Which Greek islands are best for a crewed yacht charter? — featuring Wlms Yacht Charters

0:00 This is Mandy and Rory and you are watching Charter Chat with WLMS Yacht Charters. We tour over 250 charter yachts and travel to multiple countries every year in an effort to find you the best charter possible. In today's episode, we discuss our favorite itineraries for Greece. What is Rory's

0:18 favorite spot? Find out in this episode of Charter Chat. >> How's it going? >> Good. Good. Um, we've had another round of of really busy weeks and so yet again, we're a little bit behind. Um, but that's okay. So, >> I think we were supposed to do this several months ago actually.

0:36 >> I think so, too. I think so, too. >> After the shows. >> Yeah. Yeah. But, you know, hey, we are where we are. Over the last couple weeks when we have been chatting, one thing that I think I've noticed is that we have some repeat clients that have started in the the BBI and now they are

0:55 looking to charter in the med for next season. And one thing that they often do is they choose Greece as their as their like obvious choice. And um you know and it it's a trend that I've seen I think we've both seen for years. So, I'm sort of curious like why you think that is. >> I think it's something that they know to

1:19 get started. Um, I do think it's an incredible sailing area, you know. So even for somebody that you know we do get people that that come for a first time and then they want to come again and it's such a large um sailing region that you can really come every year for 10 years or 15 years and see still see

1:43 new places. Um, a lot of times, uh, I find guests come to Athens first, maybe do an Athens to Athens charter because from Athens they can go to the Kiladis and to the Seronic, but then there are other places so that if they were to come back, um, it's it's really, you know, they could have completely

2:04 different experiences. um there are a lot of yachts there and so it really opens up um opportunities for them to get the yacht that works best for them but also for the region whether they want to um uh sail out of Athens and maybe look at going to the Klades or the Seronic or maybe they want

2:24 to go to the Yionian which they've which which a lot of people have heard of. Um but then we also have the doinesise which is further to the south um almost close like quite close to Turkey. Um there's just so many different areas and they're they're quite different as well which is really which is really

2:43 incredible. So what about the Ionian? cuz um you know you hear about it in terms of the like it's a little bit more kind of tropical in nature and uh the waters are a little bit calmer if I if I understand correctly. How do that from Athens to Athens? If you were if you had

3:09 seven nights is it doable? >> No. >> No like a motor. need to charter you would need to charter in the Ionian for that. >> Um >> even with a power cat, you know, they they will some captains will do it. >> Um >> you know, but it can be quite a push um and they'll often say, you know, to do a

3:33 10day um or to, you know, book a yacht that's over in the Ionian. the Ionian. It's It's interesting because people when they think of Greece, they think of the of the white buildings with the blue, which is the Kiklades architecture, >> right? >> Um they think of Ionian waters. >> Um so it's just to kind of remind

3:55 people, it kind of depends on what you're really looking for as to what area you should really be in. Um, a lot of people do like to go to the Ionian in July and August because it is it is calmer. Uh, the Kiclades can get quite windy. Um, at the same time, like if you're doing a charter in Athens, um,

4:17 even if it is windy in the Kiclades, the suric islands are more protected because they're so close to the mainland. And people tend to forget that region. And it's absolutely stunning. Yeah. Yeah, as you know, I used to live on Poros, >> not Paros, Porros. Um, you know, beautiful uh red tiled roofs and um you

4:38 know, lovely waters with trees coming down to the water. It's really it's it's really stunning and that's more protected. Um is also uh less wind. >> What about a motor yacht? Is that is that doable? Athens, Athens into Ionian on seven nights like >> um I think it could be. >> Yes. And um and just to keep in mind

5:03 that if you're if you're doing an Athens Athens um and wanting to go to the Ionian that you also do cover the cost for going through the Corinth Cor canal um which is a very interesting view um if never um seen or been through the canal. Um, but you would still have like a couple days in the Seronic Islands

5:28 before crossing through and then you would kind of be a bit on the further south side um you know around like Lefgas um and Zakinthos. >> So you're not going to get that full week time in the Ionian um because you've got the transit there and and back >> which brings it back. Yeah, it's kind of

5:49 a lot of lot of time in transit for uh potentially just a small part of your charter. It can be I think um it just it depends on the speed of the yacht. >> Um and but but I do know that um >> that like power cats and motor yachts will do it. Um and you just need to check into it. And there are more and

