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The Ultimate Guide To The Yacht Week Greece

Published: October 12, 2023

Modified: December 28, 2023

by Veradis Zook

• Travel Destinations
• Travel Guide
• Travel Tips

Introduction

Welcome to The Ultimate Guide to The Yacht Week Greece. If you’re looking for an unforgettable adventure on the crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean, then The Yacht Week Greece is the perfect choice. This seven-day sailing event offers a unique opportunity to explore the stunning Greek islands, soak up the sun, and party in some of the hottest destinations in the region.

The Yacht Week Greece is more than just a vacation – it’s an experience like no other. Imagine sailing on a luxurious yacht, surrounded by breathtaking scenery, and enjoying the company of fellow adventure seekers from all over the world. Whether you’re a seasoned sailor or a first-time explorer, this event promises to be a memorable journey filled with fun, relaxation, and excitement.

During The Yacht Week Greece, you’ll have the chance to hop from island to island, discovering hidden coves, picturesque villages, and vibrant towns. Each day brings new opportunities for adventure, whether it’s swimming in crystal-clear waters, exploring ancient ruins, or simply lounging on deck, soaking up the sun.

But The Yacht Week Greece is not just about daytime activities. As the sun sets, the party comes alive. From lively beach bars to exclusive nightclubs, the Greek islands are renowned for their vibrant nightlife, and The Yacht Week ensures that you’ll have the opportunity to experience it all. Dance the night away under the stars, with the sound of music and laughter filling the air.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take you through everything you need to know to plan your perfect Yacht Week Greece adventure. From choosing the right yacht to exploring the best Greek islands, we’ll provide you with all the information and tips you need to make the most of this incredible experience.

So grab your sunglasses, pack your sunscreen, and get ready for an adventure of a lifetime with The Yacht Week Greece!

What is The Yacht Week Greece?

The Yacht Week Greece is a highly anticipated sailing event that takes place in the stunning Greek islands. It brings together adventure-loving individuals from around the world for a week-long journey filled with sailing, exploration, parties, and unforgettable experiences.

During The Yacht Week Greece, participants have the opportunity to rent their own yacht or join a flotilla of yachts, creating a vibrant community of like-minded travelers. This event allows you to sail from one gorgeous Greek island to another, enjoying the unique beauty and culture of each destination.

One of the highlights of The Yacht Week Greece is the freedom it provides. You have the flexibility to tailor your own itinerary, choosing the islands you want to visit and the experiences you want to have. Whether you want to relax on pristine beaches, dive into turquoise waters, explore ancient ruins, or indulge in the vibrant nightlife, The Yacht Week has something to offer everyone.

With a range of routes and starting locations available, you can embark on your sailing adventure from Athens or other picturesque Greek islands. This allows you to explore different regions of Greece and discover the hidden gems that each island has to offer.

The Yacht Week Greece is not just for experienced sailors; it’s open to anyone with a sense of adventure and a passion for exploration. Even if you’ve never sailed before, you can join a crew, learn the ropes, and make lifelong memories along the way. Professional skippers are available for those who prefer to sit back and relax while enjoying the breathtaking views.

Besides the sailing aspect, The Yacht Week Greece is renowned for its vibrant social scene. Each night, participants come together to celebrate, dance, and create unforgettable memories. From beach parties to onboard gatherings, the atmosphere is electric, and the energy is contagious. It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet new people from all walks of life and forge lifelong friendships.

Overall, The Yacht Week Greece is a one-of-a-kind sailing event that combines adventure, relaxation, exploration, and celebration. It’s a chance to immerse yourself in the beauty of the Greek islands, experience the rich culture, and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Planning Your Trip

Planning your trip for The Yacht Week Greece is an exciting part of the experience. Here are some key factors to consider when organizing your adventure:

1. Group Size: Determine the number of people in your group and decide if you want to charter your own yacht or join a flotilla. Keep in mind that the size of the yacht will depend on the number of people onboard.

2. Budget: Set a budget for your Yacht Week Greece adventure. Consider the cost of yacht rental, skipper fees, fuel, food, activities, and any additional expenses for nightlife and entertainment.

3. Duration: Decide how long you want your yacht trip to be. The Yacht Week Greece offers both one-week and two-week options, allowing you to extend your adventure if desired.

4. Route Selection: Research the different route options available for The Yacht Week Greece and choose the one that suits your preferences. Each route offers a unique sailing experience, with stops at different islands and attractions along the way.

5. Starting Location: Consider the starting location for your Yacht Week Greece adventure. Athens is a popular choice, but there are also starting points in other Greek islands such as Mykonos and Paros.

6. Accommodation: If you choose to join a flotilla, you’ll have the option to stay on your yacht or book accommodation on land. If you decide to charter your own yacht, you’ll have the convenience of onboard accommodation.

7. Travel Insurance: It’s essential to have travel insurance that covers sailing activities, as well as medical emergencies and trip cancellations.

8. Additional Activities: Research and plan additional activities and attractions you would like to experience during The Yacht Week Greece. This could include snorkeling, paddleboarding, exploring local villages, or enjoying water sports.

9. Food and Supplies: Decide if you want to cater your own meals or have a provision package provided by the yacht charter company. Plan your grocery shopping accordingly and make sure to stock up on essential supplies.

10. Packing Essentials: Pack wisely for your trip, considering essentials such as swimwear, sunscreen, towels, comfortable clothing, and any personal items you may need.

By carefully considering these factors and planning ahead, you can ensure that your Yacht Week Greece trip is well-organized and enjoyable. The more you prepare in advance, the more you can relax and fully immerse yourself in the incredible experience of sailing through the Greek islands.

Choosing the Right Yacht

Choosing the right yacht is a crucial part of planning your Yacht Week Greece adventure. Here are some factors to consider when selecting your yacht:

1. Yacht Type: There are various types of yachts available, including monohulls and catamarans. Consider the pros and cons of each type and choose the one that best suits your preferences and sailing experience.

2. Size and Capacity: Determine the size of the yacht you’ll need based on the number of people in your group. It’s important to ensure that there is enough space for everyone to be comfortable onboard.

3. Amenities: Consider the amenities that are important to you. Some yachts come equipped with features such as air conditioning, sun decks, BBQ grills, and water toys, while others offer more basic facilities.

4. Budget: Take into account your budget when selecting a yacht. Prices can vary depending on the size, age, and amenities of the yacht. It’s important to find a balance between cost and the level of comfort you desire.

5. Crew or Bareboat: Decide if you want to charter a yacht with a professional skipper or if you are confident in your sailing skills and prefer to navigate the waters yourself. A skipper can provide local knowledge and assist with the operation of the yacht.

6. Yacht Charter Company: Research and choose a reputable yacht charter company that offers reliable and well-maintained yachts. Read reviews and check for any additional services provided, such as provisioning or assistance with itinerary planning.

7. Insurance: Ensure that the yacht you choose is insured and that you have the necessary coverage during your Yacht Week Greece adventure.

8. Safety Equipment: Check that the yacht is equipped with all the necessary safety equipment, including life jackets, first aid kits, and navigation tools.

9. Sailing Experience: Evaluate your own sailing experience and comfort level. If you’re new to sailing, it may be more suitable to select a yacht with a skipper to ensure a smooth and enjoyable trip.

10. Communication and Support: Consider the level of communication and support provided by the yacht charter company. It’s essential to have a reliable point of contact during the trip in case of any emergencies or technical issues.

By carefully considering these factors, you can choose the right yacht for your Yacht Week Greece adventure. Remember, the yacht you choose will be your home for the duration of the trip, so it’s important to select one that meets your needs and provides a comfortable and enjoyable sailing experience.

Setting Sail: Starting Locations

When embarking on The Yacht Week Greece, one of the first decisions you’ll need to make is choosing the starting location for your sailing adventure. Here are some popular starting locations to consider:

1. Athens: The capital city of Greece, Athens is a common starting point for The Yacht Week Greece. It offers a vibrant cultural scene, historical sites such as the Acropolis, and easy access to the stunning Saronic and Cyclades islands.

2. Mykonos: Known for its glamorous nightlife and picturesque white-washed buildings, Mykonos is an excellent choice for those looking for a party atmosphere. It is also conveniently located within the Cyclades island group.

3. Paros: Paros is a charming island with beautiful beaches, traditional villages, and a relaxed atmosphere. It serves as a great starting point for exploring the Cyclades islands and their unique architecture and landscapes.

4. Corfu: Located in the Ionian Sea, Corfu offers a lush green landscape, stunning beaches, and a mix of Greek, Venetian, and British influences. It’s a fantastic starting location for those looking to explore the Ionian islands.

5. Rhodes: With its medieval Old Town and ancient ruins, Rhodes is a captivating starting point for your Yacht Week Greece adventure. It is situated in the Dodecanese island group, known for its historical significance and natural beauty.

6. Lefkada: Lefkada is a beautiful island with crystal-clear turquoise waters and stunning beaches. It serves as a gateway to the Ionian islands and offers a tranquil and picturesque setting for setting sail.

These starting locations offer a variety of landscapes, cultural experiences, and sailing routes to choose from. Each has its own unique charm and attractions, so take the time to research and select the one that aligns with your preferences and interests.

Regardless of the starting location you choose, The Yacht Week Greece promises an incredible sailing experience, with opportunities to explore stunning coastlines, swim in hidden bays, and immerse yourself in the rich culture and history of the Greek islands.

Once you’ve chosen your starting location, it’s time to prepare for the adventure that awaits you as you set sail on The Yacht Week Greece.

Route Options and Highlights

The Yacht Week Greece offers several route options, each with its own unique highlights and attractions. Here are some popular routes to consider when planning your sailing adventure:

1. Athens Route: This route starts and ends in Athens, taking you through the Saronic Gulf and exploring islands such as Aegina, Hydra, and Poros. Highlights include the ancient Temple of Aphaia, the charming town of Hydra, and the vibrant nightlife of Aegina.

2. Cyclades Route: The Cyclades route begins in Athens or Mykonos, taking you through the stunning Cyclades island group. You’ll visit iconic destinations like Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, and Paros. Highlights include the breathtaking sunset views in Oia, the famous white-washed villages of Mykonos, and the beautiful beaches of Paros.

3. Ionian Route: Starting in Corfu or Lefkada, the Ionian route explores the scenic Ionian islands. Highlights include the picturesque village of Kioni in Ithaca, the turquoise waters of Navagio Beach in Zakynthos, and the stunning beaches of Kefalonia.

4. Dodecanese Route: The Dodecanese route begins in Rhodes and takes you through the charming islands of the Dodecanese group. Highlights include the medieval Old Town of Rhodes, the ancient site of Lindos, and the pristine beaches of Symi and Kos.

Each route offers a unique blend of natural beauty, cultural experiences, and vibrant nightlife. You’ll have the opportunity to explore ancient ruins, relax on stunning beaches, sample delicious local cuisine, and immerse yourself in the charming atmosphere of the Greek islands.

It’s important to note that the specific route and the islands you visit may vary depending on the time of year, weather conditions, and any special events or festivals taking place during The Yacht Week Greece.

As you plan your Yacht Week Greece adventure, consider the highlights and attractions of each route, and choose the one that aligns with your interests and desired experiences. Whichever route you choose, you’re guaranteed to have an unforgettable journey through the Greek islands, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Daily Itinerary and Activities

During The Yacht Week Greece, each day presents an exciting array of activities and opportunities to explore the stunning Greek islands. While the exact itinerary will depend on the route you choose and local conditions, here is a sample daily itinerary to give you an idea of what to expect:

Day 1: Departure and Island Arrival

Arrive at the designated starting location and board your yacht. Meet your skipper and fellow crew members. Set sail towards the first island destination, enjoying the stunning coastal views along the way. Upon arrival, anchor in a beautiful bay and relax or explore the island’s town or nearby beaches. In the evening, gather with other Yacht Week participants for a welcome party or beach bar crawl.

