Is fuel included in a Miami yacht charter?

Almost never. Fuel is billed separately at cost or at a flat estimated rate and typically adds 15 to 30 percent to the base charter. A 90 foot boat running four hours at cruise speed can burn $1,500 to $3,000 in diesel alone. Always confirm whether the quote you are given includes fuel.

How many people can go on a Miami charter yacht?

US Coast Guard regulations cap most charter vessels at twelve passengers plus crew unless the boat holds a specific higher-capacity certification. A party of eighteen cannot legally board a standard charter yacht in US waters regardless of the boat size. The solutions are two boats in tandem, a certified higher-capacity passenger vessel, or splitting across two time blocks.

When are Miami charter rates highest?

Four event weeks drive rates 50 to 100 percent above baseline: the Miami International Boat Show in mid February, Art Basel Miami Beach in early December, Miami Music Week and Ultra in late March, and the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix in early May. All four book out months ahead.

Is summer cheaper for a Miami charter?

Yes. June through October is off-peak because of heat, humidity, and hurricane season; rates run meaningfully below the November through May season. The water is warmer and the boats are more available. The trade-off is afternoon thunderstorms and the small chance of a weather cancellation; most operators reschedule rather than refund.

What is an APA on a multi-day charter?

Advance Provisioning Allowance, typically 25 to 30 percent of the charter fee, paid up front alongside the charter fee. The captain spends it on fuel, food, dockage, and port fees during the trip, and any unspent balance is returned at the end. If the trip spends more than the APA the balance is due on completion. This is the standard international charter model.

Can we bring our own food and drink?

It depends on the operator. Most Miami day charters include ice, water, and soft drinks and allow guests to bring their own food and alcohol with no corkage. Some operators require provisioning through them. Confirm before the day; a catered lunch for twelve arranged through the broker runs $600 to $1,500 depending on the menu.

How Much Does a Yacht Charter Cost in Miami?

Q: How much does a yacht charter cost in Miami for a day?

At retail for a six-hour day charter in normal season: 40 to 50 feet runs $1,500 to $3,500; 50 to 60 feet runs $2,500 to $5,000; 60 to 70 feet runs $3,500 to $8,000; 70 to 85 feet runs $5,000 to $12,000; 85 to 100 feet runs $8,000 to $18,000. Fuel and crew gratuity are added on top.

Q: What tip is customary for yacht crew?

Fifteen to twenty percent of the base charter fee, paid at the end of the charter. On a $6,000 six-hour charter that is $900 to $1,200. Some brokers roll the gratuity into the quoted price; most do not. Ask which convention applies before you book.

The honest Miami yacht charter cost picture for 2026. Retail day rates by boat size, fuel and crew add-ons, the event weeks that double rates, and the real all-in number.

The short answer, from an operator who books Miami charters across an eighteen-boat roster: a day charter at retail in Miami runs roughly $1,500 to $3,500 for a 40 to 50 foot boat, $3,500 to $8,000 for a 55 to 70 foot, and $5,000 to $15,000 for a 70 to 90 foot motor yacht, all for a four to eight hour day. On top of the base rate you add fuel (15 to 30 percent of the charter), crew gratuity (15 to 20 percent), and provisioning if you want food and drink on board. Event weeks (Miami Boat Show, Art Basel, Ultra, F1 Grand Prix) push rates 50 to 100 percent above baseline and book out months ahead. This guide walks the real all-in number by boat size, by season, and by charter type. Azimut 88, Miami What a Miami Day Charter Actually Costs Miami is the highest-volume day-charter market in the United States and the pricing is more transparent than most yachting destinations because of it. The base rate is quoted for a block of hours, most commonly four, six, or eight. A four-hour block is the standard half day; six is the most popular; eight is a full day. Prices scale steeply with length because crew requirement, fuel burn, and dockage all rise together. A 45 foot boat runs with one captain and maybe a mate; a 90 foot boat runs with a captain, a mate, a stewardess, and sometimes an engineer. Retail ranges by size for a six-hour Miami day charter in normal season: 40 to 50 feet runs $1,500 to $3,500; 50 to 60 feet runs $2,500 to $5,000; 60 to 70 feet runs $3,500 to $8,000; 70 to 85 feet runs $5,000 to $12,000; 85 to 100 feet runs $8,000 to $18,000. Above 100 feet the market moves into weekly-charter territory and the day-rate model stops applying; a superyacht week in the Bahamas out of Miami starts around $100,000 and goes up from there. Fuel, Crew, and What Gets Added Fuel is the biggest add-on and it is almost always billed separately at cost or at a flat estimated rate. A day charter that stays inside Biscayne Bay and Government Cut burns much less than one that runs out to Key Biscayne, Haulover, or the Stiltsville flats. Budget 15 to 30 percent of the base charter for fuel on a typical day. On a larger motor yacht at cruising speed the number climbs; a 90 foot boat running four hours at cruise can burn $1,500 to $3,000 in diesel alone. Crew gratuity is customary and expected at 15 to 20 percent of the base charter fee, paid when the charter ends. On a $6,000 six-hour charter that is $900 to $1,200. Some brokers roll the gratuity into the quoted price; most do not. Ask up front which convention applies. Dockage at the departure marina is usually included in the base rate; if you want a specific marina (Island Gardens, Sea Isle, Miami Beach Marina) there may be a surcharge. Provisioning is separate. Most Miami day charters include ice, water, and soft drinks; anything beyond that is either brought by the guest or arranged through the broker at cost plus a handling fee. A catered lunch for twelve runs $600 to $1,500 depending on the menu. A stocked

