# True cost of a week's yacht or catamaran charter in the Bahamas

> Bahamas: all-in cost of a week's catamaran charter for 4, 6 or 8 people, cheapest vs peak month, skipper, fuel, marina, taxes, deposit. Sourced.

URL: https://catamaranindex.com/true-cost/bahamas/
Last updated: 2026-10-28
Author: Catamaran Index editorial team

12 Knots' average weekly catamaran price in the Bahamas runs from €6,591 in September to €10,799 in March, which with food at €20–40 a day comes to €1,239–1,379 per person for 6 people in September (our arithmetic). Fuel, marina fees, mandatory extras and a Bahamas-specific skipper rate are not verified, so the real total is higher.

*Checked 28 Oct 2026. Charter prices are 12 Knots' asking prices (mix of bareboat and crewed, all sizes); extras are The Globe Sailor's September 2026 figures; taxes and fees are labelled official, secondary or not verified ([how to read the labels](#labels)). Totals are our arithmetic and exclude flights, drinks and the refundable deposit.*

## How much does a week's charter in the Bahamas really cost?

| People | September total | Per person | March total | Per person |
|---|---:|---:|---:|---:|
| 4 people, bareboat | €7,151–7,711 | €1,788–1,928 | €11,359–11,919 | €2,840–2,980 |
| 6 people, bareboat | €7,431–8,271 | €1,239–1,379 | €11,639–12,479 | €1,940–2,080 |
| 8 people, bareboat | €7,711–8,831 | €964–1,104 | €11,919–13,039 | €1,490–1,630 |

Range = food at €20 to €40 per person per day. Our arithmetic; inputs below.

**Partial total:** fuel, marina fees, mandatory extras, skipper rate (destination-specific) not verified for Bahamas, so not included.

## Every cost line

| Cost line | Amount | In the total? | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charter fee, cheapest month (September) | €6,591 per week | Yes | secondary | [12 Knots](https://12knots.com/en/yacht-charter/destinations/caribbean/bahamas/catamaran-charter/) |
| Charter fee, priciest month (March) | €10,799 per week | Yes | secondary | [12 Knots](https://12knots.com/en/yacht-charter/destinations/caribbean/bahamas/catamaran-charter/) |
| Skipper | €150–300 per day (general range, not destination-specific) *(General range; we compute no skippered total for this destination.)* | Skippered totals only | secondary | [The Globe Sailor](https://www.theglobesailor.com/blog/what-it-really-costs-to-charter-a-yacht) |
| Cook or hostess | not verified *(We found no usable published day rate.)* | No | not verified | – |
| Fuel | not verified | No (not verified) | not verified | – |
| Marina fees | not verified | No (not verified) | not verified | – |
| Mandatory extras (cleaning, consumables) | not verified | No (not verified) | not verified | – |
| Food (provisioning), excluding drinks | €20–40 per person per day | Yes | secondary | [The Globe Sailor](https://www.theglobesailor.com/blog/what-it-really-costs-to-charter-a-yacht) |
| Bahamas Customs cruising permit | not verified *(No amount published here.)* | No | not verified | – |
| APA (crewed charters only) | 25–35% of the charter fee *(On the Bahamas fee that is €1,648–2,307 in the cheapest month and €2,700–3,780 in the priciest (our arithmetic).)* | No | secondary | [Helm](https://www.helm.yt/article/what-is-an-apa) |
| Crew gratuity (crewed charters) | 10–20% of the charter fee | No | secondary | [Worth Avenue Yachts](https://www.worthavenueyachts.com/explore/charter-terms-and-conditions/) |
| Security deposit (refundable) | €4,000–10,000 (general range; destination figure not verified) | No | secondary | [The Globe Sailor](https://www.theglobesailor.com/blog/what-it-really-costs-to-charter-a-yacht) |
| Damage waiver (optional) | not verified | No | not verified | – |

The Globe Sailor's table does not state a period for every column: the skipper fee is per day and the port fee per night (read from the article text); fuel per week is our reading.

## Tourist tax, cruising permits and other charges

- **[Not verified]** Bahamas Customs cruising permit: not verified. No amount published here.

## Marina and mooring fees

Marina and port fees for the Bahamas: **not verified** (The Globe Sailor's table has no row for the Bahamas), so no marina fee is in the total.

Mooring buoys and anchoring rules: [snorkel and dive guide](https://catamaranindex.com/snorkel-dive/bahamas/#moorings).

