Checked 22 October 2026. Initial comparison assumes an ordinary Russian passport, six adults and departure from Moscow; Istanbul is considered separately. These are audience assumptions, not a confirmed profile of all clients. Entry conclusions do not apply to other nationalities.
Warmth alone is insufficient: we need accessible charter product, suitable waters and a workable journey. Antigua and Martinique remain reserves; Mauritius, Maldives and the Canaries are not presented as verified core offers.
December–March; November and April are transitional
NauSYS checked 22 October 2026: C-Cat 37 Andaman Discovery and Dufour 520 Lagan, 5–12 December 2026. This does not establish availability for the whole winter.
Ordinary Russian passport: up to 30 days visa-exempt under the bilateral agreement from 15 September 2026; submit TDAC within three days before arrival. Recheck passport, onward travel and entry conditions before payment.
February–April for the main campaign; December–January are possible but wetter
NauSYS checked 22 October 2026: Lagoon 380 Modjo and Lagoon 42 Zil 2, Eden Island, 5–12 December 2026. December examples are separate from the February–April seasonal recommendation.
No advance visa; a visitor permit is conditional on entry requirements. Travel Authorisation, onward travel, confirmed accommodation and adequate funds are required. Official funds guidance is USD150 per person per day, not a fee. Standard TA is listed at EUR10.90 per person; reconfirm before departure. Transit exceeding 12 hours in a yellow-fever-risk country can trigger a vaccination-certificate requirement.
NauSYS checked 22 October 2026: Dufour 412 RELOAD and Lagoon 450 Bagheera, 5–12 December 2026. Real product exists, with more complex entry and flights.
An ordinary Russian passport requires a BVI visa. The exemption programme covers qualifying UK, US or Canadian visas with more than six months remaining at travel; check applicability against actual documents. Return travel, accommodation, funds and an ED Card within 72 hours before arrival are required.
Dream Yacht publishes a bareboat base guide; agency access to a specific yacht and price is not confirmed.
Ordinary Russian passports appear on the official visa-exemption list. Admission length, conditions, documents and transit still require a trip-specific check.
February–April; December–January more transitional
Dream Yacht’s public base guide is confirmed; agency inventory and a dated quote are not.
Overseas France is outside Schengen. Use France-Visas for the Russian passport and existing visas; an ordinary Schengen visa does not provide an automatic universal entitlement.
No specific yacht is confirmed for the selected week; crewed-vessel availability requires a separate check.
Tourist visa on arrival up to 30 days subject to conditions; IMUGA declaration within 96 hours before arrival. Confirmed accommodation must meet the rules, including yacht/liveaboard arrangements.
Canary Sail publishes a real Saturday-to-Saturday fleet from San Miguel, but no agency-specific quote was obtained. Mallorca boats are not counted as Canary Islands inventory.
Spain: an ordinary Russian passport requires an appropriate Schengen visa.
Sailing niche, not the first winter showcase
Primary winter choice
Thailand · Phuket
When to go
December–March; November and April are transitional
Weather and limits
The Andaman coast usually suits winter cruising better under the northeast monsoon. Squalls, tidal currents and exposed passages remain possible. Phuket seasonality does not apply to Samui.
Entry: Russian passport
Ordinary Russian passport: up to 30 days visa-exempt under the bilateral agreement from 15 September 2026; submit TDAC within three days before arrival. Recheck passport, onward travel and entry conditions before payment.
Base
Phuket Yacht Haven Marina
Sample week
Base → Phang Nga → Koh Hong → Krabi → Koh Yao → eastern Phuket → base. Add Phi Phi only in a suitable weather window; Similan Islands are not an automatic inclusion.
Skipper and berths
Bareboat requires operator approval of experience and documents. New sailors need a hired skipper. On C-Cat one of six guests is the approved skipper; Lagan reserves a separate fourth cabin for hired crew, subject to layout confirmation.
Getting there
Moscow → HKT: request a direct or protected connecting ticket; Istanbul → HKT: Turkish Airlines markets this route, but operating days and fares for these dates are unconfirmed. Allow 30–60 minutes from HKT to Yacht Haven after leaving the airport.
