# GREEK CHARTER COMPANIES



## dnnn (Jan 18, 2004)

there is so much negative information out there
please comment on your own chrter experience, what companies are recomended

I dont want to be scammed

thanks


----------



## magnusmurphy (Jul 7, 2000)

Why not stay with one of the well known international companies, like Sunsail or Moorings? That way you know what you''re getting and there is no risk.

M Murphy


----------



## S/VNirvana (Jan 2, 2004)

Moorings has opened up a base in Greece


----------



## ChicagoJim (Feb 4, 2004)

After a lot of research and bad experiences, I decided to not go with a super-sized broker or flashy charter company. For example, GPSC who went bankrupt and is now appearing under a new name, A&A/Destinations Greece. BEWARE! So I have just booked a 2 week sailing trip with Hellas easyacht. They have a good site and I have only heard great things about them. So far they are the most reliable and competant charter company that I have dealt with, with the best charter prices I''ve seen. Has anyone else sailed with them?


----------



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Hellas easyacht charter is a new broker on the block here in athens....
Why is it that guest and clients persist in using brokerage houses that do not own there own yachts and merely lease manage other peoples yachts?
Whats the security in that?
Why not go straight to the yacht owner and charter direct from him ? He at least will be able to answer all your questions truthfully and when something does go wrong, he is right there to fix it....
check out 
www.sailcharter-greece.com
these are a group of english speaking private yacht owners who charter direct to the public and have a large variety of programs and yachts to offer
Skip the middle man and go direct to the top... after all is''nt that the best way to get the best service ?


----------



## sailingjon (Feb 7, 2004)

Hi ChicagoJim,
I checked out the easyacht site and most of the yachts they use were in the GPSC fleet and their harbor manager was working for GPSC for years. So I don''t know about the other company you mentioned but it seems that Hellas easyacht is more GPSC than anything so beware! 
I would always choose a company which is registered with the Greek National Tourist Organisation and has the backing of the Greek Government. Hellas easyacht does not appear to be a registered company and therefore should theoretically be operating without the approval of the Greek Government.

Companies that are registered will state this on their site and that is how you know.

So my advice to everybody is to trust all the Greek companies that are registered with the GNTO and to avoid the smaller oufits that are just trying to make a fast buck. 

I hav been in the business for years so I should know.


----------



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Yep you are right, Hellaseasy yacht is another GPSC spin off company, staff and yachts the same just a more fancy web site...
As for the GNTO, where as you are techinically right, they are really a useless policing body, with no power and even less motivation, case in point the absolutley terrible job they have done with advertising the Olympic games to tourists...NO ONE IN GREECE TAKES THE GNTO SERIOUSLY...besides Alemar yacht charters was a GNTO approved company and they went bankrupt taking hundreds of thousands of euros with them....
I''m afraid choosing a charter company in greece is still going to be a case of luck and past experience from well serviced clients...
Good luck to everyone


----------



## mattmulliss (Feb 4, 2004)

im sorry you have douts seeking charters in the med im a self employed skipper who works for a few companys and private charters in greece i have indepth knowlage of the area and companys i work from lefkas and sourounding areas an there is defenetly good charters out there why dont you try neilson or sail ionian do not go sunsail if you wish to speak to me more please feel free im matt [email protected] i my be able to help you truly enjoy the greek expirience


----------



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Please all of us, let''s have some limits when we spread rumours about companies. Sailmaster, stop pretending that you know everything, and stop having an "expert''s" opinion on EVERY subject..
In deed the www.greece-yacht-charters.com is the past GPSC, I double confirmed the Greek telephone number..
However, not everyone can be absolutely pleased.. Yachting is not renting a hotel room.. Things CAN go wrong.
GNTO is a very respectable governmental association for the travel field in Greece.
The whole country''s economy is based on Tourism, so they really give a damn..


----------



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

QUIZ for strong users!!!

Whose super duper hyper expert''s sailing yacht was burned to the "ground" due to high standards maintenance and services???!!!
_/)_/)_/)
IIIIIIIIIIIooooooooooooIIIIIIIIIIII
mth.sliateD3k/moc.retrahcthcayedun.www
mth.sesiurc02%deniatpac/moc.retrahcthcayedun.www


----------



## ChicagoJim (Feb 4, 2004)

I spent a lot of time researching and inquiring, and have made numerous calls to assure I know with whom and with what I am spending my money. I’ve already mentioned this, and I already told the forum that I have booked a charter and that I wanted to be 100% sure of my decision.

