Quick answer: a day charter on a mid-size motorboat typically runs $1,500-$5,000. A weekly charter on a crewed yacht (40-80 feet) generally costs $20,000-$100,000, and superyachts (80 feet and up) run from roughly $150,000 to well over $1 million per week. The base charter fee is usually only 70-80% of the real total; fuel, crew gratuity, food, and port fees are typically billed separately.
What actually makes up a yacht charter’s price?
A charter quote is rarely the full cost. Most crewed charters are booked on what’s called APA, or Advance Provisioning Allowance: a separate fund, typically 20-30% of the base charter fee, that covers running costs during the trip. Understanding what’s in and out of that base fee is the single biggest source of confusion for first-time charterers.
Usually included in the base charter fee
- The vessel itself and its standard equipment
- The crew’s salary (captain, and on larger yachts, deckhands, chef, stewardess)
- Standard safety equipment and insurance
Usually billed separately, via the APA
- Fuel for the yacht’s engines and generators
- Food and beverages, including alcohol
- Dockage and port fees at marinas
- Crew gratuity, customarily 10-15% of the base charter fee
- Water toys, diving equipment, or watersports instruction if not already on board
Typical price ranges by vessel size
- Day charter, motorboat (30-45 ft): $1,500-$5,000 for a full day, no crew accommodation needed since there’s no overnight stay.
- Weekly charter, motor yacht (40-60 ft): roughly $20,000-$45,000 per week, plus APA.
- Weekly charter, motor yacht (60-100 ft): roughly $50,000-$150,000 per week, plus APA.
- Weekly charter, sailing yacht (40-70 ft): generally 20-30% less than an equivalent-length motor yacht, largely due to lower fuel consumption.
- Weekly charter, superyacht (100 ft+): from around $150,000 up to $1 million or more per week for the largest, most fully staffed vessels.
These are broad industry ranges, not fixed rates; actual pricing depends heavily on the yacht’s age, brand, region, and season. A week in the Mediterranean in August, for example, typically costs noticeably more than the same yacht in the same region during shoulder season.
Does the season change the price?
Yes, significantly. Peak season (roughly July-August in the Mediterranean, and the winter months in the Caribbean) can push charter rates 20-40% above low-season pricing for the same yacht. Booking a charter in the shoulder months just before or after peak season is one of the most reliable ways to reduce cost without downgrading the vessel.
Is chartering cheaper than owning?
For most people, yes, by a wide margin. Yacht ownership carries annual running costs (crew salaries, maintenance, insurance, dockage) generally estimated at 10% of the yacht’s purchase price every year, regardless of how often it’s actually used. A $2 million yacht, for instance, can cost roughly $200,000 a year to simply keep afloat and staffed. Chartering shifts that entire fixed cost into a single, predictable payment only for the days actually used.