Yacht Rates Explanations

All Inclusive

An all-inclusive charter covers all provisioning and running expenses. This includes a captain and crew that is fully trained and committed to your safety and enjoyment of your trip. A chef will provide the kind of exceptional, personalized meal preparation that you would expect of a five-star restaurant. The listed rate may not include all local taxes, cruising permits, premium beverages and scuba activities. Those details will be addressed during the booking process. Make an inquiry for an individual yacht to get more information.

This is the most common charter option in the Caribbean, especially in the Virgin Islands and the St. Martin surroundings.
After BoatsAtSea.com has received your final payment, your “Preference Sheet” will be sent to you. The form should be completed and returned at least 45 days prior to your charter date.
After a careful review, BoatsAtSea.com will forward the paperwork to the yacht and crew. If there are any questions or concerns, your chef will work closely with you and discuss your Preference Sheet to be certain the meals meet your needs and expectations. At this time, any special diets, such as gluten or lactose free, vegetarian, kosher or other dietary restrictions will be addressed.
Your crew will take responsibility for the provisioning and preparation of your meals. Additionally, they will keep the boat neat and orderly to maximize your comfort. The captain will work with you during the charter, if you wish, to keep you apprised and involved with the routes and destinations and explain any weather issues that may affect your itinerary. Otherwise, your only duty is to sit back, relax and enjoy being pampered for the entirety of your trip.
Like a five-star resort, the experienced and professional crew will attend to all your needs and desires. Unlike a land-based resort, you are surrounded only by the friends and family that you choose to share an amazing vacation with.
A yacht charter is a very personalized type of luxury vacation, all custom-tailored to your wishes.
Make an inquiry for an individual yacht with "All Inclusive" rate to get more specific information.
All Inclusive terms may or may not include your scuba activities. This varies depending on the yacht selected. The same applies to local government taxes, cruising permits and departure fees. Airport transfers are seldom included in the charter rates. All these variables will be discussed before your vacation begins.
Caribbean Terms means that some yachts sailing further down the island chain to St Martin may not include local taxes, cruising permits, bar and beverages.

Plus Expenses or APA (Advanced Provisioning Allowance)

The rate shown includes the charter yacht and the crew. All other daily expenses, such as fuel, provisions, taxes and any other costs, are additional and will be covered with a payment to an APA deposit. Typically, these extra fees are between 15% and 25% of the charter rate for sailing yachts and 25% to 35% for motor yachts. The captain will keep a running tab and unused APA funds will be refunded. Make an inquiry for an individual yacht to get more information about the total cost you can expect.

Usually, larger charter yachts, motor yachts or yachts operating in the Mediterranean offer the Plus Expenses (APA) option. The rate includes the charter yacht and its equipment, and a professional crew. For a few cheaper yachts in the Mediterranean the crew is not included in the rate and noted in the rates of the yacht detail. The Plus Expenses rate does not include the daily costs of operating the yacht or your meals and activities.
Once the staff at BoatsAtSea.com becomes more familiar with your dining and drinking choices, desired activities and destinations you wish to explore, we can provide a better estimate of the costs, based on your personal preferences.
The yacht’s chef will contact you regarding the provisions. When you board, the charter yachts galley will already be stocked with your requested choices. Based on the information you provide, your crew will professionally arrange your provisioning. They will carefully sort, organize and stow your food and beverages aboard the yacht prior to your arrival.
You will be greeted with a refreshing, chilled drink when you board.
Your crew will pamper you just as you would expect in any luxury resort or villa. They will cater to your every need and make your cruise a spectacular one. All your activities and your complete charter itinerary are tailored to your wishes.
At the end of your charter, the balance of the APA account will be settled. If there is excess in the account, it will be refunded. You may need to pay more to cover an expense not included in the original estimate. Your captain will keep you informed of all your expenses, so you will know what to anticipate before the final tally.
Make an inquiry for an individual yacht with "Plus Expenses" rate to get more specific information.
Plus Expenses may or may not include your scuba activities, as this varies depending on the yacht selected. The same applies to local government taxes, cruising permits and departure fees. Airport transfers are seldom included in the charter rates.

