Sailing WeeklyBVI yacht & catamaran charter prices by season
A week on a 40–45 ft monohull in the BVI costs about $3,500–5,500 in low season and $6,500–9,500 in high season. A 42–48 ft catamaran runs $5,700–14,000. Short hops, steady trade winds and mooring balls in almost every anchorage. The BVI is the classic first bareboat trip.
Looking for discounts? See the operator offers we checked by hand in This Week's Charter Deals #4.
What a week costs
Weekly charter fee for the whole boat, before extras. Charter prices change constantly. These are published ranges, not quotes.
| Boat | High season (Dec–Apr) | Low season (Jun–Oct) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monohull, 40–45 ft | $6,500–9,500 | $3,500–5,500 | [Sulu] |
| Catamaran, 42–48 ft | $9,500–14,000 | $5,700–9,000 | [Sulu] |
| Catamaran, 50–55 ft | $14,000–22,000 | $8,500–13,000 | [Sulu] |
- Sunsail's own guide puts high season at about $7,000 for a week on a 42 ft monohull or $10,000 for a 4-cabin catamaran, and low season from about $3,500 and $5,700. [Sunsail]
- Extras Sunsail lists: mooring balls about $30–40 a night, cruising permits about $4 per person per day, and a damage waiver of about $600 a week on a small monohull or $910 on a 44 ft catamaran. [Sunsail]
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When to go
- December to April is high season: dry, with 15–20 knot easterly trades. May is the shoulder, with prices 15–25% below high season. [Sulu]
- Hurricane season officially runs June 1 to November 30, and the highest risk is late August to early October. Some companies cut fleets or close bases from September to mid-November. [Sulu]
See every month for BVI at a glance in our free best time to sail calendar.
What you need: licence or skipper
- The BVI doesn't require a formal sailing licence. Sunsail asks you to fill in an online sailing résumé and reach its Level 1, which means at least 5 days or 100 miles as skipper on a similar-sized yacht. If base staff aren't confident in your skills, they can require you to hire a skipper. [Sunsail]
Requirements vary by charter company. Always check with yours before you book.
Main charter bases
- Sunsail: Wickhams Cay II, just outside Road Town, Tortola. [Sunsail]
Compare other charter destinations
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Before you book, read how to read a charter deal.
Sources
- Sulu, British Virgin Islands Sailing Guide: The BVI Week (14 Apr 2026; re-checked 26 Oct 2026)
- Sunsail, How Much Does a BVI Yacht Charter Cost? (28 Feb 2026; re-checked 26 Oct 2026)
- Sunsail, British Virgin Islands Travel Information & Planning Guide (re-checked 26 Oct 2026)