Catamaran Provisioning Greece 2026: Full Cost & Shopping Guide

Catamaran Provisioning Greece 2026: Full Cost & Shopping Guide

Updated May 2026.

How much should you budget for food and drinks on a 7-day catamaran charter in Greece? The honest 2026 range sits between €25 and €55 per person per day, depending on group size, how much you cook on board, and your drinking habits. A 4-person couples-trip charter spends €1,100-1,600 total on food (across both galley and tavernas); an 8-person family week runs €2,100-3,300; a 10-person luxury week with all-dinners-ashore can hit €5,000+. This guide breaks the full picture down: a detailed shopping list by meal, the practical considerations the brochures don’t mention, where to actually shop near each major Greek charter marina, three worked budgets, and the hidden costs that catch first-timers off guard. Bookmark this before your provisioning run — you’ll save yourself an hour of supermarket confusion and at least €200 in wasted purchases.

Why provisioning matters more than you think

A catamaran charter in Greece is the freedom of having your own boat, your own galley, and your own anchor in a secluded bay that’s typically 30+ minutes from the nearest taverna. Self-sufficient means happy. Underprovisioned means a panicked dinghy run at 19:00 to a small-island Sklavenitis that closed at 18:30. Charter pricing in Greece excludes food and drinks almost universally — you handle this end-to-end. Greek tavernas are excellent and you’ll eat at plenty of them, but eating ashore for every meal × 7 days × 8 people gets expensive fast (think €40-60 per person per dinner at a solid taverna with wine). The smart pattern is a mix: 3-4 dinners on board, 3-4 dinners ashore, lunch mostly aboard at the anchorage with one or two beach-bar exceptions. Greek summer heat is the other reality — in July and August you’ll drink 4-6 litres of water per person per day, and the boat’s water tank is for cooking and showering, not drinking. Bottled water is non-negotiable.

The detailed shopping list

Break the list into five categories, buy in roughly this order at the supermarket. Always confirm with your charter operator what’s already in the standard galley pack (most include salt, pepper, oil, basic dish soap, paper towel; some include nothing).

Breakfast staples (7 mornings)

Greek yogurt (FAGE, KRINOS or local-dairy — Greek yogurt in Greece is a different quality tier from what you’ve had at home). Honey (thyme honey is the gift-quality option). Fresh bread daily from village bakeries — Greek bread doesn’t keep. Butter, jam, eggs (a dozen per 4 people), Greek cheeses (graviera, feta blocks), instant + filter coffee + Greek frappe powder (essential), tea bags, UHT milk, cereal/muesli, fresh fruit (peaches, watermelon, melon, grapes, figs late-July onwards).

Lunch and galley dishes (5-7 lunches)

Bread or pita. Olive oil — buy a 1L bottle of Greek olive oil locally. Salt, pepper, dried oregano (the indispensable Greek herb), garlic, lemons, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, green peppers. Deli meats (prosciutto, salami, turkey breast). Cheese: halloumi, feta blocks, kefalotyri, graviera. Canned tuna in olive oil. Kalamata olives, capers. Taramasalata, tzatziki, dolmades, gigantes. Dry pasta, rice, pre-cooked grains (lentils, freekeh) for speed-cook dinners on travel days.

Dinner ingredients (3-4 dinners aboard)

Fresh local fish from village fishing-boat sales (see “where to shop” below). Local meat: lamb chops, souvlaki sticks, gyros meat from a Greek butcher. Vegetables: eggplant, zucchini, peppers, potatoes. Fresh herbs: parsley, dill, mint. Garlic, lemons, olive oil. A few frozen items (peeled prawns, sausages) if your boat has a real freezer.

Snacks and sweets

Greek roasted almonds, pretzels, paximadi (Cretan rusks — soak briefly in water + olive oil + tomato for the classic dakos), galaktoboureko or baklava from a local sweet shop, dark chocolate. Budget €25-40 per person for the week.

Drinks — the budget surprise (30-40% of provisioning)

— Water: 4-6 L per person per day in summer. For 8 over 7 days, 220-340 L. Buy 1.5L bottles in shrink-wrapped packs of 6 — €3-6 per pack. Stack in the bilge before departure.
— Wine: Greek wine in 2026 is excellent value. Reliable picks — Assyrtiko (white, Santorini, citrus-mineral, €8-15), Moschofilero (white, Peloponnese, €6-12), Agiorgitiko (red, Nemea, soft, €6-12), Xinomavro (red, Naoussa, complex, €10-18). Boxed wine €8-14 per 3L box, surprisingly drinkable.
— Beer: Greek (Mythos, Alpha, Fix) €1.50-2.50; imported €3-4. Cans not glass for the boat.
— Spirits: Ouzo (Plomari, Ouzo 12, Tsantali) €10-18 per 700ml, tsipouro, Metaxa brandy €12-24. One bottle each is plenty.
— Soft drinks: €1.50-3 per 1.5L.

