Packing for a skippered charter is different from packing for a normal beach holiday — and different again from packing for a bareboat charter where you’re doing all the sailing yourself. With a professional skipper handling navigation and the boat, your job is simple: bring the right things, in the right kind of bag, and leave the rest at home. Here’s what actually matters for a week in the Ionian.

Leave the suitcase at home

This is the one rule every first-time charter guest breaks. Hard-shell suitcases don’t fold, so they eat up storage space that simply doesn’t exist on a yacht — cabin lockers and under-berth storage are built for soft, flexible bags, not rigid corners.

Bring a soft-sided duffel or a collapsible holdall instead. It folds flat once emptied and tucks away for the week, which your skipper (and your cabin mates) will thank you for.

Deck-friendly footwear

Regular sneakers and flip-flops are the two most common footwear mistakes on a catamaran.

  • Bring: soft-soled deck shoes, sailing sandals, or boat shoes with non-marking, non-slip soles
  • Also bring: a pair of water shoes for swim stops and rocky coves, where sea urchins or pebles are common along the Ionian coastline
  • Skip: anything with a dark or hard rubber sole — it can scuff and mark the deck

Most guests end up barefoot on deck anyway once underway, so one good pair of deck shoes for getting on and off the boat, plus water shoes for swimming, covers everything.

Sun protection, taken seriously

The Ionian sun reflecting off open water is far more intense than sun on land, even on a hazy day.

  • High-SPF reef-safe sunscreen — reef-safe matters here, since you’ll be swimming in the same coves all week
  • A wide-brimmed hat or cap with a strap — the wind on the water will take an unsecured hat overboard within the first hour
  • UV-protective sunglasses with a retainer strap — same logic
  • A lightweight long-sleeve rash guard or sun shirt for long days on deck, especially for kids

Clothing: pack light, pack layers

Days are hot, but evenings on the water — and early mornings underway — can be cool, especially once the boat picks up speed.

  • Quick-dry shorts, swimsuits (bring two, so one is always dry), and lightweight tops for daytime
  • One warmer layer (light windbreaker) for evenings and any breezy passages
  • One “nice” outfit for dinner ashore at a taverna
  • Minimal laundry needs — most charters are 4–7 days, so pack for the trip, not for a month

Cabin organization essentials

Cabin space is limited on a catamaran of 40ft. A few small items make a real difference:

  • Packing cubes — keep your duffel organized without needing drawer space
  • A small dry bag — for phones, cameras, and passports during swim stops and tender rides

Documents and money

  • Passport or ID (required even for day cruises departing from an EU port)
  • Any relevant travel insurance documents
  • A small amount of cash for tavernas or markets in villages where card payment isn’t always available, cash is also neede for some port fees and water refill.

What you don’t need to bring

Because you’re sailing with a skipper, a few things people instinctively pack for a bareboat charter simply aren’t necessary:

  • Navigation tools, charts, or handheld GPS — your skipper handles all of this
  • Heavy technical sailing gear — this isn’t a racing yacht
  • Multiple pairs of shoes “just in case” — one deck pair and one water pair is enough

The essential packing checklist

  • Soft-sided duffel bag (no hard suitcases)
  • Deck shoes + water shoes
  • Reef-safe sunscreen, hat with strap, sunglasses with retainer
  • Swimsuits (x2), quick-dry clothing, one warm layer, one dinner outfit
  • Dry bag for electronics
  • Reusable water bottle
  • Passport/ID and travel documents

Pack light, pack soft, and let your skipper handle the rest — that’s the whole point of a skippered charter. See you aboard in Vliho Bay!