No prior experience · first sailing trip
Sailing trip for beginners: cabin charter without experience
For a cabin charter you need no licence and no experience. The skipper runs the boat, while you lend a hand and learn along the way how sails are set and lines are made fast. Here you will find all cabin charters of up to two weeks, with no long deliveries, mile building trips or regattas.
Updated: 10 November 2026 · Redaktion toernfinder.de
from 88 providers compared
The essentials at a glance
Season
all year round, most dates in May and July
Duration
Usually one week
Most common departure ports
Trogir, Phuket, Preveza, Korfu and Athen
Requirements
No sailing licence required
Week-long trip per person
usually 690–1,400 €
Current trips for beginners and newcomers
Here you can see a changing selection of current cabin charters of up to 15 days, excluding mile building trips, regattas and deliveries. Your enquiry goes directly to the provider.
How your first sailing trip works
You live on board with the crew for a week. The skipper plans the legs, explains what to do and looks after safety.
- The first day: Embarkation in the afternoon, making up your bunks, shopping for the boat kitty. The skipper shows you the lifejackets, the safety equipment and how everything works on board.
- Under way: Usually you cast off in the morning and head for a harbour or bay in the afternoon. You can steer, trim the sails or simply watch.
- Helping out: Handling the lines when mooring, cooking, washing up. The crew shares everything out among themselves.
- No pressure: How much you learn is up to you. If you want to learn to sail properly, a sail training trip is the right choice.
Do you want to get a licence or learn to sail properly? Then take a look at Learn to sail. What a cabin charter is and how it works can be found at Cabin charter.
Which sailing areas are suitable for beginners?
Ideally sailing areas with short legs, plenty of harbours and calm water. That leaves you time to get used to life on board.
Croatia
many islands, hardly any tide
Short distances between the islands, warm water and a harbour or bay every evening.
Cabin charter in Croatia →Baltic Sea
short journey
The Danish South Sea Islands are sheltered, and the harbours lie close together. Ideal for a first trip without a flight.
Cabin charter on the Baltic Sea →Ionian Sea
gentle wind
Around Corfu, Lefkas and Kefalonia the wind is mostly moderate. Good if you want to take things easy.
Cabin charter in the Ionian Sea →IJsselmeer
flat, with no swell
There is hardly any swell on the inland sea. On traditional sailing ships the whole crew pitches in.
Cabin charter on the IJsselmeer →What if I get seasick?
It happens to many people on the first day and usually passes quickly. Fresh air, looking at the horizon and a task on deck all help.
- Seasickness: Get a remedy from the pharmacy beforehand and take it in good time. More on this in the article seasickness when sailing.
- Swimming: You should be able to swim. On board you wear a life jacket in wind and waves.
- Little space: The bunks are narrow, and you share the bathroom and galley with the crew. A soft bag fits into the storage space better than a suitcase. What you need is shown in the Packing list for the sailing trip.
Törnfinder data
Sailing trips for beginners in numbers
Analysed: all sailing trips for beginners and first-timers published on Törnfinder. As of: 12.11.2026.
Most common departure ports
- 1Trogir127 trips
- 2Phuket85 trips
- 3Preveza63 trips
- 4Korfu60 trips
- 5Athen55 trips
69 %of trips last 7–8 days
77 %are round trips, start and finish in the same port
15 %take place on a traditional ship or tall ship
192different departure ports
61countries on offer, led by Germany and Greece
150 nmcovered by a typical week-long trip
As of 12.11.2026: Törnfinder lists around 1,570 Beginner trips from 88 providers. 69 % last 7–8 days, 77 % are round trips with the same start and end port and 15 % take place on a traditional ship or tall ship. Most trips start in Trogir, Phuket and Preveza, and most departures are in May and July. A week-long trip usually costs 690–1,400 € per person.
How these figures are calculated
The analysis covers all sailing trips published on Törnfinder with the trip type cabin charter, a maximum duration of 15 days and a start date from today onwards, excluding mile building, regattas and deliveries; the figures are recalculated twice a day. Prices are the figures given by the providers per person; offers for a whole yacht with skipper, which are charged per boat, are not included in the prices. "Typically" refers to the middle half of the offers, with the cheapest and the most expensive quarters left out. The departure harbour is the starting harbour named in the listing, and a round trip is a sailing trip with the same departure and destination harbour. The texts on this page are written and checked by the editorial team of toernfinder.de.
When is the best time for your first sailing trip?
In early summer and late summer. It is warm then, the wind is mostly moderate and the harbours are not as crowded as in July and August.
When the trips start
Most Beginner trips start in May and July. Trips are available all year round.
94
Jan79
Feb104
Mar105
Apr177
May164
Jun195
Jul174
Aug152
Sep96
Oct68
Nov90
DecAll sailing trips for beginners and first-timers published on Törnfinder for the next twelve months. As of: 12.11.2026.
How much does a sailing trip for beginners cost?
Most common are week-long trips, usually 690–1,400 € per person, with a day on board costing around 110 € on average. For beginners the same price applies as for all other guests on board.
| Trip duration | Price per person (usually) | per day | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2–3 days | 380–550 € | around 170 € | 41 |
| 4–6 days | 590–950 € | around 140 € | 80 |
| 7–9 days, week-long trip | 690–1,400 € | around 110 € | 1,099 |
| 10–15 days | 1,600–2,200 € | around 130 € | 344 |
| Week-long trip on a traditional vessel | 960–2,600 € | around 220 € | 101 |
"Usually" means: the middle half of all offers falls within this range; the cheapest and most expensive quarters are not included. Click on the duration to see the corresponding trips.
On top of the trip price come travel costs and usually the ship's kitty for food, harbour fees and diesel. The box shows what typically belongs in it.
What's included in the price and what goes into the crew kitty
Included in the trip price
- Your bunk on board
- The vessel
- The skipper
Usually via the crew kitty
- Food
- Hafengeld
- Diesel
Usually around 150–300 € per person per week, depending on what the group agrees, for example whether restaurant visits are included. On some boats, meals are already included in the price.
It is best to clarify in advance with the provider exactly what is included.
Countries with the most trips
With the usual weekly price and the next departure. Each card shows the matching trips there.
Frequently asked questions about sailing trips for beginners
Short answers to the questions that come up most often before a first sailing trip.
Can you go on a sailing trip without experience?
Yes. On a cabin charter the skipper sails the boat. You need neither a licence nor experience, and you learn the ropes along the way.
Which sailing trip is suitable for beginners?
A week-long trip in a sailing area with short legs, for example in Croatia, on the Baltic Sea or in the Ionian Sea. The listing states what the provider expects from the crew.
What is the difference from sail training?
On a cabin charter you pitch in with the sailing and learn as you go. On sail training, learning is the main focus, often with a sailing certificate as the goal.
Do I need to be able to swim?
Yes, you should be. In wind and waves you will also wear a lifejacket on board.
How much does a sailing trip for beginners cost?
Most common are week-long trips, usually 690–1,400 € per person. Travel and the onboard kitty come on top, usually around 150–300 € per person per week.
Can I join a trip on my own?
Yes. On a cabin charter you book a single bunk, and the provider puts the crew together. More on Sailing for Singles.
Find your first sailing trip
Use the filter to search by sailing area, date and duration, and send your enquiry directly to the provider.