Trip Information

Hotel Websites

• Istanbul: Novotel Istanbul Bosphorus Hotel (nights of June 16-18 & 25-26)

• Turquoise Coast: Gulets (nights of June 19-23)

• Bodrum: Manastir Hotel (night of June 24)

• Cappadocia Extension: Gamirasu Cave Hotel (nights of June 27-29)

• Cappadocia Extension: Park Inn by Radisson Istanbul Airport Hotel (night of June 30)

Extra Hotel Arrangements
The first included hotel night of the program is the night of Thursday, June 16. The last included hotel night of the main program is Sunday, June 26 (or Thursday, June 30, if you are booked on the Cappadocia Extension). If you decide to arrive early or depart late, please request your extra hotel nights using the Arrival & Departure Details Form on the Insurance, Action Items & Forms tab.

About the Gulets
Our group will be split, depending on the group size, between two and three gulets during the five-night cruise. These teak boats are among the best Turkey has to offer. Although the boats typically have two or three masts, most no longer carry sails, and will cruise for the entire duration of our stay. The rooms all vary in size and location, and we will assign rooms at random based on sleeping arrangements and bed requests.

Accounts on Board
All gratuities for onboard staff and crew are included in the cost of the trip. You should need money only for souvenirs and drinks not included in the program cost. Turkish lira is the best form of payment on board for drinks. The “honor system” is used on board, each traveler will be asked to keep track of his/her drink consumption and pay at the end of the cruise.

Cabin and Service
Each gulet has six to eight cozy, basic cabins, each with a private toilet and shower. They are all unique in size and shape. Shampoo and soap are available on all gulets.

Each cabin has several drawers for storing your clothing and other personal items. Aside from the drawers, there is very little storage in cabins, and there is no storage for baggage outside of cabins. We highly recommend you bring a soft-sided suitcase, or a collapsible duffel with wheels as your one piece of checked luggage. This will help facilitate easier storage in your cabin on the gulets.

Communication
There is VERY limited wireless internet available. No fax or phone service is available on board the gulets. There is a radio used by the captain for communication with neighboring vessels and in case of emergency.

Dining
The Turkish cuisine served on board is among the freshest anywhere in the country, and often includes seafood. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served outdoors on deck. Meals will be served on your respective boats, but we will do our best to rotate our faculty and staff to mix and mingle.

The gulet crew will do their best to accommodate special dietary requests, but we must be notified at least two months prior to the trip in writing on the Information and Medical online form.

The bar is stocked with beers, wines, limited liquor and soft drinks. Drinks will be included for guests during the mealtimes, but drinks outside meal times are on your own.

The ship’s water supply provides potable water of a high standard, but passengers are asked to practice conservation at all times. Bottles of water will be available for travelers.

Electricity
Power on board the vessel is 220 volts/50 cycles, with European-style outlets that accommodate a round, 2-prong plug. Check the specifications of your equipment before departure and make sure you have the necessary accessories.

During our cruise, there will be electricity in cabins when the engines are running or the generator is turned on. The gulets are legally required to turn off generators during the night for environmental reasons. When anchored at night, there will likely be no electricity from midnight until 6:00 a.m.

Hair Dryer
Hairdryers are available on board the gulets.

Laundry
There is no laundry service on board the gulets.

Medical Services
It is essential that persons with any medical problems or drug allergies inform us well before departure.

If you use a hearing aid that might be turned off at night, or if you otherwise require special assistance in case of an emergency, please advise the tour staff of this fact prior to boarding.

Recreational Equipment
Each gulet may carry a small supply of snorkels, masks and fins for passenger use. However, there are not enough for all travelers to use at the same time.

Shoe Policy
Gulet captains do not allow shoes on board, except for sandals on outside decks. No pointed heels are allowed. Bare feet or socks only are allowed below deck on the gulets as a safety measure to keep dirt and water, which can be slippery, out of the interior of the gulet. There is typically a box or area on deck where sandals/shoes can be stored.

General Recommendations
The following information is only a guideline. Consult your doctor for medical advice on this program. For the most enjoyable and rewarding experience, use your best judgment when evaluating your health, physical ability and the appropriateness of this program for you. This program is a group experience, and your level of ability and preparedness will have an impact on the other participants.

Medical care and facilities are readily available in Turkey, but accessibility and standards of medical services may vary, especially while on the gulets.

You are responsible for bringing an adequate supply of your personal medications as well as medicines for common ailments. Some medicines that are over-the-counter or prescription in the U.S. may be prohibited in some countries. Check with the foreign embassies and consulates in the U.S. for the country or countries where you will be traveling to find out what medications are prohibited, and speak with your doctor regarding alternate medications to bring, if necessary.

We recommend you carry the telephone number (ideally “back office” or cell phone) and email address of your personal physician, along with an up-to-date record of known allergies and chronic medical problems so that emergency treatment, if necessary, can be carried out with minimal risk to your health.

