Q's & A's
General Questions and Answers
1. Will I get sea sick?
Probably not, but our skippers can help you with any worries and techniques to overcome this condition if you do begin to feel a bit queasy. (We get one person a season not feeling 100%)
2. Why do I have to complete the Booking Form on your website?
We need you to complete the form to enable us to draw up the crew list for all sailors. Plus, we need the information if the Port Police ask to view it.
3. Will someone meet me at the airport?
If you have arranged your own flights to Preveza, then no. You will need to take a taxi – we can help you with this, please ask us.
4. How much is a taxi from Preveza Airport to Nidri?
If we arrange a taxi to meet you it will cost €65 each way for up to 4 passengers, €110 for up to 8 passengers and €190 for up to 20 passengers. If you take your own it may cost around €65 each way for a typical 4/5 seater taxi. The journey will take about 45 minutes.
5. How far is it from Lefkada town to Nidri?
About 25 minutes by car or taxi and we can help arrange this for you at €45 for up to 4 passengers, roughly €80 for up to 8 passengers and €130 for up to 20 passengers.
6. If I fly to Corfu, how do I get to the yacht?
You need to take the ferry from Corfu Town to Igoumenitsa on mainland, (they run approximately every hour through the summer) and takes roughly 2hrs. We can arrange a taxi pick up for you at Igoumenitsa ferry terminal for €160 each way to bring you to Lefkas or €180 to Nidri for up to 4 passengers – if you party is larger, please ask us for a quote. The journey takes about one and a half hours by taxi.
7. How much does the Corfu, Igoumenitsa ferry cost?
About €10 per person, each way and takes around one and three quarter hours.
8. Do I have to book the pick up from Igoumenitsa in advance?
Yes, it takes one and a half hours to get there and we want to make sure we all arrive at the same time.
9. When do I pay the on-site cash payment?
For Learn to Sail (Skippered or Cabin charter) guests, we collect these payments on Sunday morning directly after the morning briefing. We are more than happy to accept this one-off payment in Euros; it is generally easier for our guests, and it gets turned into essentials immediately.
For Bareboat charter, payments are made on the Saturday upon arrival at your yacht.
10. How soon can we get onto the yacht?
Saturdays are always a busy day for our instructors; however, we try to ensure you are on your yacht as quickly as possible, this is usually around 5pm on the day of arrival.
11. Is there somewhere I can leave my luggage while I am waiting to embark?
There is a safe area arranged for our guests to leave luggage at the Skorpios office located directly opposite our yachts if needed. Please do not board the yachts until you have been advised to do so. The Skorpios office will also look after your luggage at the end of your holiday if you are in no rush to leave.
12. Do I need to have experience for sailing?
No. We have many guests that have never sailed before but continue once they have been with us and caught the bug. We offer tuition for any level of sailor to build their knowledge.
13. Do I need to bring my own towels for my sailing holiday?
For our Learn to Sail, Cabin charter guests and those taking our owned yachts – Yes, one towel is normally sufficient for swimming and daily ablutions, however some people like to bring two, one small and one medium. Towels are provided for our bareboat and luxury charter guests.
14. How long do we sail for?
It would normally depend on the group dynamics, but as a sailing company you can expect to sail every day for up to four to five hours with a lunch stop.
15. Can I sunbathe on the yacht?
Yes. The skipper will advise if it is unsafe to sunbathe.
16. Can I shower on the yacht?
Yes, but guests often find the showers ashore more roomy. These are usually around €2.50 to €5.
17. Is bed linen provided?
Yes, and the beds are already made for you (on selected holiday options).
18. Do I need to bring my own snorkel equipment?
We have some bits, but most people like to use their own to guarantee correct fitting. Due to Covid regulations we cannot provide them.
19. Are there any dangerous things in the sea?
When swimming near the shore there may be sharp rocks and sea urchins, obviously these don’t move too quickly but can hurt if you sit or stand on them.
20. Do I need to bring Mosquito spray?
Yes.
21. Are there convenient ATM’s?
Yes, but we suggest you bring enough cash to last the week. There are machines at the airport and places we visit such as Nidri, Vassiliki, Fiscardo and Big Vathi. Card is now accepted in 98% of the shops and restaurants.
22. Can I leave valuables on the yacht?
Generally, Greece is very safe, however as with most places, it’s best not to leave temptation in the way. Please consider not taking expensive jewellery and watches and ensure your spectacles or dark glasses are secure, whilst the area we use is relatively safe, we cannot guarantee lost valuables against theft or even falling overboard while sailing.
