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Types of yacht charter
The first decision is who sails the boat. It decides the licence you need, the price and how much of the holiday you spend working.
Bareboat
You skipper the yacht yourself. Usually needs a recognised licence and proof of experience.
Covered in: Croatia, Greece, Turkey (Turquoise Coast), Balearic Islands, British Virgin Islands
Skippered
You hire the yacht with a professional skipper, so no licence is needed.
Covered in: Croatia, Greece, Balearic Islands, British Virgin Islands
Crewed
A full crew sails, cooks and looks after the yacht. You just pick the route.
Covered in: Croatia, Greece, Turkey (Turquoise Coast), Balearic Islands, British Virgin Islands
Catamaran
Two hulls: more space and less heel, popular with families and groups.
Covered in: Croatia, Greece, Turkey (Turquoise Coast), Balearic Islands, British Virgin Islands
Gulet
Traditional wooden motor-sailer from Turkey and Croatia, chartered with crew.
Covered in: Croatia, Turkey (Turquoise Coast)
Which one suits you?
Choose bareboat if you already skipper a yacht of a similar size and hold a licence the destination accepts. It gives you the most freedom and usually costs the least.
Choose skippered if you’d like to sail but don’t have the paperwork or the confidence for unfamiliar waters. The skipper handles the boat; you can help as much or as little as you like.
Choose crewed if the point is to relax. Crewed yachts and gulets come with people who sail, cook and look after you.
Licence rules vary by country. See each destination guide and our guide to licences by country.