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This all depends on your interests but especially on how much time you have available - the more days you have on board the more islands you will be able to explore.
As a general idea during a 7 day trip you would have the chance to visit up to 6 islands whereas during a 2 week trip we usually visit up to 13 islands and during a 3 week trip you can explore up to 20 of the amazing Greek islands.
However one week on board is a great idea for people with a short holiday and in Greece for only 7-10 days .
Most of our guests choose a 2 week trip because of the advantages it has comparing to a shorter one:
But no worries - no matter if you decide for a 1, 2 or 3 week trip you will still have an amazing time exploring the Greek islands on board your floating hotel with the best sea-view balcony.
Always try to book your charter as far in advance as possible, particularly if your dates are not flexible. May to September is our busiest time of year, and these months generally book up well in advance.
Our trips are typically Monday morning (8:30 AM) to Sunday afternoon (2:30 PM) in order to avoid the crowds at the harbors as most companies are working on a Saturday schedule. This way it is nicer when you have a bay with another 2-3 boats instead of 10-20 as it happens when going on a common schedule with the others.
A 7 day trip is 7 days / 6 nights as the night in between the charters is kept for cleaning and preparation for the new trip starting the next morning. The cleaning of the boat inside / outside and other preparations (like fueling up, taking sheets /towel to cleaning etc, filling up the tank with water for shower) and possible maintenance needed in between 2 consecutive charters is a process taking about 8-10 hours. Each time a charter finishes, at least an 8 hours working gap is needed for the boat to be prepared and ready to welcome most guests on board. This is done starting 2:30 pm when guests disembark till about midnight and then continue early in the morning so by embarkation time 8:30 all is ready and a new trip can start.
You might have noticed at most of our colleagues (that work on a Saturday afternoon start) that a gap of many hours is needed in between charters for preparations. In their case, the previous group returns to the base on Friday by 05:00 pm, they spend the night on board at the base and disembark on Saturday morning by 09:00 am the latest. Then the charter companies takes over, the cleaning is done, etc and the preparations for the new charter are done in between 09:00 am to 04:00 pm. The boat is ready to embark new people on Saturday afternoon - usually around 04:00 pm or later. By the time they make the check in, paperwork, stock up it's usually 06:00-07:00 pm. This becomes actually too late to reach a destination during daylight, so the actual departure is usually on Sunday morning when they leave the marina for their first destination in the islands. And they return on the next Friday afternoon. Thus for 99% of the charters you will notices the program described above when Saturday from 09:00 am to 04:00 pm is the preparation/cleaning period after the previous guests disembark and before the new guests embark. This unfortunately means that always the last night and most of the time the first night as well of a 7 day/7 night charter is spent at the base and only the remaining 5 at the islands.
We find this process with 1-2 nights spent at the base a bit time consuming for the guests' limited time on board since they are here to visit the islands and not loiter at the marina of embarkation. So instead of wasting precious day / time when the guest can enjoy the islands and the sailing, and as an alternative we keep the night in between the charters to do the cleaning & maintenance. This way our trips can start in the morning and not late afternoon. This way, our guests have time for swims and enjoy a new island from the very first day on board. To express it in other words ... we are basically sacrificing the last night (when it makes no difference if people are on board or at a hotel - they're just sleeping) to save the first day (when people can enjoy being on board and all the activities of a sailing trip) .
Sailing is definitely the best way to enjoy the Greek islands (discover small secluded coves and out-of-the-way islands) and it's fun for everybody from young groups looking for bustling nightlife to families with children or couples wanting to experience real Greece and have a great time on the water as well as on shore.
The simple and casual nature of a sailboat is appropriate for anybody looking for a unique and flexible way of exploring the Greek islands, enjoying the sea and nature and letting the wind take you to great destinations. If you love nature, quietness, sea, sun, going on shore to explore pretty little villages, swimming and snorkeling in crystal clear coves and isolated bays, a nice breeze in your sails then spending 1-2 weeks on a sailboat is going to be the best vacation of your life.
However if you or any member of your party is more interested in luxury or prefer a bunch of people in the crew wearing white shirts and beige pants waiting to serve you a drink and pamper to all your needs than a luxury motor yacht will be a better option for your holidays instead.
