Crewed Yacht Charter Etiquette: Tipping, APA and Life Aboard

In brief

• Yacht charter etiquette is largely written down, in the contracts of the broker associations MYBA and CYBA and in MYBA's guidelines for captains and crew.
• The Advance Provisioning Allowance (APA) is an advance against running costs, not a tip: about 25-40% of the base weekly rate on plus-expenses terms, according to YachtCharterFleet.
• Gratuities are discretionary. MYBA's 2018 guidelines suggested 5-15% of the charter fee; the 2026 update removed the figure. The CYBA agreement cites 15-20%.
• Crew rest has a floor: the Maritime Labour Convention standard, which charter contracts echo, sets at least 10 hours in any 24.
• Read MYBA's 2026 guidelines for charter captains and crew before boarding: they cover the fee, the APA accounts and gratuities.

The tender is alongside, the bags are going aboard and a crew member is holding out a basket for shoes. Then comes the captain's briefing.

What follows is yacht charter etiquette, and much of it is written down. It sits in the charter contract, in MYBA's guidelines for captains and crew, and in the labour standard behind a crew's day.

According to Fraser Yachts, quoted in the SuperYacht Times market report for the 2025 Monaco Yacht Show, 3,832 yachts were available for charter in February 2025. Of those, 2,155 were over 30 metres, 36% of the operating fleet at that length.

What yacht charter etiquette covers

Yacht charter etiquette is the set of customs and contract terms that govern guest behaviour aboard a crewed yacht. It covers what the fee includes, how expenses and tips are paid, and how guests treat the crew and the boat. Under the CYBA Inclusive Agreement, the captain has the final call.

The contracts set the tone in plain words. The MYBA charter agreement specimen states: "The CHARTERER and Guests shall afford the Crew due respect at all times." The CYBA Inclusive Agreement gives the captain authority "to make final calls regarding all aspects of the Charter", including water toys and equipment.

Custom fills the gaps: shoes, luggage, the preference sheet, the handing over of a tip. Each has a practical reason on board.

The charter fee and the APA: who pays for what

On a crewed yacht charter under MYBA terms, the charter fee pays for the yacht, the crew and insurance. The charterer pays running costs, such as fuel, food and drink, at cost. Those costs come out of the Advance Provisioning Allowance (APA), which the captain draws on and accounts for. The APA is not the tip.

MYBA's 2026 guidelines list what the fee includes: the vessel and its equipment, basic consumable stores, laundry of ship's linen, "the crew's wages, uniform and food" and insurance. The charterer pays "at cost" for all other expenses, including fuel for engines, generators, tenders and water sports equipment, plus food and beverages.

Under MYBA's 2026 guidelines, the captain keeps the charterer informed of the accounts "on a regular basis". If the advance runs low, the captain "may request additional funds".

The CYBA Inclusive Agreement bundles more into the fee. It includes "the services of a fully licensed Crew, all meals, standard ship's bar, fuel, cruising taxes and permits, clearance taxes, mooring fees". Items outside that list are settled in cash, or by other agreed means, before guests disembark.

Read the MYBA 2026 guidelines.

Yacht crew tipping after MYBA's 2026 update

Yacht crew tipping is discretionary under both the MYBA and CYBA frameworks. MYBA's 2018 guidelines suggested 5-15% of the charter fee for excellent service; its 2026 update removed the figure and says gratuities should never be requested. The CYBA Inclusive Agreement still cites a customary 15-20% of the charter fee.

The 2026 wording is unambiguous. MYBA's 2026 guidelines leave gratuities "entirely up to the Charterer's discretion" and state that they are not mandatory. A gratuity should never be requested or solicited in any form, and its details stay confidential, never disclosed to a third party.

The 2018 edition had set a band. It called "a gratuity calculated between 5% and 15% of the contracted gross Charter Fee only" appropriate "if the crew has given excellent service". A guide quoting 5-15% as current MYBA advice is quoting 2018.

Marine-press ranges and regional custom sit on top of the contracts:

For the seasons and cruising regions themselves, see the superyacht season calendar for 2026-2027.

Handing the tip to the captain

Boat International's tipping guide advises giving the gratuity directly to the captain, who divides it among the crew. Yachting magazine advises the same amount for every crew member.

Paying it: accounts summary, escrow or cash

Boat International suggests writing the tip at the bottom of the printed accounts summary and signing next to it. Its tipping guide mentions wiring the gratuity ahead for the broker to hold in escrow, so no large sum travels in cash.

Cash has limits. MYBA's 2026 guidelines note that cash is, "in many instances", held to "a maximum of Euros 10,000 before declaring to Customs". Some brokers, Boat International reports, advise that leftover APA can make up part of the tip. The tip itself is "not a cost included in the APA".