What is confirmed
NauSYS checked 22 October 2026: C-Cat 37 Andaman Discovery and Dufour 520 Lagan, 5–12 December 2026. This does not establish availability for the whole winter.
Why consider it
A practical first winter product: fleet access, a short HKT transfer and several sheltered cruising areas.
What to weigh
Popular anchorages can be crowded; calm water throughout the week cannot be promised.
February–April for the main campaign; December–January are possible but wetter
Weather and limits
The northwest monsoon makes December–January wet, with rainfall peaking in January. April is often lighter-wind and hot. Mahé–Praslin involves an exposed crossing; seasonal guidance cannot replace a forecast.
Entry: Russian passport
No advance visa; a visitor permit is conditional on entry requirements. Travel Authorisation, onward travel, confirmed accommodation and adequate funds are required. Official funds guidance is USD150 per person per day, not a fee. Standard TA is listed at EUR10.90 per person; reconfirm before departure. Transit exceeding 12 hours in a yellow-fever-risk country can trigger a vaccination-certificate requirement.
Base
Mahé · Eden Island Marina
Sample week
Eden Island → Sainte Anne → Beau Vallon if sheltered → Praslin → La Digue → Curieuse → Mahé. Base approval, park access and weather determine the order; rough conditions may keep the boat near Mahé.
Skipper and berths
A professional skipper is recommended for first-time visitors. Bareboat approval depends on licence, sailing CV and exposed-water experience. Sunsail classifies this as Level 3; this is operator policy, not a universal legal requirement.
Getting there
Moscow/Istanbul → SEZ: request direct flights or a through-ticket via a hub. An operating route does not prove six-seat availability. Allow 20–40 minutes from SEZ to Eden Island after airport formalities.
What is confirmed
NauSYS checked 22 October 2026: Lagoon 380 Modjo and Lagoon 42 Zil 2, Eden Island, 5–12 December 2026. December examples are separate from the February–April seasonal recommendation.
Why consider it
Island scenery, a short airport transfer and accessible catamaran inventory.
What to weigh
Winter rain, exposed passages, park fees and more demanding sailing than sheltered-bay cruising.
Winter trade winds suit chartering but can strengthen. Northerly swell can make exposed anchorages unsuitable. Keep the sample week within BVI waters.
Entry: Russian passport
An ordinary Russian passport requires a BVI visa. The exemption programme covers qualifying UK, US or Canadian visas with more than six months remaining at travel; check applicability against actual documents. Return travel, accommodation, funds and an ED Card within 72 hours before arrival are required.
Base
Tortola · Hodge’s Creek Marina
Sample week
Hodge’s Creek → Norman Island → Cooper Island → Virgin Gorda → North Sound → Jost Van Dyke → base. Visit The Baths only when sea conditions permit; no US Virgin Islands crossing.
Skipper and berths
Bareboat requires experience and operator approval. For a hosted holiday request an approved local skipper. Bagheera has three guest cabins for six and additional crew accommodation whose type and bathroom access must be confirmed.
Getting there
Moscow and Istanbul → EIS require a tailored route with a regional connection; no dated itinerary has been confirmed. US transit requires appropriate US documentation; London transit requires a UK check, and changing airports involves entry. Allow 30–45 minutes from EIS to the base.
What is confirmed
NauSYS checked 22 October 2026: Dufour 412 RELOAD and Lagoon 450 Bagheera, 5–12 December 2026. Real product exists, with more complex entry and flights.
Why consider it
Many island stops and a real yacht choice; suits experienced groups and travellers with suitable visas.
What to weigh
The most complicated journey from Moscow/Istanbul, with possible visa and regional-flight costs; compare the whole trip rather than the boat alone.
All yacht examples use 5–12 December 2026; target arrival 4 December and return flight no earlier than 13 December. Flights and handover times are unconfirmed. Complex BVI connections may require another day and revised shore-night costs.
