Caribbean Yacht Charter Guide: Where to Go, When, and What It Costs

A Caribbean yacht charter is a winter product. From December to April the trade winds blow steadily, the water stays around bathtub temperature, and most of the world's crewed charter fleet that is not wintering in the Mediterranean is anchored somewhere between the Bahamas and Grenada. The choice that matters most is not which yacht to book. It is which island group fits your group, because the BVI, St Barts, Antigua, the Grenadines and the Bahamas are very different trips.

Where should you charter a yacht in the Caribbean?

For short hops and easy sailing, choose the British and US Virgin Islands. For food, shopping and the superyacht scene, choose St Barts and St Martin. For remote anchorages and reefs, choose the Grenadines, and for shallow turquoise water a short flight from Florida, choose the Bahamas. Antigua sits in the middle as a deep-water base with historic harbors and reliable wind.

British and US Virgin Islands

The Virgin Islands are the Caribbean's easiest cruising ground. More than 50 islands and cays sit around the Sir Francis Drake Channel, and most passages take under two hours. A typical week moves between Norman Island, Cooper Island, The Baths on Virgin Gorda, North Sound and Jost Van Dyke's beach bars, with an optional open-water run to Anegada for lobster. Crewed catamarans dominate the fleet here. The BVI charges no VAT, only a per-person daily cruising permit, and the USVI charges no VAT or charter tax on charters starting there. See our BVI yacht charter guide for permits, start points and a sample week.

St Barts and St Martin

St Barts is where the large motor yachts gather, especially for New Year's Eve in Gustavia. Days revolve around Shell Beach, Colombier and St Jean, long lunches ashore and evenings in Gustavia. St Martin's Simpson Bay lagoon is the regional superyacht hub and the gateway airport (SXM), and Anguilla's sandbars are a short run north. St Barts generally charges no charter VAT, according to a 2026 tax summary, but confirm with your broker. Our St Barts yacht charter guide covers New Year's minimums, the Bucket Regatta and Anguilla day trips.

Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua is a deep-water, well-serviced base with English Harbour and Falmouth Harbour on the south coast and a coastline said to have a beach for every day of the year. The Antigua Charter Yacht Show takes over Nelson's Dockyard each December (December 4–9 in 2026), so many crewed yachts are positioned there at the start of the season. Barbuda, about 30 nautical miles north, adds empty pink-tinged beaches and a frigate bird colony. Antigua also works as a starting point for one-way trips up to St Barts and St Martin. Confirm local charter taxes and fees with your broker.

The Grenadines

The Grenadines run south from St Vincent toward Grenada and suit people who want fewer crowds and real snorkeling. Highlights include Bequia's Admiralty Bay, Mustique, Canouan, Mayreau's Salt Whistle Bay and the Tobago Cays Marine Park, where turtles feed over the sand near Baradal. Gateways include St Vincent (SVD), Canouan (CIW) and Grenada (GND), though routings from the US usually connect through a regional hub, so check current schedules. The fleet is smaller than in the BVI, so book early for peak weeks.

The Bahamas

Strictly speaking the Bahamas sit in the Atlantic, but they belong in any Caribbean shortlist. The Exumas offer the shallowest, clearest water in the region, plus the famous swimming pigs, nurse sharks at Compass Cay and Thunderball Grotto at Staniel Cay. Nassau is a short flight from most East Coast cities. The trade-off is a combined 14% charter tax. See our Bahamas yacht charter guide, or weigh the two most popular options in Bahamas vs BVI.

How do the Caribbean charter regions compare?

The regions differ most on tax, sailing distances and who they suit. The table below summarizes the main differences. Tax rules change, so confirm at booking.

When is the Caribbean yacht charter season?

The season runs from early December to late April, and Christmas and New Year are the peak. Yachts typically arrive from Europe in late November, crossing via Gibraltar and the Canaries, and return in April–May via the Azores, so the fleet in the Caribbean is largest from mid-December through March.

Peak weeks: the period from just before Christmas through the first days of January is the most expensive and most heavily booked. Popular yachts often sell these weeks more than a year ahead, and some require longer minimum stays over the holidays. Assume 7–14 nights and confirm with your broker.

Prime weeks: January to March offers the best balance of weather and availability. The so-called Christmas winds can make December and January breezier, which sailing yachts enjoy and some motor yacht guests do not.

Shoulder weeks: late April and early May bring calmer seas and better rates before the fleet heads back across the Atlantic. In the Bahamas, late October to early November is also a recognized shoulder.

What about hurricane season?

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, with a climatological peak around September 10 and a secondary mid-October peak in the Caribbean, according to NOAA. Most large crewed yachts are in the Mediterranean during these months. If you book close to the edges of the season, the MYBA hurricane addendum allows rescheduling if a named storm threatens the cruising area within 48 hours of the start. Ask your broker whether the contract includes it, and consider travel insurance.

How do Caribbean charter contracts work: CTI vs plus expenses?

Smaller Caribbean yachts usually charter on CTI (Caribbean Terms Inclusive), while larger yachts usually use MYBA terms with the base fee plus expenses. The difference changes how your budget works.

CTI (Caribbean Terms Inclusive): a mostly all-inclusive contract, common on crewed catamarans and smaller monohulls and motor yachts. The rate covers three meals a day and about four hours of cruising fuel per day. Premium wines and spirits, extra fuel, marina berthing and communications cost extra. Some inclusive contracts carry only a small APA, around 5%, to cover those extras.

MYBA plus expenses: the standard for larger yachts worldwide. You pay the base charter fee, then an Advance Provisioning Allowance (APA) of typically 25–35% on sailing yachts and catamarans and 35–40% on motor yachts. The APA covers food, drink, fuel, berthing and port fees, and the captain refunds anything unspent at the end. Our yacht charter APA guide explains how it is settled.

