Please read our frequently asked questions and find an answer that will help you in your search for a vessel. Should you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us (via telephone, email, chat).

How do book a catamaran Charter in Italy?

We have catamarans in all charter areas in Italy.To reserve or book a catamaran, you would need to fill the Fast inquiry located at every catamaran or fill the Get a Quote and send us all the main information’s located in the form. You can also send us an email at booking@catamarancharteritaly.com and one of our booking managers will send you the specific offer of catamarans available for charter. Check more about our offer of catamarans.

2. What is included in catamaran charter price, and what is to be payed extra?

On our offer all that is included and extra costs will be stated. What is included in charter price: vessel, VAT, VHF, navigational and safety equipment, kitchen utensils, dingy, kitchen. Fuel, mooring fees, tourist tax, final cleaning (transit log), outboard engine for dinghy and crew are not included in price, if not otherwise stated.

3. What type of payment do you accept?

When booking is confirmed, we will send charter contract with SWIFT and IBAN payment info. We accept Bank to bank transfer and also Credit card payments.

4. What type of credit cards you accept?

We can accept Visa, Master Card & Maestro. We cant accept American express.

5. What is security deposit?

Before embarking on a catamaran, it is required to leave refundable security deposit. Cash and credit cards are accepted. When the charter ends, entire deposit will be returned to the client, unless

6. Which vessel size should I choose?

The choice of the vessel depends entirely on your wishes and preferences. Our offer includes the following vessel types:
Catamarans from 38 to 62 feet.

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 be reserved for him.

7. Sailing boat or catamaran?

The choice depends on your wishes and preferences. A Catamaran is an excellent choice for those with no sailing experience or for those who feel somewhat insecure sailing. It has two hulls, hence providing greater stability. Catamarans don’t lean more than 5° and offer greater comfort, spacious saloon area and cabins and somewhat faster sailing, since they have two engines. Modern catamarans have shallow draft in order to make the access to land and bays easier.

8. Can I charter a vessel for less than a week?

Catamaran Charter Italy usually begin and end on Saturdays.

However, should you desire to take a several days long sailing trip in the off season (October – April), this 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 the beginning of September and the end of May), we cannot deviate from our weekly charter system (Saturday – Saturday 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 of charter).

9. Do I have 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, in order 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.

10. What qualifications do I need for a bareboat charter?

In the event of a bareboat charter (without our skipper) the client skipper must be in possession of a certificate of competence in order to charter a boat. It is also a legal requirement for one member of the crew to be qualified for the operation with the VHF station (possessing the VHF license).

11. Which licenses are accepted?

Licenses and certificates corresponding to the Italy program and containing the verification of the state are accepted by the Italy authorities. The VHF license is obligatory, as well.

Most of the RYA licenses are accepted (www.rya.org.uk) for sailing in Italy territorial waters.

If you are not sure about the validity of your certificate, please check if it is listed here.

12. 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, so that we can check its validity with the charter agency as well as the Italy authorities before chartering a vessel.

If you are not sure about the validity of your certificate, please check if it is listed here.

13. I have a license for motor boats, is it valid for sailing yachts as well?

A license issued for navigating motor boats can be accepted valid if it is clearly indicated that it can be used for navigating sailing boats as well. By all means send us a copy via email, so that we can check its validity with Italy authorities.

If it is not indicated on a license that it is accepted for sailing boats, it can be upgraded. E.g. licenses issued in Italy can be used either for sailing boats only, or for motor boats only, or for both vessel types.

14. I have a years-long sailing experience but do not possess a license. What do I do?

In order to hire a yacht in Italy, the person navigating the boat has to be qualified for operating a vessel or a yacht, and must possess a necessary license, corresponding to Italy rules and regulations.

The certificate can be obtained in client’s mother country, in which case the client’s picture, official stamp and verification of the state must be included on it. The other possibility is to take an exam in one of the Italy port authorities – the certificate is obtained the same day. In case you opt for this, We will gladly help you in organizing the exam and will let you know all the necessary details on time (i.e. the price of the exam as well as the exact time when and the place where it takes place).

15. Are skipper’s services included in price?

Skipper’s services are paid separately from the charter fee. The guests are obliged to pay them (also those of a hostess or a cook) as well as food and drink for the skipper or the other crew members.

The excepts are larger catamarans with crew and there the crew is included in the price.

16. Where does the skipper sleep?

In most cases the skipper sleeps in the salon area. However, it is strongly recommended to charter a bigger boat and 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 guests will have more comfort and a free salon area to hang out.

Every vessel is registered for 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 salon area, the skipper is required to have his own cabin.

17. Besides the charter fee, are there additional costs I should budget for?

When calculating the price of your trip you have to consider these:

Flat rate for skipper wage is 1050 € per week + food for catamarans
Pay attention to Obligatory extras like transit log and tourist tax.

