A motor yacht charter comes in three real forms: a bareboat power catamaran you run yourself, the same boat with a hired captain, or a fully crewed yacht with captain, chef and deck staff. For the British Virgin Islands (BVI), our published weekly rates run from £6,000 for a 3-cabin bareboat power catamaran to $120,000 for the top crewed motor yachts. Which form fits you depends on group size, budget and how much you want to do yourself.
This guide compares the options side by side, explains what the price covers, and shows how to match a boat to your group. We have run charters from Tortola since 1996, so the examples come from the BVI.
TL;DR
- Bareboat power catamarans start at £6,000 per week (3 cabins) and reach £20,000 per week (5+ cabins), before extras such as a captain.
- Add a captain to a bareboat for $250 per day, or choose a crewed catamaran or motor yacht from $25,000 per week.
- In US waters, a bareboat charter means you take on the legal responsibility for the vessel. Rules differ in the BVI, so confirm requirements before booking.
- Power catamarans give you a steady ride, wide decks and shallow draft, which suits families and groups moving between islands.
- Start with group size and crew preference, then pick the boat. Our planning team will help you narrow it down.
Table of Contents
- What a motor yacht charter actually means
- The three ways to charter, compared
- What the legal difference means for you
- How to choose: five questions that decide it
- Comparing the kinds of provider
- Planning a BVI motor yacht itinerary
- Boats worth a look
- Ready to compare boats for your dates?
- FAQ
- Sources
What a motor yacht charter actually means
People search for “motor yacht charter” and “powerboat charter” and mean very different things. At one end sits a 40 to 50 ft powerboat that a family handles alone. At the other sits a crewed superyacht priced per week in the hundreds of thousands. The top search results lean toward the second kind: global superyacht catalogs and brokers listing very large vessels.
Most vacationers do not need that. If you want to explore a cruising ground such as the BVI with your family or friends, the most useful category is the middle: modern power catamarans and mid-size motor yachts, chartered either bareboat or with crew.
One published guide puts a bareboat or skippered motor yacht in the 40 to 50 ft range at roughly $5,000 to $15,000 per week plus fuel, with larger motor yachts coming crewed. That fits the pattern we see: the bigger and more luxurious the boat, the more the crew becomes part of the package.
Why power catamarans suit island hopping
A power catamaran has two hulls, twin engines and a flat, wide deck. You get a steady ride with little heel, large social spaces and room to spread out. You also cover distance without managing sails, which matters when you want to reach a new anchorage before lunch.
For a deeper look at the trade-offs, read our comparison of power versus sailing catamarans for a BVI charter.
The three ways to charter, compared
| Bareboat | Skippered (captain only) | Fully crewed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who runs the boat | You | Your hired captain | Captain and crew |
| Meals and cooking | You provision and cook | You provision and cook | Chef prepares meals |
| Our published weekly rate | £6,000 to £20,000 | Bareboat rate plus $250 per day for the captain | $25,000 to $120,000 |
| Best for | Experienced boaters, confident families | Groups who want local guidance without a full crew | Guests who want a hands-off holiday |
| Typical group | 3 to 5+ cabins | 3 to 5+ cabins | 4 to 10 guests, more on larger yachts |
The rates above come from our published pricing pages for bareboat charters and luxury crewed charters. Season, yacht age and itinerary move the final figure within each range.
Bareboat: you are the captain
Bareboat means no professional crew supplied with the boat. You, or a qualified skipper from your group, are responsible for navigation, anchoring and the vessel’s safety. You also plan the menu, shop for provisions and manage the days yourselves.
Our bareboat power catamarans are priced by cabin count:
- 3-cabin power catamaran: £6,000 to £10,000 per week
- 4-cabin power catamaran: £8,000 to £14,000 per week
- 5+ cabin luxury power catamaran: £12,000 to £20,000 per week
These suit couples sharing with friends, multi-family groups and experienced boaters who like being in charge. Our bareboat charter guide walks through what to expect.
Skippered: your own boat, a local pro at the helm
A skippered charter is the sensible middle path. You still book a bareboat yacht, but a captain joins you. The captain handles navigation and docking, and knows which anchorages are calm on a given day.