## National park and marine park fees

Not in the totals: they depend on your route. If your route goes there:

| Fee | Amount | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECLSP mooring, charter vessel, per day, up to 39'11" | BSD 27.27 + 10% VAT | official | [Bahamas National Trust](https://bnt.bs/?p=13873) |
| ECLSP mooring, charter vessel, per day, 40'–49'11" | BSD 36.36 + 10% VAT | official | [Bahamas National Trust](https://bnt.bs/?p=13873) |
| ECLSP mooring, charter vessel, per day, 50'–59'11" | BSD 45.45 + 10% VAT | official | [Bahamas National Trust](https://bnt.bs/?p=13873) |
| ECLSP anchoring, any vessel under 90 ft, per day | BSD 0.45 per foot + 10% VAT | official | [Bahamas National Trust](https://bnt.bs/?p=13873) |
| ECLSP charter guests, per person per day (mooring or anchoring) | BSD 14.00 on the page text; BSD 12.73 in the checkout listings *(The page gives both figures; we show the conflict rather than pick one.)* | official | [Bahamas National Trust](https://bnt.bs/?p=13873) |
| ECLSP dive fee | BSD 14 per person, collected by the dive operator | official | [Bahamas National Trust](https://bnt.bs/?p=13873) |

More: [park fees and rules in the snorkel and dive guide](https://catamaranindex.com/snorkel-dive/bahamas/#fees).

## Skipper, cook or hostess, APA and tips

The Globe Sailor gives a general range of €150–300 per day for a skipper ([The Globe Sailor](https://www.theglobesailor.com/blog/what-it-really-costs-to-charter-a-yacht), checked 28 Oct 2026); its table has no Bahamas row, so the Bahamas-specific rate is **not verified** and we compute no skippered total.

A cook or hostess's day rate: **not verified**; we found no usable published rate.

On crewed charters an APA (advance provisioning allowance) of 25–35% of the charter fee for sailing yachts and catamarans covers food, drink, fuel and port fees ([Helm](https://www.helm.yt/article/what-is-an-apa), checked 27 Oct 2026); it replaces those lines, so it is not in the bareboat total. A crew gratuity of 10–20% is customary ([Worth Avenue Yachts](https://www.worthavenueyachts.com/explore/charter-terms-and-conditions/), checked 27 Oct 2026). We show no crewed total, because 12 Knots' averages mix bareboat and crewed listings.

More: [bareboat vs skippered](https://catamaranindex.com/compare/bareboat-vs-skippered/), [crewed vs bareboat](https://catamaranindex.com/guides/crewed-vs-bareboat-yacht-charter/), [do I need a licence in the Bahamas?](https://catamaranindex.com/licence-by-country/bahamas/).

## Security deposit and damage waiver

The Globe Sailor gives a general range of €4,000–10000 for a catamaran deposit ([The Globe Sailor](https://www.theglobesailor.com/blog/what-it-really-costs-to-charter-a-yacht), checked 28 Oct 2026); the Bahamas figure and the damage waiver are **not verified**.

## Cheapest month vs peak month

| Month | 12 Knots avg per week | Per person, 6 people, bareboat (our arithmetic) |
|---|---:|---:|
| [January](https://catamaranindex.com/where-to-sail/january/) | €9,410 | €1,708–1,848 |
| [February](https://catamaranindex.com/where-to-sail/february/) | €10,126 | €1,828–1,968 |
| [March](https://catamaranindex.com/where-to-sail/march/) | €10,799 | €1,940–2,080 |
| [April](https://catamaranindex.com/where-to-sail/april/) | €10,601 | €1,907–2,047 |
| [May](https://catamaranindex.com/where-to-sail/may/) | €9,670 | €1,752–1,892 |
| [June](https://catamaranindex.com/where-to-sail/june/) | €8,967 | €1,635–1,775 |
| [July](https://catamaranindex.com/where-to-sail/july/) | €8,261 | €1,517–1,657 |
| [August](https://catamaranindex.com/where-to-sail/august/) | €6,713 | €1,259–1,399 |
| [September](https://catamaranindex.com/where-to-sail/september/) | €6,591 | €1,239–1,379 |
| [October](https://catamaranindex.com/where-to-sail/october/) | €7,377 | €1,370–1,510 |
| [November](https://catamaranindex.com/where-to-sail/november/) | €9,505 | €1,724–1,864 |
| [December](https://catamaranindex.com/where-to-sail/december/) | €9,554 | €1,732–1,872 |

The Bahamas is in the Atlantic hurricane area: the official season runs from 1 June to 30 November ([NOAA National Hurricane Center](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/), checked 27 Oct 2026), and prices dip in the same months, so a cheaper week can carry more weather risk. When to go, weighing price against weather: [best time to charter in the Bahamas](https://catamaranindex.com/best-time/bahamas/).