23. How much money do I need for food and drink?
We suggest about €35/€40 per day; this is usually more than enough to pay for a meal with wine.
24. How easy is it to buy food for the journey?
Very easy every day. Most islands we visit have good shopping facilities with small shops and bakeries.
25. Do you have toilets aboard the yachts?
Yes. Called ‘Heads’, we ask our guests not to put anything in them other than ‘natural’ waste. As typical in Greece, we provide hygienic bins for receiving anything else, (paper etc) and these are emptied and cleaned at least once every day.
26. Are there convenient medical facilities?
There is a hospital in Lefkas, a medical centre in Vassiliki and on Meganissi. We can arrange for a Doctor to come to the yacht via a high speed rib (boat) or arrange for one to meet you at a number of selected places. All our skippers are first aid trained.
27. Is the water on the yacht and on the Islands safe to drink?
Yes, but it is not filtered and we advise you buy bottled water.
28. What adapter should I bring?
The European two prong adapter.
29. Can I charge electrical equipment on the yacht?
No, however its very easy to use the restaurants, cafes and bars facilities free of charge.
30. Do the tavernas/restaurants take card payments?
Yes.
31. Can I wear shoes aboard the yacht?
Appropriate sailing shoes (not stilettos – sorry), soft non-slip, non-marking shoes if you want your feet covered but generally most people go barefoot.
32. Do I need to bring my travel insurance details?
Yes and keep it somewhere easily accessible. Only the insurance company can authorise any emergency medical treatment abroad or repatriation. We accept no liability or responsibility for anyone joining one of our holidays without adequate travel insurance.
33. We chose a Skippered Charter holiday thinking we wouldn’t want to learn, but we’ve found it so exciting, how do we get a log book as a record of what we have learnt.
Just speak to your skipper and they will prepare your log book. We charge €65 for this document of competence.
34. Do we have to tip anyone?
It is normal to tip your flotilla skipper / instructor (typically around €100 - €200 for the week), this is of course dependant on your satisfaction with our staff. It is up to you if you want to tip restaurant staff (generally 10%).
35. Will I have an opportunity to give feedback?
You will be given a feedback form at the end of your holiday; this is to ensure we are continually meeting our guest’s needs. You can also speak to the skippers or owner (they are quite friendly)!
36. Will I need warm clothing?
Please consider the time of year you are sailing, the mornings and evenings can be cool early or late season, so please bring suitable clothing.
37. Does it rain much throughout the summer?
We cannot guarantee the weather, however when it rains you will get wet! We suggest no matter what time of year you sail, bring a light waterproof jacket if possible.
38. Do I have to contribute to the kitty?
Guest generally agree on a small kitty to cover items such as breakfast, light lunch, drinks and snacks (this should also cover the skipper onboard). Some guests prefer to go ashore for breakfast before the days sailing, but this will be your choice.
39 Do we have to pay for the skippers food?
We ask that you include the skippers for breakfasts, lunches and snacks on the yacht, but they pay their own way for everything else, unlike other companies.
40. Where does the skipper sleep?
Our skippers have to stay on board for safety and insurance reasons and will sleep either in a spare cabin, in the saloon, or on deck. Our rooms/cabins are private so you will have privacy. Skippers will most likely be up and preparing to sail long before our guest's surface!
41. Will I have to do anything aboard the yacht?
As you are the crew of the yacht, we hope that you take part in the day-to-day chores on the yacht such as food preparation and keeping the yacht tidy.
42. I don't want to leave, but what time do I have to leave the yacht on my last day?
This is the sad part of the holiday; we ask that if you don't have early flights to catch, that you leave the yacht by 9am Saturday. It's sad to see you go, but we need to make the yachts ready for our next set of guests and want them to arrive as you did. To a clean and ready sailing yacht.
43. I want to sail with you again but bring some different friends, will I get a discount?
Yes. When we receive a firm booking we will give you 10% off the Learn to Sail portion of your holiday. The discount will be deducted from your balance payment.
44. I’ve got some fantastic photos and I want to share them with everyone, what should I do?
Go straight to the Activity Holidays Greece Facebook page and upload them with a caption or email them to us at info@activityholidaysgreece.com. Thank you for sharing!
