Chartering a Luxury Yacht In Greece with Delos Travel
We have a created a list of frequently asked questions regarding the process of chartering a luxury crewed yacht in Greek Islands.
A private yacht charter allows you to travel where ever you wish while being pampered by your own private yacht crew. The crew prepares all meals and caters to all of your desires while onboard the yacht. The yacht is both your mode of transportation as well as your floating villa. While on your yacht guests have the option to set sail or drop anchor where every they like and as long as they like. In addition your privacy is insured and you can decide whether to stay on the yacht or explore the amazing private bays and coves and avoiding crowded beaches where the masses flock.
A crewed charter yacht is a yacht for charter which is staffed by a crew that handles the operation and maintenance of the yacht. Every charter is unique so the size of the crew is correlated with the size of the yacht as well as the specific needs and desires of the group that is chartering the yacht.
In addition the crew caters to all of the guests’ needs when onboard insuring guests are 100% satisfied with the yachting experience.
A bareboat charter is a yacht charter of a yacht without a skipper or crew accompanying it, therefor one of the guests will need to hold the appropriate license to navigate and handle the yacht. Furthermore all onboard duties must be performed by the passengers aboard. Some bareboat charters could allow for the hiring of a skipper or hostess to join you.
A bareboat charter typically run from Saturday to Saturday, embarking at 17:00 and disembarking at 09:00 with a return to homeport required the night prior to disembarkation.
All crewed yachts maintain a crew that is appropriate to the size of the yacht. Yachts have professional crew members that are very familiar with the yacht and the cruising areas of the yacht. Crews can range from two people to about 50 people on a Mega yacht.
Crews can consist of a captain, a first mate, an engineer, deckhands, stewardesses/stewards and chefs.
- Determine which area of Greece you wish to charter.
- What type of Yacht are you interested in chartering (Motor; Motor Sailer; Sailing or Catamaran)?
- How many guests will be aboard (adults/children)?
- Are their specific dates or is that flexible?
- What is the budget for the trip including all expenses?
- What are your desires during the charter? For instance are you sea lovers, sports enthusiasts, archeological and history buffs, nightlife oriented, or are you looking for peaceful coves and beaches.
Once the desires of the guests are taken into account, a yacht will be much easier to select and you can then focus on the exciting process of planning the yacht charter experience.
The standard yacht charter is for one week and all charter rates are based on a weekly intervals. Chartering for less than one week is typically not common, however less than a weak charters could potentially be accommodated in the off season.
Special event charters can last from a few hours to a full day and can be accommodated at a rate according to market demand. Bare-boats strictly have a one-week minimum for charters and run from Saturday to Saturday. One can stay aboard for less than a week however, the weekly charter rate remains fixed as contracted. Clients have an option to charter a yacht for a longer period of time.
In addition the crew caters to all of the guests’ needs when onboard insuring guests are 100% satisfied with the yachting experience.
Greece, with over 4,000 islands, is one of the best destinations as there are many coast lines and island groups that you can choose from such as The Cyclades, Ionian islands, The Saronic Gulf, The Sporades and The Dodecanese island groups.
Most yacht charters consist cruising for a few hours during the morning hours with a stop for midday fun and sun, and then again cruise some more to typically get to a harbor by nightfall.
Some yachts will allow night cruising if there is the approval of the captain who is responsible for safety aboard. Larger yachts with ocean-crossing standards often cruise at night as they have the safety standards and extra crew to assist this effort.
After you have decided on the type of yacht you are ready to move forward to securing that yacht. This is done with a charter agreement. A Charter Agreement is a legally binding document between the yacht owner and the charterer that defines the terms of the yacht charter vacation. It will hold all vital information pertaining to your specific yacht charter (dates, yacht, cost, cruising area and embarkation/disembarkation ports). Payment terms and dates are also defined here.
The yachting industry in Greece is governed by the MYBA which stands for the Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association, an internationally renowned professional organization within the Super yacht Industry.
In addition the crew caters to all of the guests’ needs when onboard insuring guests are 100% satisfied with the yachting experience.
Yachts will vary in cost as per the style, type, make and size. Typically Motor Yachts will cost more than a motor sailer, sailing yacht or catamaran.
Charter yacht daily rates start from about 600 euros per day and up to 100,000 per day for an ultra luxury yacht. In addition to this charter hire fee there are other fees to consider. For instance there is the VAT tax and the APA Cost which covers the expenses during the charter such as fuel, food, drinks and other onboard expenses. Lastly there is the crews tip that is standard but not mandatory and can run around 5-15% of the charter cost.
Under the MYBA yacht charter agreement 50% of the yacht charter fee is paid upon the booking of the yacht and the additional 50% of the charter fee along with the mandatory extras (VAT + APA) is paid one month prior to the charter start.
12% is the amount of V.A.T otherwise known as theGreek Charter Tax.
The A.P.A. (Advanced Provisioning Allowance) account is created prior to your yacht charter to cover all of your extra costs onboard creating a cashless experience for your Greek Island yachting experience. The APA is paid 30 days in advance with your charter fee and is usually processed through a bank transfer.
Such costs include: cruising fuel consumption, food and beverages, gasoline for tender and sea toys, private marina fees in Greece, Corinth Canal Dues (if applicable), client personal expenses, etc. The APA amount determined depends on your particular request of services, itinerary, food, beverages etc. The captain can facilitate almost anything your heart desires.
Between 35% of the total yacht fee will be placed on your APA account to cover expenses during your charter. At the end of the charter any difference in actual amount due is settled upon disembarkation and any APA. not used will be returned to you at disembarkation. All receipts are kept by the Captain for the yacht charter expense log and may be viewed at any time as you cruise to see where your account stands.
