What to include in your message
Send us five things and you will get real boats back rather than questions: your dates or the weeks you could travel, how many adults and children, bareboat or with a skipper, roughly which area or airport suits you, and a budget range. If you have already found boats you like in the search, send the links — we will tell you honestly what we think of them.
You do not have to send a perfectly structured brief. The form asks the same questions, and only your name and email are required — but every answer you add is one question less in the first reply.
1. Dates and flexibility
If you know exact dates, share them. If you only know the month or the school-holiday week, that is fine too – tell us how flexible you can be. Most charters in Croatia run Saturday to Saturday, so even "late July, a week either way" already narrows the boats a lot. The weather by month guide helps if you are still choosing the season, and check-in and check-out explains how the charter day itself works.
2. Group size and ages
Tell us how many adults, teenagers and children will be on board. The number decides the size and layout of the boat – a catamaran gives each couple more privacy, a sailboat usually costs less for the same crew. If one or two friends may still join, say so, and we look at boats that can stretch.
3. Starting area and route ideas
If you have a favourite region – Split, Šibenik and the Kornati, Zadar, or southern Dalmatia around Dubrovnik – say so. If not, tell us what kind of week you like (quiet national parks, towns and bays, nightlife) and we suggest bases that fit; the sailing regions guide and the sample itineraries show what each area feels like.
4. Budget and comfort level
A rough range is enough – the boats come back nearest your budget first. The budget is for the boat itself: the full cost guide explains what comes on top in Croatia (fuel, marinas, the APA on larger yachts, crew and extras), and charter prices shows what a week costs by season.
5. Experience and service level
Tell us whether you want a bareboat charter, a skippered week or a fully crewed yacht. Sailing it yourself needs a recognised licence and a VHF certificate – the licences guide lists what Croatia accepts. If you are not sure, describe how confident you feel around boats, and we suggest the right level of support.
How we answer your enquiry
SkipperCity is a skipper-run agency, not a call centre. The first emails are automatic so that you get real boats fast; everything you write back is read and answered by a person who knows both the booking system and what the routes feel like on the water.
At once: what you asked for
The first email repeats what you told us – dates, group, area, service level and budget. If anything in it is wrong, reply and say so.
Within minutes: up to 40 boats, checked live
We email the boats that fit what you told us – up to 40, each checked live with its charter company, nearest your budget first – not fifty pages of the whole catalogue. If no boat fits, you get no list at all: a person writes to you instead.
When you reply: a skipper's honest comments
Reply with the boats you like and we add short notes: which yacht is more comfortable at anchor, which base is easier with children, which route each boat suits best. They come from our own seasons on the water and from what guests tell us in their reviews.
When you choose: a free option, then the contract
You place a free option on the boat you choose online, or we place it for you; it holds the boat until the charter company's deadline, which your booking page shows. The contract, the payment plan and the security deposit are the charter company's own – read our booking terms and the insurance and deposit guide before you pay.
Prefer to talk?
Sometimes a five-minute call is easier than ten emails. Call +386 40 873 520 between 8:00 and 16:00 Croatian time; for urgent questions outside office hours the same number reaches Miha Kos. For a longer talk by phone or video, write your time zone and a time window in your message, and we suggest a slot that suits both sides.
Skipper's note – what we do with your message
When you press send, the first emails are automatic – but your enquiry does not disappear into a system. Your reply lands with someone who spends a big part of their life on the sea and knows how many small decisions shape a good charter week.
Your details reach a charter company only when you ask us to hold or book one of its boats, or to put you on its waiting list for one, and the privacy policy names every service that handles them. We do not send daily offers, and we follow your pace.
If you decide not to travel, or to book elsewhere, a short note is always appreciated – it helps us close the loop and look after the guests who are still planning.
FAQ – contacting SkipperCity
How quickly will I hear back?
The email confirming what you asked for arrives at once, and the boats that fit arrive within minutes, each checked live with its charter company. When you reply, a person answers – there is no ticket queue and no call centre in between.
Who answers my message?
A person from SkipperCity's skipper-run team; the replies are signed by Miha Kos, an RYA Yachtmaster and skipper since 2007. The first emails, with the boats that fit and route ideas, are automatic; every answer to what you write back is written by a person.
Does asking cost anything?
No. Asking costs nothing and commits you to nothing. We are paid by the charter company when you book, and paying by bank transfer you never pay more than booking direct (a card adds 5 %).
Can I call instead of writing?
Yes: +386 40 873 520, between 8:00 and 16:00 Croatian time. Outside office hours the same number reaches Miha Kos for urgent questions. For a longer talk by phone or video, write your time zone and a time window in your message and we suggest a slot.
What if something goes wrong during my charter?
Call your charter base or your skipper first – they have the boat, the engineers and the spare parts. For route questions or bigger decisions you can also call us, and we coordinate with the base.
Where is SkipperCity based?
SkipperCity is a trade name of Blackbird One Ltd., a company registered in Gibraltar (company no. 114712). The boats we sell lie in Croatian marinas, where we have arranged charters since 2014. The company and banking details page lists the registration and the bank accounts to check before you transfer money.