Experience Chartering in Greece

Greece is the land of everlasting sunshine and crystal clear waters. There is such a variety of stunning landscapes that you can chose whatever suits you best. Many hundreds of kilometres of coastline and countless beautiful islands welcome you and will host your most beautiful cruising experience. The Greek seas are separated in seven geographic areas- the Cyclades, the Ionian, the Dodecanese, the Sporades, the Northern Aegean, the Argosaronic, Crete- and are some of the best destinations in the world for all yachting activities.

All of our islands, remote or cosmopolitan, rocky or lush with green, offer you hidden creeks and sandy beaches, picturesque little ports or luxurious marinas to enjoy on your own floating villa.

Summer holidays in Greece mean a lot but yachting holidays mean even more. The sea and sun constitute the two basic ingredients of happiness when it comes to vacation.

The third ultimate ingredient is your own yacht. Not only will you enjoy sunbathing, swimming, sea sports and nightlife in the islands but you can also visit numerous historic sites, beautiful temples and other inviting places. You can charter with anyone from our listed yacht brokers and sail away from the cloudy and crowded cities to the clean air, blue sky and crystal-clear waters.

On a chartered yacht you can discover a world of tranquillity and relaxation but also mix with the local people, who are known for their generosity and hospitality.

You will have the opportunity to visit so many places where only a yacht can go that there are still unspoiled beaches for you to discover. Enjoy sipping on an Ouzo accompanied by a Greek meze at a seaside traditional taverna or a colorful cocktail at a packed beach bar listening to the latest hits.

You will see islands where pollution and stress are unknown and you will have a chance to have donkey ride on Santorini or to ride in a horse carriage on Spetses island or Aegina.

With over 3000 islands to choose from, you will not have enough of 100 summers of exploration to visit them all. Every island offers remote beaches or secluded bays where you can be on your own enjoying swimming, wind surfing, water -skiing or just relaxing.

These are only some of the reasons to visit Greece, the land of the Mythic Gods and Beauty!!!

Your chartered yacht will take you there, in style and comfort. Don't hesitate further, make your dream come true!!!

Why charter a Yacht from our listed HYBA Brokers

• Your personal charter Broker will offer you the best of the fleet of crewed yachts and bareboats available in Greece. There are more than 3.000 crewed yachts, motor yachts, motor sailers and sailing yachts, accommodating from 4 to 80 passengers and over than 4.000 bareboats (sailing & motor) to choose from. They will select for you a yacht to suit your cruising wish, needs, taste and budget, bare or with internationally trained and experienced crews.
• They will ensure excellent quality and prices at buying cost on all food and beverage orders.
• They will provide any client with personal, high value service, resulting from being in business for many years and dealing with exclusive client's needs.
• Your Broker knows the fleet of yachts and inspects it often. He will only offer the yachts with proper technical maintenance and professionally managed, ensuring your safety and comfort on board.
• Each of our Yachts is carefully inspected each year by our surveyor members as well as the port authorities of the Greek Ministry of Merchant Marine, to comply with the highest international safety standards.
• All of our crew members are multilingual and specifically trained, officiers are government licensed for the specific job they perform, after schooling and passing the most rigid tests, as regulated by the Ministry of Merchant Marine and the National Hellenic Tourist organization (GNTO).
• All of our yachts and crew are fully insured.
• Each of our Yachts is registered as a member of one of the two Professional Yacht Association (crewed yachts or bareboat association), ensuring you even more confidence in regard with the service and quality of the yacht.
• All of our Charter Brokers members are Officially Licensed by the Hellenic Ministry of Tourism and observe strict international guidelines to guarantee the quality of service and your charter payments.
• By law, all charter agreements for cruises to be performed in Greece must be signed by a charter agent licensed with a Greek Charter license and/or an authorised licensed yacht management company.

Guidelines to Charter a Yacht

All yachts chartered in Greece must be commercially licenced yachts, carry a Greek or European Community Flag and have a Greek chartering License. Non Licensed commercial yachts cannot start and end a cruise in Greek waters as of current Hellenic laws in vigor.
There are two main categories of yachts: the crewed yachts and the bareboats.

Crewed Yachts  (Motor Yachts, Motor Sailers, Sailing Yachts, Catamaran)

Displacement Motor Yachts are the ultimate yachtsmen dream. Bold and comfortable, large and luxurious, they will perform in all kinds of weather and are often capable of night-time cruising, saving time. These yachts usually appeal to those who desire the luxurious part of yachting holidays. indulge yourself with perfect service and real great cruising.

Planing Motor Yachts will cover a far more distance in a shorter time as they are faster than any other type of yacht, allowing you to see more places and to enjoy more shore based activities, weather permitting of course. If the weather is not ideal, long distance cruising can be a little uncomfortable. Don't be impressed by their consumption, doing your maths and calculating the price you'll pay for the same distance... might leave you with some surprises.

Motor Sailer Yachts are primarily powered by motor and use the sails for auxiliary power. This type of yacht combines the comfort of the classical sailing yacht with the space comparable to the displacement motor yacht. These yachts offer also more deck space for sunbathing and al fresco dining. They often allow larger groups of passengers and are ideal for family, friends and corporate cruises.