While not mandatory, it is customary prior to disembarkation to leave a tip (gratuity) for the work of the yacht’s crew. It is typically recommended to tip between 5% and 15% of the charter fee. Typically the total amount is given to the captain who then distributes it to the crew with their internal system. However, the charterer disperse tips individually as seen fit.
The Charter Process
Our yacht broker team in Athens will walk you through everything required, making a yacht charter a seamless experience. When a yacht owner decides to put their yacht for rent on the charter market, it becomes open for chartering. We will help you find the perfect yacht that meets both your desires and budget.
The charter fee covers the yacht insurance for marine risk and third party claims and the insurance of the crew for employer’s liability insurance. However it is strongly suggested to secure Cancellation or Travel Insurance to protect against unforeseen circumstances that might prevent or alter the yacht charter.
After contracting your yacht charter, questionnaires are provided that are due back to the yacht broker at least one month prior to boarding. The questionnaire provides information on the passengers preferences for food, activities, itinerary preferences, beverage, entertainment, etc.
The only mandatory information needed prior to the yacht charter is a full list of passengers that will be on the charter along with your passport information. This is required by law and given to the port police to ensure the safety of all passengers on board.
Most crewed yachts have air-conditioning, Wi-Fi internet, linens, bath and beach towels, basic bath toiletries and basic sea toys. The larger the yacht, the more equipped the vessel. Yachts of 30 Meters upwards will also typically have hair dryers, sun creams, and a larger selection of sea toys.
You don’t need much on a yacht charter as while glamorous it is a very casual environment requiring very little gear. Clothes for summer weather such as bathing suits, sandals, cover-ups/tunics, and athletic shoes are basics to bring along. The dress code is determined by the destinations visited however casual attire is the norm; jackets and ties are not required in restaurants.
Bulky, hard luggage is never a good idea for storing on the your yacht. It is recommended to bring soft luggage and not too much of it. If you forget bring something the crew will do their best to source it for you.
If you carry a small boat license it is good to bring in order to operate a jet ski or tender. Make sure to bring all medications from home in case something is unavailable at your charter destination. High-heels are not recommended as they cannot be worn on the yacht’s decks. A basket for shoes is supplied at the main deck aft as barefoot is the norm aboard.
In the West Mediterranean during peak months (July & August) it is more difficult to access some of the most popular cruising ports. The charter broker with the captain will suggest itinerary routes that offer the charterer port options which can be booked in advance if certain specific destinations are desired by the guests.
Some ports allow prior bookings while some only accept bookings 2 days in advance. Dropping anchor out of ports is another option as well in case we can not secure space in a port of your desire.
The Eastern Mediterranean is more flexible as far as space in ports however hotspots like the port of Mykonos can be difficult to secure space and no pre-bookings are allowed. Fees for docking can vary from port to port. Keep in mind that sometimes a hefty fee is required for very popular ports, whereas other island ports may just require a tip to the locals.
SCUBA diving and jet-skis and wave-runners will require the appropriate license by those interested to do so while aboard. we can facilitate acquiring the Small Boat Licenses needed to operate the jet-skis and wave-runners before the charter. If guests are not licensed, a crew member can drive while the guests remain passengers.
The yacht can hold as many guests that vessel could physically accommodate with no real restrictions applicable, however the captain’s approval is always needed.
International Marine regulations typically permit up to 12 guests cruising aboard and only vessels with SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) permits can carry more than 12 guests. During the charter process you should discuss what the cruising protocols are for each vessel and whether you require to have more guests on board either at a port or at sea.
Typically pets are not allowed onboard for health reasons of the crew and future passengers. In addition most animals do not enjoy sea travel. However, we can try to attain special permission from the yacht owner to accommodate pets.
Smoking and vaping is generally not allowed in the interior spaces of the yacht due to safety and health concerns, however it is typically permitted in the outdoor spaces of the yacht.
Not included in the yacht charter rates:
12% V.A.T (Greek Charter Tax)
Fuel as used during charter
Food/drinks
Advance Provisioning Allowance (A.P.A.)
The A.P.A. (Advanced Provisioning Allowance) account is created prior to your yacht charter to cover all of your extra costs onboard creating a cashless experience for your Greek Island yachting experience. The APA is paid 30 days in advance with your charter fee and is usually processed through a bank transfer.
Such costs include: cruising fuel consumption, food and beverages, gasoline for tender and sea toys, private marina fees in Greece, Corinth Canal Dues (if applicable), client personal expenses, etc. The APA amount determined depends on your particular request of services, itinerary, food, beverages etc. The captain can facilitate almost anything your heart desires.
Between 35% of the total yacht fee will be placed on your APA account to cover expenses during your charter. At the end of the charter any difference in actual amount due is settled upon disembarkation and any APA. not used will be returned to you at disembarkation. All receipts are kept by the Captain for the yacht charter expense log and may be viewed at any time as you cruise to see where your account stands.
Tipping is Customary at 10 to 15% of the yacht base charter cost.
Delos Concierge Services
Delos Travel can facilitate all aspects of your Greek Island experience to complement your Yacht charter at not additional cost to you.
Trans Atlantic and domestic airfare
Pre and post Villa and Hotel stays
Private tours and sightseeing
Private airport transfers
Private sea planes
Ferry reservations
Rental cars
Yacht Location
All Yacht Charters typically begin on the South Coast of Athens. However, if you should like for the yacht charter to commence at another location or Island such as Mykonos we can arrange for the yacht to be waiting for you. Relocation and fuel charges apply for this service.
All bookings are subject to the owner’s approval.