This page contains affiliate and referral links. If you charter, book, or buy through them we earn a referral fee, paid by the broker or platform, at no cost to you. We have not adjusted our rankings for the referral rate. Full breakdown on our how we make money page.
A 50m motor yacht over Christmas week 2026, anchored off St Barths with three other 50m yachts visible from the bow and Gustavia harbour visible from the stern, costs $315,000 a week in base fee. The same yacht in the second week of February, working an island-hopping Tortola-to-Anegada-to-Norman-Island itinerary in the BVI, costs $235,000 a week. The same yacht in mid-November on a Caribbean-opening shoulder week runs $145,000. Same crew. Same hardware. $170,000 swing.
This is the live rate sheet for the Caribbean charter market for the 2026 to 2027 season, with the rate structure that actually operates: a 20-week season, a sharp Christmas-New-Year premium, and structural variations by destination that most charter clients underprice.
The Caribbean season
The Caribbean charter season runs 20 December to 15 April. Outside that window the yachts are repositioning or working other regions. Inside the window, four rate zones operate.
Christmas and New Year (22 December to 5 January). The peak of peak. 20 to 35 percent above regular peak. The most chartered weeks in the Caribbean calendar. A-tier yachts sell these weeks 12 to 24 months ahead.
Regular peak (5 January to 31 March). Full rate. Demand is steady through January, February, and March. President's Day week (mid-February) and Easter week (variable, late March to mid-April most years) carry a small premium of 10 to 15 percent.
Pre-season shoulder (20 November to 19 December). 25 to 35 percent below regular peak. The Caribbean is in opening preparation. Some yachts are still in repositioning. Hurricane season technically closes 30 November, although insurance underwriting often requires a yacht to be at base by 15 November.
Post-season shoulder (1 April to 15 May). 20 to 30 percent below regular peak. Weather still excellent. Crowds drop after Easter. The repositioning window opens 25 April.
Rates by yacht size, regular peak
Indicative weekly base rates for regular Caribbean peak (5 January to 31 March) for 2026 to 2027. Rates are mid-range central agent quotes as of May 2026. Specific yachts can run 20 to 30 percent above or below these bands.
| Size band | Regular peak base | Christmas premium (+25%) | All-in regular peak (APA 30%, gratuity 12%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 to 30m motor | $40K to $90K | $50K to $113K | $57K to $128K |
| 30 to 35m motor | $75K to $135K | $94K to $169K | $107K to $192K |
| 35 to 40m motor | $115K to $180K | $144K to $225K | $163K to $256K |
| 40 to 50m motor | $160K to $290K | $200K to $363K | $227K to $412K |
| 50 to 60m motor | $250K to $450K | $313K to $563K | $355K to $639K |
| 60 to 70m motor | $400K to $800K | $500K to $1.00M | $568K to $1.14M |
| 70 to 80m motor | $625K to $1.35M | $781K to $1.69M | $888K to $1.92M |
| 80m+ motor | $1.05M to $1.8M+ | $1.31M to $2.25M+ | $1.49M to $2.56M+ |
Rates by destination
The Caribbean charter market splits into four zones, each with its own rate dynamic.
St Barths and St Maarten. Premium. 5 to 20 percent above Caribbean median in peak weeks, particularly over Christmas. St Barths Gustavia harbour limits berths to roughly 30 large yachts; demand outstrips supply over Christmas and New Year. Yachts that stage from St Maarten and run guests to St Barths daily are pricing-optimal for clients who want the access without the dockage premium.
Anguilla, Saba, and the northern Leewards. Premium-adjacent. 0 to 10 percent above median. Less berth pressure than St Barths but the same general clientele.
Antigua and the southern Leewards. Mid-range. 0 to 5 percent below median. Strong sailing yacht inventory. Antigua-base yachts run regatta-circuit charters in April that price separately.
BVI (Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke). Mid-range to slight discount. 0 to 10 percent below median. The classic protected-water cruising ground. Strong appeal for family charter (calm anchorages, short hops). Christmas premium in BVI is smaller than in St Barths, around 15 to 20 percent above regular peak.
Bahamas (Exumas, Abacos). Mid-range. 0 to 5 percent below median for motor yachts. Bahamas charters often run shorter and more exclusive (private cay anchorages, fewer port calls). Christmas inventory in Exumas books early but at smaller premium.
Cuba. Discount, with caveats. 15 to 25 percent below median. Charter inventory is limited by US sanctions on US-flagged yachts and US clients on chartered yachts. Non-US clients on non-US yachts can charter Cuba; ask the central agent for guidance on flag and client domicile.
