FROM THE BEGINNINGS
Serenity Yachting began in 2005 when Ali Yuceulug asked is father if he could use the family yacht to launch a charter vacation business.It wasn’t as crazy as it sounds. Ali had a passion for hospitality and a finance degree from a university in the U.S. And he had learned a lot working for a respected tour operator in Istanbul. Ali’s father, Cetin, had faith in his son and quickly agreed.And so, in the summer of 2006, Serenity Yachting hosted its first charter season, with an experienced captain, a talented cook, and a young and enthusiastic deckhand – Ali. Guests enjoyed the yacht and crew, and the business began to grow.
While Ali pursued his charter business, Cetin and his other son Murat had an idea of their own: to establish a shipyard. Murat had completed his master’s degree in naval architecture, and the two envisioned a shipbuilding business that would design and construct cutting-edge yachts of the highest quality. Murat was controlling architect on the shipyard’s first project, Serenity 86. Since that time, Serenity Yachting has grown slowly and deliberately, always seeking quality rather than size. Cetin leads the Serenity shipyard, and Murat is now head of design and project management. The Shipyard takes on only a select few shipbuilding and retrofit projects, emphasizing quality and service above all else. Several of Serenity’s charter yachts have been built or refit at the family shipyard.
Serenity Yachting’s charter business now offers trips along coastlines of Turkey, Greece and Croatia from April through November. We are proud to say that nearly 40 percent of our guests are repeat customers. We have expanded to offer yacht management, charter management and brokerage services. And while Ali still loves being on a yacht with Serenity guests, he now spends most of his time in the office, running the charter and management business and taking care of the details that ensure great service for every charter guest.
Serenity Yachting remains a close-knit family business. The original Serenity 70 crew is still sailing Serenity charters. Crew members feel like family and guests are treated like dear friends. There’s a sense of trust and openness with shipbuilding clients, most of whom come from family connections. And yacht owners trust Serenity to manage their vessels because of its commitment to quality, professionalism and great service.
