Yacht Charter Cost Guide 2024

beautiful island, Yacht Charter Cost Guide 2023

Explore the epitome of luxury and privacy with a chartered yacht, a choice increasingly favored for those seeking the ultimate escape. Picture yourself navigating the azure waters of the world’s most pristine locales, from the heritage-steeped harbors of the French Riviera to the sun-drenched, vibrant coasts of the Caribbean. Every aspect of your voyage, from the selection of ports to the personalized itinerary, is meticulously crafted to cater to your preferences and those of your guests. Curious about the cost of indulging in this lavish experience aboard a mega yacht? Continue reading this yacht charter cost guide to unlock the secrets of luxury at sea.

How much does it cost to charter a mega yacht? 

The average cost to charter a yacht depends on a few things. We will explore these in more detail below: 

  • Length of charter – will you be going for a week, or just for the weekend? Or for three days mid-week? Most charters will run weekly on a seven-night rate, with their own preferred start and end dates. However, during low seasons or even those that specialize in shorter term charters, will have different rates if your dates fall over a weekend, or for three random days to fill a gap.  
  • Location – Will your yacht charter be in Greece? In glitzy St. Tropez? In the Caribbean? In some of the most popular spots like Florida or the French Riviera? These can affect your overall charter price. 
  • Size of yacht – The larger the yacht, the higher the weekly charter rates will be. 

One thing to bear in mind is most yachts will only list the base charter rate for a week. Shorter term charters like those for a weekend will be prorated.

In addition to this base rate, we recommend budgeting an additional 50-55% of the base charter rate to get an idea of what your Advanced Provisioning Allowance (APA), fuel, taxes, and crew gratuity will cost and add this to the base price to get a more all-inclusive rate. For example, if your yacht is going to cost $50,000 a week for the base rate, you’ll need to add roughly $27,500 (55%) to that to get a grand total of $77,500 for a week stay onboard.

What is the yacht charter fee per day? 

As mentioned above, most yachts will work on a weekly basis, however, some do offer day charters as well (or some may specialize in only offering day charters). Like the above, the location of your charter (will you be in St. Tropez on a Mediterranean Yacht Charter? Australia?), number of guests, and length of time (is it a half day charter, or full day charter?), will impact the price.  

It also depends on where you are chartering as in some places, it may be much more common to offer day charters. Places in the Caribbean or even on some yachts in the Mediterranean like the Adriatic may offer exploratory day charters to go out and do some diving, or light cruising around the islands in which case your charter fee would be prorated.

Sydney, Australia, Yacht Charter Cost Guide 2023

What is the last-minute super yacht charter cost? 

Last-minute charter fees can be tricky to budget for. Some owners may reduce the price of their weekly rate if they want to “fill a gap” between two other charters. Sometimes, if you aren’t picky about when you go, or for how many days, you may be able to find some good deals for your last-minute yacht charter booking. Again, this can depend on a few factors: 

  • Location – In the busier ports like those found in the Greek isles, Croatia, and the French Riviera, you may be able to find an abundance of charter yachts that may have gaps you can fill at a reduced rate. 
  • Type of charter – Sailing charters and boat charters vary in price due to what is possible onboard. Sailing charters usually cruise around islands in close proximity, and some even offer bare boat charters for those who want to captain their own yacht (unlike crewed charters we normally speak about). If you also aren’t too choosy about what type of vessel you’d like to charter, you may be able to find some good deals on sailing charters and boat charters in the location you’d like. 
  • Time of year – The off season for yachts varies on the location (ex. The Northern Hemisphere’s winter will put yachts in the Mediterranean in the low season, while it will be the reverse for those in the Southern Hemisphere). However, if a yacht isn’t in the yard for a refit, and it’s still the norm to cruise that time of year, you can likely find off-peak rates offering good deals on charter fees for those looking. 

What is the yacht captain for hire rates? 

Yacht captain hire rates (or alternatively called yacht skipper for hire rates), will depend on the location you are chartering, the size of the vessel, and the length of period you’ll be chartering. On average, these rates can be anywhere from $100 an hour, to over $1,000 for the day. Let’s explore what can affect this price: 

  • Location – Are you chartering in a busy hub like Miami or St. Tropez? Or for a gentler cruise around one of the Great Lakes in a city like Chicago? 
  • Role of Captain – Is the captain’s only duty to navigate the vessel? Or will you be requiring them to tour you around, suggest an itinerary, plan stops, operate any water toys for guests, etc.? This will all be added to the yacht skipper for hire rates. Unlike a crewed charter, these are all added costs and not included in the base rate of the yacht rental.
  • Experience – In some of the hubs like Florida, there will be no shortage of experienced captains for hire. In the quieter superyacht grounds, you may have less choice, and therefore not as much competition in pricing. 

