Crewed catamaran at anchor in a turquoise Mediterranean bay with hostess serving lunch on the aft deck, Borrow A Boat crewed yacht charter

Mediterranean crewed yacht charter

A week in the Mediterranean with a full crew on board: the skipper, hostess and cook handle the boat, the route and the meals while you focus on the swimming, the islands and the long lunches. Sailboats, catamarans and motor yachts across Croatia, Greece, Italy, Spain, France and Turkey.

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Frequently asked questions about Mediterranean crewed yacht charter

What is a Mediterranean crewed yacht charter and how does it work?
A Mediterranean crewed yacht charter is a private yacht booked together with its full crew (typically a skipper, a hostess and a cook) for a week or more. You pick the boat and the country, agree a rough route at the Saturday briefing, and the crew handles the boat, the navigation, the meals and the shore logistics for the rest of the week. Sailing yachts and catamarans run 40 to 60ft; crewed motor yachts run larger.
How much does a crewed yacht charter in the Mediterranean cost?
A crewed yacht charter in the Mediterranean starts around EUR 8,000 to 15,000 per week for a smaller crewed sailing yacht or catamaran (4 to 6 guests) and rises to EUR 30,000 plus per week for a 60 to 80ft motor yacht. On top of the boat fee you pay an APA (advance provisioning allowance) of 25 to 35 percent of the boat price for fuel, food, drinks and marina fees. A crew tip of 5 to 10 percent at the end of the charter is customary.
What is the difference between a crewed yacht charter and a skippered yacht charter?
A skippered charter puts a single professional skipper on board to run the boat. A crewed charter adds a hostess (provisioning, service, housekeeping) and usually a cook (full meals on board). Crewed yachts are typically larger, better equipped and run more like private boutique hotels at sea. Skippered weeks suit smaller groups who want a sailing trip; crewed weeks suit groups who want a holiday with the boat as the venue.
Which Mediterranean countries do you offer for crewed yacht charters?
We offer crewed yacht charters across Greece (Cyclades, Ionian islands, Sporades, Dodecanese), Croatia (Dalmatia, Istria, Kvarner), Italy (Sardinia, Tyrrhenian, Aeolian islands, Amalfi, Sicily), Spain (Balearics, Costa Brava), France (Côte d'Azur, Corsica) and Turkey (Lycian and Carian coasts).
Do I need a sailing licence to book a crewed yacht charter in the Mediterranean?
No, you do not need a sailing licence to book a crewed yacht charter in the Mediterranean. The skipper is the licensed master of the vessel for the entire charter and carries every certificate the local harbour authority requires. None of your guests need a licence of any kind.
When is the best time of year for a Mediterranean crewed yacht charter?
Late April to late October. June and September are the months experienced charter guests prefer: warm enough to swim, fewer boats per anchorage, winds at their most settled (the meltemi calms in September across Greece, the mistral eases in southern France). July and August are peak season: hot, busy, more expensive, with stronger winds in some regions.
How big a group can join a Mediterranean crewed yacht charter?
Crewed sailing yachts and catamarans typically take 4 to 10 guests. Motor yachts in the 60 to 80ft range take 8 to 12 guests. For groups of 12 or more travelling together, a fully crewed gulet (Turkey, Croatia or Greece) is usually the right answer.
What is included in the price of a Mediterranean crewed yacht charter?
The boat, the crew (skipper, hostess, cook), full third-party insurance and basic kit (linen, towels, drinking water, water-sports gear on most boats) are in the price. You pay separately for fuel, food, drinks, marina fees outside the home port and any national-park entry fees, all bundled into the APA paid at the start of the charter week.

Mediterranean crewed yacht charter: a private yacht, a full crew, six countries to choose from

A Mediterranean crewed yacht charter is the closest thing on the water to a private boutique hotel. You pick the boat and the country, we put a full crew on board for the week, and you wake up in a different bay every morning while someone else handles the route, the meals and the marina paperwork. Our crewed yacht charters cover Greece, Croatia, Italy, Spain, France and Turkey. The crew is a skipper, a hostess and a cook on most boats; bigger motor yachts add deckhands and engineers. A crewed week is a step up in comfort and price from a skippered charter, and the right answer for a group that wants a holiday more than a sailing trip.

