After 30 years running charters in Croatia, here's how to get all 7 nights at sea (most crews lose the last one) — and what to check before booking any operator
Upfront: we're NCP Charter, a family-run charter company based in Šibenik. So yes, we have skin in the game — but this is the kind of thing we explain to guests constantly and it applies no matter who you book with, so hopefully it's useful. Happy to answer questions about chartering in Croatia generally, not just about us.
The thing most crews don't realise: you can usually sail all 7 nights — including the last one.
Most weekly charters (Sat–Sat) quietly assume you'll bring the boat back to the marina on Friday evening and sleep in the berth before Saturday check-out. That's a whole night and half a day of your holiday spent tied up in a marina. It doesn't have to be.
If your base has fuel right next to it, you can top up on the way back and anchor out the final night — for us that's off Zlarin or Prvić, the islands right in front of Šibenik — then come in Saturday morning in time for check-out. A full week at sea instead of six nights.
A few other things genuinely worth checking before you book any Croatia charter:
- Security deposit + waiver. The refundable damage deposit can be €1,500–5,000+. Ask whether there's a deposit-waiver insurance and read what it actually covers before you pay.
- What's in the price. The headline weekly rate often excludes outboard/dinghy, skipper, tourist tax, transit log and final cleaning. Ask for the all-in number so you're comparing like for like.
- Base location vs the cruising ground. Šibenik sits between two national parks (Krka and Kornati) and about an hour from Split and Zadar airports — short transfers, islands right out front. A base deep in a marina city can mean a long first-day motor before you're actually somewhere nice.
- Skippered vs bareboat. No licence? You can still go — hiring a skipper for the week is normal and honestly makes it more relaxing.
- On-water support. Ask what happens if something breaks mid-charter. Some operators (us included) run 24/7 phone support and a chase boat; others leave you to sort it yourself.
Happy to do a proper AMA if there's interest — a realistic 7-day loop, what a week actually costs, best time of season, how to vet an operator, whatever. Ask away in the comments.
Posted Jul 25, 2026, 12:33 AM UTC