How reviews reach us
A few days after your charter ends, Miha emails to ask how the week went, with one link to Google and one to Tripadvisor, and a week later one reminder if the first slipped past. That is all: we never ask for a rating, never offer anything in return, and the email asks for positive, mixed or critical reviews alike. The platforms collect and moderate what you write, so we cannot edit, hide or remove a word of it.
If something fell short, you can also simply reply to that email, and a person reads it. Guests who prefer it write to us on the contact page instead.
We read every review and every reply. They shape which boats and charter companies we recommend first, which bases we suggest for families, and how we describe each region on the destinations pages.
Messages guests sent us
Below are short excerpts from longer guest messages. Details such as children’s ages or dates may be lightly edited for privacy, but the tone and core of each story are kept exactly as written.
Family catamaran charter from Split
“We were nervous about taking our two kids and grandparents on a boat, but from the first email it felt like talking to a friend who knew Split and the islands extremely well. The catamaran you suggested was not the newest in the marina, but it was spotless and very comfortable. The skipper was calm with the children and adjusted the route when the wind picked up so my parents never felt unsafe. We are already talking about coming back.”
Group of friends on a power catamaran
“We thought about booking a big motor yacht but after your explanation we decided on a power catamaran. Best decision. Plenty of space, stable at anchor and still quick enough to reach Hvar and back without rushing. Thank you for insisting on a realistic route instead of the ‘see everything in a week’ plan we first sent you.”
Bareboat sailors discovering a new region
“We have chartered in Greece for years, so we mainly needed help choosing the right sailboat and understanding Croatian marinas. The route call before the trip was invaluable – especially your tips for avoiding the busiest nights in certain bays. Your local notes matched what we saw on the water almost perfectly.”
What guests mention most
Across the reviews and messages guests send us, certain patterns repeat themselves. They are the best summary of what guests value when they book through a skipper-run agency instead of a large portal.
Calm, realistic preparation
Guests often mention that planning felt calm and unhurried. We talk through whether a catamaran, a motor yacht or a sailing boat fits best, explain what the marinas and anchorages are really like, and adjust the route until it is one the crew will enjoy rather than survive. Our sample itineraries show the pace we mean.
Honest talk about costs and routes
Families say they appreciated knowing the whole bill before they paid – the charter price, fuel, marinas and extras, which the full cost guide sets out. Several mention that we advised against an over-ambitious route, preferring one area explored properly to every famous island in one week.
Someone to call when something changes
Even with careful planning, real trips bring surprises: a weather change, a minor technical issue, illness or a berth that falls through. Guests point out that when they called, they reached someone who knew the region and the charter base – and that most problems were solved quickly and with little drama.
When a week goes wrong
No honest charter agency can say that every week has been perfect. Boats are complex, the weather changes, and expectations sometimes meet a different reality.
When a guest is unhappy, we first listen and collect the facts from the crew and the charter base, then push the charter company for a practical fix: a repair, replacement equipment, help from the marina. The charter contract is with the charter company, so compensation, where it is due, is theirs to give under that contract – our booking terms set out who is responsible for what – and we argue the guest’s case for it.
If a base or a yacht draws repeated complaints, we stop recommending it, however good it looks on paper. Long-term trust is worth more than one more booking on one problematic boat.
How to read yacht charter reviews
Charter reviews are worth reading for patterns, not verdicts. A single bad week usually says more about the weather than the agency, and a single glowing one says nothing at all. What is worth weighing: how the company communicated before the trip, what happened when something broke, and whether the reviewer's idea of a good holiday resembles yours.
When you compare agencies or boats, it helps to know what to look for. After years of reading feedback on different fleets and destinations, this is what we weigh:
Look for patterns, not single incidents
A one-off complaint about a broken water pump says less than five different reviews mentioning the same issue. Focus on repeated themes about maintenance, crew attitude and how problems were solved.
Notice how people describe communication
Yacht charter is full of variables, and what usually makes the difference is clear, calm communication before and during the trip. Reviews that praise fast, honest replies point to agencies and fleets that will also treat you fairly if something changes.
Check whether the review matches your kind of trip
A party crew’s perfect week may not be a family’s. Look for reviews from crews that sound like yours – families with children, couples, groups of friends or experienced sailors – and compare the boat they had with the one you are considering in the boat search.
What a review can and cannot tell you
| Signal | Weight it | Because |
|---|---|---|
| The same complaint from several people | Heavily | One bad week is weather; three is a process |
| How a problem was handled | Heavily | Every fleet has failures; the response is the difference |
| Whether the reviewer's trip resembles yours | Heavily | A racing crew and a family judge the same boat differently |
| Detail about communication before the trip | Moderately | It is the part you can verify yourself, by writing to us |
| A perfect score with no specifics | Barely | It describes nothing you can check |
| An overall star average | Barely | It compresses everything above into one number |
The check that costs you nothing: write to us with your dates and crew and see what comes back. A list that names real boats, each checked live and priced for your week, tells you more about how a week with us would go than any review can.
FAQ – SkipperCity reviews
Are SkipperCity’s reviews real?
Yes. They are written on Tripadvisor, Google and Trustpilot, which collect and moderate them; we cannot edit or delete them. The three messages on this page are excerpts from emails guests sent us, kept exactly as written.
Do you pay for reviews or filter out bad ones?
No. We never offer anything for a review and never ask for a particular rating. The latest-reviews panel on this page is Tripadvisor’s own: it shows the newest reviews, not ones we pick.
Where can I read all the reviews?
On SkipperCity’s own pages on Tripadvisor, Google and Trustpilot – the links are at the top of this page, each with its number of reviews.
How do I leave a review?
A few days after your charter we email you a link to Google and to Tripadvisor. You can also use the buttons on this page at any time, and write as much or as little as you like.
What happens if I leave a critical review?
It stays where you wrote it – we cannot remove it, and we would not want to. We read it, ask the charter company about anything that went wrong, and take it into account when we decide which boats and bases we recommend first.