Day 2: Island Exploration and Water Activities

Start the day with a refreshing swim in the crystal-clear waters. After breakfast onboard, set sail to another island, taking in breathtaking views as you navigate the Mediterranean. Enjoy water activities such as snorkeling, paddleboarding, or swimming in secluded coves. Explore the island’s hidden beaches, visit local villages, and indulge in delicious Greek cuisine at waterfront tavernas.

Day 3: Discovering Historical Sites

Embark on a cultural adventure by visiting ancient ruins and historical sites. Explore archaeological treasures like the Acropolis of Athens, the Temple of Aphaia in Aegina, or the ruins of Delos in the Cyclades. Marvel at the rich history and architectural wonders of the Greek islands. In the evening, join a beach party or enjoy a sunset cocktail at a beachfront bar.

Day 4: Sailing and Island Hopping

Set sail for another island, enjoying a day of sailing and island-hopping. Discover hidden bays, secluded beaches, and picturesque fishing villages. Take breaks for swimming and sunbathing, or anchor in a vibrant port town for a taste of local nightlife. Enjoy the beauty of the Greek islands from the deck of your yacht as you sail through the sparkling blue sea.

Day 5: Water Sports and Beach Activities

Engage in an adrenaline-filled day of water sports and beach activities. Try your hand at jet skiing, water skiing, or windsurfing. Relax on stunning beaches, play beach volleyball, or organize a friendly yacht-to-yacht water sports competition. In the evening, join a yacht raft-up party, where multiple yachts come together for a night of music, dancing, and camaraderie.

Day 6: Island Exploration and Sunset Views

Explore another picturesque island, discovering its unique charm and natural wonders. Take a hike to panoramic viewpoints, visit local markets, or venture into the countryside for a taste of the island’s rural beauty. In the evening, enjoy a romantic sunset cruise with your yacht crew, savoring the breathtaking views as the sun dips below the horizon.

Day 7: Farewell Party and Celebration

Conclude your Yacht Week Greece adventure with a memorable farewell party. Gather with other participants for a grand celebration, enjoying live music, dancing, and fireworks. Share stories and memories of your incredible sailing journey and bid farewell to the newfound friends you’ve made along the way.

Remember, this is just a sample itinerary and the actual activities and schedule may vary. The Yacht Week Greece offers a balance of exploration, relaxation, and partying, ensuring that each day is filled with excitement and unforgettable experiences.

Exploring the Greek Islands

The Greek islands are renowned for their beauty and charm, and during The Yacht Week Greece, you’ll have the opportunity to explore and discover these incredible destinations. Here are some highlights and must-see places to visit while exploring the Greek islands:

1. Santorini: Famous for its stunning sunsets and white-washed buildings perched atop dramatic cliffs, Santorini is a must-visit destination. Explore the picturesque villages of Fira and Oia, soak in the volcanic hot springs, and visit the unique Red Beach.

2. Mykonos: Known as the party capital of the Greek islands, Mykonos boasts a vibrant nightlife scene, gorgeous beaches, and charming Cycladic architecture. Stroll through the narrow streets of Mykonos Town, enjoy the famous beach clubs, and visit the iconic windmills.

3. Naxos: Naxos offers a mix of natural beauty and historical sites. Explore the beautiful beaches, visit the ancient ruins of the Temple of Apollo, and hike up to the towering Portara – a massive marble gate that dates back to ancient times.

4. Milos: Milos is known for its unique rock formations and stunning beaches. Visit the beautiful Sarakiniko Beach, which looks like a moonscape, and explore the colorful fishing villages along the coastline.

5. Paros: Paros is a charming island with beautiful beaches, traditional villages, and a relaxed atmosphere. Explore the narrow streets of Parikia, visit the historic Panagia Ekatontapiliani church, and relax on the golden sands of Kolymbithres Beach.

6. Rhodes: Immerse yourself in history on the island of Rhodes, known for its medieval Old Town and ancient ruins. Explore the ancient city of Kamiros, visit the Palace of the Grand Master, and enjoy the beautiful beaches of Lindos.

7. Zakynthos: Zakynthos, also known as Zante, is famous for its breathtaking beaches and the stunning Shipwreck Beach (Navagio Beach), where a shipwreck rests on a sandy cove. Take a boat tour to visit the beach and enjoy the crystal-clear waters.

These are just a few examples of the many Greek islands waiting to be explored during The Yacht Week Greece. Each island offers its own unique character, from vibrant nightlife to pristine beaches and rich historical heritage.

While sailing through the Greek islands, take the time to swim in secluded bays, discover hidden caves, sample delicious local cuisine at waterfront tavernas, and immerse yourself in the Mediterranean lifestyle. The Greek islands are a paradise for adventurers, beach lovers, and culture enthusiasts, offering a wealth of experiences and breathtaking natural beauty.

Embrace the spirit of exploration and allow the Greek islands to captivate your senses as you discover their charm and allure during The Yacht Week Greece.

Meeting other Yacht Week Participants

One of the most exciting aspects of The Yacht Week Greece is the opportunity to meet and connect with people from all over the world who share a passion for adventure and exploration. Here are some ways you can meet other Yacht Week participants and create lifelong friendships:

1. Crew Mates: If you’re joining a flotilla, you’ll have the chance to meet your fellow crew members right from the start. Collaborate with them throughout the trip, whether it’s navigating, cooking, or simply enjoying the sailing experience together. This creates a sense of camaraderie and fosters strong bonds.

2. Raft-Up Parties: During The Yacht Week Greece, there are opportunities to join “raft-up” parties, where multiple yachts tie up together in a designated area. This allows for socializing, mingling, and meeting new people from different crews. These gatherings often involve music, dancing, and laughter, creating a lively and memorable experience.

3. Beach Parties: Attend beach parties organized by The Yacht Week Greece. These events bring participants from different yachts together in one location, providing the perfect opportunity to socialize, dance, and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere. Bond over shared experiences and create friendships that extend beyond the yacht.

4. Onshore Explorations: While exploring the Greek islands, you’ll have the chance to meet other Yacht Week participants at various onshore destinations. Strike up conversations at beach bars, in local tavernas, or while exploring historical sites. Exchange travel tips, share stories, and make plans to meet up later for activities or drinks.

5. Networking Events: Take advantage of networking events organized by The Yacht Week Greece. These events provide a dedicated space for participants to interact, share experiences, and make connections. Engage in conversations, exchange contact information, and follow up with new friends after the trip.

6. Social Media Groups and Forums: Join social media groups and online forums dedicated to The Yacht Week Greece. These platforms allow participants to connect and engage with each other before, during, and after the trip. Share your excitement, exchange tips, and arrange meet-ups with other participants.

Remember, The Yacht Week Greece attracts people from all walks of life, from solo travelers to groups of friends and couples. Embrace the opportunity to meet new people, be open-minded, and engage in conversations. The shared experience of sailing through the Greek islands creates a unique bond that often leads to lifelong friendships.

By actively participating in events, being friendly and approachable, and embracing the sense of community, you’ll have countless chances to meet and connect with other Yacht Week participants from around the world. So dive into the experience, create memories together, and forge lasting relationships that extend beyond the journey at sea.

Nightlife and Party Destinations

The Yacht Week Greece is well-known for its vibrant nightlife and party atmosphere. After a day of sailing and exploring the Greek islands, get ready to experience unforgettable nights filled with dancing, music, and celebration. Here are some popular nightlife and party destinations to check out during your Yacht Week adventure:

1. Mykonos: Mykonos is renowned for its electrifying nightlife. The island is home to world-famous beach clubs and iconic nightclubs that attract international DJs and party-goers. Dance the night away at beachfront venues like Paradise Beach Club or party in the bustling Mykonos Town.

2. Ios: Known as the party capital of the Greek islands, Ios is a must-visit destination for those seeking a lively nightlife scene. The island offers a range of bars and nightclubs, with the main party hub located in Mylopotas Beach. Enjoy themed parties, live music, and vibrant atmosphere that lasts until the early hours of the morning.

3. Santorini: Santorini may be known for its romantic sunsets, but it also offers a vibrant nightlife scene. Explore the buzzing nightlife in Fira or head to the beach bars in Kamari and Perissa. Enjoy cocktails, live music, and dancing beneath the starlit sky.

4. Paros: Paros offers a more relaxed but still lively nightlife experience. The island has a variety of bars and clubs, especially in the popular town of Naoussa. Enjoy waterfront bars, tavernas-turned-nightclubs, and live music performances that cater to different tastes.

5. Rhodes: Rhodes has a diverse nightlife scene, ranging from upscale beach clubs to lively bars in the historic Old Town. Explore the atmospheric streets of Rhodes Town, where you’ll find countless bars, clubs, and live music venues that offer a mix of traditional and contemporary entertainment.

6. Zakynthos: Zakynthos offers a laid-back yet fun nightlife experience. Head to Laganas, where you’ll find a strip lined with bars, clubs, and live music venues. Dance to popular tunes, enjoy live DJ sets, and revel in the vibrant and energetic atmosphere.

It’s important to note that nightlife options may vary depending on the time of year and local events. The Yacht Week Greece often plans exclusive parties and events at various destinations, offering a unique and unforgettable nightlife experience.

Remember to pace yourself and drink responsibly during the nights of partying. Stay safe and make sure to follow local regulations and guidelines in each destination.

Whether you’re looking for a high-energy party scene or a more relaxed evening with live music and cocktails, the Greek islands have something to offer everyone. Indulge in the vibrant nightlife, dance until dawn, and create memories that will last a lifetime during your Yacht Week Greece adventure.

Food and Dining on Board

One of the joys of The Yacht Week Greece is the opportunity to indulge in delicious cuisine and dining experiences both on board your yacht and at various onshore destinations. Here are some tips and ideas for enjoying fantastic food during your Yacht Week adventure:

1. Provisioning: Before setting sail, consider provisioning your yacht with food and supplies. You can stock up on fruits, vegetables, snacks, and beverages to ensure you have everything you need during the trip. Some yacht charter companies offer provision packages, making it easier for you to have a variety of food on board.

2. Local Produce: Take advantage of the fresh and flavorful local produce available in the Greek islands. Visit local markets and shops to purchase fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients for your meals. Experiment with traditional Greek recipes and create delicious meals using local ingredients.

3. Onshore Dining: Explore the culinary offerings of the Greek islands by dining at local tavernas and restaurants. Sample traditional Greek dishes like moussaka, souvlaki, and fresh seafood. Be adventurous and try regional specialties unique to each island.

4. Cooking Onboard: If you have access to a galley kitchen on your yacht, take advantage of the opportunity to cook meals onboard. Collaborate with your crew members to plan and prepare meals together. Experiment with simple yet flavorful recipes that are easy to make in a limited kitchen space.

5. Beach Picnics: Pack a beach picnic and enjoy a meal on one of the idyllic beaches you come across during your sailing journey. Prepare sandwiches, salads, and other portable dishes that can be enjoyed in the sun while surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of the Greek islands.

6. Sunset Dinner: Plan a special sunset dinner onboard your yacht or at a scenic spot on land. Watch the sun sink below the horizon as you savor a delicious meal accompanied by a glass of Greek wine. This creates a memorable and romantic dining experience.

7. Local Wine Tasting: Greece is known for its exceptional wine varieties. Explore local vineyards and participate in wine tastings to discover the richness and diversity of Greek wines. Pair your favorite wines with local cheeses or seafood for a delightful culinary experience.

