September has become the new peak of the Croatian charter season – but prices still haven't caught up

For years, we have been used to one very simple rule in the Croatian charter business: July and August are the peak of the season. This is when prices are at their highest, demand is strongest, and guests looking to charter a sailboat or catamaran know that they will have to pay more for the same week than during the rest of the season.

But... it seems that this rule has slowly changed.

We have been working in boat rental and charter for many years, and we are not saying this simply based on our impression. In our data from recent seasons, we can see a very interesting pattern that could change the way guests plan their holidays on the Adriatic. September is increasingly emerging as one of the most sought-after periods of the charter season, especially when it comes to sailboats.

And the prices? They are still largely following the old calendar.

Prices generally reach their peak in July and August

When we look at average weekly sailboat rental prices by month, the pattern is quite clear. Prices rise from spring onwards, reach their peak in July or very close to it, and then drop significantly again in September.

For example, the average sailboat charter price per person in 2024 was around €528 in July, while in September it fell to approximately €370. In 2026, the difference is also significant: around €480 in July compared with approximately €365 in September.

In other words, September is noticeably cheaper than July and August.

That is good news for guests. Actually, very good news.

However, when we look at the same season through the booking rate of the fleet, we get a completely different picture.

Average weekly charter prices for sailing yachts per person by month

Guests may have already understood what the price lists have not

In our data about sailboat charter in Croatia, the highest individual booking rates in recent seasons have increasingly been recorded in September. In 2023, the peak was reached on September 9, in 2024 on September 14, in 2025 on September 20, and in 2026 as late as September 19.

The figures are very high. During these periods, booking rates were around 90 percent or higher, reaching as much as 96 percent in 2026.

We noticed this earlier, but now the pattern is difficult to ignore.

Guests are clearly choosing September more and more often.

Why? Of course, we cannot know the reason behind every individual guest's choice, but from our experience there are several very logical explanations. Summer temperatures have often been extremely high in recent years. For some people, July and August are simply no longer ideal for spending several days at sea, especially if they want to sail actively, explore the islands and spend a lot of time outdoors.

September is different.

The sea is still warm, the days are pleasant, temperatures are often more comfortable, and a holiday on a boat is simply more enjoyable for many guests.

Our guests who have placed their trust in us over the years often ask specifically about September dates for precisely this reason. And we can say with confidence that interest in this part of the season can no longer be treated as some secondary phenomenon.

Average booking rate of charter sailing yachts by month

The paradox: the most expensive period is not necessarily the most sought-after

This brings us to a very interesting paradox.

If the booking rate in September is so high, why are prices still noticeably lower than in July and August?

We cannot know what every individual charter company has in mind when setting its prices. But what we can see from the data is that pricing models still rely heavily on the traditional division of the season: July and August are considered the main peak, so initial prices are also highest during these months.

The problem begins when guest behaviour changes.

And it seems that it has.

If September starts being booked before July and August, a situation arises in which the dates that are still relatively affordable are sold out first. At the same time, a larger number of boats remain available in July and August.

That is when last-minute discounts come into play.

It can happen that a last-minute July booking is cheaper than September

This may be the most interesting piece of information for a flexible guest.

A guest who books September in advance may pay considerably more than someone who waits until the last minute and finds an available sailboat in July or August. The reason is simple: at the last minute, a charter company would rather reduce the price than leave the boat empty.

At that point, the traditional logic is completely turned upside down.

The most expensive months according to the yacht charter price list in Croatia do not necessarily have to be the most expensive for the guest.

We have been seeing this in practice for years. That is why we always advise guests who can remain flexible not to look only at the official seasonal price. Actual availability, the timing of the booking and last-minute offers should all be taken into account.

But there is another side to the story.

The Croatian charter market needs to start following actual demand

In our opinion, Croatian charter companies should pay much closer attention to their own booking-rate data. If September dates are regularly filling up very quickly, perhaps it no longer makes sense to treat September as a traditional shoulder season with such a large price difference compared with July and August.

We are not talking about a major price increase.

Quite the opposite.

Even a relatively small adjustment to September prices could have a significant effect on revenue if the boat is already very well booked.

That is precisely why we believe now is the right time to rethink the way the season is priced. If demand has shifted, the price list should sooner or later follow it.

Otherwise, the opposite happens: September fills up, prices remain relatively low, while high initial prices are maintained in July and August, and then the remaining capacity is offered with large discounts.

That is not necessarily the best way to make use of a fleet.

Catamarans confirm part of the story – but they also show something else

With catamaran charter in Croatia, the situation is somewhat more complex. July and August are also very strong months here, but September has become extremely important in recent years as well. In 2024, the highest individual catamaran booking rate was recorded on September 21, while in 2026 the peak was reached on September 5, at more than 93 percent.

At the same time, catamaran prices are still highest precisely in July and August. In 2026, the average monthly price was around €1,036 per person in July and almost €989 in August, while in September it was around €714.

The difference is significant.

Average weekly charter prices for catamarans per person by month

Booking rates are approaching their peak, while prices are going down.

In our opinion, this is a figure that every guest planning a charter should keep in mind.

Average booking rate of charter catamarans by month

The Adriatic is not empty in September – sometimes quite the opposite

There is another interesting paradox that we have seen ourselves on many occasions.

If a large number of guests choose September, almost the entire charter fleet ends up at sea during this period. As a result, some popular bays, marinas and harbours can be very busy in September – sometimes even busier than a guest would expect during the “shoulder season”.

In other words, September is no longer necessarily synonymous with an empty Adriatic.

That is important to know.

For this reason, we would not advise guests to choose September simply because they expect completely empty bays. Its advantage today is above all the combination of very strong charter fleet occupancy, still-warm sea, more comfortable temperatures and significantly lower average prices than during the main summer months.

Our advice to guests: look at the calendar a little differently

Guests who contact us often ask first: “When is it most expensive?” Today, we would add another question: “When is demand at its highest?”

Those two answers are clearly no longer always the same.

From our experience, we recommend that guests who have a choice of dates seriously consider September. Not because it is necessarily the best choice for everyone, but because the current relationship between price and booking rate shows a very interesting opportunity.

For those who are flexible and can wait until the last minute, it is also worth monitoring last-minute offers for July and August. These offers appear precisely because part of the fleet remains available during these periods.

For those who want the certainty of choosing a particular boat, September is a different story altogether. We would not wait too long. Our data shows that the most sought-after September dates can fill up very strongly.

In the end, perhaps the entire logic of the charter season is changing.

We can already see it in the numbers.

Guests have apparently started recognising the change before the price lists have. Now it remains to be seen how quickly the charter market will react.

Until then, those planning a holiday on a sailboat or catamaran can take advantage of this unusual situation: very strong demand in September combined with prices that are still below those of July and August.

And once the market fully understands what is happening, it is quite possible that this difference will no longer be so large.

Note: The data presented in this article comes from our collected statistical data and may be freely used and reproduced in articles, reports and publications, provided that Yacht-Rent is linked as the source of the data. More statistical data and graphs available to journalists, reporters and bloggers, as well as details on attribution, can be found on our page with yacht charter statistics.