Do you need a license to rent a yacht?

To rent a yacht you do not need to present a sailing license but you need a broad experience and appropriate skills to prove your capability to sail the yacht alone. The rental companies want to be convinced that the renter has experience in sailing a yacht of the relevant or a similar size and can require from the renter, at his own expense, to take on a skipper if they get an impression that it is necessary. In countries such as Greece and Turkey they require a license for sailing a speedboat or yacht. If you do not have such a license you must present documentation that testifies to your marine experience.

Can you rent a yacht to sail in one direction only?
In some of the companies you can rent a yacht for sailing in one direction but this obligates you to pay an additional payment since in such a situation the company needs to send a crew to return the yacht to the starting point. Sometimes it may be possible for you to sail in one direction without paying the additional charge.

On which days of the week can you rent a yacht?
Most companies start and finish the rental on Saturday. Certain companies allow rental on other days of the week.

How many days comprise a “week of sailing”?
In general a full week that starts and finishes on the same day of the week.
In the Caribbean Islands the majority of rentals start at in the afternoon although the organization for the voyage can start at 09:00. In such a case it is recommended to reach the port of departure on the previous day.
In the Mediterranean it is customary to receive the boat by 17:00 on the day of setting sail and to return it by 09:00 on the day of return.

What is included in the rental price?
The payment is for the yacht, the equipment contained in it and insurance for the body of the boat only. Additional expenses that you should take into consideration are port taxes, fuel, food, travel insurance and flight tickets.

Who is responsible for damage to the yacht?
The renter is responsible for every loss or damage to the yacht that occurs during the period of rental. This responsibility also exists if it has been necessary to employ the services of a professional skipper. The majority of companies offer the renter damage insurance that does not include extreme situations such as sailing to prohibited areas, sailing under the influence of alcohol or drugs and the like. You must verify that you properly understand the conditions of the insurance before signing it.

How do you book a yacht?
You must make a deposit that varies between 25 and 50% of the rental price depending on the rental company, sign the rental documents, present documentary evidence of your prior sailing experience and other relevant paperwork.

What is the procedure regarding cancellation?
The majority of companies have reasonable cancellation charges if cancellation is made 90 to 60 days prior to the planned voyage. As the cancellation approaches the date of the planned voyage the cancellation charges will increase until possibly the whole of the deposit will not be returned.