What You Get with a Split Gulet Charter
A gulet charter is a fundamentally different experience from a bareboat catamaran. You arrive, step aboard, and the crew handles everything: navigation, anchoring, cooking, cleaning, and provisioning. The captain knows the anchorages, the best fish restaurants, which bays fill up by noon in August, and which coves stay empty all week. You get a week of sailing without a week of boat management.
Gulets departing from Split typically embark Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning. The crew spends Saturday cleaning and provisioning while you arrive, settle in, and explore the old city. By Sunday midday you are under way toward Brac or directly to the Pakleni Islands off Hvar depending on the itinerary. If you are unfamiliar with gulets, read our what is a gulet guide before booking.
Group size sweet spot: Most gulets accommodate 8–16 guests. A 12-guest gulet with three couples and six friends is the most common booking. The per-person cost drops significantly above 8 guests — a €12,000/week gulet split between 12 people is €1,000 each before APA, which competes favourably with a comparable land-based holiday.
Gulet Charter Prices from Split
The charter fee covers the boat, the crew (captain, cook, and typically a deckhand on larger vessels), and linen. It does not cover food, fuel, marina fees, or port taxes — these are covered by the APA. Budget €100–150 per person per week for food and fuel on a mid-range gulet; more on luxury vessels with premium provisioning. See our charter cost guide for a complete breakdown.
Best Gulet Routes from Split
Gulets are slower than catamarans — most cruise at 7–8 knots under engine and 6–7 under sail. This shapes the route: legs longer than 35–40 nm mean a full day at sea, which most gulet guests prefer to avoid. The standard Split gulet circuit keeps each leg under 25–30 nm to allow maximum time at anchor.
| Day | Stop | Distance | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pakleni Islands, Hvar | 22 nm | Buoy in Palmizana; dinner in Hvar Town |
| 2 | Vis Town | 22 nm | Vugava wine; Roman ruins; top fish restaurants |
| 3 | Rukavac or Milna, Vis | 8 nm | Swimming day; southeast coast anchorages |
| 4 | Korcula Old Town | 28 nm | Gulet moored to old town quay; walled city evening |
| 5 | Stari Grad, Hvar | 20 nm | UNESCO plain; quiet alternative to Hvar Town |
| 6 | Milna, Brac | 14 nm | Final anchorage; local wine and fish dinner |
| 7 | Split (return) | 10 nm | Morning return; disembark by noon |
Types of Gulet Available from Split
The gulet fleet in Split ranges from modest family-run wooden boats to purpose-built luxury motor-sailors. The distinction that matters most is motor vs sailing gulet:
- Traditional motor gulet: The most common type. Wooden hull, twin diesel engines, ketch rig mostly for stability and shade rather than propulsion. Excellent for groups who want comfort and sun decks over sailing performance. Most Split-based gulets fall into this category.
- Sailing gulet: Purpose-built to sail rather than motor. Longer waterline, taller rig, better performance. Less common in Split but available. Better for guests who want genuine sailing rather than a motor cruise with sails hoisted occasionally.
- Luxury gulet: Modern build, air-conditioned cabins with en-suites, generator for full power at anchor, watermaker. Prices start around €15,000/week. The crew is typically larger (4–5 people) and the provisioning is at a different level. These are often chartered through brokers rather than directly.
Our best gulets in Croatia guide reviews specific vessels across all three categories.
How to Book a Gulet from Split
Gulets are best booked through a specialist broker or a gulet-focused aggregator. The vessels are individually owned and operated — there is no gulet equivalent of a Moorings or Sunsail chain. A broker knows the specific boats, the captain's reputation, the quality of the cook, and which vessels have had recent maintenance.
- Use a broker for luxury gulets or large groups — they negotiate on price and know the market.
- Use aggregators (GetMySailboat, click-and-boat, Nautal) for mid-range gulets with standard weekly programmes.
- Book direct with the owner for small family-run gulets — often the best value and most personal experience, but requires more due diligence on the boat condition.
For a step-by-step walkthrough of the entire booking process, see our how to charter a boat in Croatia guide.
Understanding APA on Gulet Charters
The APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance) is the pre-paid fund used by the captain to cover running costs during the charter: food, fuel, marina fees, port taxes, and any extras the group requests. It is not a fee — unused APA is returned to guests at the end of the charter. The typical APA is 10–15% of the charter fee, paid in cash or by transfer before embarkation.
On a €10,000/week gulet with 12 guests, an APA of €1,200–1,500 covers: three meals a day for the group for seven days, fuel for 150–200 nm of cruising, and marina fees at three or four ports. That works out to roughly €100–125 per person per week for all food and running costs — exceptionally good value compared to equivalent land-based catering. Our full APA explainer covers the mechanics in detail.
Other Charter Locations
Chartering from a different base? Browse all location guides below.