Glossary

Yacht charter terms, in plain English

Every bit of jargon you'll meet when chartering a crewed yacht, defined clearly.

APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance): A running-cost float, typically 25–35% of the charter fee, paid to the captain before the trip to cover fuel, food, drinks and port fees. Unspent funds are returned at the end.
Bareboat charter: Renting a yacht without crew and skippering it yourself. Requires a recognised sailing qualification and experience.
Crewed charter: A charter that includes a professional crew — captain, chef and service staff — who run the yacht for you. No licence or experience needed.
Gulet: A traditional wooden two- or three-masted motor-sailing yacht, popular in Turkey and Greece, known for wide decks and relaxed, good-value cruising.
LOA (Length Overall): The total length of a yacht from bow to stern, usually stated in metres. Charter yachts are commonly grouped and priced by LOA.
MYBA: The Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association, whose standard MYBA Charter Agreement is the industry-standard contract used for most crewed charters worldwide.
Tender: A smaller boat carried by the yacht, used to ferry guests ashore, explore coves and tow water toys.
Flybridge: An open upper deck above the main bridge with a helm station and social space — a prized sun-and-view spot on motor yachts.
Gross tonnage (GT): A measure of a yacht's enclosed internal volume (not weight). It affects crew requirements, regulations and how spacious a yacht feels.
Charter agreement: The contract between guest and yacht setting out dates, price, cruising area and terms — most commonly the standard MYBA form.
Cabin: A private guest bedroom aboard, usually en-suite. As a rule of thumb, allow one cabin per couple when sizing a charter.
High season: The peak charter period with the highest demand and rates — July–August in the Mediterranean, and the Christmas–New Year and winter months in the Caribbean.
Gratuity: A discretionary thank-you to the crew for good service, customarily around 5–15% of the base charter fee, separate from the APA.
Provisioning: Stocking the yacht with food, drinks and supplies for the charter, tailored to guests' preference sheets and paid through the APA.
Preference sheet: A questionnaire guests complete before a charter covering food, drink, dietary needs, celebrations and activities so the crew can tailor everything in advance.