Please read our frequently asked questions (FAQ) and find an answer that will help you in your search for a vessel. Should you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us (via telephone, email, chat).
* Which vessel type and size should I choose?
The choice of the vessel depends entirely on your wishes and preferences. Our offer includes the following vessel types:
- Sailing boats – excellent for both family and active vacation
- Catamarans – very stable and comfortable, ensure fast sailing
- Motor boats – for speed sail
Before choosing a vessel, please bear in mind the following details:
- How many people will be on board?
- Does your group consist of pairs who can share the same cabin or do some crew members require a separate cabin?
- Do you prefer comfort?
- Do you require a skipper or not? If you need skipper’s services, please bear in mind that the skipper sleeps on board as well, so one of the berths (either in the saloon area or in a cabin) should be reserved for him.
* Sailing boat or catamaran?
The choice depends on your wishes and preferences. A Catamaran is an excellent choice for those with no sailing experience or for those who feel somewhat insecure sailing. It has two hulls, hence providing greater stability. Catamarans don’t lean more than 5° and offer greater comfort, spacious saloon area and cabins and somewhat faster sailing, since they have two engines. Modern catamarans have shallow draft in order to make the access to land and bays easier.
* How do I book a vessel?
You can consult our Contact Center about the vessel choice – they will prepare an offer for you, based upon your request. Should you prefer to choose a vessel on your own, you can do so by using our Online Database system.
After having chosen a vessel, we can reserve it for you for several days, with no obligation, giving you time to organize your travel plans (buying plane tickets, etc.) and arrange everything with your crew members.
The vessel is considered booked by you as soon as you pay the first installment, i.e. 30, 40 or 50% of the total price, or the whole charter fee for bookings within 60 days before the departure. You can either pay by credit card or by bank transfer.
* Can I charter a vessel for less than a week?
Sailing yacht charters usually begin and end on Saturdays.
However, should you desire to take a several days long sailing trip in the off season (October – April), this can be organized and the price is then calculated according to the number of days spent onboard.
During the high-season (in June, July and August, as well as the beginning of September and the end of May), we cannot deviate from our weekly charter system (Saturday – Saturday charter), since these are the busiest months for the charter companies and most weeks are sold out well in advance (therefore, the price is unlikely to be flexible and you would usually be charged for a full week of charter).
* Do I have to hire a professional skipper?
If you have no sailing experience at all, or if you do not possess an officially recognized sailing license, you are obliged to hire a skipper.
Even if you have experience in sailing but are not sure in your maneuvering skills, it is strongly recommended to hire a professional skipper for at least several days, in order to make your cruise more relaxing. You can also benefit from the skippers’ local knowledge – they are well acquainted with the Adriatic region and will be able to suggest you the most interesting places for swimming and fun, as well as numerous restaurants.
We can reserve the skipper for you.
* What qualifications do I need for a bareboat charter?
In the event of a bareboat charter (without our skipper) the client skipper must be in possession of a certificate of competence in order to charter a boat. It is also a legal requirement for one member of the crew to be qualified for the operation with the VHF station (possessing the VHF license).
If you are not sure about the validity of your certificate, please check if it is listed here.
* Which licenses are accepted?
Licenses and certificates corresponding to the Greek program and containing the verification of the state are accepted by the Greek authorities. The VHF license is obligatory, as well.
Most of the RYA licenses are accepted (www.rya.org.uk) for sailing in Greece territorial waters.
* Is my license valid for a bareboat charter?
In case you possess any kind of a sailing license please be sure to send it to us via email, so that we can check its validity with the charter agency as well as the Greek authorities before chartering a vessel.
* I have a license for motor boats, is it valid for sailing yachts as well?
A license issued for navigating motor boats can be accepted valid if it is clearly indicated that it can be used for navigating sailing boats as well. By all means send us a copy via email, so that we can check its validity with Greek authorities.
If it is not indicated on a license that it is accepted for sailing boats, it can be upgraded. E.g. licenses issued in Italy can be used either for sailing boats only, or for motor boats only, or for both vessel types.
* I have a years-long sailing experience but do not possess a license. What do I do?
In order to hire a yacht inGreece, the person navigating the boat has to be qualified for operating a vessel or a yacht, and must possess a necessary license, corresponding to Greek rules and regulations.
The certificate can be obtained in client’s mother country, in which case the client’s picture, official stamp and verification of the state must be included on it.
* Are skipper’s services included in price?
Skipper’s services are paid separately from the charter fee. The guests are obliged to pay them (also those of a hostess or a cook) as well as food and drink for the skipper or the other crew members.
Mega-yachts and sailing boats exceeding certain length are chartered exclusively with the crew (provided by the vessel owner), in which case the crew expenses are included in the charter fee.
* Where does the skipper sleep?
