Frequently Asked Questions

• Return flights from the UK (on flight-inclusive packages)
• Overseas airport transfers (on flight-inclusive packages)
• ATOL protection (on flight-inclusive packages)
• ABTOT protection (on holidays without flights)
• A fully equipped charter yacht
• A Seafarer welcome punch party
• A Seafarer beach party (on 10 and 14-day flotilla holidays)
• All airport taxes (except in the Caribbean, where taxes are payable locally)
• End cleaning of your flotilla yacht
• The services of our experienced flotilla lead crew, plus the support of our base team and local agents
• One full tank of diesel, plus a full water tank and cooking gas
• A starter pack of basic provisions and cleaning materials on all flotilla yachts
• Seafarer cruise notes
• Bed linen and tea towels (hand and shower towels are generally provided: please confirm when you book)

Not included: mooring charges (except at the flotilla base), extra fuel or water, food and drink, and personal items such as laundry. See our General Information for full details.

• A fully equipped charter yacht for the duration of the charter (as confirmed on your holiday confirmation)
• The services of Seafarer representatives and/or our local agents
• The option to join a flotilla for a day (if cruising within the flotilla sailing area); longer periods are available at a supplement
• Seafarer cruise notes when cruising within the flotilla sailing area

Bareboat charter rates are quoted per boat per week and exclude flights and overseas transfers, which we can arrange at competitive rates. Required security deposits and damage waiver premiums are listed in our bareboat price list against each yacht type. Bareboat charters exclude fuel: you receive the yacht with a full tank of diesel and should return it full. End cleaning of your yacht is usually excluded and payable locally, unless stated otherwise on your confirmation.

• Return flights from the UK (on flight-inclusive packages)
• Overseas airport transfers (on flight-inclusive packages)
• ATOL protection (on flight-inclusive packages)
• ABTOT protection (on holidays without flights)
• Meals on a bed and breakfast basis
• Use of dinghy sailing and windsurfing equipment
• Use of stand-up paddleboards and kayaks
• Support from our base staff
• Regular complimentary sailing clinics

We frequently have special offers and discounts for children at our beach clubs and on our flotillas: see our latest special offers.

All our yachts are comprehensively insured, but a security deposit is required to cover the first part of any damage (the excess on the yacht insurance policy). For flotilla holidays and most bareboat destinations, you can instead pay an optional damage waiver premium, which covers the insurance excess in the event of accidental damage to the yacht or loss of or damage to its equipment, and reduces the deposit you lodge.

Premiums and deposits depend on the size of the yacht and the destination, and are often higher for catamarans. You can find typical rates under yacht insurance and security deposits in our General Information, and we confirm the exact figures when you book.

Skippering a flotilla yacht is immensely enjoyable and relatively easy, particularly during the summer months, when winds are steady and the weather is reasonably predictable. On flotilla, the mostly short passages between anchorages mean that willing helpers on board will not become bored or restless. Skipper qualification requirements vary between countries and, though not always required, we recommend that the skipper holds an International Certificate of Competence (ICC) as a minimum, which is equivalent to the RYA Day Skipper practical qualification.

Conditions are generally more moderate in the Saronic Gulf and the Ionian in Greece. If you have only limited sailing experience, perhaps from dinghy sailing at club level or as an occasional crew member on a cruising or racing yacht, we recommend you take an RYA training course, either before you leave or in resort, by prior arrangement with us.

Crews sailing from bases such as the Dodecanese or Sporades in Greece, the Dalmatian coast of Croatia or the Carian coast of Turkey, on flotilla or bareboat charter, can expect more challenging sailing. Formal qualifications, plus a higher degree of sailing experience and navigational knowledge, are therefore usually required.

The larger yachts require skippers with experience of handling yachts of a similar size, and an internationally recognised qualification such as Coastal Skipper or higher may be required, though in general an ICC is widely recognised and accepted. In all cases, please check with us that you have the right qualifications and experience for your destination, and take your original certificates with you.

Seafarer cannot accept responsibility for any expenses you incur, or any liability, should a person in authority (the flotilla skipper or the port authorities) deem it necessary to provide a professional skipper for safety reasons, to assist you in sailing or motoring the yacht during your holiday.

Our yachts are thoughtfully designed and comprehensively equipped, with an inventory specifically chosen for Mediterranean sailing holidays. On board each yacht you will typically find adult and child-size life jackets, life harnesses, an inflatable dinghy (with an outboard available at a supplement in some locations), a pilot book, navigation charts and equipment, cooking utensils and a full set of bed linen. Each yacht is also fitted with a shower with hot water, a deck shower, a bimini, an electric fridge, an audio system (with a 3.5mm aux cable), GPS and a VHF radio, and most have depth, log and wind instruments.

