Sunsail – turkey

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Turkey - Essential Holiday Information

Turkey 1 and 2 week flotillas

Sunsail Turgutreis
Dogus Turgutreis Marina
Gazi Mustafa Kemal Bulvaro
Turgutreis
Bodrum
Turkey
Base Manager Engin Deniz
Tel: via UK office 02392 222 224

Sunsail Orhaniye
Buk Restaurant
Orhaniye
Turkey
Tel: 00 90 252 487 1128

Sunsail Fethiye
Yacht Plaza Hotel
Karagozler
48300 Fethiye
Turkey
Tel: 00 90 252 645 2185

Please note these numbers are NOT staffed full time.

TIME
• Time difference between the UK and Turkey is + 2 hours

LANGUAGE
• Turkish with English widely spoken in the tourist areas.

PASSPORT & VISAS
• Please ensure your passport is valid for the period of travel and for six months after you return.
• You will be required to pay £10 in English stirling on arrival in Turkey. Please ensure you have a £10 note with you.
• Your passport name must match the name on the flight ticket otherwise you may not be able to travel and insurance may be invalid.
• Non-British passport holders should check with their local Consulate direct.
• If your child is not already included on a valid British Passport they are required to hold their own passport.

VACCINATIONS
• There are no compulsory vaccinations for Turkey.
• Please refer to the Department of Health's 'EHIC and health advice for travellers' web page at www.dh.gov.uk or consult your family GP for further details.

FLIGHTS
• Gatwick Information 0870 000 2468
• Heathrow Information 0870 000 0123
• Manchester Information 0161 489 3000
• Luton Information 0158 240 5100
• Glasgow Information 0141 887 1111
• Luggage allowance is 20kg per person. Only one item of hand luggage per person is allowed and this must not weigh more than 5kg. For storage aboard we recommend travelling light and using folding luggage.
• Lost or damaged luggage whilst flying is the responsibility of the airline and is not covered by your travel insurance, however First Choice Airways has no liability for loss or damage to valuable or fragile items packed in hold baggage however caused. You must not include in Checked Baggage money, jewellery, precious metals, computers, personal electronic devices, negotiable papers, securities or other valuables, business documents, passports and other identification documents or samples.
• If an incident occurs, immediately report it to airport officials and ensure Property Irregularity Reports (PIR) are completed. Claims will not be considered once you have left the airport.
• If you are taking our First Choice Charter flights and wish to enquire about pre booking seats please call the airline direct on 0870 757 2757. Group seats are available for pre booking through Sunsail. Call the team for more details.
• SAVE UPTO 30% when you book your airport parking with BCP through Sunsail. Call the team for more details quoting Sunsail reference BN545

AIRPORTS, CUSTOMS & IMMIGRATION
• Duty free is available at Bodrum and Dalaman airports.
• It is possible to change money at the airports, but this can be a slow process and the charges are very high to change travellers cheques.
• When shopping in Turkey you may be offered receipts in shops far lower in value than the amount paid. Shops do this so that they can declare less tax. The Customs Officers at your home airports are well aware how much carpets, leather goods, and copperware are worth. If you declare a lower value, you may have the goods seized and a heavy fine imposed.

CURRENCY
• Currency can be exchanged commission free at any high street First Choice Retail travel agent on production of your Sunsail invoice. You can pre-order your currency from a First Choice travel agent by telephoning them in advance on 0870 9005154 to find your nearest branch.
• PLEASE NOTE: Bases are unable to accept personal cheques or Travellers Cheques and cannot give cash back on credit or debit (Switch/Delta) cards.
• Yeni Turkish Lira was introduced in Jan 2005. Turkish Lira is no longer accepted.
• There are no limits on the amounts you can take in and out of the country, but the exchange rates are often more favourable in Turkey.
• PLEASE NOTE: there are very high charges applied when changing travellers cheques in Turkey.
• Major credit cards are widely accepted in the busier areas such as Marmaris and Bodrum, but not in the smaller villages. Many smaller restaurants and charter stops will accept Sterling, but be prepared for those that do not.
• There are no cash exchange facilities or ATM’s between Orhaniye and Loryma. Provisioning also has to be paid for in cash at Orhaniye.
• Credit cards (Visa and Mastercard) are accepted in larger establishments except US cards. However, small retail outlets and private restaurants do not accept credit cards.

