For first-timers, sailing sounds like something expensive, technically difficult, and only for those who have deck shoes and a skipper’s license. However, the latest data from MMGY Global suggests otherwise: interest in yachting vacations among millennials is growing, with an impressive 22% increase in just two years.
In fact, yacht holidays do not require any special skills or secret knowledge. If you’re not a sailor, no one will force you to turn the wheel or say “starboard”; just say where you want to go and relax. No, you’re not in for a glamorous story with champagne. Still, the text below will help you stay sane on the second day of your sea vacation.
So, what should you do with a yacht if it’s your first time on one? Let’s go over everything: from who fixes the toilet to what you shouldn’t bring with you.
This Isn’t Your Job
There is a myth: yacht = responsibility. But there is also charter with a skipper. This means that someone else operates the yacht while you relax.
What is it? A professional skipper joins your trip and operates the vessel. They know the routes, ports, and winds. Toilet broke? Not your circus. There’s a guy with a wrench for that.
Worried about compatibility?
Modern charter platforms such as Let’s Boat provide transparency: detailed skipper biographies, guest reviews, language skills, and even sailing style preferences. You’re not stepping into the unknown — you’re choosing the right guide.
Even if the idea of hiring a skipper and renting an entire yacht for your holidays — without steering it yourself — still feels too complicated, expensive, or daunting, consider a cabin charter. It’s a private cabin on a shared yacht: more intimate than a hostel, more adventurous than a cruise, and completely worry-free. Just show up, unpack, and enjoy the sea.
Users on the TripAdvisor platform share that most yacht charters in Croatia include a skipper. The reason: not only because most guests do not know how to sail, but they prefer a relaxing vacation without any fuss.
Routes, Risks & Reality
Let’s say you’ve landed in Athens: are you planning to circumnavigate the Cyclades in seven days? Or do you want to visit all the main islands? This is not the best scenario: overloading the route is a sure way to ruin a good impression.
Based on the experience of charter companies, the best routes for beginners are those lasting 3 to 7 days; short daily stages (2–3 hours of sailing) should end in a bay with a tavern and Wi-Fi. For example, Let’s Boat offers ready-made routes in Greece, Turkey, and Croatia with recommended stops, wind forecasts, and evacuation plans in case of bad weather.
The key to your first trip is not to wake up thinking, “Why did we do that yesterday?” but to go to bed thinking, “I want another night like that.”
How not to spoil your vacation?
- Don’t chase checkmarks. This is not a marathon. Better 3 cozy bays than 7 ports where you won’t even have time to dry off after a shower.
- The wind is stronger than your desire. Want to go to Kos? Check the meltemi. If it’s blowing like a hair dryer on speed 6, cancel. Don’t be a hero.
- Night crossings? Forget it. Especially if you’re a beginner and not a fan of the game “guess the buoy in the dark.”
- Always have a “day in reserve.” In case of a storm, breakdown, hangover, or a sudden desire to just lie down.
Seasick before you even set sail?
Here’s how not to end up hugging a rail. Ginger candies, Dimenhydrinate, better known as Dramamine (an over-the-counter motion sickness remedy; it works gently but can cause drowsiness, so it’s best to take it in advance rather than during rough seas), and sleeping in the open air help. But the best remedy? A calm route.
Best Beginner Routes
| Country | Route | Season | Days | Skipper’s Note |
| Greece | Saronic Gulf, Hydra, Poros | May–October | 5 | Barely any wind. Plenty of time for fish and slow mornings. |
| Turkey | Bodrum → Orak → Cokertme | April–June | 7 | Beautiful and simple. Just don’t sleep through the wind. |
| Croatia | Split → Hvar → Vis | June–September | 6 | Don’t hit Hvar on a Friday unless you love basslines. Go midweek, and Vis will feel like a postcard nobody mailed yet. |
Packing, Paperwork & People
There is no wardrobe on the yacht. There is no shelf for a hair dryer. Passport, soft bag, swimsuit & shoes with white soles, as well sunscreen are the must-have. Other essentials include documents: booking confirmation, insurance, and, in Europe, a ship manifest. Services such as Let’s Boat will help you figure this out, even if you don’t know what a ship manifest is.
Who to invite?
Four like-minded people is ideal. Six is still okay. Eight would be a bit cramped, unless you’re all going to hug each other.
Then and now: One guest arrived with a heavy suitcase, high heels, and no passport. Now? She packs one bag, keeps her hair up, and books every September. What has changed? She realized that a yacht is not a hotel but freedom. And the less you take with you, the more you will get out of your vacation.
What not to bring?
Leave your wheeled suitcase at home; it won’t fit in the overhead compartment, won’t fold under the bunk, and will be in the aisle the whole trip. Also, forget about your hair straightener, a third pair of shoes “just in case,” and aerosol perfume. All of these items will either be useless or will get in the way, swing around, and take up space that is already limited on a yacht.
You’ll be tired. Someone will snore. You might hate anchovies. Still — it might be your best yacht holiday ever.
Conclusion
To enjoy a yacht vacation, you don’t need a skipper’s license or a maritime pedigree. What you really need is a sane route. A skipper who talks. And a little less luggage.
Plus, yacht charter costs can compare favorably to luxury hotels, giving you a bespoke, immersive experience with room to breathe, without a steep premium.
This isn’t a test of survival. It’s a vacation. And the best way to avoid messing up is to trust those who already sail yachts instead of running offices. If this is your first yachting holidays, don’t overdo it: comfort > Instagram. And remember that your packing list is shorter than you think.