Remember to embrace the Greek culture of dining leisurely, savoring each bite, and enjoying the company of your crew members and fellow Yacht Week participants. Food is not only nourishment but a social experience that brings people together, and The Yacht Week Greece is the perfect setting to bond over delicious meals and create lasting memories.

Safety and Regulations

Ensuring safety during The Yacht Week Greece is of utmost importance to have a smooth and enjoyable sailing experience. Here are some key safety tips and regulations to keep in mind:

1. Life Jackets: It’s essential to have enough life jackets onboard for every person. Make sure they are in good condition and properly fitted. Encourage everyone to wear their life jackets, especially when on deck or participating in water activities.

2. Safety Equipment: Familiarize yourself with the safety equipment on board, including fire extinguishers, flares, first aid kits, and navigation tools. Ensure they are easily accessible and in proper working order.

3. Weather Conditions: Stay informed about weather conditions and pay attention to any warnings or advisories. Listen to your skipper’s advice and adjust your plans accordingly to avoid any potential risks.

4. Navigation and Charts: Use updated navigation charts and familiarize yourself with the sailing route and potential obstacles like rocks or shallow areas. Follow safe navigation practices and avoid straying into restricted areas.

5. Speed Limits: Adhere to speed limits in designated areas, especially near harbors, marinas, and crowded beaches. Maintain a responsible speed to ensure the safety of your crew and other boats around you.

6. Mooring and Anchoring: When mooring or anchoring, consider nearby boats and ensure a safe distance. Use appropriate mooring techniques and secure your yacht properly to prevent drifting or collision.

7. Communication: Establish clear communication within your crew and with other boats on VHF radio channels. Stay aware of your surroundings and be prepared to communicate with harbormasters or port authorities if needed.

8. Alcohol Consumption: Drinking alcohol is common during The Yacht Week Greece, but it’s important to consume it responsibly. Avoid excessive alcohol consumption, especially when operating the yacht or engaging in water activities.

9. Local Regulations: Familiarize yourself with the local maritime regulations of the Greek islands you’ll be visiting. This includes anchoring restrictions, speed limits, and any specific rules in marine protected areas.

10. Emergency Procedures: Have a clear understanding of emergency procedures and ensure everyone on board is aware of them. Make sure to discuss emergency contact numbers and the location of safety equipment.

By adhering to safety regulations and practicing responsible behavior, you can create a secure environment for yourself, your crew, and others around you during The Yacht Week Greece. Safety should always be a priority to fully enjoy the adventure and experiences the Greek islands offer.

Packing Essentials

Packing wisely for The Yacht Week Greece will ensure that you have everything you need for a comfortable and enjoyable sailing adventure. Here are some essential items to consider including in your packing list:

1. Clothing: Pack lightweight and breathable clothing suitable for warm weather. Include swimsuits, cover-ups, shorts, t-shirts, and lightweight dresses. Don’t forget to pack a couple of warmer layers for cooler evenings.

2. Footwear: Opt for comfortable, non-slip shoes with rubber soles for on-deck safety. Bring sandals or flip-flops for beach excursions and exploring onshore destinations.

3. Swim Gear: Don’t forget essential swim gear such as goggles, snorkels, and swim fins. These will enhance your experience when exploring the crystal-clear waters and marine life.

4. Sun Protection: Pack sunscreen with a high SPF, wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, and lightweight long-sleeved shirts for protection against the sun. Consider bringing aloe vera or after-sun lotion for soothing sun-exposed skin.

5. Towels: Bring quick-drying towels or microfiber towels that are easy to pack and dry quickly. These are useful for swimming, sunbathing, and showering on-board.

6. Toiletries: Carry travel-sized toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and toothpaste. Remember to bring any necessary medications and insect repellent.

7. Electronics: Bring essential electronics such as a phone, camera, charger, and power bank. Consider using a waterproof phone case or pouch to protect your devices from water damage.

8. Travel Documents: Ensure you have all necessary travel documents, including your passport, sailing license (if applicable), yacht charter contract, and travel insurance. Keep them in a waterproof pouch or bag to protect them from water damage.

9. Entertainment: Bring books, playing cards, or any other forms of entertainment for leisure time on board. It’s an opportunity to relax and enjoy downtime between sailing and exploring.

10. Seafaring Essentials: Pack a small daypack for onshore excursions, a dry bag to keep your belongings protected from water, and a refillable water bottle to stay hydrated during your journey.

Remember to pack light as space on a yacht can be limited. Consider using soft-sided luggage or collapsible bags to maximize storage space. Don’t forget to bring a positive and adventurous attitude, as that is the most important item to have for an incredible experience during The Yacht Week Greece!

Tips and Tricks for a Successful Yacht Week

Preparing for The Yacht Week Greece requires some additional considerations to make the most of this incredible adventure. Here are some tips and tricks to ensure a successful and memorable Yacht Week experience:

1. Plan Ahead: Research and plan your itinerary in advance, but remain flexible to accommodate changes due to weather or unforeseen circumstances. Be open to spontaneity and new opportunities that may arise during your journey.

2. Collaborate with Your Crew: Communication and teamwork are essential throughout The Yacht Week. Collaborate with your crew members on tasks, decision-making, and responsibilities. Share the workload, and trust each other’s capabilities.

3. Embrace the Yacht Life: Embrace the unique experience of living on a yacht. Adapt to the living conditions, be mindful of limited resources, and respect the yacht and its equipment to ensure its proper functioning.

4. Respect the Environment: Adhere to sustainable practices during your Yacht Week adventure. Dispose of waste properly, respect marine life, and be mindful of leaving a minimal footprint. Follow regulations and guidelines to protect the fragile ecosystems of the Greek islands.

5. Be Social and Open-Minded: The Yacht Week Greece is a social event, so be open to meeting new people and making new friends. Embrace the diversity of your fellow participants and engage in conversations and activities to create lasting connections.

6. Be Prepared for Limited Connectivity: While sailing, you may experience limited access to Wi-Fi or cellular data. Embrace this opportunity to disconnect from technology and fully immerse yourself in the experience. Enjoy the present moment and the beauty of the Greek islands.

7. Respect Local Customs and Culture: Familiarize yourself with the local customs and cultural norms of the Greek islands you’ll be visiting. Respect the traditions, dress modestly when appropriate, and be mindful of noise levels to maintain a positive relationship with the locals.

8. Balance Party and Rest: Pace yourself throughout The Yacht Week, balancing the excitement of the nightlife with enough rest and relaxation. Take breaks, enjoy quiet moments on the yacht, and prioritize self-care to ensure you have the energy to make the most of the entire experience.

9. Capture Memories: Bring a camera or smartphone to capture the beautiful moments and breathtaking views during your Yacht Week adventure. Take plenty of photos to create lasting memories of your time in the Greek islands.

10. Enjoy Every Moment: Above all, remember to relax, have fun, and enjoy every moment of The Yacht Week Greece. Embrace the adventure, soak up the sun, dance under the stars, and create memories that will last a lifetime.

By following these tips and tricks, you’ll be well-prepared for a successful and incredible Yacht Week experience. So, set sail, let the wind guide you, and embrace the adventure that awaits in the beautiful Greek islands!

Congratulations, you are now equipped with all the knowledge you need to embark on an extraordinary adventure during The Yacht Week Greece. From sailing through crystal-clear waters to exploring captivating islands and immersing yourself in vibrant nightlife, this experience will be one for the books.

Remember to plan ahead, choose the right yacht, and pack wisely. Embrace the opportunity to meet like-minded individuals, explore the rich culture and history of the Greek islands, and create lifelong memories with new friends.

During The Yacht Week Greece, immerse yourself in the beauty of the Greek islands—swim in turquoise waters, bask in the sun on pristine beaches, and discover hidden coves. Delight your taste buds with delicious local cuisine and embrace the lively nightlife that awaits you each evening.

But beyond all the excitement, prioritize safety and respect for the environment. Follow safety regulations, be mindful of the delicate ecosystem, and make sustainable choices to ensure a positive experience for everyone involved.

Finally, let yourself be swept away by the magic of The Yacht Week Greece. Disconnect from the outside world, live in the present moment, and create unforgettable memories against the backdrop of the stunning Greek islands.

So, raise your anchor and set sail on an adventure of a lifetime during The Yacht Week Greece. It’s time to explore, party, connect, and make memories that will last a lifetime in this unparalleled sailing experience.

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THE TRUTH ABOUT YACHT WEEK | 6 Things To Know Before You Go

Last summer, my friend and I spent a week exploring Croatia, Slovenia and Montenegro then met up with Kiersten ‘The Blonde Abroad’ and the rest of our all-girls crew for a week of sailing in Greece with The Yacht Week . As a whole, I loved the experience, but there were several things I wish I would have know prior to booking the trip that would have allowed me to enjoy it to the fullest. So here are 6 things you should know before you go on Yacht Week.

1) The Yacht Week will be more expensive than you think!

I budgeted around $75 a day for food and drinks for our seven day trip and quickly realized that that was not going to be enough. Upon arriving, we were told we needed to go shopping for costumes for the sailing competition and parties. Next, we had to put money in for the “Kitty Fund,” which is food and drinks for the boat for the week. We also had to pitch in money to tip our skipper and pay for gas for the boat. At the parties you usually get 1 or 2 free drinks with your wristband, but after, that you pay for your drinks. So it can get expensive, especially if you want to splurge on bottle service. It’s nice to have a heads up on all this so you can budget accordingly. Bottom line: if you plan to drink and eat out and don’t want to worry about running out of money, you should plan to spend around $130 USD/day. Here’s a quick budget breakdown…

$150 Kitty $50 Costumes $525 ($75/Day Restaurants + Drinks x 7 Days) $100 Gas/Tip for Skipper $100 Bottle Service _______ $925 TOTAL

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2) The Yacht Week is more about partying and less about sailing

Yes, you will sail from island to island (my favorite part of the trip!), but the main focus of Yacht Week is the parties they throw. There is a big welcome party the night you arrive, and for the rest of the trip, there are day parties and night parties every single day. I didn’t fully understand this coming into the trip so I wasn’t in the right frame of mind, but once I realized the basic agenda was sailing from party to party, I was able to just go with the flow and also plan some other stuff I wanted to do, without feeling like I was going to miss out.

With that said, I highly recommend skipping one or two of the day parties and exploring instead. On the Greece Route , forget the day party at Love Bay Beach (it’s a dirt beach and not that pretty) and check out Poros! There is a lot to see and you only get one night there, so skip the day party and wander around this cute little town. Also, Hydra Island ( my favorite stop on the Greece Route ) is another must see! Definitely ditch the day party and spend your time exploring this magical place. There are so many gorgeous spots to take photos on both islands.

3) Unless you splurge on a bigger, nicer sailboat, you will not be able to use the toilet onboard for #2!

You can go pee on all the sailboats, but you can’t flush toilet paper down the toilets, and on many of them, you cannot go #2. I am sorry. I know this is a disgusting topic, but it is even more disgusting and horrifying to find yourself on a boat, sailing for hours or docked somewhere overnight, and realize there is nowhere that you can go to the bathroom. My friend Misha and I stayed at several hotels along the way because neither of us wanted to handle not having proper use of a toilet for days on end, but many girls were not as lucky, and there are some very embarrassing stories that I will not repeat here. Had we known about the bathroom situation prior, we would have splurged on a bigger sailboat that could accommodate people using the toilet. So make sure you look into this before you book your boat!

4) Your boat will get dirty real quick!

