Frequently Asked Questions

Pick your vessel and dates, fill in guest details, and pay a 30% deposit via Stripe to confirm. The captain receives the booking instantly. The remaining 70% is due 4–6 weeks before departure, payable by bank transfer or card.

Yes — submit an inquiry and the captain will hold the dates while you decide. We don't lock the boat until the deposit is paid; the deposit is what secures the dates.

Standard: deposits are non-refundable but transferable to a future date with at least 60 days' notice. Within 60 days of departure, the captain may keep the deposit. Some captains offer more flexible terms — check the vessel page or ask in your inquiry.

Full deposit refunded immediately, and we'll help you find an equivalent vessel for the same dates if possible. Captain-initiated cancellations are rare and almost always weather or safety related.

Charter prices are quoted in EUR. Deposits are charged in EUR via Stripe; your card is auto-converted at the bank's rate.

It depends on the charter style, and the vessel page states it clearly. Crewed charters typically include captain and crew, bed linen, towels and standard port fees on the planned route; catering is either half-board or provisioned to your menu. Skippered sailing charters are leaner — the skipper plus the boat, with provisioning and marina fees on top.

Dinners ashore, alcohol, fuel beyond the standard allowance, marina berths outside the planned route (Capri and Portofino berths in season are notoriously premium — anchoring and tendering in is the usual play), and crew gratuities.

5–15% of the charter price, depending on service, is the Mediterranean crewed-charter norm — entirely at your discretion, in cash (EUR), handed to the captain for the crew.

Yes — vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, kosher, and halal are all routine on catered charters. Mention restrictions in your inquiry so provisioning is right from day one.

Most crewed vessels carry life jackets in adult and child sizes; netting can often be arranged on catamarans. Tuscany & Elba and the Amalfi Coast are the easiest grounds for families — short hops, sandy coves, gelato ashore.

Most vessels have onboard WiFi via the captain's mobile data, fine for messaging and email. Italian 4G/5G coverage is strong along the coast and around the islands.

All captains on DolceSail speak English. Most are Italian and many also speak German or French; the vessel page lists exact languages.

Italy is in the Schengen area. EU/EEA citizens travel freely; UK, US, Australian and many other passports get visa-free short stays (ETIAS authorisation applies to visa-exempt travellers). Check your nationality's Schengen rules before travelling.

Yes — all guests must carry travel insurance covering medical, repatriation and trip cancellation, including "sailing as a passenger". The captain may ask for proof at boarding.

Often, yes. Sardinia charters routinely day-trip to Bonifacio in Corsica (France), and longer Venice charters can reach Istria (Croatia — non-Schengen formalities apply). Bring passports; your captain handles the paperwork.

Charters depart from marinas near the cruising ground: Naples (NAP) or Salerno for the Amalfi Coast, Olbia (OLB) for Sardinia, Catania (CTA) or Palermo (PMO) for the Aeolians, Pisa (PSA) for Tuscany, Genoa (GOA) for Liguria, Venice (VCE) for the lagoon. The captain sends exact boarding instructions 7 days before departure.

Yes — every vessel on DolceSail must be commercially registered for charter and insured, with crew qualified under Italian and EU maritime regulations. We verify this before listing claimed vessels.

Crewed: captain plus crew (often a chef) run the whole trip — the classic Amalfi experience. Skippered: a professional skipper sails the boat, you live aboard more independently — common on Sardinia and Aeolian sailing charters. Cabin charter: you buy a cabin on a fixed-itinerary departure and share the boat.

Editorial listings are vessels we've added from public information but the captain hasn't yet claimed. Booking goes through our concierge — submit an inquiry and we'll connect you directly. We honour captain takedown requests within 48 hours.

If you're already in Italy, most captains welcome a marina visit — schedule it via the inquiry form. Otherwise the photos and reviews on the listing are what's available.