Private Yacht Charter FAQ's
Private sailing charter is the exclusive yachting experience in Croatia allowing you to discover idyllic Croatian islands, hiden bays and typical historic villages at your own pace. The itinerary for Croatia yacht charter holiday is 100% flexible and can be arranged with your skipper before and during your journey to best suit your holiday expectations and traveling style.
- Select the period when you wish go Sailing in Croatia
- Set the budget and share your vacation expectations
- Find best Croatia yacht charter company and send inquiry
- Lock in selected charter by paying the deposit
Sailing boat vacation is not a regatta competition, but a slow-paced week-long yacht charter holiday. All the sailboats for charter in Croatia available at the Adriatic coast are comfortable and fully equipped with everything you need for a stress-free living-on-board experience.
7-day route is best balanced yacht charter itinerary in Croatia for beginners that wish to spend a relaxing cruising holiday between idyllic Adriatic islands.
The average cost for chartering sailing yacht in Croatia is 4.000€ per week in high summer season and between 2.000 and 3.000€ in June and September.
The average fee for a skipper in Croatia ranges between €1.200 and €1.500 per week depending on yacht's type and size.
- Skipper hire (if you don't have adequate sailing licenses)
- Tourist tax is mandatory 1.35€/day/person
- Park entrances, Marina and port fees on the route
- Food and beverages on route
- Land transfers & water taxis
- Fuel consumption for your charter
To secure and lock your charter 50% of the yacht rental cost needs to be deposited 3 days after booking confirmation. Balance payment 5 weeks before your charter starts.
Sailing Holidays in Croatia is best suited for open-minded travelers who wish to truly uncover the secrets of this hidden European gem. A sailing trip is ideal choice for adventurous families, couples and individuals looking for a unique way to experience idyllic Croatian islands.
Densely scattered Dalmatian islands with short sailing distances, scenic landscapes and iconic fishing villages provide the ultimate sailing itinerary in Croatia for a beginner.
There are 3 private yacht charter types in Croatia:
Fully crewed catamaran charter in Croatia is definitively most exclusive way to spend your holiday at the sky-blue Adriatic. With captain, hostess and boat chef you van expect fully catered onboard services with personalized itinerary and a touch of extravagant feel.
Skippered sailing vacation in Croatia is budget-friendly and authentic yacht charter experience allowing you to explore the islands at your own pace with best internal knowledge of a local skipper. You can always hire a hostess to provision for the yacht, cook and keep things aboard tidy and clean.
Chartering bareboat yacht in Croatia to independently explore the islands is most cost-efficient option allowing you full onboard privacy and responsibility to safely navigate the yacht. A valid boat license and a VHF certificate are required to charter a yacht in Croatia.
- Day 1 Saturday (Embarkation after 16 PM, check in at the office 1-2 hours earlier). Recommended to shop for yacht's provisions before boarding
- Days 2-6 Visiting best islands/locations in the area with flexible and adjustable itineraries in arrangement with your skipper.
- Day 7 Mandatory return to base port by Friday 18 pm for diver's inspection. You have plenty of time to explore local attractions and restaurants in the evening. Overnight onboard.
- Day 8 Saturday - Check out by 9 AM
No. Your skipper navigates the yacht for you, so just relax and enjoy your precious holiday moments. Skipper will be happy to show you the basics of sailing and navigation if desired.
After yacht rental payment, you receive a boarding pass with all the contacts and embarkation details. You can contact your skipper for itinerary details and route arrangement in advance, however, we kindly ask you to be patient. Skippers in Croatia are working aboard with other guests in weeks before your charter starts, so don't worry if they don't respond right away.
Provisioning on private charters is NOT included in the yacht rental price. Mostly because food requests and wishes vary from one guest to another. It is recommended that you BYO alcohol and food before embarkation or contact a yacht supply service to do it for you. You can always upgrade your charter with a hostess and she will take care of provisions and food preparation on board.
