Bareboat Yacht Charter Greece

Licence and experience requirements

In Greece, the person in charge of a bareboat yacht must hold a recognised sailing licence, such as the ICC (International Certificate of Competence), an RYA Day Skipper or Yachtmaster, or an equivalent national licence. Many charter companies also require a second crew member with sailing experience. The company will ask for copies of the licences before the charter and may ask for a sailing CV. If the skipper's experience does not match the yacht or the area, the base can require a professional skipper.

A VHF radio operator certificate is recommended and is required by some companies. Check the requirements before booking; see do I need a licence to charter a yacht in Greece.

Choosing the area for a bareboat charter

For a first bareboat yacht charter Greece trip, the Ionian (Corfu, Lefkada) and the Saronic Gulf (Athens) are usually the easiest: shorter distances and more moderate winds. The Cyclades and the Dodecanese are more exposed to the summer meltemi and suit experienced crews. See Ionian Islands, Saronic Gulf and Cyclades.

Check-in, check-out and the security deposit

At check-in the base staff show you the yacht, its systems and the safety equipment, and you sign the inventory. A security deposit, or a non-refundable damage waiver where offered, is taken at check-in and returned after check-out if there is no damage or loss. Most bases ask you to return to the marina the evening before the end of the charter, with a full fuel tank, for the check-out the next morning.

Mooring and anchoring in Greece

Most Greek harbours use stern-to or bow-to mooring with your own anchor on the town quay; lazy lines are found mainly in marinas. Practise reversing the yacht and laying the anchor early in the week. Crossed anchor chains are common in busy harbours, so give neighbours room.

How booking works

Booking a bareboat yacht charter in Greece with Astra Yachting follows the same steps every time. You send your preferred dates, the number of guests, the type of charter you want (bareboat, skippered or crewed) and any must-see stops. We check live availability with the yacht owners and charter fleets we work with, and come back with the yachts that are actually free for your dates, their exact specifications and a written quotation.

Once you choose a yacht, you receive the charter agreement and the payment schedule. The booking is confirmed when the agreement is signed and the first payment is received, as set out in our Booking Terms & Conditions. Before departure we collect the crew list required by the Greek port authorities, any sailing licences for bareboat charters, and your provisioning or transfer requests.

On embarkation day you meet the yacht in the charter base you choose, go through the check-in and safety briefing, and set off. During the charter you can reach us by phone or WhatsApp on +30 693 918 6245.

How much does a bareboat yacht charter in Greece cost?

A bareboat charter is priced per week for the whole yacht, and it is the lowest-cost way to charter because there is no skipper or crew fee. The rate depends on the type of yacht (a catamaran costs more than a monohull of similar size), its length and number of cabins, its age and specification, and the base you sail from, with an extra fee for one-way trips.

The week of the season matters most. July and August are the peak, and mid-August is the most expensive part of the year. May, June and September cost less, and late April and October are usually the cheapest weeks. Fuel, marina and harbour fees, provisioning and optional extras come on top, and a security deposit is taken at check-in. For a full breakdown, see how much it costs to charter a yacht in Greece.

What is included and what is extra

Every quotation for a bareboat yacht charter in Greece lists what the charter fee covers, so there are no surprises. As a rule, the fee covers the use of the yacht for the agreed period, its standard equipment and the yacht's insurance. On skippered and crewed charters it also covers the skipper or crew wages.

Items that are usually charged separately include fuel, marina and harbour fees, the final cleaning, optional extras such as a paddleboard, a gennaker or an outboard for the tender, the skipper's or crew's food on board, and a security deposit or damage-waiver option on bareboat charters. On crewed motor yachts, running costs such as fuel, food and drinks are often paid through an advance provisioning allowance that is reconciled at the end of the trip. The exact list depends on the yacht, which is why we confirm it in writing before you book.

We do not publish fixed prices on these pages because rates depend on the yacht, the week of the season and the charter format. Ask for a quotation and you get the real price for your dates.