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An 80m motor yacht costs $700,000 to $1,400,000 per week base fee in peak Mediterranean (last week of June through third week of August, 2026). The same hull runs $625,000 to $1,200,000 in peak Caribbean (December through April). Shoulder season drops the base fee 15 to 25 percent in both regions. APA, gratuity, and VAT add 40 to 55 percent on top, so the all-in for a peak Mediterranean week on a $950,000 base lands between $1.35M and $1.5M depending on cruising waters and itinerary.
This page covers the 80m band specifically: the build profile, the crew structure, the rate drivers, and the all-in math. The 80m is the band where rate competition thins and broker discretion widens. Two yachts of similar age and builder at 80m can quote 25 percent apart for the same week, and the gap is rarely justified by the hardware. Knowing the rate range matters more here than at 50m.
What an 80m charter yacht looks like
The reference 80m motor yacht in 2026 is 78 to 84m LOA, built 2010 to 2024, 7 to 9 guest cabins, sleeping 12 guests (the commercial cap), crew of 20 to 28, beam 13 to 15m, draft 3.6 to 4.4m. Cruising speed is 14 to 17 knots, top speed 17 to 22 knots. Fuel burn underway is 900 to 1,500 litres an hour. Range at cruise is 4,500 to 7,000 nautical miles, which means transoceanic crossings on her own bottom without question.
The standard build at this band has a full-beam owner's deck (master suite, study, private terrace), a VIP suite on the upper deck, five to seven guest cabins below, a beach club with sauna, steam, hammam, and treatment rooms, a tender garage holding three to four tenders plus jet skis and water toys, a certified or touch-and-go helipad, zero-speed stabilizers, dynamic positioning on newer builds, a guest gym, a cinema, and three to four outdoor dining areas. Newer builds (2018 and later) often include diesel-electric or hybrid propulsion, an indoor swimming pool, and accommodation for guest staff (nanny, security, personal chef) separate from yacht crew quarters.
What an 80m delivers that a 60m does not. Three separate guest decks rather than two. Crew complement large enough that the service operates 24 hours without rotating duties through the same staff. A captain plus chief officer plus two further officers, which means the captain is not the only senior decision maker on board. A medical-trained crew member with a dedicated medical bay, not just a first aid kit. Helicopter operations as a routine capability rather than an exception. And interior volume for a chef-driven kitchen with separate pastry and cold sections, which raises food quality measurably.
Base fee by region and season
The 2026 weekly base fee ranges for crewed 78 to 84m motor yachts at the top of the active fleet for the band.
| Region | Peak base/week | Shoulder base/week |
|---|---|---|
| Cote d'Azur and Italian Riviera | $1,000,000 to $1,400,000 | $720,000 to $1,050,000 |
| Amalfi, Capri, Sardinia | $950,000 to $1,350,000 | $680,000 to $1,000,000 |
| Balearics (Mallorca, Ibiza) | $880,000 to $1,250,000 | $625,000 to $930,000 |
| Croatia and Montenegro | $750,000 to $1,100,000 | $530,000 to $820,000 |
| Greek Cyclades and Ionian | $800,000 to $1,180,000 | $570,000 to $870,000 |
| Turkey (Bodrum, Gocek) | $700,000 to $1,050,000 | $500,000 to $780,000 |
| BVI and US Virgin Islands | $625,000 to $950,000 | $470,000 to $720,000 |
| St Barths and Antigua | $780,000 to $1,200,000 | $560,000 to $890,000 |
| Bahamas (Nassau and Exumas) | $720,000 to $1,100,000 | $530,000 to $820,000 |
| Maldives and Seychelles | $850,000 to $1,250,000 | $620,000 to $930,000 |
Yachts at the middle of the active fleet for the band run 15 to 25 percent below the top-of-band numbers. The spread between the most and least expensive 80m in the same region in the same week often exceeds $400,000. Some of that is hardware and pedigree; much of it is broker positioning and what the owner needs to clear in a calendar year. Ask two brokers.
What drives the rate inside the band
Five factors move the 80m band price meaningfully on otherwise similar yachts.
Builder. Lurssen, Feadship, Abeking and Rasmussen, Oceanco, and Nobiskrug at 80m trade at the top of the band. Benetti and Amels at the same length trade 10 to 15 percent below. CRN and smaller German yards trade 15 to 25 percent below custom-German.
Build year and refit history. A 2022 to 2024 build at 80m trades at the top of the band. A 2014 build with a 2023 full refit (machinery, interior, electronics) trades within 10 percent of new. A 2014 build with a cosmetic-only 2023 refit trades 20 to 25 percent below new. A 2010 build with no refit since 2018 trades 30 to 40 percent below the band ceiling. At 80m, the refit scope matters more than the refit year. Ask for the refit invoice scope or the major-work list before booking.
