This guide is about the 7-night weekly charter — the way most people sail the BVI. If you only want a single day on the water out of St. Thomas or St. John, see our USVI & BVI day-charter cost guide instead. For a full week, the first fork is how much boat you drive yourself.
The short answer
For a 7-night BVI charter in 2026, plan on roughly these ranges for the boat itself (before fuel, provisioning, permits and fees — see what's not included):
| Charter type | What you get | Typical weekly range |
|---|---|---|
| Bareboat (self-skippered) | You captain; just the boat | $3,300 – $20,000 |
| Bareboat + hired skipper | Add a captain (~$330/night) | $6,300 – $25,000 |
| Bareboat + skipper & cook | Captain + cook (cook adds ~$300/night) | $8,300 – $27,000 |
| Fully crewed, all-inclusive | Captain + chef, meals, bar, fuel, toys | $13,000 – $95,000+ |
| Cabin charter (per person) | One cabin on a shared crewed cat | $2,500 – $5,000 pp |
The single biggest lever is bareboat vs. crewed. The same 50-foot catamaran might bareboat for $12,000 a week but cost $30,000+ fully crewed — you're paying two salaries, a chef's provisioning budget, and a service premium.
The four ways to charter a yacht in the BVI
1. Bareboat — you're the captain
You charter the boat and skipper it yourself. It's the cheapest route and the BVI is the world's most popular bareboat destination — short line-of-sight hops, reliable trade winds, and mooring balls almost everywhere. No formal license is required, but the company vets you with a sailing résumé; if it's thin, they'll ask you to hire a skipper or take a check-out sail. Best for experienced sailors and budget-minded groups.
2. Bareboat + hired skipper (and optional cook)
A bareboat with a professional captain aboard for about $330/night, plus an optional cook for roughly the same. You get local knowledge and someone else on the helm without the full crewed price. Popular with families and first-timers who want a real yacht, not a resort. Add ~$2,300/week for the skipper and ~$2,000–$2,300 for a cook.
3. Fully crewed, all-inclusive
A captain and chef come with the boat, and the rate folds in all meals, an open bar, fuel, water toys and mooring fees. You do nothing but show up. This is the luxury tier — and where prices climb fastest, from around $20,000/week for a mid-size crewed catamaran to $95,000+ for a large luxury yacht. A 15–20% crew gratuity is expected on top.
4. Cabin charter — by the cabin
Book a single cabin on a shared crewed catamaran, like an all-inclusive floating B&B. You share the boat with other couples and a set itinerary. Roughly $2,500–$5,000 per person for the week, all-in. Best for couples or solo travelers who don't need the whole yacht.
Bareboat pricing by boat type & season
Bareboat rates below are boat hire only, for the whole vessel, in the 40–50 ft range that dominates the BVI fleet. Low season is roughly May–November; high season is mid-December–April, with holiday weeks higher still.
| Boat class | Low season (May–Nov) | High season (Dec–Apr) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sailing monohull (38–45 ft) | $3,300 – $6,500 | $7,000 – $14,500 | Cheapest; fuel minimal |
| Sailing catamaran (40–47 ft) | $5,700 – $11,000 | $9,000 – $16,000 | The BVI default boat |
| Power catamaran (40–48 ft) | $7,800 – $15,000 | $12,000 – $20,500 | + fuel ($4–$5/gal) |
| Large catamaran (48–53 ft) | $12,500 – $17,000 | $20,000 – $31,000 | Sail or power, 4–6 cabins |
Ranges compiled from 2026 published rates across The Moorings, Sunsail, MarineMax Vacations, Navigare Yachting and Dream Yacht Charter. Individual boats and holiday weeks fall outside these bands.
