How much does a seven-night catamaran bareboat charter typically cost?
The video shows examples ranging from $8,000 to $14,000 for a seven-night charter, depending on boat size, age, equipment, and season. In the specific example given, a $10,000 boat with a 30% discount came to $7,000 before splitting operational costs.
At a glance
Length
14 min
Channel
Sail Stillwater
Video from
May 2024
Rating
⭐⭐ Great video · 2/2
Best for
Groups of friends planning a sailing vacation and wanting honest pricing before committing.
What this video answers
How much does a seven-night catamaran bareboat charter typically cost?
What's the cheapest way to book a bareboat charter?
How much does it cost per person if we split the charter?
What additional costs should I budget beyond the boat rental?
Does the season really make that much difference in price?
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What a Catamaran Bareboat Charter Actually Costs
This video breaks down the real expenses behind chartering a catamaran with no captain or crew—often called bareboating. Jillian and Brian, experienced sailors from Oklahoma, walk through every line item: boat rental, insurance, mooring, fuel, taxes, and add-ons. They show how costs vary by destination, season, and boat size, and share practical ways to cut the price through timing and discounts.
Whether you're dreaming of the British Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, Greece, or Grenada, this guide reveals that a week-long catamaran vacation split among friends is far more affordable than most people expect. It's ideal for anyone considering bareboat chartering but unsure whether the budget will work.
Key Moments
Key Costs Broken Down in This Bareboat Charter Guide
Real-world example: a $10,000 seven-night charter becomes $1,113 per person when split eight ways after applying a 30% holiday discount
Three pricing seasons (low, mid, high) with dramatic differences—low season costs significantly less but may have less predictable weather
Holiday sales from charter companies offering 30–50% discounts, especially for last-minute bookings three weeks out
Mooring ball fees in the BVI ranging from $20–$40 per night, or reserved through the BVI Ball system (controversial but popular)
Add-on costs: insurance (~$900), fuel (~$250), Wi-Fi (~$150), cruising taxes (~$225 for a week), and optional water toys or standup paddleboards
Repeat customer discounts worth 5% when booking through the same charter company multiple times
Planning Your Bareboat Charter: What You Need to Know
Typical boat size: 40–50 feet with 3–6 bedrooms depending on your group and budget
Charter duration: Seven-night charters are standard, though other lengths are available
Booking strategy: Choose low or mid-season for lower prices; watch for Black Friday, New Year, and year-end sales; flexibility on dates can unlock 30–50% discounts
Destination options: Caribbean (BVI, Bahamas, Grenada), Mediterranean (Greece), and other regions worldwide through major charter bases
Boat condition matters: Newer boats cost more; charter programs typically run 5–6 years, so older boats are discounted
Equipment upgrades: Air conditioning, water makers, Wi-Fi, and water toys add comfort but increase cost
Broker relationships: Working with the same charter company over time can earn loyalty discounts worth hundreds of dollars
Research website: The Moorings website is noted as user-friendly and information-rich for exploring destinations and itineraries
Frequently Asked Questions About Bareboat Charter Costs
How much does a seven-night catamaran bareboat charter typically cost?
The video shows examples ranging from $8,000 to $14,000 for a seven-night charter, depending on boat size, age, equipment, and season. In the specific example given, a $10,000 boat with a 30% discount came to $7,000 before splitting operational costs.
What's the cheapest way to book a bareboat charter?
Book during low season, stay flexible with your dates, and watch for holiday sales (Black Friday, New Year, year-end promotions). The video mentions one charter company offering 50% off for last-minute bookings made just three weeks in advance. Repeat customers also receive loyalty discounts of around 5%.
How much does it cost per person if we split the charter?
In the video's worked example with eight people, the per-person cost was $1,113 for a week. This included boat rental, insurance, mooring fees, fuel, Wi-Fi, and taxes. Splitting with more people lowers the individual cost; fewer people raises it.
What additional costs should I budget beyond the boat rental?
Mandatory insurance (typically ~$900), mooring balls ($20–$40 per night, or ~$300 for a week), fuel (~$250), Wi-Fi (~$150 if desired), and cruising taxes (~$4 per person per day). Optional add-ons like water toys or standup paddleboards also increase the total.
Does the season really make that much difference in price?
Yes. High season offers better weather and more amenities but costs significantly more and attracts crowds. Low season is cheaper and quieter but weather is less predictable. The video emphasizes that mid-season can offer a good balance—cheaper than high season but more reliable conditions than low season.
This video answers the question every potential bareboat charterer asks first: "Is this actually affordable?" The video cuts through the sticker shock with real numbers, honest breakdowns, and concrete money-saving tactics that anyone can use. It's especially valuable because it doesn't hide fees or pretend splits among friends work by magic—you see the full picture.
