Crewed charter
A fully crewed yacht with captain, deck and interior crew and a chef
Crewed charter from Cannes
A crewed charter adds a captain and interior and deck crew so guests do nothing but enjoy the coast — with a chef on the larger yachts. It is the difference between driving a boat and being looked after on one.
What the crew handles
The captain plans the passage and reads the weather; the deck crew handle the tender, the water toys and the anchoring; the interior crew look after the cabins and service; the chef cooks to your taste. You decide the day; the crew make it happen.
Handled to the MYBA standard
Every crewed charter runs on the MYBA charter agreement — the worldwide yachting association's framework covering the contract, the captain's qualifications and how provisioning is handled through an Advance Provisioning Allowance (APA). You see the terms in writing before you commit.
Local knowledge that shows
What separates a good crewed charter from a forgettable one is local knowledge: which anchorage is sheltered when the mistral blows, where the water is calmest for children, which beach club is worth the tender ride. Our crews plan around the forecast and the season, not a fixed script.
Discretion, safety and trust
A professional crew brings more than service: genuine peace of mind. The captain holds the qualifications and the local-waters experience; the crew is trained in onboard safety, tenders and the unexpected. Discretion is the rule — many of our guests return precisely because the house understands the value of reserve. You step aboard in confidence, knowing the navigation, the anchoring and the weather are in experienced hands, and that the day is entirely yours. Where it helps, the crew will quietly suggest the anchorage that suits the forecast or the beach club worth the tender ride — local judgement offered, never imposed, so the day always feels like your own.
Always by quote
Crewed charter is offered by quote — the right proposal depends on the yacht, the crew, the season and the itinerary. Tell us what you want and we present yachts and crews that genuinely fit.
Typical use cases
- A fully crewed yacht with captain, deck and interior crew and a chef
- A charter where guests decide the day and the crew handle everything else
- An MYBA-standard agreement with terms in writing before you commit
- Local crew who plan around the mistral, the season and the calmest anchorages
What is included in a crewed yacht charter?
A crewed yacht charter includes the yacht itself and its professional crew — at minimum a captain, and on larger yachts a deckhand, a chef and interior stewardess service. The crew runs everything: they handle the boat, plan the itinerary around you, manage the tender and water toys, and on the bigger yachts cook to your preferences. What the charter fee does not cover are the running costs of your specific trip — fuel, food and drink, berths in ports you visit, and similar expenses. These are handled through the Advance Provisioning Allowance, or APA, a sum lodged before the charter and reconciled against actual spending at the end. Everything is set out in writing in the MYBA charter agreement before you commit, so there are no surprises. In practice it means you step aboard and do nothing but enjoy the Côte d'Azur while the crew takes care of the rest.
What crew is on board a crewed yacht charter?
On a crewed charter the crew scales with the size of the yacht. Every crewed boat has a captain, who runs the navigation and safety and builds the itinerary around you, and on most a deckhand who handles the tender, the water toys and the deck. From mid-size yachts upward a chef joins to cook to your taste, and a stewardess or interior crew looks after service, cabins and the comfort of the interior. On the largest yachts the team grows further, with several stewardesses, engineers and additional deck crew working quietly behind the scenes. What matters most is not the head-count but the local knowledge: a captain who knows where to anchor in calm, which beach club is worth the detour and how to time the day to the wind turns a good charter into a memorable one. Tell us your preferences and the crew builds the day around them.
Can the chef cater to dietary needs, and do we tip the crew?
Yes to both. On a crewed charter the chef builds menus around your tastes and any dietary needs — vegetarian, gluten-free, allergies, children's preferences — which you share in a preference sheet before departure, along with favourite wines and drinks. The galley shops locally, so meals reflect the markets of the Côte d'Azur. As for tipping, it is customary but entirely at your discretion: the usual guideline across the industry is a crew tip in the region of five to fifteen per cent of the charter fee, given at the end of the trip to reward the service. The tip is separate from the crew's wages and from the APA that covers provisioning. If you are unsure, our brokers will explain the convention plainly so there is no awkwardness — the aim is simply that a crew who has made your week feel effortless is thanked fairly.
Is a crewed charter suitable for families with children?
Very much so — a crewed charter is one of the easiest ways for a family to enjoy the sea, because the crew takes care of everything while you stay with your children. The captain chooses calm, sheltered anchorages such as the channel at the Îles de Lérins or the coves of the Cap d'Antibes, where the water is shallow and clear and young swimmers are comfortable, and times the day to the wind so the boat stays steady. The chef caters to children's tastes and any dietary needs, and a deckhand looks after the water toys — paddleboards, a swim platform, sometimes a sea-bob — that keep older children happy for hours. Cabins give everyone a place to rest, and the pace is yours to set. Tell us the ages of your children and what they enjoy, and we will recommend a boat with the right layout, stability and equipment for a relaxed family day or week.