We had an all-girls crew and our cabin still got crazy dirty every day. Make a pact to all help clean. If everyone pitches in, it takes just a few minutes a day to keep your boat clean. Stay on top of dishes. Do them right after you are done eating, and try to keep all your personal stuff in your own cabin. The last thing you want is to spend a week in a tiny cramped, filthy space. This is the real Yacht Week v. your Instagram Yacht Week…

5) There is no air conditioning on the smaller sailboats

This is really not a big deal but when it’s very hot, it is hard to sleep in the cabins. I recommend bringing a yoga mat or buying one the first night you are there, so you can lay it out and sleep on the deck of the boat at night. And if you do choose to sleep on the deck, make sure someone sleeps next to you. A lot of people will be walking to and from the boats at all hours of the night, so it is safer to use the buddy system, especially for girls.

6) You will have the time of your life!

Just go!   If you can’t find a friend to go with you, just go on your own. Every single girl on our boat was amazing and our skipper,  Gregor , was one of the kindest and most responsible guys I have ever met! I had the time of my life and I can’t wait to go on another Yacht Week trip, especially now that I know what to expect. It is nothing like the real world and it will be an amazing experience!

Do you have you been on Yacht Week? Please share your stories, tips, and questions in the comments below! 

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Vanessa Rivers

Hi! I’m Vanessa Rivers, a California surfer girl living in Malibu after seven years in London. I started Glitter&Mud to share my adventures around the world to help my readers make the most of their travels. I am a Founder of the popular travel community We Are Travel Girls and a proud mom to a little travel girl named Sadie. I hope my stories inspire you to travel more, see the beauty in the world around you, laugh more, love more and believe that anything is possible! EXPLORE. DREAM. DISCOVER. BELIEVE. LOVE.

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46 comments.

Great article Vanessa! I have been on Yacht Week a couple of times now, its super fun, but its definitely good for newbies to Yacht Week to hear how to prepare to make sure they really enjoy it! Completely agree on splurging on a bigger better boat, we went for a much larger yacht for BVI than we had in Croatia and it made such a difference! (Having a stand up cubicle shower next to my cabin was a treat!!) Thanks for sharing your tips! You girls and the bikinis are really cute too!! xoxo

Done yacht week three times – great experience. But as you said its about party. Now moved on to Sailing Nations which focuses more on sailing and has super interesting sailing destinations.

Hi Bob! Thanks for sharing! I will have to check out Sailing Nations. Sounds very cool! I love being out on the water. Sailing makes you feel so free!

I’ll be leaving in a few weeks. Wondering what the currency will be like and how much to exchange. Did you use Euros? Or Kuna?

Hi Liz! Greece is on the EURO. Are you coming from the US? Right now 1 USD = .90 EURO – Enjoy your trip! X

Croatia is on the Kuna.

Great article ! really helpful for rookie yacht weeks . I will leave in a few weeks for the Italy route. Do the budget shown here applies for italy as well?

Hi Gil! I haven’t bee on the Italy route yet but the activities and cost will probably be similar. Have fun!!!

What currency is your estimated cost list in? Thanks so much!

Hi Eloise! It is in USD! X

Hello Vanessa. I’ve got a group of 4-6 guys who want to go to Croatia next June and definitely want a higher end boat. I assume we should be able to set this up as their must be others who are willing to spend more to get more. A couple of questions; are all boats single sex boats? Would it be wise to get a few hotels at some of the ports/stops? How about paying for a single cabin? Basically I’m trying to gather as much information as possible before booking starts in a couple of weeks. Thank you, Chip

Hi Chip! If you just want the boat to be your 6 friends I am sure you can find a high-end boat that will work for you (you’ll just need to pay more for a nicer boat) but generally Yacht Week wants there to be at least 50% girls on the boat. So there are all girl boats and mixed male/female boats but rarely all male boats. However I am sure it is possible to have an all male boat. I would contact Yacht Week directly to ask about this: [email protected] | As far as hotels, if you get a nice boat with proper bathrooms you won’t need to rent hotel rooms. I would recommend putting the money you would spend on hotels rooms towards getting a nicer boat with nice, proper bathrooms. Have a blast on your trip! X

Hi Vanessa, excellent piece of work! I wanted to ask you few things because i’m planning to go with some friends of mine from Argentina. If you can answer, that will be appreciated. 1. I read that a Hostess is really helpfull. But, the captain that is not included, is 100% neccesary? 2. How much is the bottle service approximately? 3. How much did you spend, between food, drinks, extras and yatch during the entire week? 4. It’s recommended to make a reservation just for me and my friend, and then the company join us with another group for the 50% rate of men?

Hi Juan! Thanks for your questions! 1) You don’t need a hostess but I am sure it would be nice to have one. You absolutely need a captain or a skipper to sail the boat. 2) Bottle service prices vary depending on where you go. We did the Greece route and I think our bottle service was about 150 EURO for 1 bottle but again this varies. 3) In my post you will see the price breakdown. It was approx $925 USD for the week for my trip. 4) Yes, I would book spots for you and your friend and the rest of the boat will be filled with a mix of males and females for a 50% female/male ratio.

Your review was so helpful! We just booked a yacht for Greece!! Cannot wait!

Hi Sharita! I’m glad my post was helpful! Have a blast in Greece!!! X

Hi Vanessa. Thanks for your blog post # 1 was most important for me as I definitely wanted to know how much additional cost I would be spending. I typically budget $100 per day for trips. Great blog post in general. I will be sharing this with my crew.

Thank you Orane! Glad you found the post useful! And thanks so much for sharing it. If you or your friends have any questions about The Yacht Week you are welcome to post them in the comments section here and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible. X

Hi! When I think of yacht week, I want those typical parties where the boats link together in the ocean and create a mini village to mingle for the day. I’ve only heard of this on Croatia routes. Does this happen for Greece at all?

Also what’s the age range like?

Hi Arly! This does happen on the Greece route, and I think all of the routes! The age range is typically a majority of people in their early to late twenties, with some people a little younger and some people in their early to mid thirties. Most people you will be in there twenties. I think I was twenty-nine when I went, which is on the older side! Have a blast!

Hi Vanessa! Great article. My best friend and I plan on doing Croatia this summer! The $130/day you estimated, does that include the port fees and electric fees at each port? Thanks!

Hi Lindsey – thanks for reaching out. I don’t remember specific cost for port fees or any electric fees but I know our Kitty Fund that everyone pitched money into at the start of the trip cover all the boat related costs on the trip, so yes, all your boat fees are included in the $130/day! X

Hey Lindsey, are you and your friend booking your own yatch? We’re looking for two girls to join our crew for week 25.

Question: the catamarans seem a lot more stable (and thus probably a better place to gather people for the party) whereas the Beneteau Oceanis 60 is just a sexy beast. We want to make sure we can have people over at our boat to party (and that it is stable enough for it). Which one do you think is the way to go (from your observations)?

Hi Kay – I am not a boat expert but I think any sailboat would be fine to have people on to “party” as long as you don’t go over the max weight limit for the boat. The skipper will let you know how many extra people you can have. X

Have you reviewed or compared the two routes? I can’t decide between Croatia and Greece. I have visited both and loved them both for different reasons. But, I am so torn between the two routes.

Hi Jami! I have been to both Croatia and Greece but I have only done Yacht Week Greece. I can personally say YW Greece was amazing but don’t have any experience with the Croatia route. However I am sure it is amazing too! My friend Kirsten – The Blonde Abroad – has done both and she gives a good review here: http://theblondeabroad.com/2014/11/03/best-route-yacht-week/

Hope this is helpful!

Hello Hello, may I ask what marina did you leave from and did you happen to see any yacht week prop stores near the marina are on your route? Someplace to buy floaties, temporary tattoos, UV body paint, and the like. We’re trying to maximize our carry on space by strategizing what we can buy in Athens.

Hi Lynette! I took this trip a few years ago so sorry I do not remember the name of the marina but I remember stores for everything we wanted to buy were within walking distance of our boat including a place to buy floaties, body paint and costumes etc! So unless there is something specific you want you can just go buy stuff with your boat crew when you arrive! 😉

Where do the floaties go after Yacht week? I leave in about 3 weeks and am purchasing floaties now. But every photo I see everyone is on a floatie. Would it make sense to just buy some off of them instead of lugging them half way accross the planet in a carry-on? Or is somewhere in Split just the location of the worlds largest floatie graveyard

Hi Jason! On the Greece route there was a store right in the harbor where we bought floaties the day before we set sail. I don’t know what people do with their floaties after yacht week. Mine got holes along the way and deflated so I threw them away but I would have given them to someone if they made it to the end! You can probably just wait and buy them when you get there. Maybe buy one floatie before and then get the rest when you arrive that way you know you at least have one!

Vanessa, Great article. I’m planning on doing this with a few friends. I noticed that you kept bringing up bottle service as being expensive. What if we ended up buying a lot of supplies (booze included) before getting on the boat. Would that be an issue? Maybe you pointed this out already and I stupidly missed it. Thanks.

Hi Allen! Thanks for your comment! I just mentioned that if you want to splurge on bottle service it is expensive and can add up quickly. You can also of course buy supplies and just drink on the boat and not spend money when you go out to the parties but you can’t bring alcohol with you the clubs obviously, so if you want to drink while there you will need to factor in the extra cost of drinks. TYW gives you a wrist band that usually gives you at least 2 free drinks at each party but you have to buy your own drinks after that so just be sure to factor in the cost if you plan to drink when going out!

Great read, very helpful! I noticed you mentioned 100$ for tip/gas (how many people were on the boat total?) Just trying to get a rough estimate on how much we should tip our skipper, including myself, we have 7 people.

Hi Jade! We had a crew of 8 girls. I think the amount you tip should depend more on how good your skipper is/ how much he does and how much your sailboat cost to rent. We had a small, cheaper boat but our skipper was really awesome so we wanted to tip him well. He went above and beyond to make sure we were all safe, happy and having fun! Hope this helps. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have more questions! Have fun!

Is there a farewell party Friday night on the Greece route?

Hi Alyssa – Thanks for your comment. I don’t remember there being a farewell party on Friday night! X

Thanks for the help! Does anyone have any recommendations for other cities/countries to visit before/after Croatia yacht week? Trying to book a 2-week trip overall, and there are so many options! Would love help narrowing it down! 🙂

Hey Vanessa, There are 8 of us girls looking into booking this summer, Greece or Montenegro route but we are concerned about the age range. We are between 30-35…what was the age range like? Also, we were debating on if we book in pairs (cabins) and be on separate boats or if we book our own, what are your thoughts?

Hi Kelsy! Thanks for your comment! Most people are in their 20s on yacht week but there are lots of people in their 30s too so you girls won’t feel out of place. I would try to rent your own boat all together. It will be easier if you are all together otherwise you will spend most of the trip just trying to meet up. Yacht week is about relaxing and having fun so you don’t want to work about stuff like that on your trip. You will also have plenty of time to mix and mingle with other people at the parties and when you are docked together or anchored during the day together! Hope you ladies have a blast! If any of you want to write a guest post about what it is like to do yacht week in your 30s I would LOVE to publish your story here! X, Vanessa

how much was it for each bottle for bottle service? would it be liter bottles or standard US 750ml bottles?

Hi! Bottle service in Greece when I went was around 150-200 EURO for US 750ml bottles. Cheers!

Is there a ‘best’ month to do yacht week? My friends and I don’t want to do the Ultra music festival. Curious if July or August is better. Thanks!

Hi Kelly! I don’t think there is really a best month but you might find cheaper flights and the places you go to might be a little less crowded in August. June and July are peak high season so best to try to avoid touristy spots during those months if you can.

Do you remember how much of your budget you were able to pay for with credit card, or how much of it had to be paid for with cash? I want to avoid converting too much of my money into cash euros for the Greece trip.

