A crewed BVI yacht charter usually includes the yacht, crew, onboard meals, standard drinks, normal fuel use, and the yacht’s listed water toys when it is sold as all-inclusive. The main extras are crew gratuity, premium requests, dockage by special request, transfers, insurance, and spending ashore.
Quick Answer
- Most BVI crewed catamarans are all-inclusive: food, standard bar, crew, fuel for a normal BVI route, and water toys are usually included.
- Crew gratuity is separate: in the Caribbean, budget 15-20% of the charter fee.
- Premium requests can cost extra: rare wines, top-shelf spirits, special provisions, extra toys, marina dockage, and third-party excursions need confirmation.
- Motor yachts often use APA: the charter fee covers the yacht and crew; expenses are paid from an Advance Provisioning Allowance.
What Is Usually Included?
| Yacht and crew | Captain, chef or hostess, service, cleaning, linens, and normal onboard operation. |
| Meals onboard | Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and menus shaped around your preference sheet. |
| Standard drinks | Soft drinks, water, coffee, beer, house wine, and standard spirits on most all-inclusive yachts. |
| Normal fuel use | Usually included on all-inclusive sailing catamarans for a normal BVI itinerary. |
| Water toys onboard | Use of the toys listed on the yacht’s brochure, such as snorkel gear, paddleboards, kayaks, floating mats, or seabobs when carried. |
Broker insight
The BVI is the catamaran capital of the world, and the cost-value ratio is fantastic. All-inclusive starts around $23,000 and goes up to about $60,000, and with one price you have it all included. It is not like having a 30% APA on top of the rate where they count how much you eat.
Mo Pristas
CharterGuru
What Is Usually Extra?
| Crew gratuity | Usually 15-20% in the Caribbean, paid at the end at your discretion. |
| Travel costs | Flights, hotels, taxis, ferries, water taxis, and travel insurance. |
| Spending ashore | Restaurants, beach bars, shopping, excursions, and personal expenses. |
| Premium provisions | Rare wines, luxury spirits, special seafood, cigars, or very specific imported items. |
| Special dockage | Marina nights, resort docks, or guest-requested dockage outside the normal plan. |
All-Inclusive vs. APA
All-inclusive is the easiest BVI budget model. You pay one charter rate for the normal onboard experience, then budget separately for gratuity, travel, and optional extras.
APA means Advance Provisioning Allowance. It is common on larger motor yachts and some high-end yachts. The APA is paid before the charter and used for fuel, food, drinks, dockage, and trip expenses. We explain it to clients as a credit line to the yacht: unused funds should come back, and overspending may require a top-up.
Broker insight
An APA amount is somewhere between 20 and 40 percent of the charter fee. It goes toward food, beverages, fuel, mooring costs, and local taxes, so you do not really have to pull out a credit card during the trip. Based on my experience, 99% of clients get some of their APA returned to them at the end, because it is quite a large amount.
Marcelle Hailwax
Charter Broker
Our Recommendation
If you want the simplest BVI budget, choose a strong all-inclusive crewed catamaran and add gratuity and travel costs to the number you see online.
If you want a larger motor yacht, more speed, or a more customized charter, APA can make sense. Just ask us to show the likely final spend, not only the weekly charter rate.
People also ask
Is crew gratuity included in a BVI yacht charter?
No. Crew gratuity is normally separate. In the Caribbean, our clients usually budget 15-20% of the charter fee. Our guide to tipping crew on BVI yacht charters covers the etiquette in detail.
Are meals and drinks included?
On most all-inclusive BVI crewed catamarans, yes. Meals, snacks, standard beverages, and standard alcohol are usually included. Premium bottles or special orders may cost extra.
Is fuel included?
Fuel for a normal BVI route is usually included on all-inclusive sailing catamarans. On many motor yachts, fuel is handled through APA.
What should I ask before booking?
Ask whether the yacht is all-inclusive or plus-expenses, whether gratuity is separate, what drinks are included, whether cruising taxes or dockage are included, and which water toys are actually onboard.
