When you look at yacht charter offers in Croatia, you quickly notice a second line under the base price: extras. Skippers, cooks, water toys, early check-in, transfer services, safety nets, Wi‑Fi upgrades and more. Used well, these extras can completely change how relaxed and comfortable your week feels. Used badly, they can just add cost without much benefit.
This page is a clear, skipper-written guide to charter extras in Croatia. We will explain which add-ons are genuinely useful for different types of crews, how they are usually priced, and how to think about them when you compare offers in the Yacht Charter Croatia section. It connects with our main service pages for bareboat charters, skippered charters, crewed yachts and luxury yacht charter.
Why Charter Extras Matter for Your Week in Croatia
The base charter price gives you the yacht itself, standard equipment and usually a dinghy (the outboard is often an extra). Everything else – people, toys, early boarding, transfers – sits in the extras column. Those extras are where you can adapt the charter to your reality: children on board, limited holiday time, mobility issues or simply a desire for more comfort.
Thinking about extras in advance helps you:
- Keep surprises to a minimum when you arrive at the marina.
- Avoid paying for things you do not really need.
- Set up the boat so the week feels calm from day one.
- Choose between yachts more fairly, because you compare not only base price but also the extras you will realistically add.
People Extras – Skippers, Cooks & Crews
The most important extras are often people. Adding our skipper, or our skipper and cook – or choosing a crewed yacht – transforms your holiday from a do‑it‑yourself project into something closer to a floating villa.
Skipper as an Extra
On most yachts in the bareboat fleet a professional skipper is offered as an extra – booked through us, our own skipper from 2.100 € a week plus their food (more only where the charter company's own skipper costs more). This is essential when nobody in your group holds the required licence, and a very good idea when you prefer a stress‑free week. You still charter the whole yacht; the skipper simply takes responsibility for the boat, navigation and safety.
If you know from the start that you want a skipper, it may make more sense to read the Skippered Charter page as well. Here on the extras page, we simply stress that skippers are not a small detail – they define the whole style of your charter, so decide early and add ours when you book.
A Crew That Comes With the Boat
If you want the cooking, tidying and serving taken off your hands entirely, look at a crewed yacht rather than extras: on crewed catamarans, gulets and luxury yachts the charter company's crew – often with a hostess or steward(ess) – comes with the boat.
On a bareboat, the crew you can add is ours – our skipper and our cook. In the luxury yacht segment, the crew is part of the charter.
Chef on Board
On a bareboat you can add our own cook from 2.100 € a week, plus half board at 500 € per guest a week, the crew's meals included; on a crewed yacht the charter company's chef or cook is part of the crew. This is a serious upgrade for food lovers and for guests with specific dietary needs. Instead of thinking about provisioning lists and cooking rotation, you simply share your preferences and enjoy meals prepared on board.
If a cook feels too much for your budget, plan to eat more often in local konobas around the islands described in our itineraries.
Comfort Extras – Early Check-In, Safety Nets & More
Some extras are small line items that make a big difference in comfort, especially when you travel with children or on a tight schedule.
Early Check-In
Standard check‑in time in Croatian charter bases is usually late afternoon. Early check‑in (when available) moves that forward by a few hours so you can unpack, shop and often leave the marina earlier. For crews arriving on morning flights, this extra can save a whole afternoon of waiting on the dock.
Charter Packs, Linens & Towels
Many operators use a compulsory “charter pack” or “transit log” which includes final cleaning, bed linen, basic gas and sometimes towels. Beyond that, you might be able to add extra towels, beach towels or midweek cleaning. These are small comforts that can matter on longer trips or with larger groups.
Safety Net & Child Equipment
If you are sailing with small children, a safety net along the guardrails is one of the most important extras to book early. It takes time to install and bases only have a limited number available. Some charter companies also offer child seats for the dinghy, lifejackets for specific sizes or ramps for easier boarding – we help you check what is possible for your chosen yacht.
Wi‑Fi Upgrades & Electronics
Many yachts offer a Wi‑Fi router with data as an extra. If you plan to work remotely, stream a lot or have teenagers with high data needs, you can often upgrade the data limit for a fee. Portable speakers, tablets or projectors are usually personal items rather than charter extras, but we can advise what works best on board.
