New England Yacht Charter
Crewed yachts from Newport for Block Island, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, June to September, from about $20,000 a week. Broker-led since 1992.
Reviewed by Adrian Sneed, Charter Broker at Sneed Charters — a family brokerage arranging crewed yacht charters since 1992.
A New England yacht charter is a crewed week, usually round trip from Newport, Rhode Island, between June and September. Published weekly rates run from about $20,000 for a yacht under 75 ft to about $475,000 and more for a 200 ft superyacht, plus an APA of 25–35% for fuel, food and berths. Rhode Island doesn’t tax boat charters; Massachusetts taxes them at 6.25%. And US law lets only a coastwise-qualified yacht carry guests between US harbours, so your broker checks the yacht’s papers before quoting.
Sailing yacht, catamaran or motor yacht?
Pick by group size and pace. A crewed sailing yacht suits four to six people who want to sail most legs. A catamaran gives a family more deck space and a steadier platform at anchor. A motor yacht carries up to 12 guests and covers the longer runs, such as Nantucket back to Newport, in hours rather than a day.
| Yacht | Best for | Weekly rate from |
|---|---|---|
| Crewed sailing yacht | Couples and keen sailors who want to sail most legs | About $20,000 |
| Catamaran | Families; wide decks and a shallow draft for small harbours | About $48,000 |
| Motor yacht | Larger groups, longer legs and Maine | About $32,000 |
The honest trade-off: motor yachts are the most widely available type in New England; catamarans are fewer, so they book first. Smaller yachts here are often quoted all-inclusive, with food, bar and fuel in the price. See sailing yacht charters or browse yachts in our fleet.
Where to charter in New England
Most New England charters cruise the southern coast from Newport. Three grounds fill nearly every week there: Newport and Narragansett Bay, Block Island and the Elizabeth Islands, and Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Maine is the fourth, and it is a different trip.
Four cruising grounds at a glance
NewportNewport and Narragansett Bay
The usual start, with deepwater berths for large yachts. The Gilded Age mansions sit along the Cliff Walk, and the bay’s sheltered anchorages make an easy first night.
Block IslandBlock Island and Cuttyhunk
Block Island’s Great Salt Pond is a large, enclosed harbour off the Rhode Island coast. Cuttyhunk is the small outer island of the Elizabeth Islands.
Martha’s VineyardMartha’s Vineyard and Nantucket
Edgartown, Vineyard Haven and the fishing village of Menemsha on the Vineyard; Nantucket’s town harbour and cobbled streets. Most guests spend a full day on each island.
MaineThe Maine coast
Penobscot Bay, Camden and Mount Desert Island, home to Acadia National Park. Cooler, quieter and wilder than the islands.
The trade-off worth saying out loud: Maine is a separate week. It lies well north of Cape Cod, so most Maine charters board in Maine rather than sailing up from Newport. Sag Harbor and the Hamptons are in New York, west of Newport; a week can include them, but it pulls the route away from the islands. See every destination we book.
When to charter in New England
The main charter season runs from June to September, and some yachts start in late May or run into early October. July and August are the warmest and busiest weeks; the Fourth of July and the Newport Jazz Festival weekend fill the harbours first. June and September are quieter.
| Month | What to expect |
|---|---|
| June | Quieter harbours at the start of the season; the sea is still cool for swimming |
| July | Peak season; daytime highs usually 75–85°F. Fourth of July week is the first to sell |
| August | Peak season; sea temperatures around 65–70°F. The Newport Jazz Festival ran July 31 to August 2 in 2026; 2027 dates are not yet announced |
| September | Fewer visitors and mild weather, with the first fall colour as you head toward Maine |
A sample week: Newport to Nantucket and back
This week starts and ends in Newport, so there is no delivery fee. It covers Block Island, Cuttyhunk, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Your captain sets the final route on the forecast and on what your yacht is cleared to do.
- Day 1
Newport to Block Island
Board in Newport and cross to Block Island’s Great Salt Pond.
- Day 2
Block Island to Cuttyhunk
East along Rhode Island Sound to the Elizabeth Islands.
- Day 3
Cuttyhunk to Edgartown
Down Vineyard Sound to Martha’s Vineyard.
- Day 4
Edgartown to Nantucket
A short run across Nantucket Sound.
- Day 5
A day on Nantucket
Ashore for the town, the beaches or a bike ride to Sconset.
- Days 6–7
Nantucket back to Newport
The longest leg, with a night at Vineyard Haven if the forecast suits, and ashore the next morning.
Want this route planned around your dates and the yacht you have in mind?
Your broker builds it with the captain, checks the yacht is cleared for the route, and replies within one business day.
Plan my weekWhat a New England yacht charter costs
Published weekly rates for crewed yachts in New England start at about $20,000 for a yacht under 75 ft and reach about $475,000 and more for a 200 ft superyacht. Most motor yacht weeks fall between $40,000 and $140,000. Each owner sets the rate, and your broker quotes real yachts free for your dates.
| Yacht | Weekly rate (USD) |
|---|---|
| Under 75 ft (sail, catamaran or motor) | $20,000–$55,000, often all-inclusive |
| Motor yacht, 80–100 ft | $35,000–$120,000 |
| Motor yacht, 100–130 ft | $50,000–$145,000 |
| Superyacht, 150–165 ft | $165,000–$300,000 |
| Superyacht, 175–220 ft | $172,000–$475,000 |
On top of the fee comes an APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance) of 25–35%: a float the captain spends on your fuel, food and berths and reconciles with receipts. See how the APA works.
| Line | What it is |
|---|---|
| Charter fee | Set weekly by the yacht’s owner; covers the yacht, crew and insurance |
| APA | 25–35% of the fee for fuel, food, drink and berths; unspent APA is refunded |
| Rhode Island tax | None: Rhode Island exempts boats from sales tax, and its definition of a sale includes a lease or rental |
| Massachusetts tax | 6.25% on a charter delivered in Massachusetts, charged on the full price |
| Delivery fee | One-way weeks only, for the yacht’s return |
| Crew gratuity | Discretionary, your choice; 10–20% of the charter fee is customary |
New England is a US charter, so there is no VAT. If a Newport week spends days in Massachusetts waters, Massachusetts use tax may apply, so your broker confirms the tax line in writing before you sign. For larger yachts, see superyacht charters.
