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Antigua at 40 to 50m is the bracket's Caribbean base on the south end of the Leewards. A 40 to 50m motor yacht Antigua in 2026 peak Christmas and February weeks runs $185,000 to $295,000 per week plus 30 percent APA, takes 10 to 12 guests, and bases in Falmouth Harbour, English Harbour, or Jolly Harbour with the Barbuda day-cross as the headline outside leg. The active 40 to 50m fleet calling Antigua through the December to April Caribbean season is roughly 32 yachts, the bracket's densest fleet south of St Barths because Falmouth Harbour is the regional refit and provisioning base for the bracket. Antigua Charter Yacht Show in early December and Antigua Sailing Week in late April are the bracket's bookend events for the season.
Why Antigua works for the bracket
Antigua's south coast carries two natural harbours that fit the 40 to 50m bracket without compromise: Falmouth Harbour with the Antigua Yacht Club Marina and the inner-harbour anchor field, and English Harbour with Nelson's Dockyard and the deep-water inner harbour positions. Both harbours hold the bracket on stern-to or alongside berths, both have full provisioning grids built around the seasonal charter and racing fleets, and the harbour entries are deep-water without the draft constraints that the Bahamas and the Sea of Abaco impose.
The destination's day-anchor inventory at the bracket runs along the south coast (Pigeon Beach, Pillar Rock anchorage, Carlisle Bay), the west coast (Hermitage Bay, Deep Bay, Five Islands), and the Barbuda anchorages (Princess Diana Beach, Cocoa Point, Spanish Point) on the day-cross 32nm north. The Barbuda day-cross is the structural feature of the Antigua bracket week.
Weekly rate map for 2026 to 2027 season
Rates below are for peak weeks (Christmas through New Year, President's Day week) for the 2026 to 2027 season, before APA at 30 percent and gratuity at 12 to 15 percent. Antigua cruising permit and harbour fees run through the APA. Antigua does not levy charter VAT at the rate the French Caribbean does, and the bracket's all-in delta to St Barths runs 12 to 18 percent in Antigua's favour after taxes.
| LOA bracket | Motor yacht (low to high) | Sailing yacht and large catamaran (low to high) |
|---|---|---|
| 40 to 43m | $185K to $220K per week | $150K to $185K per week |
| 43 to 47m | $215K to $255K per week | $180K to $220K per week |
| 47 to 50m | $245K to $295K per week | $210K to $260K per week |
Off-peak Caribbean season (early December outside the Antigua Charter Yacht Show window, mid-January through early February, March outside President's week, and early April outside the Sailing Week build-up) runs roughly 20 to 30 percent below the headline peak. The bracket's all-in cost in Antigua at peak runs roughly 8 to 12 percent below the equivalent BVI week and 25 to 30 percent below the equivalent St Barths week after harbour fees and taxes. For corridor context see the Caribbean bracket page, St Lucia bracket page, and the 30 to 40m Antigua bracket.
What is in the bracket in this bracket
Cabins. 5 to 6-cabin layouts dominate. The Antigua charter pattern at the bracket runs across family Christmas weeks, multi-couple Antigua Charter Yacht Show pre-bookings, and friend-group President's weeks, and the 5-cabin charter spec runs the inventory.
Crew. 9 to 12 on motor yachts. The Antigua crew bench is the deepest in the southern Leewards for last-minute substitution because the Falmouth refit yards run year-round and the destination is the repositioning point for the wider Caribbean. The chef bench at the bracket runs strong through the season because the Antigua Charter Yacht Show pulls experienced charter chefs through November and December.
Tenders. A primary 9 to 10m fast tender plus a 6 to 7m beach-landing secondary. The Barbuda beach landings at Princess Diana Beach and the south-coast Antigua landings at Pigeon Beach and Carlisle Bay all run on sand approaches and the secondary tender is operational. The Falmouth Harbour tender dock is the access point for shore evenings.
At-anchor stabilizers. Mandatory. The Barbuda anchorages take residual swell from the open Atlantic to the north, the Antigua west-coast anchorages take tradewind chop from December through March, and the at-anchor differential is the comfort variable that decides whether the week works.
