Yacht Charter Glossary
APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance)
Also known as: Advance Provisioning Allowance · Advanced Provisioning Allowance · Provisioning Allowance
Last updated August 2026
Full explanation
The Advance Provisioning Allowance is the single most misunderstood line item in yacht chartering.
It is not a deposit, a tip, or a tax.
It is a working float held by the captain in trust to pay the operating expenses of the yacht while it is under your command.
On a Greek charter the MYBA contract fixes the mechanism, not the rate: in practice APA runs at 20 to 30% of the base charter fee on a sailing yacht or catamaran and 30 to 40% on a motor yacht, because the figure tracks fuel burn (a 50 metre motor yacht at 20 knots burns a great deal more than a 24 metre sailing yacht under canvas).
What APA covers: diesel, gasoline for the tender, drinking water, food and beverages provisioned to your preferences, port and marina fees, harbour clearance, customs costs, communications, and laundry.
What APA does NOT cover: the crew gratuity (separate), personal expenses ashore, dive certifications, and any third-party services the captain books on your behalf (e.g. a private chef ashore).
At the end of the charter the captain produces a full reconciliation.
If you spent less than the APA, the balance is refunded in cash or wire.
If you spent more, you settle the difference on the day of disembarkation.
UHNW buyers should expect to see every receipt - a serious captain hands over a folder, not a verbal summary.
Why it matters for UHNW charterers
APA is the difference between a quoted charter price and the actual cash you will commit. A 35 to 40 metre motor yacht at EUR 59,900 to 150,000 a week on the Greek Charter Index 2026 carries an APA of 30 to 40% of that base before you board, EUR 18,000 to 48,000 held by the captain. If your broker is not framing APA, season, and gratuity in the same conversation as the base fee, you are not talking to a broker who prices whole weeks.
Worked examples
Motor yacht, 26 to 31 metres, Athens to the Cyclades, 7 nights
Index 2026 band: EUR 35,900 to 75,000 a week. APA at 30 to 40%, EUR 10,800 to 30,000, wired before embarkation. Fuel first, then food, drink and berths; the unspent balance refunded against receipts on the morning you step off.
Sailing catamaran, 20 to 22 metres, Ionian, 7 nights
Index 2026 band: EUR 31,500 to 43,500 a week. APA at 20 to 30%, EUR 6,300 to 13,050. A sheltered week under sail burns the least fuel of any yacht type, and most of the float comes back.
Frequently asked
About apa (advance provisioning allowance)
Is APA refundable if I spend less than the deposit?
Yes. Any APA not consumed during the charter is refunded to you at disembarkation, in cash or by bank wire soon after. The captain provides a full receipt-backed reconciliation.
Can the captain ask for additional APA mid-charter?
Yes, if the yacht's consumption exceeds the initial estimate (long passages, heavy guest hospitality, premium spirits). A professional captain flags this well before the float runs down and shows the running ledger before requesting a top-up.
Is APA the same on a sailing yacht as on a motor yacht?
No. Sailing yachts and catamarans burn less fuel and run on 20 to 30% APA. Motor yachts run 30 to 40%, with the fast planing hulls and the yachts above 50 metres at the top of that band.
Who controls how APA is spent?
The captain spends APA in line with your stated preferences, agreed in the preference sheet before embarkation. You can request specific wines, brands, dietary restrictions, fuel limits - the captain is bound by your direction but has full discretion within it.
Is APA paid to the broker or directly to the yacht?
Under MYBA contract, APA is wired to a designated escrow or yacht-management account, never to the broker personally. George Yachts uses MYBA-standard escrow flow on every Greek charter we contract.
What does APA stand for in yachting?
APA stands for Advance Provisioning Allowance. It is often written as Advanced Provisioning Allowance, but Advance is the correct MYBA term. It is the sum you wire before embarkation so the captain has working funds for everything the yacht consumes during your week: fuel, food and drink, port and marina fees, water, customs clearance and laundry. It is not a deposit, not a tip, and not a tax. On a Greek charter it is set at 20 to 30% of the base charter fee on a sailing yacht or catamaran and 30 to 40% on a motor yacht, and whatever is left unspent is returned to you at disembarkation against receipts.
What is APA on a boat charter, in plain terms?
Think of it as the yacht's running-costs float, paid up front and spent on your behalf. Your quoted charter fee buys the yacht and its crew. It does not buy the diesel you burn, the food and wine you drink, the berths you take in Mykonos or Hydra, or the laundry. Those are paid from the APA, which the captain holds and spends against the preference sheet you fill in before the charter. At the end of the week he hands over a full reconciliation with receipts: underspend comes back to you, overspend is settled on the morning you step off.
Related terms
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