A sailboat is all about having fun, explore, relax and being free and to some extent can be compared to "a big campervan on the water" thus you should not expect the services provided by the permanent crew found on fully crewed luxury motor yachts.
When planning a trip on board a sailboat, it is important thatALL PEOPLE ON BOARD HAVE A GOOD LEVEL OF MOBILITY in order to go in/out the gangplank, descend in the saloon and get in and out of a dinghy(it happens often that due to weather or all the berths at the dock being taken, we simply are at a nearby bay and dinghy you to shore). But anyways, even in perfect weather condition and with availabe berths - it's more quiet and pleaset to be at anchor under the stars (a perfect start of the day with a morning swim) and dinghy to shore than being next to a noisy cement dock with maybe a party boat next to you. This is why we have prepared a movie with these 3-4 movementsto see if each member of a group is comfortable with them.
The "all costs included" combo is our bundle that includes the expenses associated with chartering a yacht (skipper and skipper food, fuel, final cleaning, etc). No hidden costs, no surprise at the end of the trip. You simply pay a flat rate and that’s it! Much easier to plan and budget for!
After surfing the web and looking at different options for your sailing vacation, you might have noticed most of the charter companies structure the yacht rental similarly with renting a car. The charter rate covers the price for hiring the yacht itself ( just like the car rental price covers the car itself). And all the other aspects/costs involved are on you to cover as you go. For a car that would be things like gas, toll rates, parking fees.
With similar structure, when you are budgeting for your sailing holidays, with most charter companies will you have add on top of the charter rate, any other expenses involved as they appear:
The trouble with this approach is the total/ final price the extras add up to varies significantly on different factors ( for details please read below paragraph marked with *). Which makes it difficult for you to budget for your trip- an aspect that will naturally might make you feel worried or anxious about the total price you will end up paying.
So we are taking a different approach. In order to avoid all the hassle and worries, we are offering the "all costs included" combo. The bundle includes the expenses associated with chartering the sailing yacht (fuel, skipper, final cleaning, etc) that will guarantee worry free vacations. You won't have to keep an expense account open. You simply pay a one-time flat rate ( 330 euro/day/boat -divided in between the members in your group) and that’s it! Much easier to plan and budget for! No hidden costs, no surprise at the end of the trip.
* While the rate applied for skipper services is pretty much standard for all companies (190 - 240 euro/day) , all the other extra expenses can range according to different factors. For example how much fuel you are going to use depends on how long the engine will be running- more exactly on the distance to your favorite destination and weather condition . The average sailing distance for most itineraries is around 20-30 nautical miles/day. In favorable weather conditions (wind speed of 10-12 knots or more) a sailboat is perfectly capable of reaching a destination powered only by sails while doing a regular speed of 6-8 knots ( miles/hour). But when winds are very mild, the speed a sailboat can reach just on sail power can instantly be halved - thus the time you need to reach your destination is automatically doubled . This is when the engine is your best friend, helping to go back to the regular speed of 6-8 knots so you reach your destination by early afternoon ( not at midnight ) and have time to enjoy the island, its sights and a stop for swim before reaching the harbor. This is an especially important aspect for many of our guests as soon as they realize a regular day on board is divided in several parts (the 3-5 hours travel time to the next destination, the 1-3 hours stop for a swim, the late afternoon/evening for exploring the islands you reach , on-shore activities, exploring the villages and dinner).
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For more details please check point 3.5 Is there electricity on-board? Can we charge our phones, laptops etc? below.
For the initial provisions there is a supermarket 2-5 minutes walk from the marina (right next to port) where you can stock up with food/drinks you will need for the first days. At the islands you will find minimarkets 100-200 meters away from the boat where you can get whatever else you might need the next days. Please remember to bring bottled water as well!
On board you will find a fridge (box-shaped). The fridge's dimensions are 35cm (wide) X 63 cm (length) X 48cm (deep). So you can get the food/drinks/bottled water that you need the first 1- 2-3 days.
It is recommended that you always have with you provisions for an unplanned on board dinner (like spaghetti, sausages etc) .
The galleys are fully equipped with dishes, flatware, pots and pans, French press for coffee and kitchen utensils. However you will need to supply all your consumables, including paper towels, coffee, condiments etc.