- it is hostess' duty to communicate with skipper regarding the guest's itinerary wishes and reserves dinners in restaurants
- keeps all areas on yacht clean and tidy
- handles the provisioning throughout the trip (shopping for supplies, stocking boat's lockers before and during the sailing trip)
- prepares and serves two light meals daily (breakfast and one simple lunch). Extra meals are option with an additional fee.
- washes the dishes, cleans the galley and salon
It all depends upon where your chosen destination is. We will inform you 3-4 weeks before the departure where the yacht is moored specified in your boarding pass so that you can make your travel arrangements. For embarkation is best to contact your skipper, and he will arrange where and when to meet. If you are flying to Croatia, there is always enough transfers and taxis at the airport to take you to marina on time. If you travel by car, there is always free space in marina to park. Check is on Saturdays from 4 pm, check out, same spot next Saturday by 9 am.
The usual tip for services aboard skippered yacht charters in the Mediterranean is 20 - 30 percent from the weekly skipper's fee.
Keep in mind that the yacht is handed to you fully charged with fuel and also need to be refueled at the end of your charter week. The average fuel cost on sailing catamarans is €250, sailboats about €100 weekly.
Croatia is one of the sunniest European destinations with dry and hot summer months. If you plan your charter holiday in summer, bring bathing suite, extra swimming towels, and your personal wardrobe. It is highly recommended to use a handbag or a duffel bag instead of a suitcase and remember to pack light
Basic things you need to pack for a sailing trip
- boarding pass and reservation documents
- sun protection (sun lotion, sunglasses for UV protection, hat)
- bathing suit or a swimsuit (3-5 pairs)
- your passport, or personal ID, enough cash
- swimming towels
- your personal items (prescription pills, medicine for allergy...)
- one wind stopper and a long-sleeved cardigan would do
- positive vibes (leave your worries at home)
Every vessel is equipped with 220V household plugs, but they only work when connected ashore with a power cable. Most boats have 12-volt DC power on board. While sailing, you can use the 12V plug-in as your phone charrger. There is at least 1 USB charging socket installed on every boat that works also offshore, without being plugged in the marina.
The average cost to moor a 45-foot yacht in Croatia is 80 euros. 42-foot catamaran about double that. Price basically includes fresh-water refill, garbage disposal, shore power, toilet and bathroom facilities.
If you wish to save some money and avoid paying for mooring in fancy marinas, anchoring in Croatia is still free and tolerated in charted anchorages.
Sailboat is »apartment on water« with a million dollar view. Each sailing boat has from 2-6 spacious cabins suitable for max. 2 persons, with double (160x200). Cabins are comfortable with lots of lockers and absorb plenty of light through large portholes. Even the largest sailing yacht has the capacity of maximum 12 persons. But 10 is recommended not to overcrowd the boat.
There is also one salon bed which we don't recommend especially if you prefer more privacy. One cabin belongs to your skipper. We tend to accommodate our guests aboard accordingly to their wishes. Don't bring your bed linen, pillows and blankets, because they are already included. This is how a sailboat cabin looks like:
There is nthing is better than a delicious home-made meal prepared on board of your yacht. A double gas cooker with oven is installed on every sailboat.
Modern charter yachts in Croatia dispose with at least 2 showers with cold and hot water onboard. Bear in mind that water tanks have limited capacity, so be careful how much you consume. You really don't want to moor in marinas for refill all the time.
It is recommended to supply the boat (for at least 2 days) in advance. Your skipper can provide some tips on where and what to buy. Every marina in Croatia has shops and supermarkets, where you can buy as much as you need for one week. You can always stop somewhere to supply the yacht. It is also expected to take care of skipper's food and meals.
Breakfast and a quick afternoon snack can be easily prepared on board and have dinners on the islands. Skipper can advice you on where to eat fresh, tasty and local delicacies. You can invite your skipper to join you at the table or eat separately if you prefer more privacy. He won't mind. It is mandatory to assure a budget for at least 1 warm meal per day for your skipper.
On private yacht charters It's customary to provide food for skipper during yacht charter week. If you prefer to eat outside, it is customary to invite your skipper to join you at the table. They will rarely turn down an invitation, but they also won’t mind dining separately if you prefer more space.
