Mykonos yacht charter: the complete guide to booking your trip

Mykonos sits at the heart of the Cyclades, within easy reach of Delos, Rhenia, and a string of quieter islands most tourists never see by land. This guide covers what a yacht charter costs, when to go, the boats you can book, and how to island-hop from the water.

Mykonos is famous for its beach clubs, whitewashed streets, and windmills, but most of the island's best moments happen offshore. A yacht charter puts you at empty coves before the day-trip crowds arrive, drops you at beach clubs by tender instead of a taxi queue, and opens up the wider Cyclades islands that ferries reach slowly and infrequently.

The first choice to make is between a day charter and a weekly crewed charter. They suit very different trips:

• Day charter: You board in the morning, cruise a set route — usually Delos island, Rhenia island, and a few south-coast beaches — and return by evening. Ideal if Mykonos is your base and you want one memorable day on the water.
• Weekly crewed charter: You live aboard for several days, sleeping in cabins and island-hopping across the Cyclades. This is the classic Greek islands sailing holiday, with a captain and often a hostess or chef handling everything.

For a first visit, a day charter answers the "should we do this?" question cheaply. If you already know you want to explore beyond Mykonos, a week aboard a boat is the better value per day and the more relaxed way to see Paros, Naxos, and beyond.

Prices swing hard with the boat and the calendar. High season (July and August) runs roughly 30–50% above the shoulder months. A day charter on a mid-size motor yacht in August can cost more than double the same boat in late May. As a rough anchor, brokers report average Mykonos day rates around $2,200 in low season and $3,700 in high season.

Here's how the main options compare in high season:

Budget for the extras that catch first-timers out. Day charters usually quote fuel separately or add it at cost. Weekly crewed charters typically run on an APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance) of about 30% of the base fee, which covers fuel, food, dock fees, and port charges; whatever you don't spend is refunded. A crew tip of 10–15% is customary on crewed boats. Mooring at Mykonos town marina and beach-club buoys carries fees too, so confirm what's included before you book.

The word "yacht" covers everything from a nimble day boat to a crewed superyacht. Match the boat to the trip you actually want.

Motor yachts for speed and beach clubs

A motor yacht gets you between beaches fast, which matters when the meltemi wind kicks up chop and a slow sailboat turns a 40-minute hop into a two-hour slog. These are the boats that pull up to the buoy line at Nammos or Scorpios, tender guests ashore, and reposition to a calm anchorage for lunch. Expect fuel to be a real line item — a big motor yacht can burn hundreds of dollars an hour at cruising speed.

Sailing yachts and catamarans for relaxed cruising

If the sailing itself is the point, a monohull sailing yacht or a cruising catamaran is the classic Cyclades choice. Catamarans win on stability and deck space — two hulls mean less roll at anchor and a wide trampoline for lounging — which makes them the favorite for families and groups who want to swim off the back all afternoon. A sailing yacht heels and moves with the wind, which purists love and queasy passengers don't.

Superyachts and crewed luxury

At the top end, an 80 ft or larger crewed motor yacht comes with a full crew: captain, deckhands, a hostess, and often a chef. This is the "arrive by tender to your dinner reservation" tier of luxury yacht charter, and it's how a lot of Mykonos's summer visitors travel. You book the boat and the crew handles the itinerary, the provisioning, and the beach-club calls.

Smaller boats for a single day out

You don't need a superyacht to get on the water. A RIB or small motorboat with a local skipper is the affordable entry point — enough to reach Delos, snorkel off Rhenia, and hit two or three beaches in a day. For couples or small groups on a budget, this is the sweet spot, and it's the most common boat rental listing you'll find around the island.

The best reason to charter here is the geography. Mykonos sits close to a cluster of islands you can reach in anything from 15 minutes to a half-day sail.

The classic outing is Delos and Rhenia. Delos island is a UNESCO archaeological site — an entire ancient city, uninhabited today, that you can only reach by boat. Just west, Rhenia island is uninhabited and ringed with sheltered, turquoise coves perfect for a swim-and-lunch stop. Most day charters combine the two, sometimes adding a run down the south coast to Super Paradise and Elia beaches.

Distances are approximate and sailing times depend heavily on wind and boat speed (Boat the Globe). A motor yacht covers 25 nautical miles in about an hour; a sailing yacht might take three. For Santorini, don't try to rush it — build a multi-day route that lets you stop at Paros or Naxos on the way, rather than beating there and back in a single exhausting run.

Mykonos has a long charter season, but the experience changes month to month. The dominant factor is the meltemi — a strong, dry north wind that funnels through the Cyclades in summer. It keeps the air fresh and sailors happy, but at full strength it can reshuffle day-charter plans and make some anchorages uncomfortable.

• May–early June: Water is warming, prices are lower, and crowds are thin. Occasional cool days, but excellent value and calm seas before the meltemi builds.
• Late June: The sweet spot for many travelers — warm water, long days, lively but not overwhelmed beach clubs, and prices below peak.
• July–August: Peak everything. Hottest weather, warmest sea, busiest beach clubs in Mykonos, highest prices, and the strongest meltemi. Great for confident sailors, harder for flat-water lovers.
• September: Arguably the best month — sea still warm from summer, meltemi easing, crowds thinning, and prices dropping through the month.
• October: The season winds down. Quiet, cheaper, and still pleasant early in the month, though some clubs and services start to close.

If you want warm water without the July–August crush, aim for June or September. Book several months ahead for peak dates; the best boats and crews on Mikonos sell out for August by spring.

This is where most guides stop short. If you want to bareboat — charter without a captain — Greece requires the skipper to hold a recognized sailing qualification (an ICC or national equivalent), and a second crew member must sign a co-skipper declaration confirming basic competence. In practice, if you don't sail regularly, hire a captain. A local skipper costs roughly $200–350 a day on top of the boat and pays for itself in local knowledge — which coves are calm today, which beach club takes walk-up tenders, where the meltemi won't pin you down.

A few practical points worth sorting before you arrive:

• Embarkation point: Most charters leave from the New Port (Tourlos) or the old port near Mykonos town. Confirm exactly where and when to meet your captain.
• Provisioning: Day charters often include water and soft drinks; food and alcohol vary. Crewed weekly charters provision to your preferences through the APA — send dietary notes early.
• Beach club reservations: Nammos, Scorpios, and Principote fill up. Ask your captain to call ahead; arriving by boat doesn't guarantee a table.
• What to bring: Reef-safe sunscreen, a light layer for the wind, cash for tips, and soft-soled shoes. Delos requires a separate site ticket if you go ashore.
• Group size: Greek regulations cap day-charter passengers by boat certification, often at 12 for smaller yachts, so confirm the legal limit before you invite the whole party.

Getmyboat is a booking marketplace, so you're dealing with the actual owner or captain, not a middleman reselling a slot. The flow is straightforward.

Search and compare boats

Filter yacht rentals in Mykonos, Greece by date, group size, boat type, and price. Each listing shows photos, guest capacity, what's included, and whether the boat is offered bareboat or with a captain. Compare a few — a cruising catamaran versus a motor yacht — before you narrow down.

Message the owner or captain

Send a message through the platform with your dates, group size, and the route you have in mind. This is the moment to ask the questions that matter: Is fuel included? Can you reach Delos and Rhenia in a day? Are beach-club stops possible? Local captains answer fast in season and often suggest a better itinerary than the one you asked for.

Confirm and pay through the platform

Once you agree on the details, confirm and pay securely through Getmyboat. Keeping the payment on-platform protects your booking and keeps every message in one place. You'll get your meeting point and captain's contact ahead of the trip — then all that's left is to show up dockside and cast off.