A Corfu private yacht cruise gives your group a whole boat and crew for a day on the Ionian Sea. Routes reach the Old Fortress, Mouse Island, Paxos, Sivota and the Diapontia Islands. Find more island days out on Greece Tours.
This page sets out the boats, routes, hours, inclusions, season and booking steps for a Corfu private yacht cruise.
What is a Corfu private yacht cruise?
A Corfu private yacht cruise gives your group the whole boat and crew. No other guests join. GetYourGuide prices these cruises per group, with a stated guest limit. The listings run from 2 hours to a full day.
Messonghi Travel Center explains the difference from a shared trip. A Corfu private yacht cruise agrees the route with you and adjusts it when the sea allows. A shared trip follows a published itinerary with fixed stops.
GetYourGuide tags these listings as private group and small group. The guest cap on the cruises below runs from 5 to 10. That suits a family or a circle of friends.
Mar-Bella Collection invites guests to design their own Corfu private yacht cruise, to villages, islands and beaches. It offers a handpicked list of cruises and adds others on request.
Our Corfu yacht charter page covers multi-day hire. This page follows each Corfu private yacht cruise route by route, from the first fortress to the far islands.
Which boats run a Corfu private yacht cruise?
Five boat types run a Corfu private yacht cruise. They are sailing yachts, motor yachts, a speed boat, a wooden boat and a catamaran. Each listing names its boat and its guest limit, so match the boat to your group before you book.
GetYourGuide lists a private half-day sailing yacht cruise along the north-east coast for up to 10 guests. The listing includes snacks and soft and alcoholic drinks.
A Sunseeker Predator 60 takes up to 10 guests to the north-east bays. The listing names three cabins, two bathrooms and a two-person crew.
A traditional wooden boat leaves Corfu Town for a three-hour cruise with up to 10 guests. The listing calls it shaded. A speed boat runs for four hours with up to 8 guests and carries snorkelling gear.
Viator lists a four-hour private boat cruise and a four-hour private day cruise with a sailboat. It adds a private half-day catamaran cruise and a private sunset cruise to Mouse Island.
Messonghi Travel Center lists what to confirm before a Corfu private yacht cruise. Ask about licensed capacity, toilets, shade, boarding method and seating.
Where does a Corfu private yacht cruise start?
A Corfu private yacht cruise starts at Gouvia Marina or the New Fortress Marina in Corfu Town. Balos Yachts runs selected cruises from three more bases: NAOK Marina, Kassiopi port and Benitses Marina.
Wikipedia calls Gouvia the site of the largest marina on Corfu. It notes the remains of a Venetian shipyard in the village.
Balos Yachts says the Green and Blue buses both stop outside Gouvia Marina on the main road. A taxi reaches the marina easily, and guests with a rental car find parking space.
One GetYourGuide sailing cruise departs from Corfu Port at the New Fortress Marina. Balos Yachts puts that marina 1.5 to 2 kilometres from the cruise ship terminal, depending on where the ship docks.
Manatos Boat Cruises works from the Old Port in Corfu Town. It offers private full-day and half-day trips with a skipper. Balos Yachts says it has delivered over 1,100 cruises a year for the past 10 years.
A Corfu private yacht cruise can also start in the south. Messonghi Travel Center lists Messonghi, Moraitika, Boukari, Petriti, Benitses, Lefkimmi, Kavos and Corfu Town as boarding areas. It confirms the exact point for each boat and route.
What does the central east coast route show?
The central east coast route passes two fortresses, the old town, Garitsa Bay, Mouse Island, Vido and Lazareto. The GetYourGuide Corfu private yacht cruise on this route lasts 3.5 to 4 hours. It takes up to 8 guests and stops for swimming.
Wikipedia says the Old Fortress covers the promontory that separates Garitsa Bay from the Gulf of Kerkyra. The Venetians cut a moat that turned it into an island. The New Fortress stands on the hill of St Mark.
Vido lies about 1 kilometre north of the Old Fortress, at the mouth of the port. In the First World War it served as a hospital island for sick Serbian soldiers. Serbs later erected a monument of gratitude there.
A Corfu private yacht cruise also passes Lazaretto Island, 1.1 kilometres off the north-east coast of the city. Venetians built a monastery on the islet in the early 16th century.
Mouse Island, Pontikonisi in Greek, carries a Byzantine chapel of Christ Pantokrator from the 11th or 12th century.
A four-hour motor yacht listing for up to 5 guests adds Mon Repos Palace to the same coast. The Old Town private cruise of Mar-Bella Collection adds a swim at one of the more secluded beaches.
Which bays does the north-east coast route cover?
