When planning a yacht charter, size is the primary price driver—but the relationship between meters and cost is non-linear. A 30m yacht runs €30,000/week (shoulder), while a 50m costs €100,000—seemingly 3x more. But it does not deliver 3x better experience. It offers 20–30% more comfort, additional amenities, and superior speed. This guide details what changes every 10 meters, offering a size-guests-price comparison table to help you find the sweet spot between indulgence and group reality.
Table of Contents
- Pricing, cabins, and guest capacity by size
- What changes every 10 meters
- Crew, tenders, range, and berthing
- Cost-benefit analysis
- How region and season multiply the size effect
- FAQ
Table: Size, Price, Guest Capacity (Mediterranean, April 2026)
| Size | Price/week (avg) | Cabins | Guests comfortable | Crew | Speed | €/meter | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | 30–35m | €30k–45k | 3–4 | 6–8 | Captain+2 | 12 knots | €1,000/m | | 35–40m | €45k–70k | 4–5 | 8–10 | Captain+2-3 | 13 knots | €1,150/m | | 40–50m | €70k–110k | 5–6 | 10–12 | Captain+4 | 14 knots | €1,400/m | | 50–60m | €110k–170k | 6–7 | 12–14 | Captain+5 | 15 knots | €1,800/m | | 60–70m | €170k–260k | 7–8 | 14–16 | Captain+6 | 16 knots | €2,400/m |
Reading it: €/meter rises with size = you pay exponentially more for amenity comfort, not linearly.
What Changes Every 10 Meters
30m → 40m: +€20k but gain extra cabin, dedicated galley (vs. shared), deck shower, and motor capacity for 2+ hour runs. Worth it if: group is 8+ (cost per person drops 15%).
40m → 50m: +€35k. Gain infinity pool/jacuzzi, dedicated chef (crew +1), dual salons + galley + 2 baths, speed 14→15 knots. Worth it if: want Michelin cuisine or speed matters (Monaco–Portofino 1.5h vs. 3h).
50m → 60m: +€50k. Master suite with 360 views, +1 cabin (7 total), second salon, spa. Worth it if: group is 14+, corporate event, or luxury is priority.
60m+: mega-superyacht. Cost exponential (€2,400+/meter). Worth only if: celebrity, billionaire, or major event.
What Changes Beyond the Price Tag
Price and cabin count are only part of the picture. Four other things change every 10 meters, and they shape the week as much as the euro figure does — yet they rarely appear in a pricing table.
Crew structure. A 30–35m yacht typically runs with a captain and two deckhands who split cooking, service, and watch duties between them. Around 35–40m, a dedicated chef joins the crew, freeing the deckhands to focus on guest service and water sports. By 45–50m, crews add a stewardess for cabin turnover and housekeeping, and past 55–60m a second engineer usually comes aboard to manage the more complex mechanical, air conditioning, and stabilizer systems that larger hulls carry. A 60m+ superyacht crew often separates into distinct deck, interior, and engineering departments, each reporting to the captain.
Tender and toy capacity. A 30–35m yacht usually carries a single tender — commonly a 4–5m RIB — stowed on davits at the stern, enough for guest transport to shore but little else. From about 40–45m, yachts more often build a stern garage that holds a larger tender plus basic water toys such as paddleboards and snorkel gear. Above 50m, garages typically expand to hold two tenders (one fast RIB for transport, one slower day boat for cruising) plus jet skis, and 60m+ superyachts frequently add a fold-out swim platform at the waterline for toy deployment and swimming.
Range. Smaller charter yachts (30–40m) are built for coastal hopping: they carry enough fuel for day-to-day cruising between anchorages but plan routes around refueling every few days. Yachts from about 45m up generally carry larger tanks relative to their size and can go a full week or more without returning to a fuel dock, which matters for itineraries that spend several nights away from a marina. The largest superyachts, 60m and above, are typically built with long-range cruising in mind, even when the charter itinerary itself stays coastal.
Where the yacht can berth. This is the constraint guests notice least in advance and most once aboard. Most Mediterranean marinas comfortably accommodate yachts up to about 40–45m; beyond that, a shrinking number of ports have the space and services for larger vessels. Antibes' Port Vauban is one of the largest dedicated superyacht harbors in the Mediterranean and regularly hosts vessels past 60m; Monaco's Port Hercule and Porto Cervo in Sardinia's Costa Smeralda are built around the same segment. A 35m yacht can duck into almost any harbor on the itinerary; a 70m superyacht's route is partly decided by which ports can take it, which is one reason brokers plan superyacht itineraries around a shorter list of confirmed bases rather than a flexible day-by-day plan.
