Yachting holidays....anyone done any?
Discussion
A group of friends are thinking about a couples holiday in the med getting one of these large charter yachts for 10 people and a skipper thrown in to take you about and cook your food.
They're quite expensive but the idea of cruising about the med on a large yacht for 5 days stopping at the odd island, chilling on a deck, jumping in the sea and then having your meals and all your drinks brought to you by somebody sounds quite appealing!
Has anyone ever done this kind of thing before and what was it like? The price for each person works out at about €600 (x10 people), plus flights to the port and this also includes breakfast and dinner. Lunch is usually a small snack or you can pay for extra however you can also go to different ports and grab lunch on the shore.
So i'm thinking about €1000 for the whole package for each person.
Good or bad?
They're quite expensive but the idea of cruising about the med on a large yacht for 5 days stopping at the odd island, chilling on a deck, jumping in the sea and then having your meals and all your drinks brought to you by somebody sounds quite appealing!
Has anyone ever done this kind of thing before and what was it like? The price for each person works out at about €600 (x10 people), plus flights to the port and this also includes breakfast and dinner. Lunch is usually a small snack or you can pay for extra however you can also go to different ports and grab lunch on the shore.
So i'm thinking about €1000 for the whole package for each person.
Good or bad?
BB, depends on what you are looking for. They can be v boring, or they can be a riot. Depends on a number of factors.
Will you know everyone on board? Can be a nightmare if your fellow crew are not "your type of people" watch Holiday Swop to see what I mean.
Are you a sailor? Most of the packages are easy sailing and if you are used to racing cans, or Cowes then the sailing can be a little dull.
Having said that, with the right people and the right sailing they can be a wonderful experience.
Will you know everyone on board? Can be a nightmare if your fellow crew are not "your type of people" watch Holiday Swop to see what I mean.
Are you a sailor? Most of the packages are easy sailing and if you are used to racing cans, or Cowes then the sailing can be a little dull.
Having said that, with the right people and the right sailing they can be a wonderful experience.
Jacksdad said:
BB, depends on what you are looking for. They can be v boring, or they can be a riot. Depends on a number of factors.
Will you know everyone on board? Can be a nightmare if your fellow crew are not "your type of people" watch Holiday Swop to see what I mean.
Are you a sailor? Most of the packages are easy sailing and if you are used to racing cans, or Cowes then the sailing can be a little dull.
Having said that, with the right people and the right sailing they can be a wonderful experience.
Hi JD,
Cheers for the info. Everyone that will be going are friends of mine. Basically between 4-5 couples however i've never been sailing before. In fact, I've never been on a motorboat before or yacht (apart from the ferry to Spain), so this would be a completely new experience for me and for two of the other couples.
I just want a very easy and relaxing holiday this summer. No fuss or hassle or any need to do anything. Just chill and relax in the sun......
I also don't want to be on a crowded beach somewhere with kids kicking sand in my face and screaming and shouting by the pool with Germans trying to steal the sunbeds by "reserving them" with their towels!! (A stereotype that even the Germans I know fully acknowledge).
I just need a week of calm.......
If there are any other holiday ideas people could have in mind, let me know but sailing sounds very appealing being on the open water and having all that space with nobody else around all to yourself!
IMHO a week or twos sailing will be perfect for this. Try one of the flotillas offered by people like Sunsail ( www.sunsail.com ) for the best of both worlds.
Make sure when you book though to be clear what you want. Let them know if you want to learn how to crew and helm and a good day skipper will be more than happy to teach, or tell them you want to be left alone to chill.
Jack and I are spending most weekends preping mine ready for the season, cant wait....
Make sure when you book though to be clear what you want. Let them know if you want to learn how to crew and helm and a good day skipper will be more than happy to teach, or tell them you want to be left alone to chill.
Jack and I are spending most weekends preping mine ready for the season, cant wait....
I did 2 weeks sailing around the Greek Cyclades and it was great!
A typical day would be:
- Breakfast, assess weather (ie. how much wind) and plan route.
- Sail for a couple of hours.
- Anchor in a bay, swim, sun bathe.
- Lunch.
- Sail for a couple of hours.
- Then either anchor in a bay or park up in a port.
- Head to a Taverna.
- Find your way back to the boat. (Not always that easy when you've had a couple of Ouzos and are trying to drive a small dingy with an outboard. I recommend leaving a mast light on!)
So in summary it's very relaxing which could get boring for some. However you're free to explore the area as you please.
A typical day would be:
- Breakfast, assess weather (ie. how much wind) and plan route.
- Sail for a couple of hours.
- Anchor in a bay, swim, sun bathe.
- Lunch.
- Sail for a couple of hours.
- Then either anchor in a bay or park up in a port.
- Head to a Taverna.
- Find your way back to the boat. (Not always that easy when you've had a couple of Ouzos and are trying to drive a small dingy with an outboard. I recommend leaving a mast light on!)
So in summary it's very relaxing which could get boring for some. However you're free to explore the area as you please.
I've been on a few - none chartered though.
It sounds like a sailing hol is just what you need. They are great fun & very relaxing - especially if someone else is doing the skippering.
Before you go, go to a chemist & tell them what you are doing and get them to make up a medi pack. The boats have them but it pays to have your own too. Make sure you have anti-histamines (pills and cream) as there is nothing worse than someone itching like a bastard as it's a bit contagious.
For me the biggest factor for consideration is the size of the boat. Anything below 50' will be a bit small for 10 people - even at 50ft a couple may have to sleep on deck depending on the layout.
Assuming you get a decent size one, make sure you draw accommodation arrangements out of a hat. That avoids squabbling/resentment over whoever gets the pilot berth or has to sleep in the main cabin etc.
It sounds like a sailing hol is just what you need. They are great fun & very relaxing - especially if someone else is doing the skippering.
Before you go, go to a chemist & tell them what you are doing and get them to make up a medi pack. The boats have them but it pays to have your own too. Make sure you have anti-histamines (pills and cream) as there is nothing worse than someone itching like a bastard as it's a bit contagious.
For me the biggest factor for consideration is the size of the boat. Anything below 50' will be a bit small for 10 people - even at 50ft a couple may have to sleep on deck depending on the layout.
Assuming you get a decent size one, make sure you draw accommodation arrangements out of a hat. That avoids squabbling/resentment over whoever gets the pilot berth or has to sleep in the main cabin etc.
I have done a 2 week flotilla holiday in the Ionian sea area of Greece - was absolutely fantastic ,with 12 friends on 2 yachts ( 34 foot Benetau's ). All of us were experienced sailors / skippers so we sailed ourselves.
FLotilla holidays can be fantastic ... you have the option of doing your own thing , or joining in with the other boats , and the "lead boat" can provide technical / maintenance backup.
The company was Sailing Holidays - and were very good.
Living on a yacht can be rather "close quarters" if you are not used to it ... and you will need to like and get on with the people you are sharing with.
FLotilla holidays can be fantastic ... you have the option of doing your own thing , or joining in with the other boats , and the "lead boat" can provide technical / maintenance backup.
The company was Sailing Holidays - and were very good.
Living on a yacht can be rather "close quarters" if you are not used to it ... and you will need to like and get on with the people you are sharing with.
well I'm off next friday on a Sunsail in Antigua, doing thier flotilla course whilst out there, lots of scuba in between. I'll let you know how it goes. This is my first time actually learning what to do, so my father-in-law who has a boat will let me sail it when I get back.
>> Edited by smirnoff on Wednesday 1st February 11:22
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