APA is the money that client pays in advance with charter price, so that we can take this money from our account and give it to the skipper. With that money skipper and hostess buy provisioning & food before and during your charter). Skipper also pays mooring fees, fuel and park entrances with that money. APA is very practical for the skippered charters and for the clients who don't want to bring much money with during charter and like their groceries to be purchased in advance. Skipper and hostess collect bills for everything they paid from APA, than at the end of charter, skipper returns the remaining money to the client.
Your skipper sleeps in one of the cabins on board during your charter period. Please bear in mind that he/she also needs space and place to rest to be focused when navigating your boat.
Your sailing itinerary mostly depends on current weather conditions. That is why it is impossible to set the exact route in advance. Your skipper is there to monitor the wather forecast and will recommend best itinerary considering the situation at sea. He will do his best to consider your sailing holiday expections and itinerary wishes. In case of a bad weather, your skipper will adjust the sailing dynamics following the maritime regulations and local forecast warnings.
Safety at sea is always first!
Most important is, that the full safety aboard is assured for our guests. This is only possible to follow the directions from your skipper and respect the sea. In this case, we kindly ask our guest to be patient and understanding to make skipper's work easier.
And remember: "You can't change the direction of wind, but you can always adjust the sails"
Guests on board are responsible for any direct damages caused by negligence (clogging the toilet, vandalism, damaging the yacht or its parts deliberately,..). That is why it is mandatory for lesser to give a security damage deposit for the possible damages and assure to return the vessel back in its previous condition.
The deposit is charged at the embarkation and it is refundable, if the boat is returned undamaged. The deposit amount is set by the charter policy (depends on the boat length, age and insurance rate) payable by VISA, AMEX, EUROCARD, DINERS or cash). If you wish a deposit insurance with non-refundable fee can be charged instead of the security deposit.
The damages caused regarding the skipper's navigation (sail damages, hull,...) are covered by the skipper's insurance policy. In case of damages, the charter owners establishes the damage amount and will be charged by the valid charter's price list.
Deposit insurance is the sum to cover the possible damages caused by the guests on board an can be charged if the client wishes. The part is non-refundable. The final insurance fee generally depends on the age and length of the yacht. Usually the amount is from (200-400€).
Not covered - fee for unblocking the toilet, lost dinghy and/or outboard engine, gross negligence damage and missing fuel.
Think casual and sporty
What to wear, generally depends on the sort of trip, the trip length, and the season. Sailing trip in Croatia or in any other country usually takes 7 days. That is why I suggest that you pack everything that you need for one-week. Bear in mind, that wind, sun and water are the 3 factors that you should count on. If your sailing trip is in summer season (middle June, July, August) pack accordingly to the weather. The air temperature peaks 30 (86F) and the sea temperature at constant 25 (77F). Beginning of June and late September just deduct 5 degrees in average.
Wherever you take, please don't overpack, don't complicate and please don't take hard suitcases, take a soft or a duffel bag. Here are some tips on what to pack:
- Swimwear take at least 3 pcs.
- Shorts 2-3 pieces of board shorts and 2 pieces of casual shorts
- Shirts for a week you'll need 5-7 t-shirts, one with long sleeve, a cardigan or a light pullover
- Dress Clothes a pair of decent button-down shirts or casual sundresses are excellent choice for a nice dinner on island Hvar or Vis.
- Shoes It's a fact that you will be barefoot all the time, but 1 pair of shoes with a rubber sole is a must have on a sailboat. Mostly to avoid scuff marks and ensure that you don't slip. A pair of flip flops and a pair of tennis shoes in case you go hiking the islands
- Hats Take a hat with strings if possible. You don't want your hat to be ending in the blue Adriatic
- Waterproof jacket or waterproof windbreaker - you might need one in case of strong wind combined with rain (especially in off-season)
- Other (but also essential items) underwear, 3-4 pairs of socks, sailing gloves (bike or fitness gloves)