Our standard captain costs $250 per day. A training captain costs $300 per day. The charter costs page explains the difference and how these are added. We cover how the arrangement works in our guide to skippered yacht hire in the BVI, and in our overview of bareboat, captain and crewed options.
If you have never anchored a 50 ft catamaran on your own, a captain turns a stressful first morning into a relaxed one.
Fully crewed: the hands-off vacation
On a crewed charter, the yacht comes with a professional captain and crew. One US operator’s FAQ describes its full-service charters as including a captain, crew, docking, fuel and a standard food and beverage package, and the broad shape is similar across the industry: a chef, attentive service and no logistics for you. Exact inclusions vary by yacht and operator, so always read the inclusions list for the specific boat.
Our crewed fleet is organized in three tiers:
- Premium catamaran (4 to 6 guests): $25,000 to $35,000 per week
- Luxury catamaran (6 to 10 guests): $35,000 to $70,000 per week
- High-end luxury catamaran or motor yacht: $70,000 to $120,000 per week
See what is included in a crewed charter for the detail on meals, water toys and service, and our crewed charter guide for planning.
What the legal difference means for you
The word “bareboat” has a legal meaning, which is worth understanding because it affects who carries responsibility.
The US Coast Guard describes a valid bareboat charter as one where the charterer uses the vessel and is treated as its owner for the period, taking on legal obligations. Those can include choosing and paying any crew, supplying food, fuel and stores, arranging insurance and being responsible for safe navigation. The same document sets out that in US waters a valid bareboat charter may carry up to 12 passengers without a Certificate of Inspection, and that the owner may not be aboard as master or crew.
That is US guidance for US waters. The BVI has its own rules and operator requirements, including what experience you need to show before a company hands you the keys. Ask your charter company in writing what it requires from the person who will be skipper, and plan your crew accordingly. If anyone in your group lacks that experience, a skippered or crewed charter solves the question outright.
How to choose: five questions that decide it
1. How many people, and how many cabins?
Count adults and children, then count real sleeping needs. Two couples and four kids want four cabins, not three. Cabin count is also the main driver in our bareboat pricing, so deciding early keeps your budget honest.
2. Who will drive?
Be honest about experience. If no one has docked a twin-engine boat of this size, plan on a captain. At $250 per day, a captain is a small share of a typical week’s cost and removes the biggest source of anxiety.
3. Do you want to cook and provision?
Bareboat and skippered guests provision the boat themselves. For some groups, preparing a meal on a quiet anchorage is half the fun. For others, a chef on board is the entire point of the holiday. That preference alone often decides bareboat versus crewed.
4. What comforts matter?
Air conditioning, a generator, a water maker and Wi-Fi all change how comfortable a week feels. We list boats with these features on our pages for bareboat charters with a generator and bareboat charters with a water maker. Wi-Fi is a $250 one-off fee per charter, listed on our what’s included page.
5. What is your all-in budget?
The weekly rate is the headline, not the full cost. Ask for a written list of what is and is not included before you compare quotes. Typical extras to price out:
- Fuel, which on powerboats can be a meaningful line item
- Captain or crew gratuity
- Provisions, if not included
- Mooring and park fees
- Water toys and add-ons
- Travel insurance for the trip
When you compare two quotes, make sure both cover the same items. A lower headline figure that excludes fuel and provisions is not cheaper.
Comparing the kinds of provider
Search results for this keyword show three broad kinds of company, and each suits a different buyer.
Global superyacht brokers. Sites such as Worldwide Boat describe having arranged more than 6,000 charters across 93 destinations, according to its own site. Brokers like this are strong when you want a very large vessel in the Mediterranean or beyond, where weekly rates can reach into the hundreds of thousands. They are designed for a different scale of budget than most families planning a BVI week.
US full-service crewed operators. Companies such as Nautical Miles market crewed charters that bundle the yacht, captain, crew, docking, fuel and a standard food and beverage package. That all-in format appeals if you want to see one number up front.
Destination specialists. A local, family-run operator concentrates on one cruising ground. We fit here: we are based on Tortola, have chartered in the BVI and Caribbean since 1996, and offer bareboat, skippered and crewed options on a fleet of modern power catamarans and motor yachts from brands such as Fountaine Pajot, Leopard, Aquila, Aventura, Lagoon, Horizon and Two Oceans.
