Skippered or crewed catamaran in Greece: which one do you need?
2 November 2026 · Monobrow Holidays Greece
The short answer
Every catamaran charter we plan in Greece sails with a professional skipper. So the real question is not whether you have crew, it is how much. A skipper on their own, or a skipper with a host and a cook. That choice shapes your week more than the boat does.
What a skippered catamaran is
Your skipper sails the boat, plans each day around the wind, handles the harbours and deals with the port police, who list the skipper as the person in charge of the vessel. Nobody in your group needs a licence.
Everything else is yours. You shop, you cook if you want to, you tidy up. Most groups have breakfast on board, swim and snack through the day, and go ashore for dinner in a different taverna every night.
It suits groups who like cooking together, people who want to choose a new harbour taverna each evening, and anyone who wants the boat to feel like a floating holiday home.
What a crewed catamaran is
The same skipper, plus a host who keeps the boat running and looks after you, and a cook or private chef who shops and puts fresh Greek food on the table. Lunch at anchor in a quiet bay stops being a picnic and becomes the best meal of the day.
It suits families with small children, celebrations, groups who would rather not plan a single meal, and anyone who has ever come home from holiday needing another holiday.
Side by side
| Skippered | Crewed | |
|---|---|---|
| Who sails the boat | Professional skipper | Professional skipper |
| Who shops and cooks | You | Your cook or chef |
| Who keeps the boat tidy | You | Your host |
| Where most dinners happen | Ashore in a taverna | On board or ashore, your choice |
| Best for | Independent groups who love eating out | Families, celebrations, total switch off |
Where the crew sleeps
It depends on the boat. On many catamarans the skipper uses the small forepeak cabin in the bow, which leaves the guest cabins free. On others a crew member needs a guest cabin, and that reduces how many of you fit on board. Before you book, we tell you exactly how many guests the boat sleeps with its crew aboard, so nobody discovers the bunk situation on day one.
Who pays for the crew's meals
On many skippered charters in Greece, the guests cover the crew's meals on top of the charter, either by eating together ashore or by cooking for them on board. With us, the crew's food is included in the fee. There is nothing extra to budget for, and nobody has to work out who is buying the skipper dinner.
And bareboat?
Bareboat means no skipper: you sail the boat yourself. In Greece the person in command needs a licence recognised by the port authorities, and a second experienced crew member must be on the crew list to help. If that second person has no licence, many charter bases ask them to sign a declaration of their sailing experience.
We do not arrange bareboat charters. Every charter we plan has a professional skipper, so the sailing, the weather calls and the paperwork are never your problem.
How we plan your charter
Weekly charters run Saturday to Friday, or you can book a single day on the water. We charter across the Cyclades, the Ionian, the Saronic, the Sporades and the Dodecanese, starting and finishing in the same port or in different ones. We can sort hotels, transfers and restaurant bookings before and after the cruise, and you have WhatsApp support from us on the ground the whole time.
Not sure which one fits your group? Tell us who is coming and how you like to eat, and we will tell you honestly. Start with our private catamaran charters in Greece, or read a catamaran week or island hopping by ferry if you are still deciding whether to sail at all.
Private Catamaran Charters in Greece
Crewed catamarans through the Cyclades, the Saronic and beyond, Saturday to Friday, with a skipper who plans the route around the wind rather than a brochure. You step aboard and we handle the rest.
Price a charter week