TRANSFERS
• If your Sunsail Holiday includes our charter flight, a Sunsail representative will meet you at the airport and escort you to your transfer.
• If your holiday is flight exclusive, we request that you send your travel arrangements to us so we can assist with transfer details where required.
PLEASE NOTE: Guests arriving separately should bring a copy of the charter contract / invoice.

SAFETY
• All yachts are equipped with life jackets and a harness for everyone on board. We leave it up to you to decide when personal safety equipment should be worn.
• We suggest that children who are not strong swimmers should not be allowed in a dinghy without a life jacket or buoyancy aid and that they should wear a buoyancy aid or harness when on deck.
• Children under the age of 16yrs should not operate an outboard engine.

ILLNESS OR INJURY
• Contact a member of Sunsail staff as soon as possible at a Sunsail base.
• If you need to make a claim for curtailment due to illness, ask the base manager for assistance and contact your insurer’s emergency medical service immediately.
• Your insurance company will assist with travel arrangements, advice and payment of bills.
• Obtain receipts for any medication, treatment or transport you have to pay for and submit with your claim.

START AND END OF SEASON FLOTILLA ROUTES
Please note that on early and late season flotilla routes the start or finish base may differ from the normal route. Please refer to the pricing section in the back of the brochure for more details.

BOARDING/DEPARTURE
• Your yacht will be ready at 1800 hrs for boarding. Please be aware that the yacht and chart briefings will be arranged on your arrival. At the end of your charter your yacht will need to be vacated by 0900 hrs so we recommend that you return to the base the day before.

BRIEFINGS
• Your flotilla crew will carry out chart and flotilla briefings describing the cruising area, facilities at each stop and any potential hazards.
• Yacht briefings introduce you to your yacht, its systems and rigging.
• It is important that all systems and equipment are fully understood.
• PLEASE NOTE: Briefings are mandatory.
• You will be required to purchase a Turkey Transit log on arrival at the base. This cost €85 and is payable locally.

SKIPPER & CREW CERTIFICATES
• Please bring any RYA certificates or other sailing qualifications with you.

THE MARINAS
Facilities adjacent to the bases include:
• Showers/toilets
• Restaurants and bars
• Re-fuelling dock
• Launderette (Turgutreis only)
• Provisioning store
• Pool (Marmaris and Turgutreis only)
• Money exchange (Marmaris only)
• ATM (Turgutreis only)
• Gym (Turgutreis only)
• Car rental (Turgutreis only)
• Taxis
• Electricity - 110/220v (60hz). 12V is standard on all yachts.

EQUIPMENT ON THE YACHTS
Sunsail yachts are equipped with just about everything you will need for a safe and enjoyable holiday.
• A deposit is required for dinghy, outboard engine, windsurfer, ocean kayak, cruising chute and GP.
• A refundable security deposit of £300 (regardless of number of items booked) is payable by credit card or Travellers Cheques at the Sunsail base against the loss or damage of these items, whether included in the basic holiday price or as an extra.
• You will be given a checklist on arrival to make sure you have all the items listed on the inventory.
• Please inform the base manager before you leave the base if anything is missing as it is not always possible to replace or exchange items once you have departed on your cruise. Stolen items must be immediately reported to Sunsail management and the local police. An incident report will be completed for insurance purposes
• Any problems with, or damage to, your yacht must be reported to the local staff immediately. If not we cannot be held responsible.
• Each yacht is equipped with two pairs of snorkelling equipment, linen and bath towels and navigation equipment. Please bring beach towels with you. We advise you not to bring self-inflating life jackets or buoyancy aids fitted with gas-cylinders as they may not be allowed on the aircraft.
• Clothing – In Sunsail locations dress is informal, but we ask you to respect local etiquette. Wet weather gear and fleeces are advisable for early and late season.