A worked example on a $100,000 charter fee (illustrative)

On an illustrative $100,000 base charter fee, published percentages put a plus-expenses APA at $25,000 to $40,000 and an all-inclusive APA near $5,000. A gratuity at MYBA's former 5-15% band would come to $5,000 to $15,000. At the CYBA customary rate of 15-20%, it would be $15,000 to $20,000.

The gratuity rests on the fee alone: MYBA's 2018 band applied to "the contracted gross Charter Fee only", and CYBA's rate is "of Charter Fee". A larger APA does not raise it.

On plus-expenses terms, a 30% APA and a 10% gratuity would commit $140,000 in total, before any APA top-up or refund. These figures are arithmetic on published ranges, not a quote for any yacht.

Shoes, soft luggage and the preference sheet

On a crewed yacht, guests leave their shoes in a basket at boarding, pack soft bags that fold for stowage, and return a preference sheet before arrival. Each custom protects something: the teak from heels and scuffs, the stowage from rigid cases, and the chef from surprises on the first day.

Boat International describes the routine: the crew leave a basket at the end of the gangway or outside the salon door, and shoes go in it. Stiletto heels can dent teak decks, and black soles leave scuffmarks. The same guide discourages hard-sided luggage in favour of soft bags that collapse for stowing.

The preference sheet does the chef's planning. YachtCharterFleet describes it as the way a charter party tells the crew its individual preferences and special needs. Boat International gives the reason to return it early: a vegan diet announced on arrival probably means the chef has to "prepare separate meals".

How decks are being designed for more time outdoors is covered in a review of superyacht deck design for 2026. Interior materials are the subject of superyacht interiors for 2026, from gloss to touch.

Tenders, water toys and smoking: the captain's call

Under both the CYBA and MYBA contracts, the captain controls the water toys. The CYBA agreement gives the captain final calls on water toys and equipment. Under the MYBA charter agreement specimen, the captain may exclude a guest from water sports if they are unsafe or under the influence of alcohol. Smoking stays on deck, in designated areas.

According to MYBA's 2026 guidelines, the captain's opening briefing covers general safety and security on board, water sports equipment, smoking and recreational drugs.

Some risk sits with the guests. Under the CYBA Inclusive Agreement, guests accept all risks for accidents, injuries or death related to the yacht's dinghy, outboard motor or personal watercraft.

Smoking rules are written in. The MYBA specimen restricts smoking to exterior areas designated by the captain, unless otherwise agreed. Under the CYBA agreement, smoking is "only permitted in a designated area and only on deck. No smoking is permitted below deck."

The MYBA specimen also restricts time under way "to an average of six (6) hours per day, unless the Captain… agrees".

Crew rest hours and private crew areas

Superyacht crew on charter are entitled to minimum rest, and a late night on deck does not suspend it. The Maritime Labour Convention standard, which charter contracts echo, sets at least 10 hours of rest in any 24 hours and 77 hours in any seven days. Guest hours draw on that time.

The MYBA charter agreement specimen entitles the crew to "a minimum amount of rest in accordance with the Vessel's Code of Practice". The Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, Standard A2.3, gives the reference figures: work may not exceed 14 hours in any 24 or 72 hours in any seven days.

Rest may be split into no more than two periods, one of at least six hours, with no more than 14 hours between them. The convention covers ships "ordinarily engaged in commercial activities", as implemented by each flag state. On a charter, the yacht's own code of practice sets the detail.

Illustration: a crew member who clears the last glasses at 01:30 and lays breakfast at 07:00 has a gap of five and a half hours. That night cannot supply the six-hour block.

Crew quarters are private. Boat International puts it plainly: "don't ever invade the private crew areas without a specific invitation".

Read Standard A2.3 of the Maritime Labour Convention.

Photographs, posting and privacy

On a charter yacht, confidentiality runs both ways. MYBA's 2026 guidelines bar the crew from disclosing information or photos to third parties without written permission. Guests, in turn, follow the owner's and captain's photography rules, which can mean no real-time location posts and no photos of the owner or their personal items.

The crew's duty is set out in MYBA's 2026 guidelines: "no information or photos are to be disclosed to any third party without prior permission in writing". The MYBA specimen also bars "commercial photo or film shoots of any nature, unless by written permission from the OWNER".

Boat International notes that guests "need to respect an owner's or a captain's rules", such as "no real-time posting of locations – for safety reasons".

The last day: statement, refund and departure

An APA yacht charter ends with a statement of account. MYBA's 2026 guidelines ask the captain to show how the APA was spent, with all supporting receipts. Any balance is refunded, by bank transfer if the charterer prefers not to take cash. Guests then leave at the agreed time, bags packed.

