What Is Included in a Yacht Charter?

A crewed charter's base fee generally pays for use of the yacht, the professional crew and the yacht's standard onboard facilities for the contracted period. Variable consumption such as fuel, food, drinks and berths is usually paid through APA. VAT, delivery and external services are quoted separately where they apply, and crew gratuity is discretionary.

Every yacht can have different commercial terms. What is included is what your agreed charter terms say is included.

The base fee is the hire of the yacht with its crew. In a conventional plus-expenses charter it does not cover what you consume during the week.

You have the use of the yacht, within the cruising area and terms agreed, for the contracted period. The captain remains responsible for safety and navigation.

Cabins in the yacht's agreed configuration, daily housekeeping, bed linen and towels are part of the standard service. The master and VIP cabins come as configured; ask before assuming a cabin can be converted.

Toiletries and amenities supplied as standard vary by yacht. Branded or specific products you request may be provisioned through APA.

The captain, deck, interior and engineering crew and the chef come with the yacht. Their salaries, food and insurance are the owner's responsibility as employer, not a charge to you.

Specialist crew, such as a dedicated spa therapist or dive instructor, exist on some yachts only. Confirm who is onboard for your dates.

Hull and machinery insurance, the yacht's own liability cover and routine maintenance are the owner's costs. Your own travel or cancellation insurance is separate and optional.

A gym, cinema, spa room, pool, jacuzzi or beach club that forms part of the yacht is normally available to guests, subject to safety, weather and crew scheduling. Access is not a promise of round-the-clock operation.

An external personal trainer, therapist or instructor brought onboard is an additional service and quoted separately.

Tenders and the water toys listed for the yacht are onboard equipment. Toy lists change between seasons, so confirm the current list for your dates rather than relying on an old brochure.

The equipment may be included while the fuel it uses is charged through APA. Jet skis and some motorised toys can also be subject to local licensing rules.

A chase boat or support vessel is usually a separate arrangement with its own fee and running costs. Submersibles and helicopters, where a yacht carries them, are normally subject to separate terms, pilots and insurance.

Dive equipment and an instructor may be available on some yachts; certification, rendezvous diving and gas fills are often charged separately. Fishing equipment varies, and fishing licences are a local matter.

APA, the Advance Provisioning Allowance, is not an inclusion or an exclusion. It is a separately funded advance held by the captain to pay actual operating expenses during the charter, reconciled with receipts at the end.

APA is not a surprise fee: it is agreed in advance and anything unspent is returned, subject to the contract.

Main engine fuel, generator fuel, tender fuel and watercraft fuel are usually paid through APA at actual cost. Consumption depends on cruising time, speed, the weather and how much the generators run, so it cannot be fixed in advance.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks are provisioned to your preference sheet and charged at cost through APA. Premium ingredients and specific dietary requests are welcome; the chef will not under-provision to keep APA low unless you ask.

Water, soft drinks, wine, champagne and spirits are usually paid through APA. Rare wine is ordered on request at actual cost. Whether you can bring your own alcohol, and any corkage, depends on the yacht and local rules.

Marina berths, port fees, mooring fees and pilotage are usually paid through APA and depend heavily on itinerary and season. Anchoring is often free, but not everywhere.

Starlink, satellite data and satellite phone use are commonly charged through APA, with terms that vary by yacht. Do not assume unlimited or business-grade connectivity; confirm data limits if you need to work remotely.

Guest laundry may be handled onboard or sent ashore. Restaurants, beach clubs, excursions, shopping, taxis, chauffeurs and water taxis are paid through APA only when you ask the crew to arrange them.

These items sit outside both the base fee and APA and should appear as distinct lines in the commercial quote.

VAT or local charter tax is shown separately where applicable. It is not APA. The treatment depends on the yacht, the embarkation point, the itinerary and the applicable rules, not just the destination's name.

When embarkation or disembarkation is away from the yacht's home position, a delivery fee and its fuel may be quoted. Delivery is not APA by default.

Airport transfers, private aviation, helicopter flights and landing costs, hotels and villas are third-party services quoted on their own terms.

Security, event tickets, F1 access, Monaco Grand Prix berths and Cannes access are separately quoted and depend on availability.

Entertainers, decoration, photographers, videographers and specialist instructors are external services quoted in advance.

Optional items are your decision and are never part of the mandatory price.

Crew gratuity is discretionary and is not included in the charter price. It is never taken from unused APA unless you give an explicit instruction.

Travel insurance, charter cancellation insurance and personal shopping are optional and arranged by you or your adviser.

In conventional charter brokerage, broker remuneration is handled within the brokerage commercial structure rather than added as an undisclosed charge. Any separate advisory fee must be disclosed in advance.

Some yachts, often smaller crewed yachts and catamarans, are offered on all-inclusive or semi-inclusive terms. 'All-inclusive' should come with a written list: which meals, which drinks, how much fuel, berths, toys and taxes. Without that list, treat the label as unconfirmed.

Day charters often bundle some fuel and refreshments into a day rate, but terms vary widely. Short charters may carry a minimum fee and their own delivery terms.

An event charter is not a standard cruising charter. The Monaco Grand Prix, Cannes Film Festival, Cannes Lions, Monaco Yacht Show and corporate hospitality can add event berths, day guests, event catering, staff and security, each of which should be quoted explicitly.

Medical evacuation cover, travel to the yacht, arrival transfers and immigration or customs formalities are generally your responsibility or separately arranged. The embarkation tender is normally part of the yacht's service.

The preference sheet tells the crew what to provision. Precise preferences help APA reflect what you actually want.

Inclusions are fixed by the charter agreement and the commercial quote, not by a website, a brochure or industry habit. Read the inclusions and exclusions together before signing.

Two yachts at a similar weekly fee can produce very different totals. Compare like with like: what each base fee covers, the APA basis, VAT, delivery, and any event-related extras.

Once you know where each item sits, the total budget is built in the charter cost guide, and the booking steps are set out in the how-to-charter guide.