The prospect of illness or hospitalization while on tour should not be taken lightly. If you have a serious medical problem or a medical condition that might be adversely affected by moderately strenuous travel or by an unexpected accident unrelated to the level of activity, please consult your personal physician for further counsel on the advisability of taking this trip.

Covid-19 Information
Please refer to the Covid-19 Information page for up-to-date information on Covid-19 in Turkey.

Vaccinations
At the present time, no vaccinations (other than the Covid-19 vaccine) are required for travel on this program.

You should be up to date on routine vaccinations while traveling to any destination. These vaccines include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot.

Ask your doctor what vaccines and medicines you need based on your personal medical history, where you are going, how long you are staying, what you will be doing, and if you are traveling from a country other than the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control suggests you consider the following:

• • Hepatitis A

  • Hepatitis B

  • Measles

  • Rabies

  • Typhoid

See your doctor before your trip to allow time for vaccines to take effect, ideally at least four to six weeks before departure.

Sun Protection
The sun is very strong at this time of year in Turkey. Take precautions to avoid overexposure to the sun during the program. Bring a sun hat with a wide brim, a scarf to protect your neck and sunglasses that block 100% of UVB rays. A quality waterproof, long-lasting, ultraviolet A- and B-blocking sunscreen (at least SPF 30) is strongly recommended. There will also be substantial time for swimming, we strongly suggest a swim shirt for extra protection when out in the water.

Motion Sickness
If you are susceptible to motion sickness on buses, sail boats or planes, you should plan to bring a supply of motion sickness preventives, such as elasticized “acupressure” bands, small electronic devices, herbal preventives (e.g. ginger supplements), over-the-counter medications or prescription medications. Following are details about timing on vehicles during our program that will help you gauge whether this is a concern for you:

• Airplane: Flight times are approximately 1 hour

• Buses: Drive times are up to 3 hours at a time, sometimes over winding roads

• Gulets: We will be on two-masted or three-masted wooden sailboats for five days. They travel slowly generally in very protected calm waters, but there will be some rocking.

Digestive Health
Traveler’s diarrhea is the most common health-related travel concern. It is not unusual for travelers to experience one or two days of mild intestinal discomfort at some point during the tour. Speak with your doctor regarding preventive measures and suggested treatment for traveler’s diarrhea.

Weather
Temperatures during our program can be variable, historically ranging at this time of year from the mid 60s in the early mornings and evenings to the mid 90s (°F) during the day. Since weather patterns are increasingly unpredictable, we recommend checking temperatures online at The Weather Channel or Weather Underground a few days before the trip departs. This will be your best source for up-to-date weather information.

Money
The cost of this tour includes accommodations, transportation, group meals as noted in the brochure (including soft drinks and local beer or wine at group lunches and dinners), entrance fees, and gratuities for all group activities to guides, waiters, porters and gulet crew. You should need money only for personal expenses, meals on your own, beverages not provided at group meals and for individual purchases.

A few things to note about money while on this trip:

• U.S. cash is readily accepted, and you may find it’s only necessary to change a small amount of U.S. dollars into foreign currency.

• Turkish lira is the preferred form of currency on the gulets

• Use fresh, new-style bills, as overly worn or outdated bills are often not accepted.

• ATMs are readily available in major cities but not during the gulet cruise. You may have to split off from the group on excursions in order to seek out an ATM.

• Major credit cards (VISA, MasterCard and American Express) are accepted in virtually all hotels, most restaurants and large shops.

The currency in Turkey is Turkish Lira. You can find up-to-date information and current exchange rates online, for example at Oanda.

Gratuities
These guidelines are for hotel housekeeping staff, private transfers, meals on your own, additional hotel nights or any other travel that is not with the group:

• Hotels: Because of the difficulty of ensuring that gratuities get to the right person, tips for housekeeping staff at our hotels are not included. If you would like to leave a tip for your housekeeper, $1 per day is recommended. You may tip in USD or local currency.

• Private transfers: If you have arranged a private transfer through Travel/Study, gratuities for your transfer driver are not included. If you wish to tip your transfer driver, $5 is the recommended amount, and you may tip in USD or local currency.

• Taxis: Tips for taxi drivers are not customary, but Turks generally round up the fare to the nearest lira.

• Restaurants: Tipping in restaurants (approximately 10% of the total bill) is customary in this part of the world. We recommend that you hand tips directly to the waiter instead of leaving the tip on the table.

Electricity
You will need an adapter plug that looks like this to charge any of your electrical devices. If you travel frequently, a universal adapter will cover you on this trip as well as your future travels.

Most laptop computers and digital camera battery chargers can operate on a range of currents from 110-240 volts, in which case a converter is not necessary since the current in Turkey is 220 volts, 50 cycles.