Navigare Yachting Reviews 31

Great trip. Great staff.

Naz was very helpful and very nice with us

All the services provided at the base were excellent. The best I've ever experienced across all the charters I've done.

After owning one yacht with Sunsail and one with Navigare I can compare their level of quality and service.
On the paper their owner contracts are almost identical. In reality there are no similarities.
Sunsail did hold all agreements in the contract down to the letter, Navigare didnt fullfill anything in the contract.

The Navigare salesoffice didnt take any responsability after the signing, just refering to the local Greek company, that rarely or never responded and didnt care about what was in the contract at all.
Björn Harkell at the salesoffice claimed that the contract was not with him or Navigare, but with the Greekoffice, even when his signature were on the contract.
Björn made lots of promises that were just downright lies.

At handover they first refused an independent survey and started threatening with harbor fees when we didnt accept the unrepaired yacht.
It took one and a half year to make them repair the yacht as stipulated in the contract.

Be aware of the ”businessmodel” that this fraudant company uses.

We had multiple issues with our boat, including no air conditioning in two out of four bedrooms, delays in boarding, dinghy not working, fridge door didn't seal and need bungeed, generator failure, and the list goes on. I contacted Navigare on several occasions via email, letter and phone call and never received a response regarding restitution. This was my HONEMOON!

Our experience with Navigare Yachting was extremely frustrating. Despite paying €200 for an early check-in, the handover started late, and the promised refund has still not been received. The mainsail was missing at delivery and was only brought on board in the evening.

Several defects were visible right from the start, and many more appeared during the week. Numerous systems were not working or only partially functional – including the AIS, stern thruster, engine displays and controls, bilge pump, winches, and the furling system of the genoa. Leaking hatches, unsecured cushions, incomplete inventory, missing kitchen utensils and bedding further added to the poor impression. Even the life raft was stored in a compartment full of water.

The most serious issue was a complete engine failure caused by a defective fuel pump. Navigare could not provide clear or accurate technical information about the fuel system, so we had to identify and fix the issue ourselves.

The yacht was in unacceptable technical condition, the organization was chaotic, and customer support was unhelpful. Overall, a very disappointing experience – definitely not recommended.

Despite having paid for an early check-in (€200), the handover started late. A refund was promised but has still not been issued. During the handover, the mainsail was missing and only delivered around 6:00 p.m. Several issues were already visible at delivery, and more appeared during the week.

Multiple systems were not working or only partially functional: AIS, stern thruster, engine displays, engine controls, bilge pump, winches, and the furling system of the genoa. In addition, hatches and spinlocks were leaking, cushions could not be secured, and the inventory list, bedding, and kitchen equipment were incomplete. The life raft was stored in a compartment filled with water.

Most serious was a complete engine failure caused by a defective fuel pump. Navigare was unable to provide clear information about which pump was connected to which tank, and we had to solve the problem ourselves.

Overall, the yacht was in very poor technical condition, the organization was unreliable, and customer service was unsatisfactory. A disappointing experience – not recommended.

Had an amazing Voyage through the BVI, and a very good experience with Navigare. Dawn/ Sales was very knowledgeable and helpful during the planning phase. Dion provided the review of all systems upon arrival and Bradley went over operation of the cat. We skippered ourselves and just motored from island to island. There were some minor issues with boat upon arrival; i.e. missing front cushion, exterior flat stove inoperative, AC out in one room & generator impeller. They recharged the AC, changed out the Generator impeller and gave us charcoal for the SS grill outside; all corrected within an hour or so. On the last day they sent a skipper out to bring us in, due to high winds. All in all a great trip- I’d book with them again.

I rented a catamaran that was advertised as a 2020, with A/C and electric WC only to find out that it did not have A/C, electric WC and certainly it was much older than 2020. I contacted the broker (Boataround) and they told me that the charter is responsible to provide the characteristics of the boats advertised on their platform. I came to the conclusion that overstating the amenities of the boat is their strategy to lure people to chose their boats vs the competition. The boat lacked even the very basic comforts (all cabins' curtains where ripped making it impossible to sleep after 5 am and there were no outside curtains making it impossible to have a meal in the shade). The depth sounder was out of order since day 1 making it impossible for the skipper to moor anywhere near the coast. Other things like the sails or some of the ropes were unsafe to use based on the skipper opinion. Once contacted by Boataround they did not want to take responsibility and lied about the status of the boat.