Under MYBA's 2026 guidelines, the statement shows "the disbursement of the APA with all supporting receipts". The same guidelines call for "a list of any provisions purchased but not consumed, particularly wines and spirits". Duty-free goods cannot leave the yacht without the appropriate customs declarations. The MYBA specimen requires the captain to "repay to the CHARTERER any balance overpaid".

Boat International advises having light soft bags ready by departure time on the last day. Loitering, or asking to stay longer, "can be heavily frowned upon".

Timing also has a price. Under MYBA's 2026 guidelines, additional port fees from an early arrival or late stay are for the charterer's account. Early re-delivery, the MYBA specimen says, "shall not entitle the CHARTERER to any refund of the Charter Fee".

The etiquette checklist for a first yacht charter

A first yacht charter runs smoothly when ten points are settled in order: contract, money, preferences, packing and conduct aboard. Each item below follows from a contract term, a published guideline for charter crew, or a custom reported by the marine press.

1. Read the contract first. MYBA plus-expenses terms and the CYBA inclusive model put different costs inside the fee; know which one applies before signing.
2. Budget the APA apart from the fee.
3. Settle the gratuity early. A wire to the broker, held in escrow, avoids carrying large sums; MYBA notes cash is often capped at €10,000 before a customs declaration.
4. Return the preference sheet complete. Dietary needs belong on it, not in a first-evening announcement.
5. Pack soft.
6. Leave shoes in the basket. Stiletto heels dent teak.
7. Follow the captain's calls on water toys, smoking areas and time under way.
8. Protect crew rest. Late nights and early starts draw on the same hours; the Maritime Labour Convention standard calls for one rest period of at least six hours.
9. Ask before posting. No real-time locations, no photos of the owner or their personal items, no crew areas uninvited.
10. Check the statement against the receipts, then leave on time.

Common questions

The six questions below cover the practical points of a crewed yacht charter: tip size, tip versus APA, who receives the gratuity, shoes, packing and unspent APA. Each answer stands on its own and links to the contract, guideline or article behind it.

How much should you tip the crew on a yacht charter?

There is no fixed amount. MYBA's 2026 guidelines leave gratuities entirely to the charterer's discretion and dropped the 2018 band of 5-15% of the charter fee. The CYBA Inclusive Agreement cites a customary 15-20%. Boat International reports around 10% among very happy European guests; 20% is not unusual among Americans.

Is the tip included in the APA?

No. The APA is an advance for running costs such as fuel, food and drink, paid at cost under MYBA terms. Boat International notes the tip is not a cost included in the APA, though some brokers advise that leftover APA can cover part of it.

Who receives the tip on a crewed yacht?

The captain, on behalf of the crew. Boat International's tipping guide advises handing the gratuity directly to the captain, who divides it among the crew. Yachting magazine advises the same amount for every crew member. MYBA's 2026 guidelines add that gratuity details should never be disclosed to a third party.

Can you wear shoes on a yacht?

Usually not on deck. According to Boat International, the crew of a charter yacht provide a basket at the end of the gangway or outside the salon door for guests' shoes. Stiletto heels can dent teak decks and black soles leave scuffmarks, so shoes stay in the basket.

What should you pack for a crewed yacht charter?

Soft luggage. Boat International notes that hard-sided luggage is discouraged in favour of soft bags that collapse for stowing. Leave stiletto heels and black-soled shoes behind, since they dent and scuff teak. Before packing, return the preference sheet so the chef and crew know the party's dietary needs.

What happens to unspent APA?

Unspent APA is refunded. Under MYBA's 2026 guidelines, the captain presents a statement of account with all supporting receipts, and the charterer may take any refund by bank transfer instead of cash. The statement also lists provisions bought but not consumed, particularly wines and spirits.

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How a yacht's interior is outfitted for life on board, room by room, is the subject of the Veyra Deck guide to luxury yacht accessories.

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Sources

• MYBA, Guidelines for Charter Yacht Captains and Crew, 2026
• MYBA, guidelines for charter yacht captains and crew, 2018
• MYBA, charter agreement specimen (2009 public edition; clause numbers not cited)
• CYBA, Inclusive Agreement, 2020
• ILO, Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, Standard A2.3
• Boat International: charter etiquette guide (2021); guest etiquette (Daniel Pembrey, 2025); tipping guide (2021); charter costs (2022)
• YachtCharterFleet: gratuities (2023); charter costs explained (2024); preference sheets (2023)
• Yachting magazine, Tipping Point (Kim Kavin, updated 2020)
• SuperYacht Times, Monaco Yacht Show market report 2025, citing Fraser Yachts

Marine-press percentages are indicative, not contractual. Sources checked 23 September 2026. Sourcing follows our editorial standards.