Superyacht charter in the Med: what a week really costs

Superyacht charter is quoted as a weekly base rate, and that figure scales with the length and class of the vessel. But the base rate is only the beginning of the real cost — and understanding the full picture is what separates a smooth charter from an expensive surprise.

Weekly base rates by yacht size (2026)

• 30–40m (a classic crewed motor yacht): roughly €150,000–€350,000 per week.
• 40–60m (full crew, multiple decks, toys): roughly €350,000–€800,000 per week.
• 60–80m (true superyacht territory): roughly €800,000–€2,000,000 per week.
• 80m+ (the largest charter yachts on the water): €2,000,000+ per week.

The costs beyond the base fee

The weekly rate covers the yacht and its crew. On top of that, charters are typically run under an APA — an Advance Provisioning Allowance — usually around 25–35% of the base rate, paid up front to cover running costs: fuel, food, drink, port fees, and berthing. Whatever isn't spent is returned; overspend is settled at the end.

You should also budget for VAT (which varies by cruising region) and crew gratuity (customarily around 5–15% of the base rate). All in, the true cost of a charter is meaningfully above the headline weekly figure.

The base rate is the ticket. The APA, tax and gratuity are what make the week actually run.

Why the best boats disappear before summer

Here is the part most people learn too late: the finest yachts, in the best weeks, are booked months in advance — often by spring for the peak July and August dates. The Monaco Grand Prix weekend, Cannes, and the August Riviera season are spoken for early. By the time someone decides in June that they'd like a yacht for August, the genuinely special boats are long gone.

The vessels that remain available at short notice are rarely the best ones. Securing a truly exceptional yacht is a matter of relationships and timing — knowing which boats are coming available, and moving before they reach the open market.

Charter versus ownership

For all but the most frequent users, chartering makes far more sense than owning. A superyacht's running costs — crew, maintenance, berthing, insurance — typically run to around 10% of its value every year, whether you use it or not. Chartering gives you the experience, a different yacht and cruising ground each time, and none of the standing burden.

Booking the right week

A charter done properly is matched to you: the right yacht for your party size and cruising plans, a crew suited to your style, an itinerary built around where you actually want to be — the Amalfi Coast, the Balearics, the French Riviera, the Greek islands. Get the boat and the week right, and it is the finest holiday there is.