Water Toys & Fun Equipment
For many guests, water toys are what children talk about long after the trip. Some toys come with the yacht, others are the charter company's extras, listed on each boat's page with its price.
Typical options include:
- Stand-Up Paddleboards (SUPs): The most popular toy by far. Ideal for exploring bays early in the morning or letting kids burn off energy at anchor.
- Kayaks & Canoes: Great for quieter bays and nature routes such as parts of the Kornati National Park.
- Seabobs & E‑foil boards: Available mainly in the premium segment and usually rented by the week. They require more budget and respect for safety rules but add a lot of fun.
- Jet Skis: Only suitable for certain yacht types and locations, with local licence rules and age limits. We will always be clear when a particular toy is not realistic for your chosen yacht or route.
- Fishing & Snorkelling Gear: Basic snorkelling equipment is often included; higher-end sets or fishing gear can be rented or brought from home.
Each boat's page shows which toys its charter company includes and which can be added for an extra fee – browse them in the fleet we charter.
Transfers, Parking & Practical Shore Support
Travel days are when stress usually appears. A few simple extras can make arrival and departure much smoother.
- Airport Transfers: Pre‑booked vans or cars between airports like Split, Zadar or Dubrovnik and your marina. Having a driver waiting with your name saves energy after travel.
- Parking Arrangements: Guidance on safe long‑term parking for guests arriving by car, sometimes with discounted marina rates.
- Pre‑Provisioning: A service where food and drinks are delivered to the boat before you arrive, based on a shopping list or simple package. You may still adjust locally, but the basics are on board.
These are the charter company's extras, or handled by local businesses around the marinas in Split, Trogir, Zadar, Šibenik and Dubrovnik. Tell us how you plan to arrive and we will help you choose a realistic level of support.
One-Way Charters, Relocation Fees & Special Requests
Some of the most interesting itineraries in Croatia are one‑way trips – for example from Split to Dubrovnik or from the north down to central Dalmatia. They are possible only where the charter company allows it, usually for a one‑way fee – ask us before you plan around one.
This fee covers the cost of returning the yacht to its base and sometimes extra fuel or crew time. Where it is allowed, it can be worth it when your route idea matches our sample itineraries and you want to see more ground without doubling back.
Other special extras may include pets on board, overnight stays in marinas before or after the charter, or extra crew cabins for nannies or guides. These are always handled case by case – we will tell you quickly whether a particular request is realistic for the yachts you are considering.
How Extras Are Priced & Paid
The charter company's extras are listed with their prices on each boat's page; most are paid at the base on check-in, some in advance with the boat – and our skipper and cook are always paid to us in advance, with the boat. Typical prices: our skipper or cook from 2.100 € a week, a SUP board about 90–130 € a week, an outboard for the dinghy about 80–150 €, early check-in about 75–250 €; a one-way charter only where the charter company allows it, usually for a fee. Mandatory items — the transit log, final cleaning and tourist tax — are not extras and are always charged.
Extras in Croatia are usually charged in one of three ways: as compulsory fees, optional fixed fees, or items handled via APA on luxury and crewed yachts.
- Compulsory extras: Items like transit log, final cleaning or tourist tax. These apply to every charter, appear on each boat's page and are paid before arrival or at check-in, as the charter company sets.
- Optional fixed extras: Early check‑in, safety net, SUPs, additional towels and similar. Most are paid at the base on arrival, some in advance with the boat; the optional ones can be ticked at checkout, or requested in writing later, subject to availability.
- APA‑based extras: On luxury and some crewed charters, fuel, food, drinks and certain toys are handled through an Advance Provisioning Allowance. We explain this clearly on the relevant pages.
On SkipperCity each boat's page lists its charter company's extras with their prices. If a quote from another website looks cheaper, check whether the same extras are included before comparing.
