The Best Caribbean Yacht Charter Destinations, Ranked
Five Caribbean charter grounds, ranked by how many crewed yachts Vital Charters lists in each, with median weekly prices, the best months and how to fly in.
Fleets and rates checked 7 November 2026
Caribbean charter destinations at a glance
The BVI has the most crewed charter yachts in the Caribbean (370 that Vital Charters lists), the Bahamas has the most motor yachts (193), and a crewed sailing catamaran costs a median of $31,000 to $32,000 a week all-inclusive in all five destinations. Vital Charters is an independent crewed yacht charter broker run by Jason and Lorena Acosta.
By Jason Acosta, Co-founder & Principal Broker · Fleets and rates checked 7 November 2026
| Rank | Destination | Crewed yachts listed | Sailing catamarans · median all-inclusive week, 2 guests (middle half) | Power catamarans | Motor yachts · median week plus expenses | Yachts 100 ft and over |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BVI | 370 | 274 · $32,000 ($25,000–$43,500) | 33 | 62 · $98,500 | 43 |
| 2 | Bahamas | 249 | 38 · $31,000 ($23,400–$35,900) | 16 | 193 · $65,000 | 99 |
| 3 | USVI | 243 | 177 · $31,800 ($25,900–$42,000) | 16 | 50 · $95,000 | 29 |
| 4 | St. Martin, St. Barts and the Leewards | 196 | 126 · $32,000 ($25,000–$44,000) | 15 | 53 · $95,000 | 39 |
| 5 | Grenadines and the Windwards | 156 | 113 · $31,000 ($25,300–$46,000) | 6 | 35 · $97,300 | 23 |
Fleets and rates checked 7 November 2026. The rows do not add up to a Caribbean total, because many yachts publish rates for more than one destination: across the five there are 593 distinct yachts, and 240 of the USVI's 243 also publish a rate for the BVI. Sailing catamaran medians are all-inclusive weeks for two guests; motor yacht medians are weekly rates before food, drink and fuel (our APA and all-inclusive explainer sets out the difference). For what moves a catamaran's weekly rate, see our BVI crewed catamaran rates guide.
No. 1 of 5 · 370 crewed yachts
Why charter in the BVI?
Vital Charters lists 370 crewed yachts in the BVI, the most in the Caribbean. Of those, 274 are sailing catamarans, 62 are motor yachts, and 33 are power catamarans. No other destination here has as many sailing catamarans or power catamarans. The 255 sailing catamarans priced all-inclusive have a median week of $32,000 for two guests, half between $25,000 and $43,500. The 54 motor yachts priced plus expenses have a median of $98,500 a week before expenses, and 41 of the 62 motor yachts are 100 ft or longer.
- Best for: A first charter, families and anyone prone to seasickness.
- Best months: December through May is peak season, with June and November as the shoulder months. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, with the highest risk from mid-August through October.
- Flying in: Fly to St. Thomas (STT) in the USVI and cross to Tortola by water taxi or ferry, or connect through San Juan onto a small flight into Beef Island (EIS).
- Sailing: Protected water inside the Sir Francis Drake Channel, short line-of-sight hops of under two hours, and moorings at nearly every anchorage.
Plan it: BVI yacht charter guide · List of BVI yacht charter companies · 10 best all-inclusive catamarans in the BVI · Every crewed yacht in the BVI
No. 2 of 5 · 249 crewed yachts
Why charter in the Bahamas?
Vital Charters lists 249 crewed yachts in the Bahamas, second of the five by number of yachts. Of those, 193 are motor yachts, 38 are sailing catamarans, and 16 are power catamarans. No other destination here has as many motor yachts. The 32 sailing catamarans priced all-inclusive have a median week of $31,000 for two guests, half between $23,400 and $35,900. The 185 motor yachts priced plus expenses have a median of $65,000 a week before expenses, the lowest motor-yacht median of the five, and 97 of the 193 motor yachts are 100 ft or longer. That is the smallest share of motor yachts at 100 ft and over among the five (in the BVI it is 41 of 62).
- Best for: Motor yachts, and the Exumas' sandbars, swimming pigs and empty anchorages.
- Best months: December through April is peak season, with May to July as the shoulder. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, with the highest risk from August to mid-October.
- Flying in: Fly into Nassau (NAS), usually under three hours from US East Coast hubs, or Marsh Harbour (MHH) for the Abacos. A flight on to Staniel Cay (TYM) or George Town (GGT) starts the week in the Exumas and skips the 40-mile crossing from Nassau.
- Sailing: Shallow, gin-clear banks that suit catamarans and shallow-draft motor yachts, with longer passages and thinner shore infrastructure than the Virgin Islands.
