fall starting on September 19 – October 31, 2009, cabin charter on board the Ms Flas VII is available. The clientele on board is international, and you have a choice of a cabin with a queen size bed or a cabin with two twin beds, both designs have their own private bathrooms. Children are also invited to share this experience. We do require that they are 8 years of age for safety purposes. 

Day 1, Saturday.  Transfer to the enchanting Bodrum harbor and board your luxurious sailing yacht the Ms / Flas VII in the afternoon. Your captain and crew will be waiting for you on board. (Transport from the airport is an additional charge.)

About the Gulet:  Delight in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean shores aboard this elegant sailing yacht, handcrafted of hardwoods mahogany and teak. Spacious fore, aft, and side decks, air-conditioning and advanced nautical equipment have been added to her ancient design to provide full modern comfort. The ingenious interior features luxurious living quarters with high ceilings and wide corridors. The spacious salon includes a stocked bar (all drinks included) and romantic cushioned seating area surrounding an elegant table. Mahogany walls aesthetically complement spacious cabins complete with queen or two twin beds, reading lights, generous storage space, air-conditioning, and private bathroom that includes a vanity with marble countertop and an enclosed shower.

Your five-person crew consisting of captain, cook, first mate, and deckhands take care of all needs of passengers and the yacht. The crew’s responsibilities include (among others) navigation and helm details, radio and telephone communications, ports-of-call details, raising sails when appropriate, cooking, cleaning, serving drinks and snacks throughout the day, and waiting on clients at meal times. From the fully equipped galley a skilled chef, whose expertise ranges from haute cuisine to regional specialties, guarantees satisfaction for even the most discriminating palate. Cuisine on board a gulet is imaginative and flavorful. Seafood is served Mediterranean style.  Herbs, vegetables, and fruits of the season used on board are fresh and organically grown.

Sailing, waterskiing, windsurfing, snorkeling, canoeing, fishing, and board games or cards are just some of the extra activities available to passengers. Each day the captain will arrange visits ashore for hiking, site-seeing, shopping, dining, nightlife and, of course, the exploration of ancient sites. Clients should be prepared to spend the next seven days leisurely sailing, sunbathing, swimming, and shopping, all while exploring three thousand years of ancient history.

Your first night on board will be spent in the lively Bodrum harbor.

Day 2, Sunday.  Depart from Bodrum for the Gulf of Gokova, the stretch of the Aegean where the sea displays its most remarkable hues. The rugged coastline with its myriad small bays and harbors gives way to a backdrop of pine-clad hills and mountains. Set sail  for the Carian city of Knidos, located on the tip of the Datca peninsula. Knidos was described by Strabo as "a city built for the most beautiful of goddesses, Aphrodite, on the most beautiful of peninsulas." Drop anchor this evening in the quiet bay of Mersincik, ringed with high mountains and woods. The bay’s clear water and close proximity to the ancient city of Knidos make it a favorite spot for an overnight stay.

(Optional): Tour the excavations of Knidos, famous in antiquity for the cult of Aphrodite begun here. Situated at the end of the peninsula, this Dorian city was built on terraces rising to an acropolis. Straddling the peninsula, the city had a harbor on either side and flourished during the Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods. Old Knidos was excavated in 1857 by C. T. Newton and, from 1967, by Iris Love. Famous as a center of art and culture in the fourth century BC, Knidos was established at the same time as Halikarnassos was, and it was one of the six Dorian colonies in Asia Minor. It seems to have retained a relatively pure Greek character, no doubt because it set its sights seaward and had little contact with the interior. Around 360 BC, Knidos was rebuilt at the windblown tip of the peninsula. The city banked on the fact that a good harbor at the outer edge of Asia Minor would become a popular port of call for ships on the Aegean-eastern Mediterranean sea routes. The rocky island facing the shore at the new site was joined to the mainland with a causeway, creating deep harbors on either side of the isthmus, one on the Aegean and the other on the Mediterranean. The island section comprised the residential quarters.  A series of colonnaded walkways rose in terraced tiers on the land side. Two large theaters, an Odeon, and three temples completed what must have been a striking ensemble in the midst of a desolate, craggy site. The remains of a circular temple dedicated to the goddess of love, Aphrodite, overlook remains of the two harbours. The temple’s arcaded way was built of white-marble, heart-shaped columns. The legendary Aphrodite of Praxiteles’ famous statue, reputedly one of the most beautiful sculptures of antiquity, once graced this temple. Knidos was known as one of the most beautiful cities in ancient Greece.