It’s important to note here that most of the yacht charters we discuss will be for “crewed charters” so those already come with a captain and crew onboard. Unless you are researching bare boat charters, a captain and full-time crew are always included in the base charter fee we discussed above and not your responsibility to source. Regardless, crew gratuity is not mandatory, however, this is a very important aspect of chartering and the crew works very hard to make sure you have a truly remarkable time onboard so it is is widely accepted as the norm to add a crew gratuity on top of your charter fee.

Baywatch Miami Beach

What does a yacht honeymoon cost? 

If you’re looking for the ultimate honeymoon, you can’t beat the private luxury yacht option. From the romantic settings of Italy and the French Riviera aboard a yacht in the Mediterranean to the sun-soaked islands of Southeast Asia, or the white sand beaches of the Caribbean – a honeymoon aboard your own luxury yacht is unlike any other vacation you’ll ever take. And isn’t your honeymoon meant to be the most private celebration of your love and journey into marriage?

Like the first question of what you can expect to pay for a yacht charter, a honeymoon will take all of these same questions into consideration. Whether you’re looking for the history and culture dotted around the many islands of Greece or the French Riviera on a Mediterranean yacht charter or want to explore some of the hottest Caribbean islands, you can usually find a yacht for every budget.

a bride and a groom in wedding outfit on a boat on their honeymoon

What is the super yacht charter cost in the Virgin Islands? 

Chartering a yacht in the Virgin Islands is very popular and it’s no wonder why. With plenty of beautiful bays, stunning weather, and excellent diving and snorkeling, not to mention easy travel connections from the U.S., the Virgin Islands are an excellent place to book your superyacht charter.

On average, you’ll likely be looking at a base charter fee to charter yachts of around $20,000 for a week long superyacht charter, however, shorter charters for three days, or those for a smaller amount of guests, will cost less than this. Again, it’s important to bear in mind you will have to cover the extras like food, drinks, fuel, taxes and crew gratuity.

As your group increases in size, (and so too does the yacht), or if you’re looking for something longer than for three days, say a week or even two weeks, the costs can increase quite quickly.  

How much does it cost to charter a mega yacht in St. Thomas? 

Many of the industry’s most respected and widely used brokerage houses will offer yacht charters in and around St. Thomas. Your best bet is to contact your trusted yacht broker who will help you find the perfect charter yacht for your time in St. Thomas. 

palm trees on the sandy beach on an island. Yacht Charter Cost Guide 2023

What is the charter fee for renting a yacht in the Mediterranean? 

Like the above scenarios, a Mediterranean yacht charter will come in a wide range of prices and packages.

If you’re looking for a fully crewed yacht with your own captain on a yacht in the Mediterranean, you will be looking at yachts that charge a base rate (as explained above – this is the super yacht charter cost for a fully crewed charter) and need to factor in the additional 50-55% for your expenses to get an all-inclusive cost. These additional charges include your food and provisioning allowance, local taxes, crew gratuity, etc.

Sailboat charters will likely cost less (and more commonly offer bareboat options) than motor yachts.

However, regardless of which country you choose to charter in the Mediterranean (or around the world), be advised that every country will charge its own VAT. This can be quite high in some places (for example, Greece’s is 24%) however, they do also offer tax breaks when cruising in international waters.

What is the yacht charter cost for Greece? 

Like the other locations we have reviewed, prices for an all inclusive yacht charter in Greece will depend on the number of people in your group, what size of yacht you’ll require, how long you are going for, what time of year you’re going (high or low season) and any extras you may request for your trip.

On average, you’ll find yacht charters in Greece starting at a base charter fee of around $20,000 for the week, and if we do our calculation of adding an additional 55% for the APA and all of your extras, you’ll be looking at around an all inclusive price of $31,000. Prices can be lower than this, of course, and up to the $1 million a week mark for truly luxurious superyachts. In which case, you could be looking at an average cost to charter a yacht in Greece somewhere closer to $100,000 per week as a starting charter fee with all extras added on top of this.”

island in Greece

What is the catamaran rentals price? 

Catamarans are often cheaper than motor yachts to charter for a week. Sometimes they’ll come with fewer crew members (down to space available on board) and may even offer bareboat charters if you’d like to captain your own yacht.

Depending on where the yacht is located, the price of a crewed charter onboard a catamaran for a week will vary. Say you want to charter a catamaran in Miami, you might be able to find small catamarans at a rate of $1,000 for the day, so around $7 – 10,000 for a week.

