How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Boat in Croatia?

Croatia is a beautiful country located in between Central and Southeast Europe on the Adriatic Sea. It has a lot of lakes, national parks, islands and old towns. Many of those attractions are officially titled UNESCO World Heritage sites. In the last few years, Croatia became one of the most popular destinations in the Mediterranean for sailing holidays. Croatia’s natural reserves include over 1,200 beautiful islands such as Hvar Island, Cres Island and Krk island. Each of those islands is perfect for catamaran or yacht charters.

Explore all yacht charters in Croatia.

Why sailboat rental in Croatia is so popular?

Compared to the other Mediterranean destinations, such as Italy or Greece, the boats in Croatia are cheaper to rent, as there are many ports, yachts and providers. The largest Croatian yacht charter bases are located in Dubrovnik, Split and Trogir. All of those cities have many marinas and are perfect for chartering into the Adriatic Sea. The high level of competition in Croatia lowers the prices accordingly.

To experience the best Croatian sailing holiday, budget is always important so it is best to plan ahead. In this article, we will give you an idea of the average yacht charter rental price and will explore other costs associated with your holiday.

Maslinica town, Solta island, Croatia

The boat prices in Croatia

The boat price depends on many factors such as the marina location, time of the year, number of cabins and guests, year and size of the boat. Another important factor is the type of boat. A sailboat is usually the cheapest option while sailing a catamaran is slightly more expensive with the most expensive option being renting a luxury yacht.

Sailing season in the Northern Adriatic Sea goes from April until September, however, there are some areas between Split and Dubrovnik where you can sail all the way till October.

In low season, the most affordable sailboat with 2 cabins for 4 guests costs as low as € 600/ 700 per week. These boats are usually shorter than 45 feet and are mostly built before 2006 which means that they are 15 or more years old. However, at Globesailor, we make sure that all our partner chartering companies are following the highest standard of boat maintenance. This means that even a 20-year-old boat will still be in good condition, regularly serviced and fitted with new sails. The newer and larger boats are more expensive. For example, A 50-foot 3 cabin sailboat built in 2020 will cost around € 2500.
In high season, the price for the yacht charters goes up. The two most expensive months are July and August. During these months you can rent a boat starting from around € 1000 a week and larger boats can cost over € 6,000 per week.

To see the estimated price range for different types of boats, scroll to the bottom of this article.
Take your time to explore different offers on our website by clicking here.

Croatian Marina on the Brač island.

The crew and the skipper price

If you have no sailing experience or if you simply want to enjoy your holiday completely relaxed, then most charter companies can organize a skipper for you. If this is the case, it is important to notify your GlobeSailor adviser about this prior to booking. This way we can clarify the availability of a skipper with the charter company. A skipper in Croatia costs around 150 - 180 € per day, depending on the provider and the type of boat. Most skippers are local Croatians who are familiar with the area, will show you the best itineraries and help to explore the local water, towns, and islands. Please note that the skipper needs his own cabin. If you would like to sail a bareboat charter in Croatia, you will need a skipper´s licence.

Furthermore, many of the charter companies offer the option of booking a hostess. The hostess is responsible for tidying up the common areas of the boat and can prepare some food such as breakfast and lunch. The hostess costs around € 150 per day and, like the skipper, needs their own cabin.

For some boats, you can also book a cook. They cost 170 - 200 € per day and they would also need their own cabin.

Regardless of whether you book a crewed boat with a skipper, a hostess or cook, or whether you simply choose a bareboat charter, it is best to take care of catering (drinking water, food, drinks etc.) at the beginning of the charter. If you start your yacht charter in a big town such as Dubrovnik, Split, Trogir or Hvar you may order your groceries directly to the marina.

On-site costs and fees

Keep in mind that there will be additional on-site fees during your charter which are paid directly to the charter company at the base. There are also mandatory fees such as a Croatian tourist tax of 10 kunas per person per day and final cleaning fees. An outboard motor can often only be booked as an extra. There are plenty of other extra options which you can discover on our website.
The first and last night in the port is always included in the charter price, however, the other days could cost extra. So, you also have to expect port fees, which can differ depending on the marina, season and boat size. To save costs, it is best to anchor in different bays at night or book in advance.

At the beginning of the charter, the boat's fuel tank is full, at the end, you have to ensure that the tank is refilled. Depending on how often you use the engine, there are also corresponding fuel costs.

To summarize

The boat prices in Croatia

Low season sailboat: € 500 to  2500 per week

Low season catamaran: € 1300 to 5000 per week

Low season luxury yacht: € 18 000 to 35 000 per week

High season sailboat:  € 1500 to 8000 per week

High season catamaran: € 4000  to 13000 per week

High season luxury yacht: €  20 000 to 45 000 per week

Superyachts: from € 100 000 per week

The crew in Croatia

Skipper: € 150 - 180 per day

Hostess: € 150 per day

Cook: € 170 - 200 per day

On-site costs and fees in Croatia

Croatian tourist tax: 10 kunas (€ 1.50) per person per day

Final cleaning fees: € 200 to € 300

Outboard motor: € 100 to € 150

Port fees: 50 to 200 euro

Provisioning (drinking water, food, drinks):  € 100 – 500 depending on the town and number of guests

Additional boat Insurance: starting from € 40/night or around € 300/4000 fixed for the week

Useful articles:

Where to rent a boat in Croatia?

Where to sail in Croatia?