Yacht Charter
Frequently Asked Questions

Charter rates are quoted per week. Seven days is generally the minimum charter period, unless specifically mentioned. During the low season, charters under a week will be more easily accepted for yacht bookings. A charter of 6 days or less will be calculated based on the weekly rate divided by 6 times the number of days.
(assuming a charter rate of €126,000 per week – a 4 day charter would cost 126,000 / 6 x 4 = €84,000 + expenses)

You can book charters for any duration over seven days. Any extra days over a week will be calculated pro-rata of the weekly rate. Assuming a charter rate of €126,000 per week – a 10 day charter would cost 126,000 / 7 x 10 = €180,000 + expenses.

In general,  a booking starts from noon the first day and terminates at noon on the last day.

There are two seasons for charters; high and low. High and low season will depend on location as much as the period in which you choose to travel.  High season features the most popular charter periods and destinations; July and August in the Mediterranean as well as Christmas and New Year in the Caribbean. Special events like the Monaco Grand Prix, the Cannes Film Festival or the Venice Carnival are also considered high season.

Most charter rates are based on MYBA terms. This means that the yacht will be provided to the charterer in full commission and with all equipment in working order  The charter rate includes tools, stores, cleaning materials and basic consumable stores for the engine room, deck, galley and cabins, laundry of ship’s linen, the crew’s wages, uniform and food, the insurance of the yacht for marine risk and third party claims and the insurance of the crew for employer’s liability insurance. All other operating expenses are payable by the charterer and deducted from the Advance Provisioning  Allowance (APA).

Occasionally, a yacht may offer a variation on the terms described above. Our brokers will provide full details of any charter terms that vary from standard MYBA Terms when presenting the relevant yachts.

Consider berthing fees when drafting an idea of where you wish to visit. The fees are calculated according to the size of the vessel you wish to charter and will vary according to the location and time of year.

Fuel costs should be considered should you wish to cover large distances – bear in mind not only the fuel consumption of the chartered vessel, but also its tenders and water sports toys. Other charges will include all harbour, pilot, divers’ fees, customs formalities, water, electricity and national or local taxes where applicable, food and beverages for you and your guests (please see APA), personal laundry and all communications costs incurred by you and your guests. Some Captains may feel it necessary to use local shipping/supply agents in some circumstances, in which case these agent fees may be charged.

APA stands for Advance Provisioning Allowance and is due one month before the charter commences. APA is generally a sum equivalent to 25% of the charter fee under MYBA terms (30% in some cases) and is intended to cover the operating expenses of a charter.
These expenses include, but are not limited to, shoreside transport; fuel for the main engines and generators; fuel for tenders and water sports equipment; food and all beverages for the charter party; berthing dues and other harbour charges including pilots’ fees, local taxes, divers’ fees, customs formalities and any charges for waste disposal, charges for water and electricity taken from shore; ships’ agents’ fees where applicable; personal laundry; charter Party communications and internet use; and hire or purchase costs of any special equipment placed on board at the Charterer’s request.
Payment for extraordinary expenses such as special requirements or equipment, shoreside transport or excursions or any other expenses not customarily considered part of the vessel’s operating costs may be required to be paid, via the broker’s account in advance or to the captain on boarding, in addition to the APA.

VAT is applicable in many countries, however the rate depends on which countries you are visiting, and upon many different factors. When you are planning your charter, we will advise at the time, the correct amount of VAT to be charged based on the very latest information available.

Delivery or redelivery fees may be incurred when a chosen itinerary entails embarking or disembarking at a point other than the yacht’s home port. These fuel-only charges are calculated using the yacht’s published fuel consumption. Please note a time charge could also be included during high season.  Delivery or redelivery fees are paid in advance with the advance provisioning allowance (APA).

Once availability for your chosen yacht has been verified, we will send our confirmation, a standard MYBA Charter Agreement, for you to sign. Also remember that when your chosen charter itinerary implies embarking or disembarking from a point other than the yacht’s home port there will be a positioning/repositioning charge involved. This charge will be estimated in advance and included, with taxes, in the Charter Agreement.

Once you have decided you wish to proceed with booking the charter, we will issue you with a contract. This is an eight page document, produced by MYBA and endorsed by a leading London maritime lawyer. This contract has evolved over the last 20 years and is now regarded as the reliable industry standard. As from February 2013, each agreement features a unique serial number. From the serial number and the date on the contract, you will be able to verify that the contract you have been presented with is a valid MYBA E-Contract.

To confirm your booking, a deposit of 50% of the total charter fee is payable by bank transfer once the Charter Agreement has been signed. The remaining 50%, plus an APA, along with taxes, delivery fees and any additional charges, are payable by bank transfer one month before the charter begins.

