Yachts

A Guide to Yacht Charter Costs, From the MYBA Charter Contract to Tips

Here, you’ll learn exactly what to expect in terms of yacht charter costs before your next luxurious expedition.

Tristan Rutherford

| June 19, 2025

Two people ride underwater scooters in clear blue water near a large luxury yacht, with a scenic coastline and cloudy sky visible in the background above the waterline. — Whisper is equipped with a variety of water toys, including jet skis, seabobs, kayaks, and more.

If you’re new to superyachts, the idea of paying half a million (for a charter priced at $300,000 per week) may seem opaque. No customer wants to appear as an arriviste by enquiring about taxes and gratuities —even when they cost as much as a Ferrari. That’s why we have broken down the charges of this rarefied experience to highlight the true cost of a private yacht charter.

A Guide to Yacht Charter Costs

Why Do Base Prices Vary So Much?

Spacious, modern yacht interior with curved sofas, plush cushions, wooden floors, and large windows offering a panoramic ocean view under bright daylight. — Alpha Waves is one of Benetti’s most luxurious yachts, featuring spacious interiors, an infinity pool, and a Jacuzzi.

Although we offer a more in-depth explanation to this question in our ultimate guide to yachts, the principal factors affecting charter prices are the yacht’s age and volume. For instance, a new 150-foot motor yacht charter fee can be up to four times more than a 20-year-old sailing yacht of similar length, which will have less onboard volume. A crewed yacht with 20 staff is also more expensive than a yacht with just two or three crew.

Another important pricing rationale includes location and manufacturer. Chartering in Greenland, for example, requires more advanced provisioning and planning than a sojourn in the Mediterranean or Caribbean, the industry’s most popular charter destinations. Yachts built by the top luxury boat brands, such as Benetti and Feadship, also command a premium.

In addition, when you charter a yacht can impact charter prices. A Mediterranean yacht charter during high season can be more expensive than in low season, for example.

What Am I Contracted to Pay When Signing the MYBA Charter Document?

A large luxury yacht cruises on bright blue tropical waters near green, hilly islands under a clear, sunny sky. — Alfa Nero sails from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean each autumn for $812,500 per week with Northrop & Johnson.

The Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association (MYBA) created the industry-standard charter contract. The document clearly defines responsibilities, liabilities, charter equipment, cancellation costs, legal recourse, and more. After decades of being tested to the limit by billionaire owners and demanding guests, the contract is considered watertight.

The deposit requested in the MYBA charter contract is usually 50%. You need to forward the remaining sum before you sip your first glass of Krug on board, alongside the other charges detailed below.

A few Caribbean charters use a Caribbean Terms Inclusive (CTI) contract. But to charter one of the world’s greatest yachts, it’s MYBA or bust.

What Is the Advanced Passenger Allowance?

The Advanced Passenger Allowance (APA) avoids embarrassment when it comes to paying for your consumption on board. The APA is generally around 35% of the base charter fee for a motor yacht or 25% for a sailing yacht. This advance payment covers port fees, local taxes, fuel for cruising and water toys, Starlink internet access, food, and all your alcoholic beverages, which the crew logs carefully. If you don’t spend your entire allowance, the charter agency will issue a refund.

What if you’re bathing in Barolo or savoring oysters before breakfast and quickly draining that fund? The captain will diplomatically request that you transfer more funds before the initial APA runs dry. Failure to do so will result in your party being politely but firmly disembarked.

And There’s VAT to Pay Too?

A modern blue luxury yacht named AMORE is anchored on clear turquoise water under a partly cloudy sky. — Amore is available for charter in the Bahamas through Fraser Yachts.

There is. VAT is a sales tax levied on most goods and services in many parts of the world. In most European locations, clients must pay an additional 20% of the charter price. In Montenegro, the VAT rate is 0%, which has helped turn the small Adriatic nation into a yachting hotspot. The Caribbean (the world’s second most popular charter destination) is generally 0%, but the Bahamas recently added a 10% VAT charge alongside a 4% port tax.

What Is the Most and Least I Can Pay for a Superyacht Charter?

Luxury yacht deck with a curved swimming pool, shaded by modern canopies, overlooking calm blue water and forested hills in the background on a sunny day. — Flying Fox, the world’s largest superyacht, books for €3 million ($4 million) weekly with Bluewater.

