How Does a Yacht Charter Work? From First Enquiry to Final Settlement
Quick answer
You choose a crewed yacht through a charter broker, sign a MYBA charter agreement and pay a 50% deposit, then pay the balance, APA (running-cost advance), taxes and any delivery fee about five weeks before you board. You send the crew a preference sheet, agree an itinerary with the captain, and at the end of the week the captain settles the APA account, refunds or charges the difference, and you hand over the crew tip.
A crewed yacht charter follows a well-worn sequence: shortlist, hold, contract, deposit, balance and APA, preference sheet, the charter itself, and a final settlement with the captain. Once you understand each step, very little about the process is mysterious, and you can spot the points where good advice saves real money.
This guide walks through that sequence as it works for most crewed motor and sailing yachts in the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Bahamas in 2026–2027.
Who do you book a yacht charter through?
Most crewed charters are booked through a charter broker, who works for the client, while the yacht itself is represented by a central agent working for the owner. The owner pays both their commissions out of the charter fee.
What a charter broker does
A retail broker is your adviser. A good one asks how you like to holiday (active or slow, party or privacy, kids or no kids), recommends a cruising ground and a size band, and shortlists yachts across the whole market rather than a single fleet. They also know which crews are strong this season, which yachts have had recent refits, and which "available" yachts have a tentative hold that is likely to firm up.
Brokers handle the contract, collect your payments into a client account, brief the crew and stay on call during the charter. Because the commission comes from the owner, using a broker does not normally raise your price.
What a central agent does
A central agent is appointed by the owner to market one or more yachts, maintain the booking calendar and issue contracts. They know the yacht intimately: its crew changes, its technical history and its true availability. Your broker deals with the central agent on your behalf. You rarely talk to the central agent directly, but their accuracy matters, so ask your broker how recently they verified the yacht's condition and crew.
How do you choose and hold a yacht?
Your broker builds a shortlist of three to six yachts that fit your group, dates, region and budget. When you settle on one, the broker can usually place a short, free option (a "first hold") while you decide.
A useful shortlist compares more than photos. Ask about:
- Cabin layout: how many doubles versus twins, whether there is a convertible cabin or pullman berth for children.
- Crew: how long the captain and chef have been aboard, and the crew-to-guest ratio.
- Toys and tenders: what is included in the base fee and what is extra.
- Recent refit: cosmetic refits change photos; technical refits change reliability.
- Base port: starting where the yacht is based avoids a delivery fee.
Holds are typically brief, often a few days, and a second interested party can force a decision. During busy weeks, have your dates, group and budget settled before you ask for one. Our guide to how far in advance to book explains when holds become hard to get.
What is in the MYBA charter contract?
The MYBA charter agreement is the standard contract for crewed charters, setting out the fee, dates, ports, cruising area, payments, APA and cancellation terms. Read it fully, because it is the document that decides any dispute.
| Contract element | What it says | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Charter fee and terms | Base fee, whether "plus expenses" (MYBA) or inclusive | Which costs are included and which come from the APA |
| Dates and times | Embarkation and disembarkation date, time and port | Times match your flights; any delivery fee is stated |
| Cruising area | Where the yacht may go | Whether it covers a second country (VAT and permits change) |
| Payment schedule | 50% on signing, balance about 5 weeks before | Exact due dates and the client account details |
| APA | Amount and how it is managed | The percentage and how top-ups work |
| Taxes | VAT or charter tax applicable to the start port | Rate used, and whether delivery is taxed |
| Cancellation | Owner's rights if you cancel | Whether cancellation insurance makes sense |
| Hurricane addendum (Caribbean) | Rescheduling if a named storm threatens | Applies within 48 hours of the start |
| Special terms | Extra guests, pets, events, children | Anything promised verbally is written in |
When do you pay?
On standard MYBA terms you pay a 50% deposit on signing, and the balance, the APA, taxes and any delivery fee about five weeks before embarkation. Caribbean contracts on inclusive terms usually follow a similar 50% deposit, with the balance due roughly 30–45 days before the start; confirm the exact schedule with your broker.
What happens if you cancel?
Cancelling counts as repudiating the contract, so the owner may keep what you have paid. If the yacht is re-chartered, the owner refunds the surplus minus expenses. Broker summaries typically describe the practical effect as losing the deposit more than 90 days out, 50% of the fee at 30–90 days and the full fee inside 30 days. Ask your broker about charter cancellation insurance when you sign.
What is the APA and how is it used?
The APA, or Advance Provisioning Allowance, is a sum paid with the balance to cover running costs during the charter. It is typically 25–35% of the base fee on sailing yachts and catamarans and 35–40% on motor yachts.
The captain uses it for fuel (for the yacht, tenders and toys), food and drink, berthing and port fees, and communications. It is your money held on account, with receipts kept for every purchase. For the full breakdown, read our APA guide, and for the overall budget see yacht charter cost.
What is a yacht charter preference sheet?
The preference sheet is a detailed questionnaire the crew uses to plan your charter: guest names and ages, allergies, dietary needs, favorite foods and wines, meal timing, activities and special occasions. Return it early and in detail.