Hi Kurt! I paid for my spot on our boat with my credit card online prior to the trip. Everything else I paid for in cash. It is much easier if you have cash on hand to pay for meals and drinks etc. If you get bottle service at a bar you will be able to pay with a card but a drink here or there and meals where you are in a group it is much easier to each just throw in some cash. I would suggest taking maybe $300 out before you start the trip then getting more at one of your stops along the way that way just to be safe. I did not have anything stolen from me on the trip but it is always a risk if you have too much cash with you. Have fun! X, Vanessa

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ADVENTURES WITH STACKS

• May 4, 2019
• 15 min read

Yacht Week Athens - Greek Gods and Goddesses

Updated: Jun 16, 2020

Oh, The Yacht Week – I’m honestly not even sure how else to explain this week of my life other than simply outstanding. In fact, it was so great the first time in Croatia that we decided to go back. As much as we loved Croatia, we wanted to try something new and went with Greece. We went in on a 9 person boat with only four of us fully committed and chose to use TYW’s system to find 4-5 guys to join us. Why not 4-5 more girls? Please – 9 girls in an enclosed space for 7 days? No thanks - I’ll pass on that drama.

I’d break down the discussion on TYW into a few categories:

1. Choosing your boat

2. Choosing your crew

4. The first day

5. The parties

6. The sightseeing

7. The Food

8. TYW Clichés

9. The costs you may not already know about

So here goes…

1. Choosing your boat – our first time around we went with a cheaper monohaul (AKA a sailboat). It didn’t have air conditioning and was about 750 euro per person (there were 8 of us). That price also doesn’t include the skipper fee which is another 800 euro split between you all. The second time around, we got a bit smarter. We chose a more expensive monohaul, but luckily the exchange rate change made it about the same price (~$1000/person). We ended up with 8 people on the boat plus our skipper, even though the boat technically slept 10 total. So, while we paid a bit more each, no one had to sleep on the couch. Or think of it as there was always one extra bed in case a roommate kicks you out J.

Air conditioning – MUST HAVE

Four double bed rooms all the same size

Four bathrooms

Larger living room with more seating than the last one

Skipper had his own “room” (rather than sleeping on the couch)

Same pros as the previous boat (stereo system, cooler, etc.)

It wasn’t as big as some of the other monohauls or the cats – literally had a rich girl come in and act like she’d never seen something so small in her life *cue the eye role*

Doesn’t have great space for laying out and tanning. You probably need a cat for that

As mentioned previously, we had four girls in for sure and then we posted on TYW’s page called CrewFinder . I can tell you that we had a LOT of people from all over the world contact us. Some were singles, some were two friends, and some were groups of four or five guys. We were a bit uncomfortable with adding single guys so we passed on those usually. It took us about 3 or 4 different groups to officially nail down the guys that would commit to going for sure. We were lucky enough to be able to meet at least one person from each group we chatted with due to our travel schedules and where we live which made us more comfortable in our decision.

My only advice here is I’d probably avoid doing this on your first yacht week. It helped a lot that we’d gone before and knew what we wanted in crew-mates. I think it would probably be fine if you and your friends are looking to go and want to join someone else’s boat, but I’d probably hesitate to get the boat myself without a full crew the first time around. Also just remember that Australians REALLY like to party so know what you’re getting yourself into J.

First and most importantly, you have no room for hard suitcases/normal rolling bags so avoid those – go for duffles that you can flatten. Another option, especially if you’re spending a lot of time traveling before or after YW is to pack a large suitcase, bring a duffle, and then check your large suitcase with whatever you don’t need in a locker at the marina. TYW can usually tell you whether or not your marina has storage.

Here’s a packing list that we got from Marcus (our skipper in Croatia) and our thoughts on each thing (in italics):

Dramamine (non drowsy) – absolute must

Sleeping mask + ear plugs – not a bad idea depending on how easily you sleep

Floaties – another must (check Nordstrom, amazon, target, kohls, Showpo, etc.)

Costumes for the regatta on the last day – come up with a theme. Bae-watch is way overdone

Sunscreen -- duh

Flags – it will help you identify the boat – bring a bunch. And bring big ones – we underestimated how small ours would look

Sharpie Marker – to help mark your belongings – never needed this

Aux cable – for music to play through the boat speakers

12 Volt USB car charger – while not in the marina, this is your only source of power - to connect your phone to the car (would recommend getting one with a few usb slots so you can charge multiple phones at one)

External Rechargeable USB Battery Charger – yes. Keep in mind if you get a big one, you might blow a fuse. There’s plugs in every room so probably just get a few small ones

Deck of cards – just in case it rains or for drinking games

Boat shoes, sneakers and flip flops – girls please leave the heels at home! – agreed. Don’t bother with heels

Sweatshirt – it may get windy at night -- yep

Beach towel – yep although if you don’t have room for it, just buy a cheap one when you get there and throw it away before you leave

Bluetooth speakers – yep – sometimes annoying to have to change your song when the phone’s plugged in downstairs

Go Pro/waterproof camera/disposable waterproof camera – try your best to capture the most amazing week!! -- yep

Glowsticks, body paint, glitter -- yep

Battery powered Christmas lights for the boat – DEFINITELY. There is no light on the boat and you’ll come back on a taxi boat and have no clue which one is yours. The more unique the lights, the better. Zip ties to attach them to things also helps.

Bug Spray! -- ehhhhh

Sunglasses – bring a couple of pairs as you may break or lose a pair during the week – true, and you lose them because they go overboard so don’t bring expensive ones out during the day while sailing

White outfit for the white party – they call it something else now, Riviera chic or something stupid, but it’ll always be white party to us

Here’s what we brought that he missed:

Waterproof phone case

A hat to block out the sun some days

One of the other things that we did the first time around was pack a box full of Costco stuff as a checked bag. Two of our friends were flying directly there from SF and they filled a box with liquor, paper plates, solo cups, peanut butter, plastic silverware, paper towels, and sunscreen from Costco because it was SO much cheaper to do it that way. Then at the end of the week they just tossed whatever was left and had no checked bag on the rest of their flights on low-cost airlines.

4. The First Day

In Greece we went out of the Alimos marina and the other half of the route went out of a different marina. Don’t get there on the early end of check-in – you’ll be sitting around for a while. The bar that we met/checked-in at did not have air con and it was HOT.

Obviously remember that the marinas are on the coast, and the airport is not, so you’ll need to take a taxi or an uber out there so build in time for that drive for sure. The Athens airport DOES have ubers although they make you fill out this form thing to prove you took them. You pick them up in the parking lot across the way from departures to the right of the Sofitel.

One other thing to do that day is stop at an ATM and get cash (see #9 for what you’ll need it for). I’d recommend probably 500 euro each just to be safe.

Once you get through check-in your skipper will take one of you out to get the boat. You’ll most likely have to pay out a security deposit on the yacht. With our rental company, we were offered either a flat rate that covered anything we could possibly do to damage the boat or we could pay a smaller amount but then we’d have to cover the damage. We went with the flat rate. Apparently toilets are a major recurring issue and you don’t want to pay to replace a shitter. It was not cheap, but it eased our minds. Also, it had to be paid in cash whereas the insurance option could be paid with card. In the end we didn’t do any damage, but I think that’s pretty rare.

After you get the boat paid for, the skipper will check it out to ensure it’s all in working order. Make sure either they take pictures of everything or you do, especially if you don’t do the flat rate deposit. You don’t want them to blame you at the end of the week for something that was already there.

One major piece of advice : Plan for the worst. You don’t want to miss the first day of TYW, so if you’re coming in from somewhere else in Europe I’d recommend being in Athens the night before. See our blog about Yacht Week #1 to hear a horror story. If you’re coming in from Santorini or one of the Greek islands, be aware that even if you have the first flight out, the winds are unpredictable out there and you can get delayed without warning for hours.

First piece of advice – go for the table/bottle service everywhere. You’ll get an email about signing up for tables before TYW starts, and have someone ready to refresh constantly that day. The tables go QUICKLY. They’re nothing close to the cost of a Vegas table and they’re completely worth it. We only did it once in Croatia and I regret not doing it more because a lot of the party venues don’t have places to put stuff or sit down, so without a table you’re just standing in the middle of the dance floor the entire time.

Greece Route Parties:

The first party – this for us was at a club in Alimos. A lot of people skip this party, but we had fun. It’s a good way to meet the other boats early on. There’s no option for bottle service. We also heard from the other half of the route that leaves from the other marina that their first night party was a way cooler spot and it definitely looked like it from the pictures.

Love Bay – it’s meh. There’s families there when you first show up because it’s technically a public beach but they tend to peace out after a while. The chairs say they cost money, but I think for TYW people they’re free. The drinks come in buckets with 50 straws and they had good fries. This is/was, when we were there, the tropical retro party so have a bathing suit with that theme. The water is the perfect temp and they have a fun water volleyball game going.

Malibu – This is a fun little bar on Poros. The owner, is super friendly and loves Fireball and TYW. It also has barrels you can get up and dance on if you’re feeling adventurous.

White Party/Riviera Chic – This is one of the only 2 day parties on the Greece route. Would highly recommend getting a table on the edge of the room for this one. Gives you amazing views of the sunset and you’re on the edge of the dance floor.

Nikki Beach – Favorite party of the week. This one is the most like the Croatia parties. It’s literally a hotel in the middle of nowhere on an island and TYW has full run of the pool area. For this one we got a cabana but they sit pretty far back off of the pool. Would probably recommend a pool-side table instead.

You do have the option to book a room at the hotel that night to get off the boat for a while if you want to. The night ends with a rooftop party on top of the hotel. More than likely, if you do dinner at the hotel, you won’t have time to change between the pool and dinner/rooftop, so either bring your change of clothes or make sure your skipper brings in the dingy and can ferry at least a few people back to the boat to grab them.

Hydra – The island is known for being the spot for the best sunsets in the Med, and I wouldn’t disagree. The party that night is one I would also say get a table for and make sure it’s outside. Otherwise it’s tight and you’ll probably have to stay inside the whole night and it’s hot in there.

The final night –It’s a cool beach club that’s almost too big – the place felt empty regardless of the entire YW crew being there. They did have huge bean bags to sit on and hang out that we loved.

The Greece route was very different in this aspect from Croatia. It felt a lot more culture-focused. The islands you visit are much smaller and way less touristy than in Croatia.

Things we’d recommend:

Take advantage of being in Athens – go a day early or stay a day late and see the Acropolis

Poros and Ermioni – Wander around the islands. In general they’re tiny and you won’t get lost. The locals are super friendly and the photo ops are phenomenal

Hydra – Keep in mind this island is SUPER small. From what we hear, it’s pretty common that the boats can’t actually dock in the Hydra harbor, so you’ll probably dock on Poros and get ferried in and out. They’ll offer 3 ferries. Do not take the first one. You’ll be there for the entire day and you’ll be bored after an hour. There’s a kind-of secret bar attached to the very back of the place where you’ll end up for dinner that has amazing cocktails, big restrooms with plugs where you can change and get ready, and incredible views right down by the water. You’ll essentially have to walk straight through the restaurant to get to it but you’ll see the bathrooms at the back and then a set of stairs to go down to the bar. A lot of TYW crew/staff go here so it’ll be their “secret spot.”

Groceries –

TYW provides transportation on day one to a grocery store in Greece that you can go to, order, and then they deliver it to your yacht. Take advantage of this and keep an eye on their timeline. You’ll have to be inside the store by a specific time. Also only send one or two people to shop with a list. No sense in everyone going.

There’s also a grocery service that one YW alumni started and she may contact you about it prior to your week. Usually she’s more expensive than the stores, but she has things like solo cups that the stores may not have.