The north-east coast route links the bays between Corfu Town and Kassiopi: Kardaki, Barbati, Nissaki, Keriases and Agni. Listings run from 4 hours to 8 hours, and the hours you book decide how far north the boat sails.
GetYourGuide’s seven-hour north-east cruise takes up to 10 guests. It visits Barbati Beach and a second secluded beach. It also offers an optional lunch at Agni Bay.
The four-hour north-side trip for up to 7 guests sails past Mouse Island. It then passes Kardaki Beach, Vido, Barbati, Nissaki and Keriases Beach.
On this coast a Corfu private yacht cruise can stop at Gialiskari Beach. The Corfu Experience calls it mainly accessible by boat, with fine golden sand and vegetation that nearly reaches the sea. Lunch follows in a small fishing village.
What do the Durrell stops add to a Corfu private yacht cruise?
The Durrell stops tie the north-east coast to Gerald and Lawrence Durrell. Mar-Bella Collection runs a private cruise in the footsteps of the Durrells. It swims first off Kontokali, then calls at Kouloura and Kalami.
The first stop is the Daffodil Yellow villa in Kontokali. Mar-Bella Collection names it among the houses the Durrells lived in during their four years on Corfu.
Gerald Durrell wrote his book My Family and Other Animals at Kouloura. Lawrence Durrell lived at Kalami for 18 months with his wife.
On its Corfu private yacht cruise, the Corfu Experience anchors in the bay at Kalami. It points out the White House, which it says became the setting for a British TV series about the family.
A GetYourGuide full-day yacht listing names the Durrells’ House among the sights seen from the water.
Part of Gerald Durrell’s ashes were scattered on Mouse Island, says Wikipedia. The Durrells swam out to it as children.
Why add Kassiopi and Erimitis to a Corfu private yacht cruise?
Kassiopi and Erimitis sit on the north-east coast, so they suit a long day. GetYourGuide lists an eight-hour private boat tour for up to 8 guests. It also lists a four-hour speed boat cruise for up to 8 guests.
The eight-hour tour explores the hidden beaches of Erimitis, with swimming and snorkelling. It also sees Kassiopi, a fishing village with a coastal fortress. The speed boat cruise visits Kassiopi bay and the Erimitis coves.
Kassiopi Castle looks over the Corfu Channel. Its walls are mainly Byzantine, and the Venetians strengthened them.
Wikipedia gives the straits between Corfu’s north-east edge and Sarandë in Albania a width of 3 to 23 kilometres.
The Corfu Experience says a protected forest surrounds Erimitis Beach. It adds that the panoramic view comes only from the sea.
Can a Corfu private yacht cruise reach Paxos and Antipaxos?
Yes. A Corfu private yacht cruise reaches Paxos and Antipaxos in one long day. GetYourGuide lists an eight-hour private yacht cruise for up to 9 guests. A Sunseeker Predator 60 trip takes up to 10 guests.
The 9-guest listing circles Paxos and Antipaxos on a private yacht. The crew takes you along cliffs, secluded sea caves and quiet bays. You can choose an island walk instead.
Wikipedia says Paxos lies about 15 kilometres off the southern end of Corfu. It ranks Paxos last by size among the seven main Ionian Islands. Antipaxos lies about 3 kilometres south of Paxos.
Steep white cliffs on the west coast of Paxos hold the blue caves. The islets of Agios Nikolaos and Panagia protect the harbour of Gaios.
Antipaxos has three main beaches: Vrika with white sand, and Mesovrika and Voutoumi with pebbles.
In the tourist season, public boats from Corfu reach Paxos in 1 to 2 hours, says Wikipedia. Antipaxos is a 15-minute sea-taxi ride from the port of Gaios.
The Corfu Experience plans its Paxos day in five stops. It runs from the Old Town coast to Lakka Bay, the blue caves and Antipaxos. Lunch at a taverna in Gaios harbour closes the day.
The same operator says the date, the departure point or the weather can change the plan.
Prefer a shared boat? Our Paxos day trip from Corfu page covers the group cruise.
Can a Corfu private yacht cruise visit Sivota and the Blue Lagoon?
Yes. Sivota and the Blue Lagoon lie on the mainland coast of Thesprotia, which faces the south-east of Corfu. GetYourGuide lists an eight-hour private yacht cruise from Corfu to Sivota for up to 10 guests.
This Corfu private yacht cruise uses a Sunseeker Predator 60. The listing promises swims in turquoise water and views of the bays and the coast.
Wikipedia credits the beaches on the islets just offshore for the growth of Syvota as a resort. It adds that the Battle of Sybota took place here in antiquity.
Wikipedia reports that Thucydides called it the largest sea battle fought between Greek city-states up to then.
