What a crewed yacht charter includes (and what costs extra)
By the Upfront Travel team, with Reco (President, former travel agent and yacht captain in the Florida Keys and the Caribbean). Written with AI help from the sources listed below; reviewed for accuracy before publishing.
A crewed charter is a private yacht with its own captain and crew, for your group alone. For example, The Moorings' crewed catamarans have 4 to 6 cabins, take up to 10 guests, and come with a dedicated captain and chef [1].
The weekly rate you see first is often not the whole cost. Burgess, a yacht-charter brokerage, says most charter rates are based on MYBA terms, where costs beyond the yacht and crew are billed on top [2]. This guide walks through each line of a charter budget, so you know the total before anyone signs.
The all-in formula
Base charter fee + APA (on plus-expenses terms) + tax + crew gratuity + any delivery fee + optional cancellation insurance + your own travel to the yacht.
Airfare and airport transfers may be separate too. The Moorings, for example, leaves them out of its crewed-charter price [3].
Two kinds of contract terms
| Plus expenses (MYBA terms) | All-inclusive | |
|---|---|---|
| What the rate covers | The hire of the yacht and her crew [2] | For example, at The Moorings as of Oct 2026: captain and chef, all meals, snacks and drinks, a stocked bar, water toys, fuel and most mooring-ball fees [3] |
| What's billed on top | The guests' other expenses, such as fuel, food and docking fees, paid through the APA [2] | Gratuity, overnight docking at other companies' marinas, airfare, transfers and travel insurance [3] |
| Good to know | MYBA, the worldwide yachting association, publishes guidelines for charter brokers [4]. | "All-inclusive" differs from yacht to yacht. At The Moorings, the house bar is included but not unlimited [3]. Ask for the full list. |
Always ask which terms a quote uses before you compare two yachts. A lower plus-expenses rate and a higher all-inclusive rate can land closer together than they first look.
Each cost, line by line
| Cost | What it is | Published examples (as of Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Base charter fee | The yacht and crew for your dates. On all-inclusive terms, it also covers meals, drinks and fuel [2][3]. | Set per yacht and season. |
| APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance) | Money paid ahead to the captain for your running costs: fuel, food and docking fees [2]. | Burgess: usually 30–40% of the weekly rate [2]. Worth Avenue Yachts: typically estimated at 35% of the charter fee [5]. |
| Tax | VAT or local sales tax. It depends on where you cruise, and sometimes on the yacht's flag [2][5]. | Varies by place. Ask for it as its own line. |
| Crew gratuity | A thank-you to the crew, at your discretion, usually given to the captain at the end [6]. | Burgess: 10–15% of the charter fee [2]. Worth Avenue Yachts: 10–20% [5]. The Moorings suggests 15–20% [3]. |
| Delivery fee | If the yacht has to travel to your starting point, there may be a fee for the delivery fuel [2]. | Only when it applies. |
| Cancellation insurance | Optional cover if the charter doesn't happen or is cut short. | Burgess recommends cancellation and curtailment insurance [2]. |
More on the APA
Here's how brokers describe the APA:
- When it's paid. With your final payment [2], or at least 30 days before boarding at Worth Avenue Yachts [5].
- How it's tracked. The captain keeps a detailed account of spending, with receipts available on request [5]. At the end of the charter you get a full set of accounts [2].
- If it runs short or is left over. If spending goes over the APA, you top it up [2]. Worth Avenue Yachts says it refunds unused APA at the end of the charter, with a final expense report [5]. Confirm how your own contract handles both.
A word on gratuity
MYBA's guidelines say a broker should tell clients about the usual extra costs, including the crew gratuity and how the APA works [4]. As the table shows, published ranges differ by company. Ask your broker what's customary for that yacht and that cruising area, then decide for yourself.
The payment pattern
Here's one example. Burgess describes (as of Oct 2026) a deposit of 50% of the charter fee by bank transfer when you sign. The other 50%, plus the APA, any taxes and any delivery fees, is due five weeks before the charter starts [2]. MYBA's broker guidelines also mention contracts with an initial 25% deposit [4].