The inventory and specifications described on this website are a general guideline and a fair representation of the yachts and equipment available from Seafarer and our suppliers or agents. Specifications may change from one supplier to another, so if you need confirmation of specific equipment on a particular yacht, we will be pleased to provide it in writing. Note: whilst we endeavour to ensure that all flotilla yachts have holding tanks, this cannot be guaranteed on some bareboats or extra yachts hired in to our flotillas.

In Greece, the regulations on discharges and pollution make a holding tank a practical necessity, although we are not aware of them being a legal requirement as yet. It is prudent to empty any holding tank as far from the shore as is practical, and certainly to avoid doing so in a confined area such as a bay, harbour or marina.

If you take flights arranged by Seafarer on a flotilla, your transfers to the yacht base are provided. If you make your own travel arrangements, we will send you the yacht’s location and our agent’s contact details with your travel documents.

Boarding times vary by base: flotilla yachts are usually ready from mid afternoon on the first day, and each flotilla page gives the time for that base. The yacht will have been cleaned and presented to you in a seaworthy condition, with a full inventory of equipment, a full tank of fuel, water, gas and bed linen on board. Your travel documents include what to pack, check-in procedures and itinerary information.

Disembarkation is generally at 09:00, to give our staff time to prepare the yacht for the next crew.

British citizens can visit EU countries such as Greece, Croatia, Italy, France and Spain for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. Your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before the day you arrive, and its expiry date must be at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave.

Under the EU’s new Entry/Exit System, you may be asked to register your fingerprints and photo at the border, so allow extra time. Also take your UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or a valid EHIC, details of your travel insurance and your original sailing certificates. Rules can change, so always check the UK Foreign Office travel advice for your destination before you travel.

British citizens do not need a visa for a holiday in our European destinations or in Turkey, where you can stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period (for Turkey, your passport must be valid for at least 150 days after you arrive). Some long-haul destinations ask for an entry form or travel authorisation before you arrive, so check the UK Foreign Office travel advice for your destination. We will also tell you about any requirements when you book.

It depends on your plans and where you go. On a flotilla holiday, most places accept cards, but it is good practice to carry enough cash to cover a bill, and your crew know exactly where and when you can get more, so they will keep you updated as your holiday goes on.

The euro is the currency in Greece, Croatia, Italy, France and Spain, and the Turkish lira in Turkey.

Our flotilla itineraries are intended as a general guide. Our flotilla skippers are responsible for the safety of all people, yachts and equipment on the flotilla, so they may vary the itinerary if, in their opinion, the weather or operating conditions make it necessary. From time to time we also change itineraries for longer periods (if a town quay is being rebuilt, for example), but we always try to keep our website as accurate as we can.

It depends on the destination of the day, but we plan our itineraries so that there are no more than 30 nautical miles between ports. That is around 5 to 6 hours at sea: normally plenty of time for a lunch stop in a bay and a swim. We generally aim to be in harbour by 17:00, although this depends on the weather.

At Seafarer, we endeavour to respect the natural environment in which we sail, as well as the laws, people and culture of our host countries. Our staff will advise you on using eco-friendly detergents and soaps on board, the correct use of holding tanks, conserving water, disposing of rubbish responsibly and any local regulations you should be aware of.

We also promote the history and culture of our host countries and contribute to local economies and communities: we use local suppliers and materials wherever possible, and support local events and conservation initiatives. In this way, we hope to do our bit to ensure that these beautiful and largely unspoilt areas are there for future generations to enjoy. Read about our sustainability work.

No. The professional skipper on your cabin charter yacht holds commercial sailing qualifications: our minimum requirement for cabin charter skippers is a commercially endorsed RYA Yachtmaster Offshore certificate of competence.

The crew will have stocked the yacht with provisions for continental breakfast and a light lunch, which they prepare for you each day. If you would like your favourite snacks or drinks on board, you can buy them locally. The fridges are mainly for the food the crew buy for you, but there will be space for a cold beer or a bottle of wine for a sundowner at the end of the day. Most islands have kiosks selling cold drinks, so there is no need to stock up unless you are spending an evening at anchor: your crew will let you know the plan, so you can prepare.

Absolutely. You can get involved as much or as little as you like: that is one of the benefits of our cabin charter programme. Many of our skippers are also RYA qualified instructors and, whilst they cannot give you a certificate during your trip, they can certainly give you some informal tuition, as long as it does not affect the enjoyment of the group on board.

See our terms and conditions for full details of our booking conditions, including payment and cancellation terms, our obligations to you, your responsibilities to us and our financial protection. Our General Information forms part of these conditions too.

For any other information, call us on 0208 324 3118, and one of our experienced and knowledgeable consultants will be happy to help.

Call our reservations team on 0208 324 3118 (Monday to Friday 09:00 to 19:00, Saturday 09:30 to 17:00), email info@seafarerholidays.com, or see our contact page to request a call back.