Crewed Catamaran Selection and Expert Information Guide
Important information to know when selecting the right Crewed Catamaran for your charter
If you're on this page, you are probably looking into chartering a Crewed or Skippered Catamaran. Congratulations, Crewed Catamarans deliver amazing value and almost always get 5 star "excellent" ratings from our charterers.
There are various types of crewed catamarans with different cost structures and expectations of the crew, so we've developed this page to answer questions you may have and make sure you know exactly what you're chartering. There are actually four types of crewed catamarans: Fully Crewed with permanent/liveaboard crew, Seasonally Crewed, Skippered and Hosted, and Skippered Catamarans. You'll find examples of each below.
Luxury Crewed Catamarans with Permanent Crew
What to expect: A crewed catamaran that is permanently staffed offers a full luxury experience. These catamarans include seasoned captains who will guide the whole experience, while the hostess/chef provides three gourmet meals per day that are responsive to your individual tastes and also meld in local tastes and cooking styles. You don't have a care in the world!
You will find permanently crewed catamarans in top charter areas such as the Virgin Islands, Bahamas and Greece.
What's included: All-inclusive Caribbean charters include captain, hostess, food, drinks (alcohol and non-alcohol), fuel, water toys including items such as sea bobs and standup paddleboards (see boat listing to determine exactly what they offer). Your beds are made, linens changed, and bathrooms cleaned by the crew. On these charter yachts, the crew and owner share a philosophy that every detail can be customized to your party's tastes. In the Mediterranean, food, drink and fuel will normally be covered with the Advanced Provisioning Allowance.
Typical Permanently Crewed Catamarans: Fully crewed catamarans range from 50 to 80 feet and include models such as the Lagoon 500 to the Sunreef 80. Here are a few examples:
- NANA - Lagoon 500.
- GENNY - Sunreef 80.
- OCTOTONE - Sunreef 80 Powered Catamaran.
Expected cost: $/€ 25,000 to $/€ 100,000 with taxes and Advanced Provisioning Allowance (APA) included.
Commonly asked questions:
Q - What is the APA and what is it used for?
The Advanced Provisioning Allowance is a fund for the captain to pay for items that are not included in the base charter price. The most common uses of the APA are
- Fuel for the engines and generators (A/C)
- Dockage (marina slips)
- Food
- Drinks
- Transfers (Taxi for embarkation / disembarkation / island tours..).etc
Depending on your charter terms, some of these items may already be included in the base fee - your broker will explain to you what is included and what's extra. Note, you always will get a full accounting, with receipts, of every penny spent on your behalf from this fund.
Q - When we go ashore for a meal, do we need to bring the crew?
No. They will normally stay on the boat.
Q - Can the APA be used for meals ashore?
No - it is a discretionary spending account for the captain, your personal meals, etc. cannot be covered by this fund and would normally be paid on your credit card.
Q - What is a transfer?
This is a taxi or minibus hired for you to get you to the boat (and back), normally from the airport. The crew will normally arrange with local trusted companies they have worked with in the past. Part of your luxury experience is not having to find a taxi or your boat!
Q - Does the charter fee include the gratuity?
No - that is in addition, at your discretion.
Q - How fixed is our itinerary? Do we get time to just anchor and swim/ relax and enjoy the areas?
Your itinerary is a starting point, but the captain may suggest changes based on wind, weather, etc., and will of course discuss and agree to them with you. We highly recommend not trying to do too much, and spending time fully enjoying and appreciating each area. This is not a cruise ship where there is a set agenda - you get to decide and if you want to spend more time in a place, you can do that as long as you can still get back to your base port on time!
Luxury Crewed Catamarans with Seasonal Crew
What to expect: A Seasonally Crewed catamaran is a charter where the crew is assigned for the season by the owner - eg the crew varies from year to year. As with permanently crewed catamarans, this is a full luxury experience where the captain does all the itinerary planning and sailing, and the host/chef provides three gourmet meals per day. Cleaning is done daily and all water toys are included.
You will find seasonally crewed catamarans in charter areas such as Belize, Tahiti and the Amalfi Coast.
What's included: Seasonally crewed catamaran charters normally include the Captain, Hostess, water toys, and three amazing meals per day (although normally you will dine ashore for 1-3 meals to sample the local fare). Food and drinks (alcohol and non-alcohol) are paid for with your Advance Provisioning Allowance.
Typical Seasonally Crewed Catamarans: As above, seasonally crewed catamarans range from 50 to 80 feet, and include models such as the Lagoon 500 to the Sunreef 80.