Day 3, Monday. Set sail for the Lönguz Bay, where the forest crowds the water’s edge.  There are lovely hiking possibilities in this bay.  In the early evening drop anchor in the Seven Islands, another favorite snorkeling area full of coral reefs. Here you will have time to swim in the bay’s warm water. Finally cruise leisurely to Cati Lagoon, considered one of the most beautiful moorage sites in this gulf.

Day 4, Tuesday. Continue your voyage to Cleopatra Island, the site of the classical love-nest constructed by Mark Anthony for the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra. Here you find extensive archaeological remains scattered along one of Turkey’s most breath-taking golden beaches. When you depart and sail along the island's southwestern coast, you will notice how the forests come down to meet the shores of deep inlets fingering inland from the bays. This rugged coastline is known as the Bay of Sixty-six Inlets.

(Optional): Cleopatra’s Island is like an open-air museum with its ruin-marked beach, golden sand, and crystalline water. The inland area has a Dorian-style temple that Christians later turned into a church, a 1,500-person amphitheater reminiscent of the pre-Roman era, small buildings with domed roofs, cisterns colored red on the inside, and tunnels. The surrounding area is strewn with broken columns, capitals, and stones decorated with pictures and reliefs. The numerous knights' coats of arms suggest that the island was used by the Knights of Rhodes. Legend has it that the sand of Cleopatra Beach was brought by Mark Anthony for Cleopatra from the deserts of North Africa. It is forbidden by law to remove even a few grains of sand from this island.

 In the late afternoon cruise to the secluded English Harbor, which abounds with thick green foliage. The harbor acquired its name from the fact that in World War II English torpedo boats hid in this cove.

Day 5, Wednesday. Cruise to the picturesque fishing hamlet of Cokertme, which is nestled in the foothills of Kiran Mountains. This stop offers the delightful opportunity to hike through the village’s winding walkways, some of them not much more than a goat path. Drop anchor near Orak Island, one of the large islands in the Gulf of Gokova. Looking out from its shores you can see many shades of blue. The island is renowned for its rich sea life and crystal clear water, a perfect site for snorkeling.

Day 6, Thursday.  This morning sail to the pine-bordered Bay of Kesibükü. Take advantage of the calm morning hours to sail smoothly along the Gokova shores. Late afternoon depart by van for visiting a typical village of the Milas region -Yaliciftlik, for a glimpse into the Turkish rural lifestyle. This village is renowned for its traditional carpet making and olive oil pressing. Enjoy a delicious home-cooked dinner there, served in one of the villagers homes.

Day 7, Friday.  Cruise to the Karaada Island.

(Optional): Karaada Island is well-known for its thermal features and mud baths. Take a hike around the island and swim in the thermal sulfur baths, where the water is comfortably warm.

In the late afternoon enter the Bodrum harbor. Year round balmy temperatures, international marinas, elegant boutiques, chic cafés and night clubs, and a variety of excellent dining opportunities attract many to the lively Bodrum harbor. The 15th-century Crusader castle, the renowned Museum of Underwater Archaeology, and the Mausoleum of Halikarnassos, one of Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, add an important historical dimension to this resort city.

(Optional): This afternoon visit the 15th-century Crusader castle, which houses the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology. Museum exhibits include ancient shipwrecks raised off the coast of Turkey and the intact remains of a Carian princess’ tomb dating back to the time of Alexander the Great. 

Enjoy your farewell dinner on board this evening.

Day 8, Saturday.  Depart after breakfast for the Bodrum airport and flight back to Istanbul, or transfer to your next destination. (Transport to the airport or transfer to other destinations will be charged additionally.)

*(Optional):  means that entrance fees or van for touring are required, the charges for these are extra.