Cleaning and galley essentials

Dish soap, sponges, paper towels, garbage bags, toilet paper (charter boats have a starter pack only — add 2 extra rolls per cabin), aluminium foil, ziplock bags. Plus sunscreen + after-sun (keep in the cockpit), insect repellent, paper plates for picnic lunches.

Practical considerations before shopping

Fridge size. A typical 45-50 ft charter catamaran has 80-120 L of fridge + 30-50 L freezer. Not enough for 8 people’s perishables for a full week. Plan two provisioning runs: substantial Day 1 + fresh top-ups at village stops on Day 3 and Day 5. The 38-42 ft cats have less fridge — plan three runs.

Stove. 2-3 propane burners plus a small oven. No microwave. Plan dishes that don’t need long cook times. The classic Greek charter staple is grilled fish / souvlaki on the rail BBQ, salads from the morning market, bread from the village bakery, wine from the box — 20-minute prep.

Water tanks. 600-900L fresh water on board. Refill at marinas (free at most ACI-style marinas, €5-20 at commercial fuel docks). Use for showers and cooking. Drink only bottled water.

Ice. Most modern cats have icemakers; check before booking. Otherwise buy a bag of cubed ice at village marinas — €2-4 per bag, one per day.

Provisioning delivery services. In Athens (Alimos), services like Pavlos Provisioning, Sea Provisions, Charter Provisions Greece deliver groceries to your pontoon. Order 24-48 hours ahead, specify dietary preferences. Typical markup 10-15% over supermarket plus €30-80 delivery fee. Worth it for groups of 8+; less critical for groups of 4 with time for a leisurely supermarket run.

Eat-ashore strategy. The comfortable rhythm: 5 lunches aboard + 2 lunches at fishing-village tavernas, plus 3-4 dinners aboard + 3-4 dinners ashore. Eating ashore every dinner at €30-50 per person × 8 people × 7 days = €1,700-2,800 — that’s the trap.

Greek tipping. 5-10% at tavernas — round up or leave a few euros per person. Not mandatory.

Fresh fish etiquette. Buy directly from fishing boats at small ports 07:00-09:00. Reliable fish villages: Astakos (mainland), Vathy on Meganisi, Kioni on Ithaca, Sivota on Lefkada, Naoussa on Paros. Quality better and prices roughly half of supermarket-frozen.

Where to shop near the major Greek charter marinas

Supermarket coverage varies sharply by base. The chains you’ll see most often are Sklavenitis (large, full selection — the dominant Greek supermarket chain), AB Vassilopoulos (good for premium and imported), Lidl (budget, good for bulk drinks and basics), and My Market / Marinopoulos (smaller, top-up shopping). All are 2026-current Greek chains with broad coverage.

Alimos Marina (Athens, Glyfada district) — busiest charter base in Greece

The single most-used Greek charter pickup. The Athens-Alimos provisioning ecosystem is fully developed.

— Sklavenitis Glyfada — large branch, full selection. ~10 minutes by taxi from Alimos.
— AB Vassilopoulos Alimos — closer to the marina, good for premium and imported items. ~5 minutes by taxi.
— Lidl Glyfada — budget option, excellent for water/beer/soft-drinks bulk. ~10 minutes by taxi.
— My Market / Marinopoulos branches near Alimos — smaller, fine for Day-3 top-ups. Several within walking distance.
— Provisioning delivery services (Pavlos, Sea Provisions, Charter Provisions Greece) deliver direct to your pontoon. Order 24-48 hours ahead.
— Bakery / fresh bread: small bakeries along Poseidonos Avenue (the coast road).

Lavrion Main Port — Cyclades gateway

Sklavenitis Lavrion (large, 5-10 min walk from port), Lidl Lavrion (15 min walk, budget), AB Vassilopoulos Lavrion (10 min walk). Smaller chain density than Alimos — if you need specialty items, do a major run from Athens before transferring. Fresh fish at the Lavrion fish market weekday mornings.

Lefkada (Lefkas Marina) — main Ionian base

Marinopoulos / Sklavenitis Lefkada town (5 min walk from marina), Lidl Lefkada (1.5 km, short taxi), AB Vassilopoulos Lefkada (town centre). Bakeries along the main pedestrian street for daily bread. Smaller selection than Athens — stock substantially at Lefkada, then top up at Sivota or Vasiliki on the route.

Preveza Marina — northern Ionian gateway

Sklavenitis Preveza (10 min walk from marina), Lidl Preveza (town centre), AB Vassilopoulos Preveza. Quieter Saturday handover than Lefkas. Fresh fish at Preveza’s morning fish market near the old harbour — very good quality.