Captain pedigree and tenure. An 80m yacht is a small operation by maritime standards but a large one by guest-facing standards, and the captain runs the whole structure. A captain with 10-plus years at the 80m+ band trading at the top of his market commands a premium. A captain in his first 80m year is a flag, even on a strong yacht.
Helicopter and tender package. A touch-and-go helipad raises the rate 5 to 10 percent. A certified helipad with stowage raises it 10 to 15 percent. A 9m chase tender with a dedicated tender captain raises it 3 to 5 percent. A submarine or a serious water-toy package (e-foils, Seabobs, jet skis, dive setup, Williams sportjets) is typical at this band rather than a premium add.
Exclusivity contract structure. Some 80m yachts are listed exclusively with one central agent (Burgess, Edmiston, Y.CO, Camper and Nicholsons, IYC, Northrop and Johnson). Others are listed open across the market. Exclusive listings trade at slightly higher rate but better service consistency. Open listings sometimes deliver a rate discount through aggressive central agent pricing. The economics depend on the broker, not the yacht.
The all-in cost math at 80m
An 80m motor yacht with a $950,000 weekly base fee, chartering in French waters in the first week of August 2026.
Base fee: $950,000. APA (32 percent of base): $304,000. Gratuity (12 percent of base, paid at trip end): $114,000. VAT (10 percent on base in French waters under short-term charter regime): $95,000. Total all-in: $1,463,000.
Move the charter to Italian waters under the standard regime: VAT rises to 22 percent ($209,000), all-in $1,577,000. Apply the Italian short-term lease scheme: effective VAT roughly 6.6 percent ($62,700), all-in $1,430,700. Move to Croatian waters: VAT 13 percent ($123,500), all-in $1,491,500. Greek waters: VAT 12 percent ($114,000), all-in $1,482,000. Turkish waters with a commercial flag in transit: VAT zero, all-in $1,368,000. The Caribbean (BVI, Antigua, St Barths): no VAT, base fee 12 to 18 percent lower, all-in for a comparable 80m at $800,000 base lands at $1.15M to $1.22M.
The VAT delta at 80m on a single week between French short-term regime and Italian standard regime is $114,000. On a four-week charter, the delta is $456,000. Most 80m charter contracts route the yacht through whichever jurisdiction reduces VAT exposure across the booked weeks. The structure should be on the MYBA contract before signing. If your broker presents a one-jurisdiction itinerary without alternatives, ask why.
What APA covers on an 80m
APA at 32 percent of $950,000 base is $304,000 for the week. Typical 80m peak Mediterranean week consumption against that float.
Fuel: $85,000 to $150,000 on a moderate-cruising week (60 to 100 nautical miles a day, 5 to 8 hours underway). Crossings or cruising-heavy weeks push fuel to $200,000. Dockage: $40,000 to $95,000 for two to three nights alongside in peak Saint-Tropez, Capri, Porto Cervo, or Monaco. Five nights alongside in Monaco peak puts dockage alone above $130,000 for an 80m berth, when one can be secured. Provisioning: $40,000 to $65,000 on 12 guests with a chef, sous chef, and pastry chef, including breakfast and lunch on board most days and dinner ashore three to four times. High-end wines drive provisioning materially. Shore excursions, tender ops, helicopter movements, and water toys fuel: $20,000 to $60,000. Helicopter movements alone can run $30,000 to $80,000 on an active week with multiple shore lifts. Communications (Starlink Maritime Pro plus crew data): $4,000 to $7,000. Crew taxis, owner-account flowers, owner-account beverages, security pass-throughs: $5,000 to $12,000. Minor repairs and consumables: $4,000 to $9,000.
Total: $198,000 to $403,000 against the $304,000 APA float. Most 80m peak charters reconcile within $40,000 of the float, refund or top-up. APA at 35 percent on an 80m with documented usage is reasonable. APA above 40 percent at this band is unusual and worth questioning. APA below 28 percent at this band suggests the operator is structurally under-floating and will issue a top-up demand at trip end. Both edges are flags.
Crew gratuity at the 80m band
Gratuity practice on an 80m yacht with 24 crew. 8 percent of base ($76,000) is the floor. 10 percent ($95,000) is the standard for good service. 12 percent ($114,000) is the standard for excellent service. 15 percent ($142,500) is reserved for service that genuinely solved a problem.
The captain typically takes 10 to 13 percent of the tip pool, the chief officer 6 to 8 percent, the chief engineer 6 to 8 percent, the chief stew and head chef each 7 to 9 percent, and the remaining 50 to 60 percent of the pool is split across the rest of the crew by rank and tenure. On a $114,000 tip pool, the captain takes $11,400 to $14,800 and each junior crew member $1,500 to $3,000 depending on rank and tenure on the yacht.