MOORING FEES AND TAXES
• Generally only charged a few nights a week, but expect to spend about £10-£15 a week. If you stop free of charge at a private jetty, it is expected that you will eat at that restaurant. Shower facilities are available at most restaurants for a small charge.
• On arrival in the base you will be required to pay €85 for your Turkey Transiot log.

CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION
• Customs and Immigration work on a spot check basis.
• Turkish charter permits do not allow clients on Turkish flotilla/bareboat holidays to enter Greek waters unless they have followed the legal clearance procedures.

PROVISIONING
• You can provision online  before you depart. The provisioning pages will confirm the latest order date for your chosen destination.
• There are good facilities for provisioning in large towns such as Marmaris, Gocek, Turgutreis, Kalkan, Bodrum, Gumbet, Yalikavak and Gümüslük where shops are open all day.
• The restaurants in Orhaniye open small markets on change over day to supply the provisions that you might need for a few days.

EATING OUT
• There is a good choice of tavernas and restaurants throughout our cruising areas, the local Sunsail staff will advise you of their whereabouts.

ITINERARY INFORMATION
Dorian Flotilla - on your last day you will have the option to visit Vogue; a local company specialising in fine jewellery.
Göcek Flotilla - on transfer day you will remain at the Yacht Plaza Hotel and will be able to take advantage of all the facilities on offer.
Turgutreis Flotilla - on your last day you can either spend the day at the Marina or explore the local town.

COST OF LIVING
• The cost of living in Turkey has risen in recent years and is now comparable to that of the UK.
• Service charges in Turkey are generally not included, but check when paying your bill.

CHARTS AND PILOT BOOK
• All the charts and pilot books you will need for the sailing area are on board the yacht. Charts and pilot books can be purchased in advance from www.imray.com or www.kelvinhughes.com

WEATHER
• The Meltemi thermal wind (May to October) peaks in July and August. Daily cooling breezes – stronger in the afternoon usually dropping to complete stillness at night.

THE ENVIRONMENT
• Turkish Authorities do not allow showering on board while in port in order to keep the Marinas clean.

LOST PROPERTY
• If any valuables are left behind in your base, please contact the relevant base as soon as possible after the loss.
• Our base staff will endeavour to locate your property and will contact you with the result of their search.
• Return of property to you will normally be by DHL. The cost of the courier service plus a £15 charge will have to be taken by credit/debit card.
• If goods are left on the plane you will need to contact the airline direct. For First Choice Airways this number is 01293 507160. The office is open between 10am and 4pm. If there is no reply leave and message and they will return your call.
PLEASE NOTE SUNSAIL DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY GOODS THAT SUBSEQUENTLY GO MISSING DURING TRANSIT TO THE UK

PLEASE NOTE
• If you feel that a problem may adversely affect your holiday, you must give our staff the opportunity to resolve it for you. If the problem is not resolved to your satisfaction, please ensure that you inform the base manager and it is essential that you complete a holiday report form.
• Unfortunately, claims made for problems not reported first to the base staff and then to the manager locally, cannot be considered.
TO REITERATE THE HOLIDAY BOOKING CONDITIONS, ANY COMPLAINTS OR CLAIMS MUST BE RECEIVED IN WRITING WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THE END OF YOUR HOLIDAY.

SUNSAIL – RESPECTING DESTINATIONS
• Sunsail remain committed to looking after the environment and supporting the cultures where we operate and over many years you have helped us to ensure that our presence does not negatively impact these areas. Please continue to assist us to leave these areas ‘As good or better than we found them’

PLEASE NOTE: Times and prices are correct at the time of publication, but are subject to change without prior notice.
Turkey Information Sheet last updated 02.07.07