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10 Most Common Greece Yacht Charter Booking Mistakes

Yacht Charter Brokers vs Leadgen Sites

1. Are You Inquiring with a Broker or a Leadgen Site?

The first positions of search are filled with websites that collect your data and sell them to the highest bidder. Do you know who’s going to receive your data? Does the website have an About page with contact? Who is the company that will contact you? Do they have 3rd party reviews? Submit your data to the wrong site, and you’ll suddenly start being bombarded by brokers of random quality who have purchased your contact data and are eager to get a return on their investment.

2. Not Vetting The Broker or Using 1st Party Reviews

There are websites with 230,000+ reviews. Others use non-verified sources that can be easily manipulated, such as Google reviews. A luxury yacht charter company will not have thousands of reviews per year; it will have tens or low hundreds at the maximum. It is always a good idea to check the company with Trustpilot. If the broker does not exist there, it might mean they have been asked to be removed. In any case, broker reviews are becoming more important, and few renowned companies are ignoring the trend.

Chartering a technically complex yacht with significant human factors rarely goes without a problem. Engine issues, electronics issues, or human failings are not uncommon. Check the reviews—not the smooth ones—the trouble ones. A sign of a good broker is: “There were problems, but all were solved to our satisfaction, and we have had a great time.”

3. Inquiring because of a Yacht, Not a Broker

The company with the most yachts on the website can offer the most yachts, right? Advertising yachts are subject to approval, which is often ignored by many lead generation websites. To actually see the calendars, you need access to industry databases like Yachtfolio. Most brokers that work with the Lead generation websites don’t have that access, precisely because they don’t honor the industry rules. That leads to a situation where a renowned broker might not be allowed a boat that is not open for 3rd party websites  – let’s say Vertigo, but has authorization to offer it to qualified clients privately.

On the contrary, inquiring with a Leadgen website might mean that the broker who buys your contact does not have access to the boat and will claim that the boat is “not available”, and will offer you a boat from their limited offer.

Want Help with Finding Your Perfect Yacht Charter?

It does not cost anything to have one of our Brokers send you a list of Charter Yachts selected specifically for you!

4. Buying Tickets Before You Secure a Boat

Too often, a client has a fixed start and finish date for the charter. This is understandable, as our time off is rarely very flexible. Nevertheless, even one day might mean the difference between picking the boat you really want and the boat that is left.

The charter market is seller-oriented—the offer is smaller than the demand. That’s why it’s always best to start planning your vacation early (9-24 months) and secure the boats before you purchase your flights to Greece.

5. Buying Tickets To Wrong Location

You might want to do a charter in Santorini, but you bought the tickets to Athens for the day the charter starts. The 150 miles from Athens to Santorini can cost up to $42,000 ($2 liter x 700l/hour x 15 hours x 2 ways = 42,000) for a motor yacht. Even if your broker advises a yacht with 200 liters/hour consumption, it’s a waste of your charter time.

Options include flying into Santorini and Mykonos (again, a broker with Yachtfolio access will have the yacht’s location on the date) or choosing a different charter location, like a charter in the Saronic Gulf—Spetses, Hydra.

Charter Broker Marcelle Hailwax from DMA Yachting
DMA Yachting | Yacht Charter Company
Rating: 4.9 out of 5 with 271 reviews.

"...we are upfront about the charter fee."

“The reason why 99% of our clients get excess APA returned to them at the end of their charter is because we are upfront about the charter fee right from the start.”

Out of Stock

6. Booking Too Late

It is common to book a land vacation 1 month before the actual dates. For yacht charters, the best 20% of the yachts disappear 10+ months before the charter dates.

For summer vacation, the best 50% of yachts will be gone by March and 70% by June. Greece yacht charters are increasingly popular, and in 2023, the majority of inquiries coming after May asked – “Would you consider booking for 2024?” Yachts that remain after June are hardly first picks.

A good broker will have the Yachtfolio availability (the only up-to-date, nonpublic dates) and will look out for cancellations and reschedules. We’ve even been able to switch the dates of 2 clients whose availability was reversed without charge.

If you are considering a yacht charter, contact a broker right away. Inquiring and having a broker send you a list of available yachts specifically selected for you is completely free, so there is no point in waiting!

