Chartering a yacht from Monaco for the first time is simpler than most people expect. From Port Hercule, the whole French and Italian Riviera is within a day's cruising, and a good broker handles the detail so you can focus on the water.
Key takeaways
- Every charter from Monaco is by quote and built around your dates, party and itinerary, never a fixed rack rate.
- From Port Hercule the whole French and Italian Riviera is within a day's cruising, so even a first charter can range widely.
- A crewed charter includes the captain, crew and itinerary design on an MYBA contract, with running costs handled transparently through an APA.
- Day charters can often be arranged at short notice; summer weeks, the Grand Prix and the Yacht Show book months ahead.
- A good broker handles every detail, so your only job is to choose the pace and the places.
How booking works
Every charter is by quote, built around your dates and party rather than a fixed rate. Tell us when you'd like to be aboard and we return suitable yachts, indicative pricing and a draft itinerary. Day charters can often be arranged at short notice; summer weeks and the Grand Prix should be booked months ahead. See our yacht charter in Monaco page for the full picture, or our day rental option for a single day on the water.
What's included
A crewed charter includes the captain and crew, itinerary design and an MYBA contract, with an APA covering fuel, berths and provisioning set out transparently. Larger yachts carry a private chef. We explain every line before you confirm.
Where you can go
From Monaco you can reach Cannes and the Lérins islands, the great yachting harbour of Antibes, or head east toward the Italian coast. A relaxed first charter often stays close — a swim stop, a beach-club lunch, and back by evening.
Choosing the right yacht
The first decision is the kind of yacht that suits your day. A sleek open day boat is perfect for a morning swim and a beach-club lunch close to the principality; a 20-to-30-metre motor yacht adds cabins, shade and a tender for a relaxed full day or a week aboard; a 40-metre-plus superyacht brings a private chef, a larger crew and a full set of water toys. Sailing yachts and catamarans offer a quieter, gentler passage for those who prefer canvas to engines. Rather than fix you to a single boat, we match a specific yacht to your group size, budget and the character of the day or week you have in mind, and explain honestly what each option does well.
Crewed, or driving yourself
Most first charters from Monaco are crewed, and for good reason: a captain and crew handle the navigation, the anchoring, the cooking and the docking, so you simply enjoy the water. No licence and no experience are required. Smaller boats can sometimes be taken bareboat if you hold the right certificate and want to helm yourself, but for a first time on this stretch of coast — busy, glamorous and unfamiliar — a professional aboard is what turns a good day into an effortless one. The crew also know the quiet anchorages and the right timing to sidestep the crowds.
Understanding the cost
A charter is quoted as a base fee for the yacht and crew, plus the running costs. On crewed charters those running costs are handled through an Advance Provisioning Allowance, usually 25 to 35 per cent of the fee, which covers fuel, berthing, food and drink and is accounted for in full at the end. Day charters start in the low thousands of euros; crewed weeks run higher with the size and season of the yacht, and peak sharply around the Grand Prix in late May and the Yacht Show in September. We set out every figure before you commit, so the headline price and the extras are clear from the start.
A sample first day
A relaxed first day often stays close to home and still feels complete. You board at Port Hercule mid-morning, cruise west beneath Cap-Ferrat and into the sheltered bay of Villefranche for a first swim, then anchor for a long lunch — aboard, or at a beach club we book ahead. The afternoon is yours for more swimming, paddleboards or a slow coastal cruise, before a gentle return to Monaco as the light softens. The skipper shapes it all to the weather and your mood, and nothing is rushed.
The best time of year
The Riviera charter season runs from April to October, with the warmest, calmest water from June to September. Late May brings the Monaco Grand Prix and September the Yacht Show, both spectacular but in high demand, with the best yachts and berths reserved far ahead. For a first charter, early summer and September are ideal: the same warm sea, quieter anchorages and easier availability. We plan around your dates and the forecast, and can shift a day either way to chase the best conditions.
Aboard: what to expect
Stepping aboard for the first time is easier than most people imagine. The crew greet you, run a short safety briefing and then fade into the background, anticipating rather than intruding. Bring only the essentials — sun cream, a hat, a swimsuit and a light layer for the return — and soft bags rather than hard cases, which stow more easily. Dietary needs, favourite drinks and any celebration can be arranged in advance through a simple preference sheet, so the day feels personal from the moment you arrive.
Where a week can take you
If a first day leaves you wanting more, a week from Monaco opens the whole coast. Heading west you pass Cap-Ferrat, the yachting harbour of Antibes and on to Cannes and the Îles de Lérins, with Saint-Tropez about thirty-two nautical miles on — the western anchor of most itineraries, its old port and the beach clubs of Pampelonne. Eastward lies the Italian frontier: Menton, Sanremo, and the pastel harbour of Portofino an overnight leg away. Most weeks combine a little of each direction, shaped around the weather and your pace, with the yacht as a floating base that moves with you from harbour to harbour. We sketch two or three draft routes and refine the one that fits your dates and the kind of week you want.
A classic first week might leave Monaco for an easy day to Cannes and the Lérins, push west to Saint-Tropez for a night at anchor off Pampelonne, then turn back along the coast with swim stops at Antibes and Cap-Ferrat — or, for those drawn to Italy, slip east through Menton and Sanremo toward Portofino and the Ligurian coast. Neither is a fixed package: the route bends to the forecast, the sea state and what you enjoyed most on the first day, and the crew adjust as the week unfolds so you are always in the right place at the right time.
Working with a broker
The quiet advantage of a first charter is a broker who acts for you, not for a boat. We hold long relationships with owners, captains and the port, so we can be honest about which yachts are genuinely good and which simply have availability. We negotiate the terms, read the contract and the survey of condition where relevant, manage the APA transparently, and stay reachable before and during the charter. Because charter, brokerage and management sit at one desk, the person who arranges your week is the person you call if plans change — and the same team is there when, in time, you think about chartering again or buying a yacht of your own.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a first charter cost?
Day charters start in the low thousands of euros; weekly crewed charters run higher depending on size and season. Every charter is quoted individually.
Do I need experience?
None at all — the crew handle everything. You simply choose the pace and the places.