How Much Should You Tip on a Charter Boat?

As a general rule, the yacht industry suggests leaving a tip of between 5% and 15% of the weekly rental cost (not including taxes or fees). These guidelines help set an industry standard and set expectations with each party about what they could expect to pay and receive at the end of a charter trip. Tipping is not mandatory, it is not a salary and there are no definite rules. A tip is a customer-driven act that usually demonstrates an appreciation of the level of service.

The “fees” for tipping a boat captain vary between 5 and 20%, but there is a certain label. The tip is always given to the captain, in cash, who distributes it equally among the crew. If there is a crew, of course, the thing to keep in mind here is that charter flights are not like restaurants. People who work on a charter basis would compare it more to a lifestyle because their shifts tend to be longer. In some countries, stations only last between 12 and 16 weeks and have to run every day.

Even when the captain is the owner of the boat, most of the money goes toward maintaining the boat and the expenses of owning a business. There is no manual for tipping yacht charter captains for beginners; therefore, no specific amount is established for this purpose. However, there is a general custom of tipping a charter captain of 5% to 20% of the yacht rental rate, but as mentioned above, there is no manual to guide him. If you had to book accommodation for the night, you would surely not tip managers more than half of the hotel bill, except, of course, in some extraordinary cases. This also applies to tipping a charter captain.

There is no specific tip percentage, but a reasonable person would do well to set a tip of 10 to 20% of the total yacht fare. Common sense dictates that if you had an exceptional experience on your charter trip, you should consider leaving a higher tip than usual. On the other hand, if you were not satisfied with your experience or felt that your expectations were not met, you should consider leaving a lower tip or even none at all. It's important to remember that tipping is an act of appreciation and should be done out of respect for the crew's hard work. Good crews can't be paid enough; it's better to tip by paying the tip in cash to the captain or crew members in person rather than by proxy. As a general rule, it is customary to give a tip of 10 to 15% when renting in the Mediterranean, while a tip of 15 to 20% is more common in the Caribbean.

According to the tipping guidelines of the Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association (MYBA), the general rule is to leave a tip of between 10 and 15% of the weekly freight rate, not including operating expenses or taxes. By keeping it as a separate item, the charterer can reward the crew who has done a fabulous job, and the crew may feel that, if they go the extra mile, they can get a bonus for their extra efforts. In addition, the tip percentage for a charter crew is not fixed, and guests may vary the percentage depending on the services provided. Fishing captains on rental boats reported that they normally receive tips of 10 to 20% of the cost of the trip. The rental of a yacht is an industry related to services and, as is the case in most similar industries, the tip is in the hands of the customer. Even if his group insisted on chasing the sailboat even though navigation was slow on a rental boat. As in restaurant industry tips become substantial part of yacht charter captain's income.

Pamela Taschereau
Pamela Taschereau

Hipster-friendly food advocate. Passionate zombieaholic. Incurable beer junkie. Devoted baconaholic. Professional tv expert. General tv specialist.