How Much Does It Cost to Charter a Boat in Greece? (2025 Prices) | FleetoHub
Fleetohub Editorial Team·
How Much Does It Cost to Charter a Boat in Greece? (2025 Prices)
Most booking platforms show you one number for a Greek sailing holiday. That number is before VAT, before the skipper fee, before marina charges, and before fuel. By the time you've added the mandatory 13% VAT alone, the real cost of a typical Greek charter is 25–45% higher than the headline rate.
Greece is now the world's number one yacht charter destination — 3,030 active charter vessels, 904 catamarans, and some of the most-photographed coastline on the planet. The pricing, though, is genuinely opaque. This guide cuts through it. You'll get base rates by boat type and season, the full VAT picture, every extra you'll actually pay, and two worked all-in examples you can use to plan a real budget.
A mid-size bareboat monohull (38–42ft) costs €1,600–€4,000/week depending on season (Nautilia Yachting, 2025)
Adding a skipper costs €180–€220/day (~€1,300–€1,550/week extra)
Greece levies 13% VAT on the charter fee for domestic itineraries — mandatory and rarely visible on booking pages
Greece is the #1 global yacht charter destination with 3,030+ vessels including 904 catamarans (GTP Headlines, 2025)
A skippered 44ft catamaran in the Cyclades, split 6 ways, costs roughly for the boat (before food)
€2,000+/person/week
What Does a Greece Boat Charter Cost? (Quick Answer)
In 2025, a mid-size bareboat monohull in Greece costs €1,600–€4,000/week, depending on boat size and season, according to Nautilia Yachting's Greece charter price guide. Bareboat catamarans start at €2,400/week in low season and reach €12,000+/week for 42–45ft boats in July and August. These are base rates only — before VAT, before extras.
Here's the full range for 2025, before any add-ons:
Boat Type
Low Season (Apr–May, Oct)
Shoulder (Jun, Sep)
High Season (Jul–Aug)
Small monohull (<38ft)
€1,300–€1,800
€1,600–€2,500
€2,000–€3,000
Mid monohull (38–42ft)
€1,600–€2,500
€2,200–€3,300
€2,700–€4,000
Large monohull (42–50ft)
€2,200–€3,500
€2,800–€4,500
€3,500–€6,000
Catamaran 38–42ft
€2,400–€3,500
€3,500–€6,000
€6,000–€9,000
Catamaran 42–45ft
€3,500–€5,600
€5,500–€8,000
€8,000–€12,000
Catamaran 46–50ft
€7,000–€12,000
€11,000–€17,000
€15,000–€22,000
Base boat rate only — before 13% VAT, skipper, marina fees, or other extras. Sources: Kavas Yachting, 2025; Nautilia Yachting, 2025; Sail Ionian, 2025.
In 2025, Greece became the world's number one yacht charter destination with 3,030 active vessels, including 904 catamarans — the highest catamaran count in any charter market globally. A mid-size bareboat monohull costs €1,600–€4,000/week depending on season; bareboat catamarans reach €12,000/week in high season. (GTP Headlines, Greece Leads Global Yacht Charter Market, 2025; Travel and Tour World, 2025.)
How Much Does VAT Add to a Greece Charter?
The cost most booking platforms don't show you. Greece levies 13% VAT on the charter fee for all domestic itineraries — any sailing route that stays within Greek waters. On a €5,000 base rate, that's €650 added. On a €9,000 catamaran, it's €1,170. It's not a hidden charge — it's a legal requirement — but it's almost never included in the headline price you see on a booking page. Budget for it before you start comparing boats.
VAT is collected by the charter company and paid to the Greek government. It applies to the base boat rate and, in most cases, to the skipper fee if you hire one. It does not apply to the security deposit (which is refundable) or to fuel purchased separately.
The chart below shows what VAT and other costs actually represent as a share of the total invoice for a typical skippered catamaran charter in the Ionian Islands in mid-season.
Full cost breakdown for a skippered 42ft catamaran in the Greek Ionian Islands, mid-season 2025 (excluding refundable security deposit). Source: Kavas Yachting; Sail Ionian, 2025.
Greece charges 13% VAT on yacht charter fees for domestic itineraries, applied to the base boat rate and skipper fee. On a typical €5,200/week mid-season catamaran with a €1,400 skipper, VAT adds €676 to the total invoice — 8% of the all-in cost. This charge is mandatory and non-negotiable, but it's rarely visible in booking platform headline prices. (Kavas Yachting, Greece Charter Pricing, 2025.)
