Yacht
The Greek charter market is different from other parts of the world because, until recently, only yachts with Greek owners were allowed to offer charters there. Essentially, this means there was no real competition among the yachts, unlike in the rest of the world, where charter yachts must compete in terms of quality and service from the Caribbean to the South Pacific.

Given the situation in Greece, you would expect for some of the boat owners to let their yachts get rundown—and they do. Fortunately, the owner of Oh Que Luna is not one of them. 

While the yacht’s décor is dated compared with boats you’ll find in more worldwide markets, everything is in good shape and well cared for. The shaded aft deck is the spot of choice for lounging and dining, though the top deck is nice for casual meals when you’re docked stern-to (in Mediterranean style) and the onlookers ashore are peeking to see who’s onboard.

Be aware that this yacht has no stabilizers. Although the Saronic islands are the most protected (weather-wise) in all of Greece, you may encounter some big, rolling waves. We had nearly two hours of cruising through 4-foot rollers, and though it was tolerable for such a short time, we likely would have been more comfortable on a yacht with stabilizers to ease the rolling motion.

Crew 
Ever heard the phrase, “It’s all Greek to me”? That’s the case onboard Oh Que Luna, where only two crew members—the captain and steward—speak English. Still, service always comes with a smile, especially on the part of steward Rudy Punongbayan. He was our only crewmember not of Greek heritage; he’s from the Philippines, but has worked in Greece so long he just might fool you. 

By all accounts, Rudy was the standout crewmember on our cruise. If he’s onboard during your charter, it won’t matter whether anyone else speaks English. Rudy will make sure you have everything that you need, sometimes even before you realize that you need it.

Chef
We never did catch the chef’s name—he said it for us a few times in Greek, but we mangled it when we tried to pronounce it ourselves. And in any case, we didn’t have much time to talk with him because he was always keeping our mouths full of traditional Greek delicacies.

The routine in Greece is to eat a light breakfast, a bountiful lunch, and then a light snack or supper. This is the same routine adhered to onboard Oh Que Luna, with a typical luncheon buffet spread looking something like this:

• Tatitiki (a cucumber and yogurt salad)
• Feta cheese slices
• Green salad
• Mousaka (kind of like eggplant lasagna without the noodles)
• Fish roe salad
• Okra
• Calamari
• Watermelon slices

By the end of our charter, we were eating lunch and nothing else—and fully appreciating all the glory of the Greek lifestyle that goes along with those midday binges and afternoon siestas.
 
Accommodations
All four guest staterooms are on Oh Que Luna’s bottom deck. There are two identical staterooms with queen-size beds, plus two additional cabins with twin beds. All four guest cabins have private, en suite facilities.

The twin beds are big enough to accommodate most adults, but if you have the option, reserve those cabins for kids.
 
Destination
All of the islands in Greece’s Saronic Gulf are worth a look, but our favorite was Hydra.. It’s tough to get a slip there—the marina is crowded, and there’s only one on the whole island—but if you work with a local captain such as Oh Que Luna’s, you can not only get in, but get a great spot right in the heart of the action.

Be prepared to watch mules shuffling by the yacht’s stern deck, unloading cargo from ferries and walking it high up into the mountainside, where the local people live. Bring your comfortable sneakers if you plan to follow the same paved paths; the staircases wind for hours (yes, hours) up to the mountain’s peak, where you can watch the sunset before heading back down to the yacht in the harbor below.

Remember your camera on Hydra, as well. The traditional, beautiful sights are ones you won’t soon want to forget.