What a Miami Day Charter Actually Costs

Miami is the highest-volume day-charter market in the United States and the pricing is more transparent than most yachting destinations because of it. The base rate is quoted for a block of hours, most commonly four, six, or eight. A four-hour block is the standard half day; six is the most popular; eight is a full day. Prices scale steeply with length because crew requirement, fuel burn, and dockage all rise together. A 45 foot boat runs with one captain and maybe a mate; a 90 foot boat runs with a captain, a mate, a stewardess, and sometimes an engineer.

Retail ranges by size for a six-hour Miami day charter in normal season: 40 to 50 feet runs $1,500 to $3,500; 50 to 60 feet runs $2,500 to $5,000; 60 to 70 feet runs $3,500 to $8,000; 70 to 85 feet runs $5,000 to $12,000; 85 to 100 feet runs $8,000 to $18,000. Above 100 feet the market moves into weekly-charter territory and the day-rate model stops applying; a superyacht week in the Bahamas out of Miami starts around $100,000 and goes up from there.

Fuel, Crew, and What Gets Added

Fuel is the biggest add-on and it is almost always billed separately at cost or at a flat estimated rate. A day charter that stays inside Biscayne Bay and Government Cut burns much less than one that runs out to Key Biscayne, Haulover, or the Stiltsville flats. Budget 15 to 30 percent of the base charter for fuel on a typical day. On a larger motor yacht at cruising speed the number climbs; a 90 foot boat running four hours at cruise can burn $1,500 to $3,000 in diesel alone.

Crew gratuity is customary and expected at 15 to 20 percent of the base charter fee, paid when the charter ends. On a $6,000 six-hour charter that is $900 to $1,200. Some brokers roll the gratuity into the quoted price; most do not. Ask up front which convention applies. Dockage at the departure marina is usually included in the base rate; if you want a specific marina (Island Gardens, Sea Isle, Miami Beach Marina) there may be a surcharge.

Provisioning is separate. Most Miami day charters include ice, water, and soft drinks; anything beyond that is either brought by the guest or arranged through the broker at cost plus a handling fee. A catered lunch for twelve runs $600 to $1,500 depending on the menu. A stocked bar for a day runs $300 to $1,000 depending on what you want. Some operators allow guests to bring their own food and alcohol with no corkage; others do not. Confirm before the day.

The Event Weeks That Double Rates

Miami has four calendar weeks where yacht charter demand outstrips supply and rates move 50 to 100 percent above baseline. The Miami International Boat Show in mid February is the largest; every charter boat in the region is committed months ahead, and the boats that remain command peak pricing. Art Basel Miami Beach in early December is the second; the art-world crowd charters heavily and the party-boat segment sells out. Miami Music Week and Ultra in late March is the third. The Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix at Hard Rock Stadium in early May is the fourth, and the race-weekend charter market has grown sharply since the race launched.

Outside those four windows, the Miami charter season runs November through May at normal peak pricing, with June through October at a discount because of heat, humidity, and hurricane season. Summer charters are genuinely cheaper and the water is warmer; the trade-off is afternoon thunderstorms and the small but real chance of a weather cancellation. Most operators reschedule rather than refund on a weather day.

Day Charter vs Multi-Day vs Week

Three charter shapes exist in Miami and the economics differ. The day charter (four to eight hours, no overnight) is the volume product; pricing is as above. The overnight or weekend charter adds crew accommodation and a second or third day of fuel and provisioning; expect roughly 1.7 to 2.2 times the day rate for a two-day, not 2 times, because the setup cost is amortized. The week charter, usually running Miami to Bimini or the Exumas and back, is priced on a weekly basis plus an Advance Provisioning Allowance (APA) of typically 25 to 30 percent of the charter fee, which covers fuel, food, dockage, and port fees on the trip and is reconciled at the end.

The APA model is standard in the international charter market and worth understanding: you pay the charter fee plus the APA up front, the captain spends the APA on the trip, and any unspent balance is returned to you at the end. If the trip spends more than the APA the balance is due on completion. A week charter from Miami to the Bahamas on an 85 foot boat runs roughly $45,000 to $90,000 base plus APA, plus crew gratuity at 15 to 20 percent of base.

What the Boat Size Actually Buys

Under 50 feet: good for six to eight guests, a sandbar afternoon, and a sunset cruise. No meaningful interior time; everyone is outside. This is the entry point and where most first-time Miami charterers start.

Fifty to seventy feet: comfortable for ten to twelve guests, a proper salon for shade and air conditioning, a flybridge for the view, and a swim platform that works for water toys. This is the sweet spot for a birthday, a bachelorette, or a family day. Our Azimut 66 and Galeon 45 sit in this