## See boats in the Bahamas

**[See catamarans for rent in the Bahamas on SamBoat](https://catamaranindex.com/go/samboat?dest=bahamas&pos=truecost)**

Ask the operator for the full extras list (skipper, cleaning, tourist tax, deposit) before you book; listings and prices on SamBoat are SamBoat's own. We may earn a commission if you book through our links, at no extra cost to you ([disclosure](https://catamaranindex.com/affiliate-disclosure/)).

## What we could not verify

- Whether the Bahamas Customs cruising permit applies to a Bahamas-based charter boat.
- Marina rates in the Bahamas.
- Fuel for Bahamas.
- Marina fees for Bahamas.
- Mandatory extras for Bahamas.
- Skipper rate (destination-specific) for Bahamas.

## How to read the labels

- **[Secondary source]**: From a newspaper, law firm, travel site or charter company; not official.
- **[Not verified]**: We could not confirm it. We leave it open rather than guess, and never add it to a total.
- No label: Read in an official text: government, port or park authority, ministry, or an operator's own published tariff.

Charter prices are 12 Knots' asking prices and cost lines are The Globe Sailor's, so most lines are secondary. Totals, per-person figures, APA amounts and ranges are our arithmetic. Amounts in other currencies are shown as published and never converted or added.

## Sources

- [12 Knots: Catamaran charter in the Bahamas](https://12knots.com/en/yacht-charter/destinations/caribbean/bahamas/catamaran-charter/) (secondary, not official), checked 27 Oct 2026.
- [The Globe Sailor: What it really costs to charter a yacht](https://www.theglobesailor.com/blog/what-it-really-costs-to-charter-a-yacht) (secondary, not official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- [Helm: What is an APA?](https://www.helm.yt/article/what-is-an-apa) (secondary, not official), checked 27 Oct 2026.
- [Worth Avenue Yachts: Charter terms & conditions](https://www.worthavenueyachts.com/explore/charter-terms-and-conditions/) (secondary, not official), checked 27 Oct 2026.
- [Bahamas National Trust: Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park (ECLSP) fees](https://bnt.bs/?p=13873) (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- [NOAA National Hurricane Center: Tropical cyclone climatology](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/) (official), checked 27 Oct 2026.

Method: [methodology](https://catamaranindex.com/methodology/#truecost). Data: [JSON](https://catamaranindex.com/api/true-cost/bahamas.json). Run your own numbers: [cost calculator](https://catamaranindex.com/tools/charter-cost-calculator/#calculator).

## More on the Bahamas

- [True cost of a week's charter, every destination compared](https://catamaranindex.com/true-cost/)
- [Bahamas yacht and catamaran charter: prices, season and licence](https://catamaranindex.com/bahamas/)
- [Bahamas catamaran cost by month, all-in and per person](https://catamaranindex.com/bahamas/catamaran/)
- [Best time to charter in the Bahamas](https://catamaranindex.com/best-time/bahamas/)
- [Fishing rules in the Bahamas](https://catamaranindex.com/fishing/bahamas/)
- [Snorkelling and diving in the Bahamas](https://catamaranindex.com/snorkel-dive/bahamas/)
- [Do I need a licence to rent a boat in the Bahamas?](https://catamaranindex.com/licence-by-country/bahamas/)
- [Catamaran Index home](https://catamaranindex.com/)

## FAQ

### How much does a week's catamaran charter in the Bahamas cost per person?

12 Knots' average weekly catamaran price in the Bahamas runs from €6,591 in September to €10,799 in March, which with food at €20–40 a day comes to €1,239–1,379 per person for 6 people in September (our arithmetic). Fuel, marina fees, mandatory extras and a Bahamas-specific skipper rate are not verified, so the real total is higher.

### What is not included in a yacht charter price in the Bahamas?

Not included in the charter price in the Bahamas: fuel (not verified), marina fees (not verified), mandatory extras such as cleaning (not verified), food (€20–40 per person per day), a skipper (€150–300 per day, general range), tourist taxes and park fees (whether the bahamas customs cruising permit applies to a bahamas-based charter boat: not verified) and a refundable deposit (€4,000–10000). Amounts from The Globe Sailor, September 2026; the sums are our arithmetic.

### Do you pay tourist tax on a charter in the Bahamas?

Bahamas Customs cruising permit: not verified.

### How much is a skipper in the Bahamas?

The Globe Sailor's general range is €150–300 per day, plus the skipper's meals. A Bahamas-specific rate is not verified.

### How much is the security deposit for a catamaran charter in the Bahamas?

The general range for a catamaran is €4,000–10000 (The Globe Sailor); the Bahamas figure is not verified.

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