The price you see advertised (the charter fee, say 10.000 €) is just for renting the yacht and paying the crew's salaries. Think of it like booking a super cool floating hotel.

What's NOT included is almost everything you'll use on the trip. These extra costs are covered by something called the APA.

What's Extra (covered by the APA):

• Fuel: For the yacht, for the tenders (smaller boats), and for the cool toys like Jet Skis. Motor yachts use a lot of fuel!

• Food and Drinks: Everything from gourmet meals cooked by your private chef to snacks, champagne, and sodas.

• Port Fees: If you want to dock in popular, fancy marinas (like Monaco or Saint-Tropez), you have to pay a parking fee for the boat.

• Taxes: There’s a sales tax, called VAT, on the charter fee in Europe, and the rate changes depending on the country you start in.

The APA stands for Advance Provisioning Allowance.

It's basically a pre-paid spending account you put money into before the trip. The Captain uses this cash to buy fuel, food, drinks, and pay port fees during your charter.

• How much? For motor yachts, this is usually 30% to 40% of the charter fee. So, for a €100,000 charter, you'd pay an extra €30,000 to €40,000 upfront for the APA.

• What happens at the end? The crew keeps a detailed receipt of every cent spent. If they spend less than your APA, you get the rest of the money back. If they spend more (maybe you cruised far or drank a lot of fancy wine!), you'll need to pay the difference before you leave the boat.

Before your trip, you'll fill out a detailed form called a Preference Sheet. This tells the chef everything:

• Your favorite foods (and least favorite!).

• Any allergies or dietary restrictions (like vegetarian, gluten-free, or vegan).

• What drinks you want on board (your favorite brand of water, type of coffee, or the champagne you prefer).

The chef will then plan a custom menu just for your group, and all the ingredients will be stocked before you even step on board. You get star restaurant quality, perfectly customized for you, every single day.

You will work with the Captain to plan a rough itinerary before you leave, but the whole plan is flexible. Want to stay longer at a cool beach? Decide you don't like a certain port and want to skip it? Go for it!

The Captain is the expert and will make suggestions based on the best anchorages, weather, and your interests. As long as it's safe and possible, you are the boss.

Tipping (called a gratuity) is a way to thank the Captain and crew for their hard work and great service. It's customary for crewed luxury charters, but the amount is up to you.

• The usual amount in the Mediterranean is 10% to 15% of the base charter fee.

• You should give the tip money to the Captain in an envelope on the last day. He will then split it fairly among the entire crew (including the chef and engineers who work behind the scenes).

Since you are chartering a crewed motor yacht, you have a professional Captain and crew on board. They are fully licensed and trained to handle all the navigation, safety, and operation of the yacht. Your job is simply to relax and enjoy the ride.

Most luxury motor yachts come packed with a garage full of fun toys. The specific list changes by yacht, but you can usually expect:

• Tender: A powerful smaller boat to take you ashore or for water-skiing.

• Jet Skis/WaveRunners: (Depending on local rules—some places don't allow them).

• SeaBobs: Handheld water jets that pull you underwater to explore like a dolphin.

• Paddleboards (SUPs) and Kayaks: For a quieter cruise near the yacht.

• Snorkeling and sometimes Scuba Dive Gear: For checking out what's under the water.

Make sure to check the exact list of water toys with your booking agent before you sign the contract!

Yes, almost all yachts have Wi-Fi, but it's not like the super-fast internet at home, check with your Charter broker if Star link is installed on your yacht.

• Most of the time, the Wi-Fi works by catching the cell phone signal from land. When you are close to the coast or in a marina, the internet is usually quite good.

• If you cruise far out to sea, the yacht will switch to expensive satellite internet, which is much slower and usually has limits.

• Pro Tip: Download any movies or huge files you want to use before your trip. The yacht's Wi-Fi is great for checking emails and posting photos, but less great for streaming a dozen movies at once.

• Luggage: Use soft-sided bags or duffels, not hard suitcases. This is because storage space in the cabins is limited, and soft bags can be folded up and easily tucked away by the crew.

• Shoes: The most important rule is "No shoes on deck." To protect the beautiful wooden decks, you'll be asked to take off your shoes when boarding. Bring a couple of pairs of soft-soled deck shoes, nice sandals, or trainers for going ashore.

• Clothing: Mostly swimwear, light shorts, linen shirts, and comfortable resort wear. Bring a few dressier outfits for dinner, and a light jacket or sweater for cool evenings on the water.

If you want a specific yacht or need to charter during the busiest months (July and August in Europe), you should aim to book 6 to 12 months in advance.

• Booking Early: Gives you the best choice of yachts, dates, and destinations.

• Booking Late: Sometimes you can snag a great last-minute deal, but you'll have to choose from what's left over, and your preferred yacht might be gone.