Fuel est.: 250 – 350 €
Mooring fees est.: 500 – 600 € (presuming couple of nights will be on the anchor or mooring buoy)
Food: 850 €+ (provisions for boat + skipper + some dinners on shore. It will heavily depend on your preferences. Pizzas + drinks are around 15 € per adult person. Full meals with wine are around 25 €+)
These estimates also depend on the size of the yacht, length, route etc.

18. Is there a parking area within the marina?

Marinas have a secured parking area for cars – the price of a parking lot depends upon the marina itself and amounts to about 55 € per week.

There are enough parking lots, so the reservations are not necessary. The personnel of the marina take care about the vessels as well as the parking area in the marina.

19. What should I bring with me?

Please check the following link with a detailed list of items you should consider bringing with you.

20. Where should I berth, in a 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 Greek coast. If using the services of a skipper, you won’t have any problems finding the securest bays, since the skippers are well acquainted with the Greek 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 go sailing. You could also ask the personnel of the charter agency for some suggestions during your check-in procedure in the marina.

21. Which currency should I use to pay for mooring fees and other expenses?

Please note that all the services in Italy are paid in Euros.

In restaurants, shops and supermarkets you can use credit cards as well.

22. Technical equipment on board?

If having reserved a vessel through our website, please check the additional information on vessel equipment for every single boat in our offer. Should you need any further assistance, just contact us and we’ll send you a document quoting all the equipment on your chosen boat.

All boats in our offer have safety and navigation equipment as well as navigation maps.

23. 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).

Kitchen is equipped with stove, oven, fridge, sink, cooking utensils and cutlery.

Cleaning agents, dish cloths, etc. are not provided on board, but can be bought in stores in the marinas before boarding.

24. Which places should I visit?

If you don’t know which places to visit, please contact your contact person in our agency and we will make your tailor made itinerary. We can also provide you with additional information about cultural sights, beaches, etc.

25. Children on board?

Children can go sailing with you from 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 him/her 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 every supermarket within the marina. You should also consider choosing shorter routes and visiting marinas more frequently in order to provide safer berthing as well as comfort.

26. Joining a group?

If you are interested in joining a group, please visit our Crew Finder forum where you can form your own crew and arrange a sailing vacation. You can also contact us via email, and we’ll be happy to put you in touch with someone who has requests similar to yours.

27. When should I return the vessel to the marina?

The vessels are returned to the base on Friday afternoon/evening with an overnight on board till Saturday morning between 8am and 9am, 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 make sure it is before 8am, in order for guests to have enough time to fill the tank before leaving the vessel.

28. Is it possible for some people to leave and other to join the crew during a sailing 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. Our guests receive a blank crew list, which they fill in with the crew details both before and after the change (the date of the change should be indicated as well). The complete crew list can be sent to us via email or fax.

Before taking over the vessel, the charter agency will provide the guests with a verified crew list with data both before and after the change, which the guests need to have during the sailing trip.

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 change in order for them to send the 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 need to present the new crew list, although they are obliged to keep the old one as well.

29. Can I take over the vessel before the time determined for check-in?

If you are arriving before the time determined for taking over the vessel (check-in is usually done at around 5pm), let us know the approximate time of your arrival and we will try to arrange with the charter agency to have the vessel delivered to you earlier, which is possible if it is not too crowded in the marina at that time. In case you are arriving on Friday or earlier and need some help in finding suitable accommodation, please feel free to contact us.

30. What is the best time for sailing Italy?

Perhaps the best sailing season is May, June and September. Winds are moderate and most reliable. End of June, July, August and first part of September are great for summer summer activities like swimming. Average temperatures during the catamaran charter season range between about 22 – 29°C. The sea temperature at that time is around 22 °C.

31. Where to by groceries?

Almost every larger marina is equipped with the supermarket or there is a supermarket just near the marina. Buy only main things for 2-3 days because on every island you have supermarkets and also you will need space.

32. What is APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance)?

When chartering a crewed catamaran you will be required to make a deposit in advance of the charter, which is separate to the charter or booking fee.

This deposit is called the “advance provisioning allowance” or APA. The APA amount is used to cover expenses incurred during the course of the charter such as fuel, food, beverages, mooring fees, visa fees, harbour fees, park fees, taxes, and other expenses not included in the Charter Fee. In the event of cancellation of the charter the APA is refundable.
The captain of the yacht is responsible for accounting for all APA expenses during the charter, and the breakdown will be presented to you in a clear manner at the end of the charter.
If the costs incurred during the course of the charter are less than the APA deposit, then the difference will be refunded to the Charterer at the end of the charter.
If the costs incurred during the course of the charter that are over and above the APA deposit then this difference will be payable by the Charterer at the end of the charter.

If you don’t see your question on this list, please contact us.