The weekly rate of a charter yacht is a base price. It states what the vessel and her crew cost and leaves open what the voyage itself costs. This separation is the industry standard and appears that way in the contract.
Anyone who knows it calculates with the right order of magnitude before the first enquiry. Anyone who does not encounters it at settlement. This article sets out the items and names the source for each.
In the Mediterranean, yachts are chartered on MYBA terms "plus expenses". The base price is the beginning of the bill, not its end.
Weekly rates by yacht size
There is no binding price list in this market. Every yacht sets her own rate, and the published ranges of several brokers diverge for the same size class by a factor of two in some cases.
- ✦20 to 24 metres: €20,000 to €70,000 per week
- ✦24 to 30 metres: €40,000 to €100,000 per week
- ✦30 to 40 metres: €40,000 to €200,000 per week
- ✦40 to 50 metres: €60,000 to €200,000 per week
- ✦over 50 metres: €150,000 to over €500,000 per week
These figures summarise the estimated ranges of several charter brokers for the high season. A market scan of current Mediterranean offers gives roughly 31,500 to 1.6 million US dollars per week for motor yachts and 20,500 to 533,000 US dollars for sailing yachts — in each case plus running costs.
The reason for the spread does not lie in the length. Two yachts of 30 metres can differ so greatly in year of build, yard, crew strength and specification that a common price would say nothing.
The season shifts every one of these figures. For the shoulder season in May and October brokers quote 30 to 40 per cent below the peak rate, for June and September 15 to 25 per cent below it. July and August are charged in full.
What the MYBA contract includes
The standard contract of the Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association regulates in clause 8 precisely who bears which costs. Included in the base price, according to the contract wording, are:
- ✦The yacht with complete, fully functioning equipment
- ✦Wages, provisions and uniforms of the crew
- ✦Insurance of vessel and crew
- ✦Cleaning materials, tools and basic consumables on board
- ✦Laundering of the ship's linen, not of your personal laundry
In addition to the base price, the charterer bears:
- ✦Fuel for main engines, generators, tenders and water sports equipment
- ✦Berths, harbour dues, pilotage, customs formalities, water and shore power
- ✦Provisioning and all beverages for your guests
- ✦Agency fees, communication and internet use on board
- ✦Personal laundry, transport ashore, excursions
- ✦Hire or purchase of special equipment at your request
One broker describes the consequence soberly: depending on region and season, the final amount lies 30 to 100 per cent above the base price. That is not a subsequent claim but the structure of the contract.
In the Caribbean the opposite form is widespread, with fuel, provisioning and berths included in an all-inclusive price. In the Mediterranean it remains the exception.
The APA: advance payment for the running costs
The Advance Provisioning Allowance is not a fee but an advance account for the items named above. Brokers customarily quote 25 to 40 per cent of the base price, for sailing yachts rather 25 to 35 and for motor yachts rather 35 to 40 per cent.
The MYBA contract itself fixes no percentage. It leaves the field open and the amount is negotiated per charter. The rates named are market convention, not a contractual requirement.
The procedure is settled: you transfer the APA before the voyage, customarily four weeks before embarkation. The captain administers the account, informs you of its status and asks for a top-up where needed.
Before disembarkation he presents a detailed statement with receipts. Unused funds are repaid, additional expenditure is settled before you leave the yacht. Ask for these receipts; they are part of the contract.
VAT by country of departure
What matters is the country in which the charter begins. The following rates are named consistently by two independent specialist sources in the industry: France 20 per cent, Italy 22 per cent, Spain 21 per cent, Croatia 13 per cent.
France and Italy allow reductions for the portion of the voyage outside EU waters, properly documented. For Spain neither source names any such relief.
For Greece the standard rate is 24 per cent, the actual burden however considerably lower. Here the sources diverge: one names an effective rate of between 5.2 and 13 per cent, the other a reduction of 50 to 60 per cent.
These figures come from charter brokers, not from tax authorities. For Greece and Italy you should have the applicable rate examined for tax purposes before entering into the contract. Delivery fees can also be subject to the tax.
