Charter Guide
What Is Included in a Charter Rate
The charter rate buys the yacht and its crew, not the running costs of your week. Understanding where that line falls is the key to a budget without surprises.
In short
A charter rate covers the yacht itself, its professional crew, insurance of the vessel, and standard onboard equipment for the agreed period. It does not cover fuel, food and drink, berthing, or fees — these are paid from a separate Advance Provisioning Allowance. VAT and a crew gratuity are additional. "All-inclusive" day charters and some Eastern Mediterranean terms bundle more into the headline figure.
On this page
What the base rate covers
Under the standard MYBA agreement, the charter fee is the price of hiring the yacht and its crew for the period, in the condition and to the standard the yacht is offered. In concrete terms, the base rate includes:
- The yacht itself, for your exclusive use throughout the charter.
- The full professional crew — captain, deck, interior, engineering, and chef as the yacht carries — with their wages.
- Insurance of the vessel and its ordinary operation.
- Standard equipment aboard: tenders and water toys as specified, linens, general supplies, and the yacht's normal amenities.
What you are paying for, in essence, is the platform and the people. The yacht is maintained, insured, and staffed; the crew's time and skill are yours for the week. Everything that is consumed or incurred while you use it sits on the other side of the line. For the wider picture of how a charter is arranged, see chartering explained.
What the base rate does not cover
The running costs of the week are met separately, through the Advance Provisioning Allowance, or APA. These are the variable, consumption-based expenses that no fixed rate could sensibly predict:
- Fuel for the main engines, generators, and tenders — often the largest single line, and highly dependent on how far and how fast you cruise.
- Food and drink — all provisioning for the galley and bar, tailored to your preference sheet.
- Berthing and dockage — marina and port fees, which vary enormously by location and season.
- Fees and incidentals — cruising permits, port charges, and similar third-party costs.
Because these depend entirely on your choices — the itinerary, the pace, the wines, the ports — they cannot be baked into a single figure without either overcharging the cautious or shortchanging the exuberant. The APA solves this by acting as a running float, spent transparently on your behalf and reconciled at the end. We explain the mechanism in full in what "plus expenses" means.
What you are paying for, in essence, is the platform and the people; everything consumed sits on the other side of the line.
MYBA terms versus all-inclusive
The great majority of Mediterranean superyacht charters are offered on MYBA terms, meaning "charter fee plus expenses". The alternative you will occasionally meet, more common on smaller yachts and in certain regions, is an "all-inclusive" or "fully inclusive" rate, which folds fuel, food, and sometimes berthing into a single higher figure.
Neither is inherently better value; they simply distribute the cost differently. All-inclusive offers predictability and simplicity, which suits shorter charters and those who prefer one number. MYBA terms offer flexibility and transparency — you pay for exactly what you use, itemised — which suits longer charters where consumption varies widely. What matters is knowing which basis you are being quoted on, so that two proposals can be compared like with like. The terms are collected in our glossary if a phrase is unfamiliar.
Western and Eastern Mediterranean terms
Two informal conventions still surface in the market and are worth recognising.
| Basis | Typically includes | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Western Med (MYBA) | Fee only; all running costs via APA | Fee plus expenses; the standard superyacht basis |
| Eastern Med | Fee plus fuel for a set cruising range, and often food | More bundled; fewer separate lines |
| All-inclusive | Fee, fuel, food, drink, and often berthing | One figure; common on smaller yachts |
These labels are conventions rather than fixed rules, and a given yacht may be offered on different terms in different waters. The practical lesson is the same: always confirm precisely what the quoted rate contains before comparing figures or setting a budget. A lower headline on MYBA terms may cost more in total than a higher all-inclusive one, or the reverse.
Day charters are different
Day and short charters usually work on a different basis again. Their pricing is more often quoted as a package that already includes fuel for the day's cruising, and frequently food and drink as well. Because the range and duration are limited and predictable, bundling makes sense, and the transparency of an APA offers less advantage over a single afternoon.
This is one reason day charters make such a straightforward introduction: the figure you are quoted is close to the figure you pay, with a gratuity the main addition. If you are weighing a first outing, our practical first-charter guide sets out the wider considerations, and a short trip from the Balearics is an easy way to begin.
VAT and the gratuity
Two further items sit outside the base rate on any charter. VAT is charged on the charter fee according to the rules of where you cruise and embark, and it is a genuine part of the cost rather than an afterthought — rates and treatments differ across Mediterranean jurisdictions, so your broker will confirm the figure that applies to your itinerary. The crew gratuity, discretionary but customary, commonly falls in the region of 5 to 15 per cent of the fee and is given to the captain at the end for the crew. Both belong in your planning from the outset. To discuss the numbers for a specific yacht and route, simply make an enquiry.
A worked cost example
An illustration makes the structure concrete. The figures below are indicative only, chosen to show the shape of a budget rather than to quote any particular yacht.
| Item | Basis | Indicative amount |
|---|---|---|
| Charter fee | One week, motor yacht | €100,000 |
| APA | 30% of fee | €30,000 |
| VAT | On the fee, illustrative rate | €21,000 |
| Gratuity | ~10% of fee, discretionary | €10,000 |
| Indicative total | Fee plus expenses | €161,000 |
The headline of €100,000 becomes a realistic planning figure closer to €160,000 once the running costs, tax, and gratuity are included. Crucially, the APA is not a charge but a float: whatever the crew do not spend is returned to you at the end. Budget for the full figure, and any unspent APA comes back as a welcome balance rather than a shortfall arriving as a surprise. Our journal returns to these questions as the seasons change.
Common questions
Does the charter rate include food and drink?
Not on standard MYBA terms. The base rate covers the yacht, crew, insurance, and standard equipment, while food and drink are paid from the Advance Provisioning Allowance you place alongside the fee. All-inclusive rates, more common on smaller yachts and day charters, do fold food and drink into a single higher figure. Always confirm which basis you are quoted.
Is fuel included in the charter fee?
On MYBA terms, no. Fuel for the engines, generators, and tenders is drawn from the Advance Provisioning Allowance and is often the largest single running cost, since it depends heavily on how far and how fast you cruise. Some Eastern Mediterranean and all-inclusive terms include fuel for a set range, so it is worth checking each quote carefully.
What is the difference between MYBA and all-inclusive rates?
MYBA terms quote the yacht and crew as a base fee, with running costs paid separately through the APA and reconciled at the end. All-inclusive rates fold fuel, food, and often berthing into one higher figure. MYBA offers transparency and flexibility; all-inclusive offers predictability. Neither is inherently cheaper; they distribute the same underlying costs differently.
Is VAT included in the quoted rate?
Usually the quoted charter fee is stated before VAT, which is then charged on the fee according to where you cruise and embark. Rates and treatments vary across Mediterranean jurisdictions, so VAT is a genuine, sometimes substantial, part of the budget. Your broker will confirm the figure that applies to your particular yacht and itinerary before you commit.
Do day charters include more than weekly charters?
Typically yes. Day and short charters are more often quoted as packages that already include fuel for the day and frequently food and drink, because the limited, predictable range makes bundling sensible. The figure you are quoted is close to the figure you pay, with a gratuity the main addition. This makes day charters a simple introduction to the water.
What does standard equipment mean?
Standard equipment is the yacht's ordinary onboard amenities included in the base rate: the tenders and water toys the yacht is offered with, linens, general supplies, and its normal fittings. Anything beyond the yacht's usual inventory, or specially arranged extras such as particular sports equipment or shoreside activities, is quoted separately and typically drawn from the APA.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice. To plan a charter, make an enquiry or browse the yachts.