Plan it: Bahamas yacht charter guide · List of Bahamas yacht charter companies · 10 best crewed yachts in the Bahamas · BVI vs Bahamas, compared · Every crewed yacht in the Bahamas
No. 3 of 5 · 243 crewed yachts
Why charter in the USVI?
Vital Charters lists 243 crewed yachts in the USVI, third of the five by number of yachts. Of those, 177 are sailing catamarans, 50 are motor yachts, and 16 are power catamarans. The 164 sailing catamarans priced all-inclusive have a median week of $31,800 for two guests, half between $25,900 and $42,000. The 45 motor yachts priced plus expenses have a median of $95,000 a week before expenses, and 29 of the 50 motor yachts are 100 ft or longer. Of the 243, 240 also publish a rate for the BVI, so one week can take in both territories.
- Best for: US travelers who want no passport for the flight, and St. John's national-park quiet.
- Best months: December through May is peak season, with June and November as the shoulder months.
- Flying in: Fly direct to St. Thomas (STT). US citizens need no passport, and flights from East Coast hubs take roughly three to four hours.
- Sailing: Short, protected island hops with sheltered bays and plenty of moorings. A week from St. Thomas can cross into the BVI, which needs a passport for every guest and the yacht's BVI paperwork.
Plan it: US Virgin Islands yacht charter guide · 10 best crewed yachts in the USVI · St. Thomas yacht charter · Every crewed yacht in the USVI
No. 4 of 5 · 196 crewed yachts
Why charter in St. Martin, St. Barts and the Leewards?
Vital Charters lists 196 crewed yachts in St. Martin, St. Barts and the Leewards, fourth of the five by number of yachts. Of those, 126 are sailing catamarans, 53 are motor yachts, and 15 are power catamarans. The 101 sailing catamarans priced all-inclusive have a median week of $32,000 for two guests, half between $25,000 and $44,000. The 50 motor yachts priced plus expenses have a median of $95,000 a week before expenses, and 38 of the 53 motor yachts are 100 ft or longer. No destination here has a higher share of motor yachts at 100 ft and over.
These figures come from charter listings that group St. Martin, St. Barts, Antigua and their neighbors into one Leewards area, so this entry covers the whole chain.
- Best for: St. Barts, reached by yacht: anchor off Gustavia or Colombier instead of paying for a four-figure hotel room.
- Best months: December through April is peak season, when the St. Barts holiday scene is at its busiest. May and June stay warm, with thinner crowds and softer rates.
- Flying in: Fly into Princess Juliana (SXM) on St. Maarten, usually three to five hours from US East Coast cities, or by private charter into Gustaf III (SBH) on St. Barts. For Antigua, fly to V.C. Bird International (ANU).
- Sailing: Open-ocean channel crossings between the islands, mixed with marina stays and protected bays.
Plan it: St. Martin and St. Barts yacht charter guide · Antigua and Barbuda yacht charter guide · List of St. Martin and St. Barts yacht charter companies · 10 best crewed yachts in St. Martin and St. Barts · Every crewed yacht in the Leeward Islands
No. 5 of 5 · 156 crewed yachts
Why charter in the Grenadines and the Windwards?
Vital Charters lists 156 crewed yachts in the Grenadines and the Windwards, fifth of the five by number of yachts. Of those, 113 are sailing catamarans, 35 are motor yachts, and 6 are power catamarans, the fewest of the five. The 87 sailing catamarans priced all-inclusive have a median week of $31,000 for two guests, half between $25,300 and $46,000. The 32 motor yachts priced plus expenses have a median of $97,300 a week before expenses, and 22 of the 35 motor yachts are 100 ft or longer.
- Best for: Sailors who want real passages and quieter anchorages, with the Tobago Cays' reef and turtles at the end of them.
- Best months: December through April is peak season, with steady trade winds. May through July stays lush and slightly warmer, with fewer visitors and lower rates.
- Flying in: Fly into Argyle International (SVD) on St. Vincent, or into Maurice Bishop International (GND) in Grenada for a one-way charter.
- Sailing: Open-water legs between the islands, some over the horizon and best started early, ending in calm, protected anchorages.
Plan it: Grenadines yacht charter guide · List of Grenadines yacht charter companies · 10 best crewed yachts in the Grenadines · Every crewed yacht in the Windward Islands
Which Caribbean destination is right for you?
