BOAT-COMPARATOR Guide
Chartering a crewed yacht: what it costs, what it changes
A motor yacht with skipper and hostess, by the day or the week: how crewed charter really works — APA, tipping, itineraries and budgets.
Above a certain size, the license question disappears: a yacht comes with its crew, and it is another universe — one where your only decision of the day is lunchtime. Here is how it actually works.
By the day: the day-charter
From €2,500 to €8,000 per day for a 15-24 metre yacht with skipper (and often a deckhand), on the Riviera, in Ibiza or the Gulf of Naples. The price covers boat and crew; fuel, rarely — budget €300-800 more depending on the programme. Champagne, paddleboards and water toys are agreed at booking.
By the week: the APA, the line to understand
Crewed cruises run on the APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance): 25-35% of the charter price, paid up front, covering fuel, food, drinks, ports and extras — accounts presented at week's end, balance refunded or topped up. Add any local tax and the customary tip (5-15% of the base price, at your discretion by service).
What the crew changes
Everything. The skipper adapts the route to the day's weather and knows the swell-free cove; the hostess or chef turns the saloon into a table d'hôtes; you land at the restaurant by tender without a thought for the anchor. It is also a framework: the yacht remains their responsibility — unreasonable requests (night passages, overloading) will be refused, and rightly so.
Booking without missteps
Check what the displayed price includes (crew? fuel? APA?) — THE source of misunderstandings, presented differently by every platform. Boat-Comparator flags 'to be confirmed' prices: on this segment, demand the written breakdown before any deposit. And book early: good yachts with good crews go fast, word of mouth does the rest.
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Rent a boat with no nasty surprises
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