Yacht prices were observed in authenticated NauSYS exact-date search on 22 October 2026, without booking. They are not annual minima. Complete mandatory packages were not obtained for every boat. Allowances below are explicit editorial spending plans, not verified market rates. Fuel/moorings are group allowances; guest food covers six × seven days; skipper food is separate.
Lower budget · qualified skipper among guests
C-Cat 37 · Andaman Discovery · 2015
05–12.12.2026 · Phuket Yacht Haven
NauSYS observation 22 October 2026; availability is not held.
Six adults in three double cabins; one of the six is the operator-approved skipper. A hired seventh skipper is not included in this scenario.
Cleaning EUR214 per booking is documented; the complete mandatory-charge list still needs operator confirmation.
Incomplete group planning subtotal: 6 531.00 EUR Per person, six guests: 1 088.50 EUR
This is not the full trip price. Add baggage-inclusive flights × 6, unconfirmed mandatory services, insurance, visa/transit costs and hired skipper where required.
Refundable deposit, separate: 3 000.00 EUR. Not included in spending or treated as holiday cost.
Add amounts from your actual quotes
Inputs are your assumptions, not system-confirmed prices. Leave unknown amounts blank. Use zero only when no charge is confirmed.
More comfort · additional cabins and hired skipper
Dufour 520 GL · Lagan · 2018
05–12.12.2026 · Phuket Yacht Haven
NauSYS observation 22 October 2026; availability is not held.
Supplier sheet lists five cabins / ten berths. Plan: six guests in three cabins, skipper alone in a fourth; bed types and assigned cabins need layout approval. The fifth remains spare.
The full mandatory-charge list and skipper rate were not obtained. They are not treated as zero.
Incomplete group planning subtotal: 7 770.00 EUR Per person, six guests: 1 295.00 EUR
This is not the full trip price. Add baggage-inclusive flights × 6, unconfirmed mandatory services, insurance, visa/transit costs and hired skipper where required.
Refundable deposit, separate: 5 000.00 EUR. Not included in spending or treated as holiday cost.
Add amounts from your actual quotes
Inputs are your assumptions, not system-confirmed prices. Leave unknown amounts blank. Use zero only when no charge is confirmed.
NauSYS observation 22 October 2026; availability is not held.
Search lists four guest cabins plus two additional berths. Six adults share three double cabins; one is the experienced approved skipper. The fourth guest cabin is spare.
Supplier sheet checked 22 October lists mandatory cleaning EUR200 per booking. Confirm other taxes/fees and whether a package includes any park costs. TA for six guests EUR65.40.
Incomplete group planning subtotal: 5 715.40 EUR Per person, six guests: 952.57 EUR
This is not the full trip price. Add baggage-inclusive flights × 6, unconfirmed mandatory services, insurance, visa/transit costs and hired skipper where required.
Refundable deposit, separate: 6 000.00 EUR. Not included in spending or treated as holiday cost.
Add amounts from your actual quotes
Inputs are your assumptions, not system-confirmed prices. Leave unknown amounts blank. Use zero only when no charge is confirmed.
NauSYS observation 22 October 2026; availability is not held.
Four guest cabins plus two additional berths. Six guests in three doubles; skipper gets the fourth guest cabin, rather than relying on a forepeak. Skipper availability is unconfirmed.
Boat hire: observed 22 October
4 760.00 EUR
Documented mandatory services
220.00 EUR
Skipper: 7 × EUR155 · planning assumption, days unconfirmed
Sheet checked 22 October: cleaning EUR220 per booking, skipper EUR155/day plus food. The plan assumes seven charged days, EUR1085; billable days, skipper availability and final charges remain unconfirmed. TA for six guests EUR65.40.
Incomplete group planning subtotal: 9 790.40 EUR Per person, six guests: 1 631.73 EUR
This is not the full trip price. Add baggage-inclusive flights × 6, unconfirmed mandatory services, insurance, visa/transit costs and hired skipper where required.
Refundable deposit, separate: 6 000.00 EUR. Not included in spending or treated as holiday cost.
Add amounts from your actual quotes
Inputs are your assumptions, not system-confirmed prices. Leave unknown amounts blank. Use zero only when no charge is confirmed.
