Every charter we run comes with crew: a captain and a steward, both included in the price. You need no licence, there is no handling deposit and we ask for no paperwork. You choose the stops and the timing; the captain owns whether the day works and whether it is safe. Here is what the crew actually does, and where the line runs between your decisions and theirs.
Do you need a licence?
For a crewed charter, no — and it is the first thing people ask. No licence, no experience, no deposit for handling the boat. She is insured and the responsibility for her is ours.
Licences come up in a different scenario: taking a boat without crew and driving it yourself. There the requirements depend on engine power and on the operator, which makes it a question for whoever rents it out. The difference between the three ways to get on the water is set out in our comparison of a boat, a group tour and a yacht.
What the captain does besides steering
Steering is the smaller half of the job. The rest is decisions that cannot be made from shore.
Building the day around light and weather. The Blue Cave glows between 11:00 and 12:00, and the entire western route is planned backwards from it: leave at nine, about two hours of cruising, arrive inside the window. The timing is broken down here.
Choosing where to stop. Where to anchor so the water is clear and the boat sits still; where to moor so you do not lose an hour on the approach.
Ordering oysters from the water. At Kamenari the order goes in from the boat and the farm brings it out. A table at a waterside restaurant gets booked the same way, while guests are still swimming.
Changing the route when it needs changing. More on that below.
What the steward does
The other half of the crew makes sure nothing on deck has to be asked for. Towels, ice, water and fruit appear on their own. Paddleboards, masks and the underwater scooter are ready by the time the boat stops. The table is set for lunch, the grill is lit, the music runs from your phone.
All of it is in the charter price. Only a private chef (€300), a photographer (€200) and celebration decor (€150) are ordered separately.
How the captain reshapes the route around weather
Two directions run from Porto Montenegro, and they treat wind very differently.
The eastern route stays inside the Bay of Kotor: Kotor, Perast, the islands, Dobrota. Swell almost never reaches there, even in fresh conditions.
The western route leaves the bay for open sea, toward the submarine docks, Mamula and the Blue Cave. It is the only part of our map that depends on the weather.
So in fresh wind the day is not cancelled; it changes direction. Instead of the cave you get a full day inside the bay. The call is made in the morning, before departure, and it is discussed with you. The eastern day, hour by hour, shows what fits into it.
If going out is impossible altogether, the charter moves to any free date at no cost and with no cancellation fee. We watch the forecast two days ahead and get in touch ourselves when a risk appears.
With children and with a dog
A crewed day with children works differently from one without: no adult has to watch the kids and drive at the same time. Child-sized life jackets, inflatable loungers and toys are aboard, and a children's menu comes on request. Ages are worth mentioning at booking so the right jackets are ready in advance.
Small and medium dogs come along: there is a designated area on the sundeck and freshwater bowls aboard.
What you decide
The line is easiest to describe through examples.
Yours: where to go, how long to stay at each stop, when and where to eat, whether to swim or move on, what music plays, when to head back.
The captain's: whether open sea is sensible today, where it is safe to anchor, how to come alongside, what to do if the wind gets up.
They overlap in one place: when your choice runs into safety, the captain decides. Across seven seasons that has been rare, and it has always been discussed before departure rather than at sea.
Prices by duration, both routes and open dates are on our private charter page. Send us your dates and how many you are; we will propose the route ourselves, built around the weather and around why you are going out at all.
Frequently asked questions
Not for our charters. The captain drives, there is no handling deposit and no paperwork is asked of you. A licence only comes up if you take a boat without crew, where the requirements depend on engine power and on the operator renting it.
A steward, responsible for everything that happens on deck: towels, ice, water and fruit appear without being asked, the water gear is ready by the time you stop, the table is set for lunch. The crew is included in the charter price.
You choose the stops; the captain owns safety and sequence. If there is swell at the mouth of the bay, the western route to the cave becomes an eastern one. That gets discussed in the morning rather than at sea, and the day stays full.
Yes, in calm water with the captain beside you. This is not a bareboat charter: responsibility for the vessel stays with us either way. Children usually enjoy it more than adults do, and we are ready for that.