The industry’s top yachts hover between $1,500,000 and $3,500,000 per week. On top of that, clients must pay the associated charter fees, broken down in this guide.

For instance, bringing 190 of your friends aboard Diana, a 410-foot Helsinki-built expedition ship that carries superyacht sophistication to polar extremes, will cost around $2,000,000. Plus charges.

The most affordable luxury charter option would be on a locally built yacht, which is licensed and manufactured to cruise only safe local waters. Examples include the Turkish-built superyachts of TurkYacht, licensed to explore Turkey‘s pristine coastline — a favorite spot of Bill Gates, Kate Moss, and Cristiano Ronaldo — for around $20,000 per week.

Can I Get a Deal?

Luxurious yacht deck with cushioned lounge chairs, a round ottoman, and sunshades. The deck overlooks calm blue water and green, hilly coastline under a clear sky. — Lady A is available for charter in the Western Mediterranean for a weekly starting rate of $769,800.

Yes, if you don’t mind when and where you go, according to the top brokers.

“You can wait until one month before, and then we’ll see special offers come up,” explains Fiona Maureso, senior charter broker at Northrop & Johnson. Deals for unsold charter weeks routinely offer a discount of between 10% and 20%.

“The most sought-after Sunreef yachts tend to be reserved months in advance, especially during peak season,” cautions Carole Madar, charter spokesperson for catamaran specialist Sunreef. “That said, if you’re flexible, our team can often find attractive options on short notice.”

If you want to charter a yacht in the Mediterranean, “September is a good time,” says Alexandra Kimm from Ocean Independence. “The kids are all back at school, so there may be holes in a yacht’s booking calendar.”

Can I Call a Captain Directly to Cut out the Broker?

No. A captain doesn’t have time to negotiate insurance, deposits, and booking dates. That’s why they use charter brokers at top agencies, such as Burgess and Y.Co, who specialize in the operational complexities of yachts worth up to hundreds of millions of dollars.

Also, yachts are dedicated to cruising the fine line between entertainment and safety. To adhere to strict maritime laws, everything must be done by the book.

“Only a broker is in a position where they can get you the best deals,” confirms Maureso from Northrop & Johnson.

When I Disembark, What About Tips?

A woman sets a colorful, elegantly arranged dining table on a boat. The table features plates, napkins, red flower centerpieces, and dishes of food, with the sea visible in the background. — Tipping on yacht charters is a customary practice.

Tips are completely discretionary, but they are very much expected. It’s hard to imagine the effort that occurs below deck to manage a floating palace 24/7, with a supporting cast of engineers, navigators, sous-chefs, and laundry pressers.

A fee of between 10% and 20% of the base rate is standard for crew gratuity. Consult with your charter broker if you’re unsure of the amount.

Gratuities should always be given to the captain to distribute among the staff, some of whom a guest will never meet. A bank transfer or an envelope with cash are equally appropriate methods of payment.

What Is the True Cost of Chartering a Luxury Yacht?

A person rides a jet ski in the foreground, creating waves on the water, with a large, modern luxury yacht in the background under a partly cloudy sky. — Tatiana is one of the latest and largest yachts in IYC’s fleet.

“The most common question that a charter broker gets asked is: ‘Can I have a full understanding of the financial implications?’,” concludes Kimm from Ocean Independence. A brokerage house like hers will instantly share one with you by phone, email, WhatsApp, WeChat, or whatever medium you prefer.

Let’s use the example of Project X, which books through Camper & Nicholsons for a base price of €1,200,000 ($1,360,000). She is an exquisite 289-foot charter with a glass-fronted swimming pool and four accompanying speedboats to undertake simultaneous missions.

Add 20% VAT at €240,000, plus 35% APA at €420,000, and a 10% tip at €120,000. For a week’s charter, expect to pay €2,000,000 ($2,290,000), which is a 66% increase of the base price.

Any Extra Fees?

A superyacht charter broker can source any element to suit any proclivity, if a guest is willing to pay.

If you want fireworks, Antarctic dive experts, archeologists, specialized wines, live bands, or a superstar DJ, just say the word.

Extra fees also apply if a guest requests the yacht to embark or disembark in an off-beat location. Put simply, in the superyacht world, anything is possible — for a price.

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