Crewed yacht charter in the Mediterranean

The Mediterranean as a charter destination

If you would like to charter a luxury yacht with crew in the Mediterranean, there is one decision to make even before you choose the yacht: the cruising area. Between the Aegean and the Balearics lie island groups, steep coastlines and town harbours that differ markedly from one another, often within a single country. What many of them share is that distances can be short. In Croatia there are hardly any long passages between the islands, in the Dodecanese the destinations are rarely more than twenty nautical miles apart, and on Ibiza almost everything can be reached within a few hours. That leaves a great deal of freedom to change the shape of the day as you go, and your crew chooses the bays according to the wind and the plan for the day.

The eastern Mediterranean means Croatia and Greece. Off the Croatian Adriatic coast lies a world of islands whose heart is the Kornati, a national park of 147 islands, islets and rocky reefs with a bare, almost lunar landscape. Ashore, Trogir, Split, Hvar, Korčula and Dubrovnik follow one another along the coast, each town with its own old quarter, and in the evening a konoba waits by the jetty. Greece, by contrast, is not a single cruising area but several: the green, sheltered Ionian Sea between Corfu and Zakynthos, the Cyclades with their wind and white villages, the greener and far less busy Northern Sporades, and the Dodecanese. In many small Greek fishing harbours no harbour fees are charged even today.

The western Mediterranean pairs famous names with quiet counterpoints. Mallorca is the largest of the Balearic Islands and Palma the largest charter port in the group. Within reach lies Cabrera, a small protected archipelago that may be visited only with a special permit. On Ibiza, quiet anchorages and lively beach clubs lie closer together than anywhere else in the Balearics, and Formentera with its shallow, bright water begins just to the south. The French Riviera and Monaco are the shop window of yachting, from Saint-Tropez to Monte-Carlo, yet a few miles away you can lie at anchor in peace off Porquerolles or the Lérins Islands. Italy offers Capri and the compact, steep and dramatic Amalfi Coast, along with the Aeolian Islands with Stromboli and, in the north of Sardinia, the Costa Smeralda.

The Mediterranean season runs from April to October. In Greece it opens in April and in the other cruising areas in May, while on the French Riviera it ends in September. The finest weeks often fall in June and September, and in Greece, Mallorca, Italy and on the French Riviera in May as well. In June and September the water in Croatia is warm and the bays are empty again, on Ibiza you will find the same spots as in August with a fraction of the boats, and on the French Riviera the restaurants have no waiting times and berths are affordable. In high summer the meltemi can blow hard in the Cyclades, and in Croatia July and August are livelier and more expensive. If you would like to charter for the Grand Prix in Monaco or the festival in Cannes, enquire early, as the good yachts are often taken a year in advance.

Which cruising area suits you depends on the occasion, the mood you are after and the group on board. With children, quiet days in the Ionian Sea are ideal, while those looking for wind and white villages head for the Cyclades. Ibiza suits a trip where the evenings matter as much as the bays, the Amalfi Coast one centred on culture and restaurants, and Sardinia one where clear water and plenty of anchorages tip the balance. Be realistic when planning. In Greece one week is enough for one group of islands, and Mallorca, Ibiza and Formentera combine well in one week. Combining the Amalfi Coast and Sardinia in a single week, by contrast, is too much for one trip.

We arrange every yacht with crew: the captain, chef and service crew are permanently on board, and you do not need a licence. Nancy Maier, founder of BlueSun, advises you personally on the choice of cruising area, route and yacht.

Price range: from €38,000 per week, plus APA and local tax where applicable. The APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance) covers fuel, harbour fees and provisions. It is paid in advance and settled at the end of the charter, and anything left over is refunded to you.