Crewed catamaran at anchor in a turquoise Caribbean bay with hostess serving lunch on the aft deck, Borrow A Boat Caribbean crewed yacht charter

Caribbean crewed yacht charter

A week in the Caribbean with a full crew on board: the captain, hostess and cook handle the boat, the route and the meals while you focus on the swimming, the trade-wind sailing and the long lunches. Sailboats, catamarans and motor yachts across the BVI, Bahamas, Grenadines, Antigua, St Lucia, Martinique and Belize.

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Frequently asked questions about Caribbean crewed yacht charter

What is a Caribbean crewed yacht charter and how does it work?
A Caribbean crewed yacht charter is a private yacht booked together with its full crew (typically a captain, a hostess and a cook) for a week or more. You pick the boat and the country, agree a rough route at the Saturday briefing, and the crew handles the boat, the navigation, the meals, the customs and immigration paperwork on inter-island legs, and the shore reservations. Catamarans are the dominant boat type in Caribbean crewed inventory; sailing yachts and motor yachts are also available.
How much does a Caribbean crewed yacht charter cost?
A crewed sailing catamaran for 4 to 6 guests starts around USD 12,000 to 22,000 per week in the Caribbean. A crewed sailing yacht runs slightly less; a 60 to 80ft motor yacht runs USD 35,000 plus per week. On top of the boat fee, the APA (advance provisioning allowance) is 25 to 35 percent of the boat price and covers fuel, food, drinks, dockage, customs and cruising permits. A captain and crew tip of 5 to 10 percent at the end of the charter is customary in the Caribbean.
When is the best time of year for a Caribbean crewed yacht charter?
Mid-November to late April. December is one of the quietest and best months: the trade winds have settled, the water is in the high seventies, and the rush has not started. Christmas to New Year sells out a year ahead and is the most expensive week of the year. January and February bring the Christmas winds, stronger easterly trades; the sailing is excellent. March through mid-April is the gentlest sailing window. From June 1 hurricane season closes most of the charter fleet until November.
Where do crewed yacht charters in the Caribbean depart from?
The biggest charter base by a wide margin is the British Virgin Islands (Tortola, with Road Town and Nanny Cay as the main ports). Other significant bases are Nassau (Bahamas), Le Marin (Martinique), Falmouth Harbour and English Harbour (Antigua), Marigot Bay (St Lucia), and St Vincent for the Grenadines. The US Virgin Islands (Charlotte Amalie) is the US-flag alternative right next to the BVI.
Which Caribbean destinations are best for a first-time crewed charter group?
The British Virgin Islands is the easiest first Caribbean charter: short hops between islands, every anchorage protected, English-speaking, lots of beach bars and restaurants ashore, very low passage-sailing demands. The Bahamas (Exumas) is the alternative for a swimming-led week with sand bars and shallow water rather than blue-water sailing. Antigua and St Lucia suit groups who want longer beam-reach passages and a more sailing-led week.
Do guests need a sailing licence for a Caribbean crewed yacht charter?
No, none of your guests need a sailing licence, US Coast Guard endorsement, state boater card, ICC, or any local equivalent. The captain is the licensed master of the vessel for the entire charter and carries every certificate the local maritime authority requires.
What about hurricane season in the Caribbean?
The official Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. Most of the Caribbean crewed fleet relocates south of the belt or hauls out for those months, and we do not run charters in hurricane-exposed islands during that window. Grenada and Trinidad sit south of the historical hurricane track and run a shoulder-season schedule. The main Caribbean charter season (mid-November to late April) is outside hurricane season.
How big a group can a Caribbean crewed yacht charter take?
Crewed catamarans typically take 4 to 10 guests in 3 to 5 cabins. Crewed sailing yachts take 4 to 8. Motor yachts in the 60 to 80ft range take 8 to 12. Larger motor yachts (90ft plus) take more, with additional crew. For groups above 12, get in touch and we will quote larger crewed motor yachts; the Caribbean does not have a gulet equivalent of the Mediterranean for that group size.

Caribbean crewed yacht charter: the winter charter region, BVI-led, with a full crew on board

A Caribbean crewed yacht charter is the winter complement to the Mediterranean season. Where the Med peaks May to October, the Caribbean charter calendar runs December to April, when the trade winds steady, the water is in the high seventies, and the hurricane season is over. You pick the boat and the country, we put a full crew on board for the week (captain, hostess and cook on most yachts), and you wake up in a different bay every morning while someone else handles the route, the meals and the customs paperwork. Our crewed yacht charters in the Caribbean cover the British Virgin Islands, the US Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, St Lucia, the Grenadines, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Grenada and Belize. The biggest single fleet by a wide margin is in the BVI.

