The number on the charter company website is not what you will pay.
That’s not a criticism — it’s just how charter pricing works. The headline rate is the boat fee. Everything else is additional. And everything else adds up.
Here is an honest breakdown of what a bareboat charter actually costs, from someone who has brokered them at 40+ destinations.
The Boat Fee
The headline rate covers the boat for the number of days you’ve booked. Nothing else.
A 40-foot monohull in the BVI in peak season runs roughly $3,500 to $5,000 USD per week. A 45-foot catamaran in the same window runs $6,000 to $10,000. In the Mediterranean — Greece, Croatia, Italy — prices are broadly similar, sometimes lower in shoulder season.
These numbers move with boat age, fleet condition, destination, and time of year. Peak season in the BVI is December through April. Peak season in Greece is June through August. Book outside those windows and the same boat costs significantly less.
The APA
APA stands for Advance Provisioning Allowance. It’s a deposit — typically 30 to 35 percent of the charter fee — held by the charter company to cover running costs during your trip.
What the APA covers: fuel, marina fees, mooring balls, port taxes, and sometimes provisioning depending on the base. At the end of the charter, the base tallies what was spent and refunds the difference. If you used more than the APA, you pay the balance.
The APA is not optional on most charters. Budget for it as part of your total cost, not as a separate item.
What Actually Gets Spent
Fuel is the biggest variable. A catamaran motoring in light air burns more than you expect. A week of moderate sailing with some motoring might use $200 to $400 in fuel. A week of motoring everywhere — no wind, tight schedule — can push $600 or more.
Marina fees vary dramatically by destination. In the BVI, most sailors anchor or pick up mooring balls — $30 to $50 per night. In Croatia and Greece, marinas are more common and more expensive — $80 to $200 per night in peak season is not unusual in popular ports.
Port taxes and cruising permits are destination-specific. The BVI charges a cruising permit fee per person. The Bahamas has its own permit structure. Greece has harbor fees built into most marinas. Your charter base will brief you on what applies.
Provisioning
Food and drinks for a week for four to six people runs $400 to $800 depending on how you eat and drink. Charter bases offer provisioning packages — convenient, not cheap. Most experienced charterers prefer to provision themselves at a local supermarket the day before departure.
Captain Mike’s approach: provision for four days heavy, then restock mid-week at a market town. It keeps the boat lighter, the food fresher, and the provisioning bill lower.
The Insurance Question
Most charter companies include basic insurance in the boat fee. What they include varies — hull damage waiver, third-party liability, personal injury coverage may or may not be part of the package.
The damage deposit is separate. Expect $2,000 to $5,000 held on your credit card for the duration of the charter. It’s released after the checkout inspection. This is standard across Dream Yachts, Sunsail, and Moorings. It is not a fee — it’s a hold. But your card needs the available credit.
Supplemental charter insurance is available and worth considering. It covers the damage deposit and provides additional liability coverage. Captain Mike can recommend options when booking.
All-Inclusive vs Bareboat
Some charter companies offer crewed or all-inclusive options where the boat fee covers everything — crew, fuel, food, marina fees. These are significantly more expensive and significantly less work. They are also a different experience entirely.
A bareboat charter means you are the skipper. You make the decisions. You choose the anchorages, set the schedule, handle the boat. The cost is higher than a resort holiday and lower than a crewed charter. The experience is unlike either.
What to Actually Budget
For a week-long bareboat charter for four to six people, here is a realistic total cost breakdown:
- Boat fee $4,000 – $8,000
- APA 30–35% of boat fee
- Provisioning $500 – $800
- Marina & mooring fees $200 – $600
- Fuel $200 – $500
- Permits & port taxes $50 – $200
- Flights & pre/post accommodation Variable
Total realistic budget for a week, excluding flights: $6,000 to $12,000 split across the crew.
Per person for a crew of six, that’s $1,000 to $2,000 for a week of sailing your own boat through the BVI, Greece, or wherever you’re going. There is no comparable experience at that price point.
Working With a Broker
MOS brokers charters through Dream Yachts, Sunsail, and Moorings with no broker fee to the client. The charter companies pay the broker — you pay the same rate you’d pay booking direct, and you get Captain Mike’s knowledge of which bases are running well, which boats to ask for, and how to structure the trip for your experience level.
If you’re booking your first charter, this matters. The charter company’s job is to put you on a boat. A broker’s job is to put you on the right boat, at the right base, in the right season, with the right expectations.
Book the call. The charter planning conversation is free.
Adjust Your Sails to Adventure.