The short answer: use a hybrid provisioning plan
For most one-week charters, pre-order heavy and predictable items—drinking water, soft drinks, breakfast basics, snacks and cleaning supplies—then choose fresh produce, meat, fish, bakery items and brand-sensitive products locally. This saves time without committing the whole week to substitutions or quantities that may not fit the yacht.
Do not place the order until the charter operator confirms the exact base, marina, yacht name, berth or reception point, boarding window and who is authorised to accept delivery. A delivery address at the marina entrance is not the same as delivery to the yacht.
Choose between four practical methods
1. Charter-company provisioning package
This is usually the simplest handover-day option because the base coordinates the order. Ask whether it is a fixed package or a customer-selected basket, which brands and quantities are included, how substitutions work, whether the groceries are already stowed, and whether the service price is separate from the food itself.
2. Independent online delivery
A supermarket or local provisioning company can offer a wider selection and transparent product pricing. Confirm its order deadline, delivery area, time window, minimum order, delivery or picking charge, cancellation terms, payment card acceptance and what happens if the yacht is not ready when the driver arrives.
3. Supermarket shop after arrival
Shopping in person gives the best control over fresh food, labels, allergies and preferred brands. Allow for airport or marina transfers, queues, Saturday opening hours, the distance from the shop to the actual berth and the physical job of moving several trolley-loads onto the yacht.
4. Click-and-collect
Collection can avoid waiting for a delivery slot while preserving online selection. It works best when a suitable vehicle or taxi can carry the order and the pickup point is genuinely on the route to the marina. Keep chilled items in insulated bags until the yacht refrigerator is cold.
Three current destination examples
Croatia: check the exact town, not only the sailing region
Konzum’s current delivery page lists Split and Zadar among its served areas, but coverage is address-specific and does not guarantee access to every charter base. Its prices effective 1 April 2026 show a €50 minimum order; regular delivery costs €4.99 below €100, €3.99 from €100 to €150, €2.99 from €150 to €180 and is free above €180. Its own-vehicle delivery is described as next day, with booking up to seven days ahead. Recheck the page when ordering because prices, postcodes and slots can change.
Croatia shopping reference: check current Konzum delivery areas, minimum order and charges →
Greece: delivery or collection near Athens bases
AB Vassilopoulos offers online ordering with home delivery or collection, but the customer must select an address and available time window. For Alimos or Lavrion, enter the marina or operator-approved reception address before building the final plan; do not assume that general Athens coverage reaches a particular pontoon.
Greece shopping reference: check AB delivery or collection availability for the confirmed base →
BVI: a provisioning service designed around yacht arrivals
RiteWay’s current information says orders placed by 2 p.m. can be delivered the next business day and may be booked up to 30 days ahead. Its FAQ describes delivery between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., coordination with the charter company when a yacht is not yet ready, frozen and chilled items being placed in the yacht’s cold storage, and dry goods being left in the cockpit. Confirm the charter company, vessel and timing in the order rather than relying on the marina name alone.
BVI provisioning reference: read RiteWay’s current yacht-delivery timetable and process →
Before ordering, inspect the yacht’s real storage capacity
Ask for the number and usable size of refrigerators and freezers on the specific yacht—not only the model brochure. Confirm whether they will already be cold at boarding, whether one compartment is better used for drinks, how shore power and batteries support refrigeration, and whether a generator or inverter affects normal use.
A full refrigerator needs air circulation and organised access. Remove unnecessary cardboard, use resealable containers or bags, separate raw foods, place the first meal where it can be reached easily and avoid loading several warm cases of drinks into the food refrigerator at once.
A worked plan for eight guests plus one skipper
Example only: nine people plan seven breakfasts, five lunches and three dinners aboard, with the other meals ashore. That means 63 breakfast servings, 45 lunch servings and 27 dinner servings—not nine people multiplied by every meal for seven days. Add snacks, drinks, the first Saturday evening, one simple reserve meal and any meals the skipper will take separately.
