A Complete Guide to Yacht Charter Costs
If you are considering a yacht charter for the first time, one of your first questions is likely, how much does it cost to charter a superyacht? The answer is slightly more complicated than the weekly rate you see advertised.
For example, a yacht may be listed for charter at USD 100,000 per week, but the final cost of the holiday will also depend on expenses such as fuel, food and drinks, local taxes and gratuity. Where you charter, how far you cruise and the experiences you plan along the way can all influence the amount.
Understanding those costs before you book makes planning considerably easier.
Before we dive in, as a general guide, luxury yacht charters can begin from around USD 25,000 per week, while larger superyachts commonly start from USD 150,000 per week and can extend well beyond USD 500,000 per week at the very top of the market. These figures generally refer to the yacht’s base charter fee rather than the total cost of the trip.
So, what can you actually expect to pay? Let’s take a closer look.
There is no single average cost to charter a yacht because the global charter fleet covers an enormous range of yachts.
A useful starting point is:
These are indicative base rates only. Charter prices vary considerably according to the individual yacht, destination and season.
Rather than focusing solely on yacht length, it is worth considering what you are getting for the rate. A newer 40-metre yacht with exceptional design, an extensive water toy collection and a highly regarded charter programme may command a higher weekly rate than a larger but older yacht. Crew numbers, onboard facilities, recent refits, reputation and demand will all play a role.
The base charter fee generally covers the use of the yacht for the agreed charter period together with its crew, onboard facilities, standard water toys and equipment. Depending on the yacht, that could mean having a captain and full crew looking after your group, private chefs preparing meals throughout the charter, tenders taking you ashore and access to the extensive collection of water toys.
On larger superyachts, the facilities themselves can be extraordinary. Swimming pools, beach clubs, gyms, cinemas, jacuzzis, dive equipment, jet skis, eFoils and inflatable water parks are increasingly common across the premium charter fleet.
However, the charter fee does not usually represent the total amount you will spend. Operating expenses specific to your trip are generally charged separately, but fully disclosed before you ever sign on the dotted line.
One of the most important additional costs to understand is the Advance Provisioning Allowance (APA). The APA is not an additional fee charged by the yacht. Instead, it is money paid in advance to cover the variable expenses incurred during your time on board.
For the yacht, tenders, and motorised water toys
Provisioned around your preferences
For ports and marinas visited during the charter
Including cruising permits and applicable local fees
Arranged specifically for your charter
Incurred on your behalf during the charter
The APA is typically calculated at approximately 30-40% of the base charter fee, although the percentage can vary depending on the yacht and itinerary. For example, if your yacht has a weekly charter rate of USD 150,000 and an APA of 35%, you would pay an additional USD 52,500 into the APA account before the charter.
However, that doesn’t mean you automatically spend all of it, or will need all of that for your time onboard. The captain manages the APA throughout the charter and keeps records of expenditure. At the end of your trip, you receive an amount of the costs incurred. Any remaining balance is returned to you, while you will be asked to settle the difference if expenditure exceeds the amount originally provided.
Your itinerary and preferences make a significant difference. A charter covering considerable distances at higher speeds will naturally consume more fuel than a week spent moving leisurely between neighbouring islands. Likewise, premium wines and spirits, elaborate provisioning requests or multiple nights in high-demand marinas can increase costs.
This is one reason two guests chartering the same yacht could end up spending completely different amounts. Your broker and captain can help share an itinerary around both the experience you want and your preferred budget.
On most superyacht charters, food and beverages are purchased using the APA rather than being included in the base charter rate. Before you travel, you will normally complete a detailed preference sheet covering everything from dietary requirements and favourite cuisines to preferred wines, spirits, snacks and children’s meals.
The yacht’s chef and crew use this information to provision specifically for your group. This bespoke approach is part of what distinguishes a private yacht charter from a hotel or resort. There are no fixed restaurant hours or standard menus to work around. Breakfast can be served after an early swim, lunch might be freshly grilled seafood on the aft deck, and dinner could be a tasting menu created around produce sourced locally that morning. These provisions are purchased for your charter through that pot of money for the APA.
Fuel is one of the most variable yacht charter expenses. The amount you use depends on the yacht itself, the distances travelled, cruising speed and how frequently tenders and motorised water toys are used.
A charter built around slow cruising and relatively short distances can have very different fuel consumption from an itinerary designed to cover hundreds of nautical miles in a week. However, this doesn’t mean you need to plan your holiday around fuel calculations.
Your charter broker can discuss your expectations before booking, while your captain can advise on itinerary options once onboard. If you would rather spend long afternoons anchored off secluded beaches than travel considerable distances every day, your itinerary can reflect that.
It depends on the region, but yes, you will sometimes have to pay VAT on your charter. VAT and other local taxes may apply to yacht charters depending on the destination, embarkation point, cruising itinerary and local regulations. The amount can vary considerably around the world, which is why tax should always be factored into your overall charter budget, rather than assuming the weekly rate is the final price.
As a general overview, some of the most popular charter destinations around the globe currently have the following VAT rates:
Your broker will be able to confirm the taxes applicable to your proposed charter before you sign the charter agreement so they can be incorporated into your overall budget.
