What’s Included on a Crewed Yacht Charter

A crewed charter includes the yacht itself, a full professional crew, comprehensive insurance, all linens and towels, base equipment and water toys, and personalised concierge and itinerary planning. The main running costs — fuel, food and drink, marina and port fees, and special requests — are paid separately through an Advance Provisioning Allowance (APA), typically 25–35% of the charter fee. A customary crew gratuity of around 5–15% is also extra, unless you book an all-inclusive yacht where most or all of this is bundled into one price.

Understanding this split is the single most useful thing you can do before booking. It removes surprises, makes quotes comparable, and lets you budget with confidence. Below we break down exactly what your charter fee buys, what sits outside it, and how the APA works in practice with a clear example.

What the Charter Fee Always Includes

The base charter fee secures the yacht and the people who run it for the duration of your trip. On a professionally managed crewed motor yacht charter, the following are included as standard:

• The yacht — exclusive use of the vessel and all its cabins, decks and living spaces for your party.
• The professional crew — a qualified captain, a chef or hostess, and on larger yachts a deckhand and additional service crew. Their salaries are covered by the fee.
• Comprehensive insurance — hull and third-party liability cover for the yacht and its operation.
• Linens, towels and bathrobes — fresh bed linen, bath and beach towels, and a full housekeeping service throughout.
• Base equipment and water toys — the yacht’s standard tender, snorkelling gear, paddleboards and, depending on the yacht, a seabob, kayaks or inflatables.
• Concierge and itinerary planning — pre-charter route design, restaurant and shore-excursion suggestions, and on-board service from a crew who know the cruising grounds.

In short, everything needed to operate the yacht safely and look after you on board is already in the price. What changes from week to week — how far you cruise, what you eat and drink, where you berth — is what falls outside it.

What’s Extra: The Advance Provisioning Allowance (APA)

The Advance Provisioning Allowance is a pre-paid fund used by the captain to cover the variable, consumption-based running costs of your specific itinerary. It is collected before embarkation, usually 25–35% of the charter fee, and it is your money — the crew simply administers it on your behalf and accounts for every expense.

The APA typically covers:

• Fuel for the engines and generators.
• Food and beverages, including all provisioning and any wines or spirits you request.
• Marina, port and mooring fees at each overnight stop.
• Special requests — premium drinks, specific dietary provisioning, flowers, or one-off shore arrangements.

Throughout the charter the captain keeps a running account and shares receipts on request. At the end of the week you receive a full reconciliation: if you have spent less than the APA, the balance is returned to you; if you have spent more — for example by cruising further or ordering fine wines — you simply settle the difference. It is transparent by design.

The APA is not an extra fee — it is your provisioning budget held in advance. You see exactly where every euro goes, and whatever you don’t spend comes back to you.

A Simple APA Example

Imagine a charter fee of €20,000 for the week with a 30% APA. You would pre-pay €6,000 into the provisioning fund before boarding. If your actual fuel, food, drinks and marina fees come to €5,200, you receive €800 back at the end of the trip. If they come to €6,500, you top up the remaining €500. The APA flexes to match how you actually use the yacht.

Crew Gratuity

A crew gratuity is customary and, like the APA, sits outside the charter fee. The widely accepted guideline is around 5–15% of the charter fee, given at the end of the trip and based on the quality of service you received. It is discretionary — there is no obligation — but a great crew who have cooked, navigated and looked after you all week will have earned recognition. If you are unsure what is appropriate for your booking, your charter broker will advise.

All-Inclusive Yachts: One Price, No APA

Some yachts — particularly catamarans and certain motor yachts — are offered on an all-inclusive basis. Here, fuel, food, a standard drinks selection and often local marina fees are bundled into a single price, with no separate APA to manage. This suits guests who prefer total cost certainty over flexibility. The trade-off is that menus and drinks tend to follow a set standard rather than bespoke provisioning, and very long-range cruising or premium wines may still incur a supplement. If predictability matters most to you, ask us about all-inclusive options when you enquire about your charter.

Check-In and Check-Out: How a Charter Day Works

Charters run on a standard weekly rhythm. Embarkation (check-in) is typically from 12:00 on the first day, giving the crew time to provision, prepare cabins and ready the yacht after the previous charter. Disembarkation (check-out) is usually by 12:00 on the final morning, allowing the turnaround for incoming guests. Your captain will agree the exact embarkation point and timing with you in advance — in Croatia this is most often our home base in Šibenik at D-Marin Mandalina, ideally positioned for the Kornati islands and the Dalmatian coast.

How to Budget for Your Charter

To estimate your all-in cost, start with the charter fee, add the APA (budget toward the higher end if you plan to cruise widely or dine lavishly), then allow for gratuity. As a rough guide: charter fee + ~30% APA + ~10–15% gratuity gives a realistic ceiling for a traditionally crewed yacht. For a deeper breakdown, see our guide to yacht charter costs, and if you are weighing your options, our comparison of crewed versus bareboat charter explains why a crewed motor yacht delivers the most effortless week on the water.

Ready to plan? Explore our suggested sailing routes, read our advice on how to choose the right yacht and why a motor yacht is the ideal choice for relaxed, range-friendly cruising, or simply contact our team for a tailored quote with the APA and inclusions spelled out in full.