How yacht charter booking works in Spain

Weekly crewed charters in the Mediterranean are booked on the MYBA charter agreement, the Mediterranean's standard charter contract. You sign it with Nero Line; the charter funds are held by a stakeholder, a neutral party, until the charter runs. The captain does not sign it but runs the charter under it.

The stakeholder releases 50% of the charter fee when the charter starts and the balance after it ends. If you file a written complaint, the stakeholder holds the balance for 14 days, or until an arbitration award if either side starts arbitration.

Day charters and smaller boats are booked on our charter contract. In Spain these are governed by the nautical lease (arrendamiento náutico) rules of the Maritime Navigation Law, under which the skipper's professional judgement prevails whenever safety is at stake.

For weekly charters on MYBA terms, the usual schedule is 50% of the charter fee at signing and the balance, together with the VAT and the APA, about four to five weeks before embarkation. The exact due dates are written into the contract. On MYBA charters the instalments are normally paid by bank transfer from the charterer's own account to the account named in the contract.

Day charters are simpler: a deposit, usually 50%, confirms the date, and the balance is paid before or on the day.

For day charters and other bookings, with Nero Line you can pay by card (except American Express), bank transfer or crypto. Cash is not accepted. For larger bookings, the payment schedule is agreed in advance with your concierge.

The APA, or Advance Provisioning Allowance, is an advance you pay with the balance to cover the running costs of your charter at cost. It is not a fee.

Under the MYBA agreement the charter fee covers the yacht, its equipment, the crew's wages and food, and the yacht's insurance. The APA pays for fuel for the yacht, tender and toys, food and drinks, marina and harbour fees, and communications.

The APA is usually 20% to 40% of the charter fee; 25% to 35% is common for motor yachts in the Mediterranean, and more for fuel-heavy itineraries. The captain keeps a running account, asks for a top-up if it runs low, and settles it with you before you leave the yacht.

Day charters with Nero Line include fuel for the standard route, so fuel does not come out of an APA there. Catering and toys are agreed in advance. Weekly charters follow MYBA terms, and their fuel is paid from the APA.

Charter rates are quoted before tax, which is why you often see prices written as "€X per week + VAT + APA". A quote lists the charter fee, the VAT, the APA and any delivery fee as separate lines.

A charter that starts in Spain carries 21% Spanish VAT on the charter fee, with no reduction for time spent outside Spanish waters. Charters that start in the Canary Islands, Ceuta or Melilla are not subject to Spanish VAT; the Canary Islands apply their own IGIC tax instead.

A delivery fee applies when the charter starts or ends away from the yacht's home port. It mainly covers the fuel to reposition the yacht.

Under the standard MYBA terms, if you cancel before the final instalment is due, the first instalment is retained; after that, all instalments due are retained. In either case we try to re-let the yacht for your dates and credit you the net proceeds of any re-letting. Your contract sets the exact terms.

If we have to cancel for reasons other than force majeure, you receive a full refund plus compensation: 25% of the charter fee if we cancel 30 days or more before, 35% if more than 14 but fewer than 30 days before, and 50% if 14 days or less before.

If the yacht cannot be delivered on time because of force majeure, such as a storm or a major breakdown, a short delay is refunded pro rata; if the delay exceeds 48 hours or a tenth of the charter, whichever is shorter, you can cancel for a full refund.

Weather is part of sailing. The captain decides where it is safe to go, and on a weekly charter bad weather normally means a changed itinerary rather than a refund. On day charters we offer a new date, a voucher or a refund when it is unsafe to go out.

Charter cancellation and curtailment insurance is not included in the MYBA contract. We recommend taking it out when you book.

On crewed charters a security deposit is optional and set in the contract. When one is taken it is held by the stakeholder and returned after the charter once any questions are settled. You remain responsible for damage caused by negligence that the yacht's insurance does not cover.

Charter yachts may carry at most 12 guests, crew not counted, a limit that comes from international maritime safety rules (SOLAS) and Spain's rules for commercial yachts. Each yacht's certificate sets its own limit, often lower, and on a weekly charter the number of guests sleeping on board is limited by the cabins.

Every guest needs a passport or ID. In the Balearic Islands the yacht must keep a register of all passengers with their name, ID number, nationality and address, so we ask for these details before boarding.

In the Balearics, charter yachts must be registered with the regional government, show their registration number in the contract and fly a charter signal flag. Anchoring on Posidonia seagrass is prohibited, which is why some bays use mooring buoys that are booked in advance.

Included in a weekly charter fee: the yacht and its equipment, the crew and their food, and the yacht's insurance.

Extra: VAT, the APA (fuel, food, drinks, marina fees), any delivery fee, special equipment or excursions, and the crew gratuity. On Nero Line day charters, fuel for the standard route is included in the day rate instead of coming out of an APA.

A crew gratuity is customary but not part of the contract. On weekly charters 10% to 15% of the charter fee is typical, given to the captain to share with the crew.

For weekly charters in July and August, the most popular yachts book six to twelve months ahead. The standard charter length is one week; in high season we confirm case by case whether a shorter charter is possible.

With Nero Line, for peak season (June to September) we recommend booking at least two to four weeks ahead to secure the best selection. Outside peak season, and for day charters, last-minute bookings are often possible. When you book inside the balance period of a weekly charter, the full amount is paid at once.