7. Not Understanding the Advance Provisioning Allowance

An APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance) is an additional fee on top of the charter fee to accommodate variable expenses – mostly gas, food, and drinks. It ranges from 20% for sailboats to 40% for some motor yachts, depending on the individual boat.

A common mistake is thinking the APA is unlimited. A guest would choose Athens – Santorini with lobsters and French wine, only to be asked to top up the APA on the third day.

A good broker should provide you feedback on the APA based on the individual boat, itinerary, and preferences, ideally advising on the yacht that has low actual (not declared) consumption, great wine available in Greece (local and international), and warn you from items on your preference sheet that might cost more than you’re comfortable with.

A great example would be ordering luxury wines or specific types of fish that would have to be flown in fresh from other countries. It’s perfectly possible to order anything you need; just be aware that the cost of obtaining it might differ from what you’re used to.

8. Not Understanding Discounts

Unlike land vacations, where last-minute discounts of up to 40% are common, the yacht industry operates under different dynamics. The demand for yachts often exceeds the supply, and owners typically reserve their boats for peak season weeks, making significant discounts a rarity.

We mostly see discounts in shoulder season and they usually don’t go beyond 10%. Contrary to a vacation villa owner paying a mortgage, a yacht owner might consider a large discount offer an insult and even a signal of a troublesome charter.

Ask an experienced charter broker about the possibilities for your price range and dates and trust them—there are yacht owners and central agents who are more flexible, and there are times when you’re inquiring about the same peak dates with two others.

Want Help with Finding Your Perfect Yacht Charter?

It does not cost anything to have one of our Brokers send you a list of Charter Yachts selected specifically for you!

$60k/WEEK Catamaran LUXURY Yacht Charter IN GREECE. Sunreef 80ft
$60k/WEEK Catamaran LUXURY Yacht Charter IN GREECE. Sunreef 80ft

9. Choosing by Images and Ignoring Broker References

20% of the worst boats will have 80% of the best pictures. Similar to a land vacation, images and shiny videos can be misleading. Try to look for a yacht walkthrough on youtube.

We periodically do client videos for the most popular yachts in Greece as well as inspect them regularly. That’s why a broker who has been on the boat is more valuable than 1000 images.

Moreover, a yacht is not only the yacht itself: Dealing with the central agent is difficult (they unexpectedly asked our client for a deposit after the contract was signed; previous charters had unresolved APA issues). Is the crew up to your standard? (reading that the captain is fluent in English does not mean he’ll not be hiding away the whole charter because he’s terrified to talk to you). The most inquired Greek charter yachts and the best-reviewed Greek charter yachts are not the same.

10. Choosing a Broker YOU Don’t Trust

There is a significant information asymmetry in Greek yacht charters, possibly greater than the asymmetry in real estate. Don’t be afraid to qualify your broker by asking them – do you have Yachtfolio access? Can you use MYBA contracts? What’s the last time you’ve been in Greece (if ever)? Where can I see your 3rd party reviews?

It’s very common to have CEOs and strong personality types ignore this asymmetry – I see the yacht images, the proposed itinerary, the crew details, the price including APA, I know what I’m doing. Any yacht broker can make that sale – yes, here is the contract.

Then you arrive at the boat, the images are greatly exaggerated, and the APA does not fit the itinerary. You are asked to pay up additional APA on the 2nd day of the charter, which ruins 2 days of your vacation as you need to arrange and oversee the transfer. The crew has been changed without advising you and after you come home, there is an additional request to pay more APA. The preference sheet you sent was never forwarded to the boat crew; half the things on it are missing.

Hear What Our Brokers Say

3 BIGGEST MISTAKES Charters Make While Booking LUXURY Yacht Charters
3 BIGGEST MISTAKES Charters Make While Booking LUXURY Yacht Charters
DMA Yachting | Yacht Charter Company
Rating: 4.9 out of 5 with 271 reviews.

"...We Represent You."

“We do not represent the yacht; we represent you! Our aim is to match you with the right yacht and ensure that your experience is exactly what you are looking for.”

Luxury Charter Motor Yacht Zia from above

C

Chuck

Jun 16, 2024

Alex was outstanding

Alex was outstanding. He was always very responsive to emails and texts with my many questions.