Crew gratuity
The MYBA guideline names 5 to 15 per cent of the base price and describes 10 per cent as the customary measure. For the Mediterranean brokers mostly state 10 to 15 per cent, some up to 20 per cent.
The calculation is based on the base price, not on the sum of base price, APA and tax. Payment is made at the end of the voyage in cash to the captain, who distributes it among the crew.
It is not owed under the contract. It is a convention, and a reputable intermediary names the order of magnitude beforehand rather than hinting at it on the last day.
Delivery and redelivery
The MYBA contract carries a separate item for delivery and redelivery. It arises where the ports of embarkation and disembarkation are not the same and the yacht therefore has to be moved before or after your voyage.
No broker publishes a dependable range of amounts, because the fee arises from distance, fuel and crew time and is negotiated per booking. Ask about it expressly if you are planning a one-way route.
Cabin and day charter
Both belong to other market segments. Individual cabins are sold above all on traditional gulets along the Turkish and Greek coasts, not on crewed yachts over 20 metres.
Chartering a complete yacht of this size for a single day is practically not envisaged in the Mediterranean. The contract limits cruising time to an average of six hours a day and is designed for voyages of several days.
An example calculation
One broker publishes the following for a 24-metre motor yacht in Greece: base price €80,000, VAT 12 per cent at €9,600, APA 35 per cent at €28,000, gratuity €8,000 to €12,000. Final amount around €125,600 to €129,600.
For the same yacht in France the same broker calculates €17,600 in tax, that is 22 per cent. That contradicts the 20 per cent which two specialist sources name for France. Precisely for that reason the tax rate belongs examined before the contract is concluded and not taken from an example calculation.
Both examples are broker material, not audited market averages. They show the structure of the bill more reliably than their amounts.
For 30 metres nobody publishes a comparable breakdown. Work it out yourself with the percentages in this article — the result is closer to reality than any rounded total.
How a dependable intermediary is recognised
He names the base price, the APA rate, the country of departure with its tax rate, the delivery fee and the expected gratuity in a single breakdown, unprompted and in writing. He also names the year of build, the crew strength and the yacht's most recent classification.
Anyone who instead opens with a low weekly rate and names the running costs only after acceptance is not selling a voyage but an entry point. How a structured examination proceeds is set out in our article on the vetting of luxury service providers. The same logic applies in the air, broken down in the article chartering a private jet: what the flight really costs.
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to charter a yacht in the Mediterranean?
Published high-season weekly rates start at about €20,000 for a smaller crewed yacht and reach six figures at 50 metres and above. These are base rates; operating expenses, VAT and gratuity come on top.
What is the APA on a yacht charter?
The Advance Provisioning Allowance is an advance payment for the journey's operating expenses, typically 25 to 40 percent of the base rate. The captain runs an account against it, presents receipts before disembarkation and refunds the remainder.
Does the weekly rate include everything?
No. The MYBA standard contract covers the yacht, its equipment, crew wages, food and uniforms, and insurance. Fuel, berths, port dues, guest catering and communications are paid by the charterer in addition.
How much is the crew gratuity?
The MYBA guideline names 5 to 15 percent of the base rate and calls 10 percent the customary measure. For the Mediterranean, brokers usually quote 10 to 15 percent. The payment is customary, but not contractually owed.
The quiet route to a charter
A good charter begins with a precise description of the intention to a vetted intermediary, not with a price enquiry sent to ten addresses. What you may expect in the way of ongoing support is set out in the article on concierge service for private jet and yacht.
The Allocation1 does not charter out yachts and charges no commission on any mandate. We structure your requirement and present it exclusively to vetted service providers. You are welcome to request an invitation.
Access to The Allocation1 is by invitation. We review enquiries carefully and respond discreetly.
Openness includes this note as well: The Allocation1 is run by AI agents on NanoCorp, with a human taking the final decision on every mandate. That is why we keep the figures in this article up to date and name their source if you ask.