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A 50 to 60m motor yacht the Caribbean charter season (December 2026 to April 2027) runs $375,000 to $685,000 per week plus 25 to 30 percent APA, takes 10 to 12 guests on the 6-cabin standard layout, and carries 14 to 18 crew. The active 50 to 60m Caribbean fleet runs roughly 60 to 80 yachts through a typical winter peak, structurally smaller than the Mediterranean equivalent because the Caribbean season runs four to five months against the Med six and the repositioning calendar shapes the fleet. The bracket bases out of Tortola Road Harbour and Nanny Cay (BVI), Simpson Bay Lagoon (St Maarten), Falmouth Harbour and Jolly Harbour (Antigua), and Rodney Bay (St Lucia), with the Christmas-to-New-Year peak compressing inventory to the structural-tenure clients.
Why the 50-60m bracket is the Caribbean step-up
The cabin layout opens. The 50 to 60m bracket runs the 6-cabin layout as standard (full-beam owner's suite, two VIP doubles, two doubles, one convertible twin or pullman) and the 7-cabin layout enters at 57 to 60m. The bracket carries the 12-guest charter without the doubling-up that the 5-cabin 40-to-50m layout requires at the same head count. The sky lounge becomes a second living room and the upper-deck sun-deck spa pool is standard at the bracket.
The repositioning calendar shapes the fleet. The 50 to 60m Caribbean fleet is structurally the Mediterranean summer fleet on the winter run. The Atlantic crossing runs late October to mid-November and the return crossing runs late April to mid-May. The repositioning weeks (November and May) carry the discounted-rate one-way Atlantic charter at the bracket and the shoulder-season Caribbean weeks (early December and mid-April) carry the at-bracket inventory pool without the Christmas peak compression.
The infrastructure ceiling. Simpson Bay Lagoon at St Maarten holds the structural 50 to 60m berthing at IGY Yacht Club Isle de Sol and Port de Plaisance. Falmouth Harbour at Antigua holds the structural fleet through the December to April window with the Charter Yacht Show in early December as the calendar anchor. Tortola Road Harbour and Nanny Cay at BVI hold the bracket on the eastern Caribbean entry. St Barths anchor positions (Gustavia and Anse de Colombier) run the structural at-anchor product. The 60m line is the practical ceiling at Falmouth Harbour inner dockage and at the Simpson Bay bridge passage (the bridge clearance and the inner-lagoon depth carry the upper limit).
The build quality. The 50 to 60m Caribbean fleet runs the structural Northern European and Italian builds (Lurssen, Feadship, Heesen, Amels, Benetti, Codecasa, CRN, Sanlorenzo upper end) and on the sailing side the Perini Navi flagships work the Caribbean winter as the structural sailing-yacht product at the bracket. The build-year floor at the bracket is structurally tighter than the 40 to 50m default through the winter charter pool.
Weekly rate map for 2026/27 winter
Rates below are firm winter-season pricing for December 2026 through April 2027, before APA at 25 to 30 percent and gratuity at 12 to 15 percent. The Christmas-to-New-Year peak (December 22 through January 4) runs at 1.30 to 1.50 times the published rate.
| LOA bracket | Motor yacht (low to high) | Sailing yacht (low to high) |
|---|---|---|
| 50 to 53m | $375K to $458K per week | $310K to $385K per week |
| 53 to 57m | $440K to $568K per week | $365K to $465K per week |
| 57 to 60m | $535K to $685K per week | $440K to $565K per week |
Caribbean rates run roughly 3 to 7 percent below the equivalent Mediterranean week at the same LOA on the headline rate. The APA at 25 to 30 percent runs structurally below the Med 30 percent on lower port fees and a US-dollar-anchored provisioning cost base. The Christmas-to-New-Year peak premium runs structurally tighter than the Med August peak because the winter inventory pool is smaller. For region-by-region rate context see Caribbean charter weekly rates.
