Official gulet cruise categories. Biggest problem in gulet business

Some time ago we made a nice little movie about gulet cruise categories! It really looks very good and it educates the client about the official gulet cruise categories. On the other hand, it is incredibly misleading and it has nothing to do with any REAL CATEGORIZATION!

Shame on you Goolets agency!!

Here is the gulet charter categories movie:

In our agency, we separated gulets into 3 main categories: standard - luxury - deluxe

Without going any further with explanations what each category means – there is already very big problem about this presentation.

Goolets agency is indeed a huge expert on gulets. It is also true we inspected more than 500 gulets in last 10 years. It is also true we have a very very good idea what makes a gulet Standard, Luxury or Deluxe quality.

We know all the prices, we know the crews, we know the owners.

But we are not the officially licensed government type of company that specializes only in CATEGORIZATION! Not even close!

And so it is not any other agency out there also.

Our categorization is STANDARD, LUXURY, DELUXE!

• Some agencies use ECONOMY, STANDARD, SUPERIOR DELUXE.
• Some agencies use STANDARD, STANDARD WITH AIR/CON, LUXURY, VIP.
• Some agencies use CLASSIC, A CATEGORY, A CATEGORY, VIP, ULTRA LUX.
• Some agencies use 3 stars, 4 stars, 5 stars, 6 stars, 7 stars.
• Some agencies use Standard, VIP, Superior, Amazing, Ultra DELUXE.
• Some agencies use oranges….

The thing is because there is no official categorization everybody tries to do their best to help clients determine what they can get for their money.

So every agency that makes their own category standard – do it to help clients with their decisions. But unfortunately this is (almost) mission impossible.

I will explain why.

And then you have a gulet that looks STANDARD and has a STANDARD price in LUXURY SECTION (because you know he deserves it) and when a client sees this he is 100% sure you do not have any idea what you are doing by putting this gulet there. 

Or imagine the wrath of the owner that has a “LUXURY GULET” and you put him to standard category (because you know he belongs there). 

It is really a shame there is no official categorization as it would make the lives of gulet owners and agencies much much easier.

Lets give a REAL LIFE EXAMPLE what I think it would be interesting. 

I will not go into technical stuff here, but I will talk about commercial things that are important from clients point ow view. 

Here are 5 conditions I would give to gulet owners in the order you wish to be 3 stars (standard), 4 stars (luxury) or 5 stars (deluxe) gulet:

For 3 star gulets: 

• Gulet must have air condition in cabins and use it minimum 35 hours per week (according to the wishes of clients).
• At least the captain has to speak conversational English which has to be checked every year by TEST OF ENGLISH AS FOREIGN LANGUAGE!
• Gulet has to be properly technically maintained! (I will not go into details here)
• The minimum food standards should be set for breakfast, lunches, and dinners.
• The size of the cabins should be calculated according to the size of the gulet. 
• Matching t-shirts of the crew are a must have.

For 4 star gulets: 

• Air condition should be used minimum 50 hours per week.
• The captain should talk Active English and waiter should also speak active English. 
• There should be a higher standard for food and it should be exactly specified what this means. 
• The gulet MUST HAVE powerful dinghy (at least 40 HP – more is better) and water sports for clients (skiing, doughnut ride, windsurfing, canoes…).
• Entire crew must have matching uniforms (shirts trousers).
• The size of the cabins has to be bigger than with Standard gulets.
• More crew per person as on standard gulets.
• More cruising, bigger flexibility during itinerary and more of sailing. 

For 5 stars gulets: 

• Minimum 10 hours of AIR/condition/Day (if needed).
• Captain, Sailor, Waiter, Hostess (if they have it) should all speak perfect active English.
• Food standards should be set in advance.
• Separate uniform for each crew member and more crew per person on a gulet than on luxury gulets.
• Biggest cabins (again standard would need to be set).
• Even more flexibility and cruising every day. Sailing should be done always when the weather would permit it and clients would request it.

This is of course not even close to perfect. This is maybe 20% of the possibilities and probably some of them are maybe not possible also. 

But if this kind of official categorization would be done the clients would know exactly what to expect! And they would have to pay for this well. Gulets would not have to negotiate so much over the price and at the end – clients satisfaction would be much higher.

Let me give you another example of what is going on.

Lets say you have a 5 stars gulet but you are not booked well and you have to lower your prices to get bookings. You have this amazing looking gulet but instead of chartering it for price € 25.000 per week you charter it for € 15.000 per week.

What are the first things you will do as an owner?

• You will save € 1.000 on fuel and will cruise much less than you would normally. 
• You will use air condition only 3 hours per night instead of 10 hours per night. You save another € 1.000.
• The amazing chef you have and you are paying him € 1.500 per month will be changed by the one from some village for only € 500 per month. Here goes another € 1.000.
• The captain that is amazing and working for you for 6 years and is paid €  2.500 per month will be changed by another one. Good one, but no English, no good communication – and only €  1.000 per month.
• On food, you usually spend € 2.500 per week (you get € 2.500 from clients for this). Now you only spend € 1.000 and out the other € 1.500 in your pocket.
• Normally owner also includes water sports usage in the price now he has to charge them extra.

He has to get some money back. So maybe from the offer you think you will get 5 stars gulet for € 15.000 per week instead of € 25.000 per week and this is true. The gulet is 5 stars but services will be 3 stars. And this is the problem then.