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Vela Yachts — Included with every booking

Passage planning
& marina booking —
we handle it

One of the most common worries for first-time charter clients is not knowing where they'll stop each night. We provide a detailed passage plan with every booking — and where marinas can be reserved in advance, we do it for you.

Day-by-day route plan Marina reservations where available Local anchorage guide Permit booking Distance & timing breakdown
We hear this all the time

The questions people ask
before their first charter

"What if we can't find a berth when we arrive?"
In Croatia, most ACI Marinas can be reserved in advance — we book them for you. In Greece, most town quays are first-come-first-served, but our passage plan tells you exactly when to arrive to get a good spot, and which anchorages to use as alternatives.
"How far can we actually sail in a day?"
Every passage plan includes realistic daily distances based on your group's experience level — not what the optimistic guidebook says. We build in time for swimming stops, lunch anchors and leisurely arrivals. A typical day is 15–25nm.
"Do we need permits for national parks?"
Yes — and they sell out. The Kornati National Park in Croatia, Cabrera in Mallorca and the Lavezzi Islands in Corsica all require advance permits. We identify which ones you need and book them as part of your passage plan.
"What if the weather changes our plans?"
Every good passage plan has contingency stops built in. We include alternative anchorages and sheltered harbours for each leg so if the forecast changes, you already know your options.
"We've never chartered before — is it really safe?"
Mediterranean sailing is genuinely accessible — the distances are short, the waters are well-charted and the infrastructure is excellent. Our passage plan is written for your experience level, not for an experienced offshore crew.
"How do we know which anchorages are good?"
We've done the research so you don't have to. Every passage plan includes specific anchorage recommendations — depth, holding quality, swell exposure, and whether there's a taverna worth the swim ashore.
What's included

Everything you need
before you cast off

Every charter booked through Vela Yachts comes with a passage planning pack prepared specifically for your itinerary, dates and group. It's not a generic PDF — it's built around your route, your experience level and the time of year you're sailing.

Where marinas accept advance reservations, we make the bookings on your behalf. Where they don't — which is the case for most Greek island town quays — we give you the local knowledge to arrive at the right time and know your alternatives.

Think of it as having a well-travelled friend who's sailed your route before and is giving you their honest, practical notes.

By destination

Marina booking —
what's possible where

The honest truth is that marina booking varies enormously by destination. Here's exactly what's bookable in advance, and what isn't — so you know what to expect before you go.

Destination Advance booking How it works
Croatia ✓ Bookable ACI Marinas across the Dalmatian coast operate a central reservation system. Most berths can be reserved weeks in advance. We handle this directly. Town quays in smaller villages are first-come-first-served but rarely full outside August.
Greece — Ionian ~ Limited Lefkas Marina and a handful of larger harbours accept reservations. Most Greek island town quays operate on a first-come-first-served basis — but outside July and August they're rarely a problem. We advise on timing and always include anchorage alternatives.
Greece — Saronic ~ Limited Alimos and Lavrion marinas in Athens are bookable. Hydra, Spetses and Poros town quays are first-come-first-served. Hydra fills quickly in peak season — we advise arriving by early afternoon.
Turkey — Göcek ✓ Bookable D-Marin Göcek and most main marinas in the Gulf of Fethiye accept advance reservations. Many restaurant jetties in the anchorages offer free mooring with dinner — no booking needed but we include contact details.
Spain — Mallorca ✓ Bookable Palma and most Mallorcan marinas are bookable well in advance and we strongly recommend doing so in peak season. Cabrera National Park mooring buoys require a permit — we arrange this at the time of booking your charter.
Sardinia ✓ Bookable Portisco, Cannigione and most Costa Smeralda marinas are bookable. Bonifacio Marina in Corsica is also reservable and fills fast in summer — we include this as part of the Sardinia passage plan.
Croatia — Zadar ✓ Bookable Zadar Marina and ACI facilities in the area accept advance bookings. Kornati National Park entry requires a permit purchased at the park entrance — we advise on current pricing and entry points.
Sicily — Aeolians ~ Limited Portorosa is fully bookable. The Aeolian island harbours — Lipari, Vulcano, Panarea — are a mix of small marinas and town quays. We advise on current capacity and peak season timing for each island.
The process

How your passage plan
comes together

1
Book your charter
Once your yacht is confirmed and deposit paid, we begin building your passage plan — tailored to your destination, dates and group.
2
We research your route
We check marina availability, identify permit requirements, review seasonal conditions and pull together local knowledge for every stop on your itinerary.
3
We make the bookings
Where advance reservations are possible, we contact the marinas directly and secure your berths. Permits for national parks are arranged at the same time.
4
You receive your pack
Your complete passage plan arrives by email 2–3 weeks before departure — ready to download to your chart plotter or print for the chart table.
Common questions

Things people ask us
about marina booking

For most of Greece, no — and trying to pre-book Greek island town quays is usually impossible anyway as they don't have a reservations system. The exception is larger commercial marinas like Lefkas, Gouvia in Corfu, and Lavrion in Athens. Outside July and August, Greek harbours very rarely fill completely. In peak season, arriving by mid-afternoon is usually sufficient to find a good berth. We advise on timing for every stop in your passage plan.
Yes — Croatia is the best destination in the Med for advance marina booking. ACI Marinas, which operate the majority of the main marinas across the Dalmatian coast and islands, have a central online reservation system. We contact them directly on your behalf and confirm berths for each night of your itinerary where you plan to use a marina rather than anchor.
Every stop in your passage plan comes with at least one alternative — either a nearby anchorage or a smaller harbour. Mediterranean anchorages are generally excellent and in many cases more enjoyable than marinas. Running out of options entirely is very rare outside the peak weeks of late July and August, and our planning accounts for this.
Yes. The Kornati National Park in Croatia requires a permit, which is purchased at the park entrance point. It cannot be pre-booked but we include current pricing, entrance locations and the park regulations in your passage plan so there are no surprises on arrival. Similarly, the Cabrera Archipelago in Mallorca requires an advance mooring permit — this one does need to be arranged ahead of time and we handle it as part of your booking.
No — passage planning and marina booking support is included with every charter booked through Vela Yachts. Marina berth fees themselves are paid locally by you as part of your charter expenses, but our planning and booking work costs nothing extra.
That's entirely your choice — the passage plan is a guide, not a rigid schedule. If the wind's perfect for a longer day, or you fall in love with an anchorage and want to stay an extra night, you do exactly that. Where we've pre-booked marina berths we'll advise you to call ahead if you're changing plans, but the flexibility is always yours.

Ready to plan your
perfect week at sea?

Tell us your destination, dates and group size and we'll come back with yacht options, pricing, and a clear picture of what your passage plan will look like.

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