Their yachts belong to individual owners, and these owners may also choose to deal with all the other charter companies in Greece. The difference is the direct dealing between the charter or buyer and the yacht owner, and the fact that there isn’t any commission charged.

Their base manager is a yacht owner and was working as a freelance skipper – like many others. As you see and read the news articles about him, and the testimonials, he has been most successful and has offers from all the big charter companies. After what I’ve read these days on this forum, I’ve even asked for referrals and have been in contact with previous customers of this skipper, and I have not been told one complaint, but only enthusiastic and positive experiences. 

Hellas easyacht is NOT a broker or charter company or travel agency. GNTO is an organization and its membership is necessary for charter/broker/travel companies. Every yacht owner of easyacht has the most significant stamp of approval, which is the official approval from the Greek Ministry of Merchant Marine.

And by the way, I thought this board was going to be used for casual information sharing. Some responses are so defensive and catty that I am starting to wonder...who is really behind some of these postings??


----------



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

ChicagoJim, I am a little confused here, if no commission is charged how is the broker/agent makig any money. Hellasyachts must get something for finding the owner of the yacht you will charter business? Or have you found a company that makes no money from anyone and wants to give there services for free?
Oh and the base manager did use to work for GPSC as a captain, not that it should reflect on him or the other ex-company memebers, they most likely had nothing to do with the disaster that happened last year.
. This board as you say should be for open free discussion and fact exchange...
Hope that you have a wonderful time here


----------



## ChicagoJim (Feb 4, 2004)

Mr sailmaster, I will have a wonderful time in Greece, as I do every summer, visiting my family and friends. I cannot believe that you are using this board to promote your own company (sailcharter-greece.com)....what you do not realize is that you are giving yourself bad advertisement with your childish and very defensive attitude. My advice to anyone for finding the right charter company is to go by word of mouth from your friends, etc, and do your research! And mr sailmaster, shouldn''t you be busy sailing or getting ready for the summer season? You seem to have a lot of free time on your hands.


----------



## sailingjon (Feb 7, 2004)

Chicago Jim,

You seem to be doing exactly what you accuse Sailmaster of doining ie plugging your own company.

It is clear you are not a charterer but have something to do with Hellas easyacht.

Stop using this message board to lie to people discrediting other companies.

I suggest all readers disregard these obvious advertismants by owners posing as clients.


----------



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Guess sailingjon has your number chicagojim...BUSTED..
Oh well back to more honest pursuits I hope


----------



## Spyroseasyacht (Feb 16, 2004)

The people who say good words about me are my friends, and not sailing experts. If you want to attack me or Hellas easyacht, you may do so through my website daily.
PS
For those who wonder how Hellas easyacht makes money...Yachting is my love and Hellas easyacht is my passion so I don''t care about the money. If anyone has a yacht for charter or for sale (that meets Hellas easyacht standards) you can post it for free.


----------



## NEFELE (Mar 2, 2004)

TRY A SMALL OUTFIT ON lEVKAS CALLED SKORPIOS CHARTER. THE ARE GERMAN OWNED AND REALLY LOOK AFTER THE 10 YACHTS FOR CHARTER AND THEIR CLIENTS.


----------



## Nestoras (Apr 8, 2004)

I am writing this to share my experience renting a boat in Greece.

Last summer we rent a bareboat from Anemos Yatching. It was a Beneteau First f45f5 (year 1990).
They advertise the boat in their sites as being in the “sports line” class where the boat had (at least at the time that we rent it) terrible quality of sails. Unfortunately we saw the” holes” on the sails when we were already out of the port. I do not want to mention that the genoa sail due to a missing screw (it took as a lot of time to track down the cause) on the rope housing mechanism couldn’t be trimmed at all. We were lucky to realize the problem when the weather was mild….
That was not the only problem that we encounter during that week. The engine of the boat broke down (they send a someone to repair it and they gave as one day more), the VHF was not working at all (actually was working only when you were inside the port) and the most important during the summer you couldn’t feel all the water tanks even when the water supplier was using low pressure. I am not mentioning the other malfunctions that were acceptable due to the boat age.
I really feel sorry about the way those guys are doing their job and I would like to inform customers to be really careful if they are plan to do business with them


----------



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

As well as Skorpios try Nisos Yacht Charter - small british company 12 boats (I think?) on Levkas - great people and boats. Been with them for last 3 years - no problems and cheap!


----------

