Luxury Yacht Charter in the Mediterranean

For many people, the idea of Mediterranean boat charter represents the ultimate in dream holiday experiences.

However, given the fact that Mediterranean yacht rental is generally associated with extremely high-costs, most people believe that they will never be in the financial position to pursue their interest.

While it is true that areas such as the Cote d’Azur remain exclusive to all but the rich and famous, there are still many parts of the Mediterranean where charters for sailing boats remain affordable to those on more restricted budgets.

Three ways of Chartering Mediterranean Yachts
The first thing to realise when looking for good value is that there are in fact three different methods of securing yacht charter in the Mediterranean.

Fully Crewed Yachts
The first method is to charter a private yacht with a full crew. These boats tend to be larger and more luxurious than most hire boats, and prices tend to include all meals and occasionally drinks too. Unsurprisingly, this is the most expensive option for yacht charters in the Mediterranean, and even if you attempt to share costs by travelling with another family, you will still find this to be an expensive choice of holiday.

As an example a typical cost of hiring a crewed catamaran in the Mediterranean with 4cabins and a capacity for 8 guests, is 18,600 euros per week during the high season and 15,500 euros per week during the low season.

Mediterranean Bareboat Yachting
The second method is to charter a bareboat for your Mediterranean cruise. This is undoubtedly the cheapest option as you do not have to pay for a crew, only the hire-cost of the boat itself. However, in order to qualify to hire a bareboat you have to prove that you have the relevant experience level for the area where you intend to sail.

Fortunately there are many Mediterranean destinations with a Level 1 rating, and you can qualify for this with as little as 5 days, or 100 miles, skippering experience.

As an example a typical cost for hiring a Mediterranean charter bareboat with 3 cabins and a capacity for 8 guests, is 2,400 euros per week during the high season and 1,800 euros per week during the low season.

Mediterranean Skippered Bareboat Yachting
If you are interested in Mediterranean sailboat charter but neither have the budget for a crew nor the experience to hire a bareboat, then the third option, hiring a skippered bareboat, may well be the right one for you. Although this option is clearly more expensive than hiring a crewless bareboat, it offers the advantage that under the tutelage of your skipper you can literally learn the ropes and gain the relevant experience that will allow you to charter a bareboat in the future. Should you wish, you can also upgrade your holiday experience by choosing to hire a host/hostess who will take care of cleaning duties.

Typical costs for hiring a skipper will begin at around 125 euros per day, while a hostess will cost a little over 100 euros per day. Although this seems to offer exceptional value, you should note that you will also have to factor in both their accommodation and living costs (i.e. food/drink) while aboard the boat. Generally, however, this remains a far more affordable option than hiring a fully crewed sailboat.

By: Rumble Romagnoli