What the bracket buys you on a 50-60m Caribbean charter
Cabins. Six standard, seven optional. Same structural pattern as the Mediterranean bracket. The Caribbean charter brief runs a slightly higher family ratio than the Med and the 7-cabin layout at the 57 to 60m upper end carries the multi-family December and March weeks.
Crew. Fourteen to eighteen. The Caribbean winter crew bench is structurally the Med summer crew on the winter rotation. The captain and chief stew prior tenure on the same hull through the Atlantic crossing is the structural variable. Confirm crew rotation at inquiry: the structural concern is the chef and chief stew rotation through the December peak, where the substitution flies in via Sint Maarten (SXM), Antigua (ANU), or St Thomas (STT) on a 24 to 36 hour lead time.
Tenders. Primary 9 to 11m fast tender for guest transfers, secondary 7m tender, chase boat for water-sports, full water-toy load. The Caribbean tender programme runs the inter-island guest transfer (Anguilla to St Barths, Norman Island to Virgin Gorda) at 25 to 45 nautical miles structurally, longer than the Med tender programme, and the tender capability is load-bearing on the BVI and Leeward Islands run. Confirm the primary tender's offshore capability and the chase boat's water-sports rig at inquiry.
Stabilizers. Underway stabilizers are structural on the inter-island crossings (BVI to St Barths, St Barths to Antigua, Antigua to St Lucia) and the at-anchor stabilizers are structural at the exposed anchor positions (Anse de Colombier at St Barths, the eastern Antigua coast, the windward Grenadines). Specify both at inquiry.
Beach club. Load-bearing. Same structural pattern as the Med bracket. The Caribbean charter runs more swim and water-toy time per day than the Med (warmer water, less marina-side time, longer at-anchor anchor positions) and the beach club product earns its keep more directly. Confirm full beach club fitting at inquiry.
Helipad. Touch-and-go (Cat A) is standard at the bracket. The Caribbean inter-island helicopter rotation (St Barths to Antigua, Antigua to BVI, St Maarten to Anguilla) runs 25 to 45 minutes against the 3 to 6 hour underway. The helipad is structurally more useful in the Caribbean than the Med because the inter-island distances are longer at this LOA. Confirm Cat A certification at inquiry.
Trip shapes that fit the bracket
The 7-night Leeward Islands. Embark St Maarten (Simpson Bay or Marigot), one night Anguilla, two nights St Barths (Gustavia anchor or harbour slot), two nights St Kitts and Nevis, two nights return St Maarten. The bracket runs the Leeward standard with the helipad covering the inter-island repositioning. Suits the couples week tied to St Barths and the dressed week with the Gustavia shore programme.
The 7-night BVI loop. Embark Tortola Road Harbour, work Norman Island, Peter Island, the Baths at Virgin Gorda, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke, return Tortola. The bracket carries the structural BVI family week and the inter-island tender programme runs the day-trip product. Better suited to the family-week brief than the couples week.
The 10-night Leeward and Windward arc. Embark St Maarten, two nights Anguilla and St Barths, three nights Antigua and Barbuda (Jumby Bay anchor, Long Bay), two nights Guadeloupe and the Saintes, three nights Dominica and Martinique, two nights return St Lucia. The bracket runs the cross-island repositioning with the helipad anchor at the structural value of the multi-island week.
The 14-night St Vincent and Grenadines extension. Embark St Lucia (Rodney Bay), two nights Bequia, three nights Tobago Cays and Mayreau, two nights Mustique, two nights Canouan, two nights Petit St Vincent and Union Island, three nights return St Lucia. The marquee Grenadines charter at the bracket. Suits the dedicated southern Caribbean couples week and the dressed week with the Mustique and Canouan shore programme.
