First-time guide to Miami yachts
Never rented a yacht before? Here's what it costs and how it works.
Most first charters run about four hours with a captain. Below: labelled Miami market estimates by boat size, what moves the number, what is usually included, and what you pay when you book.
Free to request · You pay nothing until you book
- Typical Miami prices
- What's included
- Free to request
A typical first charter
Cruiser
35–60 ft motor yacht with a cabin
4 hoursUp to 12 guests
- Captain
- Fuel
- Music
- Cabin
About $1,550–$3,700
Five things to decide, in the order we ask them
When
Pick the day and a start time. Boats go out in the morning, the afternoon and at sunset.
How long
Most boats rent for 4 hours or more. Trips of 2 or 3 hours are mostly on small boats under 35 feet.
How many guests
Small boats with a captain usually take up to 6 guests. Boats from 35 to 100 feet take 12 or 13.
Your budget
Use the prices below as a guide. Yacht requests start at $500, and the form shows what your budget can get before you send it.
The occasion and extras
A birthday, a proposal or a day with friends? Add extras like catering, decorations or a photographer, and each company prices them.
What moves the price
Same date, different boat — or same boat, different extras.
Size and crew
A 25 ft sport boat and a 70 ft flybridge are different products. Larger boats usually bring more crew and space at a higher base.
Hours on the water
Four hours is the common block. Six and eight hours cost more; short 2–3 hour runs are mostly the small-boat tier.
Day and season
Saturday, holiday weekends, F1 week, Art Basel and spring break run hotter. Late summer into early November is often softer.
Extras and tip
Catering, toys and décor sit on top of the charter. A 15–20% crew tip is customary and usually not in the quoted charter price.
What a yacht costs in Miami
Market estimates for a 4-hour captained charter before crew tip and our 5% booking fee: small boats about $580–$1,250; mid-size cruisers about $1,500–$3,500; larger yachts about $3,500–$12,000. Cards below break that into the form’s tiers. Not a DESEO quote — each offer shows its own total.
What to expect: Yacht
Miami prices, checked October 2026
Entry-level
Small boat
20–30 ft sport boat, deck boat or pontoon
About $700–$1,350
4 hours · Up to 6 guests
- Captain
- Fuel
- Music
- Life vests
Often extra: docking fee on some boats ($50–$250)
Typical
Cruiser
35–60 ft motor yacht with a cabin
About $1,550–$3,700
4 hours · Up to 12 guests
- Captain
- Fuel
- Music
- Cabin
Often extra: card fee of 3–4% at some companies
Premium
Luxury yacht
80–100 ft yacht with full crew
About $6,800–$13,000
4 hours · Up to 12 guests
- Captain
- Crew
- Fuel
- Two decks
Often extra: some add an 18% service fee
Expected totals include known costs: Crew tip (15–20% is customary) · DESEO booking fee (5%). Certain costs vary by boat and itinerary: 7% sales tax on bareboat charters, docking fees ($50–$250) outside home marinas, high-speed fuel, and card processing fees (3–4%). Educational possibilities based on verified Miami market data, not promises or binding quotes. Approved companies send their own offers for your request.
What's usually included, and what isn't
Usually included
Captain
Fuel
Music
Cabin
Restroom
Water toys
Often extra
A crew tip of 15–20%
Card fee of 3–4% at some companies
Food, drinks and decorations
Docking fee on some boats ($50–$250)
Every offer on DESEO lists what's included and shows the total with our 5% fee. Docking fees, sales tax and card fees show up on some boats.
What you pay, and when
Sending a request
Free. Comparing offers is free too.
Booking
Half the price as a deposit (at least $500), plus our 5% booking fee, by card through Stripe.
The rest
Pay online until the day before your trip, or pay the company on the day.
Example: a $2,000 offer
- Today
- $1,100$1,000 + $100 · deposit + booking fee
- Later
- $1,000
- Total
- $2,100
A 15–20% crew tip is customary. Most offers don't include it, and the ones that do say so.
First-timer questions
Cost bands, inclusions, tip, deposit and food.
How much does it cost to rent a yacht in Miami for a day?
Most Miami captained charters are priced for 4 hours or more. Rough market estimates before crew tip and our 5% booking fee: small boats about $580–$1,250; mid-size cruisers about $1,500–$3,500; larger yachts about $3,500–$12,000. Size, date, duration and extras move the number. Plan for a 15–20% crew tip on top; some companies also charge docking fees, fuel for long or fast runs, sales tax or a card fee. These are labelled market estimates, not a DESEO quote or a marketplace “from $X/hr” rate. The request form shows the bands before you send; each offer shows its own total.
What's usually included in a Miami yacht charter price?
A typical captained charter price often covers the boat, captain (and crew on larger boats), local fuel and basic gear such as a sound system and life vests. Crew tip (usually 15–20%), food, drinks, décor, a photographer, jet skis, docking fees, sales tax and card fees are often separate. Read each offer’s inclusions before you pay — companies differ.
Is gratuity for the captain or crew included in the price?
Usually not. A 15–20% crew tip is customary in Miami and sits on top of most charter prices, similar to tipping a server. Some companies build gratuity into the quote; when they do, it should be written on the offer. Confirm before you pay.
How much is the deposit, and is it refundable?
You pay the deposit when you accept an offer, through Stripe — not when you send the request. The deposit is half the rental price including selected extras, with a $500 minimum, capped at that full price. The full 5% booking fee is due with the deposit. You can pay the balance online through us until the day before the booking (Miami time), or to the company on the day. Deposit refunds follow your offer’s cancellation terms. The booking fee is refunded only if the company cancels or cannot provide what it offered. See the total, amount due today and balance before paying.
Do I need a boating license to rent a yacht in Miami?
Tell us whether you want a captained charter. Confirm who will operate the boat, what is included and any qualifications required for your booking with the company before paying.
Can I bring my own food, drinks, or alcohol on a yacht charter?
Add your preferences to the request and review the company’s rules and inclusions before booking. Catering and drinks may be offered as extras.
Start with one free request.
Send one free request. Before you send it, the form shows what your budget can get.
Free to request · You pay nothing until you book