Why should I choose a cabin charter holiday?
If you are new to sailing, or simply want to visit the islands in the best way possible, the cabin charter program is ideal. This is also a great holiday if you are travelling alone or if you are a sailor looking for some big boat experience in a more challenging area.
What's included in my cabin charter holiday?
Your cabin charter holiday includes the following:
- Accommodation in a double or twin cabin
- Running expenses of the yacht, including fuel, water and gas
- Continental buffet breakfast and light lunch daily
- Bottled water, Coffee and tea throughout your stay on board
- Services of our professional English speaking skipper and first mate
- Bed linen and towels
Do I need a sailing license or experience?
No, you do not need a sailing license, as our professional skippers have commercially endorsed RYA Yachtmaster qualifications and our first mates have RYA day skipper certificates as a minimum. You don’t need experience either, just a sense of adventure!
Do I need a visa for my trip to the Cyclades?
No, for Greece a tourist visa is not required.
How much cash should I take with me?
Obviously this will depend on what your plans are, but generally you can expect to pay around 15 euros per person for an evening meal. Although most places take card, it is good practice to have enough cash with you to cover any bill. Cash points are available at our home ports of Lavrion, Mykonos and Santorini as well as many of the islands – your crew know exactly where and when you can get more and they will keep you updated as your holiday progresses. Travellers cheques are no longer readily accepted, and of course euros is the currency used in Greece.
What wind conditions can I expect?
The wind patterns in the Aegean are perfect for this sailing adventure, with breezes from force 2 to 5 in the early and later parts of the season. In August and early September, the Meltemi wind blows from the North, with slightly higher wind strengths. A reduced route from Mykonos to Santorini and vice versa applies during this period.
Do I need to stock up with provisions at base?
The crew will have stocked the yacht with provisions for continental breakfast and light lunch, which they will be preparing for you daily. Should you wish to bring your favourite snacks or drinks on board, you can purchase these locally. Whilst the fridges on board are predominantly for the food purchased for you by the crew, there will be space for a cold beer or a bottle of wine for your sun downer at the end of a days sailing. Most islands have local kiosks where you can buy cold drinks, so no need to stock up unless you are going to spend an evening on anchor. Your crew will let you know what the program will be, so you can plan accordingly.
What are the rules regarding Holding Tanks in the Cyclades?
In Greece the regulations relating to 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 ensure that the discharge of any holding tank is done as far from the shore as is practical and to certainly avoid discharge in a confined area such as a bay, harbour or marina.
Can I get involved with the sailing?
Absolutely. You can get involved as much or as little as you would like, that’s one of the benefits of our cabin charter program. Many of our skippers are also RYA qualified instructors and whilst they cannot offer you certification during your trip, they can certainly give you some informal tuition, providing this does not impact on the enjoyment of the group aboard.
How long will we sail each day?
This will depend upon the particular destination of the day, however we look to organise our itinerary so that there are not more than 30 nautical miles between ports. This equates to around 5-6 hours at sea – plenty of time normally for a lunch stop in a bay with a swim. We generally aim to be in harbour by 5pm, although this is dependent upon the weather, obviously.