Request Expenses

These yachts may consider an “All Inclusive” or a “Plus Expense” option, all depending your groups size & needs, cruising grounds and itinerary, these can be customized to your wishes. Make an inquiry for a yacht with "Request Expenses" to get more specific information.

As some yachts operate during the winter months in the Caribbean and in the summer months in the Med, they can offer depending the location and your needs, either one of the two options; an “All Inclusive” or a “Plus Expense”. After talking to us we can arrange with the yachts agent or captain and offer your final package deal.
Make an inquiry for an individual yacht with "Request Expenses" rate to get more specific information.
Request Expenses may or may not include your scuba activities; this is varying depending the yacht. The same applies to local government taxes, cruising permits and departure fees. Airport transfers are seldom included in the charter rates.
Caribbean Terms means that some yachts sailing further down the island chain of St Martin may not include local taxes, cruising permits, bar and beverages.

Half Board

If you wish for a Half Board rate, please indicate it while making an inquiry as this rates is on request only.
This is similar to the All-Inclusive option. This variation generally includes the same 5-star experience you enjoy with an All-Inclusive for breakfasts, appetizers, drinks and sodas, as well as 3-4 lunches and 3-4 dinners on board your yacht. Many people choose this because the other meals are enjoyed at local restaurants. This gives them the opportunity to experience the islands and destinations in more depth, as they mingle with local residents and share the sights, smells, and sounds of the region. The cost of provisioning the boat is discounted accordingly.

This is a great option for the more adventurous explorers, who love to experience some of the islands’ “flava”. Enjoy several lunches and dinners off the yacht, meet and interact with locals and get a deeper sense of the destinations’ unique character. Based on your tastes and budget, BoatsAtSea.com or your crew can recommend local choices for you to enjoy.
After BoatsAtSea.com receives your final payment, we will send you a “Preference Sheet”. This needs to be completed and submitted as soon as possible, preferably at least 45 days before your departure. This will ensure we are able to cater to your personal requests.
After reviewing your preferences, BoatsAtSea.com will forward it to your crew. Your chef will work closely with you and discuss any special diet requirements, such as lactose or gluten intolerance, allergies or any other dietary concerns.
Your crew will take charge of all the provisioning, meal preparation and your favorite drinks and snacks, in addition to keeping the charter yacht neat and orderly. Your “job” is to relax, unwind and enjoy being pampered.
The highly professional crew is there to attend to your needs and desires, just like a high-end resort, as well as providing for your safety and comfort. It’s often described as a five-star oasis, shared only with the people you choose to be with.
This is a very personalized luxury charter yacht vacation, all tailored to your unique needs and interests.
Half Board may or may not include your scuba activities, as this varies, depending on the yacht selected. The same applies to local government taxes, cruising permits and departure fees. Airport transfers are seldom included in the charter rates.
Caribbean Terms is referring to charter yachts sailing down the island chain, south of St Martin, may have additional charges for local taxes, cruising permits, bar and beverages.

Captain Only

A charter package allowing you to provision yourself, just as you would organize a villa stay or manage your family. You do all the work, but you can save as well some $$$ on your vacation budget as your yacht comes all equipped and with its own captain, but you are in charge for the expenses.

A great way to keep your budget in sync and explore the islands in a more economic way. Not only in the Virgin Islands, but also in the rest of the Caribbean and the Mediterranean there are several smaller yachts that offer this option.
We recommend that you take some time to prepare a well-organized shopping list as some captains offer to do all your shoppings for you before you step aboard and start your vacation on the yacht. Talk to us and we can do the arrangements.
Your charter rate includes the Captain, but no other crew, you will be cooking and cleaning, as well participating in the yachts activities. You may help the Captain with mooring and more, but also have a chance to learn some sailing.
Sometimes yachts offer an option to include a first mate or hostess, which will be aboard to assist the Captain and you, depending upon the season and/or number of guests.
Captain Only may or may not include your scuba activities; this is varying depending the yacht. The same applies to local government taxes, cruising permits and departure fees. Airport transfers are seldom included in the charter rates.

