Yacht Chartering Questions and Answers

This useful Q & A section will certainly help if you need any advice on chartering a superyacht. All of the information has been compiled to help you from start to finish of how to go about booking a yacht charter vacation. It will also inform you of how to have one of the best yacht charter experiences. Our Experts offer their guidance, support, handy hints and tips. You also have the opportunity to ask any questions about chartering a superyacht and receive answers from yachting professionals by contacting us with your query.

What is the Cost of a Private Luxury Yacht Charter Vacation?

The cost to charter a luxury yacht depends on the size, crew complement and amenities on board, and prices typically start from $15,000 USD all-inclusive for a week-long charter. On the largest luxury yachts, a week-long luxury superyacht charter can cost more than $1,000,000 USD, before including charterer expenses (termed advanced provisioning allowance (APA)) such as fuel, food and drinks provisions and other periphery services such as Scuba diving instruction or spa services. With over 3000 boats available to browse you can find the ideal boat priced for your budget. Read more about what chartering means and how it works and all the different types of boats available.

How much do you tip crew and captain on a yacht charter?

Based on a week-long luxury yacht charter, the worldwide yachting association MYBA recommends a tip of between 5 - 15% of the base charter cost, with 10% being the standard. The tip is typically collected amongst guests and given to the captain, who will distribute the tip evenly between visible crew members such as instructors and stewardesses, and also less visible crew members such as engineers.

How much do you tip on a yacht charter in Europe, Mediterranean, Caribbean and the USA?

The worldwide yachting association MYBA suggests a tip of 5 - 15% (with 10% being standard) of the base week-long yacht charter cost. This tip should be collected together by the guests and then given to the captain, who will distribute it evenly amongst all crew members: Some of whom are less visible than others but work just as hard to ensure that your charter is a success.

Larger tips are often given in the Caribbean and Bahamas compared to Europe and the Mediterranean, which can be attributed to the festive season.

How Does Yacht Charter Work?

What does it mean to charter a yacht?

To charter a yacht is the lease or rental of a motor yacht or sailing yacht for an agreed period of time, usually a week in the case of luxury yacht charters for holidays in the popular Mediterranean and Caribbean charter grounds. Yachts can also be chartered for corporate events and special occasions such as weddings, and typically come skippered (with a crew) although bareboat, also known as demise charters (no crew, no provisions), are also sometimes available.

How do I book a private yacht?

To book a private yacht you will need to contact a reputable yacht charter broker; many international yacht charter companies are available online. To secure your preferred private yacht charter may require booking months or even a year in advance for busy periods and popular destinations such as summer in the Mediterranean or winter in the Caribbean and Bahamas. Events such as the Monaco Grand Prix should be booked in advance to secure any preferred yacht and berth, although last minute specials might also be available.

To book a private yacht charter follow these easy steps:

How long is the yacht charter season?

A yacht charter season lasts approximately three-five months and has a peak period with a shoulder season to either side. The Mediterranean luxury yacht charter season, for example, is considered to commence with the Cannes Film Festival in May and come to a close in September with the Monaco Yacht Show. The Caribbean yacht charter season is not as clearly defined, however Christmas and New Year is the peak period although yachts will start arriving in September for the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS).

Types of Yachts for Charter and Their Prices

What are the different kinds of yacht charter?

There are many different kinds of yacht charter, from family holidays to expedition charters in remote places that might include research, corporate events, weddings and honeymoons as well as other special occasions such as birthdays; luxury yachts have also been booked as locations for a photo shoot.

There are also many different kinds of yacht to suit the group desires: Sailing yachts are typically much slower than motor yachts but offer a more 'traditional' cruising experience, and classic and high performance regatta racers also fall into this category. The majority of catamarans (two hulls) are also sailing yachts and offer greater stability and a shallower draft for closer access to beaches.

Motor yachts tend to have more on board amenities and are capable of far greater speeds: Sporty open yachts might reach speeds over 50 knots when the average is under 20 knots. Explorer/expedition yachts and support vessels also come into this category and boast an extensive cruising range and amenities such as dive centres or even submarines.

General Questions about Boats:

What are the best yacht brands? (What are the top 10 luxury yacht brands?)

The best yacht brands depends greatly on what kind of yacht you are looking for: Damen Yachts has a reputation for producing support vessels for expedition yachts, whereas Arcadia Yachts is one of the leading shipyards for yachts incorporating solar panels into the design. British shipyard Sunseeker is most well-known for its stylish open yachts featuring in James Bond films, while South African shipyard Southern Wind builds some of the most prestigious modern regatta yachts.

For general motor yachts and sailing yachts, the top builders (in no particular order) are:

What is an expensive/fancy boat called?

There are many names for expensive and fancy yachts, the most common terms for all sizes being 'luxury yachts' or 'superyachts'. 'Mega yacht' is sometimes used for yachts above 30m/100ft, although both it and the term 'giga yacht' can be more narrowly applied to yachts over 100m/328ft in length.

What are big sailboats called?

There are many names for sail boats depending on the configuration of the sails: ‘Sailing yacht’ is the most general term but if the vessel is over 30m/100ft in length, it can be called a superyacht just like motor yachts. Some prominent examples include sailing yacht A and sailing yacht BLACK PEARL.