Yacht Charter Gratuity: How Much Is Expected?
A crew gratuity of 10 to 15 percent of the base charter fee is the Mediterranean norm. It is discretionary, but a crew that has run your week well expects it, and it is a meaningful sum — €15,000 to €22,500 on a €150,000 charter. It is given to the captain at the end, who distributes it across the crew.
Why is it a percentage of the base fee?
Because the base fee is the measure of the yacht and the crew that came with it. A 50-metre yacht carries ten or more crew; a 30-metre carries four or five. A percentage scales with the number of people who looked after you. It is calculated on the base fee alone — not on the APA, not on VAT, not on the total.
| Base fee (EUR) | At 10% | At 15% |
|---|---|---|
| 100,000 | 10,000 | 15,000 |
| 150,000 | 15,000 | 22,500 |
| 250,000 | 25,000 | 37,500 |
Source. The 10–15 percent Mediterranean norm as published by Splendid Yachting and YachtCharterFleet, consulted 1 September 2026. Norms in other regions — the Caribbean in particular — are widely reported as higher, but vary enough that we would rather you ask your broker for the specific region than rely on a number here.
Is it really optional?
Contractually, yes. Culturally, a gratuity at the lower end of the range is the baseline for a competent week, and withholding it entirely is read as a statement. Crew on charter yachts work long days for the duration of your stay; the gratuity is a significant part of their season's income, and the industry has priced that in.
Where you have genuine discretion is within the band. Ten percent says the week was fine. Fifteen says it was excellent. Above that is for a crew that did something exceptional. Below ten should come with a conversation with the captain about what went wrong — not silence.
How is it actually given?
- To the captain, at the end. Not to individual crew members, and not spread across the week. The captain distributes it, usually by a formula agreed among the crew that weights by rank and role.
- In cash, or via the broker. Cash on the last evening is traditional and still common. Many charterers now arrange it through the broker as a transfer, which is entirely acceptable and easier for larger sums.
- Separately from the APA settlement. The APA account is your running costs; the gratuity is a distinct payment. Keep them apart so neither is confused with the other.
- Decided before the last night. Settling on the figure in advance avoids the gangway moment where it becomes awkward. You can always adjust it up.
What if service was poor?
Raise it during the charter, not after. A captain who hears on day two that something is not working can fix it; one who hears it via a reduced gratuity on day seven cannot. If the week genuinely fell short and it was not addressed, a lower gratuity with an explanation to the captain is fair. A zero is almost never the right answer — it punishes the deckhand for the chef.
Where it sits in the full cost
The gratuity is one of four lines on top of the base fee, alongside the APA and VAT. Together they take a headline rate to roughly 1.4 to 1.7 times itself. The full stack is in what a yacht charter really costs; the APA — the line most often confused with the gratuity — is in APA explained.
Common questions
Is the gratuity taxed?
It is not subject to charter VAT, as it is a discretionary payment to the crew rather than part of the charter fee. How the crew are taxed on it is a matter for their own employment arrangements, not yours.
Should the gratuity be split by guest?
It is one payment from the charter party to the crew, however you arrange it among yourselves. If several families are sharing the charter, agree the total and the split before the trip so the captain receives one sum, not several.
Do you tip the captain separately?
No. The captain receives the gratuity on behalf of the whole crew and takes a share by the crew's own formula. A separate envelope for the captain is not the custom and can cause friction aboard.
What about a short charter?
The same percentage applies to whatever base fee was charged. A three-night charter at a pro-rata fee attracts a gratuity on that fee, in the same 10–15 percent band.
Budgeting for it
We include the expected gratuity as a line in every charter proposal, so it is in the budget from the start rather than an afterthought on the last evening. Send us the dates and the region and it will be there in the figure you see.