Helipad. Useful at the upper end of the bracket for the Antigua to St Barths and Antigua to Barbuda shuttle. The V.C. Bird International airport handles the embarkation transfer and the touch-and-go capable yachts price 5 to 8 percent above non-helipad equivalent for Christmas.
Trip shapes that fit the bracket
The classic Antigua and Barbuda week. Embark Falmouth Harbour, work to Carlisle Bay and Pigeon Beach on the south coast, position to Pillar Rock and the west-coast anchorages, cross north to Barbuda for two nights at Princess Diana Beach and Cocoa Point, return Falmouth or disembark Jolly Harbour. Seven nights. The bracket fits this and the Barbuda cross is the destination's defining day.
The Antigua, Barbuda, and St Barths ten-night. Embark Falmouth Harbour, work Antigua south coast for two nights, cross to Barbuda for two nights, position north to St Barths for three nights at Gustavia and Colombier, return via Anguilla one-night, disembark Simpson Bay. Ten nights. Best at the upper end of the bracket for the open-water reposition.
The Antigua Charter Yacht Show pre-booked December week. Embark Falmouth Harbour during the Show week itself for the broker showcase, then run the standard Antigua and Barbuda pattern. Seven to ten nights. The Show-week pricing runs at 15 to 25 percent premium to the standard December rates because the bracket's central agents and brokers all base out of Falmouth that week.
For destination context see Charter Antigua, Charter Caribbean, and Best charter yachts Caribbean.
What the bracket does not do well in Antigua
Late-April weeks past Sailing Week. The Antigua season closes through May because the wind drops and the destination's social calendar moves to the Mediterranean. The Antigua Sailing Week (late April) is the bookend event and weeks immediately after it price down sharply because the bracket repositions north to St Barths and St Martin for the trans-Atlantic crossing.
Hurricane-season weeks. Antigua's hurricane exposure is meaningful through August and September and the destination's amenities run at reduced capacity. Weeks priced into June to October at the bracket carry weather risk that the Mediterranean reposition does not.
Multi-island weeks south of Guadeloupe. The Antigua to St Lucia and Antigua to Martinique passages are 130 to 200nm open-water legs and combining them in a single seven-night week breaks the trip rhythm. Charter clients who want the southern Caribbean should book the St Lucia or Grenadines bracket page instead.
What to book
For two couples, seven days in late January, Antigua south coast with Barbuda day-cross and two nights stationary at Falmouth Harbour: a 43m motor yacht with 5 cabins and at-anchor stabilizers, embarkation Falmouth Harbour. Budget $230K plus APA, all-in roughly $305K. Booking lead time: 8 to 11 months for peak, 4 to 6 months off-peak.
For a family of 12, ten days at Christmas, Antigua and Barbuda with St Barths bookend and three nights stationary at English Harbour: a 47m motor yacht with 6 cabins, twin tenders, embarkation Falmouth Harbour. Budget $275K plus APA, all-in roughly $370K. Booking lead time: 12 to 15 months minimum for the Christmas window.
For a friend group of 10, ten days in President's week, Antigua, Barbuda, and St Barths ten-night with disembark at Simpson Bay: a 45m motor yacht with 5 cabins, embarkation Falmouth Harbour, one-way disembark. Budget $255K plus APA, all-in roughly $345K. Booking lead time: 10 to 13 months.
Build year, refit, condition
The Antigua 40 to 50m fleet runs the highest share of refit-recent tonnage in the Caribbean because the Falmouth Harbour refit yards run year-round and the bracket's repositioning point for refit and maintenance is the destination itself. Benetti, Sanlorenzo, Heesen, Feadship, and the Lurssen upper-end inventory dominate, with the US Florida-programme tonnage taking a smaller share than in the Bahamas. A 2017 to 2024 build with current AV, full tender complement, at-anchor stabilizers, and a refit done at Falmouth or an equivalent yard within 24 months of the booked week is the value zone. We would pass on any unit without confirmed Falmouth or English Harbour berth slot in writing at contract, on any unit whose tender programme does not include the 6m+ beach-landing secondary, and on any Sailing Week or Charter Yacht Show week booking that has not confirmed the harbour position 18 months out.