The Cyclades have a reputation of being quite windy. Is this true ?

What happens if the wind blows hard ?

How do you make up your cabin charter with regard to age and interest compatibility ?

We travel with children. Is a catamaran cruise in Greece advisable ?

Is scuba an available activity for certified divers ?

What are the differences between your itineraries ?

How much money will we have to spend during our cruise? Are there any hidden costs ?

In your cabin cruises, for dinner, does everyone have to dine at same venue and have same fare ?

What is the attendance time to be expected from our crew ?

Do we regularly have dinner with our crew ?

How much do I tip the crew ?

What are the differences between your itineraries ?

You provide a complimentary provisioning service, how does it work ?

Can we re-provision the boat during our cruise ?

If we wish to provision the yacht ourselves, how does it work ?

How to book a catamaran or a cabin on a catamaran cruise ?

How do I settle the balance of my yacht charter / catamaran cruise ?

How safe is your online payment system ?

The Cyclades have a reputation of being quite windy. Is this true?
The correct statement would be that they boast a low percentage of calms and that some areas are indeed more windy than others. However, this northerly wind (locally aka Meltemi) very seldom reaches gale force and without it the heat would be scorching. As true high sea guides, our skippers avoid the traps of the funnel effect between islands, where amateur or unaware sailors usually get caught (thus compromising their itineraries). Thanks to long term forecasts your skipper will anticipate a blow and tailor your itinerary accordingly.

What happens if the wind blows hard?
Specifically designed for sailing charter in the Greek islands under Meltemi conditions, our catamarans sail to their destination every day, providing safety and comfort to every one onboard. However, rough weather sailing is not every one’s cup of tea. This is why our skippers daily monitor long term forecasts, anticipating a blow and tailoring your itinerary according to your preferences. You may rest assured that whatever happens, you will not be stuck in port if you do not wish to!

How do you make up your charter with regard to age and interest compatibility?
We're usually able to make enough personal contact with each of our guests to have a clear picture of how to  match them with a team they'll find compatible. Because of the vacation mode, style and cost, all our customers are reasonnably fit, who enjoy open air activities, understand the meaning of propriety on board a sailing yacht and finally end up having a lot in common. Furthermore the fact that they embark in such a shared boat vacation more than implies they are willing to be flexible (within reason) and have the greatest fun. We’ve been involved in this kind of cruises for over 10 years now, some of our guests became friends for life while actually few people got married!
One of the keys to success is that our new boats ensure a lot of privacy as all have en-suite private bathrooms with individual companionways and boast 700 square feet of deck space. Finally our skippers know how to manage group dynamics in order to ensure a seamless vacation for everyone onboard.

In your cabin cruises, for dinner, does everyone have to dine at same venue and have same fare?
Regarding dinners, it is not obvious to find the best food on your own as most of waterfront establishments are either too expensive for what they sell or too bland or too unimaginative.
We run a constantly updated list of the best restaurants/taverns in each island where we dine with our customers and take great pride at introducing them to the specific culinary specialties and wines each island has to offer. Of course we try to please everyone and accommodate all taste buds or diet requirements.
If you let the skipper know you wish to dine on your own, he will be more than happy to indicate you an alternative restaurant (if there is one, since most villages we visit are pretty small!) and pay you back from the kitty, the 12 Euro per meal.

We travel with children. Is a catamaran cruise in Greece advisable?
Many families vacation with their kids (including ourselves!) on either monohulls or catamarans but the majority will prefer the latter as it is a stable, even platform offering lots of deck space. At Archipel Club, we believe that contact with an element like the sea is an excellent source of stimulation for children of all ages who, as we found out, adapt themselves very quickly to their new environment while taking pleasure at being assigned “duties” when needed. Parents with young children will value the communication hatch between the cabins, allowing them to check on their little ones at will.
The great bonus of our Pahi 53’ catamarans are: a 15’ wide bathing platform accommodating an entire family or group of friends, giant deck space, independently accessed cabins and a very high level of safety.

Is scuba an available activity for certified divers?
Regarding Scuba diving: because of the large number of antiquities on the sea floor and the amount of damage and theft occurred in the past, scuba diving is very strictly regulated in the Eastern Mediterranean (Greece & Turkey). One may only dive in areas cleared by the archeological authorities and is required to register with Coast Guard for each dive.
Should a reasonnable amount of poeple on board be interested in diving we can prearrange dive sessions with dive clubs in the following islands: Paros, Syros, Mykonos, Milos, Santorini.

