Every week someone calls and asks the same first question: what are Miami yacht charter rates, really? The honest answer runs wide, from $400 for a small day boat to five figures for a superyacht. Your price comes down to three things: boat size, hours on the water, and the extras you add. Below is how it actually breaks down, from someone who runs these boats every week. Price your day before you ever send a deposit.
What are Miami yacht charter rates in 2026?
In 2026 a private Miami charter starts from $400 for a small boat on a short trip. Mid size yachts mostly run in the low thousands. Event yachts start at $5,000. The largest hulls reach $30,000 on the 166ft Trinity. Most groups land in the low to mid thousands for a half day, and captain and fuel are included in every rate.
That spread is real because a 37 foot day boat and a 166 foot superyacht are not the same product. Price your trip by the boat you actually need, not by the cheapest headline number in an ad.
One thing to fix in your head up front: a charter is priced by the boat, not per person. Split a mid size yacht across ten friends and the cost per head drops fast. That's why a private group charter often beats buying ten tickets to a crowded party boat.
What drives the price of your charter?
Four things move your number more than anything else. Get these right and you control the cost instead of reacting to it at checkout.
- Boat size and type. The single biggest lever, and it scales with your group. A 24 to 37 foot day boat is the cheapest way onto the water. Mid size yachts from 40 to 65 feet fit most celebrations. From 80 feet up you get crew, multiple decks, and a higher rate. The bigger your group, the bigger the boat you need, so size the hull to your headcount.
- Hours on the water. Almost every charter is booked in blocks, usually 4, 6 or 8 hours. A longer day costs more, but the hourly rate often drops the longer you stay out.
- Date. Our published rates are the same on a Tuesday and a Saturday. Peak weekends and event weeks sell out first, so availability is what runs out. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30 per the National Hurricane Center, and a blown out day gets rebooked at the captain's call.
- Extras. Catering, a full bar, water toys, decor, and a DJ are all optional and quoted on top of the base rate.
Miami yacht charter rates by boat size
Here is the map by size. These are our own published rates for 2, 4 and 6 hour private charters, captain and fuel included, no sales tax. Pay by Zelle and that is the boat price; a card adds a 5% fee. Gratuity and any extras like catering or water toys sit on top.
| Boat | Guests | 2 hours | 4 hours | 6 hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26ft Sundeck | 11 | $400 | $650 | $900 |
| 37ft Sea Ray | 10 | $600 | $850 | $1,150 |
| 45ft Maxum Fly | 13 | $650 | $990 | $1,400 |
| 50ft Sea Ray Fly | 13 | $750 | $1,090 | $1,450 |
| 57ft Azimut | 13 | from 3 hours | $1,500 | $2,200 |
| 65ft Azimut VC | 13 | not offered | $2,000 | $2,800 |
| 80ft Sunseeker Ladi D | 13 | from 3 hours | $2,500 | $4,000 |
| 100ft Midnight Sun | 120 | not offered | $5,000 | $7,000 |
| 116ft Pershing | 13 | not offered | $17,000 | $18,500 |
| 115ft Upus (event, up to 300) | 300 | not offered | $7,500 | $9,200 |
| 166ft Trinity | 13 | not offered | not offered | 8h $30,000 |
- Day boats, 26 to 37 feet: the 26ft Sundeck from $400 and the 37ft Sea Ray from $600, both for 2 hours. This is the entry point and the sweet spot for a sandbar swim or a short skyline cruise. See more in our most affordable day boats.
- Mid size, 50 to 57 feet, up to 13 guests: the 50ft Sea Ray Fly starts from $750 and the 57ft Azimut from $1,200. More shade, a real cabin, and room to move for a birthday or a bachelorette.
- Event yachts, 100 feet and up: the 100ft Midnight Sun starts from $5,000 and carries up to 120 guests. The 115ft Upus runs from $7,500 for up to 300. This end spans a wide band, up to $17,000 on the 116ft Pershing and $30,000 on the 166ft Trinity. Browse this end under luxury yacht charters.
If I had to point you to the best all round value, it is a mid size yacht. Think 50 to 57 feet for a group of eight to thirteen. You get a shaded helm, a head below deck, a swim platform, and enough room that nobody is perched on a cooler. You skip the crew and the price tag that come with a large crewed yacht.
How much does it cost to rent a yacht in Miami for 4 hours?
Four hours is the most common charter and the one most people search. On our fleet a 4 hour private charter starts at $650 for a small day boat. Mid size yachts land in the low thousands, captain and fuel included. Larger event yachts start higher.
