What Is an APA on a Yacht Charter?

APA exists because a crewed charter's real costs are unknowable at booking. A week spent anchored quietly consumes a fraction of the fuel of a week running between islands at cruising speed, and provisioning for a group that wants vintage wine differs from one that wants beer. Rather than build a padded estimate into the fee, the MYBA framework separates the fixed charter fee from the variable spend and settles the variable half against actual receipts.

The customary amount is set in the charter agreement. Sailing yachts and catamarans commonly carry an APA of roughly 25 to 35 percent of the charter fee, motor yachts around 30 to 40 percent, with high-consumption vessels or fuel-heavy itineraries running higher. The percentage is a starting estimate, not a cap: if spending approaches the balance mid-charter, the captain will notify you and request a top-up.

APA is not a fee and not commission. It is not additional profit for the owner, the crew, or the broker, and everything is billed at cost. The captain administers the fund, keeps the receipts, and presents a full accounting at the end of the charter. Whatever remains comes back to you. Ask for the itemised statement; it is standard and you are entitled to it.

Two things APA does not include. It does not include the crew gratuity, which is separate, discretionary, and calculated against the base charter fee rather than the APA. And it typically does not include costs your contract assigns elsewhere, such as delivery fees or certain taxes. Note that APA is a Mediterranean and Caribbean superyacht convention; on a single-day Miami charter you are far more likely to see a flat rate with fuel either included or billed separately, so confirm which model applies before comparing prices. If the operator quotes an APA on a day charter, ask exactly which line items it covers before you sign.