What to decide first, what not to worry about, and an honest account of what a week actually costs.
People usually start by looking at yachts. It is the wrong end. The yacht is the last decision, and by the time you get to it there are normally only three sensible candidates.
Decide these four things first
- How many of you there are, and how many need their own cabin.
- Which week. Availability in July and August is genuinely tight — six months ahead is not early.
- Whether you want to move or to stay. This decides motor or sail more than anything else.
- Your all-in budget, including the extras below. Not the headline weekly rate.
What the price actually includes
The advertised rate covers the yacht and her crew. It does not cover what the yacht consumes on your behalf. That comes through the APA — the Advance Provisioning Allowance — normally 25 to 35 per cent of the charter fee, paid up front and reconciled at the end.
- Charter fee — the yacht and crew for the week.
- APA — fuel, food, drink, berthing, port fees, laundry. Unspent balance is returned.
- VAT — depends on the flag state and where you cruise; 22 per cent in Italy, 20 in France as a rule of thumb.
- Crew gratuity — customary, discretionary, and usually 5 to 15 per cent.
“The single best thing you can do for a first charter is book it early and then leave the itinerary alone until a fortnight before.”
What not to worry about
Seasickness, mostly. Charter itineraries are planned around sheltered water and morning passages, and a stabilised motor yacht at anchor is very close to still. Cooking, laundry and where to eat are also not your problem — that is what the crew are for.
What is worth your attention: who you go with, and whether the yacht has enough cabins that nobody has to be gracious about it.