St Vincent and the Grenadines. Discount. 10 to 20 percent below median. Smaller charter inventory locally; most yachts run multi-leg charters through the Grenadines as part of broader Eastern Caribbean itineraries.
Turks and Caicos. Specialty pricing. 10 to 15 percent above Caribbean median, with limited inventory. Provo-base yachts run shorter charters at higher day-rates.
APA in Caribbean detail
APA at 28 to 32 percent of base fee in the Caribbean is slightly lower than the Mediterranean's 30 to 35 percent. Three structural reasons.
Dockage is cheaper. Most Caribbean weeks involve 4 to 6 nights at anchor and 1 to 3 nights at dock or mooring. Anchorage fees are minimal. Marina nights in St Barths Gustavia run $1,000 to $2,500 for 40 to 50m yachts; in BVI moorings cost $80 to $250 per night. Compare to $4,000 to $9,000 a night in Monaco peak.
Fuel is roughly equivalent. Caribbean motor yacht itineraries average shorter daily passages than Mediterranean ones. A typical BVI week is 25 to 60 nautical miles total. A typical Cote d'Azur week is 100 to 250 nautical miles. Fuel consumption drops accordingly. Offsetting that, Caribbean fuel pricing is sometimes higher than Mediterranean (BVI and St Barths charge $4.50 to $5.50 per US gallon against $3.80 to $4.50 in Antibes).
Provisioning is more expensive. Imported food and wine in the Caribbean run 20 to 40 percent above Mediterranean prices. This narrows the dockage-driven saving.
A 50m motor yacht regular Caribbean peak week consumes $65,000 to $90,000 of APA against a $75,000 to $80,000 float (30 percent of a $250,000 base). Refunds are common on protected-water itineraries; overruns rare unless the charter includes long sails (Antigua to St Vincent, BVI to Anegada returns).
Crew gratuity, regional norms
Caribbean gratuity practice matches Mediterranean: 10 percent floor, 12 to 13 percent common, 15 percent for outstanding service. Cash US dollars are the norm rather than wire. Captains and chief stewards handle distribution.
The one structural difference: Caribbean crews work longer continuous charter rotations than Mediterranean crews. A Med crew typically works 6 to 8 hours of intense service per day across 14 to 18 weeks of season. A Caribbean crew works similar hours across 14 to 18 weeks plus the repositioning crossings on either end. Generous tipping on the final charter of the Caribbean season (late March or early April) reflects the cumulative work.
Booking timing
The Caribbean booking calendar runs differently from the Mediterranean.
Christmas and New Year weeks: 12 to 24 months ahead. The most desirable yachts and the strongest reputations sell these weeks first. Clients who book 14 months ahead get first pick. Clients who try at 6 months ahead pay premium or take secondary inventory.
Regular peak (January to March): 4 to 9 months ahead. Inventory is broader. The strongest yachts still sell early, but mid-range yachts can be booked 3 to 4 months out.
Shoulder weeks: 6 to 14 weeks ahead. Inventory firms close to date. Negotiating leverage shifts to the client inside 10 weeks.
Easter and President's Day: 6 to 12 months ahead. Specific date demand from US clients. These weeks book solid in the strongest yachts.
What we tell first-time Caribbean charter clients
Three things that change the trip.
Anchor more, dock less. The Caribbean is built for anchorage. The yachts that run a Caribbean week with 2 nights at dock and 5 at anchor produce a better trip than the ones that try to recreate a Mediterranean port-hopping itinerary. The crew knows the anchorages and the access points. Trust them.
Be honest about Christmas premium. Charter clients who want a 50m motor yacht for Christmas week in St Barths should expect to pay $310,000 to $340,000 in base fee and $480,000 to $530,000 all-in. The trip is real and so is the price. Trying to find the same yacht at regular peak rate for that week is unsuccessful.
The BVI is the value play. A 50m motor yacht in BVI in February at $235,000 base, all-in $345,000, runs through the strongest family charter waters in the western hemisphere. The yacht is identical to the St Barths version. The trip is calmer water, shorter passages, and 80 percent of the social density. For most family clients the BVI trip is the better trip.
Next steps
For the Mediterranean rate comparison, read Mediterranean charter weekly rates. For the broader size-band view across both regions, read Yacht charter cost by size. For destination context, see Charter Caribbean, Charter BVI, Charter St Barths, and Charter Bahamas. For APA, gratuity, and fuel detail, read Yacht APA typical, Yacht crew gratuity by region, and Yacht fuel costs.