Can you book a yacht charter as a gift for someone else?

Yes, you can book a yacht charter as a gift for someone else and pay for it yourself. It happens all the time: children treating parents to an anniversary trip, a spouse arranging a surprise milestone birthday, friends pooling for a retirement send-off. The buyer signs the contract and covers payment, while the travelers are named as the charter guests. Two practical points matter. First, the travelers eventually complete the preference sheet themselves, since the chef cooks to their tastes, not the buyer’s. Second, keep dates loose until the recipients confirm they can travel, because deposits are typically non-refundable once the booking process is complete. A broker can hold a yacht on option for a few days while the surprise is revealed.