A crewed yacht charter starts with a port, a date and a time to board. Everything else follows from those three. Plan the yacht first, then choose an airport close to the embarkation port with rules that suit your aircraft, and time the flight to arrive with the boarding time. This page covers how that works in four regions: the Riviera, the Greek islands, Croatia and the Balearics.
How a crewed charter works
A crewed charter is usually a week aboard, sometimes longer. The yacht comes with a captain and crew, and the charter starts and ends at agreed ports. Those may be the same port or two different ones. A one-way charter lets you cover more coastline, but it means the aircraft is collecting you from a different airport than the one you arrived at.
Many crewed charters are written on the MYBA charter agreement, a standard form published by the yachting association of that name. Two points in it matter to anyone planning the budget:
- The charter fee. Under the standard MYBA terms, unless your contract varies them, this includes the yacht and its equipment, the crew’s wages and food, and the insurance of the vessel and crew.
- The advance provisioning allowance (APA). This is a sum paid in advance to cover expenses during the charter. The captain reports on spending as the week goes on and may ask for a top-up if the balance runs low. At the end, the captain presents an account with receipts, and the balance is refunded or settled.
VAT and other charges depend on the countries involved and on how the contract is structured. They should be itemised in the contract, and your tax adviser should review them where they are material.
Four regions, one season
Yacht brokers describe the main Mediterranean season as May to October, with July and August as the busiest weeks. June and September are quieter on the water. Each region has its own character.
| Region | Typical embarkation | Airports (ICAO) | Note for the flight |
|---|---|---|---|
| French Riviera and Monaco | Antibes, Cannes, Monaco, Saint-Tropez | Nice (LFMN), Cannes-Mandelieu (LFMD), La Môle (LFTZ) | Nice is slot-coordinated. Cannes-Mandelieu has weight and night limits. La Môle needs a specific crew qualification. |
| Greek islands | Athens Riviera marinas, the Cyclades | Athens (LGAV) | Summer northerly winds shape Cycladic routes. Some islands have their own airports; see the Mykonos guide. |
| Croatia | Split, Dubrovnik | Split (LDSP), Dubrovnik (LDDU) | Split agrees every summer movement in advance, from 14 days out. The operator confirms Dubrovnik’s requirements. |
| Balearics | Palma, Ibiza | Palma (LEPA), Ibiza (LEIB) | Spanish airport slot coordination applies to business aviation. The operator confirms. |
Riviera airports
For a yacht week, the Riviera question is which airport is nearest the quay at the hour you board. Nice is fully coordinated, and according to the French slot coordinator business aviation slots are requested through the handling agent. Cannes-Mandelieu is closer to the Cannes and Antibes marinas, but the French aeronautical information publication bars jets above 35 tonnes maximum take-off weight, and it restricts night operations, so a late arrival for an early boarding may need Nice. Our Côte d’Azur and Monaco guide covers these airports and La Môle in detail.
Greek waters
Athens is the usual flight gateway, with charters leaving from the marinas south of the city. Once under way, the meltemi, the summer northerly that sailing guides describe as strongest in July and August, sets the pace. A captain may change the order of the islands or hold the yacht in a sheltered anchorage for a day, and a week planned to end at a particular island may end somewhere else. Keep the return flight flexible enough to allow for that.
Croatia
Split’s published rules put every movement in summer, business aviation included, under schedule facilitation. Times are agreed in advance, and requests are accepted no earlier than 14 days before arrival. For Dubrovnik, the operator confirms what the airport requires for your dates. None of this is a reason to avoid Croatia. It does mean the flight times are confirmed close to the date, not months ahead.
Planning: lead times and logistics
- Fix the yacht and the ports. Peak-summer weeks are usually planned months in advance. The contract confirms embarkation and disembarkation ports and times.
- Choose the airports. Pick airports close to those ports with rules that suit the aircraft. For one-way charters, note that the departure airport will be different.
- Request the flight. The operator applies for slots or PPR when the airport allows it. Some airports, such as Split, will not take a request until two weeks before arrival.
- Plan the transfer to the boat. Arrange a car or tender from the airport to the quay. Have it wait if the flight is delayed and the boarding time moves.
- Pack for the boat. Soft bags store more easily aboard than hard cases. Ask the crew about storage space before you travel.
A note for assistants: send the captain the dietary requirements, preferences and any medical needs before the APA is spent on provisioning. The crew can only buy what they know about.
Who it suits
A yacht week suits families and groups of friends who want to move between places without packing and unpacking. It also suits principals who want privacy at anchor that a hotel cannot give them. It suits less well guests prone to seasickness on longer open-water passages, or a party that needs a fixed daily schedule. A yacht also combines well with a land stay at either end: a few nights on the Riviera before boarding, or a charter timed around the Monaco Grand Prix weekend. In winter, the Caribbean equivalent starts from St. Barths.
How Certified Jets puts the week together
Certified Jets arranges your flight with a licensed operator suited to the route and the airport, and coordinates the rest of the trip around it. For a charter week, that means:
- A crewed yacht charter arranged for your dates, region and party size. The yacht is run by its own captain and crew.
- On-demand private jet charter to the embarkation airport and home from the disembarkation airport, timed to the boarding times.
- Group charter when the guests are coming from one city.
- Chauffeured transfers between the airport and the quay.
- Concierge support for the nights ashore before or after the yacht, and for restaurant bookings at ports along the route.
Where needed, we can also arrange personal security through licensed local providers. Yachts, flights and berths are subject to availability and local regulations, confirmed when you enquire.
Questions
What is the APA, and is it extra?
Yes. Under the MYBA terms it is paid in addition to the charter fee. The APA is an advance that covers expenses during the charter. The captain accounts for it with receipts at the end; any unspent balance is refunded and any shortfall is settled.
Can a guest join the yacht part-way through the week?
Usually, if the captain agrees a port and a time in advance. The guest flies to the nearest suitable airport and transfers to the quay. Plan that flight like the main one, against the airport’s rules for that date.
Can the yacht’s itinerary change during the week?
Yes. The captain decides on weather and sea conditions, and in the Aegean the summer winds often drive the decision. Keep some flexibility in the return flight.