Lower budget · monohull with a qualified guest skipper
Dufour 412 GL · RELOAD · 2022
05–12.12.2026 · Hodge’s Creek · Tortola
NauSYS observation 22 October 2026; availability is not held.
Three cabins, 6+2 berths, six recommended guests. Three pairs; one of the six is the approved skipper. An additional skipper would require a revised accommodation plan.
The mandatory package, cruising permit, park/local fees and taxes are not confirmed in a complete quotation.
Incomplete group planning subtotal: 6 285.00 EUR Per person, six guests: 1 047.50 EUR
This is not the full trip price. Add baggage-inclusive flights × 6, unconfirmed mandatory services, insurance, visa/transit costs and hired skipper where required.
Refundable deposit, separate: 3 000.00 EUR. Not included in spending or treated as holiday cost.
Add amounts from your actual quotes
Inputs are your assumptions, not system-confirmed prices. Leave unknown amounts blank. Use zero only when no charge is confirmed.
NauSYS observation 22 October 2026; availability is not held.
Search lists three guest cabins plus two additional spaces/cabins, 6+2+2 berths. Six guests occupy three doubles. The skipper’s additional berth must be agreed in writing; without that this scenario is not bookable.
The mandatory package, fees and local skipper rate are needed; additional berths alone do not establish a full private crew cabin.
Incomplete group planning subtotal: 9 525.00 EUR Per person, six guests: 1 587.50 EUR
This is not the full trip price. Add baggage-inclusive flights × 6, unconfirmed mandatory services, insurance, visa/transit costs and hired skipper where required.
Refundable deposit, separate: 8 000.00 EUR. Not included in spending or treated as holiday cost.
Add amounts from your actual quotes
Inputs are your assumptions, not system-confirmed prices. Leave unknown amounts blank. Use zero only when no charge is confirmed.
Skyscanner’s December search returned some cached indicative Istanbul–Phuket and Istanbul–Seychelles prices. They do not match the 5–12 December charter week or confirm six seats, baggage or exact connections, so they are excluded. No indicative results were returned for Moscow or BVI; that does not establish an absence of flights.
Moscow and Istanbul: what to compare
Istanbul is compared as its own starting point, without assuming free travel from Moscow. A Moscow–Istanbul–islands journey adds the positioning flight, baggage and possibly a night. A through-ticket generally simplifies connection protection; separate tickets and IST/SAW changes need a fresh buffer. Confirm baggage, cost and transit before committing to a yacht.
What a verified flight quote must show
Exact dates and airports, all segments and connection times, one or multiple tickets, baggage on every leg, a fare for six adults, refund conditions and transit documents. UK, US and Schengen transit checks are independent of destination entry. Other hub requirements remain unchecked, so no itinerary is treated as ready.
Winter trades and exposed legs; Barbuda need not be included in a first week.
Entry: Russian passport
Ordinary Russian passports appear on the official visa-exemption list. Admission length, conditions, documents and transit still require a trip-specific check.
Base
Jolly Harbour
Sample week
Jolly Harbour → Deep Bay → Falmouth → English Harbour → Green Island → west coast → base. Provisional itinerary.
Skipper and berths
Bareboat subject to CV approval; hired skipper and berth require a separate quote.
Getting there
Moscow/Istanbul → ANU: connections need research; London/US transit documentation must be checked separately. Allow roughly an hour with buffer to Jolly Harbour as a planning assumption, not a confirmed transfer.
What is confirmed
Dream Yacht publishes a bareboat base guide; agency access to a specific yacht and price is not confirmed.
Why consider it
Potentially simpler destination entry than BVI and a suitable winter charter region.
What to weigh
No confirmed agency quote or flights, so no priced showcase yet.
Martinique · Reserve for travellers with suitable documents
Reserve for travellers with suitable documents
Martinique
When to go
February–April; December–January more transitional
Weather and limits
Météo-France identifies February–April as the dry period. Trade winds and passages require experience; sailing south into other countries adds entry checks.