6:12 more yachts that are basing themselves in in the Ionian during the during the summer. um because it's become more popular to be there. >> Yeah. And and do some yachts offer like a a reload fee to if if their schedule permits or or most yachts um they don't they they really want to get their

6:36 calendars as full as possible because it's a shorter a shorter season. It's, you know, in July and August, you're not going to find somebody there that's going to do a reload fee because because of that reason reason of trying to get the calendar as full as possible. Um, some of them may may um may accept a

6:56 reo if they think that they can >> book out more charters over in that region. Um, so that is definitely a possibility and it's always worth asking. Um, but I think, you know, especially for somebody coming to the, um, coming to Greece for the first time, it's, you know, there are just so many

7:17 incredible places to go. You know, I usually try to get the yacht that works best and, um, the dates and then kind of see where that is because there are really some some incredible options. Um and down into the Dota again a totally different um uh you know the the islands are quite different down there. So you

7:42 can there's a lot to see. >> Can you get there from on an Athens Athens? I mean that that's pretty far, right? >> That's quite far. >> Yeah. And the reloc the reo fees are actually quite I mean you're looking at least 2 to 3,000 one way for a really >> yeah because of the time. Um

8:05 so you know in an Athens to Athens you even centrini is going to be too far. um if it's a sailing >> um and and I I do you know when talking about itineraries Mkos and Santorini has come up and what I try to try to explain to people I mean Mkos can be you know a great um uh island if you're going to

8:32 embark disembark if there is a yacht there um or if you're paying for a relocation there because there's an airport um But, you know, unless unless you're into the intense parties, I think there are just so many other islands to to visit um that are >> incredible. Um so, it's it's just

8:55 something that most people know of. There's not a lot of yachts that base themselves there because there's not a lot of space and it is one of the windiest spots that you'll get hit with. So, that is, you know, that's something that people have to consider. Um, I try to talk to people like with with regards

9:12 to their itineraries that um, you're on a private yacht, utilize that and and try to go to places that don't have cruise ships, that don't have, >> you know, >> planes and every other um, type of way to get there. You know, you'll see a much more interesting view of of Greece.

9:37 And especially since the crews really really know the island so well. There's Yeah, it's Yeah, it's great to take their um uh their local knowledge, right? I mean, that's >> and they all hate going to Mkos, >> right? And Mkos is is famous for a reason. It's because it's a massive

9:58 cruise port, right? Yeah. >> I mean, how many cruise How many cruise ships will go in there in a day? >> I don't know. Oh, I try not to I try not to count. They are starting to limit, >> but when I say limit, we're probably still looking at like six, you know, >> like for Santorini there,

10:17 >> there's just so many um that go in, which which brings me to the final question because we I had a phone call for a client coming up on a charter that's going out. I think I think he's the last one for the season in in October. >> Yeah. >> And he asked me uh because obviously I'm

10:40 in the States, he's American. He asked me if there was a new uh tax being that all guests entering um certain islands had to pay. Um and I said, "You know what? I'll check with Rory because she definitely would know. I have not heard from anybody in our community." I took the assumption it was probably a cruise

11:03 >> it's a cruise ship tax. >> It's a cruise ship tax. So So what is that? >> That is it's it's a per person tax to cover the cost because it's >> they don't really make a lot. You know, locals certainly don't make make money on cruise ships. So, um it's I think also a way to try to limit um but I

11:25 don't think that the tax is so high that it really limits people from deciding to take a cruise and going into Santorini, but it's this tax is not on charter yachts. >> No. No. And so what is it just a tax that like maybe the cruise ship is collecting every time somebody gets off

11:44 the their ship or or is it something that the islands are charging when they enter in? I I know nothing about it. >> I don't know how they're doing it, but it would be it would be that um it's for for each for each person. >> Yeah. >> At least. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And they because for the most part

12:03 the islands love to have the the crude yachts come in. >> Oh yeah. >> I would think because it's it's a more intimate experience and also um it allows their own time to like go shopping and spend money on the island and eat at their restaurants rather than people sort of just >> purchase things. Yeah. Wandering

12:27 wandering around and then getting going back on the cruise ship and eating and drinking. Right. >> Yeah. No, it that is true. >> Yeah. Okay. So, so in general that's so like you you recommend Athens to Athens because it allows for so much flexibility. Um because the weather will will dictate quite a bit, right?