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Best price-to-comfort: 45–50m yacht. Costs €85k–110k, sleeps 12 comfortably, premium amenities (pool, chef, Wi-Fi), non-mega pricing. Per-guest for luxury week: €7k–9k.
Budget €30k–50k: target 35–40m. Fully comfortable for 6–8, competent chef (not Michelin), decent speed. Experience: 8/10.
Budget €100k+: jump to 50m+ superyacht. Comfort curve rises again—infinity pool, Michelin chef, duplex master justify the leap.
How Region Multiplies the Size Effect
The table above reflects a blended Mediterranean average. Where you charter changes it further. Expect prices close to the low end of each size band in Greece and Croatia, where entry pricing for a crewed yacht opens around €15,000/week, and closer to the high end — or above it — in France and Italy, where entry pricing starts near €80,000–90,000/week before size is even factored in. Mid-size crewed yachts anywhere in the Mediterranean open around €30,000/week, while the largest superyachts can pass €300,000/week regardless of region. 2026 rates across the Mediterranean are running 5–12% above the prior year, and June and September shoulder weeks price 20–35% below the July–August peak — a bigger swing, in absolute euros, on a 60m yacht than on a 30m one.
How Size Interacts With Season
Seasonality does not treat every size the same way. A 30–35m yacht is a reasonably good booking even outside July–August — off-peak demand keeps utilization steady, and owners are often willing to price toward the lower end of the €30k–45k band shown above to keep the boat working. A 45–50m yacht holds its price more evenly across May through September, since it is the size band most Mediterranean charter groups actually want. Above 55–60m, the market concentrates hard on July and August: owners of the largest yachts would often rather leave a boat idle in the shoulder months than discount a flagship, so availability outside peak season is thin even when, on paper, the yacht is technically bookable.
FAQ
What is average yacht speed?
12–15 knots. 30m = 12 knots (leisurely). 50m+ superyacht = 15–18 knots (covers distance fast). Effect: Monaco–Portofino in 3h (small yacht) vs. 1.5h (super).
How many people actually fit (uncomfortable vs. comfortable)?
30m = 8 max (6 comfortable). 40m = 10 max (8 comfortable). 50m = 14 max (12 comfortable). 60m+ = 16–20 max. "Comfortable" = one cabin per couple.
Is a pool worth it?
Yes, absolutely. Cost premium: €2k–3k/week. Use: Mediterranean water is cool (18–22°C); heated pool transforms the experience. Highly recommended.
Sailing vs. motor?
Motor = fast, stable, comfort. Sailing = authentic, 25% cheaper, minimal fuel. Choice: short time (5 days), motor. Long time (14 days), sailing.
Ever worth chartering two smaller yachts for a large group?
Rarely. Two 40m yachts = 2×€70k = €140k vs. one 60m = €170k. Margin is small but two yachts create logistics (two crews, two routes). Worth only if group values privacy (two families separately).
Do all charter yachts carry the same water toys?
No. A 30–35m yacht typically has a single tender and maybe snorkel gear; toys multiply with size. By 50m, expect jet skis and paddleboards as standard equipment; by 60m+, expect a fold-out swim platform and sometimes extras like a small sailing dinghy, all listed on the yacht's inventory sheet before booking.
Can any yacht dock right in the town center?
Not always. Smaller yachts (up to about 40–45m) fit into most historic Mediterranean harbors; larger superyachts often anchor offshore and reach the same town by tender, or berth at a dedicated superyacht marina outside the old harbor. Ask your broker which ports on the itinerary can actually take the yacht's length.
Does a larger yacht mean fewer refueling stops?
Generally yes. Yachts from about 45m carry proportionally larger tanks and can run a full week between fuel stops; smaller 30–35m yachts plan routes around refueling every few days, which is rarely noticeable to guests since it happens while everyone is ashore or asleep.
Choosing Between Size and Substance
For a closer look at where the legal and commercial line between a yacht and a superyacht sits, see yacht vs. superyacht: the real difference. For what a broker actually does across all these size bands, read how to choose a charter broker and what's included in a charter week; for full seasonal pricing on a specific coastline, see our French Riviera charter guide. Voguer Yachts matches groups to the right size year-round.
Updated 04/2026.