Price per foot — the quick mental math
Charter pros price by the foot. It's the fastest way to sanity-check a quote: multiply the boat's length by the rate below. These are high-season, boat-hire figures; knock 35–45% off for low season.
| Boat class | Price per foot / week (high season) | Worked example |
|---|---|---|
| Sailing monohull | $120 – $230 /ft | 44 ft ≈ $5,300 – $10,100 |
| Sailing catamaran | $200 – $360 /ft | 46 ft ≈ $9,200 – $16,600 |
| Power catamaran | $300 – $580 /ft | 46 ft ≈ $13,800 – $26,700 |
| Crewed catamaran (all-in) | $500 – $1,200+ /ft | 55 ft ≈ $27,500 – $66,000 |
Catamarans cost far more per foot than monohulls of the same length because you're buying two hulls, far more deck and cabin space, and a boat that barely heels — which is exactly why they dominate BVI charter fleets.
Price by boat age — newer costs more
Charter fleets also price by the age of the hull. A brand-new boat carries a premium; as it ages it drops into "standard" and then "value/economy" tiers. It's the same model, same week, same equipment — only the launch year changes. Operators note the older boats are maintained to the same standard and still have A/C, a generator and refrigeration; boats past about five years are usually retired from charter. A typical ladder, relative to a same-model new boat:
| Boat age | Fleet tier | Typical vs. new | Example: 46 ft cat, high season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–1 years | Newest / premium | Top price (baseline) | ~$14,000 |
| 2–3 years | Standard | ~10–15% less | ~$12,000 – $12,600 |
| 4–5 years | Value / economy | ~20–30% less | ~$9,800 – $11,200 |
| 5+ years | End of charter life (rarely offered) | ~30–40% less | ~$8,400 – $9,800 |
This tier stacks on top of the season and boat-class pricing above — it's a modifier, not a separate quote. If a brand-new interior doesn't matter to you, an in-fleet "value" boat is the easiest few thousand dollars to save on a week's bareboat. The exact discount varies by operator (each labels its tiers differently), so ask which model year you're being quoted.
Power catamaran vs. sailing catamaran
This is the most common BVI decision after bareboat-vs-crewed. Same island-hopping, very different boat and bill:
| Factor | Sailing catamaran | Power catamaran |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly rate (~46 ft, high season) | $9,000 – $16,000 | $16,000 – $20,500 |
| Fuel for the week | ~$50 – $150 (often minimal) | ~$150 – $500+ ($4–$5/gal) |
| Cruising speed / range | 6–8 knots under sail | 15–20 knots — cover more ground |
| Skill required | Sailing experience (or a skipper) | No sailing skill needed |
| Space & comfort | Great; heels slightly under sail | More interior volume, easy A/C |
| Best for | Sailors, budgets, the classic feel | Non-sailors, speed, comfort, families |
Rule of thumb: a power cat runs 20–40% more per week than a comparable sailing cat, and you pre-pay fuel. You pay for speed, air conditioning, and not needing to know how to sail.
Fully crewed pricing by yacht size
Crewed rates are quoted all-inclusive for the whole yacht — captain, chef, meals, bar, fuel, water toys and mooring fees — with gratuity extra. Per-person math assumes a full boat.
| Yacht | Guests | Weekly (all-inclusive) | ≈ Per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crewed catamaran, 48–55 ft | 6–8 | $20,000 – $35,000 | $3,000 – $5,000 |
| Crewed catamaran, 55–65 ft | 8–10 | $30,000 – $55,000 | $3,500 – $6,000 |
| Luxury yacht, 65–80 ft+ | 8–12 | $45,000 – $95,000+ | $6,000 – $10,000+ |
A useful benchmark from 2026 crewed bookings: six guests on an all-inclusive catamaran landed around $52,000 for the week, or ~$8,700 per person — every meal, every drink, fuel, water toys and a full crew included. Add a 15–20% gratuity on top.
