The honest range
What a Week Costs

The honest range

Charter prices are quoted per week for the yacht, not per person, so the number that matters is the weekly rate divided by however many of you sail. One thing to understand before you compare anything: in the Bahamas the advertised figure is the yacht and crew only. Food, drink, fuel and dockage are paid separately through an APA, and VAT is added on top, which in practice lifts the real cost by around 50%. The table below shows both numbers.
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Yacht typeTypical weekMedianEstimated all-inGuests
Sailing catamaran$20,900 – $49,500$31,000$46,0004–12
Power catamaran$35,000 – $89,500$43,000$64,0006–12
Motor yacht$35,275 – $152,500$65,000$97,0002–12
Base charter fee for a seven-night week. The all-in column is an estimate of what you actually pay once APA of 30 to 35% and VAT are added — roughly half as much again. Your contract shows the exact figures; ask us and we will price your dates in full.
The most economical way into the Exumas
Sailing catamarans

The most economical way into the Exumas

Shallow draft, four cabins and the same cays as everything else. A sailing catamaran is the cheapest crewed route to Staniel Cay, Shroud and Warderick Wells, with a median of about $31,000 a week before expenses.
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Shallow draft, faster between cays
Power catamarans

Shallow draft, faster between cays

The Bahamas suit power catamarans better than almost anywhere: the water is thin, the cays are close together, and a shallow-draft power cat reaches anchorages a deep-keeled boat cannot. Median around $43,000.
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What most guests picture
Motor yachts

What most guests picture

The largest category in the Bahamas by some distance, because the islands sit close enough to Florida that the big American motor yacht fleet works here all winter. Median about $65,000 a week, with the upper tenth past $152,000.
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What the headline figure does not cover
On Top of the Rate

What the headline figure does not cover

A Mediterranean charter is quoted as the yacht and crew only. Everything you consume — food, drink, fuel, dockage, port fees — is paid through an advance provisioning allowance (APA) of roughly 30 to 35% of the charter fee, handed to the captain before you board and settled against receipts at the end of the week. On top of that sits VAT, charged at the rate of the country the charter starts in. Add a customary gratuity of around 10% and the realistic total lands close to half as much again as the headline figure. None of this is hidden, but it is why two quotes are never comparable until you know which model each one uses.
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When it costs less
Season

When it costs less

The Bahamas season runs December to April, with Christmas, New Year and Spring Break at peak. The islands sit close enough to Florida that the weather turns usable earlier than much of the Caribbean, so late November and early December can be genuinely good value. Boats that work the Bahamas in winter often move to New England for the summer, which is why their calendars fill early.
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Two levers that actually move the price
Getting More for the Money

Two levers that actually move the price

The Bahamas skew towards power rather than sail, which is why the median here sits above Greece. If the budget matters more than the boat type, a sailing catamaran in the Exumas gives you exactly the same islands for materially less. The other lever is the usual one: a four-cabin boat costs the same for six guests as for twelve.
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Bahamas Yacht Charter Prices: common questions

A crewed sailing catamaran has a median of about $31,000 a week, a power catamaran $43,000 and a motor yacht $65,000, with the largest boats well past $152,000. These are base charter rates before expenses and tax.

Running expenses are settled separately, and charters in Bahamian waters carry VAT on the charter fee, which replaced the older charter tax. The yacht also needs cruising and fishing permits. Crew gratuity of 15 to 20% is at your discretion. Budget meaningfully above the headline figure, and ask us for the full total for your dates.

Boat type, mostly. The Bahamas fleet skews to power catamarans and motor yachts because the cays are close together and the water is shallow, and those cost more to run than sailing catamarans. A sailing catamaran in the Exumas closes much of that gap.

Late November and early December, and the shoulder around late April. Christmas, New Year and Spring Break carry the highest rates and the longest minimum stays.

FEATURED CHARTER YACHTS

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