01Choosing the right yacht
Start with the day you imagine rather than the length of the yacht. The fleet runs from 9 to 44 metres in four classes. A sport yacht covers the most coastline, so a single day can reach Sa Dragonera or the calas of the south-east, and it suits a half day or a sunset just as well. A motor yacht adds shade and interior space and, on yachts such as the Sunseeker 76, cabins for a night aboard. Our two sailing catamarans, for up to 45 and 65 guests, trade speed for quiet and give a large group a stable, level deck for a celebration. A superyacht brings a professional crew, a tender and water toys, and the Admiral 44 and the Technema 85 are made for longer voyages.
Group size matters too. Every yacht has a maximum number of guests set by its registration and licence, and many larger yachts are limited to 12 on charter, because carrying more brings passenger ship rules.
02Where to go around Mallorca
A yacht charter from Palma can start at one of the city's marinas or nearby at Puerto Portals or Port Adriano. Within a short cruise lie the view of La Seu cathedral from the sea, the islets off Illetes and the pine-fringed coves of Portals Vells. To the west, Port d'Andratx and the protected island of Sa Dragonera fill a full day. To the south, the Cabrera Archipelago National Park rewards those who plan ahead, and the south-east coast holds the turquoise calas around Cala Mondragó and Cala Llombards.
The Tramuntana coast and the north, from Port de Sóller to Cap de Formentor, and the crossing to Ibiza and Formentera suit charters of several days. The wind decides the order: when the tramuntana blows from the north or north-west, the south-east usually lies sheltered in the lee of the mountains.
03Crew and service on board
On every charter with Serman Yacht Charter, the captain is responsible for the yacht, the guests and navigation, and shapes the route each day around the forecast and the anchoring rules. On larger yachts the captain leads a crew: deck crew for the tender, water toys and mooring, interior crew for cabins, table service and drinks, a chef who cooks for your group alone and, on the largest yachts, engineers who keep everything running quietly.
Before a week aboard you complete a preference sheet covering allergies, favourite dishes and wines, dining style and activities, so the chef can provision in advance. Good crews read a group quickly and adapt the rhythm of each day. Gratuity for the crew is at your discretion.
04Planning and the season
The main charter season runs from spring into autumn, with May to September at its core. June brings the longest days and quieter coves before the peak. July and August bring the liveliest harbours and, by August, usually the warmest sea, so a good captain starts early to find space in the calas. September is worth a look: the sea is usually warmer than in June and the anchorages grow quieter after the August peak. October extends the season in mild weather, with plans kept flexible.
Some dates need planning well ahead: high summer, a particular yacht, a full week, a night in Cabrera, and event weeks such as the Palma International Boat Show, usually held in spring, and the Copa del Rey MAPFRE regatta, usually in late July and early August.
05What a quote covers
Prices are always on request, because they depend on the yacht, the dates, the length of the charter and the route. A day charter quote names the yacht for the agreed hours, the captain and crew, the fuel terms and any catering or extras. Many crewed week charters in the Mediterranean are contracted on MYBA terms, where the charter fee covers the yacht and her crew, while running costs such as fuel, food, drinks and berths are paid separately through an Advance Provisioning Allowance, or APA.
As a general industry guide, brokers commonly put the APA at around 25-40% of the charter fee, with the exact figure set in each yacht's charter contract. The captain manages it, keeps every receipt and returns any unused balance at the end of the week. Some yachts are offered on other terms, so check what the fee includes, how VAT applies and whether delivery fees apply if you board away from the yacht's base.
06Responsible yachting in the Balearics
Mallorca's coastal waters are home to meadows of Posidonia oceanica, a seagrass found only in the Mediterranean that shelters marine life and protects sandy beaches from erosion. Under the Balearic Decree 25/2018, anchoring on Posidonia is prohibited as a general rule, so your captain anchors on sand or uses an authorised buoy and keeps the chain clear of the meadow. In regulated buoy fields, such as the one between Sant Elm and Sa Dragonera, boats must tie up to the installed buoys instead of anchoring, and the Balearic government runs an online buoy booking service.
Cabrera National Park requires prior authorisation to navigate and moor, on reserved park buoys, with a cap of fifty boats a day and stays limited to two nights in July and August and seven nights the rest of the year. Your crew also keeps clear of the swimming areas buoyed off the beaches in summer and leaves every cove as it was found.
