How much does it cost to rent a superyacht

Superyachts are one of the most expensive assets you can buy. With a purchase cost of up to nine figures, plus millions of dollars a year to maintain them, they can also be considered one of the worst investments you can make.

If you’re not like Mark Zuckerberg or Jeff Bezos and don’t have hundreds of millions of dollars to spend, renting a superyacht (any boat over 100 feet) can be a more economical option. But it’s far from cheap. Simply put, renting a yacht for a week in the summer can cost over a million dollars.

“Our charter clients are looking for a 6-star experience that is perfectly tailored to their needs,” Katie Schneidman, a charter broker at Burgess, told Business Insider via email.

Take the Carinthia VII, a 320-foot yacht offered by Fraser Yachts that costs more than $1.5 million per week to charter. Even split evenly among 12 guests, the maximum it can accommodate, that’s about $18,000 per person per day.

You get what you pay for: a glass-enclosed swimming pool, a spa with Turkish baths and beauty salon, plenty of water toys and a crew of 33 ready to cater to your every need.

Amenities at the Carinthia VII include a spa, swimming pool, water toys and more.

Courtesy of Fraser

“It’s not uncommon to look for a deckhand who can also mix a martini, play an instrument, maybe entertain guests by singing, and ideally even give a massage,” Anders Kurtén, CEO of Fraser Yachts, told Business Insider at the Palm Beach Yacht Show in March.

But there are a number of costs that are not factored into this price.

Provisioning a charter yacht can account for as much as 40 percent of the charter price, Schneidman said. Fraser Yachts estimates the total is closer to 30 percent.

That means food, drinks and fuel for the Carinthia VII could cost as much as $600,000. Just a few years ago, provisions made up about 20 percent of the cost of a charter, a Palm Beach Yacht Show agent told BI, but the cost of fuel has made it more expensive than ever to get caviar to the middle of the Mediterranean.

Each yacht is catered with your choice of food, beverage and menu preferences.

Courtesy of Fraser

According to Fraser, the industry standard tip is an additional 7 to 20 percent, which would add up to between $105,000 and $300,000 for the Carinthia VII. There’s also sales tax to factor in, which, depending on where you’re sailing, can add another 20 percent, or $300,000, to the total cost.

In total, a week on the Carinthia VII can cost $2.7 million, or just over $32,000 per person per day.

After spending over $2 million on your charter, it’s always customary to tip the crew.

Courtesy of Fraser

The total amount of the stay is due before departure, but it can be paid in two or three installments.

Once the charter is booked, the luxury experience begins immediately. Guests will set an itinerary with the captain (Carinthia VII sails in Greece and the Western Mediterranean) and the crew will stock the yacht with your choice of wine and spirits, as well as any dishes you would like your private chef to prepare.

But there is one thing that even the most experienced staff cannot control.

“It’s important to note that yacht itineraries are at the mercy of weather conditions,” Schneidman said. And yes, you still have to pay, even if you don’t leave the port.

But there are perks, too, she says. “It can also lead to a happy surprise: A detour through Naples to escape a big swell outside Positano may find you an incredible Napoleonic pizzeria that will become a favorite of the trip!”