P
Like:
I liked very much
Dislike:
The crew must speak a little more English
10.10.2021
C
An absolutely cool and overall very successful tour for us. With Erkan, Ali and Muharem again and again.
Like:
The entire support and organization (which unfortunately lasted for more than 18 months due to the Corona restrictions) by the agency around Erkan Ari's team shone with flexibility, speed and creativity. The team always had a suitable solution for all requirements and wishes. It doesn't matter whether it's a transfer, a day trip or special drinks, Erkan had not just one answer for everything, but always the right answer at a fair price. More is not possible!
I (we, 6 men in the best age between 50 and 60) can only sing the same praise about the crew on board. Starting with Captain Ali, who had excellent local knowledge (on water and on land) and always took us to the best stretches of coast and bays at the right time, taking into account our desired route. And all this in a very "calm" tone with his team and a very courteous speech to us.
The "Boat Boys" did their job with speed and skill to everyone's satisfaction. Were almost invisible when there was nothing for the boys to do and very accommodating when it came to canoeing or dinghying across the sea.
Special mention must be made of Muharrem the cook... "Godfather of Cooking"!
In 1936, the definition for awarding Michelin stars was established. It is time to revise this definition, assessment and criteria. I don't want to offend any of the star chefs, ..... what Muharrem ALONE conjured up in a galley of less than 2 square meters, on a gulet in rough seas, every day (several times) cannot be rated with stars. Whether fish or meat, from the pan or oven or from the grill. Whether side dishes, vegetables or dessert. The level was always very high. With the design of these culinary works of art, all others of this guild should only be in the one star category;-)
Since we have a little experience from the fifth gulet tour, not only in terms of galley art and in "country life" one or the other star chefs have been visited, we allow ourselves to speak this verdict: For one of the best Kitchens, "is worth a trip" - 3 stars
Dislike:
The Esma Sultan II is showing its age. The entire appearance has also changed, no longer light blue but everything in gray. The pictures on the internet are no longer quite correct as the boat/ship is shown, or you can see the small "abnormalities".
Carpets, doors and furniture in the cabins have suffered a bit. Also the bathrooms could do with a little renovation. Hot water for the shower was a matter of luck and the "throne"... well. Unfortunately, the ship itself does not have a permanent internet connection, although according to the description this is included. However, the captain helped out (privately) with data volume. The hi-fi system mentioned consisted of a 2 watt Bluetooth speaker and the advertised flat screens in every cabin......? We couldn't get one to work.
Although the ship falls under the category "Luxury" (we didn't put too much value on it), it can no longer meet this requirement without significant renovation work. So if you have high expectations of the boat and are not willing to make compromises, you run the risk of being disappointed. However, due to the overall package (space, crew and kitchen), we were able to overlook various things. Personally, I would wish for a fully automatic coffee machine on a ship of this size and class.
04.10.2021
F
Like:
All perfect. Wonderful vacation.
Dislike:
Nothing!
31.08.2021
J
Great success!
Like:
The bedrooms were comfortable. The outdoor spaces.
Dislike:
They need bedroom blankets. Better dining furniture. Less logos.
23.08.2021
K
Built memories that we will cherish the rest of our lives
Like:
I have chartered a total of 4 boats over a 7 year period with the company (from a party of 4 to a party of 32 people) , always working closely with Erkan and on occasion dealing with few of his colleagues. Erkan is the most professional, accountable and dedicated person I have ever dealt with in the space of Marine business (I am a Yachtsman myself and own a sailing yacht). Erkan loves his job and it's his pride to make you happy and satisfied. It's paramount for him and that's what makes him unique. He has never disappointed on expectations for the entire period I have worked with him. He just takes all stress and anxiety out of the equation and makes it easy on you all along the process. He listens to your requests, proposes solutions, always honest in his assessments and never tries to "over sale" or "force" things on you. He understands that success in business is on the log term and building strong trustful relationships is key. This year in particular, our requests were numerous and more stringent to accommodate all sanitary measures relatives to COVID (Crew vaccination/testing, PCR tests, social distancing....etc...).... His other colleagues I dealt with were also very professional and very eager to help and support. I will continue to charter boats with Erkan every year it's possible for us....and the best thing for me to know ahead is that, next time, it will be another success story. If you are looking to charter a boat, hire the services of Erkan and his company....you will be glad you did.
For this year, we chartered the LOVE BOAT.... The only boat available at the time of booking that could accommodate 32 of our extended family (7 yo to 77 yo) . Simply: We had by far the most memorable vacation with the extended family and we have built unique memories that we will cherish for the rest of our lives. The boat is in a good/fair condition but the Captain, Crew and the Chef went above and beyond to make our vacation a true delight. The Owner of the boat is a great gentleman, who came to greet us, very welcoming and very diligent accommodating our sanitary requests because of Covid pandemic. The Captain was just the best Captain for all the boats I have chartered for the past 7 years. Professional attitude all across the board and attention to details was a focus for comfort, needs and privacy. The Chef was awesome, cooking with a smile and loved to please us. We celebrated 3 events while on board over a 2 weeks period (Gd-parent wedding anniversary, B'days, ...), and the crew was top notch at organizing the party/cake, etc... The whole crew gave us the privacy we needed but was also available to respond to all of our needs ALL TIMES including those of all of the kids.
I hope that Erkan, all members of his company, the Love Boat owner and crew find in this humble and unsolicited review a modest reward for their work, dedication, drive and professional service. Bravo to all for a great service!
Karim Benali, MD
Manchester by the Sea, MA, USA
Dislike:
We didn't get the chance to include in the itinerary visits to Greek Islands because of Covid and border closure. That would be for next time.... It was also sad to see some of the areas burned by the exceptional fires that experienced the region this year. Captain Levante made sure our stops at the bays and also itinerary avoided as much as possible these spots. We didn't have problem with the smells or sights.
23.08.2021
R
The Bedia Sultan is a beautiful ship with every amenity you can imagine! Spacious, nicely furnished, well laid out and very comfortable.
The crew on the Bedia is exceptionally attentive, friendly, helpful and reads every wish from your eyes. Their aim is to ensure guests have a happy, contented and relaxed holiday and this has been 100% achieved!
We have lunch on the Bedia Sultan like the gods. It was super varied, fresh, and wonderful to look at and enjoy! For us allergy sufferers, everything was prepared and served separately, what a pleasure to be able to eat in a variety of ways!
Once you have eaten on the Bedia Sultan, you will NEVER go to a restaurant again!
We will book Bedia Sultan and his exceptional crew again - you couldn't wish for much more luxury!
Many thanks to Mel and your crew - you gave us the best of the best!
23.08.2021