12-Passenger Rule

The Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention - the foundational maritime safety treaty - classifies any vessel carrying more than 12 paying passengers as a 'passenger ship' subject to dramatically stricter regulation: structural fire protection equivalent to cruise ships, lifeboat capacity for every soul aboard with required davit launching, additional crew certifications, and commercial-passenger insurance regimes.

Yacht charters worldwide stop at 12 passengers because crossing that line transforms the yacht into a different regulatory category.

A 70-metre superyacht with cabins for 18 guests will charter with a maximum of 12 guests aboard - the additional cabins are either kept empty, used for crew overflow, or available only on private (non-charter) use by the owner. Operational consequences for chartering: if you have 14 guests in your party, you have two options. (1) Charter two yachts simultaneously for a 'flotilla' itinerary - common for weddings and milestone events. (2) Add 'day guests' for selected occasions: people who join the yacht for a daytime event (lunch, sundowner) but disembark by midnight.

The 12-pax rule applies to overnight passengers, not to day visitors. Why the rule matters for itinerary design: a 12-guest superyacht charter must have everyone aboard from embarkation through disembarkation.

Adding or swapping guests mid-charter (a relative joining for two nights) requires they count against the 12 cap whenever aboard.

This is a real operational constraint that needs design in advance.