How to Plan a Yacht Charter Itinerary

So you’ve found the perfect yacht, booked the flights, and are getting excited about your upcoming trip. Now it’s time to start planning your route, which can be one of the most enjoyable parts of the pre-holiday prep, but can seem pretty daunting at first. Luckily, we're on hand to help you plan your ideal itinerary.

One of the great advantages of a yacht charter versus a static holiday is that you get to wake up to a new view each morning. A well-planned itinerary that takes in all the must-see spots is the key to a fantastic holiday, but if you’ve never sailed in the BVI or Croatia before, how do you sort your Willy T from your Anegada, or your Sibenik from your Sipan?

Your itinerary is the route for your yachting holiday, including an estimation of how long it will take your yacht to cruise between destinations, and what sort of activities and sights you can expect to find in each fantastic place. It is worth taking the time to plan it properly, to make sure you can squeeze every drop of fun out of your time afloat and ashore.

With so many great options and places to visit, it can be challenging to know where to start - that’s where we come in! We know that everyone's needs are different, so we take the time to understand your specific requirements before we start planning.

Read on for HELM’s top tips to building the perfect itinerary.

Take a look at our detailed cruising recommendations for destinations around the world, including the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Asia, and Australia.

Our sample itineraries offer suggestions about land-based and marine activities, places to explore, and “must-see” sights.

Note that these are not prescribed routes, just suggestions, based on previous charters and our local knowledge. Treat them as helpful guidelines, rather than strict rules!

What are you most interested in seeing and doing on your yacht charter?

Do you want to relax with a cocktail on a secluded beach, explore charming towns, or go hiking and sightseeing?

Once you know what you're interested in, you can start to narrow down your options.

The weather can have a big impact on your yacht charter, so it's important to factor it into your planning.

If you're planning on sailing in the Cyclades, for example, you should try to follow a clockwise route, and you may want to tuck into the Saronic Gulf or look for another more sheltered route if the Meltemi starts to blow.

For the Caribbean Leewards, including the Virgin Islands, you can be confident of an Easterly trade wind during the majority of the peak sailing season, so routes that are mostly north-south work well to maximise comfort and speed.

Reach out to your broker and tell them what you’re into and what you’re hoping to see and do on your holiday.

Our expert team spend a lot of time in the sailing areas, so they can use their local knowledge and insights to create an itinerary personalised to you, to help craft your ultimate memorable yacht charter.

They will work with you to create a detailed itinerary of all the best places, including secluded anchorages, good marinas, and special restaurants.

For crewed yachts and skippered charters, we always recommend outlining a skeleton plan with your broker, and then discussing this with your captain to glean any insights and make adjustments for the weather conditions closer to the time of your charter.

The captain will have unrivalled knowledge of the local sailing area and the yacht’s capabilities, and will be able to advise on your route and make recommendations that fit perfectly with your plan.

No matter how much planning you do, there's always the chance that things will change.

That's why it's important to leave some room for spontaneity on your yacht charter.

If you see something that you want to do, go for it!

Explore yacht charter excursions

The most important thing is to enjoy the journey. After all, that's what yacht chartering is all about.

So relax, soak up the sun, and make some memories that will last a lifetime.

Now you know how to plan your itinerary, you can start to create a fully bespoke route for your trip.