Sailing yachts (Monohull, Catamaran) are perfect for those with a desire for adventure and romance. These yachts are a lot of fun and there is the wonderful advantage of peace and quiet when the engines are turned off as you sail quietly into the sunset. The sailing yacht will not cover as much distance as the motor yachts but the feeling of achievement and adventure cannot be described, only experienced.

Bareboats (sailing Monohull, Sailing Catamaran, Power Boats)

Sailing Boats (Monohull) according to your sailing skills and the size of your cruising party, you will choose from a large array of available sailing boats from 28 to 60 ft.. The more experienced sailors will enjoy the strong winds of the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, or the Northern Aegean and for less experienced sailors will easily sail around the beautiful islands and creeks of the Argosaronic, the Sporades or the Ionian.

Catamarans In the last years,  we have noticed an increasing demand for catamarans. Featuring larger inner space they also offer a 360 view from their cockpit to enjoy all the beauty you wish to see. their comfort come close to motor yachts for a much reduced operating cost.

Power Boats from ribs to cabins boats, or sportive open crafts to motor catamaran, there are many types of boats between 28 to 50 ft. that can take you on a simple day excursion or a longer cruise to visit the nearby islands. They are a lot of fun for who masters power boats.

Your Guests

The size of your party will determine how large your yacht should be and how many staterooms you will need. Your broker will tailor trips that suit any size of group, whether you are planing a romantic cruise for two, a group getaway with close friends, or a family adventure, they are solutions for all types or ages. Our Yachts sleep from 4 to 12 guests and range from less than 10 to over 60meters. For very large groups, corporate or incentive travel, there are also several extra large units sleeping from 30 to 60 guests. They are fully staffed with up to 60 crew members, including gourmet chef skilled in the culinary arts of authentic Greek and international cuisine, and complete hotel service.

The Duration of your Charter

Bareboats usually charter by the week from Saturday to Friday.
Crewed yachts however are largely available on a dayly basis for as many days you can wish and/or afford.
Plan your trip well and allow to limit your daily cruising to 4 hours average in order to leave plenty of room to sea activities and sports, bathing and shore excursions. The time you will spend on your charter will also have to take into consideration the areas you wish to visit.

The Charter Agreement

Your charter broker will prepare and send you a Charter Agreement approved by HYBA detailing the yacht, your chosen dates, the cruising area and total costs.
Bareboats have a specific charter agreement made of 3 or 4 pages, constituing of the mutual agreement that covers all responsabilities and risks which fit in 1 or 2 pages, one page that shows the details of the boat and the charterer and which is checked by the port authorities, and of a crew list in which will detail each and every person who will board the boat along with their personal details and Passport number. Usually, a security deposit will be required by the owning or managing company, as well as proof of the sailing capacity of your skipper.

For crewed yachts, the most common charter agreement is the MYBA Contract. The latest edition features 6 pages of binding articles that totally cover all risks and obligations of all parties on the contract. In Greece, by law, you will need to add the page intended to be signed and stamped by the port authorities. This page is drafted in both Greek and English language. Shrotly before embarkation, you will need to send the details of all your charter party, stating full names, date of birth, nationality and passport number.

The Agreements are signed by all parties concerned, Owner, Charterer and Agent(s)... in some cases both charterer and owners have their own agent. According to how early you sign your charter agreement, payments may be divided in several instalments. But the balance payment will occur one month prior to your embarkation. For crewed yachts, at this time your agent will ask you to send the funds to cover the advance provisioning allowance (APA) which covers the expenses you will have to face during your cruise (cruising expenses, gazoline for the tenders and toys, food and beverage provisioning, marinas and port dues, corinth canal passage...). Other costs that will appear on your contract will be taxes (where applicable) and delivery/redelivery fees (if applicable). A general guideline often used for estimating the APA is approximately 25-35% of the base charter rate. Full accounts will be produced by the Captain or your agent at the end of the charter and any unused funds will be refunded in full to the charterer directly. On the other hand, should this advance not be sufficient, you will be advised accordingly by the captain during the cruise.

Budget

In order to budget correctly, please be advised what is and what is not included in the charter fee:

The Charter Fee includes: The charter of the yacht and equipment, crew insurance and wages, food of the crew, yacht and passenger insurance, third liability insurance.

The Charter fee does not include: Fuel consumption, gasoline for the tenders and toys, food and beverages  for the guests, marina fees including pilotage fees, telex/fax communications, tax (if applicable), crew gratuities.

Preference sheet

As soon as the agreements have been exchanged, you will receive a detailed questionnaire requesting information on your travel arrangements, special needs, guests likes or dislikes, dietary or medical requirements, special dates, or any other information that you feel your agent needs to know. This preference sheet is vital in order for the Captain to provision the yacht accordingly and make any special arrangements.

Gratuities

Tipping is customary and discretionary; if you feel that the crew has been outstanding it is customary for the charter party to leave a gratuity. The tip is handed to the captain at the end of the charter or to each crew member individually.

Currency

Since January 1st 2002, the currency in Greece is Euro. You may exchange your currency either in your country or upon arrival in Greece.

Foreign exchange offices and banks are abundant in Greece, both on the mainland and on the islands.