Why Now is the Best Time to Book Your 2026 Sailing Holiday

It’s January, which makes it one of the best times to lock in a boat for summer 2026. Early Bird deals are already live, and booking now usually means better prices, a much wider choice of sailboats and catamarans, cheaper flights, and flexible terms. If you wait for last-minute offers, you might still find a great price, but you’ll be choosing from what’s left. Let’s break down why booking your dream boat early in the year is the smartest move for a fantastic (and budget-friendly) summer on the water.

You still get great prices, often with meaningful discounts

Charter companies reward early planners because it helps them lock in their season. In practice, that’s why you’ll often see Early Bird Deals in the range of 15 to 30 percent, and sometimes higher depending on the boat and dates. Even a “normal” discount can be a real saving on a one-week charter.

Example: If a sailing yacht in Croatia costs €3,000 for a week at the standard rate, a 20 percent Early Bird deal saves you €600. On a €6,000 catamaran week in Greece, the same 20 percent is €1,200. That’s not pocket change. It’s your flights, marina fees, or a very solid onboard budget.

Early booking also tends to be easier on cash flow because you usually secure the boat with a deposit and pay the rest closer to departure. So you lock the discount now without paying everything immediately.

The Best Selection: No Need to Settle for Second-Best

Last minute deals can be excellent, but they come with a catch: you are picking from what’s left. Early booking is the opposite. In January, the inventory is wide open, meaning you can choose what actually fits your trip, not what happens to be available.

Think about what people really care about on charter:

The right base (Split vs Dubrovnik, Athens vs Lefkada)
The right layout (enough cabins, sensible bathrooms)
The right comfort level (AC, generator, watermaker, newer model year)
The right dates (school holidays, fixed vacation weeks)

Those are exactly the things you lose first. The best boats and the best weeks disappear early, especially in Croatia and Greece. If you wait, you might still find a discount, but you may have to compromise on model, marina, or dates.

A simple scenario:

You want a catamaran for two couples in Greece in early August, ideally with AC and a good salon layout (f.e, this one :)). In January, you can still choose between multiple boats that match. In July, you might find a discounted catamaran, but it could be older, in a different base, or missing key features. Same price feeling, worse fit.

Flights are often cheaper when you can plan properly

Boat availability is only one part of the trip. If you’re flying to Split, Dubrovnik, Athens, or another hub, booking early gives you a better shot at cheaper fares and better flight times. Waiting for a last minute boat deal can backfire if your flights become expensive or awkward. The savings you hoped for on the charter can disappear in travel costs.

Let’s say you’re flying a crew of friends from London to Athens for a Greek Islands charter. If you book flights in winter, you might find round-trip fares for, hypothetically, €150 to €200 per person. Wait until June, and those same flights could easily cost double. The same goes for other logistics like hotel nights before or after your charter or connecting ferries. Booking early often means more availability and better rates.

Flexibility is usually better than people assume

Booking early does not have to mean taking a big risk. Many offers come with flexible cancellation policies or optional cancellation protection. The point is simple: you can lock in the best boat and a strong price now, without feeling trapped if plans change. Always check the exact terms per boat, but the “book early equals risky” idea is often outdated.

If you already know you want to charter a yacht in Croatia or Greece in 2026, January is the high value moment to act. Discounts are meaningful, the selection is still broad, flights are usually cheaper when you can plan ahead, and you can often keep flexibility through cancellation terms. If you wait, the deal might still exist, but your options will shrink, and the compromises tend to show up exactly where it hurts: boat quality, layout, base, or dates.