From a distance, a week at sea between Monaco and Cannes looks like a simple booking. Up close, it is a contract, a crew, a budget with several lines, and a coastline whose rules change from one bay to the next.
Here is what is worth knowing before you sign.
The headline price is only part of the budget
The charter fee covers the yacht and its crew. On top of it, there is usually:
- An advance provisioning allowance, known as the APA. It covers fuel, food and drink, port fees and day-to-day expenses. It commonly amounts to between a quarter and a third of the charter fee, and any unspent balance is returned to you.
- VAT, at a rate that depends on where the charter starts and its itinerary.
- A crew gratuity, at your discretion, but customary.
We always present a complete estimate, line by line, before anything is signed.
The contract
Most Mediterranean charters rest on an industry-standard contract setting out dates, port of embarkation, cruising area, cancellation and each party’s responsibilities. It deserves a careful read: we review it for you and flag whatever needs flagging.
Choosing the season
July and August carry most of the demand: book early, and expect charters to run by the week.
May, June and September bring calmer water, quieter anchorages and more flexibility — outside the Riviera’s major events, the Cannes festival, the Monaco Grand Prix or the September boat shows, when yachts are booked months ahead.
Anchorages
Between Cap Ferrat, the bay of Villefranche, Cap d’Antibes and the Lérins islands, the coast offers beautiful anchorages. It also protects its Posidonia seagrass meadows: rules now restrict where the largest yachts may anchor. Your captain knows them; we build the itinerary together.
A day at sea
As a first step, a day charter is a lovely way in: leave late morning, lunch at anchor, swim, return at sunset. It is simpler to book, and gives a true sense of what to expect from a week.
What makes a good cruise
Less the size of the boat than the quality of the crew. A captain who knows the coast, an attentive chef, a discreet interior crew: that is what we look at first, before the photographs.
To plan your season, see our pages on Yachts, Cannes and Monaco.
