A bareboat charter is the boat and nothing else. No skipper, no crew, no cook: the company hands over a yacht, briefs you on it, and you sail it for the week. It is the cheapest way to spend seven days aboard and the only kind of charter this trade publishes a price for with any consistency, and it asks one thing in return, which is that you can actually sail the boat.
What it costs across the Mediterranean
The published figures, all read on 9 September 2026: Nautilus Yachting publishes a low-season Italian two to three cabin monohull from around 1200 pounds a week; The Moorings publishes $1,885 to $36,020 for a 7 day charter for 2 people in Croatia and $2,634 to $36,999 in Greece; Sailing Holidays in Croatia publishes small bareboat sailboats from about 2.000 EUR a week and four to five cabin boats at 4.000 to 6.000 EUR. Those agree with each other more closely than the trade's reputation for opacity suggests.
What the company will ask for
A sailing resume that satisfies the base, a certificate of competence recognised by the flag state, and often a VHF operator's licence for the skipper. Expect a handover briefing and, at many bases, a check-out sail before you are let go. The requirement is the country's rather than the company's, which is why it differs between Greece, Croatia and Italy and why a certificate that works in one may not in another.
What happens if the base says no
It puts a skipper aboard, and that is a condition of the charter rather than an upsell. Sailing Holidays in Croatia publishes 1.260 EUR a week for one, paid separately to the skipper at embarkation. A skipper also takes a cabin, so a four-cabin boat becomes a three-cabin boat for your party, which is worth settling before you count berths.
Questions people ask about bareboat charter
What is a bareboat charter?
The yacht alone, with no skipper or crew, hired for a period and sailed by you. It is the cheapest way to spend a week aboard and the kind this trade publishes prices for most consistently.
How much is a bareboat charter?
Nautilus Yachting publishes a low-season Italian monohull from around 1200 pounds a week; The Moorings publishes from $1,885 in Croatia and $2,634 in Greece for a 7 day charter for 2 people.
What qualifications do I need to bareboat?
A recognised certificate of competence and usually a VHF licence, plus a sailing resume the base accepts. The requirement is set by the yacht's flag state, so it varies by country.