Corfu (Gouvia Marina + Corfu Town) — north Ionian

Gouvia Marina has minimal in-marina shopping. Plan one big run in Corfu town on Day 1. Sklavenitis Gouvia (5 min by taxi from marina), AB Vassilopoulos Corfu town (15 min taxi from Gouvia — biggest selection on the island), Lidl Corfu town (15 min taxi). Mercato Markets near the Old Fortress for specialty deli items. Corfu town fish market on the harbour-front, morning fresh catch.

Kos Marina — Dodecanese base

Sklavenitis Kos, Lidl Kos, AB Vassilopoulos Kos — all in Kos town, 10 min taxi from the marina. Local fresh produce at the daily Kos market near the harbour. Fish at the small fishing-port quay early mornings.

Three worked budgets — 4, 8 and 10 people

The single most-asked question: “how much should we actually budget?” Three realistic scenarios for a 7-day charter in mid-June 2026 with current Greek prices.

Scenario A — 4 people (two couples, moderate budget, 4 dinners ashore)

Standard 38-42 ft catamaran. The lighter end of the spectrum: simple breakfasts aboard, cold lunches at the anchorage, modest drinking, half the dinners ashore at fishing-village tavernas.

— Breakfast onboard (7 days × 4 × €4 per person): €112
— Lunch onboard (5 days × 4 × €6): €120
— Lunch ashore (2 days × 4 × €18): €144
— Dinner onboard (3 days × 4 × €12): €144
— Dinner ashore (4 days × 4 × €28): €448
— Drinks (water + wine + beer for the week): €220
— Snacks, sundries, ice: €80
— TOTAL: ~€1,268 (about €317 per person)

Splitting roughly: groceries-and-drinks ~€600-800, eating ashore ~€500-800. The all-in band for a 4-person comfort-but-not-luxury week falls at €1,100-1,600, or €275-400 per person.

Scenario B — 8 people (family + friends, mixed appetite, 3 dinners ashore)

Standard 45-50 ft catamaran. The most common Greek charter profile: mixed-age crew, kids, two cooks splitting kitchen duty, three dinners ashore at marquee taverna stops (Naoussa on Paros, Vathy on Ithaca, Hydra port), the rest on board.

— Breakfast onboard (7 × 8 × €4): €224
— Lunch onboard (5 × 8 × €6): €240
— Lunch ashore (2 × 8 × €18): €288
— Dinner onboard (4 × 8 × €13): €416
— Dinner ashore (3 × 8 × €32): €768
— Drinks (water + wine + beer + a bottle of ouzo): €450
— Snacks, sundries, ice: €150
— TOTAL: ~€2,536 (about €317 per person)

Splitting roughly: groceries-and-drinks ~€1,400-1,900, eating ashore ~€700-1,400. The all-in band for an 8-person mixed-comfort week falls at €2,100-3,300, or €263-413 per person.

Scenario C — 10 people (luxury cat, all dinners ashore at marquee spots, big drinking budget)

Lagoon 55, Sunreef 60 or similar. The high end: skipper + hostess on board, breakfasts and most lunches aboard, every dinner ashore at marquee tavernas — Naoussa fine dining, Mykonos Nammos or Scorpios beach club, Spetses dinner, Hydra harbour, Folegandros cliff-top. Premium wines and cocktails.

— Breakfast onboard (7 × 10 × €5): €350
— Lunch onboard (4 × 10 × €7): €280
— Lunch ashore (3 × 10 × €22): €660
— Dinner ashore (7 × 10 × €55): €3,850 (mix of fine dining and beach clubs)
— Drinks (premium wines, ouzo, cocktails): €900
— Snacks, sundries, ice: €200
— TOTAL: ~€6,240 (about €624 per person)

The luxury all-in band lands at €3,400-6,800, or €340-680 per person. Cocktails at Scorpios, Nammos and similar beach clubs run €18-25 each and can add €500+ per evening for a 10-person crew. Plan accordingly.

For the broader Greek charter cost picture, see our cost of a week on a catamaran in Greece piece. For pre-charter cost transparency, the hidden costs guide covers everything you don’t see in the headline rate.