How Do Bareboat and Skippered Prices Compare?
In 2025, adding a professional skipper to a Greek charter costs €180–€220/day — roughly €1,260–€1,540/week on top of the base boat rate, according to Kavas Yachting's 2025 price list. Remember that VAT applies to the skipper fee too: add 13% to that €1,400 weekly skipper cost and you're paying a further €182 in tax.
Charter Type
Who sails
Licence required
Weekly extra
Best for
Bareboat
You (or your group)
Yes (ICC / RYA Day Skipper)
—
Qualified, experienced sailors
Skippered
Professional skipper
No (guests)
+€1,260–€1,540 (+13% VAT)
First-timers, mixed-experience groups
Crewed (sail)
Skipper + chef
No
APA 20–30% of charter fee
Full service, special occasions
In 2025, skippered charters represent 21% of all Greek charter departures, a share that has grown year-on-year as more first-time renters discover that hiring a skipper removes the sailing licence requirement entirely, according to Booking Manager's State of the Yacht Charter Market 2025.
Typical weekly charter cost by boat type, bareboat vs. skippered, Greece high season (July–August) 2025. VAT not included. Source: Kavas Yachting; Sail Ionian; Nautilia Yachting, 2025.
In 2025, adding a professional skipper to a Greek charter costs €180–€220/day — approximately €1,260–€1,540/week. Skippered charters represent 21% of all Greek departures, growing year-on-year as first-time renters discover that a skipper removes the sailing licence requirement entirely. For a group of 6, the skipper cost adds €210–€260/person/week. Greece applies 13% VAT to the skipper fee, same as the boat rate. (Booking Manager, State of the Yacht Charter Market 2025; Kavas Yachting, 2025.)
What Hidden Costs Should You Budget For?
Beyond VAT, most Greece charters carry €400–€900 in additional mandatory costs before you've provisioned a single meal. Unlike Croatia's transit log (which many first-timers find confusing), Greece's extras are more familiar — but VAT makes the total impact larger.
Cost item
Typical range
Notes
13% VAT
13% of charter + skipper fee
Mandatory on all domestic itineraries; rarely shown on booking pages
Final cleaning
€180–€350
Usually collected at base check-in; always confirm if included
Security deposit
€1,500–€5,000
Refundable post-checkout inspection; damage waiver (€150–€300) often available
Marina/port fees
€30–€200/night
Cyclades marinas charge significantly more than Ionian; free anchorages widely available
Fuel
€100–€250/week (sail)
Motoring in and out of marinas is the main cost; sailing itineraries minimise this
Crew gratuities
5–15% of charter fee (discretionary)
Standard for crewed charters; less expected on skippered, but appreciated
Cyclades vs Ionian marina costs — the biggest variable nobody names. A night at a marina in Mykonos or Santorini costs €120–€200 for a 42ft boat in high season. The same boat moored in a Lefkada or Preveza marina in the Ionian pays €40–€80. Over a 7-night charter with 4 marina nights, that difference runs €320–€480. It's not in any headline price comparison between the two regions — but it's real, and it compounds with the Cyclades' higher base rates.
In Greece, mandatory extras beyond the base charter rate include 13% VAT on the boat and skipper fee, final cleaning (€180–€350), marina fees (€30–€200/night), and fuel. Together these typically add €400–€900 to a week's sailing before provisioning. Cyclades marina fees run 2–3× higher than Ionian marinas — a material cost difference that doesn't appear in destination comparison articles. (Kavas Yachting, 2025.)
When Is the Cheapest Time to Charter in Greece?
Low season in Greece — April, May, and October — delivers the same Aegean and Ionian sailing for 40–55% less than peak July–August. For a mid-size monohull, the difference between early May and high August is €1,100–€1,500/week on the base rate alone. The "sweet spot" months are June and September: warm water, lower marina crowds, and base rates 20–30% below peak.
The Ionian offers better seasonal value than the Cyclades. In June and September, an Ionian charter costs 15–25% less than the equivalent Cyclades departure for the same boat. Why? Cyclades prices don't fall as sharply outside peak season because demand from the Santorini/Mykonos bucket-list crowd stays relatively stable. The Ionian — Lefkada, Corfu, Kefalonia — sees sharper shoulder-season discounts and is, for most first-time charterers, equally spectacular sailing. If you want Greece at a fair price, base your trip in the Ionian.
