The short answer
In a crewed yacht charter, the charter guest usually pays for food and drinks on board through the APA. The charter price itself is generally for the yacht and crew, not for groceries and beverages purchased specifically for your stay.
So the service around meals is different from the ingredients themselves. The crew and on-board preparation normally fall under the charter structure, while the actual purchases for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and drinks are paid from the APA budget.
How does the APA for food and drink work?
The APA is an advance payment made in advance for variable costs during the charter. From it, food and drinks on board are paid for, among other things. Provisioning is prepared before departure based on your preferences so that the yacht can be adequately provisioned on arrival. Those who want to look into this in more detail can consult the article How does the APA work.
The captain manages this budget during the voyage and keeps track of expenses. At the end of the charter, settlement is based on actual costs. If there is budget left over, the remaining amount is returned. If expenses are higher than anticipated, a supplement may be required.
What usually falls under food and drink on board?
In practice, it covers everything that is purchased specifically for your group and consumed on board. Think daily meals, soft drinks, mineral water, juices, coffee, tea, wine, beer and snacks.
- Do via APA: groceries for breakfast, lunch and dinner on board
- Do via APA: water, soft drinks, coffee, tea and usual on-board drinks
- Do via APA: wine, beer and other drinks purchased for your charter
- Do via APA: special products based on your preferences or dietary requirements
The exact details depend on your requirements, the sailing area and the level of provisioning you choose. A charter with simple lunches and light wines obviously requires a different budget than a charter with elaborate dinners and premium drinks. Read also What is included in a superyacht charter if you want to have this distinction clear upfront.
What is usually not included?
An important distinction is that not all meals and drinks are automatically covered by on-board provisioning. If you eat out on shore during the voyage, you will normally pay for it yourself. The same applies to restaurant visits, beach clubs and consumptions outside the yacht.
It is also wise to realise that the charter price usually does not mean that all hospitality costs are included without limit. The yacht and crew are part of the charter, but your party's variable consumption is not.
Why does this distinction often cause confusion?
Many guests first see the charter price and then assume that everything on board already falls under that. With a luxury yacht charter, that is usually not how the fee structure works. The charter price and the APA complement each other: the former covers the basics of the yacht charter, the latter the variable costs during your trip.
Especially with food and drink, this makes a lot of difference, as this item depends entirely on your preferences. A family that mainly lunches on board during the day will consume differently from a group that dines extensively, wants premium champagne or needs extra supplies along the way.
What do you take into account in advance?
For a pleasant and transparent process, it is wise to be as clear as possible about your preferences in advance. Think of dietary requirements, favourite drinks, child-friendly meals or just a more gourmet interpretation. The more sharply this is known in advance, the better the provisioning and budget can be tailored.
It is also wise not to estimate the APA too tightly. Food and drink, together with fuel and port charges, form a significant part of variable costs. A realistic estimate helps avoid surprises during the charter. Budgeting for a charter (sample budget) can help here.
Global Yacht Charter supports clients with transparency around APA and charter costs, so that it becomes clearer in advance which budget fits route, sailing behaviour and wishes on board. If you want to avoid unpleasant surprises, also check out Hidden costs in yacht charter.
FAQ
Is food and drink included when renting a yacht?
Usually not in the basic charter price. On a yacht charter with crew, food and drinks on board are usually paid from the APA, the advance for variable costs.
Who pays for alcohol on board a yacht charter?
Alcohol purchased for your charter is normally paid from the APA. With that, this cost is ultimately borne by the charter guest or charter company.
Does the crew also pay for food and drinks?
Of particular relevance to guests is that their on-board provisioning runs through the APA. The exact handling of crew-related costs may vary from charter structure to charter structure, but for your own budgeting purposes, provisioning for your group is usually met from the APA budget you pay.
What happens if the APA budget for food and drink is not fully used?
Then the remaining amount is normally returned after the end of the charter, after offsetting actual expenses.
What if we want to have lunch or dinner ashore more often?
Then board provisioning costs often decrease, but you usually pay the restaurant costs ashore yourself. It is therefore wise to think in advance about the balance between dining on board and eating out during the trip.