What stands out most is how the hosts normalize the experience by showing you can save hundreds through discounts and strategy, and that splitting costs across a group makes it genuinely competitive with a luxury resort week. If you're serious about exploring whether bareboat chartering fits your budget, this is essential watching.
Years on the front lines of helicopter tour coordination — not as a travel blogger, but as the person responsible for making every guest experience go right. Managed 2,000+ cruise guests weekly as Shore Excursions staff aboard the Pride of America in Hawaii
Personally coordinated with helicopter tour operators to confirm age, weight, and safety requirements.
Whenever we are planning a trip the first question we get from people is wanting to know how much a trip like this costs. So we put this together hoping it would help/encourage more people give it a try! Bareboating a catamaran is a wonderful way to vacation and the price you pay isnt all that much for the quality vacation you get in return! Thanks for viewing
Video transcript for “Catamaran bareboat charter (how much does it cost)” Accessibility
A full written transcript of this video, provided for accessibility. Select any timestamp to jump the video to that moment.
[Music] do you ever daydream about sailing the turquoise Waters of the Caribbean or enjoying an amazing dinner with a waterfront view with your toes in the sand every chter trip we take seems to
take on an identity of its own many factors can dictate the vibe of your trip what location you decide to visit What boat you select to Charter the crew that you bring aboard to spend the week with and the itinerary you choose can make each of your trips much different than the last those are some of the things we
have come to love about our sailing trips no two trips are the same whether you are sailing the Deep Blue Waters around Grenada swimming with the vast marine life in the Bahamas enjoying the culture and fine cuisine in Greece or or bar hopping and enjoying the nightlife that is offered in St
Martin or in the BBI there are many destinations to Charter that are sure to please any [Music] group in this video we will talk about the cost associated with the bearboat charter and hopefully show that it is more affordable than one might think
we are Jillian and Brian High School sweethearts from Stillwater Oklahoma we enjoy finding new adventures through our travel and have developed a passion for sailing for now this channel will show our love for sailing through our bearboat Charters as well as sharing the unique places we find while traveling
with friends and family that is until we can give up Our Daily Grind and fulfill our dream of crewing our own catamaran subscribe and follow along with us on our adventures as we are determined to find the Caribbean's best beaches bars and amazing sunsets one angd at a
time hey guys uh today we are inside it's kind of a bad weather day it is Springtime in Oklahoma so it's raining outside so uh we're inside doing a video uh but we are gearing up for a boat trip in November to the British virsion Islands back to the BVI so we haven't been to the BVI in a few years so we are
looking forward to going back and uh we're putting together in itinerary uh there's so many new places uh in the BVI that we haven't been to or that have changed um since we've been and so we're really looking forward uh to going back but today we're putting together a video kind of breaking down the cost cost um
of a bearboat charter what you get uh whenever you invite people on vacation what's the first question we get they want to know how much it's going to cost so how much does this trip going to cost yeah so we are going to break down the cost of a bearboat charter as well as how we kind of split things out to make
it an affordable vacation for us so stick around and uh yeah stick around stick [Music] around the first decision to make is to choose a destination there are several large Charter companies that have Charter bases all over the world here are some of those locations as you can see there are a lot of options to choose
[Music] from we have only chartered with the Moorings one time but we find when researching destinations their website does provide the best information among other Charter companies their website is easy to navigate and provides useful information about the charter bases as well as information regarding the
destination itself and a detailed itinerary so this trip we booked with navigar yachting um out of nin ke n yeah and we have if you go back to several of our videos we've done naagar um in the Bahamas um we've used a couple other Charter companies but we went with naagar this time we are going to be on a
45t Fountain BAU yeah we're excited to be on a different um brand of boat because we've been on Lagoon uh brand uh 42 46t so uh we're going to be on a different a different boat so we're excited to uh be on a different boat and just see see uh the difference yeah so we're ready for that challenge to step
on something new um we're going to do a seven night Charter typically this boat is going to cost anywhere from like $8,000 to $14,000 for a seven night Charter um but here's where we're going to throw in some Pro tips for you guys on looking at the pricing for booking a bearboat charter yeah so um really the
the way that it's broke down is the charter companies are going to base it on like a low mid High season most most Charter companies uh they might do a low or a high but uh most Charter companies do a low a mid and a high season so obviously if you go in low season um it's typically um cheaper it's it's a
lot cheaper it is a lot cheaper High season is expensive uh but if you go in High season you can probably expect nicer weather um but it's it's going to be busy it's going to be I mean that's the that's the favorite time for everybody to go yeah so another tip we want to throw out to you guys that we've