Culinary excellence is often the highlight of any charter and your yacht’s chef will select the freshest and finest ingredients available to tantalise your tastebuds! The chef will tailor his menus according to your requirements. In order to achieve this, prior to your charter, we will ask you to complete our preference form noting your culinary and religious preferences, any medical requirements and allergies, and any other dietary requirement the chef needs to take into account. In addition we will ask you to advise on your preferred beverages, newspapers, flowers and any other special requests.

The preference form will guide you through the process, while giving you the opportunity to share details about your itinerary, interests while on board and any sporting and entertainment requests. We encourage you to provide us with as much information as possible, to give the crew a detailed understanding of your requirements before you step on board. Your professional crew will offer you a tailor-made  and personalised service around the clock. They are at your service and will do their best to satisfy your every request. Your captain will suggest an itinerary but you are free to make changes along the way should you so wish. Feel free to ask him to find you the most secluded places or your perfect anchorage.

The chef and his team will design menus according to your preferences or the local gastronomy. It would be a pity not to succumb to the pleasure of Tuscany’s finest wines while cruising along the Italian Riviera.

The crew will always respect your privacy. Discover more about what goes into a good yacht charter crew here.

To give you a taste of what can be achieved during your charter, every itinerary we propose is written specifically with your own requirements in mind. Once we have discussed the particular details of your charter, we will then liaise directly with the Captain to generate your own bespoke itinerary. Please bear in mind that some cruising restrictions do apply to certain areas of the world, but this would be clarified when discussing your proposed cruise.

When you embark, the yacht will be fully fuelled. The Captain will pay for any subsequent fuel costs throughout your charter using your APA funds. Fuel charges apply to the yacht itself, its tenders, jet skis, wave runners, generators and any other equipment consuming fuel during the charter period. For convenience, the consumption is usually calculated on an hourly basis.

In the past many of our clients have set our Captains challenging requests whilst on charter and although we plan as much as we can in advance, these surprises often happen at short notice.
In order to meet your high expectations and to accommodate you and your guest’s requirements, some Captains may deem it necessary to employ the services of a shore-side agent. This could range from booking a last minute berth in a sought after location to arranging a private excursion, a table reservation at an exclusive restaurant or tickets and luxury transport to a top show. These requests will often incur an agent fee, which will be added to your bill.

In most cases, initial decoration of fresh flowers will adorn sociable areas of the yacht ready for your embarkation, courtesy of the Owner. Should you require further fresh flowers throughout
the charter or additional displays, please request this on your preference form. Additional flowers will be at your expense and deducted from the APA.

It is common practice on most yachts for small quantities of personal laundry to be carried out by the yacht’s crew as a service. Please note that these terms also allow the crew to refuse politely to do excessive quantities of laundry on board or to handle particularly delicate items. It may be possible to have certain laundry done ashore professionally if time allows, the cost of which will be deducted from the APA.

A Certificate of Competency is required to participate in water sports activities (jet skis, wave runners and other mechanically propelled watercraft) in many countries. Therefore we ask you kindly to consider which members of your party will want to use the yacht’s motorised water toys. If they do not have the required licenses or certificates we can arrange for an instructor to come on board of the yacht during the charter to issue one. All tuition fees will be at the charge of the charterer and we cannot guarantee the availability of instructor in every locality. Please note licensing may be available by a trained instructor directly on some yachts during your cruise.

In some areas motorised water toys are prohibited altogether. Use of personal watercraft is only permitted subject to the operator having the appropriate license and meeting with local operating regulations. Any liability arising from non-compliance is entirely at the operator’s risk. If the yacht has SCUBA equipment on board, it may only be used by certified divers holding a certified PADI license or equivalent.

Most yachts and superyachts welcome children. That said some yachts have a minimum age requirement and/or require the presence of a nanny as the crew cannot provide a babysitting service.
Please inform your Princess Charter broker at the very early stage of your booking should you have children in your party.

Do not be worried about staying in touch with your business, family and friends. Many of the modern motor and sailing yachts for charter are equipped with the very latest state-of-the-art technology and communications equipment including cellular service, global satellite telecommunications and personal computers.

Smoking is not permitted inside most yachts. Although some yachts may have different policies, smoking in cabins and staterooms remains prohibited on all vessels for safety reasons.

