Crewed or bareboat catamaran charter in Croatia: which to choose?

Bareboat means you sail the catamaran yourself, so someone in your group needs a recognised sailing licence and a VHF radio certificate. Crewed means our captain sails it for 1.600 € a week on most boats, a hostess can join for 1.400 €, and the security deposit drops to 0 €.

Which one fits depends on your group and how much you have sailed. I’m Miha, I do the bookings at Active Cruises, and this is what I tell guests when they ask me on WhatsApp.

Crewed vs bareboat: quick comparison

A few boats are priced differently. The captain on the Lagoon 51 is 1.800 € a week and the hostess on the Lagoon 65 is 1.600 €. On the Lagoon 55 Lady M captain and hostess are already in the price.

Licence rules for bareboat in Croatia

To skipper a charter yacht in Croatia you need a sailing licence and a valid VHF radio certificate. Croatia accepts many foreign licences. The official list is published by the Croatian Ministry of the Sea.

Check that list before you book a bareboat week, or send me your licence and I’ll help you check it.

No licence, no bareboat. You take our captain and the week stays legal.

What our captain does on board

The captain is responsible for the boat and everyone on it. Navigation, anchoring, docking and anything technical are his job.

Guests notice the local knowledge more. He reads the forecast, picks a bay that will be calm tonight and knows which konobas give you a free mooring if you eat there. Marinas and buoys usually cost 50–200 € a night and anchoring is free, so over seven nights this adds up.

Our captains are Igor Stropnik, Josip, Mauro, Jon, Žan and Ante. If you want to learn, they let you helm, trim and handle lines as much as you like. Richard (Lagoon 46) wrote about Igor: “He was extremely professional and provided a very safe sailing experience whilst also taking us to some amazing places that we would never had heard of otherwise.”

What a hostess does

She cooks breakfast and lunch on board. Dinner is usually ashore. She also does the shopping, keeps the boat clean and mixes a drink in the afternoon.

There is no margin on food or drinks. You pay what she buys, and she buys what your group likes to eat.

A hostess is optional. I still recommend one to most groups, and she often saves money because you eat out less.

What the difference costs: a worked example

Take our own Lagoon 43 in June. The 2027 list price, before early-booking discounts, is 9.600–11.700 € per boat per week, depending on the week. That is for the whole boat, not per person.

Add the Comfort package at 700 €. It covers check-in documents, final cleaning, bed linen, towels, the dinghy with motor, bathroom and kitchen essentials, beach towels and the marina eco fee.

On top of boat and Comfort package, the three options add this:

Bareboat looks cheapest, but you leave a security deposit from 2.000 €. You pay it at the base by card or cash, and it comes back after check-out once the boat is inspected.

Some costs are the same for every option: fuel (usually about 300 € a week), marinas or buoys, food and drinks, and a small tourist tax for the boat. I put the exact tourist tax in your offer.

Early-booking discounts on 2027 weeks are currently 5–19 %, depending on the boat. Prices can change, so check the live grid on each boat page. For a full breakdown, read how much a catamaran charter in Croatia costs.

Who bareboat suits

Experienced sailors who enjoy running the boat. You plan the passages, anchor and moor yourselves, and cook or eat out as you like.

It also works when one or two people hold a licence and want to be in charge, and the rest of the group is happy to swim and help with lines.

Two honest warnings. July and August are busy, and stern-to mooring in a full harbour is a hard place to learn. And whoever skippers is working all week.

In our fleet you can take the Lagoon 38, Lagoon 42, FP Astrea 42, FP Elba 45 or our own Lagoon 43 bareboat. The Lagoon 43 is a 2025 boat and checks in on Friday in Trogir.

Who crewed suits

First-timers, families with small children, and groups where nobody wants to be responsible for the boat. Also the one friend who could skipper but would rather have a holiday too.

Some boats are crewed only: the Lagoon 46, Lagoon 47, Lagoon 51, Lagoon 55 and Lagoon 65. Our own crewed boats are recent. The Lagoon 47 is a 2027 boat, the Lagoon 51 a 2026 and the Lagoon 46 a 2022.

The Lagoon 46 and 47 check in on Friday in Trogir. You leave a day before the Saturday rush, and the first anchorage, the Blue Lagoon on Drvenik, is often almost empty.

With our captain on board the deposit is 0 €.

The middle option: skipper only

You book the captain but no hostess. He sails, plans and moors, and your group shops and cooks.

It suits groups who like cooking together or eat ashore most evenings, and it is the cheapest way to sail without a licence.

The captain needs a cabin, so look at the layout when you choose the boat. The Lagoon 43 and 46 have two small cabins, usually for crew, next to the four ensuite guest cabins. The Lagoon 47 has its own crew cabin with a bathroom.

Learning to sail during a crewed week

You don’t have to choose between a holiday and a course. On our own Lagoon 43, 46, 47 and 51 a hands-on sailing course is included free, together with 2 SUPs and snorkelling gear.

For something more structured there is the sailing school with Igor Stropnik. You sail the boat yourself, with an experienced skipper beside you the whole time, and the lessons follow your level.

One person to deal with

When you book with us, you plan the week with me from the first email to check-in. I know the boats and the captains, and I answer your questions myself.

Big agencies and booking platforms often pass you between people who have never seen the boat. More on that in owner-operated catamaran vs agency charter. Our guests rate us 4.9 out of 5 on Tripadvisor and Google.

My advice

If it is your first sailing holiday in Croatia, take a captain. You will see more, worry less and probably pay less for marinas.

If you sail often, hold the right licence and want the boat to yourselves, bareboat on a Lagoon 38, 42 or 43 is a good week too. They are just different holidays.

FAQ

Do I need a licence to charter a catamaran in Croatia?

Only if you skipper it yourself. Bareboat needs a recognised sailing licence and a VHF radio certificate; the Croatian Ministry of the Sea publishes the list of accepted licences. If nobody in your group has one, book our captain and no licence is needed.

How much does a captain cost for a week in Croatia?

With us a captain costs 1.600 € a week on most boats and 1.800 € on the Lagoon 51. On the Lagoon 55 Lady M the captain is included. A hostess is 1.400 € a week, or 1.600 € on the Lagoon 65.

Is there a security deposit on a crewed charter?

No. With our captain the deposit is 0 €. On a bareboat charter it depends on the boat and starts from 2.000 €, paid at the base by card or cash and returned after check-out.

Do we pay for the crew’s food?

We agree this with you in the offer, so you know before you book. Ask me when you request a price and it will be written down.

Can I take a captain and still sail the boat myself?

Yes. Our captains are happy to let you helm, trim and handle lines. On our Lagoon 43, 46, 47 and 51 a hands-on sailing course is included at no extra cost.

Send me a WhatsApp or use the booking page, tell me who is coming and how much you have sailed, and I’ll suggest the right boat.