The Captain is responsible for the safe operation of the boat and the guests should be willing to help sail the boat.
The guests are responsible to supply food and beverages for themselves and the captain (and mate when applicable) and do all the cooking and cleaning of the dishes and keep the boat cleaned up.
The skipper will show you all the sights of the Virgins and take you to the best snorkel spots.
The guests will need to pay for food, beverages, fuel, water & ice along with paying BVI cruising taxes. A tip of 10-15% of the charter fee to the captain is customary.

General Considerations with the rate explanations

The prices shown on BoatsAtSea.com are always for the entire yacht for a week-long (7 nights) charter. This explanation will provide some general information about the options available to you regarding the structure and cost of your yacht charter. This will be very helpful when deciding issues relating to budget and your preferred type of experience. The explanations cannot address all associated expenses, but additional costs will be discussed when your choices are narrowed down to specific yachts and destinations.
Some of the variables that can possibly affect the final cost include yacht relocations, crew gratuity, local Tax/VAT, cruising permits, number of guests and the high/low season rates. Demand during holiday seasons, such as Christmas, New Year and Caribbean holidays can sometimes increase rates by 10% (and affect availability). The price-range between low- and high-season rates typically runs 10-15%.

Relocations
Yachts typically calculate charter rates based on a specific departure location. For example, a yacht in the BVI’s may or may not charge for a US Virgin Island pick up/drop off. Any additional operating expenses and possible taxes are generally the responsibility of the charter group. The cost of a nearby pick up or drop off may be minimal, while a connection in St Martin may be a larger amount, as this is a much greater distance and the yacht will lose multiple charter days due to the logistics of the relocation.

Gratuity
A gratuity is expected after the charter. BoatsAtSea.com suggests 10-15% in the Med and 15-20% in the Caribbean/Bahamas/USA cruising grounds. This is calculated from your charter contract rate. We can explain this more fully when we discuss other details of your trip, including how this is normally handled. In some cases, particularly with the more expensive motor yachts, some clients choose to wire the money to the boat’s management company in advance, or, for convenience, make a deposit to an escrow account.

Tax/VAT
VAT is an European tax (Value Added Tax). This can vary, depending on the country and even sometimes by the area within the country. Sailing beyond the 12-mile zone can also affect this rate, as offshore sailing beyond 12 miles can lower your charter VAT percentage. Since this is a potentially complicated calculation, it will be determined once your cruising area has been chosen.
BoatsAtSea.com stays current on all tax issues and can offer you a more exact VAT calculation, once we know your planned itinerary.
Some other regions have a similar tax situation. In the Bahamas, the cruising tax is 4% of your contracted rate. Also, some yachts may charge extra for cruising permits.

Holidays
During the holiday seasons, yachts commonly add 10% or more to their high season rate and other special terms may apply. BoatsAtSea.com will always let you know if any deals or special rates are available. Some yachts may charge one rate for the whole yacht, no matter if all cabins are used or not. Some yachts offer different rates for different holiday periods, with one rate during X-Mas and a different rate during the New Years week.
Holiday charters days vary, depending where the holidays land on the calendar of each year. Usually a Christmas charter will end on December 26th and a New Year’s charter will start on the 27th.

High Season / Low Season
High season runs from December 15th to April 30th in the Caribbean, Bahamas and USA yacht charter zones.
Low season runs from May 1st to December 14th in the Caribbean, Bahamas and USA yacht charter zones.

High season for yacht charters in the Mediterranean runs from June 15th to August 15th.
Shoulder season for yacht charters in the Mediterranean runs from May 15th to June 14th and August 16th to September 14th.
Low season for yacht charters in the Mediterranean runs from September 15th to November 15th.