Charter from Athens-Lavrion

[Brettsan]

Hi,

Heading off on first bareboat charter end of June.

Anybody any experience with charter company
Aegean Cruises
Aegean Cruises - Yacht Charter Greece Sailing Holidays Bareboat & Catamaran Charter in Greece

Also what's the best way to get internet access when sailing the Cyclades

[swagman]

Hi Matey,
I've no experience of the charter company but you'll find most marinas will have wifi - if not local bars.
Cheers
JOHN

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by swagman

Hi Matey,
I've no experience of the charter company but you'll find most marinas will have wifi - if not local bars.
Cheers
JOHN

It is one of few hundreds (or something like this) charter agents in Greece.
Let me tell You how does it work:
Somebody put up the company and get the license for acting as charter (and often tourist) agent. He look around for some boat owners to establish management contracts. He can obtain only very few such a contracts, as the general ratio of charter boats vs. charter agents in Greece is roughly 10 : 1 and healthy percentage of boats is in management of big companies like Vernicos or Kiriacoulis.
Next he put on his offer the boats under contact and all other boats he know about (from Internet pages of other agents, big operators and so on).
When You ask for a boat they are giving You preliminary offer (for some bargaining) and then phone around to find such a boat - may be from Vernicos, may be from Kiriacoulis, may be just from other agent, for splitting the fee.

So - in the matter of fact You never know what a boat are You to charter given time

If the agent is for some time on the market (and Aegean Cruises is not a new company) it does mean he is not worse than others. Probably not better also
I have my private "black list of agents" (for my chartering friends use) and Aegean Cruises is not on this list.

Generally speaking - in Greece (with few exceptions) it does not matter much which agent You do use.

On the other hand this system is slowly ruining the charter business in Greece - too much agents in a feeding line mean to little money going to the actual owners and this mean not the best upkeep of the boats.
But it is different story...

[Jacques2]

As internet access is concerned, there are not a lot of marinas in Greece, probably you will see one when arriving and another one when leaving ! Moorings are wonderful...
You have 2 solutions :
- to buy a 3G USB key for your laptop (see Vodaphone or Wind, (both have rates for 7 days periods)
- to use the wifi access you will find in a lot of cafés or spots people will indicate to you, and for that iPhone or iPad are fantastic...
Jacques2

[Looking Glass]

Never had much problems with Internet access. WiFi is in so many cafes, that only in the smallest places is sometime difficult to to find one.
If You want to use GSM service Vodafone has bigger coverage than Wind.

[st599]

Originally Posted by swagman

Hi Matey,
I've no experience of the charter company but you'll find most marinas will have wifi - if not local bars.
Cheers
JOHN

Not many marinas in that locale. You need to wander, find a cafe/bar with wifi and order a drink.

Make sure you get to Hydra early (i.e. Midday)

[evd46]

Originally Posted by Brettsan

Hi,

Heading off on first bareboat charter end of June.

Anybody any experience with charter company
Aegean Cruises
Aegean Cruises - Yacht Charter Greece Sailing Holidays Bareboat & Catamaran Charter in Greece

Although this answer comes too late for being of any help for you, I can recommend to you an honest charterer that offers good own boats and boats under hiw contracts, which offers bareboat charter from Gouvia marina in Kerkira (Corfu) and from Lavrio (SE of Athens, on east coast of Attica). I rented with him a Bavaria 40 and was very happy with the service.

For the rest, I don't have any relationship with that man: Christos Plegas; the company is OMEGASAIL.COM. He is fluent in English and... Greek