45. I would like to rent a SUP; can I do this with you?
Yes, we have many SUP’s to rent. As well as the rental price, we will ask for a damage waiver as insurance that is refundable as long as there is no damage to the SUP when you return it, and we will ask you to sign an agreement form regarding appropriate use.
Bareboat/flotilla
1. Do I need qualifications to rent a bareboat?
Yes. Please refer to our certification section within the website for details. To avoid delay in departure every skipper must bring proof of competence to skipper a yacht (certificates, log books etc) as the port police may ask to see these. We suggest that you take photocopies as sometimes the police wish to keep copies. Your qualified crew member will need to do the same.
2. Do I have to complete the Booking Form on your website?
Yes, we need you to complete the form to enable us to draw up the crew list for all sailors. Plus we need the information if the Port Police ask to view it.
3. Why do I pay for a Bareboat in Euros?
All of the bareboats are owned by Greek companies and as such need to be paid for in Euros. We will reserve the yacht for up to 7 days while waiting for your deposit or full payment. And, we ask that you make sure that all bank charges are covered when transferring funds.
4. I booked a 40′ but I now have a 42′ – how come?
From time to time, the owners of the yachts either sell or change their yachts at short notice, suffer damage or a break down that means the yacht is temporarily unavailable. We will always ensure you get either the same or similar sized yacht. Generally, in these circumstances, we try to provide you with a younger or more expensive yacht. We will never ask you to pay more than the price you were originally quoted.
5. How much is water in harbour for top-up?
Normally around €10 - €15 per tank.
6. Do I need to top-up fuel and water before I return my chartered yacht?
Yes. Fuel is available at base, or a location pointed out by the owner or lead skipper. You do not have to re-fill the water tanks.
7. When do we empty our holding tanks?
We ask that you empty your holding tanks well before entering port each night.
8. Who is legally responsible for the yacht?
The skipper is legally responsible for the yacht and in being so, must be responsible for briefing the crew on all safety equipment location and use. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT WHERE ACCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED, IN MOST CASES A PROPER YACHT AND SAFETY BRIEFING HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN.
9. When can we board the yacht?
You may have to contain your excitement until after 1700hrs on the day of commencement of your charter.
10. Will we have a briefing before leaving port?
Yes. Before setting off we run through mooring, rigging and engine procedures as well as completing an inventory check by one of our instructors or yacht owners. You will also be shown where the fuel pump is for your return. Once signed, you are completely responsible for any loss or damage to all items on the inventory, accepting fair wear and tear. Toilets, bilge pumps and location of all sea cocks are located. All crew are shown, understand and able to carry out man-overboard procedures under motor and sail.
11. Are charts provided?
Charts and basic navigational equipment will be supplied, but please do not bring the charts on deck when underway to minimise the loss of a chart overboard. "A yacht without chart is called lost".
12. How much are the harbour charges?
Generally, around €10 but Marinas may be slightly more. Shore power is limited in most locations.
13. When do the yachts have to be back at base?
All yachts must be back by 1600hrs on the day before disembarking (Friday afternoon).
14. When must we vacate the yacht?
By 0900hrs on the last day of your charter (usually Saturday). Luggage can be stored before transfers.
15. What happens if there is any damage or loss that occurred during the charter?
Please complete the ‘blue book’ located in the chart table and mention defect to owner/skipper/staff. This enables us to rectify the problem before the next charter. Please remember that the yacht damage waiver you pay on-site, is for any Yacht Damage and loss of items such as dinghy, binoculars etc. These items are paid for separately before departure or deducted from Damage Waiver.
16. Do I need to bring my rubber gloves?
The yacht must be returned in the same clean condition you receive it in with everything stowed as found. Please follow the ‘Daily Checklist and Cleaning Instruction’ sheet you will find on board. Failure to do so will result in an additional on-site cleaning charge of approximately £100 (euro equivalent).
SUP Board
1: What does SUP mean? Stand Up Paddle Board.
You can rent these through us for the whole week. A great addition for your sailing holiday.
2: How much to rent a SUP? They are €200 per week per board + €200 refundable damage waiver.
3: Can I buy a SUP? Yes certainly, use this code for £20 discount: AHG20 and follow this link: Buy SUP board.
Personal insurance questions
1. I have my own insurance, is that OK?
Yes.
2. What do you need to know about my travel insurance?
We must have the Insurers name, the policy number (if applicable) and a 24 hour emergency contact number. This information should be given to us either on the booking form or in writing either by letter or email.