Caribbean crewed yacht charter at a glance

Detail What to expect
Crew on board Captain, hostess and cook on most yachts; deckhands and engineers added on larger motor yachts
Sailing licence required? No, the captain holds every certificate the local maritime authority requires
Top base ports Tortola (Road Town, Nanny Cay), Nassau, Marigot Bay (St Lucia), Falmouth Harbour (Antigua), Le Marin (Martinique)
Charter pattern Saturday to Saturday; the Caribbean season runs roughly mid-November to late April
Boats available Catamarans (the dominant Caribbean crewed type), sailing yachts and motor yachts
Best months Mid-December to mid-April; quietest in early December and after Easter, busiest at Christmas, New Year and over US Spring Break
Group size 4 to 10 guests on most catamarans; 8 to 12 on motor yachts

Why book a crewed yacht charter in the Caribbean

  • BVI is built for it: short hops between Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Norman Island, every anchorage protected, the Sir Francis Drake Channel running down the middle. The biggest concentration of crewed catamarans anywhere in the world.
  • Trade-wind sailing is reliable: the Caribbean easterly trades blow 12 to 22 knots through the season, on the beam for most island-hopping legs. Fewer windless days than the summer Med, and the boat actually sails.
  • Dock-and-dine culture: beach bars and restaurants are the Caribbean dinner pattern. The hostess books, the dinghy lands, you walk up the beach. The Soggy Dollar on Jost Van Dyke, Foxy's, Pirates Bight, Pinel Island, Sundowners on Anegada.
  • One captain covers the whole group: none of your guests need any sailing licence, US Coast Guard endorsement, ICC, or local equivalent. The captain is the legal master of the vessel for the week.
  • Bigger and better-equipped yachts than bareboat: Caribbean crewed catamarans run 50 to 65ft with full air-conditioning, watermakers, generators, water-sports kit (paddleboards, snorkels, dinghy, sometimes seabobs and inflatables) and dedicated crew quarters so guest cabins stay private.
Captain's Insider Tip: "The Caribbean season has three distinct windows. December is the quietest and one of the best: the trades have settled, the water is warm, and the holiday rush has not started. Christmas to New Year sells out a year ahead and prices spike. January and February bring the so-called Christmas winds, easterly trades that ramp into the high twenties for a week or two; the boat sails beautifully but the chop in open passages is real, plan for shorter hops on those days. March through mid-April is the gentlest sailing of the year. After mid-April the wind softens, and from June 1 hurricane season closes most of the charter fleet until November. If you want the Caribbean in summer, look at Grenada or Trinidad south of the hurricane belt. Otherwise, book between mid-November and late April."

The Caribbean countries and regions we cover

  • British Virgin Islands (Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, Anegada): the anchor of any Caribbean crewed-yacht plan. Largest fleet, shortest passages, most protected anchorages, the highest density of crewed catamarans in the world. See our BVI yacht charter page.
  • Bahamas (Exumas, Abacos, Nassau): shallower, sandier, more remote than the BVI; pig beach, sand bars, Thunderball Grotto. Great for swimming-led weeks rather than passage-sailing weeks. See Bahamas yacht charter.
  • Antigua and Barbuda: 365 beaches, Falmouth Harbour and English Harbour as crewed-yacht hubs, the Antigua Charter Yacht Show in early December, race week in late April. See Antigua and Barbuda yacht charter.
  • St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines: Marigot Bay, the Pitons, the Tobago Cays, Mustique. The southern Caribbean cruising arc, deeper-blue water and longer beam-reach passages than the BVI. See St Lucia yacht charter and St Vincent and the Grenadines yacht charter.
  • Martinique and Guadeloupe: French Caribbean, French food, a different cultural register. Le Marin in Martinique is one of the largest charter bases in the islands. See Martinique yacht charter and Guadeloupe yacht charter.
  • Grenada and the Grenadines: south of the hurricane belt, year-round option, calmer waters, strong on catamarans. See Grenada yacht charter.
  • US Virgin Islands (St Thomas, St John, St Croix): the US-flag option (no passport hop for US guests), a stone's throw from the BVI. Charlotte Amalie is the gateway. See US Virgin Islands yacht charter.
  • Belize: different ecosystem, the second-largest barrier reef in the world, mainland Mayan ruins one inland day-trip away. The top-volume Caribbean crewed query in our search data is `belize crewed yacht charter`. See Belize yacht charter.

How to book your Caribbean crewed yacht charter

  1. Pick country, dates and group size above.
  2. We confirm a boat and the full crew for the week.
  3. Pay the deposit; receive the captain's contact details and a draft itinerary.
  4. Meet the crew at the marina on Saturday afternoon for the safety brief and route confirmation.
  5. Sail Saturday to Saturday (longer charters available on larger yachts).

What is included in the price?

The boat, the full crew (captain, hostess and cook on most yachts) and full third-party insurance are in the price. Everything you consume during the week (fuel, food, drinks, dockage outside the home port, cruising permits, national-park fees, the end-of-charter clean) runs through the APA, an advance provisioning allowance of typically 25 to 35 percent of the boat price, paid at the start of the week. A crew tip of 5 to 10 percent at the end of the charter is customary in the Caribbean. Browse the full Caribbean crewed fleet on our Caribbean yacht charter regional page. If you want the May-to-October complement, see our Mediterranean crewed yacht charter page.