Your own contract sets the real schedule. Before you pay anything:
- Get it in writing. The FTC advises getting a copy of the cancellation and refund policies before you pay [7].
- Ask where the money is held. The Charter Yacht Brokers Association (CYBA) offers its members an escrow account to protect client funds [8].
- Read up on insurance. We don't advise on insurance or explain what a policy covers. The NAIC's consumer guide explains the main types and the common exclusions [9].
Questions to ask before you sign
- Is this quote on MYBA plus-expenses terms, all-inclusive terms, or something else?
- What exactly is in the rate? What isn't? Think premium drinks, water toys, diving and docking.
- What is the APA percentage, when is it due, and what happens to any money left over?
- Which taxes apply to this itinerary, and are they in the quote?
- Is there a delivery fee?
- What gratuity is customary for this crew?
- What is the payment schedule? Where are the funds held? What are the cancellation terms?
- Who issues the contract, and what does it say about weather and named storms?
- If the yacht crosses borders, what documents does each guest need? Check official sources too: CBP for returning to the U.S. [10] and the State Department for other countries [11].
How we work
Planning comes first, and it's free. We help you narrow the dates, the cruising area and the style of yacht. We also build an all-in budget, with every line labeled as an estimate until a contract shows the real figures.
Booking goes through the professionals. When it's time to book, the charter goes through an established booking partner and the yacht's contracting broker. Upfront Travel never signs the charter contract and never takes your payment. You pay where the contract says.
Your passport and medical details go straight to the broker. The crew needs to know about your group before you arrive. Burgess, for example, sends a questionnaire a few weeks ahead. It covers dietary and medical needs, allergies and special requests [2].
MYBA's guidelines describe a preference document for the captain that includes passport information and medical and mobility issues. Some guests may also be asked for a passport copy and proof of where they live [4].
You send those details directly to the charter broker or the yacht's team. They never pass through Upfront Travel, so please don't send them to us.
Why Reco's background helps. Reco has worked both sides, as a yacht captain in the Florida Keys and the Caribbean and as a travel agent. That helps us read a charter quote line by line and ask brokers the right questions for you.
Start planning your charter
Tell us your dates, your group and the kind of week you want on the water. Send a trip request at https://upfront-travel.web.app/#plan.
Planning is free. Nothing is booked or charged until you approve a written quote. We never ask for passport or card numbers in a trip request.
Bookings for residents of Florida, Washington, Hawaii and Maryland open later. We're glad to help you plan in the meantime.
Sources
All checked on October 6, 2026.
- The Moorings, "Crewed Yacht Charters." https://www.moorings.com/yacht-charter/crewed-charter
- Burgess, "Charter FAQs." https://burgessyachts.com/en/charter-a-yacht/charter-faqs
- The Moorings, "What's Included: Crewed Yacht Charter." https://www.moorings.com/yacht-charter/crewed-charter/whats-included-crewed
- MYBA Charter Committee, "Guidelines for Retail Charter Brokers and Charter Managers" (January 2019), listed at https://www.myba-association.com/en/myba-press-and-documents.cfm. PDF: https://www.myba-association.com/files/index.cfm?id=1127&crypt=295805
- Worth Avenue Yachts, "Charter Terms & Conditions." https://www.worthavenueyachts.com/explore/charter-terms-and-conditions/
- The Moorings, "Frequently Asked Questions" (gratuity). https://www.moorings.com/faqs
- Federal Trade Commission, "Avoid Scams When You Travel" (September 2025). https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/avoid-scams-when-you-travel
- Charter Yacht Brokers Association (CYBA), "Member Benefits." https://www.cyba.net/member-benefits/
- NAIC, "Travel Insurance" (updated April 1, 2026). https://content.naic.org/insurance-topics/travel-insurance
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection, "Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative" (last modified June 17, 2026). https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/western-hemisphere-travel-initiative
- U.S. Department of State, Travel.State.Gov. https://travel.state.gov/
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