Chartering a yacht
How do I choose the right yacht?
The shortlist begins with three variables: cruising ground, number of guests, and budget. A 40m yacht that works in the Bahamas may not work in Norwegian fjords; a 60m that suits a couple with two guests may feel cavernous. Our advisors compress 60+ possibilities down to a three-yacht shortlist, each with a video walk-through, so you choose from context, not from brochures.
What does the weekly rate include?
The weekly rate covers the yacht, crew, insurance, interior service, and use of all toys and tenders. It does not include fuel, port fees, food, drink, or gratuity, those sit in the APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance), typically 25-35% of the base rate.
What's an APA?
Advance Provisioning Allowance, a cash float the client wires to the captain at the start of the charter and the captain expenses against through the week. Any unspent amount is refunded; any overage is topped up before disembarkation.
VAT and taxes, how do they work?
Charter fees carry VAT when cruising inside EU territorial waters (7.5% France under the commercial exemption, 22% Italy, 24% Greece). We always quote all-in so there are no surprises. Caribbean and Bahamas charters are VAT-free.
Cancellation policy?
Standard MYBA cancellation: client cancels within 28 days of charter, 100% forfeited. 29-59 days, 75%. 60-90 days, 50%. Beyond that, full refund less admin. Travel insurance is strongly recommended and we can introduce a specialist.
Insurance & deposits
Security deposit, how much?
Typically one week's charter fee, wired before embarkation and returned within 14 days of disembarkation if no damage is recorded. For weeks over $500k, a 10% deposit cap is negotiable.
Is the yacht insured?
Every yacht on our charter list carries Lloyd's of London-syndicated hull insurance and $100M+ P&I liability cover. Clients may add a personal travel policy for unscheduled flights, medical evacuation, or cancellation.
Advance deposit before booking?
For confirmation we take a 10% deposit via wire or (new in 2026) Stripe. The balance is due 28 days before embarkation.
Guests & crew
Are pets permitted?
Yacht-by-yacht. Many captains welcome a well-behaved small dog; a few welcome larger. We maintain a separate shortlist of 'pet-positive' yachts. Always flagged in the contract.
Can we bring children?
Absolutely. Most charter yachts carry child life jackets, inflatable play equipment, kids' menus, and many have a crew member designated as kids' buddy. We are happy to source a yacht with specific childcare credentials.
Crew gratuity, what's customary?
10-15% of the base charter fee, delivered in cash or wire to the captain at disembarkation for distribution across the crew. Higher gratuities are welcomed and noted for future cruising.
Flag states, does it matter?
Mildly. Cayman Islands, Marshall Islands, Malta and Isle of Man are the dominant commercial flags. Each has slightly different crew-certification requirements. All are Lloyd's / ABS class and comparable from a guest perspective.
Payment Methods
What payment methods do you accept?
Four rails. Bank wire (SEPA / SWIFT), card payment via Stripe (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay, Google Pay), hosted crypto via Coinbase Commerce, and self-hosted crypto via BTCPay Server for clients who prefer zero custodial exposure.
Which cryptocurrencies do you accept?
Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), USD Coin (USDC), Tether (USDT), Litecoin (LTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and DAI. Stablecoin settlements (USDC, USDT, DAI) confirm within 1 to 5 minutes; BTC confirmations take 10 to 30 minutes depending on network load.
Why accept crypto at all?
A growing share of HNW buyers are crypto-native; stablecoin settlements remove correspondent-banking friction and cut down on intermediary fees. Crypto payments are fully on-chain traceable, which many compliance teams now prefer over opaque wire corridors.
How is VAT/tax handled on crypto payments?
Crypto is treated by our accountants as a currency swap, not a commodity sale. VAT (where applicable) is assessed on the USD-equivalent at the moment of settlement, same as a wire. Full invoice is issued in USD with crypto reference appended.
Is my crypto payment secure?
Yes. Coinbase Commerce is a hosted flow operated by Coinbase Global (NASDAQ: COIN) with funds swept directly to our custody. For clients who prefer zero custodial exposure we also operate a self-hosted BTCPay Server node. Both flows are HMAC-verified end-to-end.
Private aviation to embarkation point?
Yes, our concierge arranges G550-class jets to and from the marina, and we can coordinate tail numbers with the captain's cast-off time.
When should we book?
Peak Mediterranean weeks (mid-July to mid-August) sell out by March. Caribbean Christmas/New Year sells out by the previous July. Shoulder weeks are often bookable inside 90 days.