Crew gratuity is customary in many yacht destinations but is generally not included in either the base charter fee or the APA. The appropriate amount varies by region and the overall cost and level of service the yacht offers.
As a broad guide, gratuities are often in the region of 10-20% of the base charter fee, depending on the destination and your satisfaction with the service received. Rather than tipping individual crew members, gratuity is normally given to the captain at the end of the charter and distributed amongst the hard working crew.
Your charter broker will advise you on the customary approach for the destination and yacht you end up booking.
Yes, many yachts publish both high-season and low-season charter rates. High-season weeks typically coincide with periods of greatest demand. In the Mediterranean, this often includes July and August, while Christmas and New Year are particularly sought-after dates in winter destinations such as the Caribbean.
Major events can also affect pricing and availability. Chartering during events such as the Monaco Grand Prix may involve premium charter rates, minimum charter periods or additional berthing costs.
If your dates are flexible, travelling just outside peak periods can sometimes provide greater yacht availability while still offering excellent conditions.
For most charters, the base fee, APA, taxes and gratuity account for the principal costs. There may, however, be other expenses depending on your plans. These could include delivery or redelivery fees if you want the yacht to start or finish somewhere outside its normal cruising area, particularly expensive marina berths, helicopter transfers, specialist guides or instructors, shore-based experiences and other arrangements made specifically for your group.
Flights and transfers to and from the yacht are also separate from the charter price. Again, our brokers will help you go over all potential costs early in the booking process so there will be no unexpected fees or charges during or after the charter.
Contact The Superyacht People who can help explain all pricing questions.
Superyacht charters are generally not all-inclusive. Some smaller yachts and certain charter programmes do offer inclusive pricing structures, but the traditional superyacht charter model separates the yacht’s base rate from the expenses associated with each individual trip.
While it may seem a little more complicated than booking a luxury resort or villa, there is a reason for the structure and a charter gives you so much more for your money. A private yacht charter is highly personalised.
One group may want to cruise extensively, spend evenings in glamorous marinas and provision rare wines. Another might prefer quiet anchorages, shorter distances and days spent swimming, diving and exploring by tender.
Rather than building the most expensive possible version of the holiday into everyone’s rate, the APA allows each charter to reflect how the guests actually choose to experience the yacht.
When speaking with a charter broker, it helps to discuss your total overall budget, rather than simply the maximum weekly yacht rate you have seen online.
If your overall budget is USD 200,000 for example, choosing a yacht advertised at USD 200,000 per week is unlikely to be realistic once APA, taxes and gratuity are taken into account.
Your broker can instead work backwards from your overall budget and identify yachts that leave appropriate room for the additional costs. It’s also worth sharing with your broker what matters most to you.
Perhaps you want exceptional water toys for teenagers, a yacht particularly suited to young children, a standout chef, an enormous beach club or enough range to explore a remote cruising area. Sometimes a slightly smaller yacht with exactly the right features will provide a better charter experience than simply choosing the largest yacht available within your budget.
Ultimately, yacht charter pricing is about more than the cost of hiring the yacht itself. It is the cost of creating a private holiday built entirely around where you want to go, what you want to do and how you want to spend your time.
A knowledgeable charter broker can make those costs clear from the outset, helping you understand what is included, what to allow for and which yachts offer the best fit for your plans.
Luxury yacht charters can start from around USD 30,000 per week, while larger superyachts commonly begin at approximately USD 150,000 per week. Premium yachts can cost USD 500,000 per week or more. These figures generally represent the base charter rate with additional expenses added on top of this.
As a starting point, APA is commonly around 30-40% of the base charter fee. Taxes and gratuity may then need to be added separately, so your total budget should be higher than the advertised weekly rate. We recommend budgeting an additional 50-55% of the base rate to get an idea of all in costs when reviewing yacht options.
APA stands for Advance Provisioning Allowance. It is an amount paid before your charter to cover expenses such as fuel, food, beverages, berthing and other costs incurred during your trip. Any unused APA is returned at the end of the charter.
What’s important to understand is that not all yachts are approved or equipped to run PADI courses independently, so they often rely on training through rendezvous diving. Course structure, minimum time requirements, and local regulations all need to be respected, so this is something that should be planned in advance rather than decided mid-charter.
On most traditional superyacht charters, food and beverages are not included in the base charter fee. They are purchased specifically for your group and paid through the APA, however all food and beverages will be ready and onboard for when you arrive.
While it is optional, gratuity is customary in many charter destinations and is usually paid at the end of the charter. The amount varies by destination and level of service, but approximately 10-20% of the base charter fee is a common broad guideline.
It can be. Some yachts offer different high and low season rates, and travelling outside of the busiest weeks can also give you a greater choice of yachts and itineraries.
Usually not. Superyacht charter rates are generally quoted for the yacht itself for a specified period, typically one week, rather than as a per-person price. The yacht will have a maximum permitted number of charter guests according to maritime rules and regulations as well (the maximum standard is 12 guests plus the crew members).
For peak periods such as July and August in the Mediterranean or Christmas and New Year in the Caribbean, booking several months in advance gives you a much wider choice. Highly sought-after yachts and dates can book as far as 12 months in advance or longer.
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