The tip is paid in cash or by wire to the captain at trip end and distributed by the yacht's tip-pool rules. At 80m, the standard practice is wire transfer to a designated crew account because cash above $30,000 creates customs reporting issues at most jurisdictions. Some clients prefer a smaller cash gift to the captain at trip end alongside the wire to the crew pool, which is appreciated but not required.
Who the 80m charter actually suits
The 80m band is the right product for three guest configurations.
Three-family or multi-couple charters (12 guests, three to four families). The 7 to 9 cabin layout matches three-family configuration. The crew complement of 20 to 28 covers childcare-adjacent duties, dedicated children's meal service, and multiple shore lifts simultaneously. This is the most common 80m charter profile.
Multi-generational with helicopter shore movement (10 to 12 guests, helicopter routine). Senior guests prefer helicopter shore lifts over tender rides at this age, and the 80m delivers helicopter operations as routine rather than exceptional. The two-deck owner suite and the medical bay matter here.
Corporate or principal-plus-staff charter (8 to 12 guests, plus 4 to 8 staff in dedicated quarters). The 80m is the band where guest staff (personal security, personal chef, governess, valet) can be accommodated in dedicated quarters separate from yacht crew. Below 80m, the staff sleeps in guest cabins or rotates through hot bunks, which compromises both the staff service and the guest experience.
The 80m band does not suit small charter parties (6 or fewer). At 6 guests, the 80m is wasted volume and wasted crew. A 60m delivers the same trip with proportionally more attention per guest. The band also does not suit clients who want to anchor in tight Capri or Portofino bays; the 4m draft and the maneuvering profile push the boat to deeper anchorages and longer tender rides.
What we would pass on at this band
Four patterns at the 80m band that cost real money for no real return.
The 80m with a captain in his first year on the yacht. At 80m, captain change in the previous 12 months is a material risk. The captain has not yet committed the supply network, the dockmaster relationships in tight peak ports, or the crew structure under stress. Two-week charters with weather diversions or guest medical situations need a captain who has run the boat through three seasons, not three months. Ask specifically. Confirm in writing. If the captain change was less than six months ago, pass on the charter or negotiate 10 to 15 percent off.
Charters where helicopter use is quoted as included. Helicopter use is never included. It is always a pass-through against APA, and the cost can run $30,000 to $80,000 a week on an active charter. A broker who quotes helicopter use as included in the base is either underestimating or misleading. Ask for the per-movement cost in writing and confirm the operator carries certified helicopter ops insurance.
Newly built 80m yachts in their first commercial charter season. A new-build 80m enters commercial charter with a punch list of warranty issues that surface during the first two seasons. Glitching audio-visual systems, stabilizer software faults, propulsion teething, interior trim issues, HVAC zoning problems. The yacht delivers the marketed experience on paper, but in practice the first-season trip is interrupted by service technicians, software updates, and warranty work. The premium for new-build is paid by the second-season charter clients. Pass on the first season.
The 80m at a discount of 25 percent or more off the band ceiling for a known reason. Sometimes the discount is genuine (an owner who needs to clear weeks against ownership cost in a slow booking year). More often the discount reflects a structural problem with the yacht (recent captain departure, recent owner-side dispute with a central agent, recent maintenance issue not yet fully resolved). At 80m, deep discounts off the band rate are a flag worth investigating, not a deal to grab.
Yachts at the 80m band to consider
We name the strongest 78 to 84m charter yachts for 2026 in Best charter yachts 70-90m, with Editor's Pick, full rankings, and the yachts we would pass on at the band. For broader context on size selection, read How to choose charter yacht size. For the 100m band above, read Yacht charter cost 100m and the broader Yacht charter cost by size framework.
FAQ
How much does an 80m yacht charter cost per week? $700,000 to $1,400,000 per week base fee peak Mediterranean. $625,000 to $1,200,000 peak Caribbean. Shoulder drops 15 to 25 percent. APA, gratuity, and VAT add 40 to 55 percent.
How many guests does an 80m yacht sleep? 12. The commercial cap is 12 overnight, and every 80m yacht is built around it. Day-trip capacity is materially higher, typically 30 to 50 guests.
How big is the crew on an 80m yacht? 20 to 28. Captain, chief officer, two further officers, chief engineer with three to four engineers, chief stew with three to four interior crew, head chef with sous chef and pastry chef, bosun, four to six deckhands, and a medical or security specialist.
Is an 80m worth the step up from 60m? For 12 guests with helicopter use and dedicated guest staff, yes. For 10 or fewer guests without helicopter use, the 60m delivers the same trip for 25 to 35 percent less.
Typical APA on an 80m? 30 to 35 percent of base, set as a float and reconciled at trip end. Typical consumption is $260,000 to $380,000 against a $285,000 to $332,500 float on a $950,000 base.