How to Choose the Right Charter Boat: Size, Cabins and Type

Scroll through a charter fleet for the first time and the choice can feel overwhelming — monohulls, catamarans, lengths in feet, cabin counts, and prices that swing wildly for boats that look broadly similar. But choosing the right yacht comes down to a handful of clear questions about your crew, your comfort and your budget. Answer those honestly and the field narrows quickly to a shortlist that genuinely fits your trip. Here's how to work through it.

The short answer

Match the boat to your crew first: enough cabins that nobody sleeps in the saloon, and a size that suits the group's confidence. Choose a monohull for the classic sailing feel and lower cost, or a catamaran for space, stability and comfort at a premium. Bigger boats are roomier but pricier and harder to handle. Pick the smallest boat that comfortably fits your people, then step up for comfort if the budget allows.

Monohull or catamaran?

This is the first and biggest fork, and the two are genuinely different holidays.

• Monohull — a single-hulled yacht that heels (leans) as it sails. It gives the traditional, exhilarating sailing feel, points better upwind, is cheaper to charter and to moor, and slips into tight harbours easily. The cabins are cosier and it rolls more at anchor. The classic, characterful choice.
• Catamaran — two hulls joined by a broad deck. It stays flat, so it barely heels under sail and rolls far less at anchor, which suits nervous or seasick-prone crews. It offers enormous living space, a huge cockpit, and cabins spread across two hulls for privacy. It costs more to charter and moor, and needs more room to manoeuvre.

If comfort, space and stability matter most, browse catamarans. If you're after the purest sailing and best value, a monohull wins. Anxious about motion? Our guide to avoiding seasickness explains why a catamaran is the steadier ride.

Match the cabins to your crew

Get this wrong and someone sleeps in the saloon all week. The rule is simple: count your sleeping units, then add a margin.

• A standard 45–50ft monohull sleeps eight in four double cabins — ideal for four couples or a group of eight.
• A comparable 45ft catamaran takes eight to ten comfortably, with cabins split across the hulls for extra privacy.
• Couples map neatly onto doubles; groups with singles need a plan — someone shares, pays a supplement, or takes a saloon berth. Decide this before you book.
• Don't max out the cabins. A boat sold as "sleeps ten" is snug with ten aboard; the same boat with eight is luxurious. Leave breathing room if the budget allows.

For dividing those cabins fairly once you've chosen, see how splitting a charter cost works.

Length versus comfort

Length isn't just about how many berths you get — it changes the whole feel of the boat.

• Longer boats are more comfortable. More waterline means a smoother, faster, drier ride, plus bigger cabins, more headroom and more storage.
• But length costs on every axis. The charter fee, the mooring fees, the fuel and the effort of handling all rise with size. A 55ft yacht is a big machine to berth stern-to in a crosswind.
• The sweet spot for most groups is 45–50ft. Roomy enough for eight, still manageable, still affordable to moor.
• Bareboat? Be honest about your skills. Don't take a boat bigger than the crew's experience can comfortably handle. If in doubt, size down or hire a skipper.

Budget and performance

Two final filters usually settle the shortlist.

• Budget. Newer, larger and catamaran-rigged boats cost more; older, smaller monohulls cost less for the same cruising ground. Remember the charter fee is only part of the picture — factor fuel, mooring, provisioning and any skipper into the per-person maths.
• Performance vs cruising ease. Some boats are built to sail fast and reward an active crew; others are "cruising" designs that prioritise comfort, easy handling and space over speed. For a relaxed island-hopping holiday, choose comfort. For a crew that wants to properly sail, a livelier performance boat pays off.

When you browse the fleet, filter by cabins, type and cruising ground first, then sort by price — the right boat tends to reveal itself fast once the crew's needs are set.

Frequently asked questions

Monohull or catamaran for a first charter? A catamaran is the more comfortable, stable and forgiving choice, especially for nervous or seasick-prone crews — but it costs more. A monohull is cheaper and more characterful. Both make excellent first boats.

How many cabins do I need? One double per couple, plus a plan for any singles. Don't fill every berth — a boat is far nicer with a cabin to spare if the budget stretches.

What size boat should we charter? For a group of eight, a 45–50ft yacht hits the sweet spot: roomy, manageable and affordable to moor. Go larger only for more space and comfort, not just more berths.

Is a bigger boat harder to sail? Yes. Length adds comfort but also cost and handling effort. If you're going bareboat, don't take a boat beyond your crew's experience — size down or hire a skipper.

Ready to shortlist? Browse the fleet and filter by cabins and type — or compare the space and stability of a catamaran against a classic monohull in Greece.