The chef provisions from it before you arrive, which matters in remote cruising grounds where specialty items cannot be bought locally. Good preference sheets cover:
- Food: cuisines you love, dishes to avoid, breakfast style, how formal dinners should be, children's preferences.
- Drink: spirits, wines and champagne by name if you have favorites; mixers; coffee and tea.
- Allergies and medical needs: stated clearly, even if mild.
- Pace: early starts or slow mornings, how much time underway versus at anchor, whether you want to dine ashore.
- Celebrations: birthdays, anniversaries or a proposal the crew should prepare for.
Premium wines and spirits are paid from the APA, so a long list of top vintages will draw it down quickly.
How is the itinerary planned?
You share your wishes and the captain proposes a route within the contracted cruising area, adjusting daily for weather and berth availability. The captain has the final say on safety.
A good captain builds an itinerary around wind and sea state as much as around famous names. In the Cyclades during July and August, that means using the lee of islands when the meltemi blows. On the Riviera it can mean booking scarce berths in Saint-Tropez or Monaco months ahead. In the Bahamas it means timing passages through cuts in the Exumas with the tide. Our guide to the best time to charter a yacht explains these seasonal patterns.
Two practical points. Mediterranean charters traditionally run in 7-day blocks, usually Saturday to Saturday, while Caribbean charters are more flexible on length and start day. And a one-way itinerary (for example Athens to Mykonos) may carry a delivery fee to return the yacht to base.
What happens on embarkation day?
You arrive at the agreed port at the contract time, the crew greets you, takes luggage aboard and gives a safety briefing and a tour. Most yachts are underway or at a first anchorage within a couple of hours.
Pack in soft bags, which stow easily. The captain will usually confirm the plan for the first day or two, and the chief stewardess will walk through cabin service, meal times and how to request anything. If guests are arriving on different flights, tell the broker in advance so the crew can arrange tender pickups or a later departure.
How does the crew work during the charter?
The crew runs the yacht, the meals and the activities, and their size scales with the yacht: roughly 3–5 crew on a 24–30m yacht and 8–12 on a 40–50m superyacht. The captain is your single point of contact for the plan.
Typical roles include the captain, an engineer, deckhands who run the tenders and toys, a chef and interior stewards or stewardesses. On sailing yachts and catamarans, roles combine: the captain may also run watersports, and the chef may help with service. Brief the captain each evening on the next day's wishes and let the crew handle the logistics.
What happens at the end of a yacht charter?
On the last evening or morning, the captain presents the APA account with receipts. Any unspent balance is refunded, or you pay any overspend, and you hand over the crew gratuity, usually in cash to the captain.
The settlement should be transparent: every fuel bill, marina invoice and provisioning receipt should be available to review. If spending looks likely to exceed the APA mid-charter, the captain should flag it and may ask for a top-up rather than surprising you at the end.
The gratuity is discretionary but expected: about 10–15% of the base fee in the Mediterranean and 15–20% in the Caribbean and US. See how much to tip a yacht crew for how crews share it.
Disembarkation is often in the morning or around midday, as written in the contract. Allow time for the yacht's turnaround before planning a late checkout.
Our view
The process itself is straightforward. The two decisions that shape the outcome are choosing the right broker and choosing the right crew, ahead of the yacht. If this is your first time, our first yacht charter guide covers what to expect day by day.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay the charter broker a fee?
Normally not directly. On the standard MYBA model the broker's commission is paid by the yacht owner out of the charter fee, so the price you pay is the same whether you book through a broker or not. Always confirm in writing that no extra service fee applies.
What is the difference between a charter broker and a central agent?
A retail charter broker works for you, the client, and can offer almost any yacht in the charter market. A central agent is appointed by the yacht's owner to market the yacht, manage its calendar and handle contracts. On most bookings your broker and the yacht's central agent work together and share the commission.
What is a MYBA contract?
The MYBA charter agreement is the industry-standard contract for crewed yacht charters, published by MYBA, the yachting trade association that began as the Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association. It sets out the charter fee, dates, embarkation and disembarkation ports, cruising area, payment schedule, APA, cancellation terms and the responsibilities of the owner, captain and charterer.
What happens if I cancel a yacht charter?
Under MYBA terms, cancelling is treated as ending the contract, and the owner can keep the payments already made. If the yacht is re-chartered for your dates, the owner refunds the surplus minus expenses. Broker summaries typically describe losing the deposit if you cancel more than 90 days out, 50% of the fee at 30–90 days and 100% inside 30 days, which is why charter cancellation insurance is worth considering.
Can I choose the itinerary on a yacht charter?
Yes, within the cruising area in your contract. You share your wishes before the charter and the captain builds a plan, but the captain always has final say for safety, weather and port permissions. Building in a flexible day is wise, especially in the Cyclades during the meltemi.
What time do you board a charter yacht?
Embarkation and disembarkation times are written into the contract and are often around midday, though many yachts disembark in the morning to allow turnaround for the next guests. Confirm the exact times and port with your broker, and plan flights with a buffer on both ends.
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.