The right Caribbean destination depends on what the week is for. Any count in the rows below comes from the same figures as the table above.
| If you want | Go to | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A first charter, or guests prone to seasickness | The BVI | Protected water and short, line-of-sight hops. |
| A motor yacht | The Bahamas | 193 motor yachts, the most of the five. |
| A superyacht of 100 ft or more | The Bahamas | 99 yachts of 100 ft and over, the most of the five. |
| Quiet anchorages and real sailing | The Grenadines and the Windwards | Open-water passages and far fewer boats than the BVI. |
| St. Barts and the luxury scene | St. Martin, St. Barts and the Leewards | Anchor off Gustavia or Colombier. |
| The shortest flight from the US East Coast | The Bahamas | Nassau is usually under three hours from East Coast hubs. |
| No passport (US citizens) | The USVI | St. Thomas needs no passport for US citizens, as long as the week stays in US waters. |
How we counted
Source: Vital Charters listings analysis. Counted 7 November 2026: active crewed yachts with a weekly rate published for a season in that destination with at least 31 days still to run. Each destination is one or two of the charter areas the listings use (the BVI: “Caribbean Virgin Islands (BVI)” and “Caribbean Virgin Islands (US/BVI)”; the Bahamas: “Bahamas”; the USVI: “Caribbean Virgin Islands (US)” and “Caribbean Virgin Islands (US/BVI)”; St. Martin, St. Barts and the Leewards: “Caribbean Leewards”; the Grenadines and the Windwards: “Caribbean Windwards”). Destinations are ranked by how many such yachts each has. A yacht that publishes rates for several destinations counts in each, so the rows overlap: across the five there are 593 distinct yachts. Each yacht's price is its lowest such rate: two guests for all-inclusive yachts, the base rate before expenses for the rest, and the two are never mixed in one median. Euro rates are converted at 1.163 dollars to the euro. Medians and middle-half figures are rounded to the nearest $100, and a median needs at least 5 yachts. Sailing monohulls are not included: Vital Charters does not list them. Best months, flights and sailing conditions come from our destination guides and FAQs, linked in each entry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the best place to charter a yacht in the Caribbean?
For the widest choice, the BVI: Vital Charters lists 370 crewed yachts there, more than anywhere else in the Caribbean. Its protected water also makes it the easiest place for a first charter. After it come the Bahamas (249), the USVI (243), St. Martin, St. Barts and the Leewards (196), and the Grenadines and the Windwards (156). The Bahamas has the most motor yachts (193). A crewed sailing catamaran costs a median of $31,000 to $32,000 a week all-inclusive for two guests in all five, so the choice comes down to the islands, the flight and the season. Fleets checked 7 November 2026.
Which Caribbean islands have the most charter yachts?
Of the crewed yachts Vital Charters lists, the BVI has 370, the Bahamas 249, the USVI 243, St. Martin, St. Barts and the Leewards 196, and the Grenadines and the Windwards 156. Many yachts work more than one area: 240 of the USVI's 243 also publish a rate for the BVI. Across all five there are 593 distinct yachts, so the figures cannot be added together.
What is the best Caribbean destination for a crewed catamaran charter?
The BVI has the most to choose from: Vital Charters lists 274 sailing catamarans and 33 power catamarans there, more than any other Caribbean destination. Its short, protected hops also make it the easiest place for a first catamaran charter. Price barely differs: the median all-inclusive week for a sailing catamaran is $31,000 to $32,000 for two guests in every destination. For what moves a catamaran's rate, see our BVI crewed catamaran rates guide.
What is the best Caribbean destination for a motor yacht charter?
The Bahamas: 193 of the 249 crewed yachts Vital Charters lists there are motor yachts, the most of any Caribbean destination. Those priced plus expenses have a median week of $65,000 before expenses, the lowest motor-yacht median of the five, and 97 of the 193 are 100 ft or longer. The shallow, gin-clear banks of the Exumas and the Abacos suit shallow-draft motor yachts and catamarans.
BVI vs Bahamas yacht charter: which is better?
The BVI suits first-timers and anyone prone to seasickness, with short hops in protected water and a beach bar, mooring field or dive site at nearly every stop. The Bahamas, above all the Exumas, wins on water color, wildlife and empty anchorages, with longer passages and thinner infrastructure. Vital Charters lists 370 crewed yachts in the BVI and 249 in the Bahamas, where 193 are motor yachts. The median all-inclusive week for a sailing catamaran is $32,000 in the BVI and $31,000 in the Bahamas, for two guests. Our BVI vs Bahamas yacht charter comparison sets out prices, taxes and yachts side by side.
What is the best Caribbean island for a first yacht charter?
The British Virgin Islands. The islands ring the Sir Francis Drake Channel, so the water stays protected, the next island is always in sight, most passages take under two hours, and moorings wait at nearly every anchorage. On a crewed charter the captain handles all of it. Vital Charters lists 370 crewed yachts there, the most in the Caribbean. For more, see Is the BVI good for beginner sailors?
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Keep reading: our Caribbean yacht charter guide, the ultimate guide to Caribbean crewed charter destinations, the 2026 Caribbean crewed charter rates report, and our BVI vs Bahamas comparison.