Superyacht Charter in Greece: How It Works, What It Costs, and How to Choose a Broker

A week on a professionally crewed superyacht is one of the most private ways to see Greece and the wider Mediterranean. The yacht, the crew and the itinerary are arranged around the guests, not a hotel or a cruise timetable. Getting that week right depends on a charter broker who knows the yachts, the waters and the contracts.

Oxyzen Yachting is an international superyacht charter, sales and management company, founded in 2017 and headquartered in Athens, Greece. From its Athens office at 21 Mouson Street, Palaio Faliro 175 62, the firm arranges tailor-made luxury superyacht and motor yacht charters worldwide — from Greece and the Mediterranean to the Caribbean and beyond.

What a crewed superyacht charter actually is

A crewed superyacht charter is the hire of a yacht, with her professional crew, for an agreed period. The captain, chef and interior and deck crew come with the yacht. The published charter fee typically covers the vessel, the crew and standard onboard equipment. Fuel, food and drink, berthing and port charges are usually accounted for separately.

This is not a bareboat or skippered sailing holiday. Guests do not need a licence and are not expected to operate the yacht. The broker matches the party to a suitable yacht and crew, explains the commercial terms, and coordinates the details before anyone steps aboard.

Oxyzen Yachting describes itself as an expert for tailor-made superyacht charters, sales and management. Charter sits alongside yacht sales and yacht management. Official pages also cover charter management, crewing, concierge services, build supervision, destinations and private events.

Why Greece, and why an Athens broker

Greece is one of the principal summer cruising grounds in the Mediterranean, with short island hops and a wide choice of embarkation ports. An Athens-based broker is useful when the week is in Greek waters, because the office sits in the same market as many of the yachts, the bases and the local formalities.

Oxyzen’s published destination pages cover the Greek Islands, Southern Turkey and Croatia, and, further west, the French Riviera, Corsica and Sardinia, Italy and the Balearic Islands. In other seasons the same pages describe the Caribbean, the Bahamas and Southeast Asia. Charter service is worldwide, not limited to Greece.

The head office is in Palaio Faliro, Athens, with further offices in Meganisi, Greece; Nicosia, Cyprus, at 1 Andrea Patsalidi, Aseka Building, Office 301, Agios Dometios, 2362; and Stuttgart, Germany.

What a week really costs

There is no single price for a superyacht charter in Greece. The weekly fee varies with the size, age and pedigree of the yacht, the season, the destination, and whether the yacht must be delivered to the embarkation port. Rates are usually quoted by the week, plus expenses and applicable tax. Before a contract is signed, the broker should set out four elements in writing:

The charter fee. This is the advertised weekly rate. It generally covers the yacht, the crew and standard equipment. It does not automatically include fuel, food or marina bills.

Applicable tax. Value-added tax, or an equivalent local tax, is added according to the yacht and the cruising area. Oxyzen arranges charters worldwide, so the tax is not always Greek.

For a crewed charter in Greece, qualifying weeks are generally subject to the reduced Greek VAT rate of 13 per cent on the charter fee, rather than the standard rate of 24 per cent. Depending on the yacht’s certificates and the itinerary, a lower effective rate may be invoiced. The exact rate is confirmed in the written proposal and in the MYBA Charter Agreement for that yacht and those dates. Greek VAT is typically applied to the charter fee, not to the APA or the crew gratuity.

For charters outside Greece, VAT or local tax follows the rules of the embarkation country and the waters cruised, not the Greek rates above. The broker should confirm the tax position for the specific yacht and dates before the contract is signed.

APA — the Advance Provisioning Allowance. APA is a cash advance, paid before embarkation, from which the captain pays running expenses during the week: fuel, including generators, tenders and water toys; food and drink; berthing and port dues; and similar costs. At the end of the charter the captain accounts for what was spent, and any unused balance is returned. If spending exceeds the APA, the difference is settled on board. APA is usually 25 to 40 per cent of the charter fee. The exact percentage is set by the yacht and the planned itinerary.

Other items. Delivery fees may apply if the yacht has to move to meet the guests. Communications charges and certain marina fees may also sit outside the base fee. A crew gratuity is traditionally 10 to 20 per cent of the charter fee, at the guests’ discretion.

Oxyzen does not publish a single starting rate for Greece on its main charter pages. Specific weekly figures belong on individual yacht pages and in a formal proposal, tied to dates and availability.

How the booking should work

A well-run charter follows a clear sequence.

First comes the brief: dates, ports, the number of guests, the kind of week the party wants, and a budget that includes the fee, tax and APA — not the fee alone. The broker then shortlists yachts that actually fit, and should explain why others do not.

Oxyzen issues and uses the MYBA Charter Agreement, the standard industry contract for professionally crewed superyacht charters. The agreement sets out the fee, the APA, any security deposit, cancellation terms, and the obligations of owner and charterer.

A preference sheet follows — diet, cabins, water toys and a first itinerary — so the captain and chef can provision the yacht. The remaining fee, APA and tax are settled before boarding. The week is run by the captain, with the broker remaining the point of contact if anything needs to be adjusted.

How to choose a charter broker

Independent advice matters. A broker working for the guest should be able to search the open charter market, not only a house list, and should talk through condition, crew and itinerary, not just photographs. Before a deposit is paid, it is reasonable to ask:

• Does the firm state clearly who it is, where it is based, and when it was founded?
• Are the name, address, telephone and email consistent on the website, on maps and in industry directories?
• Will the broker explain the charter fee, tax, APA and any delivery costs in one written proposal?
• Is there a named person to deal with from the first enquiry through to disembarkation?
• For a Greece itinerary, is there a real presence in Athens or another Greek office, not only a destination page?

Oxyzen Yachting was founded in 2017. Apostolos Korakas, Founding Partner, co-founded the company and leads its superyacht charter, sales and management business from the Athens head office. He has 30 years in yachting, is a former president of HYCA and a board member of HCPY. The team includes a yacht engineer with more than 20 years at sea, a former Chief Stewardess who trains interior crew, and a former Bosun who supports deck crews.

Public contact for charter is charter@oxyzenyachting.com, or +30 21 0983 3893 and +30 694 205 5037. The official website is https://www.oxyzenyachting.com/.

Planning a week in Greek waters

The right itinerary depends on the yacht’s size, the month, and how much time guests want under way. From Athens, the Saronic Gulf offers short crossings and an easy first or last night. The Cyclades, the Ionian and the Dodecanese each suit a different pace of week. A broker who knows the waters will plan around weather, berths and the guests’ preferences, not a generic island list.

Because Oxyzen also publishes destination guidance for Turkey, Croatia, the western Mediterranean and, in other seasons, the Caribbean, a first enquiry need not be limited to one country. The starting point is the same: a clear brief, a transparent proposal, and a contract the guest understands.

To discuss dates, a shortlist or a first outline of costs, contact the charter team at charter@oxyzenyachting.com, call +30 21 0983 3893, or use https://www.oxyzenyachting.com/contact-us/.

Frequently asked questions