Frequently asked questions about charter
Certainly, chartering a boat and discovering the Adriatic and Croatian islands, coves, and beaches is fun. But, it’s extremely important to prepare for the experience. Firstly, we recommend reading the Frequently Asked Questions about chartering with Nava Boats. Further, then you might head on over to our blog page for some inspiration, tips, and tricks. And, of course, if you are still wondering about something, feel free to send us a message.
What are current COVID-19 restrictions?
Read the latest conditions of entry into the Republic of Croatia on the official site of the Croatian Government. Here you’ll find information regarding temporary bans, i.e. restrictions in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. To learn more about the Coronavirus statistics for Croatia, you may visit this site.
What are the current covid restrictions?
You can read the current conditions of entry into the Republic of Croatia considering temporary bans, i.e. restrictions in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on the official site.
What does the boat rental price include?
The bareboat charter price covers weekly accommodation on board. This includes the full equipment as stated on the check-in list, bath towels, bed linen, dinghy (tender), gas, GPS, wireless Internet, VPN cell phone. For sailboats, the outboard engine is included in the price, as well.
What are extra expenses?
Obligatory additional costs are final cleaning & transit log for sailboats and motorboats, and comfort package for catamarans.
For all additional equipment that you order, you pay extra during the check-in procedure. You can find these prices in the valid Price list (e. g. outboard engine motorboats, gennaker, snorkeling equipment, S.U.P. board, etc.)
Prices quoted in the valid Price list don’t cover marina berths and harbor fees, fuel, and provisioning.
What is tourist tax?
The tourist/sojourn/visitor’s tax is a fee for general tourist services and facilities. Nautika Centar Nava charges the tourist tax at the check in for the entire charter period and for all persons older than 12 on board. The cost is 10 HRK/day for persons over 18 and 5 HRK/day for children from 12 to 18.
What is the security deposit?
All yachts have full insurance coverage, including insurance against third parties as regulated by Croatian law. Only the franchise amount of approximately 1% of the yacht value is excluded and not covered by the insurance. This is the amount of the deposit that you need to settle in cash or by credit card at the check-in. You can find the security deposit amount for each boat in the valid Price list.
In case the yacht had no damage during charter, Nava fully refunds the security deposit the check-out.
If the damage cost is lower than the security deposit amount, Nava charges just the actual cost of the damage, and refunds the rest.
In the event that the cost is higher than the deposit, Nautika Centar Nava keeps the whole deposit amount and the insurance company pays for the rest of the damage cost.
Please note that you are responsible for recklessly operating and using the yacht in case of any damage (caused by your own negligence or by any other crew member or passenger). The estimated amount of the damage will be charged from the deposit. If you decide to hire a professional skipper, the skipper is then responsible for the yacht (engine, sails, and underwater parts) and will be charged for the damage caused by negligence or inadequate operation of the yacht. However, the skipper is not responsible for damage caused by the passengers (e.g. lost cushions, blocked toilets, etc.)
When do check-in and check-out start?
Since it takes a few hours to prepare the yacht in between two charters, the official check-in time starts at 5 pm on Saturday/check-in day. Once you end your charter, you should leave the boat no later than 8.30 am on Saturday/check-out day. You are obliged to return to base on Friday between 3 and 6 pm. We also recommend doing the check-out procedure on Friday afternoon. When you do the check-out on Friday, you can spend the night on board, relax, visit some local restaurant, and leave the boat on Saturday morning. If the check-out is done on Saturday morning, you’ll need to stay at the marina until it is finished and we check that the boat is undamaged. Only then will we be able to refund your deposit.
What licenses do I need to have to operate a yacht?
In order to legally operate a yacht in Croatia, you need to have a license that corresponds to the boat’s gross tonnage (as regulated by Croatian law). Besides an adequate license, the skipper should also have a valid certificate for operating a radio station (VHF). Check the official list of all the accepted licenses.
What is the difference between a bare boat and crewed charter?
Most yachts are available for charter without a professional skipper. If you have an adequate license, you are free to sail and steer the yacht (almost) wherever and however you choose. We do hope you’ll bear in mind the weather and other circumstances.
In case you have a license but lack enough experience, we recommend hiring a professional skipper. We’ll be happy to find one for you. Please note that the skipper service fee is not included in the bareboat rental price. You need to pay it directly to the skipper in cash.
Some yachts can only be chartered with a crew (skipper, skipper and hostess or skipper, hostess, and chef). Their service is, usually, included in the boat rental price.
Don’t forget, you need to provide meals for the crew during the charter period.
What is A.P.A.?
It’s shortened for Advance Provisioning Allowance. A.P.A. represents the fund of up to 20% of the boat rental price (min 5.000 € / week) and serves to cover the additional costs of your charter. For example provisioning, port and mooring charges, diesel and fuel, crew gratuities, transfers, obligatory extras like comfort pack, tourist tax and other optional extras, food, beverages etc. The crew keeps an accurate record of expenses and at the end of the charter period you will be refunded or asked to pay the difference.
Should I hire a professional skipper?
If you have all the necessary licenses and enough experience, there is no need to hire a professional skipper. But, if your practical knowledge is not good enough, we highly recommend hiring a professional skipper. His/her professional skills and expertise will only make your vacation more pleasant and relaxed. Once you get to practice more with a skipper and learn some tips, you’ll be able to charter bareboat next time. Just make sure the skipper has his/her own cabin. We also reserve the right to not authorize you to leave our charter base in case we deem your experience and knowledge inadequate.
Do I have to pay meals for the skipper?
If you decide to hire a skipper or a hostess, bear in mind that meals for the crew are not included in the boat rental price. Neither is their service fee. You should either provide cash or leave food on board when dining out. You don’t have to invite the crew to join you when dining out.
Do I need a fishing license?
Yes! For all kinds of fishing activities, you need to have a fishing license. You can get it at the website of the Ministry of Agriculture. It’s issued for a period of 1, 3, 7 or 30 days and paid by credit card.
Although the Adriatic Sea is open for fishing, there are still areas (national parks and parks of nature) where no fishing is allowed, or it’s limited.
Is it possible to charter a boat for a period shorter than 7 days?
Standard charter rentals in high season start and finish on Saturdays. In the low season period, it is possible to rent the boat for a stay shorter than 7 days. In high season, a shorter stay is also possible, but expect to pay the full weekly charter price. Send us your inquiry, and we’ll try to accommodate your wishes!
What should I bring with me on board?
Every yacht is fully equipped for charter. Apart from provisioning, you only need to bring your personal belongings. We recommend you take, other than bathing suits and light summer clothes, an extra sweater for chilly nights and a light waterproof jacket for an eventual rainy day. Soft luggage instead of bulky space-consuming suitcases is recommended since onboard storage space might be limited. More information is in our blog.
Can I have the yacht provisioned before my arrival?
Yes, of course! If you would like for us to place a certain quantity of groceries on the yacht before you arrive, we can send you the provisioning list to select items to be purchased and delivered. The service is free of charge.
Where can I get information about the weather?
On the check-in, we provide a 1, 3 and 7 days forecast. You can get information on the weather forecast at the reception desk in every marina. Since you have up to 40 GB of free wireless Internet on board, you can also visit the website of the Croatian Meteorological Service where you can find all the necessary information regarding the weather, wind and sea conditions. The Norwegian site is also popular.
