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A 30 to 40m yacht St Barths in 2026 peak runs $140,000 to $200,000 per week plus a 30 percent APA, takes 8 to 10 guests, and bases out of Gustavia anchorage across the December to April Caribbean season. Peak St Barths is two weeks: the December 26 to January 4 NYE window and the President's Day week in February. Outside those two windows the headline rate falls 25 to 40 percent and the anchorage rotation eases sharply. This page covers St Barths pricing and tactics; for the wider Caribbean, see the Caribbean bracket page.
Why St Barths at this bracket
St Barths is an 8nm volcanic island with one functioning charter port (Gustavia) and one anchorage at the bracket (the Gustavia outer roads). The inner Gustavia harbor takes yachts to roughly 60m on Mediterranean moor and the 30 to 40m bracket fits the outer anchorage rotation that runs east of the breakwater across the season.
The bracket fits St Barths because the open-water positioning legs to St Martin, Anguilla, and Saba are short enough not to require large-yacht stabilizer specifications, the yacht is small enough to take a Gustavia outer mooring on the rotation, and the spec carries the at-anchor stabilizers needed for the swell that wraps into Gustavia on the December and January north fronts.
Above 40m, the Gustavia anchorage tightens to the point that yachts rotate offshore on busy nights and shuttle guests in by tender from outside the breakwater. Below 30m, the dedicated charter inventory thins because the small-yacht market in St Barths is mostly day-cruise out of Gustavia, not weekly.
Weekly rates from St Barths in 2026 to 2027 season
Ranges below are for peak weeks (the NYE two-week block and the President's Day week in February) for the 2026 to 2027 season, before APA at 30 percent and gratuity at 10 to 15 percent. St Barths charges a French DOM charter VAT plus a per-day per-yacht port fee at Gustavia.
| LOA bracket | Motor yacht (low to high) | Sailing yacht (low to high) |
|---|---|---|
| 30 to 33m | $140K to $160K per week | $110K to $135K per week |
| 33 to 36m | $155K to $175K per week | $125K to $155K per week |
| 36 to 40m | $170K to $200K per week | $145K to $185K per week |
NYE week (December 28 to January 4) prices 30 to 50 percent above the headline peak rate above. Yachts that work the NYE window almost always book on a two-week contract with a position-out date of January 5. President's week prices in line with the headline peak.
Mid-January to mid-February and mid-February to mid-March outside President's week run roughly 20 to 30 percent below the peak headlines and are the strongest value windows. April prices down sharply through the season close.
What you get in the St Barths fleet at this bracket
Cabins. 5 cabins for 10 guests is standard. The fleet skews newer in St Barths than the wider Caribbean because the destination pulls the freshest tonnage on the rotation pattern.
Crew. 7 to 9 on motor yachts at the bracket. The St Barths crew bench is the deepest in the Caribbean for chef quality because the island's restaurant culture pulls professional kitchens onto yachts seasonally.
Tenders. Two tenders is the spec at St Barths because the Gustavia mooring rotation puts guests ashore at the dinghy dock through dinner service, and a second tender handles beach runs to Saline, Gouverneur, and the Colombier reef.
At-anchor stabilizers. Mandatory at the bracket because the December and January north swells wrap into Gustavia on a regular cadence and yachts without zero-speed stabilizers roll through dinner service.
Helipad. Touch-and-go pads are useful but not standard. The SBH airport runway handles charter clients on prop transfers from SXM, which is the route.
Week shapes from St Barths at this bracket
The Gustavia base week. Embark Gustavia, anchor the outer rotation, day-rotate to Colombier, Anse de Grande Saline, and Pain de Sucre, with NYE or dinner nights ashore in town. Seven nights. The bracket fits this and most St Barths weeks default to it.
The St Barths plus Anguilla swing. Embark Gustavia, three nights Gustavia rotation, two nights Anguilla at Road Bay, return via Tintamarre. Seven nights. Best for charter clients who want one quiet anchorage off the Gustavia rotation.
The St Barths to St Martin to Saba route. Embark Gustavia, two nights St Barths, two nights Simpson Bay, two nights Saba at Ladder Bay. Seven nights. Less common but workable at the bracket and the right call for guests who want the diving leg.
What does not work at this bracket in St Barths
Quiet at NYE. The Gustavia anchorage holds 40 to 60 yachts across NYE week including yachts well above the bracket. The rotation is busy, the harbor wake is constant, and the on-shore service runs at peak load. Charter clients who want a quiet NYE should book Anguilla or the Grenadines, not St Barths.
Late booking. St Barths NYE is fully booked by July of the prior year for the headline yachts. Bookings inside 6 months of NYE are with secondary inventory at premium rates.
Berthing for the bracket. The Gustavia inner harbor takes Mediterranean moor at the bracket on rotation only. Yachts that need fixed berth across the week should base St Martin and route St Barths as a leg.
What does not make the cut
Yachts at the bracket without at-anchor stabilizers for any week between mid-December and mid-February, regardless of the rate. The Gustavia roll is unforgiving and the dinner-service rotation suffers. We would also pass on NYE bookings that come available inside 6 months at headline rate; the calculus rarely works because the secondary inventory at premium is rarely the right yacht.
What we would book
For two couples, seven nights in mid-February outside President's week: a 33m motor yacht with 4 cabins, Gustavia base, two day-runs to Colombier. Budget $145K plus APA, all-in roughly $190K. Booking lead time: 6 to 9 months for the value windows.
For a family of 10, two weeks across NYE: a 38m motor yacht with 5 cabins, Gustavia base for the NYE week, then a St Martin to Anguilla swing for the second week. Budget $400K plus APA across the fortnight, all-in roughly $525K. Booking lead time: 12 to 15 months minimum for the NYE block.
Vintage and refit checks
The St Barths 30 to 40m fleet skews to 2018 or newer because the destination pulls fresh tonnage and the charter clients reward AV and water-toy specifications. A pre-2015 hull without a 2022 or later refit is hard to place at peak rates here. Confirm the refit covers AV, satellite, and the toy garage layout; the toy spec drives the day-rotation quality more in St Barths than elsewhere in the Caribbean.