How do payments work for an expedition charter?

John Boullin
Yacht charter broker, DMA Yachting

The standard structure: 50% of the charter fee is due when you sign the charter agreement, and the remaining 50% plus the APA is due about six weeks before departure. Because expedition charters are booked so far ahead, a staged split (for example 25/25/50) is more common here than elsewhere, and we arrange it where the owner agrees.

Payment is by bank transfer, the industry standard for amounts this size. Every deadline is laid out in the agreement, so the money side holds no surprises.

What differs on an expedition charter is what sits alongside the fee: permits, park fees and guide costs. We spell those out up front so the all-in number is clear before you commit. See why prices exclude extras.