Four hours covers the classic Miami day. Run out to a sandbar, swim and float for a couple of hours, cruise the skyline and Star Island, and head back. If your plan is mainly a sandbar hang with a small crew, four hours on the 37ft Sea Ray is the value pick. If you want dinner and sunset on top, step up to six.
Shorter and longer blocks scale from there. A 2 hour sunset run is the cheapest ticket if you only want the skyline at golden hour. On the day boats and mid size yachts a full 8 hour day usually lands near 1.6 times the 4 hour rate. The hourly price improves. A few boats price closer to double. The event yachts and superyachts have their own ladders, so check the boat page. For an overnight, or a multi day trip to the Keys or Bimini, we price it as a package. Tell us the dates and we build it around them.
What is included in the price, and what costs extra?
Every private charter includes your licensed captain and fuel, with no sales tax added on top. That is the base price. Gratuity for the crew is on top, customarily 15 to 20 percent in cash. Optional extras like catering, a full bar, water toys, decor, and a DJ are quoted separately. Pay by card and a 5% processing fee is added; Zelle carries no fee.
That captain matters for more than comfort. Every charter we run comes with a licensed captain, so you ride as a passenger. The captain is responsible for the boat and the day, and the boat carries Coast Guard approved life jackets for everyone aboard. That is a different arrangement from renting a boat and driving it yourself, where the responsibility is yours. If you are weighing a self drive rental against a crewed charter, read whether the captain is included before you compare prices.
Fuel is a real cost, and it moves. US retail gasoline prices move every week, and a yacht burns far more than your car. Some companies pass fuel through as a surprise surcharge. We fold it into the quote, so the boat price you see is the boat price you pay.
Which hidden fees should you watch for?
The trap is a low headline rate that balloons at checkout. Watch for a separate captain fee, a fuel surcharge, a cleaning fee, and a refundable fuel deposit. They get stacked on after the price has already hooked you. Any one of these can add hundreds to a day.
- Separate captain fee. A cheap looking rate that does not actually include the person driving the boat.
- Fuel surcharge. A variable add on tied to how far you run, revealed after you book.
- Cleaning fee. A flat charge for normal turnaround, not for damage.
- Fuel deposit. A refundable hold that still ties up your money on the day.
We do not run any of that. There is no sales tax, and any extras you choose are shown before you book. The quote covers the boat, the captain and the fuel. Gratuity and a card fee, if you pay by card, are the only things on top. A 50% deposit holds your date and the balance is due at boarding. If the captain calls off your date for unsafe weather, you choose a new date at no extra charge, a full refund, or a 12 month credit under our cancellation policy. No surprise math and no scramble at the dock on the morning of your trip.
How much is gratuity on a Miami yacht charter?
Plan on 15 to 20 percent gratuity for the captain and crew, given in cash at the end of the charter. It is customary, not automatic, and it is not built into the base rate. On a $2,000 charter that is $300 to $400, so budget for it up front.
Tip the way you would at a good restaurant. If your captain nailed the sandbar timing, kept the ride smooth, and made your group feel looked after, the higher end is fair. On a large crewed yacht the gratuity is split across the whole crew.
How do you get the best value for your budget?
Two moves lower your cost without shrinking the day. Right size the boat, and book the block you will actually use. Paying by Zelle avoids the 5% card fee. A weekday or a shoulder season date won't change our published rate, but it gives you the pick of the fleet. Flexible on timing? Ask, and we will point you to where the value sits that week.
- Go midweek. Our rate is the same, but you get first pick of the boats and the quietest water.
- Right size the boat. Do not book a 70 footer for eight people. Match the boat to your crew and you stop paying for deck you will not use.
- Shoulder season. The weeks on either side of peak are calmer, the fleet is wide open, and the water is just as good.
- Shorter block. If you mainly want a sandbar swim, four hours beats eight and keeps the difference in your pocket.
The mistake I see most is over booking on size and under booking on time. A crew of six on an 80 footer for its shortest block spends more and enjoys it less. The same six on a 50 footer for four hours do better. Put your budget into hours on the water and the right size hull, not into empty deck nobody uses.
Get an exact quote for your date and group size
Prices move with the boat, the hours and the extras, so the only way to know your real number is a quote. Tell us your date, your group size, and the hours you want. We send one clear price for the boat, captain and fuel, usually within the hour during opening times. Send us your date and group size for a quote and we will match you to the right boat at the right price.