We chartered a 12 berth catamaran from Athens and paid 350 Euros fee for VIP service and drinks package, our group was kept waiting an hour at the meeting point only to be told the boat was not ready, the Kosmas Marina near Athens is under construction so they ask to meet you at a bar 1km away, this would be ok if the bar wanted you there but they didn't seem happy about having a group of ten people with luggage taking up their space.

Instead of leaving at 1pm the boat was not ready until after 5pm so we had no choice but to stay at the marina overnight and lost a day of sailing. The boat itself was very dirty and lacked basic equipment e.g. no broom, not enough cups and glasses and the brush for use with the dustpan was a wallpaper pasting brush! The VIP drinks package for 10 people was one bottle of wine! I've given the review two stars as a one of the local Navigare staff, a junior technical guy was very helpful but despite requesting several times the local manager Roman didn't address any of the concerns.
On return to Athens we were charged 2 Euro per litre of fuel compared to a local price of 1.50 euros- total rip off price. From what I was told by the local staff the boats are never ready for the VIP departure at 1pm so save your money and also refuel before returning the boat.

I see from other reviews that other people have similar experiences and Navigare say to contact their after care team- this is fine and while they may refund the overcharged money for the VIP service and not delivered and extra fuel cost it doesn't make up for the fact that you lose a day of your holiday sitting around not getting any information. If they're unable to deliver a VIP service they shouldn't pretend they can.

Athens Agios Kosmas
Boat: Oceanis 51.1 - Christina
Period: 08.06. - 15.06.24

Defects discovered during check in:
- Water tank leaking, resulting in constant water in the bilge
- Front sinks did not drain
- Door handles were missing
- Bowsprit severely damaged
- Sprayhood zippers defective
- Bimini zippers defective, fabric torn
- Webasto heater control buttons missing
- Truw wind sensor without function
- Inner shell had cracks
- No marking on the anchor chain
- Defective outboard motor (was replaced)
- Handle on one steering column broken

The check-in took a long time, as the repair of the water tank, the washbasin and the door handles began at around 14:15.
The technical staff made every effort to repair the defects (big praise to Costa).
In order to repair the defective wind sensor, a roof panel had to be removed and a plug had to be disconnected and reconnected several times until the data was transmitted back to the system.

After it was decided that we could set sail with the defects rectified (15.45), the Navigare employee responsible came and had the skipper sign three documents. Only then were the documents taken to Port Police. Supposedly we could set sail at 16.15.
The process went on until 18:00. The employee had already received the signatures at 1 p.m., which she did not consider necessary.

During the week, further defects were discovered on the yacht:
- the yacht did not run straight ahead, the center position on the devices did not match the rudder position which often resulted in the failure of the autopilot
- the B&G plotters were constantly overheating and simply switched off several times a day after freezing up
- the True Wind transducer kept failing
- the water tank kept leaking water, which we had to refill 5 times
- An oil-water mixture collected in the engine bilge and it smelled of burnt oil
- The freezer drain was defective, about 5 liters of water collected in it
- A toilet was leaking, the fastening screws could not be tightened and was therefore unusable
- the diesel and water display on the control panel did not show the correct values

In general, I ask myself what kind of expectations are placed on a crew that pays almost 5000 euros for a yacht.
I'm not talking about the visual or hygienic conditions here. These were catastrophic on this yacht. Lots of dirt, hair, leftover food in the gaps in the floorboards and underneath (we found old shoes, care products etc.). Torn upholstery (foam was visible) with stains. Damaged interior fittings, lockers that don't hold, broken latches in the back box, etc.
For me, the safety-relevant things such as the failure of the electronics, the engine leaking oil, the leaking toilet, no markings on the anchor chain, etc. are much more important.
The maintenance backlog is manageable, but the service backlog on the technical parts is not.

The toilet would also have been noticed at check-in, but the water tank repair prevented us from doing so.

You can see that things can be different with charter companies like Pitter. Even the oldest yachts there are in perfect technical condition.