In most cases the skipper sleeps in the salon area. However, it is strongly recommended to charter a bigger boat and provide the skipper with his own cabin. Since he is in charge of the day-to-day running of the yacht, as well as the security of people on board, he should be well-rested – apart from that, the guests will have more comfort and a free salon area to hang out.
Every vessel is registered for a certain number of people (the law does not allow this number to be exceeded) – if this number does not include a berth in the salon area, the skipper is required to have his own cabin.
* Besides the charter fee, are there additional costs I should budget for?
When calculating the price of your trip you have to consider these:
- price of boat rental (as per offers)
- obligatory extras (per boat, stated in offer)
- optional extras (if you want them, per boat, stated in offer)
- skipper 190 EUR per day + food (if you need one)
- cook 150EUR per day + food (if you want one)
- boat fuel (depends on how much you spend … )
- food and drinks (half board is usually 250 EUR per week per person)
- moorings and marina fees (different costs ranging from 4 to 20 EUR per night)
- (security deposit for the boat – you get this back at the end, stated in the offer)
* Is there a parking area within the marina?
Marinas have a secured parking area for cars – the price of a parking lot depends upon the marina itself.
There are enough parking lots, so the reservations are not necessary. The personnel of the marina take care about the vessels as well as the parking area in the marina.
* Where should I berth, in a marina or in bays?
If you have enough electricity, water and food, you can spend the night in one of the numerous, well secluded bays along the Greece coast. If using the services of a skipper, you won’t have any problems finding the securest bays, since the skippers are well acquainted with the Greek region. If navigating a vessel on your own, please feel free to contact us for help – we’ll gladly give you our suggestions about the safe bays in the maritime zone where you go sailing. You could also ask the personnel of the charter agency for some suggestions during your check-in procedure in the marina.
* Which currency should I use to pay for mooring fees and other expenses?
Please note that all the services in Greece are paid in Euros. In restaurants, shops and supermarkets you can use credit cards as well.
* Technical equipment on board?
If having reserved a vessel through our website, please check the additional information on vessel equipment for every single boat in our offer. Should you need any further assistance, just contact us and we’ll send you a document quoting all the equipment on your chosen boat.
All boats in our offer have safety and navigation equipment as well as navigation maps.
* Is bed linen, cutlery, etc. provided on board?
Bed linen (sheets, blankets, pillows) is provided on every vessel. Only few charter agencies provide towels as well, so by all means take your own with you (both beach towels as well as those for personal hygiene).
Kitchen is equipped with stove, oven, fridge, sink, cooking utensils and cutlery.
Cleaning agents, dish cloths, etc. are not provided on board, but can be bought in stores in the marinas before boarding.
* Which places should I visit?
If you don’t know which places to visit, please check some of our suggested routes and info on departure points of the vessels in our offer. We can also provide you with additional information about cultural sights, beaches, etc.
* Children on board?
Children can go sailing with you from an early age – there is no age limit, however, their stay on board should be closely monitored by adults. Be sure to choose the safest cabin for a child (e.g. the front cabin) and a place for him/her to play (cockpit is a relatively safe place). You can also put a safety net along the sides of the boat and children should by all means wear life vests. You should bring baby food along, since it cannot be bought in every supermarket within the marina. You should also consider choosing shorter routes and visiting marinas more frequently in order to provide safer berthing as well as comfort.
* Joining a group?
If you are interested in joining a group, please visit our Crew Finder forum where you can form your own crew and arrange a sailing vacation. You can also contact us via email, and we’ll be happy to put you in touch with someone who has requests similar to yours.
* When should I return the vessel to the marina?
The vessels are returned to the base on Friday afternoon/evening with an overnight on board till Saturday morning between 8am and 9am, when the check-out procedure is done. At that time the guests should leave the boat, so that it can be cleaned and prepared for new guests.
* Is it possible for some people to leave and other to join the crew during a sailing trip?
Changes of the crew are possible – however, this should be indicated in advance, before embarkation, so as to make crew lists, on which the dates of changes as well information on people joining or leaving the crew will be specified. Our guests receive a blank crew list, which they fill in with the crew details both before and after the change (the date of the change should be indicated as well). The complete crew list can be sent to us via email or fax.
Before taking over the vessel, the charter agency will provide the guests with a verified crew list with data both before and after the change, which the guests need to have during the sailing trip.
If the crew suddenly changes during the cruise, without previous notice, the guests are obliged to contact the charter agency and inform them about the change in order for them to send the new verified crew list. The new list can then be sent via fax to the guests (to any place where they are at that moment).
In case of a control, the guests need to present the new crew list, although they are obliged to keep the old one as well.
* Can I take over the vessel before the time determined for check-in?
If you are arriving before the time determined for taking over the vessel (check-in is usually done at around 5pm), let us know the approximate time of your arrival and we will try to arrange to have the vessel delivered to you earlier, which is possible if it is not too crowded in the marina at that time. In case you are arriving on Friday or earlier and need some help in finding suitable accommodation, please feel free to contact us.
