Family Yachts in the Greek Fleet: Cabins, Decks and Size

Ionian for children under ten. The Meltemi, the summer north wind, blows hardest through the central Cyclades on July and August afternoons and favours larger, faster, more powerful yachts; the Ionian is sheltered from it, the passages between Corfu, Paxos and Antipaxos are short, and the anchorages are sand in three to ten metres with village tavernas ashore. The Cyclades reward older children who enjoy a breezy sail, ideally on a catamaran of 20 metres or more. The same yacht carries the same rate card to either sea.

A crewed catamaran of 16 to 24 metres with four to six cabins, or a motor yacht of 35 to 40 metres with stabilisers. The catamaran wins for children under ten: no roll at anchor, a shallow draft that reaches the sandy beaches, a level deck, and a crew of two to six. The motor yacht wins when the family wants more cabins, a larger crew and the full toy inventory. The named yachts we rank are on our catamaran page; this page is the spec landscape.

Per yacht per week before VAT and APA, on the Greek Charter Index 2026: a fully crewed sailing catamaran from EUR 17,000 at 15 metres, EUR 18,900 to 48,000 at 16 to 19 metres, EUR 31,500 to 43,500 at 20 to 22 metres, EUR 54,900 to 90,000 at 23 to 24 metres; a power catamaran EUR 21,000 to 28,000 up to 17 metres, EUR 33,000 to 69,000 at 20 to 22 metres, EUR 49,000 to 90,000 at 23 to 24 metres; a motor yacht of 35 to 40 metres EUR 59,900 to 150,000. Add VAT at 5.2 to 12% by certification, APA of 20 to 30% on a catamaran or 30 to 40% on a motor yacht, and a customary 10 to 15% crew gratuity on the base. One price for the whole family, never divided by heads.

Teenagers want e-foils (12 and up), Seabobs (10 and up) and jet skis (16 and up, where the yacht carries them and the harbour allows them). Brief George at least two weeks ahead so the yacht stocks the right kit for your children's ages; toys carried by the yacht are included, toys hired in are priced on request.

Yes. Nap timing, bottle preparation and baby-monitor support are routine for a family crew, and the chef writes the children's menu from your brief. High chairs, travel cots and children's lifejackets go on the preference sheet and the yacht sources them before you board. Brief the specifics at least two weeks ahead so the right stewardess is on board.

Three generations want cabins, privacy and a crew that runs two programmes at once. On the Index that is the 23 to 24 metre catamaran with five or six cabins, EUR 49,000 to 90,000 a week, or a 35 to 40 metre motor yacht with stabilisers and five to seven crew, EUR 59,900 to 150,000; above that, the two yachts over 50 metres run EUR 162,500 to 235,000 with twelve or more guests and a crew that includes a dedicated children's stewardess. Every rate is per yacht per week before VAT and APA, and the yacht is chosen for the ages on board, not the other way round.

For July and August, six to twelve months ahead, and the five and six cabin catamarans go first because there are fewer of them than any brochure suggests. If your dates are fixed to the school calendar, treat any available family yacht as a same-week decision. On this desk, 26 of the 57 dated enquiries received between 30 May and 6 September 2026 were already for 2027.

Choose the hull for it: a catamaran barely rolls to begin with, and a motor yacht with gyroscopic stabilisers takes most of the roll out at anchor as well as under way. Then let the itinerary do the rest. In the Ionian the passages are short and mostly in the morning calm; the longest leg of our family loop, Corfu Town to Paxos, is 35 nautical miles, and every other passage is under 20.