- OHANA - Lagoon 500.
- DIVA - Lagoon 560.
Expected cost: $/€25,000 to $/€100,000 with taxes and Advanced Provisioning Allowance (APA) included.
Catamaran Charter with Skipper and Hostess
What to expect: A charter catamaran with a skipper and hostess is essentially bareboat catamaran charter with a captain and hostess added on for your charter to perform specific functions. The captain will work with you to plan the itinerary and will sail and moor the boat. The hostess/chef will provision according to your agreed meal plan, cook the meals and clean up the kitchen afterwards. This is not a fully crewed experience as you will be responsible for cleaning the boat, making the beds, etc. Depending on your party, they can become a member of your group and often become lasting friends, and can also be discreet and leave you on your own for the most part - just be clear on what you need.
The skipper and hostess will not be fully pre-briefed and will need clear instructions as to what your party wants. As for a bareboat, you will need to complete a provisioning form (how many carrots..) but then some are starting with preference sheets. Each charter company will be a little different, so please work with our broker to make sure you understand what's expected.
Please note: The skipper and hostess will require cabins on the boat.
What's included: The base bareboat price includes the use of the yacht for the time you will be on the boat. Everything else is added on. including rental of items such as standup paddleboards and linens.
Typical Catamarans with Skipper and Hostess: Catamarans with Skipper and Hostess range from 45 to 50 feet, and include models such as the Lagoon 450 to the Lagoon 500.
- Lagoon 450.
- Lagoon 46.
- Lagoon 500.
Expected cost: $/€10,000 to $/€15,000. You determine the expected total cost of the charter by taking the bareboat price, adding the Captain and Hostesses/Chefs, expected provisioning, port and park fees, tips, etc. Skippers normally cost $1500 per week, and hostesses around $1200. Similar prices in Euros. These may vary by area and do not include tips.
Commonly asked questions:
Q - When we go ashore for a meal, do we need to bring the skipper and hostess?
Yes. They don't have to eat with you, but you are responsible for paying for their meal.
Q - What fees should I expect in addition to the skipper/hostess and the base charter fee?
You will have a variety of expenses each day, depending on your charter
- Fuel for the engines, generators, and tender/dinghy motor
- Dockage (marina slips)
- Food/Provisioning
- Drinks
- Park fees, mooring fees
- Linen rental
- High-end sailing items such as spinnakers
- Water toy rental (standup paddleboards, windsurfers, kayaks, etc.)
Q - If my group needs 4 cabins, and we add as skipper and hostess, we will need to charter a 6 cabin catamaran, correct?
Yes. Some catamarans have smaller cabins in the front of the pontoons or midship that are suitable for the skipper and hostess, but they need a place to sleep - you can't put them on the flybridge!
Q - If I hire a skipper, do I need a sailing license?
No, the skipper is fully licensed.
Catamaran with Skipper
What to expect: As above with a skipper and hostess, a charter catamaran with a skipper is a bareboat catamaran with a skipper added on to navigate and sail the boat. The captain will work with you to plan the itinerary and will sail and moor the boat. You are responsible for everything else - provisioning, cleaning the boat, refilling water and fuel, paying all fees, etc.
The skipper will not be fully pre-briefed - they are normally assigned by the local yacht manager the day before your charter - and will need clear instructions as to what your party wants. Each yacht management company will be a little different, so please work with our broker to make sure you understand what's expected.
Please note: The skipper will require a cabin on the boat, and you are responsible for including them in all meals. If you eat meals ashore, they don't need to be at your table, but you will need to give them money for a meal.
What's included:
The base bareboat price includes the yacht for the time you will be on the boat. Everything else is added on, including the rental of items such as standup paddleboards and linens. Check the proposal from Boatbookings to understand exactly what's included in the base price and what the additional fees will be.
Typical Catamarans with Skipper: As above, catamarans with skipper include models such as the Lagoon 450 to the Lagoon 500.
- Lagoon 450.
- Lagoon 46.
- Lagoon 500.
Expected cost: $/€8,000 to $/€15,000. You determine the expected total cost of the charter by taking the bareboat price, adding the Captain and Hostesses/Chefs, expected provisioning, port and park fees, tips, etc. Skippers normally cost $1500 per week. Similar prices in Euros. These may vary by area and do not include tips.
Next steps!
Hopefully, by now, you've determined the type of crewed catamaran charter that is best for you and your family/party. The next step is to search for the crewed catamaran that best fits your needs in the port you are interested in, or simply contact us and we will provide suggestions!