You can technically explore any region in the world. Just ask one of our broker for advice and he will help you make the best choice. Our brokers do travel extensively to seek out the most captivating and enchanting sailing destinations for your holidays and come back with the expertise necessary to guide you in your choices. From east to west and white Alaskan panoramas to the Seychelles extreme adventures, our selections will always amaze you. You could be traveling from St Tropez to Monaco on one of our superyachts or discover the wide array of shades of blue in the Mediterranean Sea from Bodrum to Cala di Volpe. Our yachts are available in most exceptional destinations around the globe allowing you to create your very own charter experience.

This part of the trip like most of the other elements will be dictated by your desires. Possibilities are endless. It could range from luxury shopping on the French Riviera to swimming with the multi colored fishes in the atolls of the Maldives passing by cultural visits on the Turquoise Coast in Turkey and partying in Phuket’s coast many beach resorts. Do not forget about the very exclusive  events at your disposal when planning your holiday and organising your private charter: Cannes Film Festival, Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Cricket World Cup or the prestigious America’s Cup are just a sample of those endless possibilities at your disposal.

We strongly recommend that charterers take out Cancellation and Curtailment Insurance to protect their investment if unforeseen circumstances prevent or curtail their charter. Additionally,
all members of the charter party should be covered by Personal Accident and Medical Insurance, and their personal effects should be insured against theft, loss or damage.
It may also be prudent to contract other forms of insurance, such as Charterer’s Liability.
Our brokers will be happy to assist you with arranging any policy not covered by the basic Charter Agreement.

Tipping is discretionary. If you do decide that you’d like to tip the crew – if they’ve been professional, helpful, and gracious – then it’s customary to pay around 10% of the charter fee. It can of course be adjusted up or down according to your level of satisfaction. To ensure fairness, it is best to entrust the distribution of gratuities to the captain.

MYBA – The Worldwide Yachting Association is an internationally renowned professional organisation, founded in 1984, whose members are involved at all levels within the Superyacht Industry. Members of MYBA are widely represented in all fields of brokerage, charter, technical management and construction of large yachts. MYBA – The Worldwide Yachting Association guides its members on the highest ethical and technical standards, ensuring Corporate and Individual Members meet the requirements of the Rules of Conduct.
The Superyacht industry has developed and evolved immeasurably over the past two decades. MYBA – The Worldwide Yachting Association which has adopted an increasingly influential and significant role in this industry works closely with Government Organisations, Coastguards, the International Maritime Organisation, Licensed Marine Underwriters, Insurance Companies and Lawyers. Both the MYBA Charter Agreement and the MYBA Memorandum of Agreement have been developed over the years and provide an industry standard throughout the World. Membership is available to eligible companies and individuals with a proven track record of professional excellence in the yachting industry.

Member companies are required to hold Professional Indemnity Insurance and meet the strict requirements as outlined in the Statutes. By working with a MYBA Company, yacht owners and charterers can benefit from the safeguards that have been established and be assured they are represented by experienced professionals. Owners and Charterers should always check they are working with a MYBA Company to ensure they have adequate protection.

• Shoes for ashore should not be worn on board.
• Deck shoes may be worn on board but most guests find they are comfortable in bare feet.
• No pets are allowed on board unless previously agreed and per mitted by the Owner.
• We suggest packing your personal items in soft luggage bags as this enables easier storage whilst on board.
• If a yacht does not advertise scuba diving as a guest facility, it is usually possible to arrange a local shorebased diving company to bring all the necessary equipment and take you and
  your guests on a specific diving trip subject to local law restrictions.
• Cruising distances will vary according to your preference and itinerary, however to maximize your enjoyment we suggest cruising no more than 6 hours per day.. However, its highly unusual for yachts to reach this average as most itineraries concentrate on the use of the yacht and its water sports equipment etc rather than an excessive number of long passages.

The Advantages of Using a Charter Yacht Broker

Your satisfaction will depend primarily on finding the right yacht at the best price. The right yacht will satisfy your every requirements and meet your expectations in terms of accommodation, living space, amenities and luxury. A yacht that is right for the itinerary you wish to follow and with a crew that’s complimentary to your party.

Charter brokers are professionals whose principal activity is to find the right yacht and crew. They research yachts, crew and will negotiate on your behalf with the owners or operators. This service does not increase the price, in fact in many cases brokers get improved terms because of their relationships and volume of business.

As a full time MYBA member, Princess Charter brokers attend seminars and are constantly aware of the latest marine laws, regulations and contracts. Our charter brokers travel the world to attend yacht charter shows where they inspect yachts, meet the crew and prepare detailed reports as to be able to advise a particular client with knowledge and accuracy. All yachts may look nice on a presentation or the internet but our charter brokers will help you navigate through the offers and only select the ones with outstanding reputation and pedigree.