Signature Travel Experiences
Yacht Charters
The sea on your schedule, the world's finest coastlines at your pace. A chartered yacht is the most private expression of luxury travel - your floating home, your crew, your route.
Life on the Water
The world looks different from the open sea
There is a particular quality of freedom that only a yacht charter provides. The shoreline of a Greek island looks entirely different from a sun deck at sea - closer, quieter, more yours. A cove that crowds of tourists pass by at speed becomes your private anchorage for an afternoon. A waterfront restaurant that requires a reservation three weeks in advance will often accommodate a superyacht's captain when he calls. The yacht does not just change where you go; it changes how the entire world receives you.
Yacht charters range from sailing vessels and gulets to sleek motor yachts and full superyachts with crews of twenty. The distinction matters more than most clients initially expect. A sailing charter through the Aegean offers a pace that forces you to slow down - to notice the light changing over the caldera at Santorini, to hear nothing but wind and water. A motor yacht in the Western Mediterranean delivers speed and range: Monaco to Sardinia in a morning, the Aeolian Islands by evening. We match the vessel to the experience you're seeking, not simply the one that's available.
At Parrillo Luxury Travel, we have established relationships with the world's leading yacht charter brokers and work directly with vessel owners to access yachts at all price points - from intimate crewed sailing yachts for two to behemoth superyachts with pools, movie theaters, and permanent staff. We vet every vessel we recommend, review the crew qualifications, and inspect the provisions and safety equipment on your behalf. When you step aboard, everything should already be exactly right.
Beyond the vessel itself, we design the itinerary. The anchorages, the restaurants, the local guides, the tender excursions to beaches inaccessible by any other means - the itinerary is where our knowledge of each cruising ground becomes the difference between a good charter and an unforgettable one.
Cruising Grounds
The world's finest waters, curated for you
Every charter is designed around a specific cruising ground - its character, its pace, and the moments only that water can offer.
The Mediterranean
The Mediterranean remains the world's premier cruising ground - and with good reason. A single two-week charter can take you from the glamour of the French Riviera through the rugged beauty of Corsica, past the Aeolian Islands to the coves of the Amalfi Coast, and on to the ancient Sicilian port of Syracuse. Or you can stay entirely within the Greek Islands, moving from the cosmopolitan energy of Mykonos to the dramatic caldera of Santorini and into the quieter waters of the Dodecanese. We design each Mediterranean itinerary around the season, the vessel's capabilities, and the rhythm you want - leisurely or ambitious, social or secluded.
The Caribbean
The Caribbean charter season runs from December through April, when trade winds are steady and the islands are at their most luminous. The British Virgin Islands offer the classic bareboat experience - protected anchorages, consistent sailing winds, and dozens of islands within a day's reach. The northern Leeward Islands - Anguilla, St. Barths, Gustavia - deliver the social calendar of the winter season with the seclusion of private anchorages. For clients seeking the truly remote, we design itineraries through the Grenadines or into the Windward Islands, where the beaches are uncrowded and the villages are still entirely authentic. We match the vessel - sailing catamaran, motor yacht, or full superyacht - to the island group and your style of travel.
Southeast Asia & the Pacific
The waters of Southeast Asia and the Pacific represent the charter market's great frontier - and for clients who have already explored the Mediterranean and Caribbean, they offer something genuinely different. In Thailand and Indonesia, a charter takes you to limestone karsts rising from emerald bays, to temples accessible only from the sea, to coral reefs that no dive operator on land can reach. In French Polynesia, the Society Islands offer a cruising ground of almost absurd beauty - overwater bungalows replaced by a deck at anchor in a private lagoon. We work with specialist operators in each region and coordinate the logistics of a charter in waters where the infrastructure is less established, ensuring the experience is seamless despite the remoteness.
Expedition Cruising
For clients whose appetite for adventure extends beyond established cruising grounds, expedition charters open destinations that simply don't exist on any tourist map. The Antarctic Peninsula, accessible in November through March, is one of the most profound natural experiences available to a traveler - a world of glacier calving, penguin colonies, and absolute silence aboard an ice-strengthened expedition vessel. The Norwegian fjords in summer, the Faroe Islands in autumn, and the coasts of Greenland in any season offer drama without crowds. These itineraries require specialized vessels, advance planning measured in months rather than weeks, and local expertise that we build into every booking from the outset.
Vessel Types
Finding the right yacht for your journey
The vessel is the destination as much as the water around it. We match the yacht to your group, your route, and the experience you're looking for.
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Motor Yachts (30-50m)
Motor yachts in the 30 to 50-meter range represent the sweet spot for most luxury charters - large enough to carry four to eight guests in genuine comfort, with multiple cabin configurations, a professional crew of four to eight, and the range and speed to cover meaningful distance in a day. These vessels are what most clients picture when they imagine a superyacht charter: a formal dining area, a sun deck with loungers and a bar, a tender for beach runs and water sports, and crew quarters that keep the guest areas genuinely private. Week-long charters in the Mediterranean typically run from €60,000 to €200,000 depending on vessel and season.
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Superyachts (50m+)
Above 50 meters, a yacht becomes something closer to a private ship - with a crew complement that may exceed 20, an onboard spa and gym, a pool, multiple tenders and toys, a helipad, and guest suites that rival any five-star hotel room. These vessels charter to groups of ten to twelve guests and represent the ultimate expression of the medium. We work with the leading superyacht brokers globally and have access to vessels that are rarely publicly marketed. For very large groups - a corporate retreat, a milestone celebration, a multigenerational gathering - a superyacht provides a level of integration and privacy that no land-based option can replicate.
