ONDINE
The Fleet

Four yachts we know inch by inch, each sailed by a crew who has served aboard her for seasons, not weeks.

All yachts
S/Y Sea Wren, a navy-hulled ketch under full sail

S/Y Sea Wren

A modern classic ketch that rewards people who love to sail.

6 guests · from €38,000
M/Y Isolde, a silver-grey motor yacht at speed

M/Y Isolde

Three decks of quiet, contemporary calm.

10 guests · from €95,000
Lira, a white sailing catamaran in shallow turquoise water

Lira

Barefoot ease and shallow-water freedom.

8 guests · from €29,000
S/Y Meltemi, a black-hulled 1936 schooner under sail

S/Y Meltemi

A 1936 schooner with ninety years in her timber.

6 guests · from €55,000
Where We Sail

Three routes refined over fourteen summers, each adapted around your party, your pace and the weather.

All destinations
Pastel houses of the Amalfi Coast above a small harbour at golden hour

The Amalfi Coast

Cliff villages, lemon terraces and slow harbour dinners.

Italy · 7 days
Whitewashed Cycladic village above an indigo Aegean bay at sunset

The Cyclades

White villages and honest wind across the open Aegean.

Greece · 10 days
A sailing catamaran anchored in a turquoise Balearic cala between pine cliffs

The Balearics

Pine-backed calas and the clearest water in Spain.

Spain · 7 days
Plan

What a charter really costs, how the booking unfolds, and what your days on board can hold.

Meet Ondine
A private chef plating a dish on a yacht's aft deck at golden hour

Experiences

Chefs, diving, quiet mornings and charters built around children.

Life on board
Yachts moored along a stone quay at dusk

The Charter Guide

Costs, timelines and life aboard, explained without mystery.

Practical answers
The Charter Guide

Chartering, without the mystery

The industry enjoys its opacity. We do not. Here is how a charter actually works, what it costs, and what to expect.

How a booking unfolds

Talk

One conversation: who is coming, when, what a good day looks like, and the budget you are working with. Twenty minutes, no obligation.

Match

We propose one or two boats and a route, with an honest all-in cost estimate. If we do not have the right boat, we say so.

Plan

Contract and deposit hold the dates. Preference sheets go to the chef and captain; permits, berths and any extras are arranged.

Sail

Step aboard. Everything from here is the crew's problem, which is the entire point of a crewed charter.

What a week honestly costs

Three numbers make up a charter. Anyone who quotes you fewer is leaving one out.

Base rate

The yacht and crew

The published weekly rate: yacht, permanent crew and their keep. This is the number on our fleet pages, from €29,000 for Lira to €95,000 for Isolde.

+ 25 to 30%

APA, your running budget

The Advance Provisioning Allowance covers food, drink, fuel, berths and local fees. The captain accounts for every euro and returns what is unspent.

+ VAT

Local tax

Charter VAT depends on where you embark: currently 22% in Italy, 21% in Spain, reduced rates on some routes. We state it precisely in every quote.

Worked example: a June week aboard Lira for eight guests comes to roughly €29,000 base, €8,000 APA and Spanish VAT, around €43,000 all in, before gratuity. That is the whole number; there are no others.

Dinner laid on a yacht's aft deck at dusk in a quiet cove

Life aboard

A crewed charter is a house party where the house sails and the hosts are professionals. A few things guests find useful to know:

  • ShoesBare feet or boat shoes on deck. Your soles will thank you by Tuesday.
  • The crewThey work long days gladly. Gratuity of 5 to 15% at week's end is customary, never obligatory.
  • WeatherThe captain has final say on the route. It is the one argument you will never win, by design.
  • PackingSoft bags only, and half of what you planned. Laundry happens aboard.

The whole number, before you decide

Base rate, APA and VAT together in the first quote. It has cost us bookings and won us guests. We prefer the guests.

Asked often

Is the crew included in the rate?
Yes. The base rate includes the yacht, her permanent crew and their food. Crew gratuity is discretionary, typically 5 to 15 percent, given directly to the captain at the end of the week.
What is the APA and how is it spent?
The Advance Provisioning Allowance, usually 25 to 30 percent of the base rate, is the charter's running budget: provisions, drinks, fuel, berthing and local fees. It is your money, spent on your instructions, itemised by the captain and refunded where unspent.
Can we change the itinerary once aboard?
Constantly, and you should. The published itineraries are starting points. Crews reshape the route daily around weather, energy and appetite; the only fixed points are embarkation and disembarkation.
How are dietary requirements handled?
Your preference sheet reaches the chef several weeks before boarding. Allergies, intolerances, dislikes and small people's non-negotiables are all provisioned for before you arrive.
Are children welcome?
Warmly. Crews plan days around children and count it among the better weeks of the season. Lira, our catamaran, was chosen for exactly this; we will advise honestly on boats and routes for young sailors.
How far ahead should we book?
For July and August, eight to twelve months; the fleet is small and returning guests take many dates. May, June, September and October can often be arranged within two or three months.

Twenty minutes, no obligation

The first conversation costs nothing and settles most questions. We will give you a full, honest number before you commit to anything.

Enquire