Yacht chartering is a dream experience that combines luxury, adventure and freedom. Whether you are planning a relaxing holiday, a family getaway or an exciting sailing adventure, this guide was created based on customer feedback. We have created this page to help you plan realistically, saving everyone time and ultimately simplifying the booking process.

What is a Yacht Charter?

A yacht charter is the process of renting a yacht for a specific period of time, whether it is a day, a week or even longer.

Who can charter a yacht?

Almost anyone can charter a yacht, but the requirements may vary. If you choose a bareboat charter, you will need a valid sailing license or sailing experience. No prior sailing experience is required for crewed, gulet and skippered charters.
Where is a license required and where experience is sufficient: which license required when chartering?

What types of boats are available for rent?

Sailboat: In most parts of the world, a 3-cabin sailing boat is the smallest available for rent. The exception is the Mediterranean region, where about 5% of our fleet also includes 1-2 cabin sailing boats.
Catamaran: The smallest catamaran has 3 cabins, it is not possible to rent a smaller catamaran.
Motor yacht: Those motor-driven boats that have at least 1 cabin.
Motor boats: Those motor-driven boats that do not have a cabin.
Gulet: Traditional Turkish yachts made of wood, most of which are luxuriously equipped. This type of boat can only be rented in the Mediterranean. It is recommended for larger groups and events. We offer even gulets that can accommodate up to 46 passengers.

What types of charters are available?

Bareboat charter: Bareboat charter, where the charterer provides the skipper himself.
Crewed charter: Charter with a skipper and often additional crew and provisions.
Cabin charter: Renting a cabin on a boat, with full board and a pre-planned itinerary. Recommended for solo travellers and couples who can economically enjoy the comfort of a luxury yacht and even make new friends.
Luxury charter: Usually larger yachts over 50 feet with five-star amenities.
Canal boat rental: The canal boat rental is the most popular in Europe. You can travel around European cities by motorized boat on the river networks.

How long can you charter a yacht?

The charter period is available from 1 day, but when planning, consider the following. The charter business in different regions differs, but in general, it can be said that most boat owners prefer to charter from Saturday to Saturday. The exception to this is gulet, crewed and motor yacht charter, where daily charter is possible for all three categories of boats in all regions. Another exception is the Caribbean region, where almost all boats can be chartered for even one day.

Most charter companies in the Mediterranean region work with a charter period from Saturday (17:00-18:00) to Saturday (08:00-09:00), so 90% of the available boats are available for weekly periods. We also have boats for shorter periods, but much less than for weekly periods. In terms of prices, a 4-day charter is often more expensive than a 1-week charter. In a weekly charter, the boat can be picked up and dropped off at any time during the rental period.

What is the best month to go sailing?

The best month to go sailing depends on your destination, weather conditions, and the type of experience you are looking for.
The Mediterranean Sea: Best months: May to October
The Caribbean Sea: Best months: December to April.
The Aegean and Adriatic Seas: Best months: June to September
The South Pacific: Best months: May to October
The Indian Ocean: Best months: November to April
Northern Europe: Best months: June to August.
You can find a more detailed description of the sailing opportunities in different months on the following pages: Which are the best places to Which are the best places to sail in September, October, November, December, January, February, or May?

How to rent a yacht?

1. Determine your needs: Before you search for a boat on our site or request a quote from us, determine your basic needs and consider the following:

  • Where would you sail? To do this, read the sailing descriptions of the selected areas.
  • What type of boat do you want to charter? If you are unsure, read our boat type descriptions.
  • What type of boat charter are you looking for? To do this, read our boat charter type descriptions.
  • What time period would you like to charter a boat for? You are better off in the Mediterranean if you think in weekly periods. It is often worth finding out about flight tickets before booking.
  • How long do you want to sail? A boat holiday is not only about sailing, but also about land experiences, which you will need time for. What stops are you planning and how far apart are they? Do you want to sail a lot, or would you rather spend more time on land? When planning your itinerary and rental period, consider the following: An average 43-foot sailboat sails at 6-7 knots per hour in average weather conditions, while a motor yacht sails at 15-25 knots per hour.
  • Are you planning a one-way trip or a cruise? If you are planning a one-way trip, meaning you are not leaving the boat at the starting base but at another port, you will need to consider that you will either have to pay a transfer fee (this is the fee for returning the boat to the starting base) or, if you need a skipper, you will always have to factor in the rental time so that the skipper sails the boat back to the starting base.
  • Do I need a boatmaster’s license or sailing experience? Sailing experience is required all over the world. You don’t have to worry about this only if you rent the boat with a skipper. If you don’t have a license, you will need a skipper and you need to take into account the following: skippers sail a maximum of 8 hours during the day, so you can sail a maximum of 50-60 nm in a day, with few stops.
  • How many cabins should I rent a boat with? This depends on several things. How many people are traveling in total? What is the composition of the group: adults, children, babies? Should every cabin have a double bed, or is a single bed enough for someone, or can there be an extra bed in the double room? Do you need a skipper or crew? If so, the skipper and crew will need one or two separate cabins. How many cabins the crew needs may vary from yacht to yacht.

2. What other costs do you need to calculate?
In addition to the price of the boat, you also need to calculate other items. These include the mandatory final cleaning fee, which includes the complete cleaning of the boat after handing over your boat, port fees, local tourist tax and fuel fee, which you pay depending on how much you use the engine – you cannot calculate this in advance.
If you also need a skipper, you will have to take care of his daily meals, which is about 30-40 euros/day. This should usually be discussed directly with the skipper to agree on the most suitable solution for both of you.

If you have taken these suggestions so far, you are certainly much better prepared, and your plan may already be completely different than before you started reading. You are on the right track. The next step is:

3. Choose a charter company
You can start searching on the internet and find local companies and entrust yourself to a broker. If you take on the task of contacting local companies, it will take much more time, it will be harder for you to compare offers and you will not get “company-independent” offers.
If you entrust the choice to a charter broker, you will benefit for several reasons:

  • a broker will never cost you anything extra, he will be paid by the ship owner.
  • a larger broker has a very broad view of the charter market, as he manages the ships of several owners (up to 10,000).
  • such a broker is always well-informed about current and upcoming promotions, sees the occupancy and can decide when it is worth booking.
  • such a broker can get you discounts that you cannot, due to their long-term partnership.
  • such a broker can provide you with information about the market in a more comparable way in an offer

It is very common for our clients to rent a boat in a country other than the original plan, considering the information we provide.

If you recognize US from the above, request a quote from us:

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Other frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What is a security deposit?

This is an amount that must be deposited with the owner of the boat for the entire duration of your boat rental. If no damage occurs, it is 100% refundable. If you cause damage to the boat, the company will compensate itself from this amount and return the remaining amount to you.

Is a security deposit always required?

No. There is no security deposit required for crewed boat rentals. If you add a deposit insurance to your boat rental, there are owners who will waive or reduce the amount of the security deposit.

Do I need to take out insurance for the boat?

Generally not. There are boat rentals where it is required. We strongly recommend that you do, as everything on a boat costs a lot of money, and often even the smallest damage is more than the insurance costs.

What is the 12-person rule on a yacht?

The 12-person rule refers to international maritime regulations that limit the number of guests on most private charter yachts to 12, regardless of the size of the yacht. This rule is based on the SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) convention, which classifies yachts carrying more than 12 passengers as passenger ships and requires them to meet much stricter safety and certification standards. If you have a larger group, you may need to charter a second yacht or look for a fully certified passenger yacht.

What is the barefoot rule on a yacht?

The barefoot rule is a general etiquette rule on yachts, especially luxury ships and sailboats. This means that guests are usually asked to remove their shoes before boarding.

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