Charter Guide
Crew Tipping: Norms and Etiquette
The gratuity is one of the few parts of a charter without a fixed price, and guests often ask quietly what is customary. The answer is simpler than the discretion around it suggests, and understanding the norms allows you to give with confidence and grace.
In short
A crew gratuity is customary and discretionary, commonly 5 to 15 per cent of the base charter fee. It reflects the quality of service, not the yacht's cost. It is usually given at the end of the charter to the captain, who shares it among the crew, in cash or by transfer, and is entirely separate from the APA and the charter rate.
On this page
Why a gratuity is given
A charter crew works long hours in your service, often invisibly, to make a week appear effortless. The gratuity is the established way of recognising that effort. It is a genuine mark of appreciation rather than an obligation, and it is understood on both sides as discretionary. A crew earns a fair wage regardless, but the gratuity is a meaningful part of the working life at sea, and a generous one after an exceptional charter is remembered warmly.
Because it is discretionary, it should reflect the service you actually received. Outstanding attentiveness, a superb galley and a crew who anticipated your every wish naturally merit the upper end of the range. There is no shame in giving toward the lower end where service was merely competent, though on a well-run yacht that is rarely the case.
The customary range
The widely accepted convention is a gratuity of between 5 and 15 per cent of the base charter fee, calculated on the yacht's hire rate rather than on the total including the APA or expenses. Most guests who are pleased with their charter settle somewhere in the middle of that band.
| Level of service | Typical gratuity |
|---|---|
| Sound and professional | 5 to 7.5 per cent |
| Very good, attentive throughout | 7.5 to 10 per cent |
| Exceptional, memorable | 10 to 15 per cent |
These figures are a guide, not a rule. The gratuity remains yours to decide, and the crew never expect a fixed sum. If you are unsure what feels appropriate for your particular charter, a quiet word with your advisor when you make an enquiry will give you a sense of the norm for the yacht and region.
Mediterranean and Caribbean norms
Convention varies a little by cruising ground. In the Mediterranean, gratuities have tended to sit toward the lower part of the range, commonly around 5 to 10 per cent, reflecting the higher headline charter fees typical of the region. In the Caribbean, and in North American waters more broadly, the customary range runs a little higher, often 10 to 15 per cent, closer to the service-tipping culture of the United States.
These are tendencies rather than firm lines, and the guiding principle is the same in both seas: the gratuity reflects the service, and the percentage is applied to the base fee. If your charter spans a Balearic itinerary, our notes on the Balearics give a fuller sense of the region, and the general etiquette applies as in the wider Mediterranean.
The gratuity reflects the service you received, not the price of the yacht that carried you.
Separate from the APA and the rate
It is important to keep three sums clearly apart. The charter fee is the cost of hiring the yacht and crew. The Advance Provisioning Allowance covers running expenses such as fuel, food, drink and berthing, and is accounted for with receipts, with any balance returned. The gratuity is a third thing entirely, given directly to the crew and drawn from neither of the others.
You should never find a gratuity added automatically to your invoice or deducted from the APA. If in doubt, our guides to the Advance Provisioning Allowance and to provisioning and the preference sheet set out exactly what the APA does and does not include. The gratuity always remains a separate and voluntary gesture.
How and when to give it
The gratuity is customarily given at the end of the charter, once you have had the full measure of the crew's service. The usual practice is to hand it to the captain, who then distributes it fairly among the whole crew according to an established convention aboard. This spares you the awkwardness of tipping individuals and ensures that those who work unseen, in the galley or the engine room, share equally in your appreciation.
Cash remains common and is always welcome, in euros in the Mediterranean or the prevailing local currency. A bank transfer is equally acceptable and increasingly usual for larger sums, and the captain or your advisor can provide details discreetly. There is no need to tip each crew member separately; giving to the captain for the crew is both the norm and the kindest way to do it.
Tipping on day charters
Shorter charters follow the same principle on a smaller scale. On a day charter the crew still work hard to give you a memorable outing, and a gratuity in the region of 10 to 15 per cent of the day rate is a fair and customary mark of thanks for good service. As with a longer charter, it is discretionary and best given at the end of the day, to the captain for the crew.
The amounts are naturally more modest, but the gesture matters just as much. A day skipper and crew who have made a single day special appreciate the recognition as keenly as a full crew after a week at sea.
Giving it discreetly
Discretion is part of the grace of giving. A gratuity is best offered quietly at the end of the charter, in an envelope handed to the captain with a few words of thanks, rather than announced or made a production of. There is no ceremony expected and none desired. A simple, sincere thank you carries more warmth than any flourish.
A few quiet courtesies
- Give at the end of the charter, once service is complete
- Hand it to the captain for the whole crew
- Use an envelope for cash, or arrange a transfer in advance
- Offer it privately, with a brief word of appreciation
- Let the amount reflect the service, within the customary range
Handled this way, the gratuity closes a charter on exactly the right note. For more on how the crew earn it, see our guide to the crew and service on a charter, or read further in the journal. The glossary defines the terms that surround chartering, and you can view the yachts and crews themselves across our fleet.
Common questions
How much should I tip the crew?
The customary range is 5 to 15 per cent of the base charter fee, with most guests settling around the middle after a good charter. It is discretionary and should reflect the service you received rather than a fixed obligation.
Is the gratuity calculated on the total cost or the base fee?
On the base charter fee, the cost of hiring the yacht and crew. It is not calculated on the APA, on running expenses, or on the total invoice. The gratuity is a separate and voluntary sum.
Do I tip each crew member individually?
No. The usual practice is to give the whole gratuity to the captain, who distributes it fairly among the crew, including those who work unseen. This is both the convention and the most graceful way to do it.
When should the gratuity be given?
At the end of the charter, once you have had the full measure of the crew's service. It is offered quietly to the captain, in cash by envelope or by prearranged transfer, with a few words of thanks.
Does the Mediterranean differ from the Caribbean?
A little. Mediterranean gratuities tend toward 5 to 10 per cent, while Caribbean and North American norms run somewhat higher, often 10 to 15 per cent. In both, the sum reflects service and is applied to the base fee.
Should I tip on a day charter?
Yes, if the service was good. A gratuity of around 10 to 15 per cent of the day rate is customary, given at the end of the day to the captain for the crew. The gesture matters as much on a day out as on a full week.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice. To plan a charter, make an enquiry or browse the yachts.
If you work the deck
Crew-side: the gratuity is pooled and split equally in almost every professional programme — deck, interior, engine room and galley alike, seniority-blind. If a boat you join splits it any other way, that is worth knowing before you sign, not after the season. The figures guests are given above are the same bands your captain quotes; nobody is hiding a different number.