What extras cost in Croatia, per week unless stated
| Extra | Typical price | Book ahead? |
|---|---|---|
| Skipper (ours) | from 2.100 € | Yes — good ones go early. More only where the charter company's own skipper costs more |
| Cook (ours) | from 2.100 € | Yes – plus half board, 500 € per guest a week |
| Outboard engine for the dinghy | 80 – 150 € | Yes — limited stock |
| SUP board | 90 – 130 € | Yes |
| Kayak | 100 – 200 € | Yes |
| Seabob | 1.000 – 1.500 € | Yes |
| Wi-Fi router with data | 25 – 40 € | Optional |
| Bed linen and towels | 10 – 20 € / set | Often already in the charter pack |
| Early check-in (a few hours earlier, or the night before) | 75 – 250 € | Yes — worth it after a late flight |
| Late check-out | 80 – 300 € | Subject to the next charter |
| Airport transfer, up to 8 people | 60 – 120 € | Optional |
| Parking at the marina | 60 – 120 € | Optional |
| Provisioning delivered to the boat | groceries + a fee | Where the charter company offers it; order ahead |
| One-way charter | ask us | Only if the charter company allows it, usually for a one-way fee |
Indicative ranges across the Croatian fleets — the exact figure is on each boat's page. Anything on this list that is limited in stock (outboards, SUPs, skippers) is genuinely worth booking with the boat rather than asking for on Saturday.
What We Recommend for Different Types of Crews
To make decisions easier, here are typical extra setups that work well for different kinds of guests:
- First‑time family on a catamaran: Skipper, safety net, at least one SUP, early check‑in if flights allow, maybe our cook if the budget allows and parents truly want time off.
- Experienced sailors with friends: Maybe no skipper, but still consider early check‑in, one or two SUPs and pre‑provisioning for the first day so you can leave the marina earlier.
- Couple or honeymoon on a smaller yacht: Skipper, or skipper and cook, depending on comfort level, one SUP, maybe airport transfers to keep logistics simple.
- Luxury or crewed yacht: Many extras are already included; focus instead on toys that matter to you (seabob, jet ski, e‑foil) and on food preferences rather than long lists of add‑ons.
We adjust these suggestions once we know more about your crew, ages and route ideas.
What we would actually add, by crew
| Crew | Worth it | Skip it |
|---|---|---|
| Two families with young children | Outboard, SUP, early check-in | Seabob, chef |
| Six friends, experienced | Outboard, Wi-Fi | Transfers |
| First-timers | Skipper, early check-in | Water toys — the skipper will find better bays |
| A special occasion | Our cook, provisioning delivery | Parking |
| One-way Split to Dubrovnik, where allowed | One-way fee, transfers | Early check-in — you want the morning |
The one extra almost nobody regrets is the outboard: without it the dinghy is a rowing boat, and every anchorage is suddenly a long way from shore.
How to Add or Change Extras With SkipperCity
Adding extras is not complicated, but there are time limits. Safety nets, skippers and some water toys are limited, so decide on them early and tick them at checkout when you book your yacht via the Boat Search or direct enquiry.
Small items like extra towels or parking can often be arranged closer to arrival. If you change your mind later, write to us: an extra added after booking is a request, confirmed subject to availability.
FAQ – Charter Extras in Croatia
Can we decide about a skipper when we arrive?
Not realistically: our skipper is booked by the whole week, with the boat or later in writing while one is free, and good skippers book out early for summer weeks. If you even suspect you might want one, add ours when you book. It is much easier to book our skipper for the week with the boat than to look for one at the last minute.
Are water toys included in the base price?
Basic items like a dinghy and often one SUP may be included on some boats, but not always. Each boat's page shows which toys are included and what can be rented as an extra, with the charter company's price.
Do we pay extras to SkipperCity or at the marina?
It depends on the operator and the type of extra. Some extras are paid in advance together with the charter fee, others are settled directly at check‑in. Our skipper and cook are always paid to us in advance, with the boat; your booking documents state clearly who else is paid, how and when – we prefer to remove surprises rather than hide them.
What happens if we do not use all the APA for toys and fuel?
On luxury and crewed charters any unused amount of APA is refunded at the end of the trip after the captain reviews accounts with you. If APA has been exceeded, you settle only the difference. We are always available to help you understand this before you sign anything.
How do we know which extras are worth it for our crew?
The easiest step is simply to tell us who is coming, when and which type of yacht you like from the Yacht Charter Croatia section. We will answer with a short, honest list: the 3–5 extras that will genuinely change your week, and the ones you can skip without regret.