Questions & Answers

Most frequently asked questions concerning bareboat charters.

How do I book? Choose the area and type of yacht you prefer, along with your dates and contact us, then hold an option (which you may usually hold for seven days) or make your booking. Having booked, our Charter Party Agreement (CPA) will be sent to you. This should be signed and returned with your down payment. No booking will be confirmed until the CPA has been signed and the down payment made. We recommend that for charters during peak season, inquiries for bookings should be addressed several months in advance.

How and when should I pay? 50% of the charter fee is payable at the time of booking; the balance is payable 30 days before embarkation. All payments can be by bank transfer or credit card (Mastercard or Visa). For bookings within 60 days of departure full payments should be arranged with the CPA.

What qualifications do I need to charter a bareboat sailing/motor yacht? Bareboat yacht charter in Greece legally requires two crew members capable of commanding the vessel. The skipper should have an appropriate, recognized sailing certificate, or demonstrate sailing club membership. If not issued by an EU member state, certification should carry a translation in Greek or English. An official declaration stating the skippers competence may be also required if the harbor authority considers this necessary.

The co skipper should provide similar certification to the skipper. but may otherwise complete sign a self-declaration for the port authority. Both skipper and co-skipper may also be required to submit a sailing resume to enable us to assess their ability to sail safely. Vernicos Yachts reserves the right to insist that charterers hire a skipper, despite their certification, if their sailing skills are not judged sufficient by our staff.

For bareboat motor yachts, both qualified crew members (skipper and co-skipper) must present a license for motor yachts. In this case self-declaration forms are not acceptable. Again we reserve the right to insist that charterers hire a skipper if their seamanship skills are not judged sufficient by our staff.

What about skippered charters? If you need a skipper, we can recommend a professional skipper for as many days as you wish. Even if you have experience in sailing, you may still require the services of a skipper to make your cruise more relaxing and benefit from the skippers' local knowledge. There is a set daily fee of 150€ per day for the skipper regardless of the number of people on board. Please remember that the skipper needs to be provided with his own cabin, as he is obliged to sleep on board.

Which days of the week can I begin and end my charter? Sailing yacht charters begin and end on Saturdays for multiples of seven days. In the low and medium season (B and C period, check our pricelist) and depending on yacht availability, this may be flexible. In any case (also period A/ high season) we will try to accommodate your wishes for different days of the week and uneven periods of time, such as a ten or twelve-day charter.

When do charters begin and end? All charters begin at 17:00 on the day of departure (normally Saturdays) and end at 18:00 on the day of arrival (normally Fridays) with an overnight till Saturday morning at 9:00. We ensure that yachts are always delivered to the next charter in perfect working order. If we can deliver your charter yacht earlier on the day of embarkation, without compromising our standards, we will, but this cannot be guaranteed.

What does the charter fee include? Yacht prices are per yacht, per week, depending on the time of year and regardless of the number of people onboard (subject of course to the maximum number of berths).

Charter fees include:

• VAT

• All clean linen including bath towels

• 24 hour emergency service

• Yacht cleaning before and at the end of your charter

• Port- Marina fees- for the first and last night of the charter in the marina of departure and return

What is not included in the charter fee?

• The Refundable or non Refundable Security Deposit. (see below)

• Food and beverage

• Yacht and outboard engine fuel

• Port -Marina fees - This is a daily-base fee, which applies to almost all ports in Greece

• Transfers

Are the yachts insured? All our yachts are covered for Third Party Liability with sum insured equal or higher than the obligatory from Greek Legislation (Bodily Injury, Material Damage , Sea Pollution ) and also for several other coverage under the Institute Yacht Clauses CL 328 (1.11.85) as Waterskier's Liability , Institute Yacht Clause's Machinery Damage , War and Strikes , Permission to Skipper/Bareboat Charter , Electronic Date Recognition , Innocent Assured Clause , Misappropriation , Medical Expenses , Personal Effects .

The above mentioned yacht insurance is valid in excess of the security Deposit the client chooses to pay.

Should I have a travel insurance? In your own interest, you are advised to buy suitable travel insurance before leaving home, including cancellation insurance to protect your booking deposit.

Do the yachts meet any safety standards? All yachts safety equipment meets or exceeds the safety standards set by the Greek Ministry of Mercant Marine.

What should I bring with me? Every vessel is fully equipped for charter. Apart from provisioning and stowing of your personal possessions, you could step aboard and leave the dock without a further thought. The equipment varies depending on the size and the type of the yacht but you need to take very little with you. You should bring your own beach towels, deck shoes, sun tan lotion and sun hat.

What if we arrive at the embarkation base late? For late arrivals at the embarkation base (after 19:00 hours) please contact our base manager to make the appropriate arrangements.

Where can I get more sailing information regarding the Greek waters? For specific sailing information, you will find the appropriate copy of the "Greek Waters Pilot", written by Rod Heikell, onboard all our vessels. For research before leaving home, the "Greek Waters Pilot" is an excellent reading choice.