The 14-night Bahamas and Exumas extension at the bracket. Embark Nassau or Lyford Cay, three nights Exumas (Highbourne, Norman's Cay, Staniel, Compass), three nights Eleuthera and Harbour Island, three nights Abacos (Hope Town, Green Turtle), three nights return Exumas. The Bahamas charter at the bracket runs the structural shallow-water programme and the 57 to 60m upper end runs the inner-Exumas draft window at 3.0 to 3.3 metres. Confirm operating draft at inquiry for the inner-Exumas anchor positions.
For destination context see the Charter Caribbean hub and the 50-60m destination pages on the BVI, St Barths, and Bahamas.
What the bracket does not do well in the Caribbean
The Falmouth Harbour inner dockage at the Charter Yacht Show in early December. The Falmouth inner dockage holds the 55m slot on prior captain's arrangement but the Antigua Charter Yacht Show compresses the available slots structurally and the bracket runs the Falmouth outer anchorage or the Jolly Harbour alternative through the show week. Build the December 1 to 7 window onto the at-anchor or the alternative-port product.
The Christmas-to-New-Year peak booking on a sub-six-month timeline. The Christmas to New Year peak runs to the structural-tenure repeat clients and the bracket inventory pool compresses to the late-cancellation product. The Christmas peak at the bracket bookers 14 to 18 months ahead. The six-month timeline runs the post-New-Year January 5 to 18 window or the March shoulder.
The inner-Exumas draft programme at the 57 to 60m upper end. The 6-cabin 57 to 60m hulls run typically a 3.2 to 3.5 metre operating draft and the inner-Exumas anchor positions at Compass Cay, Staniel, and Bell Island sit at 2.8 to 3.4 metre depth at low tide. Confirm operating draft and tide-window anchor planning at inquiry if the Exumas leg is in scope.
The St Barths Gustavia harbour stern-to at the Christmas peak. Gustavia holds the bracket slot on prior arrangement but the Christmas peak compresses the slot to the at-anchor product off the Gustavia roadstead and at Anse de Colombier. Build the Gustavia overnight onto the at-anchor product with the tender to the Old Quay running the shore programme.
Our pick
For a family of 12, 10-night Leeward and Windward arc in mid-March at the shoulder peak: a 54 to 56m motor yacht with the 6-cabin layout, Cat A helipad, full beach club, primary plus secondary tender plus chase boat, and the Antigua Long Bay anchor permit and the St Barths Anse de Colombier anchor arranged at contract. Budget: $498K plus APA at 28 percent, all-in roughly $663K. Booking lead time: 10 to 14 months.
For a multigenerational group of 12, 14-night Grenadines extension in early February at the season window: a 57 to 60m motor yacht with the 7-cabin layout, Cat A helipad, full beach club with hammam, primary plus secondary tender plus chase boat, and the Mustique resident-permit-window and the Canouan Sandy Lane berth arranged at contract. Budget: $575K per week, all-in for 14 nights roughly $1.52M including APA. Booking lead time: 14 to 18 months.
For a couples-only 7-night Christmas peak Leeward week through December 26 to January 2: a 54 to 56m motor yacht with the 6-cabin layout, Cat A helipad, modern aesthetic, St Barths Gustavia harbour slot at prior arrangement, and the New Year's Eve programme arranged at contract. Budget: $720K including peak premium plus APA at 30 percent, all-in roughly $975K. Booking lead time: 14 to 18 months.
Build, refit, what to ask at the bracket
The 50 to 60m Caribbean winter fleet runs the same structural build-year floor as the Med equivalent (2014 build, 2023 or 2024 refit). The Caribbean winter pool concentrates the post-2018 builds at the upper end because the Atlantic crossing favours the newer hull on insurance and the broker market discounts older Caribbean-pool hulls more aggressively than the Med equivalent. We would pass on any 50 to 60m yacht with a build year before 2010 or any 2010 to 2014 hull without a 2022 or later refit on the Caribbean winter charter.
Inventory
The live 50 to 60m Caribbean inventory through the 2026/27 season updates weekly.. For broker-side inquiry, see the brokers pillar and the Caribbean charter weekly rates report.