Hidden and extra costs to budget

Beyond the food bill, several smaller line items hit the trip cost:

— Provisioning delivery fee: €30-80 or 10-15% markup over supermarket prices.
— Taxi to supermarket if not using delivery: €15-25 each way at most marinas.
— Ice runs at island ports if your boat has no icemaker: €2-5 per day.
— Skipper tip if you booked a captain: €15-30 per day per guest is the standard Greek charter tip range. For a 4-person crew × 7 days × €20, that’s €560 — meaningful budget. Pay in cash, hand over at the end of the week.
— Hostess tip: similar range if you booked one.
— Water tank refill at fuel docks: often free at marinas, €5-15 at commercial fuel quays.
— Marina overnight fees (if not in your charter package): €30-150 per night, varies by island. Mykonos new marina is the priciest in Greece at €250+ for a 45-foot cat in peak season.
— Tourist tax: €1.50 per person per night, standard since the 2024 rule change. For 8 people × 7 nights: €84.
— ATM withdrawals: some smaller-island tavernas are cash-only. Greek ATMs charge €2-4 per foreign-card withdrawal; plan one large withdrawal at Alimos before departure.
— Local SIM data: €10-20 for a 7-day data eSIM (Airalo, Holafly). Useful for weather forecasting and provisioning-store searches.

Pro tips for smoother provisioning

Book provisioning delivery to Alimos boats 48 hours before pickup. Saves 2-3 hours of Day-1 chaos.

Day 1 morning: stock only the staples and drinks. Leave budget for local fresh ingredients at each island. Greek village markets are the food experience of the trip — don’t preempt them at the supermarket.

Chill water bottles before departure. Bury them in the icebox bottom on Day 1; they stay colder all week.

Memorise the Greek-cooking foundation: olive oil + dried oregano + lemon + salt. 80% of Greek dishes are some variation of those four ingredients on a base of fish/meat/vegetable. Don’t overbuy spices.

Save fish-buying for the fishing villages. Astakos, Meganisi (Vathy), Kioni (Ithaca), Sivota (Lefkada), Naoussa (Paros) — quality is better and prices are roughly half of supermarket frozen.

Buy bread daily from local bakeries. Greek bread doesn’t keep well, and the village bakeries are part of the cultural experience anyway. €1.50-3 per loaf, fresh out of the oven by 07:30 most mornings.

Hold a “shopping cap” envelope. Give one person the provisioning kitty in cash, track receipts, square up at the end of the week. Prevents 8 people from awkward bill-splitting maths over dinner every night.

Ready to plan your week?

Browse our 2026 fleet availability on the catamaran fleet page — every boat shows live dates, base port and equipment. For a custom quote with your dates and crew size, use the contact form on the site and we’ll come back within 24 hours.

For context on the broader Greek charter picture, our Greek Islands by Catamaran piece compares the three main cruising grounds. For specific island deep-dives, see our Paros must-see guide or — if you want to sail the locations the show shoots in — the Below Deck in Greece route. For seasonal planning, see best time to charter a catamaran in Greece.

Frequently asked questions

How much should I budget for food on a Greek catamaran charter?

Around €25-55 per person per day for an all-in food and drinks budget — that covers groceries, drinks, and a balanced mix of dinners aboard and at tavernas. For a 7-day charter that translates to €175-385 per person, or €700-1,540 for a crew of 4 and €1,400-3,080 for a crew of 8. The luxury tier with every dinner ashore at marquee tavernas pushes the per-person number toward €500-680 per week.

Can I have groceries delivered to the marina in Athens?

Yes — services like Pavlos Provisioning, Sea Provisions and Charter Provisions Greece deliver directly to your pontoon at Alimos and the surrounding marinas. Order online 24-48 hours before pickup, specify dietary preferences, and they hand-deliver the order. Markup is typically 10-15% over supermarket prices plus a €30-80 delivery fee. Worth it for groups of 8+ to save Day-1 logistics; less necessary for couples or 4-person crews with time for a leisurely supermarket run.

Where is the best place to buy fresh fish in Greece?

Buy directly from fishing boats at small ports in the early morning — usually 07:00-09:00. Reliable fish-villages on the standard charter routes: Astakos on the mainland (Ionian), Vathy on Meganisi, Kioni on Ithaca, Sivota on Lefkada, Naoussa on Paros, Mandraki on Hydra. Quality is better and prices are roughly half of supermarket-frozen fish.

Do I need to bring water from home?

No — bottled water is widely available and cheap at every Greek supermarket and most village shops. Plan 4-6 litres per person per day in summer (more if you’re sailing in July or August heat). Buy 1.5L bottles in shrink-wrapped packs of 6 for €3-6 per pack. The catamaran’s water tanks are fine for cooking and showering but the tap water on the boat is not for drinking.

What’s typically NOT included in catamaran charter pricing in Greece?

Food, drinks, fuel, transit log, marina overnight fees, tourist tax (€1.50/person/night), final cleaning, and any crew you book (skipper + hostess + chef rates are separate). The base charter rate covers the boat and standard insurance only. Plan to add roughly 30-50% on top of the boat-charter rate for the all-in trip cost. Our hidden costs guide breaks down every line item.