Here’s our recommended grocery list:

Alcohol (survey your boat and figure out what people will and won’t drink and what they’re willing to pay especially if you have guys and girls and tanks and lightweights)

Fruit – it’s always fresh there.

Breakfast croissants or cinnamon rolls (anything that doesn’t need to be refrigerated)

Eggs and breakfast meats – you can definitely make breakfast for real one day, just remember how many people you’re feeding and how many eggs people eat in one sitting. Also remember how hot it is and how you don’t want to be downstairs doing dishes.

Stuff for sandwiches – grab salami or ham or whatever the local meat is, some bread, and some spreads (mustard or mayo or tzatziki) and whatever else you might want. Sandwiches and chips are the easiest lunch to have while sailing. They don’t do turkey as a lunchmeat so don’t be surprised.

Plan for two dinners on the boat – go with something easy. Salad, pasta, grilled cheese, etc. Keep in mind you probably have two pots/pans maximum and a tiny stove

Paper plates, silverware, and plastic cups. Again, no one wants to be down in the boat doing dishes.

Toilet paper

Paper towels – trust me you want a lot of this

Garbage bags

Nutella – it’s better in Europe

For those of you that haven’t been to Europe before, they do not have ranch or peanut butter. If they do have it, it’ll be a tiny jar and it’ll be super expensive.

One word of advice, ask your skipper to leave Nikki Beach early in the morning so you can stop at the dock nearby to get gas and go refresh on food. There’s a pretty good market there where you can stock back up on food and drinks. There’s also a patisserie/bakery next door that makes incredible Greek breakfast pastries.

TYW Promoted/Organized Dinners :

The first night – everyone goes, just go to it.

Nikki Beach - Dinner will either be on your boat that night or at Nikki Beach’s restaurant. Apparently they’re known for their sushi but you have to call and order it in advance, which TYW won’t tell you. Otherwise their food wasn’t great and it was expensive as heck for small portions. My boat was not happy.

Hydra - Would absolutely recommend paying for the dinner on Hydra. It’s beautiful and pretty much everyone does it. Also they covered the cost for us since we couldn’t park in the harbor.

Dinners on the islands:

What to ask for at all of the local island restaurants - family style dinner. Everything just comes out on large plates and you pass them around the table. It’s the easiest way to do things, and you’ll get all of the restaurant’s specialties. The two things you cannot miss in Greece on the islands is honey-baked-feta and moussaka. I think most places have house wines that they make there that I’d also recommend. You cannot go wrong with Greek food – it’s all amazing.

If there’s one place on the whole trip we’d say you have to go to, it’s Nalu on the last night. It was the recommended restaurant in TYW app and we made reservations. It’s a beach club during the day, so it’s pretty full of people drinking and hanging out but don’t be deterred by that. You’ll have to eat earlier than the normal Greek people because you’ll want to get back to the boat for the buses to the final party. The food, though, was phenomenal. The service was fantastic. The view was stellar. We ate perfectly cooked steaks right next to the sand while we watched the sun set. It was perfect.

These are the things you see in the YouTube videos that make yacht week so unique. All of these other companies that also do circle floats absolutely copied it from TYW.

Circle Float: This was our favorite part of Croatia but it rained on circle float day in Greece so it sucked. On a good day, you whip out your floaties and they tie all of the boats together and you party all afternoon boat hopping and making new friends.

Line Float Night with Dingy Racing: Basically for this one they’ll just tie all of the boats together in one long line in front of a deserted island. You’ll make dinner on the boat, so plan for that. Then they’ll do dingy racing and other amusing activities.

Regatta Day: One of the days you’ll get all decked out in your themed gear and all of the boats will race (aka have a regatta) to the next location. The staff will sail around trying to get pictures and videos of all of the different themes, so be ready to show off your creativity. Greek gods and Bae-Watch themes are way overdone. We saw some cool themes like penguins, Titanic, Top Gun, the Croatian Bobsled team, etc.

Awards Night: They didn’t do this in Croatia, but in Greece we had an awards night on Hydra. The staff gets together earlier in the day and votes for the best regatta theme among other goofy awards that they come up with. Not every boat gets one so don’t be surprised or disappointed. Some awards go to individual people, some go to boats.

You buy all of your skipper’s meals and drinks. They have full access to your kitchen. Don’t be awkward about it at dinners where they’re with you. Just split everything evenly. Splitwise is your friend but don’t use multiple currencies. Convert everything to or leave it all in EUR/Kuna.

Skipper Tip – this is usually about 10-20% of the total cost of your boat. Give it to them on the last day as you leave the boat.

Hostesses – they’re a blast and they buy all of your groceries for you so you never have to shop, but they’re expensive. They also take up a spot on your boat, so keep that in mind. It means that you’re splitting the cost of the boat with one less person AND you pay an extra 600 euro on top of that to have her plus all of her meals and her tip at the end of the week. It adds up quickly.

The Kitty – when you first get on the boat, the skipper will ask you for kitty money. It’ll cover your gas, your taxi fees, and your docking fees. I think we did 150 euro each in Greece. Our skippers always made sure to keep receipts for everything so we had them if we wanted them.

The bottle/table service – There will be staff members that come around onto your boat before the parties and ask you for the cash for the tables you booked. I think that happened at White party and Hvar but maybe not Nikki Beach. Just be ready for it. You’ll also have to give them your order for alcohol at that time.

That’s Yacht Week Greece in a nutshell…or maybe more than a nutshell. Our last words of advice on TYW:

It’s going to be one of the best weeks of your life – embrace the insanity

If your skip hits on you, which we’ve heard stories about, talk to someone in a crew tshirt. That’s not cool.

Try not to hit on your skipper. That being said, if it happens and it’s mutual….oops?

The skippers do not get paid the same amount – there’s a survey at the end of the week and their salaries are based on their survey results

Don’t let your skip get too drunk. Someone has to sail the boat in the morning.

If you’re American and you’ve never had Somersby – find some.

If you can come up with something fun to introduce yourself around on either float day, do it. For example, we had shots of rose with rubber duckies in them that we call Ducky Rose and people loved it

Don’t be that asshole that brings a floating barge as a floatie that fits 8 people. You’ll take up too much space and everyone will hate you

Full cans of beer/cider float. Do with that what you will.

Once you pick your ratio when you’re booking your boat, it’s hard to change it. Especially if you want to take a girl off and add a guy in, so try to know your ratio before you book.

Make friends with the photographer – they might just end up on your boat for the day and then you could end up in their Instagram posts on Thanksgiving!

You may think going on YW over an American holiday like Labor Day is a great idea, but so does every other American. You’ll end up on a week with 10 boats from Jersey.

The boats and flights are most expensive mid-june through early August. You’re better off going one of the later weeks in August.

No shitting where you sleep! DO NOT go #2 on the boat. Just trust us. It’s gross and everyone will know you did it. Tell everyone else on your boat that’s a rule. SOS - Shit on-shore.

If you're looking for more info on other spots we stopped in Greece outside of yacht week, check out these posts too!

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EUROPE , GREECE , SAILING · March 23, 2018 Last Updated on July 22, 2024

8 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOU GO ON THE YACHT WEEK

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Have you heard of The Yacht Week ? If not then let me introduce you to what could be the best week of your life. Back in 2014 I spent a week sailing around Greece on an all girls Yacht Week boat. We had an incredible time but there were some things I wish I would have known before the trip that could have made it even better. So here are eight things you should know before you go on The Yacht Week!

1) THE YACHT WEEK COULD BE THE BEST WEEK OF YOUR LIFE – JUST GO!

As you can see from the video above The Yacht Week looks like a lot of fun, and it is! This video is of The Yacht Week Greece trip I was on featuring some clips of our boat. I booked with one of my friends and prior to the tip I hadn’t met any of the other girls who were going to be on our sailboat. All the girls turned out to be awesome and we all made fast friends.

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If you can’t get a group of friends together to book your own sailboat don’t let that stop you from going on The Yacht Week. Just find one friend to go with you and book a two-person cabin! You’ll make new friends, and have the time of your life, especially after reading all my tips so you’ll know what to expect.

2) THE YACHT WEEK IS MORE ABOUT PARTYING THAN SAILING

The Yacht Week is basically one big floating festival! If you want to have a serious week of peaceful sailing then The Yacht Week is probably not for you. You will sail from location to location but you’ll spend a lot more time partying than sailing on most of The Yacht Week routes. You need to be in the right frame of mind for this prior to the trip. So if you plan on going on The Yacht Week put your party hat on and be ready to have some fun!

3) CHOOSE YOUR YACHT WEEK ROUTE BASED ON PACE

You’ll likely look at The Yacht Week website and see a destination you want to go to and decide this is the route you want to take. I advise against this. In order to have the best time possible book a route based on the pace you want to go at.

Since I went on The Yacht Week they have added several new routes including an Italy route which they are marketing as slower paced for “sophisticated sailors and the food fanatics.” I have only been on the Greece route so I can’t vouch for this claim but if you want to do less partying, and more sailing and exploring, booking the Italy route seems like the way to go.

The Greece route I went on is labeled at a mid paced route. I love music and parties but I personally would have preferred more sailing and sight-seeing. Based on my experience, I would describe the mid paced Yacht Week routes (Greece, Montenegro and BVIs) as party routes and the fast paced routes (Croatia and Croatia Ultra) as ultra party routes.

4) SKIP SOME OF THE DAY PARTIES & EXPLORE

As I said above The Yacht Week, overall, is more about partying than anything else but you are visiting amazing places on all of their routes so I suggest skipping some of the parties and exploring your surroundings. On the Greece route there was a day party and a night party at each stop. When we docked at Hydra Island , my friend and I skipped the day party and explored the island which turned out to be one of my favorite days on the trip! There are plenty of parties so don’t worry about skipping some of them and opting to take in some sights and local culture instead.

5) SPLURGE ON A PREMIUM SAILBOAT

This is a gross topic but I have to bring it up because I would never want anyone to be in the same situation the girls on my boat were on. Our Yacht Week boat was a cheaper, economy sailboat and it was not equipped for us to be able to do anything besides pee in the toilets. That’s right, we did not have proper use of toilets on our boat for an entire week! Because of this my friend and I ended up renting several hotel rooms during Yacht Week (read Nikki Beach Porto Heli and Hotel Miranda Hydra Island ) just so we could have use of a toilet and shower.

So what is the moral of this story? Don’t go for the cheapest boat you can find. There are now four types of yachts you can book with The Yacht Week – Economy, Standard, Premium and Premium Plus. Spend the extra money to book a premium sailboat, and check that you’ll have unrestricted use of the toilet onboard before you book.

6) THE YACHT WEEK IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN YOU THINK

I budgeted around $75 a day for food, drinks and extras for our seven-day trip and quickly realized this was not going to be enough. Upon arrival we were told we needed to go shopping for costumes for the sailing competition and parties. Next, we had to put money in for the “Kitty Fund,” which is food and drinks for the boat for the week. We also had to pitch in money to tip our skipper and pay for gas for the boat.

At The Yacht Week parties you usually get one or two free drinks with your wristband, but after, that you have to pay for your drinks. Drinking every day can get expensive, especially if you want to splurge on bottle service. If you plan to drink and eat out and don’t want to worry about running out of money, you should plan to spend around $130 USD/day.

