Yachts
Crewed vs bareboat yacht charter in the Balearics: which suits you
12 May 2026 · 6 min read
A crewed charter needs no boat licence: the skipper is aboard and runs the yacht. Only a bareboat charter requires you to hold a valid qualification. In the Balearics, almost all luxury chartering is crewed, from €1,936 per day with skipper and base crew included.
The difference, in one line
Crewed means you book the yacht and its crew together. A professional skipper drives, berths, anchors and knows the coves; by length you add a deckhand, a hostess or a chef. You set the day's plan and they carry it out.
Bareboat means you run the boat yourself. You book the hull alone and take on the navigation, the port manoeuvres and the anchoring. It costs less per hour of boat, but it asks for real experience and a licence in order.
For a traveller who wants to rest, the choice almost always lands on crewed. The length and comfort you expect on a luxury yacht are not handled single-handed without proper seamanship.
The licence rules
Crewed charters need no licence at all. The skipper holds the professional qualification and carries the responsibility of command. You step aboard as a guest, with no nautical paperwork of your own.
Bareboat is different. It requires a valid qualification — an ICC or the recognised national equivalent — plus a VHF radio certificate for the person in charge aboard. Without those documents, no serious operator will hand over the keys.
This is the main reason crewed charter dominates the luxury market in the Balearics: it removes the licence requirement and shifts all the skill to someone who holds it by trade.
What the crew adds
The skipper decides where to anchor based on that day's wind and brings you to the right cove at the right hour. That turns a decent day into a memorable one, and it is local knowledge that cannot be improvised.
The crew handles provisioning, berthing, the tenders, the swimming gear and safety. On yachts with a hostess and a chef, the meals and service on board too. You never touch a line or a fridge.
For groups and families the gap is huge: instead of watching the manoeuvre, you are with your people. The crew is the invisible part that makes the day work.
How the cost is built
The day rate already includes the skipper and the base crew. Our fleet runs from €1,936 per day (Fjord 44) to €17,150 per day (Azimut Grande 32); a Pershing 72, for instance, sits at €5,900 per day. The broader catalogue reaches 175 boats.
Fuel is billed separately, at the actual consumption of the day — it is not part of the day rate. A quiet run out to anchor burns little; a long passage under power, a good deal more.
On multi-day charters the APA (provisioning fund) applies: typically 25-35% on top, itemised line by line, with the unused balance returned at the end. So you pay the real spend, not a fixed estimate.
When each one makes sense
Crewed is the natural choice if you want a day free of logistics, hold no licence, travel with family or guests, or want the best coves without studying the chart. It is what most of our clients book.
Bareboat only fits if you sail regularly, hold the licence and VHF certificate in order, and enjoy running the boat yourself. Even then, on a large yacht the port manoeuvre gets harder without deck crew.
Our honest steer: if in doubt, go crewed. The bareboat saving evaporates once you count the stress of the manoeuvres and the risk of picking the wrong cove in a swell.
Do I need a boat licence to charter a yacht in Mallorca?
No, if you charter crewed: the crew runs the boat and you travel as a guest. Only a bareboat charter requires a valid qualification plus a VHF radio certificate. In the Balearics, almost all luxury chartering is crewed, so no licence is needed.
How much does a crewed yacht cost per day?
From €1,936 per day (Fjord 44) to €17,150 per day (Azimut Grande 32), with the skipper and base crew already included. A Pershing 72 sits at €5,900 per day. Fuel is billed separately at the actual consumption of the day.
What is the APA and when does it apply?
The APA is the provisioning fund on multi-day charters: usually 25-35% on top, itemised line by line, with the unused balance returned. It covers fuel, mooring fees, food and the trip's extras over the days aboard.
On a crewed charter, can I decide the day's plan?
Yes. You choose the coves, the timings and the pace; the skipper advises on the wind and runs the day. That blend of your plan and their local knowledge is exactly what makes a day aboard come together well.