One practical note on timing: the Meltemi — the seasonal north wind that sweeps the Cyclades in July and August — can make sailing genuinely uncomfortable for beginners. June (pre-Meltemi) or September (post-Meltemi) are better choices for first-timers who want the Cyclades. The Ionian doesn't have the same wind issue, which makes it a more forgiving introduction to Greek sailing at any time of year.
What Does a Full Week in Greece Actually Cost?
Here are two worked examples with every line item — bareboat and skippered, each as a per-person breakdown.
Budget charter: 5 people, bareboat monohull 40ft, Ionian, early June
Cost item
Amount
Base boat rate (shoulder season)
€2,500
13% VAT on base rate
€325
Final cleaning
€250
Tourist overhead/harbour dues
€90
Marina fees (2 nights × €60)
€120
Fuel
€120
Security deposit (refundable)
€2,000
Total (excluding deposit)
€3,405
Per person (5 guests)
€681
Add €100–€150/person/week for self-catered provisioning. The deposit is returned at checkout after inspection.
Mid-range charter: 6 people, skippered 44ft catamaran, Cyclades, high season
Cost item
Amount
Base boat rate (high season)
€9,000
13% VAT on base rate
€1,170
Skipper (7 days × €200/day)
€1,400
13% VAT on skipper fee
€182
Final cleaning
€320
Marina fees (4 nights × €140)
€560
Fuel
€200
Security deposit (refundable)
€3,000
Total (excluding deposit)
€12,832
Per person (6 guests)
€2,139
Note: food, drinks, flights, transfers, and activities are all additional. Budget a further €1,200–€1,600/person for a fully rounded week.
In 2025, a skippered 44ft catamaran in the Greek Cyclades during high season costs approximately €12,832/week all-in for a group of 6 — before food. That's around €2,139/person for the boat. The comparable Croatia charter runs ~€9,583/week, or €1,597/person — a difference of roughly €3,250/week for the vessel, driven primarily by Greece's 13% VAT and higher Cyclades marina fees. The Ionian narrows this gap considerably: an identical charter in Lefkada runs approximately €9,000–€10,500/week. (Computed from Kavas Yachting; Sail Ionian; Europe Yachts, Croatia vs Greece Charter Comparison, 2025.)
Is Greece or Croatia cheaper for a sailing holiday?
Croatia is generally 10–25% cheaper at the mid-market level. A comparable skippered catamaran charter in the Cyclades runs ~€2,139/person/week vs. ~€1,597/person in Croatia — a €542/person gap. The Ionian is much closer in price. Greece's 13% VAT and premium island marina fees explain most of the difference.
Do I have to pay VAT on a yacht charter in Greece?
Yes. Greece levies 13% VAT on charter fees for all domestic itineraries (routes that stay within Greek waters). It applies to the base boat rate and to the skipper fee. It's mandatory, collected by the charter operator, and is almost never included in the headline booking prices shown on charter platforms.
How much does a catamaran charter cost in Greece?
A bareboat 42–45ft catamaran costs €3,500–€12,000/week depending on season (before 13% VAT). Add a skipper at €1,260–€1,540/week plus VAT. The most popular Cyclades departures carry a destination premium; the Ionian runs 15–25% lower for equivalent boats.
What is the cheapest way to charter in Greece?
Bareboat a monohull (38–42ft) from an Ionian base — Lefkada, Preveza, or Corfu — in May or early June. A group of 5 can all-in the boat for under €700/person/week. Sailing licence required (ICC or RYA Day Skipper minimum). Ionian low season offers the best value in the Greek market.
How much is the security deposit on a Greece charter?
A refundable security deposit of €1,500–€5,000 is standard, depending on boat size. It's held against damage and returned after the checkout inspection. Most operators offer a non-refundable damage waiver (€150–€300) as an alternative if you'd rather not tie up the capital.
Start Comparing Real Greece Charter Prices
Greece's Ionian islands offer the best per-euro value in the market — comparable sailing to the famous Cyclades, with meaningfully lower base rates, quieter anchorages, and no Meltemi. A bareboat group of 5 can charter a solid 40ft monohull for the week for under €700/person, all-in before food.
everything you need to know about sailing in Greece
Prices in this article reflect 2025 season rates collected from charter operators and market reports. VAT rules are subject to change; verify current rates and tax applicability with your charter company before booking. Prices vary by operator, boat age, and booking channel.
