Charter Guide
What is included in a yacht charter
What sits inside the base charter fee, what sits inside APA, what sits outside both, and how the whole picture reconciles at the end of the week. The plain-language version — because clients regularly ask, and the answer is straightforward.
In short
Yes and no — food is included in the sense that the chef and service crew are part of the base fee, but the ingredients themselves are paid through APA. In practice this means you don't order and pay for meals like at a restaurant; you eat what the chef prepares from provisioning drawn from APA.
Last reviewed 3 September 2026 · By the concierge desk, Luxury Yacht Charter Monaco · Monaco
Included in the base charter fee
The base charter fee covers the yacht itself for the charter period. Specifically: the vessel, its full crew (captain, first mate, engineer, chef, chief stewardess, deckhands, service crew), the yacht's hull and P&I insurance, standard maintenance, use of the yacht's tender(s), use of the yacht's standard water-toy inventory (paddleboards, snorkels, kayaks, standard-toy inventory declared in the specification), use of on-board facilities (jacuzzi, gym, cinema, spa if fitted), Wi-Fi within the yacht's standard package, and general on-board hospitality. Everything the yacht already has and everything the crew already does — that's the base fee.
Included via APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance)
APA is a working fund the client transfers before the charter to cover variable running expenses. It funds: fuel for main engines, generators and tenders; dockage and harbour fees at every port and marina; food and beverages for guests, including chef's market purchases; wine, spirits and any specialist provisioning; communications aboard beyond the yacht's standard package (extra satellite data, phone bills); laundry and dry-cleaning ashore; flowers; specialist water-toy rentals not carried by the yacht (jet skis, SeaBobs, e-foils on some yachts); private transfers arranged by the crew; and any similar operating expense the yacht incurs on your behalf. APA is not part of the yacht's revenue; it is your money, held for your charter, reconciled at the end.
Not included — paid separately
Air travel to and from Nice or Genoa. Private aviation. Ground transfers before boarding and after disembarkation (though the concierge arranges them). Any personal accommodation before or after the charter. Restaurants ashore (though the concierge books them and, on request, settles them for you against a separate ledger). Personal shopping. Spa and treatments ashore. Event-week passes (Monaco Grand Prix, Cannes Film Festival, Monaco Yacht Show credentials — arranged through appropriate partners and priced at market). Concierge time to arrange all of the above is normally included; the payments themselves are not.
Taxes — VAT explained plainly
VAT on the base charter fee depends on the yacht's flag, the country the charter starts in, and any reduction schemes that apply. In practice, Monaco-starting charters carry French VAT rules and are taxed at 20% of the base fee. Italian charters are 22%. Croatian charters are 13%. Some yachts qualify for reductions when time is spent in international or non-EU waters. VAT on APA-funded items is embedded in the local prices paid (fuel, restaurant meals, dockage). Every charter agreement states the exact VAT treatment before you sign — no surprises at the end.
Crew gratuities — customary but separate
Gratuities to the crew are customary at the end of the charter and paid at the client's discretion. The industry range is 5–15% of the base fee, with 10% a fair default for a well-run week. Gratuities are never deducted from APA, never included in the base fee, and never inflated by the concierge or broker. They are handed to the captain in cash on the last morning aboard or arranged by bank transfer within a few days, and the captain distributes across the crew.
Water toys — what's included and what isn't
Every yacht's specification lists its standard water-toy inventory. That inventory is included in the base fee — you use it freely, and the crew maintains it. Toys not on the standard inventory (a rented SeaBob for a yacht that doesn't carry one, a specialist e-foil, a hired towed inflatable, a wakeboard boat brought in for the week) are provisioned through APA and priced at market. Most yachts carry a strong standard inventory; specialist additions are usually only necessary if the guests have specific requests.
Fuel — the biggest APA variable
Fuel is by a wide margin the largest single variable in APA on any charter that includes long passages. A 40m motor yacht at 12 knots cruising displacement burns roughly 250–350 litres per hour; the same yacht at 22 knots semi-planing burns 900–1,200 litres per hour. A Monaco–Sardinia return passage at 12 knots is a five-figure fuel line item; the same route at 22 knots is materially higher. Slower, coastal charters keep APA draw modest. If you want a lower APA draw, ask for a slower itinerary or a more efficient yacht — both are legitimate briefs.
Reconciliation at the end
The last morning of the charter, the captain reviews the APA log with you: itemised expenses with receipts, totalled by category, subtracted from the APA transferred. Any unused APA is returned in cash on board or by bank transfer within a few days. If the running total approached or exceeded the initial APA (unusual — the captain flags this midweek and requests a top-up rather than let it run out), any additional funds requested are noted. Base fee and VAT do not appear in this reconciliation — they were paid before the charter. Gratuities are handled separately after reconciliation.
Frequently asked questions
Is food included in a yacht charter?+
Yes and no — food is included in the sense that the chef and service crew are part of the base fee, but the ingredients themselves are paid through APA. In practice this means you don't order and pay for meals like at a restaurant; you eat what the chef prepares from provisioning drawn from APA.
Is fuel included in the base charter fee?+
No — fuel is paid through APA and is the largest single variable in most charters. Slower, coastal itineraries keep the fuel bill modest; long passages at speed drive it up significantly.
Are drinks included?+
Included in the sense that the bar is your bar for the week — you drink what you want from the yacht's provisioning. The alcohol itself is paid through APA. Client-provisioned wine from your own cellar (with the appropriate paperwork) is standard practice.
Are berthing fees included?+
No — dockage at every port and marina you visit is paid through APA. This can be significant during event weeks (Monaco Grand Prix, Saint-Tropez in August) and is a normal line item every captain manages transparently.
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