We have a fast access to Cyclades islands and / or Saronic islands as well as to the pitoresque Peloponnese coast.
We recommend you don't go to the hassle of trying to decide on a specific itinerary or set your mind on a specific island- many time on board people discover new attractions of the islands they never expected and realize that other places than their initial plan are much closer to their dream holiday… so keeping flexible it your guarantee that you will have the best holidays of your life.
Also sailing conditions vary greatly from area to area making some itineraries appropriate for all people while others are just fort the very adventurous; some itineraries are great for people wanting more time on shore or at the bays swimming and swimming while others just for people willing to spend a long time at sea sailing and enjoying the breeze… keep flexible and let the islands surprise you!!!
Many times we are asked which is the BEST Greek island. The answer is "so many of them are simply amazing- it just depends on your interests – and even so there are dozens of islands that fall in your criterias". Some places are great for swimming, others for nightlife, other for architecture and other for hiking. But actually most of them usually offer a perfect combination of all the above. No matter which itinerary you’ll follow, we can guarantee you’ll fall in love with Greece and while on board you will already start to plan your next sailing vacation so you explore more places.
Just let us know your interests and at embarkation we'll advice you on the perfect route and the best islands. We consider that this is YOUR sailing trip and we will make sure you will get the best of it.
This is why before setting the sails we discuss your individual requirements and ideas so we take a route as close as possible to your dream (weather permitting and within reality of a sailboat for the number of days you have on board).
Breakfast (on board or on shore - according to your preferences and the prediscussed departure hour). After that we set sail for our next island.
The sailing time depends on the chosen itinerary and is usually from 3 to 6 hours.
On our way make a stop at a nice bay for swimming, snorkeling, swimming to the beach and probably also have a light meal. Continue the journey to our destination - the lovely bay for overnight with easy access to the harbor town. We usually arrive around 3-4 (but this can vary from island to island) so you have time to explore the islands and enjoy its beauties.
We can help you with ideas on how to plan your time on shore and suggest you the main attractions and things not to be missed in each island.
Dinner is usually taken on shore as sampling local cuisine at a water front restaurant is part of experiencing the Greek islands. For those who would like to continue with a fun night out we have good news: at each island you can find bars and clubs open till late at night or even early in the morning.
As a general idea, each day on board can be a combination of several of the below:
On shore: Each harbor has a large number of restaurants , traditional taverns and bars which are open for dinner and breakfast, all priced very reasonably. Enjoying local cuisine and island's delicacies at a waterfront tavern while admiring an astonishing scenery is something you'll want to experience over and over again.
On board: Our sailboats are equipped with a cooker ( with oven and 3 burners), fridge and full galley equipment, so you can also cook on board if you prefer. Provisioning is very easy - most islands have grocery stores/markets within a couple of minutes walk where you can stock up the boat with your favorite food/drinks
Yes, of course there is electricity. Boasts have autonomy (for fridge, toilets, lights, water pumps, etc) with 12 volt DC power - just like your car or campervan (unlike homes that are 220 or 110 Volt AC power).
So you will be able to charge your phone while on board on USB in a 12 Volt (cigarette lighter) plug.
Thus all you need to bring is a car charger (12 volt charger) and your USB cable - please see picture below - for your electronic devices and you will be able to charge them at any time while on board (the same way you would charge them in your car).
Or in other words - the boats have this type of charging station for your electronics:
Please bring car chargers (not INVERTERS) that can be plugged here. Car chargers are those who's one plug directly into your device (laptop, camera ,etc) and the other end in a cigarette/12 volt lighter plug.
Note: invertors are NOT ALOWED on the boat as they dry out the batteries of the boat with the result of not having enough power for shower, toilets, lights, fridge, etc.
If you have a camera for which you can't find a 12 volt (car) charger, each time when you go out for dinner or a drink you will be able to recharge your devices at the restaurant.
VERY IMPORTANT: If any members in your party travel with medical devices that have to be plugged in to work ( CPAP machines, etc ), you should purchase a car plug/car adapter before booking.
If any of the members in your party will need to work during the time at sea thus laptop charging is a priority, please make sure to order in time 12 Volt chargers (car/travel chargers) for their specific model of laptop.