learned here recently is um just like other department stores have a holiday sales so do most Charter companies so we were able to get kind of a yearend sale at the end of 2023 um which I believe we got 30% off if if I'm right um but we started noticing with Charter companies like Black Friday sales New Year sales
um especially if you're able to go um with a much shorter notice um minute deals are yeah I mean you can get 30 40 um I noticed one charter company was offering 50% off but it was you know 3 weeks out so if you can drop everything you're doing and go on vacation in 3 weeks then you can really
get a boat at an affordable price yeah so definitely keep your eyes out for those holiday sales because they are going to be offering discounts um as well as like being flexible with your travel date you might end up saving a lot more money being flexible once you have selected your
destination it's time to figure out what boat checks all the boxes that you need to have an amazing Charter a typical size for a bear boat charter is between 40 and 50 ft the boats will have between 3 to six bedrooms depending on the size of the boat here are some interior layouts from catamarans ranging from 42
to 50 ft if you'd like to watch a walk through video go back and find our boat tour from the Lagoon 46 we chartered in the abacos the biggest factor that determines the cost is how large is the boat and how many bedrooms it has as the boat goes up in size so does the price the age of the boat is also a factor
Charter programs last around 5 to six years so the older the boat the more wear it has the price of the boat is reduced as it ages within the program what systems and Equipment the boat is equipped with boats can be equipped with AC water makers and other things that make living aboard for a week a lot more
comfortable but adding these systems can also add to the cost other add-ons such as Wi-Fi standup PAB boards or other types of water toys are all add-ons as well each trer destination will have a low and a high season meaning the weather is more probable to be ideal to
the higher Seasons High season is vastly different for the Caribbean than in the South Pacific or the Mediterranean each company will have a price adjustment to coincide with the season TOA Marine management or TMM based out of the BVI divides the air into Four Seasons a through D which is laid out on their
website with their pricing [Music] so another class that we're going to split between people on the boat is the moing balls um especially in the British
Virgin Islands everywhere you go it's going to be a moing ball most most everywhere yeah um you've got two options you've got the first come first serve balls which range from 20 to $35 a night they're exactly what it is first come first serf if there's a ball open you can jump on it it's $40 I think a
night and then the bie ball system so the b ball system is a they have a website that you can get on to and there is a map of all the balls you click on a ball at 700 a.m. by 7 a.m. and 20 seconds it seems like they're all booked up um it's a very very popular system because it is easy but it's been a very
controversial thing if you follow any of the um some YouTube videos but uh some of the chats and the groups for the Facebook groups and the BBI it is a Hot Topic a lot of people think it's a terrible system uh a lot of people love it uh we haven't had a bad experience with it but I know there's a lot of
people that do so um let us know because whenever we go we're planning on using b ball so um if you're watching this comment and let us know do you think it's worth it uh we plan on probably using b ball and if we can't get a b ball then we'll just try to get a first come first serve ball and and most
everywhere we go in the BVI will'll probably try to get a ball just because um most of the popular anchorages and the popular hot spots uh that seems to be the going the going thing is is to have moring balls that way you can get more more boats into a tight space and obviously that way they have they have
more uh boats coming into the bars and restaurants there yeah so we're going to budget about $300 for the moing balls for the week and split that um 8 to nine ways here's an example of the cost breakdown and the cost associated with booking a bearboat charter with the boat costing $10,000 for a 7even night
Charter and factoring in our 30% discount the total for the bow is $7,000 mandatory insurance through the charter company was $900 factoring approximately $50 a day for six nights for moing balls is $300 fuel cost $250 Wi-Fi $150 cruising taxes is $4 per person per day totaling
$225 all that totaling up to $882 splitting that eight ways brings it to $1,113 per person [Music]
another tip we have for you guys is establishing a relationship with a charter company so for us that's navigar um we've worked with them several times and they actually offer a repeat customer discount so we're able to save an additional 5% on our bookings so and and when you look at the boat costing
you know 10 13 $15,000 5% is is quite a bit of money so it's a big deal yeah so if you're interested in our broker information feel free to drop us a comment below in the chat and we will send you her contact [Music]
information so there you guys have it there's our breakdown of costs for upcoming baroat Charter um hopefully you guys found that information helpful and useful especially if you're interested in doing your own be booat Charter or if uh you're interested in jumping on one of our boats let us know yeah everybody
asks what we do and how much it cost and that's that's a that's a concern but uh it's really not that bad you know everybody splits the cost of it and it it makes it you know for the the quality of vacation you get uh it really isn't that expensive so hopefully the the it kind of helped you guys break down the
cost and hopefully it'll encourage you guys to get out and do it yourself yeah so if you like what you saw be sure to like And subscribe to our Channel and we'll see you on the next adventure [Music]
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