In the past years Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has developed into one of the most important charter grounds in Germany. The principal reason for this is a provision that allows cruising inland waters without a navigator's licence. Instead, 'holiday captains' receive a so-called charter certificate for the time of their journey.
This requires an approximately 3-hour instruction session at the boat rental agent's: The agent explains, among other details, how to read hydrographical maps, how to circumnavigate surface marker buoys and master locks.
For licence-free navigation the boat size is limited to 15 metres and to a maximum of 12 passengers. The cruising grounds reach from Dömitz on the Elbe River over Schwerin and the Müritz River as far as Mildenberg on the Havel River. On large bodies of water like the Müritz all passengers are obliged to wear life jackets.
It is, however, important to know that the charter certificate is only valid for the rental term. If a houseboat is chartered again in the same year, the instructions given by the boat rental agent also have to be repeated.