A crewed yacht is a floating house with a captain, a chef, and a route that changes with the weather — the contract is where the quality of the week is decided
A private yacht charter is the hire of a vessel, and usually its crew, for a fixed period and a chosen cruising area. Yacht charter falls into three kinds: bareboat, where you sail the boat yourself; skippered, where a professional skipper sails it; and crewed, where the yacht comes with a captain, a chef, deckhands, and other staff.
At the level we arrange, almost every charter is crewed. This guide explains how that works, and why the headline rate is only one part of the cost.
A crewed charter is arranged through a broker. The broker looks across the market for yachts that match the dates, the cruising area, the number of guests, and the style of week, presents a shortlist, and negotiates on your behalf.
The booking is normally formalised under the MYBA charter agreement, the standard contract in the industry. It sets out the dates, the cruising area, the financial terms and payment schedule, and the responsibilities of owner and charterer, together with cancellation and insurance provisions. Before you sail, a preference sheet covering everything from dietary needs to how you take your coffee goes to the captain and crew.
The cost of a private yacht charter is a structure rather than a single number. We avoid quoting figures here because the range is wide. What matters is knowing what the pieces are.
The charter fee. This covers the yacht, her crew, and the vessel’s insurance for the period. Size, age, builder, crew size, season, and destination all move it.
The advance provisioning allowance. Known as the APA, it is a fund held by the captain to cover food, drink, fuel, mooring fees, and other running costs. The captain accounts for every draw, and what has not been spent comes back to you.
Taxes. VAT and local taxes depend on where and when you charter. Rules change, so the broker should confirm what applies before the contract is signed.
Crew gratuity. It is customary and is usually discussed at the end of the voyage.
Positioning and delivery. If the yacht must move to meet you, the cost of the move is added.
The listed charter price is typically only part of the total expense. Ask for the whole structure up front and compare yachts on that basis.
Guests asking about yacht vacations usually want one of three things — a single base with day trips, a route that moves each day, or an event week with a berth at the heart of it.
Our Monaco Yacht Show guide covers the last of these, and our guide to concierge services for elite travel, jets, yachts and beyond shows how a yacht fits into a longer trip.
Tell us the dates, the guests, and the kind of week, and we will propose the right yachts
The phrase custom yacht charters describes what a good broker already does. The brief is built around the guests: the route, the menu, the equipment on board, and the crew’s approach to privacy.
We act as the quiet layer between you and the market. We take the brief, work with brokers to shortlist the yachts that fit, review the contract and the full cost structure with you, and keep the details of the week — transfers to the marina, provisioning preferences, shore excursions, reservations ashore — running while you sail. Through our fine dining and nightlife service we place the evenings that happen on land, and our business concierge team keeps the connection with the office discreet.
It is the hire of a yacht and, usually, its crew for a set period and cruising area. At our level the yacht is crewed, with a captain, a chef, and staff on board
A broker shortlists yachts, you choose one, and the booking is formalised under a charter agreement, usually the MYBA contract. You then share a preference sheet with the crew
The yacht’s size, age, and crew, together with the season and the destination, set the charter fee. The advance provisioning allowance, taxes, crew gratuity, and any delivery charges are added
They suit groups who want privacy and a flexible route. Families, close friends, and guests combining leisure with a major event are the most common guests
Yes. Custom yacht charters are designed around the guests, from the route and menus to the equipment on board and the style of service