Entry: Russian passport
Overseas France is outside Schengen. Use France-Visas for the Russian passport and existing visas; an ordinary Schengen visa does not provide an automatic universal entitlement.
Base
Le Marin · Bassin Tortue
Sample week
Le Marin → Sainte-Anne → Anse d’Arlet → Anse Mitan → Grande Anse → Sainte-Anne → base; no international crossing to Saint Lucia.
Skipper and berths
Bareboat subject to operator CV/document approval, or skippered with a separate crew berth.
Getting there
Moscow/Istanbul → FDF may involve a European hub. CDG → ORY involves Schengen entry; visa-free transit cannot be assumed.
What is confirmed
Dream Yacht’s public base guide is confirmed; agency inventory and a dated quote are not.
Why consider it
An established charter base and a distinctive Caribbean product.
What to weigh
Overseas-France entry and European transit are more involved than the first two destinations.
Mauritius · Do not launch as a core winter bareboat product
Do not launch as a core winter bareboat product
Mauritius
When to go
Winter requires individual weather and product assessment
Weather and limits
November–April is hot and humid; the official cyclone season is 1 November–15 May. Warmth alone does not establish a suitable week-long cruising product.
Entry: Russian passport
The Mauritius Embassy in Moscow describes visa-free entry for Russian citizens; admission conditions and route must be rechecked.
Base
No weekly charter base confirmed in our agency access
Sample week
Agree a weekly itinerary after confirming the operator, base and permitted cruising area.
Skipper and berths
Neither bareboat nor crewed availability is promised without supplier confirmation.
Getting there
Moscow/Istanbul → MRU needs a dated search; base transfer cannot be scoped without a base.
What is confirmed
Marine tourism exists, but no accessible agency weekly yacht has been confirmed.
Why consider it
An attractive island holiday with accessible destination entry.
Maldives · Separate crewed product only after verification
Separate crewed product only after verification
Maldives
When to go
January–March; December/April transitional
Weather and limits
The northeast dry monsoon is more suitable; channel currents and ocean swell call for local knowledge.
Entry: Russian passport
Tourist visa on arrival up to 30 days subject to conditions; IMUGA declaration within 96 hours before arrival. Confirmed accommodation must meet the rules, including yacht/liveaboard arrangements.
Base
No crewed-vessel base confirmed in agency access
Sample week
Possible product: a North/South Malé week with local crew; exact stops depend on a confirmed vessel.
Skipper and berths
Consider local-crewed options; do not promise bareboat without an operator.
Getting there
Moscow/Istanbul → MLE requires dated research; domestic air/boat transfers depend on the base.
What is confirmed
No specific yacht is confirmed for the selected week; crewed-vessel availability requires a separate check.
Why consider it
A suitable dry-season window and strong resort appeal.
What to weigh
No confirmed accessible product; liveaboard cost structure differs from bareboat.
Canary Islands · Sailing niche, not the first winter showcase
Sailing niche, not the first winter showcase
Canary Islands
When to go
Winter subject to route and forecast checks
Weather and limits
AEMET describes winter Atlantic disturbances and storms. Wind acceleration and exposed passages need a forecast; this is not a promise of warm beaches and calm water.
Entry: Russian passport
Spain: an ordinary Russian passport requires an appropriate Schengen visa.
Base
Marina San Miguel, Tenerife — public Canary Sail base; agency access unconfirmed
Sample week
Provisional: San Miguel → Las Galletas → Los Cristianos → south coast → base, with short legs and spare days. Add La Gomera only after a separate passage assessment.
Skipper and berths
Exposed-water experience, licence and operator approval; new sailors need a skipper.
Getting there
Moscow/Istanbul → TFS/TFN/LPA depends on the base and Schengen admission; no itinerary is confirmed.
What is confirmed
Canary Sail publishes a real Saturday-to-Saturday fleet from San Miguel, but no agency-specific quote was obtained. Mallorca boats are not counted as Canary Islands inventory.
Why consider it
Potential for active sailing or training with experienced groups.
What to weigh
No confirmed agency product; more exposed sailing and a Schengen visa.
