Do yacht charter brokers hold your money in escrow?

Yes. A reputable yacht charter broker holds your money in escrow or a dedicated client account, and the yacht’s owner is not paid until your charter actually begins. That structure comes from the industry-standard MYBA and CYBA charter contracts, which name the broker as stakeholder for every payment: the 50% booking installment, the balance, and the Advance Provisioning Allowance. Your funds sit apart from anyone’s operating cash. Nobody spends them on fuel or payroll. It is a very different model from prepaid jet cards or travel clubs, where a company holds six figures against future trips: a charter is booked and paid per trip, for one named yacht on fixed dates. Ask one question before wiring anything: where does the deposit sit until departure? A proper booking process names a client account, in writing.