The boat he recommended for my group was perfect.

I would use DMA again.

MT

Malloy Tulsa

Jun 11, 2024

An incredible experience

Very professional, communicated clearly and planned an amazing trip for us. Louis Lamprell did an amazing job connecting us with the unbridled yacht and crew. It was a trip of a lifetime. Our family highly recommends both DMA yachting and the unbridled charter. Everything was perfection!

DT

Dana Terrell

Jun 4, 2024

This was a trip of a lifetime

This was a trip of a lifetime! We booked with Nadja at DMA yachting and she made sure the entire process was easy and no problems. Our charter was with Zuri3 and our Captain Andre and First Mate Jana made our trip amazing! They made sure everything was taken care and treated us like royalty. This is not just a vacation this is an experience of a lifetime.

RS

Ryan Shirley

Feb 9, 2024

Louis was great from beginning to end and walked me through the whole process. He helped me find a great boat that fit within our time and cost preferences. He explained the differences between the different builds and the pros and cons. Once we selected the boat, he explained and walked me through the whole booking process and answered all my questions. Finally, he checked in with me before, during, and after the charter to make sure everything met our expectations. I can’t recommend Louis enough if you are planning a charter, and I will definitely be in touch for our next trip!

What Our Clients Say

Our clients speak of unparalleled service, exquisite yachts, and an easy booking process, highlighting the excellence of their yacht charter vacation in Greece.

DMA Yachting | Yacht Charter Company
Rating 4.9 out of 5 with 241 reviews - Excellent

trustpilot-excellent-ratings

Our Team

Booking a Greek yacht charter is easy with us—just contact one of our Expert Charter Brokers and tell us what you want!

Yanna Pristas
Yanna Pristas

Senior Charter Broker, Associate CYBA Member

John Boullin
John Boullin

Charter Broker

Marcelle Hailwax
Marcelle Hailwax

Charter Broker

Daniel Asmus
Daniel Asmus

Owner, Charter Broker, Active CYBA Member, IYBA, ECPY

Mo Pristas
Mo Pristas

CharterGuru

Louis Lamprell
Louis Lamprell

Charter Broker

Alex Hailwax
Alex Hailwax

Charter Broker

Martina Asmus
Martina Asmus

Owner, Charter Broker, Active CYBA Member, IYBA, ECPY

William Mc Nally
William Mc Nally

Charter Broker

Chris de Kock
Chris de Kock

Charter Broker

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Price ranges for yacht charters in Greece

Special Offers
Jacuzzi

PANFELISS

From €95,000/week
5 cabins
129 ft
Mengi-Yay Tuzla
12 guests
Refit: 2015
600 Litres/Hr

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Jetski
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FOUR JOYS

From €95,000/week
5 cabins
102 ft
Maiora
10 guests
Built: 2023

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Billa

From €95,000/week
5 cabins
137 ft
Admiral - It
11 guests
Refit: 2022
950 Litres/Hr

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Jetski
Jacuzzi

QUEST R

From €95,000/week
5 cabins
121 ft
Benetti
12 guests
Refit: 2018

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Jacuzzi

KANDO

From €95,000/week
5 cabins
111 ft
Custom Built Aluminum Cutter
10 guests
Built: 2020

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Jetski
Jacuzzi

MUSICA MUSICA

From €94,000/week
5 cabins
107 ft
Custom Line
10 guests
Refit: 2022

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Jetski
Jacuzzi

L'EQUINOX

From €93,000/week
5 cabins
122 ft
Heesen
12 guests
Refit: 2017

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Galileo

From €92,000/week
10+ cabins
157 ft
Custom
49 guests
Refit: 2020

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MEMORIES TOO

From €92,000/week
5 cabins
95 ft
Azimut
12 guests
Refit: -
450 Litres/Hr

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Jetski
Jacuzzi

APMONIA

From €91,000/week
4 cabins
121 ft
Couach
8 guests
Refit: 2021

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Jetski
Jacuzzi

ROX STAR

From €90,000/week
5 cabins
131 ft
Bodrum Shipyard
10 guests
Built: 2015

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Jetski

RINI V

From €90,000/week
6 cabins
120 ft
Posillipo
12 guests
Refit: 2017
900 Litres/Hr

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