APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance) is an upfront deposit — typically 25 to 40% of the base charter fee — that pays your trip's running costs: fuel, food, drink and dockage. It is your money, spent at cost during the charter, and whatever is unspent is returned to you with receipts.
APA is the part of a yacht charter quote that confuses first-timers most — and it is also the part that causes the most end-of-trip arguments. It stands for Advance Provisioning Allowance: a deposit you pay before the charter that covers the trip’s running costs. This guide explains what it is, what it covers, the typical percentages, and how the money is accounted for.
If you have not read our yacht charter cost guide yet, start there for the full picture of base fee, APA, tax and tip. This page goes deep on the APA layer alone.
The APA is an upfront estimate of what you will spend during the charter, paid before embarkation — usually at the same time as the final charter balance. The captain uses it to pay for fuel, provisions, dockage and similar running costs as the trip unfolds.
Three facts matter most:
Before the trip you also fill in a preference sheet — food preferences, dietary requirements, favourite drinks — so the crew can provision to your tastes. The more specific and premium your requests, the higher the APA estimate may run.
Before the trip you also fill in a preference sheet — food preferences, dietary requirements, favourite drinks and brands — so the crew can provision to your tastes. The more specific and premium your requests, the higher the APA estimate may run: vintage wines and specialty foods cost more than standard provisioning, and the system is designed to absorb exactly that kind of customisation.
APA covers the variable costs of operating the yacht on your itinerary:
It does not cover:
One point worth knowing: the extras paid from APA — food, fuel, drink — are charged to you at cost, without markup. The system exists so the crew can buy what your trip needs, not to create a profit line.
Published guides are consistent on the overall range and split it by yacht type, because fuel burn is the main driver:
| Yacht type | Commonly cited APA | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sailing yachts and catamarans | 25 to 30% of base fee | Lower fuel burn under sail |
| Motor yachts | 35 to 40% of base fee | Higher fuel consumption |
| Overall published range | 25 to 40% of base fee | Varies by yacht and itinerary |
Indicative figures. Source: My Greek Charter, Otium Yachts, Breaking Travel News charter cost guides. Data collected: 13 October 2026.
Your broker sets the actual percentage for your booking based on the yacht and your planned route. A charter that stays at anchor most days needs less fuel than one cruising long distances daily — tell the broker your itinerary and ask what percentage fits it, rather than accepting a generic figure.
This example shows how APA money moves on a typical charter. The figures are invented for explanation only — illustrative example, not a quote.
Charter: crewed sailing catamaran, base fee 40,000 euros. APA set at 30% = 12,000 euros, paid with the final balance before embarkation.
| Item | Example spend (euros) |
|---|---|
| Fuel (yacht and tender) | 4,500 |
| Food and drink (per preference sheet) | 4,000 |
| Dockage and marina fees | 2,000 |
| Incidentals (park fees, customs) | 500 |
| Total spent | 11,000 |
| APA paid | 12,000 |
| Returned to charterer | 1,000 |
Indicative figures. Source: Illustrative example with invented figures — not a quote. Data collected: 13 October 2026.
Of the 12,000 euros deposited, 11,000 is spent at cost during the trip and 1,000 comes back. Change any line — a fuel-hungry itinerary, vintage wine requests, premium marinas every night — and the arithmetic changes with it. That is exactly why the percentage is an estimate, not a price.
A second illustration — motor yacht. Base fee $80,000, APA at 35% = $28,000. On a cruising-heavy itinerary, fuel alone can exceed $12,000 of that allowance — which is precisely why motor-yacht percentages run higher than sailing-yacht ones. (Illustrative figures, not a quote.)
Unspent APA is returned to you. The captain keeps an account of APA spending during the charter, and at the end presents the balance with receipts; anything unspent comes back. Before you book, ask your broker two questions and get the answers in writing: who holds the APA funds, and exactly how is the unspent balance refunded (timing and method)?
Overspent APA is settled by you. If spending exceeds the allowance — unusual on a normal itinerary, but possible with heavy fuel use or premium requests — the difference is billed separately, usually settled on board or shortly after. The captain should warn you if spending is running hot during the trip, not surprise you at the end.
Ask at embarkation how APA spending will be reported to you during the trip. Many captains give running updates; if yours does not offer, ask. A mid-trip check avoids any end-of-trip dispute.
Crewed charters are quoted in one of two ways, and mixing them up makes quotes impossible to compare:
Neither style is automatically cheaper. Convert both to an estimated all-in total — base fee, plus APA or its bundled equivalent, plus tax, plus tip — and compare those totals. Our hidden costs checklist walks through every line to check.
APA is sometimes confused with the security deposit (also called a damage deposit). They are separate line items on your agreement. The APA pays your trip’s running costs and is spent during the charter; the security deposit is refundable money held against damage to the yacht, returned if the yacht comes back undamaged. Some yachts offer a non-refundable damage waiver instead of a deposit. A quote that mentions neither deserves a question before you pay anything — see our yacht charter cost guide for how the deposit fits the full budget.
The 25 to 40% range is global; regions have their own norms, driven mostly by fuel costs on typical itineraries:
The pattern is consistent: where itineraries burn less fuel, APA runs lower. Your broker should set the percentage for your route, not copy a global average.
A broker who answers these clearly, in writing, before you pay the balance is a broker you can trust with the rest of the booking. For the full booking process, see how to charter a yacht for the first time and how charter brokers get paid.
Advance Provisioning Allowance. It is a deposit paid before the charter that covers the trip's running costs — fuel, food and drink, dockage and similar expenses. It is not a fee: unspent money is returned to you.
Published guides commonly cite 25 to 40% of the base charter fee. Sailing yachts and catamarans are often quoted at 25 to 30%, motor yachts at 35 to 40%, because motor yachts burn more fuel. Your broker sets the percentage for your itinerary.
Yes. The captain accounts for APA spending during the trip, and any unspent balance is returned to you at the end, supported by receipts. Ask your broker before booking exactly how the refund is handled.
The base charter fee itself, local taxes and usually the crew gratuity sit outside APA. Delivery fees — moving the yacht to a start port away from its base — are also billed separately, not from APA.
Usually at the same time as the final charter balance, before embarkation. Your charter agreement should state who holds the funds and how spending is reported to you during the trip.
On a plus-expenses charter you pay a base fee plus APA for running costs. On an all-inclusive charter most costs are bundled into one rate — but premium drinks, special catering, extra dockage and crew tips are often still excluded, so read the terms.
We compared published rates and guides from the sources below. Figures are indicative ranges, not quotes, and were collected on the dates shown with each source.
This guide is general information, not professional advice. Prices are indicative and change with season, route and availability. Spotted a mistake? Our contact email is coming soon.
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