Quick answer
- Realistic all-in budget: a serious crewed Maldives charter for 8 to 12 guests runs from roughly $100,000 to $300,000+ for the week once everything is added.
- Base rate today: the proper liveaboard motor yachts our brokers place start around $60,000–$120,000/week, with superyachts like PURPOSE from $270,000/week.
- Add 40–70% on top: APA, 17% TGST, Green Tax ($12 per guest per night), and crew gratuity sit above the base rate.
- Best months: December to March for calm seas and visibility; May to November for mantas in Baa Atoll’s Hanifaru Bay.
- Vessel reality: the Maldives fleet is motor-yacht and superyacht driven — only about 12 charter yachts, and sailing catamarans are very hard to source here.
- Book early: peak-season charters should be reserved 8 to 12 months before you sail.
Louis Lamprell, Charter Broker, Active CYBA Member at DMA Yachting
What a crewed Maldives charter actually costs
For most guests, plan on a true all-in cost of $100,000 to $300,000+ for a week, depending on the yacht. The base charter rate is only the starting point — in the Maldives you add 40 to 70 percent on top of it once taxes, provisioning and gratuity are counted. Anyone budgeting off the headline weekly figure alone will be caught out.
Where you land in that range comes down to the boat. A capable liveaboard motor yacht sleeping 8 sits at the lower end; a 50m-plus superyacht moves you toward the top. The Maldives is a motor-yacht destination — the routing flexibility across 26 atolls is the whole point, and that is what you are paying for.
What the base rate covers, and what it doesn’t
The base rate buys the yacht, the crew, insurance and standard kit — snorkelling gear and the tender are usually included. It does not include fuel, food and drink, park permits, port fees, taxes or your transfers from Velana International Airport.
Those extras come through three lines you should understand before you sign:
- APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance): a deposit, typically 35–40% of the charter fee, that funds fuel, food, drink, permits and excursions. Unspent APA is refunded — treat it as a recoverable line, not a sunk cost.
- Taxes: 17% TGST on the charter, plus Green Tax of $12 per guest per night (it doubled in January 2025).
- Crew gratuity: usually 10–20% of the base rate, at your discretion.
Marcelle Hailwax, Charter Broker at DMA Yachting
A worked example for 8 guests
Here is how a $100,000/week motor yacht actually totals for 8 guests over 7 nights. It is the clearest way to see what “40 to 70% on top” means in real money.
| Line item | Basis | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Base charter rate | 1 week | $100,000 |
| TGST | 17% | $17,000 |
| Green Tax | $12 × 8 × 7 | $672 |
| APA | ~35% | $35,000 |
| Crew gratuity | ~15% | $15,000 |
| All-in estimate | ~$167,672 |
Split across 8 guests, that is a little over $1,000 per person per night for a fully crewed private yacht with the run of the atolls — and you get the unspent APA back. Useful context: comparable overwater villas at the top resorts run $1,800 to $30,000+ a night, fixed to one lagoon.
What moves the number
What changes the total
Vessel class is the biggest lever. A liveaboard motor yacht for 8 sits well below $120,000/week base; a 50m-plus superyacht such as PURPOSE, a 54.9m motor yacht for 6 cabins, starts at $270,000/week. Length, build year and crew size drive that gap. You can browse the realistic field on our Maldives charter pages and across our luxury yacht fleet.
Season matters too. December to March is peak and priced as such; November and May are shoulder months with more competitive rates and slightly more variable conditions. Group size changes your effective per-head cost more than your base rate — a larger boat split across 10 or 12 guests can land cheaper per person than a small yacht for 4. For bigger parties, see large-group charter options.
Martina Asmus, Owner, Charter Broker, Active CYBA Member, IYBA, ECPY at DMA YachtingHow to keep the bill honest
The Maldives is a clean charter market — there is no longer any yacht import duty, abolished back in 2015 — but the all-in figure still depends entirely on your dates, yacht and group size. The way to avoid surprises is to get the full breakdown upfront, not the base rate alone.
- Ask for a worked all-in quote: base + TGST + Green Tax + APA + gratuity.
- Confirm whether crew food is owner-borne or drawn from your APA — clarify before you sail.
- Pin down what dive support and equipment is included if you want to dive Maaya Thila or Ari Atoll. Check our yachts with onboard scuba.
- Budget seaplane or speedboat transfers from Velana separately if your route starts in the outer atolls.
- Book 8 to 12 months before you sail for December to March; 5 to 7 months ahead for manta season.
FAQ
What is the cheapest realistic crewed Maldives charter?
At the entry level a small crewed motor sailer can sit far lower, but a proper liveaboard motor yacht sleeping 8 starts around $60,000/week base. Once you add APA, 17% TGST, Green Tax and gratuity, expect roughly $100,000 all-in for the week. Anything advertised dramatically below that is usually a shared safari boat, not a private crewed charter.
Is the APA refundable?
Yes. The APA is a deposit that funds fuel, food, drink, permits and excursions during your trip. Whatever the crew doesn’t spend is returned to you at the end of the charter, so treat it as a recoverable line rather than a fixed cost.
Can I charter a sailing catamaran in the Maldives?
It is possible but rare. The Maldives charter fleet is dominated by motor yachts and superyachts, and sailing catamarans are hard to source here. For most guests a motor yacht is the right and realistic choice; if you specifically want a catamaran, French Polynesia or Raja Ampat are far better fits.
When should I go for the best value?
November and May are the shoulder months — rates are more competitive and conditions are still good, though slightly more variable. December to March gives the calmest seas and best visibility but at peak pricing. May to November is manta season around Hanifaru Bay in Baa Atoll, which is the reason to accept the wetter conditions.
How far ahead should I book?
With only around 12 charter yachts in Maldivian waters, peak December-to-April dates should be reserved 8 to 12 months before you sail. Manta-season charters need 5 to 7 months. The best boats go first, so the earlier you talk to a broker the more of the real fleet is still open to you.
Plan Your Maldives Charter With Real Experts
Tell us how you like to travel and our charter team will hand-pick the right crewed yachts, dates and route — no obligation.
Our Top Maldives Recommendations
We put these shortlists together because most travellers don’t need to weigh up every yacht on the water — just the handful that consistently get this kind of trip right. Each guide below digs into the boats, the best months to go, and the trade-offs worth knowing before you book.
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