There are also universal laptop chargers where you just switch the connection jacks. Please see universal laptop chargers.
Sure! Each afternoon/evening when you go on shore to explore you will find many restaurants, taverns and bars that offer Wi /Fi so you can keep up with friends and family, surf the web or simply upload picture while enjoying your meal or drinks.
For when you're on board, the only option is mobile data. If you have an international plan, the coverage is very good at most places. If you don't have a convenient international coverage, there are 2 options:
a) It's really easy to get a local SIM card ( it costs around 10 euro) and activate a data package. You will find shops everywhere (Cosmote, Vodafone or Nova are the provider). There are shops everywhere in Athens (I think even in Athens airport) and also at Paros at: COSMOTE or NOVA
b) Alternatively we have a local SIM card on board with which you can go to at the shop above and top the card up in order to activate a data package. However doing that after embarkation will take time and you would only have it for the week on board.
Thus we highly recommend option a above so you have mobile date for the whole duration of your stay in Greece- not just the days on board.
Also, the last period we've noticed several of our guests where using a e-sim for mobile data in different countries. That's probably the easiest option as you don't need to physically go at any store and you can arrange everything from home before even flying to Greece.
The crew (skipper & co-skipper) is responsible for navigating and mooring the boat, ensure the safety of the boat and taking care of all the aspects related to sailing/anchoring.
However the crew is NOT responsible for anything regarding cleaning, dishwashing, serving/cooking meals, shopping, garbage etc
More analytically the crew will be responsible for:
The skipper will navigate and sail the sailboat from one island to the next and also ensure the safety of the boat for all the duration of your sailing cruise. He will take care of all aspects related to sailing/anchoring and also take you ashore with the dinghy if the situation requires it ( when there is no berth available at the dock or due to weather condition thus the boat will be at anchor in a bay for overnight). .
The working hours for the crew are maximum nine (08.30a.m-05.30p.m) out at sea, but after that they are in charge of the boat's safety, something that might keep them awake for the whole night, if the circumstances require it.
The priority is always the customer and the crew happy to sail whenever and wherever you want (within reason) so that you can visit your favorite islands. But when they are not busy sailing the boat, they enjoy the islands (hiking, exploring or just spending a fun night out) and the coves as well (swimming and snorkeling). This is actually the main reason why they are able to give you recommendation on best things to do on the islands , best spots for swimming, etc based on experiences (field research is always better than a guide book).
Although life as a crew seems very fun it does however have a lot of responsibilities and can be very demanding in strong winds (both for sailing and keeping the boat safe for overnight). This is just one of the reasons why the skipper has the final say (especially when wind picks up) as a safe harbor for the overnight is mandatory for safety reasons as well as so you can have a fun and relaxing evening, followed by a smooth sleep.
Also, please remember that your crew are working every day of the season (5-8 month a year, without any break), sometimes need to do long days at sea, standing up for as much as 7 hours in a row, so please be respectful with your crew and do not underestimate they efforts to offer you a great holiday.
It is highly recommended that you bring your belongings in soft-sided luggage (duffel type bags, backpacks etc) so that you can place your things in the little drawer/cupboard in your cabin then fold up and store the soft luggage away. The storage is very limited on a sailboat and storage of soft luggage is a lot easier.
If your group is small (2-3 persons ) there will probably be a bit of extra storage space provided you dedicate at least one of the guests' cabins as a storage space for EMPTY suticases ( assuming the suitcases are reasonably sized and can fit through a sailboat’s door -40 centimeters-15.7 inch). Thus for small groups of 2-3 persons it might be ok to bring along reasonably-sized suitcases provided that you will secure them each time before going out at sea so they won't fall and create any damage. No metal or reinforced plastic suitcases on board!
However if you group is 4-8 persons, you'll probably use all cabins for accommodation. There is luggage storage right across the ferry dock.
If for the rest of the trip in Greece you will need a suitcase- just pack in a duffel bag as well so before the trip you place the thing you will need on board in the duffel bag and leave the rest in the suitcase at the luggage storage across the ferry terminal.
Alternatively you might drop your suitcase at the hotel you are spending the night before and pick them up upon return.
Contact usBy email at: or By phone at: 0030 6933 218 799 . |
