What is a superyacht charter?
A superyacht charter is the rental of a luxury vessel over 24 metres (about 80 feet), complete with a professional crew, for a week or more. These are among the most exclusive holidays in the world — multiple decks, lavish cabins, water-toy garages, and a crew dedicated entirely to your experience. You're not chartering a boat so much as a private resort that travels with you.
Costs and the APA
Superyacht charter starts around $150,000 per week for a smaller vessel and climbs into the millions for the largest. On top of the base fee comes the Advance Provisioning Allowance (APA) — typically 25–35% of the charter price, paid upfront to cover fuel, food, drink, and port fees, reconciled at the end. Crew gratuity (5–15% of the base fee) is customary on top. We explain it fully in our superyacht charter guide.
The crew and service
A superyacht's crew is its soul — a captain, officers, engineers, a chef, stewardesses, and deckhands, scaled to the yacht's size. The chef cooks to your preference sheet, the interior team anticipates your every need, and the deck crew runs the water toys. Service is discreet, professional, and total. For a sense of daily life aboard, read about the crewed charter experience.
Best destinations
The classic circuit is the Western Mediterranean in summer — the French Riviera, Monaco, Sardinia, the Amalfi Coast, and the Balearics — and the Caribbean in winter, especially St. Barths, the BVI, and the Bahamas. Adventurous charterers increasingly head to the Maldives, French Polynesia, and even Norway aboard expedition yachts.
How to book
Superyacht charters are arranged through specialist brokers who match you to a yacht, manage the MYBA contract, and liaise with the captain on your preferences. Book peak weeks — Monaco Grand Prix, Cannes — a year ahead. You'll complete a detailed preference sheet covering food, drink, activities, and any celebrations before you step aboard.