12:48 >> Yeah. I usually start people with that because it's also that's where the most yachts are based. It's where the most marinas are. And so, um I just think that people shouldn't discount it. It's nice. It's easy to fly into Yeah. um the airport and be in the city for a few days and get that

13:07 cultural experience because it's an incredible city to go and visit and then hop onto your hop onto your charter. Or maybe even if the um you know, if you're interested uh to do a one-way uh charter and just pay the relocation fee once, you know, if um if it permits with the the yachts calendar to do say Athens to

13:29 Milos or Oh, I have a little visitor. Um, this is Nina. >> Who is this? >> This is Nina. Nina Simone. Um, she's Julia's dogs. Come to stay. >> We're having a visit. >> She's so cute. She's um >> You look like an advert for >> support. >> Like a little Yeah, you look like an advert for a rescue shelter. Like this

13:54 dog looks like she's up for adoption. She is so stinking cute. Oh my god, >> she is pretty cute. So, and she loves she she would love sailing, too. >> She's she's promoting she's here to promote Greece. Um, so yeah, we have um uh Yeah. So, you can do like some pretty great oneways, which are which I love,

14:16 especially going south. Um, you know, say Athens to Milos or to um uh where else? Um down to um EOS. you you know so different spots that you can choose to do a oneway and then um have that experience. So yeah. >> Okay. All right. Well, um anything else

14:41 you want to add since we've we've had sort of like these questions sort of coming up and and I felt like it was a good good time to to to chat about like common questions that that are popping up. um for >> I know everyone always wants to go to Santorini, but >> there's a lot of other great spots to go

15:02 to. >> Um yeah. No, I think uh I I think different areas like it's great to look at the dates, look at the yacht that you're interested in, what works for your budget, and then um you know, we can talk about yachts of that similar type in different parts of Greece and kind of what works best for,

15:24 you know, what you're interested in. Um >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Well, and the last thing I think maybe I would just add or say is like we offer sample itineraries only to give people an idea, but probably in Greece more so than anywhere else maybe it really is just to give you an idea because

15:45 >> it's a sample. >> It's it's going to be dictated by the weather which is going to be almost guaranteed to be very warm >> and sunny. Yeah, but >> the winds will have the final say. I mean, the fairies can be closed down sometimes, right? >> Yep. >> Yeah. You know, I usually what I really

16:06 like to stress is that the that the actual itinerary is going to be based on your group's um uh preferences, time and distance, and the current weather conditions, which include the winds. >> Yeah. >> You know, winds and waves, you know, because they, you know, captains would like you to be comfortable on the boat.

16:24 So if they're making my my biggest thing is is to I think it's and it's quite hard for a lot of people especially coming from the states where people plan their >> trips more specifically um to leave the itinerary as um open. And I I find really that the best itineraries are

16:49 when you allow the captain to look at your interests and um and then design the best um itinerary based on the weather uh to your interests, you know, because I I have had people with with families like young kids and they were just set they wanted to go to Mkos, but they didn't realize it's not it's not

17:11 really that type of island. It's you know actually way more um like friendly for kids and you know so it's so that's where the crew really comes in um because they know based on what your you know what your group is like and what your preferences are um what what would work best um with the with the weather

17:37 conditions like mkinosis what I remember is that it's basically some beach clubs that can that have high fees um and expensive nightclubs too, right? >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> It's cute. It's super cute. So, I'm not bagging on the the town is very very cute. Um, but also there like if you go

18:01 to Cifnos or Serapos or Seros, I mean they have beautiful towns, >> you know, and so it's just um I just really >> try to stress um listening to the crew because they will they will really, you know, they want you to have an incredible experience and be comfortable and and safe and and

18:23 >> they know what they're doing. So >> yeah. Cool. All right. Well, what what was the dog's name again? >> Nina Simone. >> Nina Simone. Okay, give a give her. She's so cute. >> She's so sneaky. >> So, we're going to say bye. Okay. All right. Bye. >> We have provided links to sample

18:43 itineraries for Greece in the description below. For more information, please contact us at wlmscharters.com. Thanks for watching.