In any case, Navigare will no longer be considered for the next booking

A week's vacation with fantastic swimming spots, great restaurants, and an unbeatable sailing adventure. Our skipper Flu planned a fantastic route for us and gave us the best possible conditions to enjoy the week. I highly recommend him and give him a 10/10 rating. The experience with Navigare Yachting was also completely hassle-free and has been a positive experience from start to finish. I highly recommend it and will definitely come back.

We had an amazing sailing experience in Croatia with Navigare Yachting! For any Americans thinking about visiting this region, we highly recommend chartering a boat to see the beautiful coastline. We added a captain since no one in our group had the sailing experience, but it was great to have a local skipper to take care of everything. Hvar Island was by far our favorite stop, but our skipper took us to a few exclusive lagoons and swimming spots and always made sure we were having fun and seeing beautiful places. Thanks again, we'll definitely be back for more!

My issues with the company/service provided and the boat are the following:
1. The boat was not ready as agreed upon for early "VIP" access to the vessel. When we arrived we were not greeted nor shown our boat by any of the staff. We waited over an hour before we decided to just go and find the vessel ourselves. I had to request for the boat to be re-cleaned. This occurred at 5:00pm. Once cleaned and unpacked we still were not greeted by a staff member to advise us on what to do next. We did not get asked for our paperwork till 6:00pm. We did not get our paper work back and get a handover on the vessel until 9:30pm. Thus we lost a day of travel on the boat which then disorganised our planned itinerary.
2. We were not provided with working Wifi on the boat. I informed the staff and they just told me to try and have an internet box and cord on one of the islands.... This was not acceptable.
3. There was no 24volt power supply on the boat. We were told that none of the electrics worked other than 2x USB ports.
4. The house and motor starter batteries were labelled incorrectly on the boat and the fuel gauge did not read properly on the boat. We finished that trip under the impression we had 70% of fuel left. however when we filled up we were charged 150 Litres... THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS.
5. We advised the staff of our concerns including other less serious issues... however they dis-regarded everything we told them.

On top of our experience above, we have not had sufficient customer service from the after sale team. We requested 24 hrs refund for the delay. They have not acknowledged such nor addressed the safety concerns on the vessel.

⚠️ Warning to all boating enthusiasts: I want to share an extremely disappointing experience with Navigate Yatching . I specifically hired for a special occasion during a week a 51-foot Fountain Pajot (named: No Shoes) in Tortola,. We specifically wanted to sail this model, because we are considering to buy one. However, on the day of our arrival, and after making the full payment, the company switched us without prior notice to a different and cheaper model (BALI 47). We had the option to rent a Bali in St Thomas with other companies, but we wanted the Fountain Pajot, so we traveled to Tortola. What's most infuriating is that there was no previous warning, no refund of the price difference, nor any apologies from the company.

I sent a mail to customer care (Sanja Permin) and I am still waiting for response. I spoke with Theresa from Navigare Yachting BVI's Customer service team & Avril/ Patrice, and they just told me "do what you want to do, we can not help you". in what I consider a complete abuse and inability to solve the problem, or minimize their consequences.

This lack of professionalism and respect for customers is unacceptable. I want to warn everyone considering using their services: proceed with caution. The seriousness and reliability of Navigate Yachting are seriously in question. Don't let them ruin your experience as they did mine. #SafeBoating #CustomerExperience #BoatRental #FountainePajot

EDIT NOVEMBER 2023
After having written this review, we received a fair refund and were contacted by the global communications team. The office promised to improve their processes for the next time.

ORIGINAL REVIEW
We spent one week on a Navigare Yacht heading out from the Palma di Mallorca base. Unfortunately, the trip went differently than we thought, since we got the boat LOCO AMOR without a main sail, resulting in very uncomfortable nights.

Our original plan was to head to Ibiza for the week and spend our holidays cruising there. When we arrived at the base in Palma, however, we received a boat without a main sail. Even though we found the staff to be very apologizing, they could not provide us with a suitable replacement on the spot, meaning we had to change our plans to not go to Ibiza AND head out with a SY without a furling main sail. This resulted in three days and two nights of constant, disruptive noise as the furler clanged against the mast. The cacophony was audible both on deck and in the cabins, making for very uncomfortable nights. The base provided us with a main sail afterward in a port after two nights and three days.

