Last Minute Med Sailing holiday/Charter

I'm sure it is. Charters in Greece - where we are - are well down this year and I imagine that a few calls around some of the smaller operators would find you a bargain. Then there's just the matter of a sensibly-priced flight..

--Dave
 
Med Charter

We went to the Ionian in June with Sunsail to escape the dreadful weather. Booked it Saturday morning left 24 hours later and got a good deal.
 
I've had a couple of e-mails from Nautilus Yachting about last minute bargains - and they were certainly bargains - this year so maybe worth giving them a call
 
James

That 'Yachtweek' youtube video is enough to put me off for life.

Ever spent a sleepless night stern-to the quay in Euphemia with the disco blaring till 4am, the children out playing and motor bikes roaring up and down all hours of the night?

Taverna night-life is lovely, until you need to leave to get your kids settled and some well-earned kip yourself.

Stuff that.

Phil
 
My experience has been that you get a better deal from the operators than from latesail for what I have guessed is the same boat. If it's late enough the smaller operators are willing to haggle on their last minute price. Understandably they won't go stupidly low but there are good deals to be done. As had been said, flights are the issue but yacht charter operators will often help you out with those if you ask (they'll know all the flights which hook up with your start/end dates). Charter flights only tend to come down in price a day or two beforehand. As has been mentioned, Nautilus are worth talking to. If you're on your own and looking for a last-second holiday, calling up an operator like Sailing Holidays who throw random singles together on a boat can get you a bargain, especially if you have qualifications which save them putting a staff member on board with novices.
 
>My experience has been that you get a better deal from the operators than from latesail.

Have you got any examples please but not the small companies, Latesail don't deal with them for obvious reasons.

>Charter flights only tend to come down in price a day or two beforehand.

That business model changed years as did the charter market. For example Easyjet's lowest prices are three months ahead and BA is six months ahead. If you look at Latesail you will find hundreds of cheap charters six or more months ahead. It used to be three or four weeks.
 
Have you got any examples please but not the small companies, Latesail don't deal with them for obvious reasons.
Click to expand...
3 years ago: looking round for a last minute charter. Got best price on one I was interested in from latesail (speaking to them personally). Continued looking. Found something similar with Naultilus. Asked for best price and got a lower one (approx 5% lower). Boat was exact same year/spec/marina/wording of description (There didn't turn out to be an identical one in the marina). I didn't try and play the two off against each other: just took the cheapest offer.
>Charter flights only tend to come down in price a day or two beforehand.

That business model changed years as did the charter market. For example Easyjet's lowest prices are three months ahead and BA is six months ahead.
Click to expand...

BA/Easyjet/scheduled airlines aren't what I meant: I was talking about the package holiday charter flights (e.g. monarch, first choice) which are often the cheapest way to the ionian etc. Whilst the scheduled airlines don't come down, unless things have changed in the last 3 years the spare seats on package charter flights stay high until about 2 days before departure then plumet.
 
Thanks - booked

Thanks to everybody for your contributions. We went with Iain789's idea and latesail. We have booked a very nice looking yacht, probably too big for two people but the cheapest available in Sardinia. latesail was bareboat but including flights and other extras it looks like it will be around 1600Euro for the two of us for a week. Latesail were helpful but their website could use some work IMHO.

I will report back whether or not it was a bargain. Flight to catch. Thanks again.
 
> I didn't try and play the two off against each other: just took the cheapest offer.

OK understand. Next time get the best offer you can then lower it, up to 15% and go to Latesail's 'Name your price' page. Don't make a silly offer though. There are many charter companies in any one area so they can play them off aginst each other.

Understand about the flights too. I must be getting old because the last time I went on package holiday plane (without the package) it was dreadful and I swore I would never go one one again. Everyone to their own I suppose.
 
Good holiday

It was a really good holiday in the end - thanks for the advice.

Total was 1700Euro plus a few bits and pieces so I doubt we got much change from 1900-2000 which isn't a cheap holiday, but for the sort of boat and place I thought it was worth it.
The organisation was fine except when we arrived as the local firm weren't sure if we were booked or not because they had a few latesail bookings distributed throughout the marina. Also, we had to remind them of our discounts etc to avoid paying over the odds for insurance.

Fantastic place if a little busy but that's August for you. Good boat, even if the electric windlass didn't work properly.
 
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