Bahamas yacht charter: Exumas and Abacos week prices

Choosing your charter month

Choose your charter month by comparing the quoted season rate with the operator’s weather and route advice. Ask which months the company treats as high and low season, and whether your departure falls into a different pricing period.

Before paying, ask about expected wind, exposure along the proposed route, and storm-related cancellation terms. Request the official marine forecast service the captain or operator uses, and confirm who decides whether the charter can depart.

Keep your itinerary flexible rather than making every overnight stop a booking condition. Ask how a weather-related route change affects marina reservations, fuel spending, and the return to your departure base.

Week prices and added charges

Your comparison should separate the weekly yacht rate from the charges added to it. In the table above, check the yacht type, crew option, season, sample size, and check date before comparing medians. Use the calculator for your destination budget and the weekly charter cost guide to organize the quote.

Vital Charters says APA is typically 35% of the base rate; on six real listings it reviewed, APA added $10,975–$28,000 to the weekly rate. It says the 14% charter levy is billed separately from APA. Ask the quoting company to identify every tax line, including any VAT, and explain what the APA covers.

Bahamas Customs lists $350 for a 30-day cruising permit for a foreign pleasure vessel exceeding 50–100 feet in length. It lists $500 for a 12-month cruising permit for a vessel 50 feet or under. These are vessel permit charges, not weekly yacht rates; ask whether the charter quote already covers the applicable permit.

Bahamas Customs also lists $50 for anchorage during a 30-day permit for vessels under 50 feet not mooring at a marina. Bahamas Marinas says anchorage fees are additional to cruising permit and dockage fees, and lists a $30 fee for each additional non-resident passenger over age six. Have the operator explain which charges apply to your vessel and group before dividing the total.

• Ask whether skipper or crew pay is included in the base rate.
• Request separate treatment of fuel, provisions, marina stays, and mooring charges.
• Ask whether a crew tip is included; use the captain and crew tipping guide when reviewing the total.
• For fishing, Bahamas Marinas lists $100 for a 30-day permit for pleasure vessels under 50 feet, separate from the cruising permit.

Bareboat paperwork and vessel clearance

Before reserving a bareboat, ask the relevant Bahamian authority what credentials your intended operation requires. Separately, ask the charter company which certificate and sailing experience it accepts for that boat. Use the bareboat sailing certificate guide to prepare those questions; company acceptance and legal requirements are separate checks.

Bahamas Customs requires Click2Clear registration and an Inbound Declaration at each arrival for vessels applying for the Frequent Digital Cruising Card. Ask the operator who handles vessel clearance and whether that arrangement applies to your charter. Do not treat clearance paperwork as confirmation that you are approved to skipper.

Bahamas Marinas says foreign vessels over 50 feet must have a functioning AIS turned on at all times in Bahamian waters. Ask the operator to confirm the vessel’s compliance and explain any equipment responsibilities assigned to you. If you do not want skipper responsibilities, compare bareboat, skippered, and crewed charters.

Departure bases and marina arrangements

Confirm the exact departure marina and operating company before comparing quotes. Ask whether embarkation and return use the same base, and whether a relocation changes the price. The departure address should appear in your booking paperwork.

Ask the company to distinguish marina dockage from government anchorage charges. Bahamas Customs says anchorage fees apply to foreign pleasure vessels not mooring at a marina and are payable for the permit’s duration. Request an itemized explanation rather than assuming a marina reservation settles every vessel fee.

Planning your charter week

Build your charter week around an operator-approved itinerary and the return-base requirement. Ask for proposed overnight stops, charted passage distances, and alternatives before committing to activities ashore. Have the operator explain how the plan changes with wind and weather.

Keep the arrival day for handover and the return plan clear before choosing intermediate stops. Ask the captain or bareboat operator to connect the route to expected fuel use, marina bookings, and provisioning arrangements. Compare those items with the quote rather than treating the itinerary as separate from the budget.