You may have heard that a proper crewed charter starts at $100,000, and that anything below is glorified camping. We book $40,000 BVI weeks every month, and here is what they actually look like: a 55 to 65 foot crewed catamaran, 8 to 12 guests, a chef cooking to your preferences, and in the BVI, all of it usually inside that one number.
That last part is the reason this bracket works so well here. Here is the full picture.
Broker insight
We placed a group on exactly this kind of boat in January at just over $40,000, all-inclusive. That is not the budget end of the market. That is the heart of it.
John Boullin
Charter Broker
Why $40,000 Goes Further in the BVI Than Anywhere Else
Most BVI crewed catamarans charter all-inclusive. The rate covers the boat, the crew, all meals cooked on board, the standard bar, fuel for a normal BVI route, and the water toys. Our guide to what is included in a crewed BVI charter has the full list.
Book a “$40,000 yacht” in the Med or the Bahamas and you are usually looking at a base rate: the APA for food, drinks, and fuel goes on top, typically 25 to 40%, plus local tax. The same headline number lands at $52,000 to $58,000 before gratuity.
In the BVI, $40,000 mostly means $40,000. The only thing on top is the crew gratuity, which is your call at the end of the week.
Broker insight
$40,000 in the BVI is one of the strongest value points in yachting, because it is all-inclusive. The same money in a plus-expenses market is really a $55,000 week once the APA and tax land.
Daniel Asmus
Owner, Charter Broker, Active CYBA Member, IYBA, ECPY
The Boat You Are Actually Getting
In this bracket our fleet gives you a 55 to 65 foot catamaran with 4 to 5 guest cabins. Groups of 8 are the sweet spot, and several boats in the band take 10 or 12.
Crew is the big decision inside the bracket, and it is worth more than an extra metre of boat: this is exactly the money where you choose between 2 crew and 3. We wrote a whole guide on why we recommend a minimum of 3 crew, and the short version is that the 3rd crew member is the single most important upgrade you can make. In this price band it often costs almost nothing extra.
3 Real Boats in the Bracket
Prices below are checked against the live listings today; exact rates move with the season.
HEAVENLY is the classic captain-and-chef week for 8, polished and quiet. SAIL AWAY is the same 62 ft Lagoon size with a 3rd crew member and room for 10. AUDACITY is the whole-family boat: 12 guests in 5 cabins with 3 crew.
What the Week Feels Like
Short hops on flat, protected water, a new anchorage every day, and no long passages. Mornings are swim-and-breakfast, afternoons are the Baths, the Indians, or a beach bar, and dinner is your chef’s menu on the aft deck or a table ashore at Saba Rock.
Nobody cooks, nobody cleans, nobody sails the boat but the crew. That is the part first-time charterers tell us they did not fully picture until day 1.
What $40,000 Does Not Buy
Honesty matters here. $40,000 does not buy jacuzzi-and-5-crew superyacht service, an 80 ft Sunreef, or, in most cases, Christmas and New Year’s week, when the same boats price higher.
That tier starts around $60,000 and runs well past $100,000. If that is the week you want, we will tell you straight and show you what the step up costs; our BVI charter cost guide maps every band.
How to Get the Most Out of the Bracket
Book early for winter weeks, stay flexible by a week either side, and spend any spare budget on the 3rd crew member before anything else.
Tell us your group size and dates and we will send you the 3 best boats sitting in this bracket right now.
People also ask
Is $40,000 enough for a good yacht charter in the BVI?
Yes. It is the heart of the BVI market: a crewed, all-inclusive catamaran around 60 feet for 8 to 12 guests. It is our most-booked bracket.
What does all-inclusive actually include?
The boat, the crew, all onboard meals, the standard bar, fuel for a normal route, and the water toys. Crew gratuity is separate, usually 15 to 20% of the charter fee.
Is that price per person?
No, it is for the whole boat. Split 8 ways, a $40,000 all-inclusive week is $5,000 per person, less than many resort weeks in the same islands.
When does $40,000 not apply?
Christmas and New Year’s weeks price higher, and the newest boats in the size class sit above the bracket. Ask us early if you are set on a holiday week.