Pre-order before arrival
Order the bulky, predictable items: drinking water agreed with the operator, soft drinks, shelf-stable breakfast items, coffee and tea, pasta or rice, canned food, snacks, paper products, rubbish bags, washing-up supplies and the first easy meal. Check what the charter pack already supplies so you do not buy duplicate sponges, cloths, toilet paper or basic cleaning products.
Buy after seeing the yacht
Choose fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, dairy, meat or fish, frozen products and preference-sensitive alcohol after confirming cold-storage space. For serious allergies or medical diets, bring an exact translated product list and secure suitable essentials at the base rather than assuming a small island shop will stock them.
Crew meals: provision one more person or agree an allowance
A hired skipper, hostess or cook is normally not fed from an invisible separate budget. Include each crew member in the onboard quantities and restaurant plan, or agree the operator’s separate daily meal allowance in writing. If a cook is hired, confirm who writes the menu, who approves the budget, who places and receives the order, and whether provisioning time is included in the professional fee.
Related guide: skipper and crew fees, meals, cabins and gratuities →
Food safety in a hot marina
Treat delivery and the journey from supermarket to yacht as part of the cold chain. FoodSafety.gov advises keeping cold food at 4°C/40°F or below, using cold sources in insulated containers and refrigerating perishables promptly. Its guidance says perishable food should not remain unrefrigerated for more than two hours, reduced to one hour when the outside temperature exceeds 32°C/90°F.
Food-safety reference: official guidance for keeping delivered and transported groceries cold →
Do not fly with restricted food without checking customs rules
Travellers sometimes pack meat, dairy, fruit or specialist food from home. Import rules vary by destination and can require declarations or permits. Check the destination’s official customs and agricultural guidance before travel; never assume that sealed packaging or personal use makes a product admissible.
Delivery-day control: check the order before departure
Keep the submitted basket and receipt. Count cases and high-value items, review substitutions, check seals and use-by dates, confirm chilled and frozen goods are still cold, and photograph any shortage or damage. Report problems while the supplier can still correct them. Do not discover after leaving the base that a breakfast staple, drinking water or allergy-safe item is missing.
Related check-in guide: paperwork, technical briefing and yacht handover →
A practical provisioning checklist
Confirm the people eating aboard; crew arrangements; meals aboard versus ashore; first and reserve meals; allergies and diets; yacht refrigeration and freezer capacity; drinking-water plan; cooking equipment; coffee system; gas or electric appliances; supplier deadline; delivery point and recipient; substitutions; fees; payment; transport; cold storage; rubbish disposal; and likely opportunities to replenish along the route.
Related cost guide: include provisioning in the realistic total charter budget →
Questions about yacht provisioning
Can groceries be delivered before we arrive?
Sometimes. The supplier and charter base must agree who accepts the order and when it can be put aboard. Confirm how frozen and chilled items are handled if the yacht is not ready.
Should we buy food for the entire week?
Buy the essentials, bulky items and hard-to-find dietary products at the base. Plan fresh-food replenishment only after checking the route, shop locations, opening hours and the group’s appetite for carrying groceries from shore.
How much food should we order?
Count people and planned meals rather than copying a generic list. Subtract restaurant meals, add crew who eat with the group, include the first evening and one reserve meal, then check whether the resulting volume fits the yacht.
Who provisions for the skipper or crew?
Usually the charter group unless the written package says otherwise. Include crew in groceries and restaurant meals or agree the stated daily food allowance before arrival.
Will the yacht already have salt, oil and cleaning supplies?
Do not assume so. Ask for the exact charter-pack inventory and what remains aboard between charters. Buy or order the gaps after you know what the operator supplies.
Can we order alcohol?
Often, subject to local law, supplier policy and product availability. Store bottles securely and keep the professional skipper’s duties, watchkeeping and safe yacht operation separate from the group’s drinking plans.
What if the yacht is delayed and the groceries arrive first?
Contact both the base and supplier immediately. Confirm who can receive the order and where cold items will be held. Keep receipts and written messages; do not leave perishables unattended in a hot cockpit or marina reception.