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Sailing Yachts & Gulets
For clients drawn to the romance of sail, a crewed sailing yacht or gulet offers a fundamentally different pace and character. A sailing yacht of 20 to 30 meters - a Perini Navi, an Oyster, a custom aluminium sloop - carries a smaller group (four to six guests) in intimate quarters and moves at the rhythm of the wind. A gulet, the traditional wooden vessel of Turkey and the Aegean, blends local character with genuine comfort: a broad stern deck for dining under the stars, a shallow draft that allows access to coves motor yachts can't enter, and a crew that typically includes a local guide as well as a cook. These are our recommendation for clients who want to feel the water, not simply sit above it.
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Expedition Vessels
Expedition vessels are purpose-built for environments that conventional yachts don't enter - ice-strengthened for Antarctic waters, stabilized for open-ocean crossings, equipped with onboard naturalists, dive support, submarine tenders, and scientific equipment. Vessels like the Octopus, the SuRi, and the Silver Origin are chartered by clients who want the Antarctic Peninsula, the Galápagos, or the remote Indonesian archipelago to be accessible without sacrificing comfort. We work with the specialist brokers who know these vessels best and design the expedition program - including shore landings, wildlife encounters, and educational briefings - as an integral part of the charter experience.
Plan Your Charter
Yacht charters at a glance
When to Charter
The Mediterranean season runs from May through October, with July and August representing peak demand - and peak pricing. Shoulder season (May-June and September-October) offers the same waters, fewer crowds, and more favorable charter rates. The Caribbean season inverts: December through April is peak, when the trade winds are reliable and the climate is perfect. Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean charter year-round, with local seasons dictating which cruising grounds are available in a given month. We advise on seasonal nuances for every destination before a vessel is selected.
What's Included
A yacht charter fee covers the vessel and its core crew for the agreed charter period. Separately, the APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance) - typically 30-35% of the charter fee - covers fuel, provisions, port fees, crew gratuities, and any activity costs incurred during the charter. We provide a full breakdown of expected costs before you commit, with no surprises on disembarkation day. We also arrange flights to and from the embarkation port, pre- or post-charter hotel nights, and any shoreside experiences that complement the itinerary.
Group Size & Configuration
Most charter yachts are configured for four to twelve guests, with cabins ranging from twin-berth to master suites with private decks. We discuss your group composition before recommending a vessel - a family with young children has different requirements than six couples celebrating a milestone. We pay close attention to cabin configuration, crew-to-guest ratio, and onboard amenities (water toys, dive equipment, tenders, pools) to ensure the vessel matches how your group actually wants to spend its time at sea and at anchor.
Investment
Weekly charter rates begin at approximately $20,000 for a crewed sailing catamaran in the Caribbean and escalate through $60,000-$200,000 for a mid-size motor yacht in the Mediterranean, to $500,000 and above per week for the largest superyachts. The APA, flights, and pre-charter accommodations are additional. For clients new to yacht charters, we typically recommend a first experience in the $80,000-$150,000 per week range - vessels in this bracket offer professional crews, genuine comfort, and the full range of water sports equipment without the operational complexity of the very largest yachts.
Common Questions
Frequently asked questions about yacht charters
Do I need sailing experience to charter a yacht?
No experience whatsoever is required for a crewed charter. The captain and crew handle all navigation, docking, and vessel management. Your role as a charter guest is simply to enjoy the experience. For clients interested in a more active sailing role, we can arrange yachts with captains who welcome guest participation at the helm - but it is never an expectation or a requirement.
How far in advance should I book a charter?
For peak season in July and August in the Mediterranean, we recommend booking six to twelve months in advance - the most sought-after vessels in popular size categories are often reserved by November for the following summer. For shoulder seasons and the Caribbean winter season, four to six months is generally sufficient. Last-minute charters are occasionally available when a booking cancels, and we monitor the market continuously for clients with flexible dates.
What does the crew do, and how many will be onboard?
Crew numbers scale with the vessel - a 30-meter motor yacht typically carries four to six crew, including a captain, first mate, engineer, chef, and a steward or two. The chef prepares all onboard meals to your preferences, the stewards maintain the interior, and the captain navigates and oversees safety. On larger vessels, crew may include a dedicated masseuse, diving instructor, or water sports coordinator. Crew gratuity - typically 10-15% of the charter fee - is paid at the end of the charter and distributed among the full team.
Can I choose the route and itinerary?
Entirely - the itinerary is yours to design, in consultation with the captain and our planning team. We work with you before departure to create a day-by-day plan based on your preferences, weather patterns, and the vessel's range. The captain will advise on any routing adjustments necessitated by weather or sea conditions, but the overall shape of the journey - the destinations, the pace, the balance between sea days and port visits - is determined by you. We also pre-book restaurants, arrange private excursions, and coordinate any special experiences you want during the charter.
What happens in bad weather?
The captain is responsible for safety decisions and will always prioritize the welfare of guests and crew over any itinerary commitment. On most charters in established cruising grounds, the weather window is predictable enough that routes are adjusted in advance rather than in the moment. A well-designed itinerary includes flexibility - alternative anchorages, protected harbors, or days reserved for land-based exploration when the sea conditions are unfavorable. In our experience, a single day of genuinely difficult weather in a two-week Mediterranean charter is unusual.
Is a yacht charter suitable for children?
Extremely so - and often cited by parents as one of the best family travel formats they've experienced. The containment of the yacht means young children have visible boundaries and constant supervision without the constant vigilance required in a hotel or city environment. Older children thrive on the water sports, snorkeling, and independence of life at anchor. We select vessels with appropriate safety equipment for families - safety netting, life jackets in all sizes, and crew experienced in traveling with children - and design itineraries that give parents genuine downtime while keeping kids engaged.
Ready to set sail?
Tell us your ideal cruising ground, your group size, and what kind of experience you're looking for. We'll match you with the perfect vessel and design an itinerary around your dream.