What are the differences between your itineraries?
Here is a summary of our inter-island tracks (see details in our page ‘close-up itineraries’), categorized by the amount of time spent at sea. PAROS > PAROS via Amorgos Remote from the big tourist hubs, we visit a great variety of islands: Syros, the neoclassical capital, Sifnos the pretty cosmopolitan, adorable Amorgos (we spend 2 nights at 2 different anchorages) with its breathtaking views and the miniature islands of Dhonoussa, Skhinoussa, Dhespotiko. Sailing: one 6 hour leg (Syros-Dhonoussa), two 5 hour legs (Paros-Syros & Skhinoussa-Sifnos) and the other legs should not exceed 4 hours. PAROS > PAROS via Santorini While Santorini is the beacon and Sifnos probably the prettiest, the other islands Sikinos, Folegandros, Polyaigos, Dhespotiko are less known, less visited but nonetheless very interesting. Sailing: one 5 hour leg (Santorini-Folegandros) while the other legs should not exceed 4 hours. PAROS > PAROS via Mykonos The epicurian’s dream, short sailing distances, exquisite food, this itinerary’s highlight is the visit to Delos. Neoclassical Syros, pulsating Mykonos, medieval Naxos, delicate Skhinoussa, cosmopolitan Sifnos and robust Dhespotiko, all have something special! Sailing: one 5 hour leg (Paros-Syros) while the other legs do not exceed 4 hours.

How much money will we have to spend during our cruise? Are there any hidden costs?
There are NO hidden costs. Your costs will be around 200 € per person per week, that should take care of breakfasts and lunches on board, dinners ashore, crew meals, port dues, water, fuel and the yacht’s end cleaning. This amount is consistent with the cruising kitty spent by our cabin charter customers in Active formula (in Cosy formula, expect 260 € per person per week).

What is the attendance time to be expected from our crew ?
Your skipper is in charge of the boat and of everyone’s safety on board, 24h per day: this implies a great responsibility and commitment. Outside from sailing, docking, weather analysing, managing and maintaining the boat, the skipper may schedule his time pretty much at his own will. As a courtesy he may ferry you ashore by dinghy, but you cannot expect him to do it all night as he needs his rest, otherwise your own safety may be jeopardized. You may invite him to join you for dinner.
Your stewardess is in charge of breakfasts and lunches onboard, provisioning, cabin and cockpit cleaning. She also assists the skipper. Her daily work schedule is from 07:30 to 18:00. If you ask her to do overtime service and she accepts, remember to tip her accordingly. You may invite her to join you for dinner.

Do we regularly have dinner with our crew ?
You are free to invite your crew to share your dinner ashore. However, they may decline your invitation, simply because they need to rest (for our crews, a season consists of successive, intense weeks).
When the crew does not have dinner you, please, do not forget to take over their meals (11€ per meal/crew member). In any case, they will advise you of the best tavern and local dishes, so that you will be able to sample a delicious authentic cuisine at reasonable prices.

How much do I tip the crew ?
Tips are not mandatory, they are just a sign of recognition for a job well done. A crew member is usually tipped between 50€ & 100€ by a group of 8 guests.

You provide a complimentary provisioning service, how does it work?
We can shop for you, so that you will find your groceries onboard upon arrival. Please ask for our standard shopping list when you book and send it back to us latest 10 days prior to your arrival in Paros. The bill will be settled in cash, upon boarding.

If we wish to provision the yacht ourselves, how does it work?
In Paros, there is a supermarket across the street from the small craft harbour, right next to the “Marina” internet café. A bakery is also close by.

Can we re-provision the boat during our cruise?
There is at least a grocery/general store and a bakery on every inhabited island. Discuss logistics with your skipper (he knows where and when to shop what).

How to book a catamaran or a cabin on a catamaran cruise ?
In order for you to book a catamaran cabin cruise or a crewed yacht charter, please, carefully fill in the booking form provided on www.archipelclub.com in the left menu under “booking”. You may pay by wire transfer or by credit card (secure transaction). Upon receipt of your booking, you will receive a confirmation by e-mail and a receipt for your down payment by post.

How do I settle the balance of my yacht charter? catamaran cruise?
The same way you did your online reservation: go to the “booking” page in the left menu, fill the form, mention in the field ‘comments’ that you want to settle your balance. The secure bank page should then open for your transaction. A confirmation will reach you by e-mail within 24 hours.

How safe is your online payment system?
Transactions take place on our bank’s secure page: all banking data transmitted by you is encrypted (SSL protocol). Furthermore this data is verified by Delta Pay with your banking institution. You are thus doubly protected against misuse and fraud.