From the outset, we were informed from the technical staff that we could reach out to the Navigare headquarters for compensation or a reduction in price. Unfortunately, it proves exceedingly difficult to establish contact with anyone from the headquarters. No one takes responsibility, and the overall customer service experience from the back office is horrible. The complete lack of communication following such an incident is, in our opinion, unacceptable.

I would NOT RECOMMEND booking with them! I, for one, have no intention of doing so in the future.

I can only talk about my experience in Marsh Harbour in The Bahamas and Navigare were faultless. We had a lovely Lagoon 46 Catamaran. It was well prepared and looked after, both the area and boat briefing were great and informative and the staff at the base were extra friendly and genuinely nice people we had a great holiday!

We rented a yacht in British Virgin Islands through Navigare and although the BVI is lovely, the yacht was terrible and our experience with Navigare was to be blunt appalling.

We hired a catamaran with extras including standup paddle boards, snorkelling equipment, pre-paid mobile and wifi. It also had what we assumed were the basics, a first aid kit, aircon, working generator so that we had power and lights.

On arrival we had no snorkelling equipment or paddle boards. We later found out that we also had no first aid kit, aircon and no working stove / no way of lighting a stove. Finally we also had no power or wifi.

On the first night, we had no working aircon and in 1 room no working fan so no-one got any sleep at all as it was very stuffy. The skipper advised that we would have to return to the marina to get it fixed. So we returned to the marina and waited for a couple of hours while this was fixed before heading out again. Within 30 minutes of leaving the marina the air con was again not working in two bedrooms... but we decided that we did not want to waste any more of that day getting it 'fixed' again and we went on to our mooring for the night and advised base that they could come to us and fix it the next day.

The next day we waited for someone from base to come and fix the aircon, but no-one came. Finally we travelled back at the main Island (1.5 hrs) of Tortola parked back in the 'nice anchorage' at the end of the main airport waiting for them to arrive and fix the aircon.... they again spent an hour regassing the aircon, which lasted an hour and then did not work anymore. They did leave us a lighter for the stove though so we could use the stove.

The following morning, we headed off and advised base station to bring us a different boat so we could swap as by now none of us had had any sleep due to the heat. We swapped boats (an upgrade apparently) and this boat had a generator which completely crapped itself at 0200 which meant that we didn't only have no aircon, we had no power points, lighting or wifi. The base seemed to think that this was perfectly acceptable. The base manager Crompton was extremely aggressive towards me, and starting yelling and talking over me when I tried to explain that we were ending the charter a day early due to all the faults on the boat and no solution offered by either himself or the skipper of the boat at any time. In fact the base manager at no time contact me and the skipper of the boat would not let me talk to the base station about the issues on the boat. It was all very odd.
The issues were:
- no first aid kit
- no working generator
- no air con
- no powerpoints
- no wifi
- no working stove for the first couple of days.

In addition to the issues with the yacht Navigare took $400 US from my credit care as a security deposit on the navigation card for the map reader which has not been returned so I have had to lodge a complaint with my credit card company to have this returned.

I have also lodged a formal complaint about the yacht, having to finish our cruise a full day early due to major mechanical fault (the completely broken generator) and had no response at all.

Not good enough Navigare, I have full audio of Compton's bullying behaviour towards me when we spoke after we returned the yacht and I will release it in full with my blog review of your yacht service shortly.

Skipper, Marko Sapunaric took us on a trip from Dubrovnik round Croatian islands. We were a mixed party some wanted wild swimming, some top rate food, some to get drunk in beautiful places and he made sure everyone was happy and everyone's hopes were surpassed. We visited some stunning places, Mali Ston and Polace just two, I fell in love with Croatia. Mainly because our skipper took time to show us amazing places: tell us about the language, the countryside and the people. Every time we stopped, he backed a huge boat into a tiny space and ensured all of us could exit to shore. We encountered some rough seas and they were handled expertly, leaving us cheering on the net as the boat bounced. We all had the most amazing time and were all so sad to go home. We all wanted to become pirates and keep sailing. Thanks Marko for an awesome trip, looking forward to next year!

Horrendous money grabbers. Used them in Croatia this year the boat was not as well kept as other Also we tried to change a booking with lots of notice due to family health reasons. The we’re very abrupt and rude and just refused

Have always chartered boats twice a year. Not with Navigare anymore

Also I bet they reply to this by please contact reservations@navigare. - that is who has been refusing to discuss our problem