Payment timing: MYBA contracts take a 50% deposit on signing, with the balance, APA and taxes due about five weeks before embarkation. Caribbean inclusive contracts are usually similar, with a 50% deposit and the balance roughly 30–45 days before the start, but confirm the exact schedule in your contract.

How much does a luxury yacht charter in the Caribbean cost?

A crewed catamaran costs roughly $18,000–$55,000+ per week in peak season, while a 30m motor yacht typically asks about $80,000 and a 50m yacht about $195,000 before extras. The figures below are typical weekly asking rates for yachts priced in US dollars, which is how most Caribbean yachts are marketed. They exclude APA, taxes and tips, and they vary by season and yacht.

Worked example, 40m yacht for a week in the Bahamas: a base fee of $114,500, plus an APA of about 35% ($40,000), plus the 14% charter tax on the fee (about $16,000), plus a 15–20% tip ($17,000–$23,000), comes to roughly $187,000–$194,000. The same yacht starting in the BVI or USVI would avoid VAT entirely, although BVI cruising permits still apply. Confirm how tax is calculated on your contract.

Tips: Caribbean and US crews expect about 15–20% of the charter fee, more than the 10–15% customary in the Mediterranean. See our crew tipping guide.

Holiday pricing: Christmas and New Year rates typically carry a premium over standard high season, and minimum stays push the total higher. Book these weeks 12 months or more ahead.

How long should a Caribbean charter be, and what does a week look like?

Seven nights is standard, but Caribbean charters are flexible. Unlike the Mediterranean's traditional Saturday-to-Saturday blocks, you can usually start on any day and book 5, 7, 10 or 14 nights. Shorter charters are possible in quieter periods, typically priced at the weekly rate divided by six and multiplied by the number of days.

Typical seven-night outlines:

• BVI loop: Road Town, Norman Island, Cooper Island, The Baths, North Sound, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke, then back to Tortola.
• St Martin and St Barts: Simpson Bay, Anguilla's Prickly Pear Cays and Shoal Bay, Tintamarre and Pinel, then three or four nights between Colombier, Shell Beach and Gustavia.
• Grenadines: St Vincent, Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, the Tobago Cays, Mayreau and Union Island.
• Exumas: Nassau, Allen's Cay, Shroud Cay, Warderick Wells, Compass Cay, Big Major Cay and Staniel Cay.

Which type of yacht suits the Caribbean?

Catamarans suit most Caribbean itineraries, especially the BVI, the Grenadines and the Bahamas, where shallow draft opens more anchorages and the wide decks make swimming easy. Motor yachts of 30m and above suit St Barts and St Martin, where marina berths, beach clubs and fast transfers matter, and they cover open-water legs in comfort. Sailing yachts come into their own in Antigua and the Grenadines, where steady trade winds make passages a highlight. See our catamaran charter guide if you are weighing a multihull.

Is the Caribbean better than the Mediterranean?

They are different seasons rather than rivals. The Caribbean is a December-to-April destination built around beaches, snorkeling and relaxed island-hopping, with flights of a few hours from the US East Coast and often no VAT. The Mediterranean runs May to September and offers culture, food and historic ports, usually with VAT and a larger APA. Our Mediterranean vs Caribbean comparison breaks down costs, contracts and flights side by side.

Taxes, permits and fees change. The figures on this page reflect 2026 sources and should be confirmed with your broker at booking.

Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to charter a yacht in the Caribbean?

The main season runs from early December to late April, when the trade winds are steady and hurricane risk is low. January to March offers the most reliable weather outside the Christmas and New Year premium. Late April and early May are good value, with warm water and fewer yachts booked.

How much does a Caribbean yacht charter cost per week?

A crewed catamaran of 45–70 ft costs about $18,000–$55,000+ per week in peak season, often near-inclusive. Motor yachts priced in dollars typically ask about $80,000 a week around 30m, about $114,500 around 40m and about $195,000 around 50m, before APA, taxes and tips. Rates vary by season and yacht.

Is it safe to charter a yacht in the Caribbean during hurricane season?

Most crewed yachts leave the Caribbean or stop chartering during the June 1 to November 30 hurricane season, which peaks around September 10. The MYBA hurricane addendum lets you reschedule if a named storm threatens the cruising area within 48 hours of the start. For a summer trip, the Mediterranean is the more common choice.

What does CTI mean on a Caribbean yacht charter?

CTI stands for Caribbean Terms Inclusive, a mostly all-inclusive contract used mainly on smaller yachts. It covers three meals a day and about four hours of cruising fuel per day. Premium wines, extra fuel, berthing and communications usually cost extra.

Which Caribbean island is best for a first yacht charter?

The British Virgin Islands are the usual first choice because the islands sit close together in protected water, with short hops and easy anchorages. Charters can start in Tortola or in St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. Couples who want fine dining and beach clubs often prefer St Barts and St Martin.

Do I need a passport for a Caribbean yacht charter?

Yes for most itineraries. US citizens can fly to the US Virgin Islands without a passport, but you need one as soon as the yacht enters the BVI, the French islands or the Bahamas. Carry it for the whole trip, since the captain clears the guests in and out of each country.

How many days should a Caribbean yacht charter be?

Seven nights is the standard, but the Caribbean is flexible, so 5-, 10- and 14-night charters are common and you can usually start on any day. Over Christmas and New Year, some yachts require minimum stays, often 7 to 14 nights, so confirm with your broker.

Charter rates, APA, VAT and fees quoted are approximate, vary by yacht and season, and change often. Confirm current figures with your broker at booking.