$150 Kitty $50 Costumes $525 ($75/Day Restaurants + Cocktails x 7 Days) $100 Gas/Tip for Skipper $100 Bottle Service _______ $925 TOTAL

7) YOUR SAILBOAT WILL GET DIRTY REALLY QUICKLY

We had an all-girls crew and our sailboat still got very dirty every day. In order to keep your boat from becoming filthy get everyone on your boat to agree from the start to all help clean. If everyone pitches in, it takes less than 20 minutes a day to keep your boat clean. Do your dishes right after you are done eating, and keep all your personal stuff in your own cabin. No one wants to spend a week in a tiny cramped, dirty space. This is the real Yacht Week v. your Instagram Yacht Week…

8) CHOOSE WHO YOU BOOK WITH WISELY

The last thing you want to do is go on what could be the week of your life with someone who can’t go with the flow, relax and enjoy an adventure. If you’re booking a two-person cabin with a friend make sure you are on the same page about what type of trip you both want to have.

If you can’t wait to get to The Yacht Week and party all week and your friend is looking for a peaceful, relaxing week of sailing and sightseeing it is not going to work. If your friend wants to do a luxury sailing trip but you want to book an economy sailboat to save money it is not going to work. This seems pretty obvious but I saw both of these scenarios happen and it is a buzz kill for everyone. Make sure you are on the same page with whoever you book The Yacht Week with, wether you are booking a two-person cabin or an entire sailboat.

Have you been on The Yacht Week? If you have any additional tips for our readers or questions for me please leave these in the comments below.

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May 4, 2018 at 2:53 am

Hi, where did you get your bikinis? I love them! Thanks!

James Methew says

August 28, 2018 at 6:02 am

Great Blog! Yacht Charting is considered the best way of spending your holidays and is an interesting activity to include in your traveling.

May 5, 2019 at 5:30 pm

Im about to book the Greece trip with a friend but now I am really concerned about the bathroom situation… can you maybe tell me a little bit more about that?

June 18, 2019 at 7:11 am

The boats have marine toilets; you can use them for #1 and #2, you just can’t flush anything else down them. So that means you have a baggie for toilet paper you throw out once or twice a day. It’s not ideal, but it’s not as bad as you might think, and you get used to it pretty quick. Plus, you’re on land a lot and can use regular toilets pretty much any time you’re not sailing.

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Set Sail in Style! Inside the Ultimate Travel Adventure Experience of 'Yacht Week'

Sept. 17 2024, Published 8:20 a.m. ET

Summer vacation options are vast these days, with new variations of trips and tours in different parts of the world popping up every year, making holiday choices endless for traveller's seeking an overseas getaway, however in the world of ultimate luxury and adventure travel, few experiences rival the exhilaration of Yacht Week .

Yacht Week is a sailing adventure journey like no other, set against the stunning backdrop of the Adriatic and Mediterranean Seas that has quickly become a bucket list travel experience for tourists worldwide seeking the yachting life adventure of a lifetime.

The Yacht Week journey is about so much more than just the destinations—it's about the voyage itself. They say you never forget your first, which is very true of this experience, as OK! got an exclusive VIP experience onboard our first Yacht Week and the unforgettable ultimate travel adventure on the high seas it promised.

A Birds Eye View of the infamous Circle Raft during Yacht Week.

The Yacht Week adventure begins the moment you step aboard your private yacht with your fellow sailors and embark on your sailing trip for the week. The first decision of the Yacht Week journey begins with choosing whether you're boarding with a group or just looking for a cabin.

Options are available for all types of sailors, whether you have a group of up to 10 friends you'd like to charter your own yacht with, or if you're a solo sailor or with a small group seeking other sailors to fill your yacht cabins. All variations are welcome as the Yacht Week team partners people up in different combinations dependent on needs, and how bare essentials or luxurious you wish to make your experience. One necessity that every yacht is provided with is a skipper, who most importantly will sail the yacht, but also act as a leader onboard the vessel as you set sail on the charter.

" I grew up on fishing boats with my Dad," explains Finn , the skipper of our yacht for the week, "Every week it's a new group of people to get to know, a whole new dynamic of people to watch experience Yacht week for the first time. It's pretty incredible" .

That special experience Finn speaks of is one that many come seeking every year as Yacht Week season begins.'The Summer of Love', was the name of the Yacht Week 2024 season, with week long routes in Greece , Sicily and the original Croatia route ,which was the route sailed on this particular journey.

A Row of 'Yacht Week' Boats Sit Docked Ready to Take off on Voyage.

" We went for the no frills yacht option. No air conditioning, no host," explains Tyson , 25, from Toronto who was onboard his yacht with three friends also from Canada. Tyson and his friends ended up cabin matched with four girls in their mid twenties from Brazil. " We got lucky, it's been a great cabin match for us with our yacht", Tyson says with a coy grin on his face.

The cabin booking system tries to be as gender split as possible, and for those not wanting to risk putting the fate of their yacht mates grouping into someone else's hand, there is Crew Finder; a Facebook group that works as sort of an internal nautical friend finder, where you can find your ideal travel companion group and form your own yacht crew without the aid of the Yacht Week cabin booking system. Despite many yacht mates been assigned together seemingly at random, there weren't many complaints of ill matched cabins that could be observed on this route with most Yacht Week guests expressing their surprise at the quick bonds that had formed from day 1, with strangers quickly becoming a family unit onboard, and the close living quarters onboard forcing you to become very comfortable, very quickly, with your fellow sailors.

That aforementioned host Tyson and his friends chose to forego from their trip, is an optional addition on a Yacht Week charter, where each yacht has the option for an onboard host who can cook meals for you and provide that added luxury of waking up and not having to worry about which one of your cabin mates is going to boil a egg, or even brew some morning coffee for the group. The host can take care of all that, and forget about a simple boiled egg for breakfast, it's quite amazing what the Yacht Week hosts are able to cook up in a simple yacht galley, often whipping up onboard meals that could rival local restaurants with all the added special touches and impeccable presentation.

" I first came as a guest for yacht week in 2019 " , explains Babi , the Brazilian born host of our particular yacht. " After that week I knew I wanted to keep coming back to Yacht Week, so I decided the easiest way to do that was to work for Yacht Week" .

As a Yacht week host, Babi is assigned a different yacht each week where she must complete the weekly grocery shopping for the yacht and decide what meals she'll cook for her assigned group, while also having to take into account food allergies or any dietary requirements of the onboard guests; no small feat in today's world of various picky preferences eaters. From vegans to gluten free, creating a meal that suits all tastes and preferences can prove more than a little challenging at times, but Babi considers it well worth it.

" I love my job, sure it can be difficult at times, but its hard to complain when this is the backdrop every day.'" she says as she stares out into the crystal blue Croatian waters.

Another day of paradise in and out of the water on 'Yacht Week'.

Yacht Week was born almost as a joke in 2006, when friends from Sweden, William Wenkel, Johan Kuylenstierna and Erik Biörklund decided to create a travel adventure for explorers and sailing enthusiasts like themselves. The inspiration struck while they were skippering sailboats during family sailing holidays the previous year and they realized they were able to visit stunning, often secluded locations only reachable by boat, but the trips primarily only catered to families.

Wanting to offer a similar experience for close friends, they approached their charter company and persuaded them to reserve a few boats for the following summer. The idea took off from there, and the rest is history; Yacht Week was born. Today, that close-knit group of friends has grown into a vibrant community of over 70,000, with no signs of slowing down. Yacht Week has united adventurous souls, vast seas, and a collective of musicians, collaborators, sailors, and partygoers with more than 1.4 million guests having joined the Yacht Week experience to date over the past 18 years since it's inception.

A mid sea Floatie Party for Tunnel Raft Day on 'Yacht Week'.

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" We all met through our husbands actually, " explains Rachel, 32, who hails from Texas and was experiencing her first Yacht week with five girlfriends, all military wives currently stationed with their husbands on service in Northern Italy.

" We wanted to do a girls trip together, so we decided on Yacht Week because we'd heard a lot of great things about it and thought it'd be such a different vacation experience than just spending a week in a hotel in Europe somewhere," Rachel says.

The promise of a travel experience outside the norm is one that many have been drawn to of late, with the typical European vacation no longer satisfying the average traveller who seeks an experience a little more outside the box than what may have been yearned for in the past. After all, in the days of social media influencers and aspirational travel adventures, spending a week onboard a yacht is a travel vacation that's sure to make anyone's instagram followers more than a little envious.

" We are ready to win the Yacht Week regatta. We have a whole Texan cowgirl theme ready to go" Rachel says.

This regatta she's referring to is another Yacht Week highlight, where each yacht dresses to a chosen theme, as the yachts form a parade on the seas, with sailors going all out with effort to claim the victory trophy as the Regatta winner for the week.

An 'Under the sea' theme, Winter wonderland Christmas and a performing circus act were just some of the highlights of this weeks regatta, but they were no match for the 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' themed yacht, armed with costumed Oompa Loompas and Golden Ticket themed bathing suits ,that ended up claiming a much deserved Yacht Week regatta victory. Watching the absolute insanity of 40 plus yachts sailing through the Croatian seas, filled with sailors dressed in different themed outfits while busting out dance moves and battling it out to take victory, is a win for anyone lucky enough to bear witness to a Yacht Week Regatta.

The Yachts Set Sail For The 'Yacht Week' Regatta Event.

" I was worried we'd maybe be too old", confesses Jana, 36, a New Zealander traveling with her friend Renee, 35 " We'd always wanted to do Yacht Week, but figured we'd never find enough friends who could come. When we realized we could be matched with other pairs of friends and solo sailors to make up a full yacht, we decided to just go for it and booked in."

The question of age is a common one for group travel adventures like Yacht Week, and can sometimes be a cause for concern for potential sailors who feel they may not be young enough to participate, especially if judging by the social media videos and online photographs that tend to highlight an early 20's crowd, often frolicking on inflatables in the water while knocking back beers like a college frat party. However once aboard your Yacht Week experience it quickly becomes apparent that Yacht Week is so much more than the debaucherous partying and endless drinking that it may initially appear to be and there's a wider spectrum of ages than just early twenty somethings.

" The 9's are out sweet spot" explains Barry Gifford , CEO of Yacht week, " 29 and 39, is an age where people really want to do something like Yacht week, but may not have a group of friends who can just drop everything and go sailing around Europe for a week "

While partying is definitely a highlight focus of Yacht Week and the weekly sail itinerary definitely has more than a few unforgettable parties on schedule, the community of a Yacht Week sail group forms so quickly through these parties that they can truly be whatever experience guests want to take from them. Whether that experience be sitting in the corner with a small group taking in all the festivities from afar, or dancing the night away on the crowded dance floor keeping the party going late into the night, there's an experience that can be accommodated for every preference. One of the scheduled nights perfect for this is the 'Garden of love' party that takes place at the Yacht week owned Fort George in Vis, Croatia. This Croatian fortified citadel from the 19th century that overlooks two natural bays of Vis, is a venue that could easily stand in for a location in 'Game Of Thrones' , and provides an incredible locale for an epic party venue that puts the average indoor nightclub setting to shame.

Another highlight of the week is the Circle and Tunnel raft events, which you've likely seen many photos of from Yacht Week marketing materials and previous Yacht Week guests social media posts. That birds eye drone view of a perfectly formed circle or two tunnel lined rows of all the yachts for the week docked in perfect symmetry in the middle of the crystal blue bay look almost CGI generated they're so visually breathtaking, but we can confirm there's no cheeky editing tricks here, it truly looks as spectacular in reality as the photos depict.

The Tunnel Raft party in particular ends up serving as quasi nautical house party hopping event, as sailors climb aboard each others yachts in search of whichever social vibe they are feeling for the occasion. While some Yachts might be celebrating in a more low key fashion with quiet chats over drinks and perhaps a game of cards, others are taking the party up a few notches and welcoming fellow sailors onboard into their home for the week, and dancing the night away on whichever yacht has ultimately become the unofficial party host boat for the night.