What is included, and what is not
The charter fee buys the yacht, her crew and her insurance. Everything you consume is paid from the APA, and the captain accounts for every dollar; anything left over is refunded. Flights, the crew gratuity and any delivery fee sit outside both.
In the charter fee
- The yacht and her tenders
- Full crew: captain, chef, deck, interior
- Insurance, crew wages and crew food
Billed through the APA
- Fuel
- Food, wine and drinks
- Dockage and moorings
- Paid excursions arranged by the crew
Extra, on top of both
- Crew gratuity, your choice
- Flights to Providence or Boston
- Delivery fee for one-way weeks
- Massachusetts sales tax where it applies
- Trip-cancellation cover
Want this worked out for a real yacht and your dates?
Your broker replies within one business day with yachts free for those dates, the APA and the tax line included. No fee to you.
Get My ShortlistWhich yachts can charter in New England
US law lets a yacht carry paying guests in US waters only if it is coastwise-qualified: US-owned, US-documented with a coastwise endorsement, and US-built or covered by a federal waiver for 12 passengers or fewer (46 U.S.C. § 55103). The penalty is $300 per passenger.
That applies to a Newport round trip too. Customs rules treat a stop at Block Island or Nantucket as carrying passengers between US ports, even when guests go ashore only for the day. So a foreign-flagged yacht summering in Newport usually can’t take your week, however good it looks. Your broker checks the yacht’s papers before quoting it.
It is one reason so many New England charter yachts are US-built: Trinity, Westport, Christensen and Hargrave names fill the published lists.
Where your week starts
Most New England charters start and end in Newport, Rhode Island. Fly into Providence (PVD) or Boston Logan (BOS) and drive to the harbour. Maine weeks board in Maine. One-way weeks add a delivery fee.
Your brokers
You get a named broker, not a call centre. The same person takes your first message, negotiates the contract and is reachable while you are aboard.
Hansel Sneed
Founder & Charter Broker
Hansel founded Sneed Charters in 1992 and has been placing crewed charters for more than thirty years.
Adrian Sneed
Charter Broker
Adrian reviewed the rates, tax rules and route limits on this page, and he is the person who will answer when you send your dates.
Get a shortlist for your dates
Choose New England, then tell us the week, how many are aboard and roughly what you’d like to spend. Your broker replies within one business day with yachts free for those dates, cleared for your route, and priced with the APA and tax included. No fee to you — the yacht’s owner pays our commission.
Prefer to talk it through? Call 1-561-463-6840 or message us on WhatsApp. We’re NDA-friendly and your details go no further.
New England yacht charter FAQs
How much does it cost to charter a yacht in New England for a week?
Published rates start at about $20,000 a week for a crewed yacht under 75 ft and reach about $475,000 for a 200 ft superyacht. Most motor yacht weeks run $40,000 to $140,000. On top come an APA of 25–35%, Massachusetts sales tax where it applies, any delivery fee and a discretionary crew gratuity.
Can any charter yacht take us from Newport to Nantucket?
No. US law lets a yacht carry paying guests between US harbours only if it is coastwise-qualified: US-owned, coastwise-endorsed, and US-built or holding a federal waiver for up to 12 guests. That applies even on a Newport round trip with island stops. The penalty is $300 per passenger, so your broker checks the papers first.
When is the New England yacht charter season?
June to September. July and August are the warmest and busiest weeks, and the Fourth of July and the Newport Jazz Festival weekend book first. June and September are quieter. Maine is at its best in late summer, as a separate week from the islands.
Is a catamaran or a sailing yacht better for a New England charter?
A catamaran suits families: more deck space, a steadier platform at anchor and a shallow draft for small harbours. A monohull sailing yacht suits keen sailors who want to sail most legs. For more than eight guests, or to cover Maine, a motor yacht is usually the better fit.
Can one week cover Newport, Nantucket and the Maine coast?
Not comfortably. Maine’s Penobscot Bay and Mount Desert Island lie well north of Cape Cod, so most Maine charters board in Maine as their own week. A week from Newport covers Block Island, Cuttyhunk, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket at an easy pace.
Do I pay a fee to use a charter broker?
No. The yacht’s owner pays our commission out of the charter fee, so there is no broker fee added to your charter. You get a named broker, Hansel or Adrian Sneed, who checks the yacht’s papers and route, negotiates the contract and stays reachable while you’re aboard.
Sources
Checked October 2026.
- 46 U.S.C. § 55103 — Transportation of passengers
- CBP — The Passenger Vessel Services Act (19 CFR § 4.80a)
- CBP ruling H342562, December 4, 2024
- MARAD — Small Vessel Waiver Program
- Rhode Island Division of Taxation — Declaratory ruling 2017-04
- Massachusetts DOR — Letter Ruling 97-1: Charter Boats
- Massachusetts DOR — Sales and use tax guide
- IYC — New England season, weather and gratuity guidance
- Newport Jazz Festival 2026 dates