A berth is not a hotel room. Marinas that host superyachts run finite quay space against a fixed calendar of events, and the gap between "we can probably get you in" and "we have it confirmed in writing" is measured in weeks, not days, once July arrives. Here is how lead times actually behave across the four Mediterranean ecosystems we broker most: the French Riviera, Croatia, the Amalfi Coast and Sardinia.
French Riviera — Port Hercule & Port Vauban
Monaco's Port Hercule and Antibes' Port Vauban anchor the Riviera. Port Vauban, Europe's largest yachting marina, has more flexibility across its 1,500+ berths, but its "Billionaires' Quay" (Quai Camille Rayon) for the largest yachts still fills early in peak weeks. Port Hercule's own capacity (per the Société d'Exploitation des Ports de Monaco) tightens hard around the **Monaco Grand Prix** and the **Monaco Yacht Show**, when serious LOA can need **6–12 months of runway**. Outside event weeks, July–August still rewards booking **6–10 weeks ahead** for larger yachts; shoulder season (May–June, September) is markedly easier.
Croatia — ACI marinas (Split, Dubrovnik, Hvar)
Croatia's ACI network (the country's largest marina chain, per ACI Marinas) runs a more predictable but still seasonal pattern. ACI Marina Split and ACI Marina Dubrovnik, as the primary Central and Southern Dalmatia embarkation hubs, typically need **6–12 weeks** of lead time for larger LOA in July–August. ACI Marina Hvar is the tightest of the group — its town-quay nightlife draw means **8–16 weeks** is realistic for a confirmed peak-week slip, with Pakleni Islands day-anchors as the standard fallback when the quay itself is full.
Amalfi Coast — Marina di Stabia & Capri
The Amalfi Coast runs on a different logic: Marina di Stabia (near Castellammare) is the practical working embarkation base, while Capri's Marina Grande is tender-and-anchor culture for anything beyond modest LOA — the harbour simply was not built for megayacht overnight berthing. Expect **4–8 weeks** of lead time for Marina di Stabia in peak season, and plan for a tender-based Capri day rather than assuming a Marina Grande overnight for larger yachts.
Sardinia — Porto Cervo & Olbia
Costa Smeralda's Marina di Porto Cervo is Sardinia's flagship and one of the most photographed quays in the Mediterranean — and it books accordingly. High-season (July–August) larger-LOA berths typically need **6–14 weeks**, tightening further around Costa Smeralda's regatta calendar. Marina di Olbia, the mainland-adjacent embarkation hub, is more forgiving and a sensible fallback when Porto Cervo itself is full for your dates.
The pattern across all four
- **Event weeks multiply lead time**, they do not just add to it — a Grand Prix or regatta week can need 3–6x the lead time of an ordinary high-season week at the same marina. - **Shoulder season buys flexibility everywhere** — late May, June and September consistently loosen every marina on this list. - **A written confirmation beats a verbal one.** Marina agents can be optimistic on the phone; we do not tell clients a berth is secured until we have it in writing. - **Always hold a fallback** — a day-anchor, a tender plan, or a secondary marina — before you commit non-refundable deposits around a specific quay.
For the French Riviera specifically, see our [APA & VAT guide](/journal/french-riviera-apa-vat-guide) and, if a Grand Prix week is in the mix, [Monaco Grand Prix yacht week costs](/journal/monaco-grand-prix-yacht-week-costs). Marina-by-marina berth guides live on each marina's own page — start from [our marinas index](/charter/marinas) or enquire directly and we will hold the right combination of quay and fallback before you fly.
Sources: [ACI Marinas](https://aci-marinas.com/), [Société d'Exploitation des Ports de Monaco](https://www.ports-monaco.com/en/the-ports-of-monaco/port-hercule/), [Le Port Vauban](https://leportvauban.com/en/), [Marina di Porto Cervo](https://www.marinadiportocervo.com/), [Croatian National Tourist Board](https://croatia.hr/en-gb).