The Corfu Experience adds Bella Vraka, a sandy passage that joins Syvota to the island of Mourtemeno. It also visits the Papanikolis sea cave and says swimming inside is not permitted, for safety reasons.
The same operator ends the day with lunch at a taverna in Sivota.
Which west-coast bays can a private cruise reach at Paleokastritsa?
A private cruise at Paleokastritsa reaches the beaches and sea caves of the west coast. GetYourGuide lists a two-hour private cruise for up to 9 guests, the shortest private cruise on this page.
Wikipedia describes Palaiokastritsa as a village in north-west Corfu, known for its cliffs and nearby beaches. The name means Old Little Castle and refers to nearby Angelokastro.
The village monastery is from the 13th century, and a museum sits inside it. Wikipedia also notes a suggestion that the bay is where Odysseus first met Nausicaa.
The shared boat formats for the same caves sit on our Corfu cave tour page. Book the private cruise when you want the cave swim without a fixed timetable.
Can a private boat sail to the Diapontia Islands?
Yes. The Corfu Experience runs a private boat tour to the Diapontia Islands, 6 kilometres north-west of Corfu. Its stops include the Cave of Calypso on Othonoi, Aspri Ammos beach, Kastri lighthouse and Porto beach on Erikoussa.
Wikipedia calls Othonoi the westernmost point of Greece and the largest of the Diapontian Islands. The island has 457 residents.
Aspri Ammos beach lies on the west of Othonoi and is reachable only by boat. The Cave of Calypso sits near it. According to legend, Homer called Othonoi Ogygia, where the nymph Calypso held Odysseus for seven years.
The lighthouse at Akro Kastri dates from the 19th century. Mathraki is a 45-minute boat ride off the coast of Corfu, with three restaurants that double as general stores.
The Corfu Experience sails to the Diapontia Islands on a limited number of dates. It advises early booking for a Corfu private yacht cruise to the far north-west.
How long does a Corfu private yacht cruise last?
A Corfu private yacht cruise lasts from 2 hours to a full 8-hour day. Half-day cruises take 3 to 4 hours. The Paxos, Sivota and north-east coast day cruises take 7 to 8 hours.
Balos Yachts sells half-day, full-day and extra full-day cruises. The Corfu Experience lists its Paxos and Sivota cruises at 8 hours and its eastern coastline tour at 7 hours.
GetYourGuide shows the same spread of hours for a Corfu private yacht cruise. The Paleokastritsa cruise takes 2 hours, the wooden boat 3 hours and the sailing yacht 4 hours.
Distance drives the hours. Messonghi Travel Center notes that Paxos, Antipaxos and Sivota need more cruising and fuel than a nearby coastal route.
Wikipedia gives the Corfu coastline a length of 217 kilometres including capes. A day cruise covers one stretch of it.
What does a Corfu private yacht cruise include?
Inclusions differ by boat, so read each listing. The sailing yacht lists snacks and drinks. The speed boat lists snorkelling gear, wine, beer and Greek snacks. The full-day north-east yacht lists lunch.
The Corfu Experience sells each Corfu private yacht cruise as one package. It covers hotel pick-up and return, a captain and hostess, and local wines, beers, soft drinks, snacks and fruit.
The same package adds snorkelling and SUP gear, beach towels, a taverna lunch, fuel, port fees, taxes and insurance.
Its cocktails draw on island products. One mixes kumquat liqueur with prosecco and ginger beer, and another mixes gin with mastic and grapefruit juice.
Manatos Boat Cruises says its single price covers fuel, drinks and snacks.
Messonghi Travel Center warns that fuel is only sometimes included. For any Corfu private yacht cruise, ask whether the quote covers your exact route. Check that the skipper is included for the whole charter.
How big a group fits on a Corfu private yacht cruise?
A Corfu private yacht cruise takes 5 to 12 guests. The GetYourGuide listings here cap the group at 5, 7, 8, 9 or 10 guests. The Corfu Experience takes up to 12 guests on a private booking.
The 5-guest caps belong to the four-hour motor yacht around the Old Town and the eight-hour north-east yacht. The 10-guest caps cover the Sunseeker yachts, the sailing yacht and the wooden boat.
The Corfu Experience asks larger private groups to request a quote. Messonghi Travel Center arranges private charters for groups from 2 to 25 guests.
Count every guest on a Corfu private yacht cruise. Messonghi Travel Center asks for the number of adults, children and babies. Capacity and safety arrangements depend on the total and on the ages.
What licence and safety rules apply to a Corfu private yacht cruise?
A qualified professional crew operates a skippered Corfu private yacht cruise, so passengers need no boating licence. A licence question arises only for self-drive hire. Safety rules still apply to every guest, starting with the briefing.