Wondering what it costs to rent a catamaran near me? Start your yacht charter search with YATCO here.

Jacuzzi on a catamaran

What does it cost to hire a sailboat? 

Again, the price of hiring a sailboat will depend on the various factors we have discussed already. Where will you be chartering the sailboat? Will you be in St. Tropez looking to explore the coastlines on a Mediterranean yacht charter? Or looking at sailboats in the Caribbean to escape winter? How long will you be gone for? What size sailboat will you require? How many guests will be onboard? What time of year are you going? Peak season will always cost the most, regardless of where you are chartering in the world.  

Sailboats will usually cost less than the average cost to charter a yacht, and it will be a different style of charter so be sure to discuss your needs with a broker to narrow your choices down.

There are a number of factors to consider when finding the right superyacht to charter for your budget. If you’re new to the world of yacht charter, check out this link to learn more about yacht charters and explore the destinations available.

beautiful island surrounded by blue ocean water, Yacht Charter Cost Guide 2023

YATCO Yacht Charter Guides

  • Mediterranean Sea Boating & Yachting Guide: For a complete overview of Mediterranean Yacht Charters and what makes this region so unique to yachts and boats, YATCO created a Mediterranean Sea Boating & Yachting Guide 2023.
    • Part 1: Explore 22 Mediterranean countries on your next yacht charter, spanning Europe, Africa, and Asia.
    • Part 2: Discover enchanting Mediterranean islands, from Spain to Greece’s Santorini.
  • Private Yacht Charter Guide: Explore the ultimate private yacht charter guide, offering luxurious experiences on the high seas. Discover dream destinations and exclusive vessels tailored to your desires. Elevate your travel experience today! Visit the page for more details.
  • Charter Yacht Provisioning Guide: You’ll likely come across the term “provisioning” a lot when you are booking a private yacht charter. Advanced Food and Provisioning Allowance is the money you pay that goes toward your food and drinks while onboard. This is on top of the base price to rent the yacht that you might see advertised on yacht charter websites. Read more about it in YATCO’s Charter Yacht Provisioning Guide.  
  • Luxury Yacht Charter Turkey Guide: Turkey began to emerge as a luxury yacht charter destination a few years ago as people have begun to look for other options for Mediterranean yacht charters, and it only continues to grow in popularity. Thanks to an extensive coastline, excellent superyacht marinas and facilities, and many historical gems to discover, learn more in our Luxury Yacht Charter Turkey Guide
  • Yacht Charter Management Guide: What is a yacht charter management company and why are they important? When you book a luxury yacht rental, you will likely work with a charter yacht broker, and then be introduced to the yacht charter management company. This is the team that makes sure the charter business of the yacht runs well and smoothly for all. Read more in YATCO’s Yacht Charter Management Guide.  
  • Yacht Charter Vacations Guide: Experience the ultimate freedom and luxury with a yacht charter vacation! Imagine waking up each morning to a new horizon, diving into crystalline waters from the deck of your private yacht, and indulging in gourmet meals prepared by your onboard chef. From the sun-kissed shores of the Mediterranean to the vibrant islands of the Caribbean, each yacht charter offers a unique gateway to remote beaches, exclusive coves, and bespoke itineraries tailored just for you. 
  • Luxury Yacht Charter Guide: Embark on a journey of unparalleled luxury and exploration with a private yacht charter. Imagine cruising through the serene waters of the Mediterranean or the vibrant Caribbean, where every detail is tailored to your preference, from the itinerary to the gourmet dining. Whether you’re seeking a secluded getaway or an adventurous exploration, a luxury yacht charter offers an intimate experience with access to remote bays, exclusive beaches, and personalized service from a dedicated crew. Discover the world of yacht charters and start planning your dream voyage today with YATCO’s extensive guides and expert advice​.
  • Yacht Tender & Toys Guide: For many, one of the big perks of booking a luxury yacht charter is the fact you get access to a number of fun water toys! Whether you are a thrill seeker looking to be towed behind the tender on waterskis, zipping around on the jetski, or prefer a quieter pastime like stand-up paddle boarding to an isolated beach, there are toys for everyone in group onboard. Learn more in YATCO’s Yacht Tender and Toys Guide.  
  • Best Restaurants in Capri Guide: We know you may want to stay on board every night and enjoy another gourmet meal cooked by your private chef. However, some people do enjoy getting onto land for a meal or two during their yacht charter. A very popular cruising destination is Italy and the isle of Capri. We’ve created a Guide to the Best Restaurants in Capri so you don’t have to waste time searching for the best places to dine while in town.
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