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Booking your first yacht charter comes down to seven steps: pick the type of charter, choose where and when, set an all-in budget, find the yacht through a broker or booking site, sign the contract and pay, fill out your preference sheet, and pack light. Start three to six months ahead, and closer to a year for the most popular yachts and peak weeks.
Step 1: Choose the type of charter
| Type | What it means | Choose it if |
|---|---|---|
| Bareboat | You rent the boat and sail it yourself | You hold a sailing qualification and want the lowest price |
| Skippered | A hired skipper runs the boat; you handle meals and the rest | You want to relax but keep costs moderate |
| Crewed | Captain, chef and crew handle everything | You want a true vacation with nothing to manage |
For a first charter, most people are happiest on a skippered or crewed yacht. See what each one costs in our yacht charter cost guide.
Step 2: Pick your destination and season
- Mediterranean (Greece, Croatia, the French Riviera, Italy): best from May to October. June and September offer good weather, fewer crowds and better rates.
- Caribbean (the British Virgin Islands, the Bahamas): best in the winter months, when the Mediterranean season is over.
- Avoid school holidays and Christmas week if you want better prices and availability.
Step 3: Set an all-in budget
On a crewed charter, the advertised weekly rate covers the yacht and crew. Add an Advance Provisioning Allowance (APA) and taxes of roughly 25% to 50% of the charter fee for fuel, food, drinks, dockage and local taxes, plus a crew tip of 10% to 15%. Set a per-person budget first, then choose the boat to fit it.
Step 4: Find the yacht
- A charter broker is the easiest route for a crewed yacht. You describe your group and the trip you want, and the broker shortlists yachts by size, layout, availability and crew, then plans an itinerary with the captain.
- A booking platform like Boatbookings or Yachting.com lets you compare bareboat, skippered and crewed yachts by destination and price. Compare yachts and prices at Boatbookings →
- Want a trial run? A half-day or full-day charter is an easy way to test your sea legs before committing to a week. Find a half-day or full-day charter on GetMyBoat →
Step 5: Sign the contract and pay
- Crewed charters are usually booked on the MYBA charter agreement, the industry-standard contract.
- Expect a 50% deposit when you sign, with the balance and the APA typically due about a month before departure.
- Ask your broker exactly which taxes apply to your dates and destination before you sign.
- Buy travel insurance that specifically covers yacht charters.
Step 6: Fill out your preference sheet
A few weeks before the trip, you will get a preference sheet. This is where you tell the captain and chef about allergies, favorite foods and drinks, things you dislike, and the activities you care about, from snorkeling to a tee time ashore. The more detail you give, the better the week.
Step 7: Pack and go
- Pack in soft bags. Hard suitcases are hard to stow on a boat.
- Bring: reef-safe sunscreen, polarized sunglasses, a light layer for evenings, boat-friendly shoes and any medication you need.
- Leave room for golf clubs in a travel bag if your itinerary includes a round ashore.
- At the end, you get an itemized APA statement and a refund of anything unspent. Hand the crew tip to the captain on the last day.
The Signature Experience
A crewed superyacht with golf ashore
Roughly $100,000 to $1 million+ a week before extras.
For a first charter that sets the bar for every vacation after it, book a crewed superyacht through a broker and build the itinerary around championship courses. Spend mornings on the course, then come back aboard for lunch and an afternoon at anchor while the crew handles everything else.
- Where it works best: the French Riviera, Mallorca and the Greek islands in summer; Florida and the Caribbean in winter.
- What to ask for: a private chef, a tender for shore runs to the course, and water toys for the afternoons.
- Book early: the best yachts fill six months to a year ahead.
FAQ
How far in advance should I book a yacht charter?
Three to six months ahead at minimum. For peak summer weeks or a specific yacht, book six months to a year out.
Do I need a license to charter a yacht?
Only for a bareboat charter, where you skipper the boat yourself. Skippered and crewed charters need no qualification at all.
What is a preference sheet?
A form you fill out before the trip that tells the captain and chef what you like to eat and drink and what you want to do, so the yacht is stocked and planned around you.
Next steps
- See what each type of charter really costs in our yacht charter cost guide.
- Compare yachts and prices by destination. Compare yachts and prices at Boatbookings →
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