Common questions about charter in Croatia

Frequently asked questions about sailing and charter in Croatia.

1. What type of boat should I choose?

The choice of the vessel depends entirely on your wishes and preferences. Our offer includes following vessel types:

  • Sailing boats - excellent for both family and active vacation
  • Catamarans - very stable and comfortable
  • Motorboats - for speed sailing enthusiasts

Before choosing a vessel, please bear in mind the following details:

  • How many people will be on board?
  • Does your group consist of pairs who can share the same cabin, or do some crew members require a separate cabin?
  • Do you prefer comfort?
  • Do you require a skipper or not? If you need skipper's services, please bear in mind that the skipper sleeps on board as well, so one of the berths (either in the saloon area or in a cabin) should belong to him.

2. Is it possible to rent a boat for less than a week?

Sailing yacht charters usually begin and end on Saturdays. However, should you desire to take a several day long sailing trip in the off-season (October - April), it can be organized and the price is then calculated according to the number of days spent on board. During the high-season (in June, July and August, as well as beginning September and end May), it is more difficult to organize this type of charter since these are the busiest months for the charter companies and most weeks are sold out well in advance (therefore, the price is unlikely to be flexible, and you would usually be charged for a full week).

3. Sailing boat or a catamaran?

For pure pleasure definitely a catamaran. It is spacious, more comfortable and more stable. Of course, it is also slightly more expensive than the sailing boat. For the pleasure of sailing, we recommend a sailing boat.

4. Are we obliged to hire a professional skipper?

If you have no sailing experience at all, or if you do not possess an officially recognized sailing license, you are obliged to hire a skipper. Even if you have experience in sailing, but are not sure in your maneuvering skills, it is strongly recommended to hire a professional skipper for at least several days, so as to make your cruise more relaxing. You can also benefit from the skippers' local knowledge - they are well acquainted with the Adriatic region and will be able to suggest you the most interesting places for swimming and fun, as well as numerous restaurants. We can reserve the skipper for you.

5. Is my license valid for a bareboat charter?

In case you possess any kind of a sailing license please be sure to send it to us via email or fax, so that we can check its validity with the charter agency as well as Croatian authorities before chartering a vessel.

6. Are the skipper's services included in the price of the boat?

Skipper's services are paid separately from the charter fee. The guests are obliged to pay them (or those of a hostess or cook) as well as food and drink for the skipper or other crew members. On gullets, the crew expenses (captain, sailor, cook) are already included in the charter fee. Mega-yachts and sailing boats exceeding certain length are chartered exclusively with a crew (of the vessel owner), in which case the crew expenses are included in the charter fee.

7. Where does the skipper sleep?

It is strongly recommended to charter a bigger boat and to provide the skipper with his own cabin. Since he is in charge of the day-to-day running of the yacht as well as the security of people on board, he should be well-rested - apart from that, the guest will have more comfort and a free saloon area to hang out. However, the skipper can sleep in the saloon area as well. Every vessel is registered up to a certain number of people (the law does not allow this number to be exceeded) - if this number does not include a berth in the saloon area, the skipper is required to have his own cabin.

8. Where do I park my car once I am about to get on board?

Marinas have a secured parking area for cars - the price of a parking lot depends on a certain marina and amounts to about € 45 per week. There are enough parking lots, so the reservations are not necessary. The personnel of the marina takes care of the vessels as well as the parking area in the marina.

9. Where should I berth, in the marina or in bays?

If you have enough electricity, water, and food, you can spend the night in one of the numerous, well-secluded bays along the Adriatic coast. But, take care of the weather conditions. If using the services of a skipper, you won't have any problems in finding the securest bays, since the skippers are well acquainted with the Adriatic region. If navigating a vessel on your own, please feel free to contact us for help - we'll gladly give you our suggestions about the safe bays in the maritime zone where you are sailing. You could also ask the personnel of the charter agency for some suggestions during your check-in procedure in the marina.

10. Which currency is used for paying in Croatia?

Please note that all the services in Croatia are paid in Kunas. Sometimes it is possible to pay mooring fees in Euros, but it depends on the marina and should be checked upon in advance. In restaurants, shops and supermarkets you can use credit cards as well, but not everywhere, so it is always recommended to have some cash with you, whether in Kuna or in Euros.

11. Is bed linen, cutlery etc. provided on board?

Bed linen (sheets, blankets, pillows) is provided on every vessel. Only few charter agencies provide towels as well, so, by all means, take your own with you (both beach towels as well as those for personal hygiene). The kitchen is equipped with stove, oven, fridge, sink, cooking utensils and cutlery. Cleaning fluids, dishcloths, etc. are not provided on board, but can be bought in stores within marinas before boarding.

12. Children on board?

Children can go sailing with you at an early age - there is no age limit, however, their stay on board should be closely monitored by adults. Be sure to choose the safest cabin for a child (e.g. the front cabin) and a place for it to play (cockpit is a relatively safe place). You can also put a safety net along the sides of the boat and children should, by all means, wear life vests. You should bring baby food along since it cannot be bought in each shop within the marina. You should also consider choosing shorter routes and visiting marinas more frequently due to a safer berthing as well as comfort.

13. When is the boat supposed to be back in the marina?

Boats are returned to the base on Friday afternoon/evening with an overnight on board until Saturday morning between 8 AM and 9 AM when the check-out procedure is done. At that time the guests should leave the boat so that it can be cleaned and prepared for new guests. The vessel can also be returned to the base on Saturday, but before 8 AM, in order for guests to have enough time to fill the tank before leaving the boat.

14. Is it possible for some people to leave and others to join the crew during the trip?

Changes of the crew are possible - however, this should be indicated in advance, before embarkation, so as to make crew lists, on which the dates of changes as well information on people joining or leaving the crew will be specified. Before taking over the boat, the charter agency will provide the guests with a verified crew list with data both before and after the change, which the guests have to have during the sailing. If the crew suddenly changes during the cruise, without previous notice, the guests are obliged to contact the charter agency and inform them about the changes in order for them to send a new verified crew list. The new list can then be sent via fax to the guests (to any place where they are at that moment). In case of a control, the guests have to present the new crew list, although they are obliged to keep the old one as well.

15. Can we take over the boat before the check-in time?

If you are arriving before the time determined for taking over the vessel (check-in is usually done at around 5 pm), let us know the approximate time of your arrival and we'll try to arrange with the charter agency to have the vessel delivered to you earlier, which is possible if there won't be too crowded in the marina at that time.