Mediterranean crewed yacht charter at a glance

Detail What to expect
Crew on board Skipper, hostess and cook on most yachts; deckhands and engineers added on larger motor yachts
Sailing licence required? No, the skipper carries every certificate the local harbour authority requires
Top base ports Athens, Lefkas, Split, Dubrovnik, Olbia, Naples, Palma, Cannes, Bodrum
Charter pattern Saturday to Saturday; longer weeks possible on larger yachts
Boats available Sailing yachts, catamarans and motor yachts (gulets are a separate product, see below)
Best months Late April to late October, sweet spots in June and September
Group size 4 to 12 guests on most yachts; larger motor yachts take more

Why book a crewed yacht charter in the Mediterranean

  • Three professionals on board: the skipper navigates and runs the boat, the hostess looks after provisioning, service and housekeeping, the cook prepares breakfasts and lunches on board (dinners ashore are common, the hostess books).
  • Bigger and better-equipped yachts: crewed inventory skews toward larger boats with full air-conditioning, watermakers, generators and dedicated crew quarters, so guest cabins stay private.
  • Custom routing every day: the skipper adjusts the week to the wind, your interests and the local festivals; the hostess sorts shore reservations.
  • One licence covers everyone: none of your guests need any certificate. The skipper is the legal master of the vessel for the week.
  • Insurance and damage cover sit with the crew: if anything goes wrong on a manoeuvre, it is the crew's professional cover, not your security deposit.
Skipper's Insider Tip: "The Mediterranean is not one weather pattern. The bura comes off Croatia's Velebit ridge and goes from glassy calm to 40 knots in half an hour. The meltemi blows hard across the Aegean for 5 to 7 days at a stretch every July and August. The mistral funnels down the Rhône valley and shuts down the Côte d'Azur. The maestrale runs the Tyrrhenian. Pick the country to suit the month, not the other way around: Croatia and Turkey through the high summer when the meltemi is at its worst in Greece; Greece, France and Italy in June and September when their winds settle. Ask for the weather brief at every dinner and the next day starts to make sense."

The Mediterranean countries we cover, by region

  • Greece, Cyclades to Dodecanese: the largest crewed fleet in the Med. Athens for the Cyclades, Lefkas for the Ionian, Kos and Rhodes for the Dodecanese, Skiathos for the Sporades. Strong on crewed sailing yachts and catamarans. See our Greece yacht charter page.
  • Croatia, Dalmatia and Istria: Split, Trogir, Šibenik, Pula and Dubrovnik. Strong crewed catamaran inventory in central Dalmatia, sheltered cruising most of the season. See Croatia yacht charter.
  • Italy, Sardinia and the Tyrrhenian: Olbia and Portisco for north Sardinia, Naples for the Aeolian islands and the Amalfi coast, Palermo for Sicily. Strong on motor yachts. See Italy yacht charter.
  • Spain, Balearics and Costa Brava: Palma for Mallorca and Ibiza, Mahón for Menorca, Barcelona for the Costa Brava. The closer-to-shore option for non-sailing groups. See Spain yacht charter.
  • France, Côte d'Azur and Corsica: Cannes, Saint-Tropez and Antibes for the Riviera; Ajaccio and Bonifacio for Corsica. The motor-yacht heartland of the Med. See France yacht charter.
  • Turkey, Lycian and Carian coasts: Bodrum, Marmaris, Göcek and Fethiye. The best value of any Mediterranean country and the home of the gulet, the traditional wooden crewed yacht. See our gulets in Turkey page.

How to book your Mediterranean crewed yacht charter

  1. Pick country, dates and group size above.
  2. We confirm a boat and a full crew for the week.
  3. Pay the deposit; receive the skipper's contact details and a preliminary route plan.
  4. Meet the crew at the marina on Saturday afternoon for the safety and route briefing.
  5. Sail Saturday to Saturday, longer weeks possible on larger yachts.

What is included in the price?

The boat, the full crew (skipper, hostess and cook on most yachts) and full third-party insurance are in the price. Everything you consume during the week (fuel, food, drinks, marina fees outside the home port, any national-park entry fees, the end-of-charter clean) runs through the APA, an advance provisioning allowance of typically 25 to 35 percent of the boat price, paid at the start of the week. A crew tip of 5 to 10 percent at the end of the charter is customary. Looking for a fully crewed gulet for groups of 12 or more? See our gulets in Turkey, gulets in Croatia or gulets in Greece. Looking for a smaller boat with just a skipper rather than a full crew? See our Croatia, Greece and Mallorca skippered yacht charter pages. Looking for the December-to-April Caribbean season instead? See our Caribbean crewed yacht charter page.