A week on a crewed yacht is priced as a base fee plus an advance provisioning allowance, crew gratuity, taxes and delivery. How the numbers add up for 30, 50 and 70-metre yachts and how to choose the boat.
In short
- Budget the base rate plus 30 to 35 percent APA, 10 to 15 percent crew tip, VAT of 12 to 22 percent and delivery fees.
- A 30-metre motor yacht in the Mediterranean starts around 80,000 dollars a week all in; a 50-metre runs 350,000 to 600,000; a 70-metre, seven figures.
- Choose the itinerary first, then the boat: draft, cruising speed and tender size decide which coves you can reach.
How a charter is priced
A crewed charter has a weekly base rate that covers the yacht and its crew. On top of that comes the advance provisioning allowance (APA), typically 30 to 35 percent of the base rate, held by the captain to pay for fuel, food, drinks, port fees and anything you ask for; what is not spent is returned. Then VAT, which depends on the flag and the cruising area (France 20 percent, Italy 22, Spain 21, Greece 12, Croatia 13, with reductions in some cases for international waters). Then a crew gratuity of 10 to 15 percent of the base rate, and delivery fees if the yacht must reposition to meet you.
Three sizes, three budgets
A 30-metre motor yacht with six guest cabins and five crew: base rate 50,000 to 80,000 dollars a week in the Mediterranean in high season, so 80,000 to 130,000 all in. A 50-metre with six cabins and ten crew: base 200,000 to 350,000, so 350,000 to 600,000 all in. A 70-metre superyacht with a spa, a gym, a beach club and a crew of twenty: base 600,000 to over a million, and everything above that. Sailing yachts of the same length charter for less.
Where and when
The Western Mediterranean (Côte d'Azur, Corsica, Sardinia, Amalfi, Balearics) from June to September. Greece and Croatia for warmer water, more islands and lower VAT. The Caribbean from December to April: the Grenadines, the British Virgin Islands, St Barths. The Bahamas from Florida. Further afield, Thailand and Indonesia for a different kind of week. Book Mediterranean high season six to nine months ahead; the best yachts go first.
Choosing the yacht
Start with the itinerary: how many hours a day you want to move, whether you prefer anchorages or marinas, whether you want a beach club, a jacuzzi, a gym, toys (tenders, jet skis, seabobs, an inflatable slide). Then the crew: the chef’s menus, the captain’s local knowledge, the crew’s languages. A charter broker (Burgess, Fraser, Northrop & Johnson, Camper & Nicholsons, YPI, Ocean Independence) knows the boats and, more importantly, the crews.
The contract
Charters use the MYBA agreement in the Mediterranean and similar standard forms elsewhere. Read the cancellation terms and the insurance clauses. Pay into an escrow account held by the broker’s association, never directly to a private owner you have not met.
Etiquette
Shoes off on deck, a preference sheet returned in full before the trip, gratitude to the crew in cash at the end. A great crew makes the difference between a nice week and the best week of the year.
Try it yourself
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How much is a yacht charter per week?
From about 80,000 dollars all in for a 30-metre motor yacht in the Mediterranean to more than a million for a 70-metre superyacht.
What is the APA on a yacht charter?
The advance provisioning allowance, usually 30 to 35 percent of the base rate, paid upfront to cover fuel, food, drinks and port fees. Unspent APA is refunded.
How much should I tip the yacht crew?
Ten to fifteen percent of the base charter rate, given to the captain in cash at the end of the week to share among the crew.
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