British Virgin Islands › Crewed catamarans
BVI crewed catamaran charter
TL;DR: A BVI crewed catamaran charter is the most common way to spend a private week in the British Virgin Islands: a 45–60 ft catamaran with a captain and chef, usually all-inclusive, for four to eight guests. Charter fees run about $20,000–$45,000 a week. The things that separate a good proposal from a disappointing one are cabin layout, the crew, and what "all-inclusive" leaves out.
Last reviewed: October 2026. Rates are indicative and confirmed only in a charter contract.
Vessel Vista is an independent charter guide. We send enquiries to established charter brokerages, and we may earn a referral fee if you book. It doesn't change your price. How this works.
Who a crewed catamaran suits
Families, two or three couples, and groups who would rather swim off the back of the boat than sit in a marina. Two hulls mean a wide, level deck, little roll at anchor, and a shallow draft for the BVI's reef-edge anchorages. If anyone in your group worries about seasickness, it's the calmest way to spend a week on the water.
It suits less well if you want a lot of indoor space, a gym or a big crew, or if you plan to cover long distances quickly. That's motor-yacht territory.
Cabins first: the number that decides the yacht
Count bedrooms before you look at photos. Charter catamarans are listed by length, but what matters is how many guest cabins they have and whether each has its own bathroom.
| Your group | Look for | Typical length |
|---|---|---|
| Two or three couples | 3 guest cabins, each en-suite | 45–52 ft |
| A family of 5–6 | 3 cabins, one with twin beds or bunks | 45–55 ft |
| Four couples, or two families | 4 cabins of similar size | 52–60 ft |
| Nine to twelve guests | 5–6 cabins and a larger crew | 60–80 ft |
Ask whether every cabin is the same size. On some catamarans one cabin takes a whole hull and the others are noticeably smaller: worth knowing before couples split the cost evenly.
The crew is the product
Most BVI crewed catamarans have two crew: a captain, who handles the yacht, the route and often the snorkel guiding, and a chef, who also keeps the boat running. Larger catamarans add a deckhand or stewardess. Many captain-and-chef teams are couples who have worked the same boat for several seasons.
Two identical catamarans can be very different weeks. Ask for the crew's profile, how long they've worked together, and a sample menu. A good broker can tell you how a crew handles children, dietary needs, or a group that wants to dive every day.
What "all-inclusive" covers, and what it doesn't
| Usually included | Often extra |
|---|---|
| All meals, cooked aboard | Premium wines, champagne and spirits |
| Standard bar: beer, house wine, mixers | Meals ashore and marina nights |
| The yacht's fuel and water | BVI cruising permits and park moorings |
| Snorkel gear, paddleboards, kayaks | Scuba diving and fuel for motorized toys |
| Captain and chef | Crew gratuity, 10–15% of the fee |
Terms differ from yacht to yacht, so treat this as a checklist for each proposal, not a promise. What the standard contract says, and how an all-inclusive week compares with a plus-expenses one on the same fee: all-inclusive yacht charters, explained. Weighing the BVI against other islands? See Caribbean crewed yacht charters, compared.
The real cost per guest
The BVI charges no VAT on the charter fee, so an all-inclusive catamaran comes closest to "the price you see is the price you pay". For six guests, adding $200 of cruising permits and a 10% gratuity (the standard; 15% for exceptional service adds another 5% of the fee):
| Charter fee | Week, all-in | Per guest (6) |
|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | $27,700 | $4,600 |
| $35,000 | $38,700 | $6,400 |
| $45,000 | $49,700 | $8,300 |
Before flights and premium extras. A catamaran based in the USVI pays about four times the BVI permit. More in yacht charter cost by destination.
Catamaran or motor yacht in the BVI
| Crewed catamaran | Motor yacht | |
|---|---|---|
| At anchor | Steady, wide deck | More roll unless stabilized |
| Shallow anchorages | Gets close in | Anchors further out; the tender does the rest |
| Pricing | Usually all-inclusive | Usually plus expenses (APA 25–35%) |
| Speed | Plenty for short BVI hops | Faster for BVI and USVI combined |
| Indoor space | Modest | Generous |
A typical route is short hops from Tortola to Norman Island, Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke. See the week on the BVI crewed yacht charter guide.
Common questions
How many guests fit on a BVI crewed catamaran?
Most crewed catamarans of 45 to 60 feet take four to eight guests in two to four double cabins. Larger catamarans of 60 to 80 feet take up to ten or twelve. The crew sleep in their own cabins.
Is a BVI crewed catamaran charter all-inclusive?
Usually, but not always. All-inclusive normally covers meals, a standard bar, the yacht's fuel and the water toys. Premium wines and spirits, marina nights, cruising permits and the crew gratuity are common extras. Ask for the inclusions list in writing.
Catamaran or motor yacht in the BVI?
For most groups, a catamaran. The passages are short, the anchorages are calm, and a catamaran is steadier at anchor and usually priced all-inclusive. A motor yacht suits larger groups, more indoor space, or a combined BVI and USVI week.
Been to the BVI already?
Find your next cruising ground
If the BVI is a trip you've done, the Destination Finder suggests three places to go next, with the reasons for each. About four minutes, and no account needed.
Ask for catamaran proposals
Tell us your dates, how many guests and cabins you need, and your budget. We'll suggest an established charter brokerage that checks which BVI crewed catamarans are free and sends proposals with the full estimated cost.