Frequently asked questions

Nautilus Yachting is one of the largest independent yacht charter agencies in the UK. Most of our clients travel with us regularly or have come through a recommendation of someone who has. Do call us. We are happy to offer the personal touch that is so often missing with larger organisations.

How do you benefit by booking your sailing holiday with us?

Information and advice - You benefit from our first hand knowledge of sailing in the Mediterranean and Caribbean so do ask our advice. We are happy to help with suggestions on yachts and cruising areas.

Free service - We specialise in putting together the holiday that's right for you and pride ourselves on giving a courteous and helpful service. And our services are FREE so you pay no more than booking direct.

More choice - We act as UK partners with yacht charter companies based in all the best sailing locations round the world. This gives us a vast selection of yachts, catamarans and motoryachts for you to choose from.

Independence - Not being tied to one particular fleet means we can give unbiased independent advice about the best yacht for you.

Flexibility - It's your holiday and we try wherever possible to fit with your requirements. If you can only fly on a Sunday, we will find the holiday that fits.

Excellent prices - With our range of yachts and access to the best airfares, we have holidays to suit all budgets. Just compare our prices.

Reliability - We started trading in 1992 and have developed an enviable reputation in the charter industry for the quality and depth of the service we offer.

Convenience – Have a travel professional handle your holiday booking taking the stress away from you. You can even book your hotels, car hire, airport parking and travel insurance online through our website.

Trade Associations - We are members of the Marine Leisure Association and British Marine Federation

Most charter yachts are privately owned and put with a professional yacht management company who handle the local bureaucracy, insurance, maintenance, cleaning, check-ins, etc. 

There is a good back-up service to cope with any problems. Contact the base by VHF or mobile phone for technical assistance and they will either come to your aid or send a local agent to meet you at your next port of call. All the yacht charter companies we use have 24 hour emergency telephone numbers and all have full-time technical staff at the base.

Yes, click here for ideas on family-friendly holidays

Click here for handy hints and useful advice on Sailing with Children

A security deposit is required for all charters against the possibility of damage to the yacht, loss of equipment or late return. The amount represents the yacht insurance excess and will depend on the value of the yacht. It is paid on embarkation by credit card authorisation and returned at the end of your charter, less any necessary deductions for damage you did to your yacht or to other yachts.

For some yachts you can pay a non-refundable security insurance which will either reduce or eliminate the security deposit.

All charter yachts are fully insured under marine insurance policies against loss, damage and third party indemnity. You are expected to take all reasonable care but in the event of loss or damage to the yacht and its equipment your liability is limited to the amount of your security deposit unless such damage or loss was caused by your negligence or wilful damage. It is important that previous sailing experience is correctly shown on the Booking Form for full indemnity of any risks.

If your yacht is damaged by another vessel it is up to you to get information from those involved in the incident, including a declaration from a third party. You should report any damage done in port to the harbourmaster.

This varies with the cruising area and the fleet although we always let you know with your initial quote which extras are included, which are obligatory and which are optional. The price tables on this website all state extras for each fleet. If in doubt, please ask.

Extras are usually payable on embarkation in local currency but some fleets do allow pre-payment in Sterling with your balance.

Extras which may apply to your charter:

• Refundable yacht security deposit and/or insurance.
• End cleaning
• Transit log in Turkey and Croatia
• Cruising taxes in BVI, Grenadines, Cuba & Seychelles
• Outboard for the tender
• Cruising chute
• Skipper
• Airport transfers
• Fuel used
• Marina & harbour fees

Please ask which are included in your charter and which are extras.

In the Mediterranean, most charters are 7 or 14 days to fit charter flights. Charters usually operate Saturday-Saturday but some bases have Sunday or mid-week start dates to fit UK charter flights. HOWEVER some fleets offer odd durations and/or flexible start dates so please do ask us. Embarkation is usually 5pm on the first day and disembarkation is 9am on the last, leaving time between charters for cleaning and maintenance

In the Caribbean you can start on any day and charter for any duration, although there is usually a 5-night minimum. Embarkation is usually 12 noon on the first day and disembarkation is 12 noon on the last.

Yacht charter & flotilla

To charter a yacht bareboat or on flotilla, you should have an RYA Day Skipper license with a photograph or RYA International Certificate of Competence (ICC) and be assisted by at least one competent crew.

For charters in Croatia, one member of the crew will also need a VHF licence.

RYA qualifications can be obtained by RYA sailing schools in the UK such as Hamilton Sailing or Torbay Sea School or alternatively choose from one of our overseas centres in Gibraltar, Greece, Croatia or Dubai.

For Caribbean and Tropical charters, formal qualifications are not compulsory, however, you should be Day Skipper standard and be assisted by at least one competent crew. A brief sailing resume should be provided to outline your experience.

In Greece, Turkey and Croatia you have a choice of bareboat yacht charter or flotilla sailing holidays, providing maximum choice at all experience levels.

Add a skipper to any of our bareboat yachts if you don’t have the experience to charter bareboat or if you would like a helping hand with a larger yacht or a guide to a new cruising area. The skipper will be a competent local sailor and perfectly capable of sailing the yacht. He will encourage you to get involved as crew, although he is not an instructor. You will have to allocate a cabin for the skipper's use and provide him with food and drink.

Motoryacht charter

An international certificate of competence, eg RYA Day Skipper Practical (Motor) or RYA ICC (Motor) is required by the port authorities in Croatia, Greece, Mallorca and Turkey for bareboat motoryacht charters.

In the BVI a qualification is not currently required but you must show on your resume, motoryacht experience equivalent to Day Skipper Practical (Motor) - usually evidenced by owning a motoryacht in the UK or previous motoryacht charters.

The Mediterranean sailing season tends to fit charter flights from the UK which operate 1 May to 31 October. Luckily that coincides with the best sailing weather in the Med - hot dry summers - as opposed to their warm wet winters from November to March. May/June and September/October are popular months if you're not tied to the busy school holidays in July/August.

In the Caribbean you can sail all year but the the main season runs 1 November to 30 June when the weather is superb for sailing. November and May/June are popular months to avoid the crowds. If you want to go in the summer holidays, go as early in July as you can or choose St Lucia or the Grenadines which are too far south to be affected by tropical storms.