In the Caribbean, the boat costs about the same everywhere — a 44 to 50 ft crewed catamaran runs a median $23,000 per week in high season in both the Bahamas and the Grenadines. What separates them is tax: the Bahamas adds a 14% charter tax, while the Grenadines levy none, making the Grenadines roughly 10% cheaper all-in for the same yacht.
The Caribbean looks like one destination from a brochure and behaves like several once you see the invoices. Base rates for the same yacht barely differ between island groups — but taxes, permits and contract terms do, and they can move the final bill by 10% or more. This guide compares the two regions first-timers ask about most — the Bahamas and the Grenadines — with published 2026 numbers, then covers seasons and planning.
For the full breakdown of how charter pricing works anywhere, see our yacht charter cost guide. For when to go, see our month-by-month season guide.
The headline finding, from a September 2026 rate analysis of 44–50 ft crewed catamarans: base rates across the Grenadines, Bahamas, BVI and USVI sit within 4.3% of each other — $23,000 to $24,000 per week. Everything that follows is about what gets added on top, because that is where the real differences live.
The Bahamas — the Exumas chain especially — is the bucket-list pick: swimming pigs, Thunderball Grotto, gin-clear shallows. It is also the priciest Caribbean charter week, and the reason is tax, not the boat (source: VitalCharters, September 2026).
The Grenadines (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) is the quieter, wilder alternative: the Tobago Cays, Bequia, open-water passages between islands. Smaller fleet, fewer operators, less name recognition — and the lowest landed cost of the four main markets (source: VitalCharters, September 2026). Note it suits second or third charters better than first ones: the sailing is more demanding, with open-water passages and fewer protected anchorages. The reward is anchorages you may have entirely to yourself — the Tobago Cays without six other charter cats beside you is the experience brokers here sell (source: VitalCharters).
Two other regions for context, with published medians from the same rate analysis: the British Virgin Islands ($23,500/week median base, no charter tax, but cruising permits around $750 for six guests) is the usual entry point because 61 boats work these waters — the widest choice anywhere, from a fleet of roughly 685 charter vessels, an estimated 40% of the Caribbean’s professional charter fleet (source: VitalCharters, September 2026); the US Virgin Islands ($24,000 median base, no charter tax) sits close behind.
Holding the yacht constant — a 44 to 50 ft crewed catamaran, 6 guests, 7 nights, high season — isolates what the destination itself adds. The base rates are within a few hundred dollars of each other; everything after that is the region.
| Cost line | Bahamas | Grenadines |
|---|---|---|
| Median base week | $23,000 | $23,000 |
| Charter tax | 14% ($3,220) | None |
| Guest fees (parks, permits) | About $90 | About $67 |
| APA (plus-expenses contracts) | 25–40% of base | About 25% of base |
| Gratuity (customary) | 15–20% of base | 15–20% of base |
| Landed total (20% gratuity) | About $30,910 | About $27,667 |
| Per person, per day | About $736 | About $659 |
Indicative figures. Source: VitalCharters rate analysis, September 2026 (base, tax, fees, totals); BoatCrowd Grenadines cost guide (APA). Data collected: 13 October 2026.
Two things to read off this table. First, the $3,243 landed gap is almost entirely one line: the Bahamas charter tax ($3,220 of it). Strip that out and the four main Caribbean markets land within about 4% of each other — the choice between them is a choice of sailing ground, not of budget (source: VitalCharters). Second, the APA row: many Caribbean crewed catamarans run all-inclusive contracts (CYBA terms) with no separate APA at all; where plus-expenses terms apply, APA of 25–40% is more common on Bahamas motor yachts (source: VitalCharters). Always check which contract your quote uses — it changes the arithmetic completely.
The contract type also decides how you pay the government charges, not just whether. Under CYBA all-inclusive terms, cruising taxes, permits and clearance taxes sit inside the rate — a BVI cruising permit never reaches your invoice. Under MYBA plus-expenses terms, local taxes and customs formalities are listed among the expenses the charterer pays at cost, so the identical permit comes out of your APA instead. The Bahamas 14% sits outside the rate on both contract types (source: VitalCharters, MYBA vs CYBA explainer).
“Median” means half the surveyed yachts priced above and half below — your specific yacht and week will differ. The sample sizes (23 Grenadines yachts, 10 Bahamas yachts in this size band) are published with the analysis. Use these as budgeting anchors, not quotes.
This is the section that saves readers the most money, so here it is plainly:
The Bahamas tax sits outside the rate on both common contract types — it is added on top of everything (source: VitalCharters). And it compounds in a way first-timers miss: APA is calculated on the pre-tax base and gratuity is typically calculated on the base too, while the 14% sits on top of the lot. On a $50,000 charter, that is $7,000 in taxes alone before you have tipped the crew (source: VitalCharters).
The Caribbean charter year splits into three (source: LuxuryAchtVacation, September 2026):
Hurricane season officially runs June 1 through November 30 (source: NOAA, May 2026 outlook), with peak activity typically around September 10. Our month-by-month season guide maps every month for both the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.
A 44 to 50 ft crewed catamaran runs a median $23,000 per week in high season across the main Caribbean markets (Vital Charters rate analysis, September 2026). Add 15 to 20% gratuity, plus 14% charter tax in the Bahamas — the Grenadines, BVI and USVI levy no charter tax.
The Grenadines. Base rates are nearly identical (median $23,000/week for the same size catamaran), but the Bahamas adds a 14% charter tax while the Grenadines add none — a $3,220 difference on a $23,000 week, or about 10% on the landed total.
Advance Provisioning Allowance: a deposit for running costs (fuel, food, dockage), typically 25 to 40% of the base rate on plus-expenses contracts. Many Caribbean crewed catamarans run all-inclusive terms with no separate APA — check which contract your quote uses.
December to April is peak season with the steadiest trade winds; February and March are the finest months. May, June and November offer nearly as good conditions at 30 to 40% lower rates. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30 (NOAA).
No. On a crewed charter the captain handles navigation and the chef handles meals. The Grenadines involve more open-water passages than the BVI, so first-timers often start in the Virgin Islands and graduate to the Grenadines.
Yes, on the landed total. A 44 to 50 ft crewed catamaran runs a median $23,500/week base in the BVI with no charter tax and about $750 in guest fees, landing around $28,950 with 20% gratuity — versus about $30,910 in the Bahamas. The BVI also has the widest choice of yachts, with 61 boats in this size band surveyed.
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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