For a BVI trip, a destination specialist gives you something a global listing cannot: someone who knows the anchorages, the weather patterns and which boat suits your itinerary, and who answers your questions directly.
Planning a BVI motor yacht itinerary
The BVI is a compact cruising ground: short hops between islands, sheltered water and plenty of places to anchor. A power catamaran makes the most of that, because you can leave a morning swim stop and reach the next island well before afternoon.
A sensible week for most groups mixes active days with idle ones. Build in a few nights at one anchorage rather than moving every day. Children tire of constant relocation, and couples often prefer a slow day with snorkeling and a long dinner on deck.
When you speak with our planning team, tell them:
- Your group’s ages and swimming ability
- Whether you want restaurants and beach bars or quiet anchorages
- Your comfort level at the helm
- Any dates that cannot move
We use that to shape a route and recommend a boat. Our motor yacht charter page for the BVI shows the yachts available, and our power catamaran guide goes deeper on the design.
Families, couples and groups
Families do well on a power catamaran because the wide, flat deck gives children room to move and parents a clear view. Ask about safety equipment sized for kids and about shaded seating.
Couples often choose a crewed premium catamaran for privacy, a private chef and an itinerary built around quiet coves.
Groups of friends usually do best with a 4-cabin or 5+ cabin boat, where cost per person drops and each pair gets a cabin. Divide the weekly rate and the extras by the number of guests to see the real per-person figure.
Boats worth a look
A few of the yachts in our fleet show the range:
- Mare Blu, Unbridled and Sirocco for crewed charters
- The Fountaine Pajot MY6 for a modern motor yacht experience
- The Fountaine Pajot Samana 59 for generous space
Each page lists layout, guest capacity and features, so you can compare like with like.
Our perspective
We have spent three decades on Tortola, and the question we hear most is whether to go bareboat or crewed. Our answer starts with the people, not the boat.
A power catamaran is, in our experience, the most forgiving way to see the BVI. The ride is steady, the space is generous and the shallow draft opens more anchorages. That is why our fleet is built around modern power catamarans from respected builders, chosen and maintained with care.
We believe a charter goes best when someone who knows the islands helps you plan it. As a family-owned operation, we talk to you directly, learn what your group wants and match it to a yacht. That personal attention is the difference between a good week and one you talk about for years.
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Ready to compare boats for your dates?
If you know your group size, we can put together a recommendation across bareboat, skippered and crewed options, with the weekly rate and the extras laid out clearly. Start with our luxury crewed charters or browse the bareboat pricing.
Prefer to read first? Our e-brochure collects the fleet in one place, and our crewed versus bareboat comparison helps settle the decision.
FAQ
How much does a motor yacht charter in the BVI cost?
Our bareboat power catamarans run from £6,000 to £20,000 per week depending on cabin count. Crewed catamarans and motor yachts run from $25,000 to $120,000 per week depending on size and level of luxury. Extras such as a captain at $250 per day, fuel and provisions are additional unless your quote says otherwise.
Is a powerboat charter the same as a motor yacht charter?
The terms overlap. Powerboat charter usually points to smaller vessels you operate yourself, while motor yacht charter often implies larger boats with crew. In the BVI, power catamarans cover both: you can charter one bareboat, with a captain, or fully crewed.
Do I need a captain for a bareboat charter?
Not if you have enough qualified experience for the operator to accept you as skipper. If you do not, you can add a captain for $250 per day. Ask the charter company what it requires and give it your sailing resume early.
What is the difference between bareboat and crewed?
On a bareboat, you take responsibility for the vessel and handle the cooking and planning. On a crewed charter, a professional captain and crew run the boat and a chef usually prepares meals. The Coast Guard’s guidance on bareboat charters describes the legal responsibilities a charterer takes on in US waters.
Sources
- United States Coast Guard: Passengers for hire guidance
- Skipper: Motor yacht charter guide
- Nautical Miles: FAQs
Recommended
- Yacht Fleet Comparison BVI | Compare All Yachts Side by Side
- 15–25% More Space: Motor Yacht or Power Cat for Your Charter
- How to Select a Charter Yacht Broker: A Practical Guide
- Crewed vs Bareboat Charter | Which Yacht Option is Best?
Did You Know?
The BVI are only accessible by boat. Check out our charter yachts that can get you there. View Our Fleet
