FAQ

What is APA?

TheCharter Fee includes the charter of the Vessel with all its equipment (toys, tenders etc)in working order; tools; stores; cleaning materials and basic consumable storesfor engine room, deck, galley and cabins; laundry of ship’s linen; the crew’swages, uniforms and food; the insurance of the Vessel and crew. 

APA stands for Advanced Provisioning Allowance This covers the costs of fuel and provisions during your charter. These expenses include but are not limited to all food and drink for the charter party, fuel for the main engines, tenders and water sport toys, shoreside transport, harbour fees and local taxes. The APA remains the property of the charterer and any funds that are left over at the completion of the trip are returned to the charterer.  

Effectively, the APA is an expenditure account whereby the captain is able to utilise funds in order to plan and provision on behalf of the charterer.  All expenses are paid for at cost and the charterer may request an update on the balance and expenses incurred at any point throughout the charter. The captain will present a full spreadsheet of expenses with receipts to the charterer at the end of the trip for review before processing the reimbursement of remaining funds.  

The benefit of APA  is that it keeps the arrangement flexible for individual charters, you decide what you wish to spend your money on, exactly what types of food and drink you wish to have on board during your charter and are not restricted by a pre-organised, standardised menu. We will work with you to develop a summary of your charter parties preferences and a suggested itinerary prior to the trip and your crew will provision the vessel with the APA and prepare based on that.

PAYMENT
APA is usually between 25 and 35% of the charter fee. It is paid one month prior to your date of embarkation. This is to allow adequate time for the captain and crew to prepare and provision for your charter.

When do I need to pay for my yacht charter?

Standard payment procedure is as follows:
50% of the charter fee due upon signing the MYBA charter agreement.
Remaining 50% of the charter fee + APA + taxes + relocation costs if any due one month prior to embarkation.

How much does it cost to charter a yacht?

The yacht charter rate listed is a weekly charter rate - 7 x 24 hours periods.
In addition to this rate there is generally also a charter tax or VAT ranging between five and fifteen percent of the charter fee dependent on the country as well as between twenty five to thirty five percent APA - Advanced Provisioning Allowance.
Depending on the final itinerary there may also be relocation costs involved.
So the rate structure will look somewhat like this:
Charter rate $300,000 USD per week + 5% Tahiti charter tax + 25% APA for a non-inclusive rate.

Charter rate: $300,000
Charter tax: $15,000
APA: $75,000
= TOTAL
$390,000 per week

For inclusive yacht charters the conditions vary.
Always check with us for an accurate quote.

How do I charter a yacht?

The possibilities with a private luxury yacht charter are endless, you can charter almost anywhere in the world you like, any type of yacht you like and specify any activity you like. From Heliskiing in the southern alps of New Zealand to diving the most biologically diverse reefs in the world of Indonesia and the South Pacific to seeing and being seen on the beaches of St Tropez and the Cote de Azur. The options are limitless, which of course is wonderful, but we understand it can be a little daunting narrowing it down.

STEP ONE: ASK
Ask yourself, what do you want to achieve from this trip? Will you be with the family or is it a group of friends? Do you prefer a sailing yacht or a motor yacht (see info on choosing the type of yacht for you)? What kind of activities would you like to do or try? Do you simply need a break to cruise around some beautiful beaches and have your every whim taken care of or do you need some action? Activities are almost limitless, some examples of things you can do on a yacht charter include but are not limited to; surfing, scuba diving, heliskiing, fishing, golf course hopping, snorkelling, water sports, beach-combing, cultural experiences and education, eco-tours and contribution, visiting remote and isolated islands, simply sailing, sight seeing... Hopefully after having a little think about these things you will come out with a few approximate details as below which will help with the next step.How many guests sleeping on board?
What are your preferred activities? E.g. diving, night life and clubbing ashore, heliskiing
What type of yacht would you prefer? E.g. fast modern motor yacht or comfortable cruiser
What aspects of the charter are most important to you? E.g. It's very important to you that you have a chef on board who is more than capable of meeting your specific dietary requirements and /or you wish to learn about the local culture and get out in to the wilderness.
Do you have any preferences of destination? Perhaps there is somewhere in particular you wish to go or maybe you just want somewhere warm and sunny!
How much money do you want to spend?

STEP TWO: CONTACT
Contact a professional yacht charter broker - 37South, with specialist knowledge of the yacht charter industry and in depth knowledge regarding itinerary creation and the options available for you. We'll speak with you a little more about your preferences to learn the things that are most important to you and your preferred activities

What type of vessel should I charter?

The type of vessel you charter is an important decision to make as the style of yacht will impact the experience you have on board. It is a good idea to familiarise yourself with the different types of yacht and the kind of experience offered by each. The term yacht refers to any luxury vessel, large or small, sailing or motor while the term Superyacht refers to any yacht 25m or more in length. The major categories include; Sailing Yacht, Motor Yacht (mono-hull), Sailing Catamaran (multi-hull) and Motor Catamaran (multi-hull). These can then be categorised even further in to Expedition yachts, Gulets and Phinisi's - specific to the areas of Turkey and Indonesia, classic yachts and sport fishing yachts. The destination, itinerary and type of cruising will play a major part in determining which which type of yacht is best for you. For example a charter in Antarctica would require an expedition type of yacht or at least one with expedition capabilities to withstand the very different type of cruising expected in this area.

Motor Yacht
Motor yachts are the most popular choice for yacht charter and the most widely available. A motor yacht refers to any yacht that does not have sails and is powered entirely by the main engines. A motor yacht generally has more spacious guest quarters and more deck spaces than that of a sailing yacht of the same length making them great for entertaining. Motor yachts will often offer numerous additional features due to their increased capacity such as deck jacuzzi's, swimming pools and beach clubs. There are many different types of Motor yachts with different types of hulls, some which are designed to 'go-fast', some with very shallow draft so that they can go right in to the shallows and some which are designed for stability, comfort and ocean cruising. Motor yachts can be installed with stabilisers for added stability, if you are prone to sea-sickness then it's best to ask for a motor yacht with stabilisers fitted.

Sailing Yacht
Sailing yachts are primarily propelled by the wind and are in our opinion, the ultimate in experiencing the absolute freedom and joy of being at sea. Traditionally sailing yachts have offered much less interior and exterior capacity, however many of the large modern sailing yachts and some of the Phinisi's of Indonesia are offering the best of both worlds with larger capacity coupled with the ability to sail. Like motor yachts, there are many different types of sailing yachts which cater to different areas and styles of sailing. A charter on a sailing yacht is best suited to guests who wish to experience the true splendour of the sea.

Catamaran
A catamaran or 'cat' can be either predominantly wind powered - sailing catamaran or a motor powered catamaran. Catamarans have a multi-hull which provides much more stability than that of a mono-hull motor yacht or sailing yacht. The multi-hull also makes for a very shallow draft which means they are very good for cruising in shallow waters such as in the tropics.

How soon can we go? How far ahead must I book??

You can book at any point, your charter broker has access to almost immediate calendar information to charter vessels worldwide. However the longer lead up time you have the more options you will have to choose from as yachts will often be booked out up to three seasons in advance. It's best to contact your charter broker as early as possible so that she may offer up some suggestions and you can take your pick with dates available.

Or contact charter@37southyachts.com and let us take care of your trip →


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