Messonghi Travel Center says a skipper handles navigation, anchoring and docking. Guests need no boating experience on a fully crewed charter.
Self-drive boats follow other rules. Messonghi Travel Center tells guests to get written confirmation from the rental company. The confirmation covers the licence and the documents the boat needs.
Wikipedia notes that motor boats for hire at Kassiopi can be driven in daytime only.
Messonghi Travel Center asks guests to confirm that the operator runs the vessel commercially. The boat needs a crew and safety equipment for its licensed passengers. At the briefing, learn where the life jackets are stored, how boarding works and what to do in an emergency.
Tell the operator about babies, non-swimmers, pregnancy and mobility needs before you book. Balos Yachts adds that its crew keeps a high-speed boat ready to assist.
When does a Corfu private yacht cruise run?
A Corfu private yacht cruise runs from spring into autumn. Messonghi Travel Center names July and August as the busiest months. Wikipedia describes the summers of Corfu as hot and dry.
Messonghi Travel Center says June brings comfortable temperatures and less demand than July and August. It describes September as a month of warm water and a relaxed mood. Autumn then brings shorter daylight and variable weather.
Wikipedia classes Corfu as a hot-summer Mediterranean climate. Its winters are mild to cool, with more rain than the other Greek islands receive.
Weather can change a Corfu private yacht cruise. A captain can alter the route, drop a swimming stop or return early. Wind, waves, traffic or harbour conditions can require it. No month guarantees a flat sea every day.
What do you pack for a Corfu private yacht cruise?
Pack sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses. Add swimwear, a towel, a light layer, any prescribed medication and a waterproof phone case. Messonghi Travel Center lists this kit for a Corfu private yacht cruise.
Wear soft, non-slip shoes when the crew asks for them. Wet decks, steps and boarding ladders need careful movement.
Messonghi Travel Center adds a sun rule: use shade, carry water and avoid excess alcohol. It also asks guests to enter the water only after the crew gives permission.
Keep the sea clean. Do not drop plastic, cigarette ends or food packaging overboard, and do not touch marine life.
Who suits a Corfu private yacht cruise?
A Corfu private yacht cruise suits couples, families and friends who prefer to set their own pace. Messonghi Travel Center lists anniversaries, honeymoons, wedding proposals, birthdays and family reunions among the occasions it arranges.
Families talk through swimming confidence, shade and toilet facilities with the operator before they choose a boat. Older guests check the boarding method, the steps, the seating and the length of the route.
Balos Yachts lists private sunset cruises for proposals. Our Corfu sunset cruise page covers the evening departures.
How do you book a Corfu private yacht cruise?
Pick a route, a date and your exact group size. Then book on GetYourGuide or request a quote from an operator. The GetYourGuide cut-off times here run from 5 minutes to 10 hours ahead. Each listing carries a free cancellation label.
Messonghi Travel Center suggests a preferred date and a backup date. Private boats are limited in July and August, and one boat takes only one group for the confirmed period.
Send your hotel area too, so the operator can choose a boarding point. Then read the full quote: boat, hours, route, crew, fuel, food, drinks, equipment, transfers, payment terms and weather policy.
The Corfu Experience answers its request form with an itinerary, a map and weather notes. Keep the written confirmation, the meeting point and the contact number.
Browse all Corfu tours to compare land days with a Corfu private yacht cruise.
What do travellers ask about a Corfu private yacht cruise?
Can children join a private yacht cruise?
Children join subject to the boat, its licensed capacity and the captain’s guidance, says Messonghi Travel Center. Give every child’s age at booking so the crew can confirm suitable life jackets. The Corfu Experience requires children under 18 to travel with a parent or guardian.
Can non-swimmers go on the cruise?
Yes. Swimming is optional, and guests can stay aboard at every stop. Tell the operator in advance, says Messonghi Travel Center, and follow the crew’s instructions at each stop.
Can I change the route?
Within safe limits, yes. Messonghi Travel Center says the captain weighs weather, distance, fuel, timing and harbour access. The capability of the vessel counts too.
Can I hold a birthday on board?
Private birthday charters can be arranged, subject to vessel rules, group size and the services you request. Confirm catering, music and decorations in advance.
When is a shared cruise the better choice?
Messonghi Travel Center says a shared cruise stays more economical when price per person is the first concern. A private cruise is worth considering when privacy, comfort and a personal route matter more.
Can cruise ship passengers book a private cruise?
Yes. The Corfu Experience offers cruise passengers a private sea tour that starts at the Port of Corfu. It times the tour to the ship’s schedule. An optional Old Town visit comes with private transfers.