" I love that we've become the party yacht for the tunnel raft." says Megan, 24 ,from New York, who's catamaran yacht she set sail on with six girlfriends had become the unofficial party host yacht of the night " As long as nobody messes with our playlist, we are happy to keep this party going to sunrise" she says with a smile, clearly proud to play host yacht to one of the most memorable Yacht Week experiences that serves as an ultimate group bonding experience.

An Incredible Birds Eye View Of The 'Tunnel Raft' Day on 'Yacht Week'.

After the Yacht Week experience sadly comes to an end for another week, with all the yachts safely docked back at shore and the sailor guests having to return to the reality of life on land once again, it's impossible to label the Yacht Week experience as just another vacation. It’s a week long journey that allows you to break away from the daily routine of life and get onboard with an escape to a new reality of life on a yacht, where every day of the week brings a new adventure.

" Everything we do is dedicated to the guest experience. We really feel the weight of making sure we live up to being the best week of our guests' lives. " explains Yacht Week CEO Barry Gifford.

This guest experience Barry refers to is clearly a top priority for the Yacht Week team, and been witness to the camaraderie that is built so quickly among sailors throughout the week is truly something special. From strangers on day one to some lifelong friendships formed by Day 7, Yacht Week offers an experience like no other, blending relaxation, celebration, and adventure into one unforgettable journey that one needs to experience themself to really understand what an unforgettable travel escapade it is.

If you're ready to join the adventure and experience the Yacht Week phenomenon, bookings are now open for 2025 Season .

Start planning today for a sailing adventure of a lifetime, and get ready to check Yacht Week off your travel experiences bucket list!

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I'M TYPE A -OKAY

• Sep 14, 2018

THE YACHT WEEK: GREECE 2018 HIGH-LEVEL PLANNING GUIDE

Updated: Jan 27, 2019

Since you're here, you've probably heard a lot about how much fun it is to attend The Yacht Week. You've probably seen the promo videos, Instagram posts, and online itineraries and reviews about the experience. I don't hope to replicate any of that great content around what The Yacht Week will be like if you go. In being the type of person who puts together trips for my groups of friends, I find that I've always wanted to know more about the actual execution of a trip. What went into planning it, how much does it really cost, what are the timelines and schedules that have worked before?

This post will provide information I find useful for High-Level Planning. Want to get into the weeds about party venues, table prices, grocery shopping, alcohol quantities and pricing, menus and more? Be on the lookout for upcoming Detailed Planning guides (or Spotlights as I like to call them)!

The Yacht Week (TYW) describes itself as being "a series of boutique floating festivals set in 6 destinations around the world." It's an accurate description. You gather a group of of your friends (or book a cabin for 2), rent a yacht for a week and sail along a pre-planned route from port to port. Each day is different as you explore a new town and experience the events hosted by TYW, where you have the opportunity to meet, mingle, and party with all the other crews that are on your route.

This summer was my second TYW experience. In summer 2017, I attended Croatia Ultra Route which began with two days of Ultra Europe Music Festival and then a shortened week of sailing. It was, as you could imagine, a fast-paced, non-stop "rager" for lack of a better word. For my next TYW adventure, I wanted to take advantage of a mid-paced route that had longer sails, fewer yachts, and more variety in the type of events hosted. This meant heading to Athens, Greece and setting sail from the Marina Alimos to explore the Saronic islands of Poros, Ermioni, and Hydra!

I think in spreadsheets, so I will use this section to try and answer quick questions regarding the "who, what, when, where, and how much" type of questions in easy to reference tables. This includes:

Summary FAQ Sheet

Booking Information and Payment Schedule

High-Level Finances

I'll begin with a Summary FAQ Sheet of what I booked for my group. I'd recommend everything that is here with the only modification being I may choose to splurge on air conditioning next time! Still, I personally would prioritize getting a catamaran (for size) over a mono-hull with air conditioning.

Bookings for the upcoming summer open in mid October! Previous attendees or "veterans" of TYW get priority entry to pre-booking. Usually, by the end of this pre-booking period, a majority of the Premium and Premium Plus yachts are booked. These are generally the larger, newer yachts that have air conditioning. The sooner you book, the better your selection will be!

Here is a breakdown of the payment schedule for your fixed costs (or Booking Cost), which I define as: Yacht, skipper base rate, hostess base rate, and food/beverage package. These fixed costs are what you book and pay for online.

Payment Schedule for Summer 2018:

Some decisions you have to make upfront in order to complete a booking:

1. What will your gender ratio be? If you're unsure of who your crew will be, it's better to start off with more guys:girls in your ratio - it's easier to ask TYW to change an extra male spot to a female spot later on.

2. Will you get a hostess or not? Well, I'm going to stop you right there. Yes, you are going to book a hostess! There's nothing better than waking up to breakfast already prepared, having someone who helps keep things tidy, and your skipper will appreciate having an extra experienced sailor on board. It really takes a load off, and allows you and your crew to truly have fun without any of the added worries of responsibility. If you're at all like me, the organizing of shopping, meal prep, and tidiness would likely turn into another task list for you to personally keep tabs on. Add a hostess, gain a new friend!

3. Will you get a Food & Beverage Package? My hostess recommends getting the Hostess Food & Beverage Package. This sets your crew up with an assortment of basic necessities that are delivered directly to the yacht for the best value. When you really take a look at the more expensive options, the amount of- and type of foods included are really not worth the per person costs. It's best to then plan a menu with your hostess and supplement this basic package with your own shopping at the supermarket for groceries and alcohol. No worries, they'll reach out to you before your trip to find out your preferences, any allergies, and work with you on what you'd like to eat. You'll put in minimal effort (your hostess does most of the shopping, it can also be delivered to the yacht at Marina Alimos), and you save a lot of money that can be better spent elsewhere on your trip! Technically, you can add the food and beverage packages up to 30 days before your trip, but I recommend including it from the beginning of your booking process. This has a few benefits: it reduces a step of effort later to add it on and your crew members can work on their own budgeting with it included in the base cost upfront.

But wait, you're probably wondering at this point, "Okay, so how much will this trip really cost?"

See the below table of high-level finances. This was for a crew of 8 women plus our skipper and hostess. All costs were split evenly among the 8 crew members. Airfare is not included here, since that was quite variable depending on each persons departure city, schedule, and ability to book.

Additional Notes about the above costs:

All prices listed are in Euros (€). Airfare was not included, since it varies individually.

Base rate for Skipper is 800€, we added a cash tip (15% of total yacht week booking cost).

Base rate for Hostess is 650€, we added a cash tip (10% of total yacht week booking cost).

While gratuity is always optional, it makes a wonderful gesture to the people who take such great care of you and the yacht during your trip, who try their best to ensure you have a really memorable experience. Gratuity is suggested to be calculated off of at least the base rate of the yacht you select. My crew calculated off of the total booking cost.

Please note you are responsible for feeding your entire crew, that includes having your group cover your skipper and hostess’ meals on and off the yacht.

THE SCHEDULE

These were the tasks that I tracked and coordinated leading up to the trip. Most of the coordination with my group occurred via email, as we were spread out in various time zones around the world.

Since you'll likely be taking lead on most of the booking items, I will go into a little detail here on arrival/departure dates and booking additional lodging. For arriving to the base city, I recommend having everyone arriving the Friday before your first day of TYW. So for us, our week started Saturday, July 14th, so I had everyone plan to arrive in Athens no later than Friday, July 13th. This allowed for everyone to get into town, meet each other, and then go out for dinner and fun together in a more laid-back casual environment. Obviously, for this you'll need a hotel or AirBnB for your group. In the schedule above it's referred to "Hotel #1 ". Check-in day at the marina can be a little hectic, so I really enjoyed waking up together Saturday morning, having breakfast, and going to the marina together.

For departures from Athens, I recommend anything after 11:00am on the ending Saturday of your week; so for us, that was Saturday, July 21st. The last day of TYW is actually Friday, as that is when you will arrive back at the Athens marinas. The ending Saturday listed on your week is really just an early morning check-out day (9:00 am check-out!). For this reason, my group decided to check-out Friday afternoon and spend the night in the city again. This second lodging is referred to as "Hotel #2 " in the schedule above. Some crews, however, definitely stay on the yacht for this final night. I've done both, but I honestly did enjoy having an AirBnB for the whole group that final night in Greece!

THAT'S IT! NOW, WHAT'S UP NEXT?

Well, for you - head over to www.theyachtweek.com to sign-up for pre-booking now and to book your trip! Use Referral Code: ANGELIQUEMARABLELBO to save €220 on your trip!

Also, don't forget to follow for more on Instagram:

Wonderful, official TYW photographer Pablo Oriol Valls: @the_photo_cubicle

For more photos from my crew and me: @imtypeaokay

I'm working diligently on some upcoming Detailed Spotlights on: TYW Greece Party Venues & Table Service, Menu Planning & Grocery Shopping, Prices in Greece & Budgeting, and an overall Trip Review. So, stay tuned!

• High-Level Plan

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Screen Rant

Below deck sailing yacht season 5 trailer leaves fans disappointed with gary king’s involvement.

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Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5’s trailer has finally arrived, and with Captain Glenn Shephard’s crew including First Officer Gary King, fans are disappointed in the show’s return . While Below Deck viewers have been impatiently awaiting news about Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5 for over a year, the trailer has finally been released, and has many concerned about what the season is going to look like. While the trailer reveals the return of some familiar faces, the storylines that appear to be part of the season left viewers feeling uneasy. After Gary’s sexual misconduct allegations, his involvement seems overwhelming.

In the Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5 trailer, the crew’s chartering guests around Ibiza in a new sailing adventure. With Gary showing up early in the trailer after Daisy Kelliher makes her grand entrance, things get dicey quickly. “That’s right, we have a f****** job and I’m not carrying this f****** season on my own you f****** prick,” Daisy shouts at Gary in one moment of the trailer as he lays in his bed, looking dismayed. The rest of the trailer shows the genuine chaos of the season, featuring Gary heavily much to the surprise of Below Deck viewers .

What Gary’s Involvement In Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5 Means

He’s part of the show more than ever.

Throughout the Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5 trailer, it was clear that Gary will be a focal point of the exterior team’s story. Being shown on the deck with some of the exterior team, pushing Deckhands to their limits and critiquing their work, Gary’s presence on the sailing yacht may be odd during Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5 . While he appears to be getting along with Daisy , he may not even have her in his corner by the end of the charter season. His heavy involvement in the trailer may not indicate the same throughout the whole season.

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Although Gary has been a part of Below Deck Sailing Yacht since the early days of the series, seeing him as a member of the crew after his sexual misconduct allegations came to light is tough. While Bravo filmed Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5 before the allegations were revealed, they came to light during the filming of the season and it appears that the network didn’t choose to remove Gary from later episodes or take action at all. Though it remains to be seen if production did anything about Gary , it’s disappointing to some to see him on screen.

Our Take On The Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5 Trailer

It could be chaotic fun, but gary leaves a stain on the show.

Although the trailer for Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5 makes it seem like one of the most exciting, dramatic seasons of the series we’ve ever seen, the mess may not be worth it if Gary’s involved. By ignoring the sexual misconduct allegations lodged against Gary and leaving him on the series, seemingly without explanation, Bravo is allowing it to seem like what he may have done is okay. Though nothing has been proven, taking no action on Below Deck Sailing Yacht could be a misstep that may taint the entire season of the sailing spin-off for once excited viewers.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht premieres Monday, October 7 at 9 p.m. EDT on Bravo.

Source: Below Deck /Instagram

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

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Below Deck Sailing Yacht is a spin-off of the Below Deck reality television series. Premiering on Bravo, the show follows the life of a Yacht crew as they attempt to navigate a busy Charter season in which many customers make use of a 177-foot sailing yacht. Over the first three seasons, the yacht has been to Greece, Croatia, and Spain.