Greece, 2027. Matto family's next chapter at sea, with one more on board.
The Brief
What we're weighing this against
- Blue Heaven, July 2024: €37,760 all-in for 9 guests in Turkish waters — this year's fleet runs higher across the board, worth setting that expectation early.
- The family has grown: a toddler and an infant (who doesn't count toward capacity, but comfort still matters), plus a nanny — cabin flexibility and calm water count for more than they did in 2024.
- Four of these five are catamarans, based right in the Ionian — twin-hull stability at anchor and underway, and zero relocation cost or time, unlike a classic monohull like Julie M.
Millennium Falcon II
Millennium Falcon II
+ crew gratuity, customary at ~10% of charter fee (~€3,500), at charterer's discretion.
Pixie
Pixie
+ crew gratuity, customary at ~10% of charter fee (~€4,250), at charterer's discretion.
Sunmoon
Sunmoon
+ crew gratuity, customary at ~10% of charter fee (~€4,350), at charterer's discretion.
Julie M
Julie M
+ crew gratuity, customary at ~10% of charter fee (~€4,450), at charterer's discretion.
Julie M is Athens-based; relocating her into the Ionian runs roughly €7,500 each way to Kefalonia or Zakynthos (no extra day charged — she's fast enough to do it same-day), or €5,300 each way to Patras (no airport there). Corfu runs closer to €12,000 each way. We can run this same calculation for whichever yacht you shortlist — it varies by boat speed and homeport.
Ariva
Ariva
+ crew gratuity, customary at ~10% of charter fee (~€4,800), at charterer's discretion.
Honorable mentions
Two larger, top-tier Athens-based motor yachts, both inspected personally in May 2026 — excellent family boats, but priced and positioned a step above the five above.
One of my favorite family yachts on the water — the crew (Captain Vasilis and Chief Stew Lydia) were warm and attentive, and the layout felt genuinely built for families rather than retrofitted for them. View brochure →
Family-friendly and easygoing, with a genuinely personable captain (George) — one of the most memorable crews from this year's show, and the kind of boat that puts a family at ease from the first hello. View brochure →
Quick comparison
| Boat | Length / Year | Cabins | Crew | Charter Fee | Est. All-In |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Millennium Falcon II | 17.65m · 2026 | 4 | 3 | €35,000 | €46,600 |
| Pixie | 20.36m · 2022 | 4 | 3 | €42,500 | €54,300 |
| Sunmoon | 20.36m · 2024 | 5 | 3 | €43,500 | €55,600 |
| Julie M | 25.30m · 2006 | 4 | 5 | €44,500 | €67,600 |
| Ariva | 20.37m · 2023 | 5 | 4 | €48,000 | €69,900 |
Corfu to Ithaca: island-hopping through the Ionian
The Ionian is a different Greece — greener, quieter, and calmer than the Cyclades. No meltemi here, just pine-covered hills, turquoise coves, and water that stays still. This is Odysseus's sea, the one he spent ten years trying to get back to — and it still feels like the kind of place worth slowing down for.
Lush and green with a Venetian-French-British history; Corfu Town's Old Fortress and Esplanade Square are worth the stop.
White sand and olive groves on Paxoi; impossibly turquoise water at Voutoumi Beach on Antipaxoi next door.
Called "the Caribbean of Greece" — turquoise water, fjord-like bays, and a handful of tiny islands to duck behind for the night.
One of the Ionian's best-kept secrets — clear water at Elia Bay, dinner in Vathi, glimpses of the old Onassis family home on nearby Skorpios.
The largest Ionian island — Myrtos Beach, the Venetian-harbor village of Fiscardo, and the real-life backdrop for Captain Corelli's Mandolin.
Odysseus's mythical home — mountainous, beach-lined, with sweeping harbor views from the capital, Vathi.
Golden beaches, blue caves near Cape Skinari, and the legendary Navagio (Smugglers' Cove).