What the base rate does not include
This is where charter budgets blow up. A bareboat quote is boat hire only — everything below is on top. (Crewed charters fold most of it in, except gratuity and the cruising permit.)
| Cost | Typical 2026 amount |
|---|---|
| BVI cruising permit (cruising tax) | $6 pp/day (BVI-based boat) · $16 pp/day (foreign-based) |
| National Parks mooring permit | $25 (4 guests) – $55 (10 guests) per boat / week |
| Overnight mooring balls | $25 – $55 / night |
| Provisioning (food + drink) | $30 – $50 pp/day, or a provisioning pack ~$600 – $1,150/week |
| Fuel | Sailing: ~$50 – $150/wk · Power cat: $150 – $500+/wk |
| Skipper / cook (if hired) | ~$330 / night each |
| Security deposit / damage waiver | Refundable deposit (a few thousand $), or a non-refundable waiver to reduce it |
| Wi-Fi | ~$99 / week |
| Departure tax + environmental levy | $20 pp + $10 pp |
| Gratuity | 15–20% (crewed) · ~10% (hired skipper/cook) |
If you're day-tripping into the BVI from the USVI rather than chartering there, the customs and entry math is different — see BVI customs & entry fees explained.
Three realistic all-in budgets
- Bareboat sailing cat, family of 6, high season: boat ~$12,000 + provisioning ~$1,500 + permits/moorings ~$600 + fuel ~$100 ≈ $14,200 for the week (~$2,370/person), plus a refundable security deposit held on a card.
- Bareboat monohull, couple, low season: boat ~$4,500 + provisioning ~$600 + permits/moorings ~$300 + fuel ~$80 ≈ $5,500 for the week.
- Fully crewed catamaran, 8 guests, high season: ~$40,000 all-inclusive + 15–20% gratuity ($6,000–$8,000) ≈ $46,000–$48,000 (~$5,750–$6,000/person), with almost nothing else to buy.
Season & timing
- High season (mid-Dec–April): best weather, highest prices, books out months ahead. Christmas, New Year and spring break carry the steepest premiums.
- Shoulder (early Dec, late April–June): settled weather, rates 10–20% below peak — often the sweet spot.
- Low season (May–early Nov): 35–45% cheaper, overlapping hurricane season. More weather risk, but many lovely windows and an empty anchorage at The Baths.
How to get a fair price
- Compare all-in, not base rate. A cheaper boat with fuel, permits and provisioning added can beat a "pricier" all-inclusive — or lose to it. Total it up.
- Get competing quotes. The same boat and week can vary meaningfully between operators and brokers.
- Go shoulder or low season if your dates flex — it's the single biggest saving.
- Right-size the boat. Cabins you don't fill are the most expensive space on the water. Match cabins to your group.
- Book early for high season — the best boats and holiday weeks are gone 6–12 months out.
Plan your BVI charter week
Map a route first with our curated 7-day BVI itinerary, or post your trip on CharterBid and get competing bids from verified USVI & BVI operators.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to charter a yacht in the BVI for a week?
Bareboat (you skipper) runs about $3,300–$20,000 for the boat depending on type and season; fully crewed all-inclusive runs about $13,000–$95,000+ for the whole yacht; cabin charters are about $2,500–$5,000 per person. None include the cruising permit, park fees, provisioning, fuel or gratuity.
Do I need a license to bareboat charter in the BVI?
No formal license, but the company checks a sailing résumé. Thin experience means hiring a skipper (~$330/night) or a check-out sail. Anyone can charter with a professional captain.
Which is cheaper, a power catamaran or a sailing catamaran?
The sailing catamaran — a power cat costs roughly 20–40% more per week and you pre-pay fuel. You pay the premium for 15–20 knot speed, more space, air conditioning, and not needing to sail.
When is the cheapest time to charter in the BVI?
Low season, roughly May through early November, is 35–45% cheaper than high season. Avoid Christmas, New Year and spring break, which carry holiday premiums.
Does an older charter yacht cost less?
Yes — fleets price by hull age. A 2–3 year boat runs about 10–15% below a new one, and a 4–5 year "value" boat about 20–30% less, for the same model and week. Older boats are maintained to the same standard and keep A/C and a generator; boats past ~5 years are usually retired from charter.