Yacht charter is one of the most personal trips you can plan, and one of the easiest to get wrong. The boat matters; the captain matters more; the route matters most. After fifteen years of placing charters across the Mediterranean, here is how we approach a brief - from selecting between sail and motor, to interrogating the captain's CV, to understanding the APA system that catches first-time charterers off guard.
Pick the captain before you pick the boat
A great captain will improve any boat; a mediocre captain can ruin the best yacht in the fleet. The captain is the single biggest variable in your week - they choose the anchorages, set the daily rhythm, manage the crew dynamics, and define what your guests will remember. We work with a small number of brokers and have personally met (or sailed with) the captains we recommend.
What we look for in a captain: at least 200 days at sea per year on the size of vessel under consideration; experience in the specific cruising area; a reputation among other captains for quiet competence (not flashiness); a chef they have worked with before; and a guest-facing manner that matches the client's brief. A young, charismatic captain is wonderful for a high-energy charter with a couple in their thirties; the same captain may be wrong for a family with three young children and grandparents on board.
Sail vs motor
Sailing yachts (over 30 metres) are slower - typical cruising speed of 8 to 10 knots vs 18 to 22 knots for a motor yacht of similar size - and they offer a more elemental experience. The trade-off is a different rhythm: long lunches at anchor, evenings under sail, fewer destinations covered.
Motor yachts cover more ground, have larger interior spaces (because there is no rig taking up deck volume), and tend to suit groups who want to see more places in less time. They are also easier to book on short notice - the motor charter market is significantly larger than the sail market.
Our default for first-time charterers is a 35- to 45-metre motor yacht. Once a client knows what they like, the question becomes more nuanced.
The routes we love right now
Western Mediterranean - Saint-Tropez to Corsica to Sardinia, eight to ten days. Embark in St Tropez, three nights in the Riviera and the Lerin Islands, then south overnight to the Bonifacio strait, four days exploring northern Sardinia (the Maddalena archipelago, Porto Cervo, the beaches of the eastern coast), and a final night in Olbia or back across to Bonifacio.
Greek Islands - Athens to the Cyclades to the Dodecanese, ten to fourteen days. Athens embarkation, two days through Kea and Kythnos to avoid the immediate-Athens crowds, then onward to Syros, Mykonos (one night, no more), Paros, Santorini and east toward Symi and Rhodes. Late September is the best time of year for this route.
Croatia - Split to Hvar to the Pakleni Islands, seven days, ideal for first-time charterers. The cruising ground is small, the islands are close together, and the swimming is among the most spectacular in the Mediterranean.
Italy - Naples to Capri to the Amalfi Coast to the Aeolian Islands, ten days. Embark in Naples, two days in the Bay of Naples (Capri, Ischia), down the Amalfi Coast (Positano, Amalfi, Ravello), then south overnight to the Aeolian Islands for four days exploring Stromboli, Lipari and Salina.
Indicative weekly rates (high season, plus APA)
30-metre sailing yacht: EUR 60,000 to 90,000 per week plus APA (~30 percent).
40-metre motor yacht: EUR 150,000 to 220,000 per week plus APA.
55-metre motor yacht: EUR 350,000 to 500,000 per week plus APA.
70-metre motor yacht: EUR 800,000 to 1,500,000 per week plus APA, depending on era and crew complement.
The APA: what it is and how to manage it
APA - Advance Provisioning Allowance - is the system by which charter clients pay for the variable costs of the trip in advance. Fuel, food, drinks, dockage, crew gratuities, water sports equipment, communications and any other operational costs are paid out of an APA pot, typically set at 25 to 35 percent of the base charter fee. At the end of the charter the captain provides a reconciled account; the client receives back the unspent portion or pays the overage.
APA spending varies enormously by client. A family with young children who eat onboard most nights will spend significantly less than a couple who have lunch at Cala di Volpe and dinner at Il Pirata della Maddalena every day. Fuel is often the largest variable - cruising at 12 knots for a 50-metre motor yacht burns roughly 600 litres per hour, which adds up quickly on a route-heavy trip.
We model expected APA spending for every charter brief in advance, so the client has a realistic all-in number rather than a quoted base rate that triples in practice.
Crew gratuities
Crew gratuities are typically 10 to 15 percent of the base charter fee, paid in cash to the captain at the end of the trip and divided among the crew. This is over and above the APA. On a EUR 200,000 charter, that is EUR 20,000 to 30,000 in tips - a number that catches most first-time charterers off-guard.
Tipping etiquette varies by region and by client preference. Some clients prefer to tip individual crew members for specific service (the chef, a particular stewardess); others prefer to leave the standard percentage and let the captain distribute. We brief clients on the expectations of each individual crew well before disembarkation.
VAT and the legal logistics
VAT applies to charter fees in EU waters and varies by country (France charges 10 percent on charters where the embarkation is in French waters; Italy and Greece have similar systems with their own quirks). Properly structured charters can sometimes use the EU's reduced VAT rates for trips that spend a defined portion of time outside EU waters - an approach we model on every brief above EUR 200,000 base.
The boat's flag state, the crew's nationalities and the specific cruising plan all interact with the tax position. A serious yacht broker (which is who we work with) will run the numbers carefully on every option and present the post-VAT all-in cost up front.
What ZOMA does on a charter brief
We work with a curated network of brokers - typically three for any given brief - and present three to five vessel options with full crew biographies, recent guest references, sample menus and a draft cruising plan. We negotiate the contract terms (cancellation, force majeure, insurance), manage the deposit and APA payments, and remain in contact through the trip.
On the ground, we coordinate restaurant reservations along the route, arrange water sports instructors, brief the captain on dietary preferences and allergies, and handle the inevitable mid-week change of plan. Most charters look effortless because someone has done the work.
Plan with ZOMA
Want this trip, with the perks?
We layer complimentary upgrades, daily breakfast, hotel credits and VIP recognition onto every qualifying stay.
Start Planning
