Alaska Yacht Charter
Crewed yachts from Juneau for Glacier Bay, Tracy Arm and Admiralty Island, May to September, from about $36,000 a week plus APA. Broker-led since 1992.
Reviewed by Adrian Sneed, Charter Broker at Sneed Charters — a family brokerage arranging crewed yacht charters since 1992.
An Alaska yacht charter is a crewed week in Southeast Alaska, usually round trip from Juneau, between May and September. Published weekly rates run from about $36,000 for an 80–100 ft motor yacht to $300,000 and more for a 150 ft+ superyacht; on top comes an APA of 25–35% (a refundable float for fuel, food and berths). There is no VAT, though Juneau levies 5% local sales tax. Glacier Bay needs a permit from June 1 to August 31, when only six charter vessels may enter each day, so book those weeks first.
Private yacht or Alaska cruise ship?
A private yacht costs more per person than a cruise cabin, and buys three things a ship can’t. Your route can change the day a whale pod or a bear shows up. You anchor in coves a large ship can’t enter. And your group shares one crew instead of thousands sharing a port.
| Private crewed yacht | Large cruise ship | |
|---|---|---|
| Guests aboard | Usually 12 or fewer overnight | Thousands |
| Who sets the route | You and the captain, daily | Fixed months ahead |
| Glacier Bay entry, Jun–Aug | Charter vessels: 6 a day | Cruise ships: 2 a day, up to 184 a season |
| Nights | At anchor or alongside, where you choose | In port or under way |
| Ashore | By tender, when you choose | Set excursions |
The honest trade-off: a cruise is the better choice if you want shows, a casino and a fixed price. A yacht is for people who want the coast itself. For groups larger than a yacht can carry, see a private small ship for 12 or more.
Where to charter in Alaska
Most private charters cruise Southeast Alaska’s Inside Passage from Juneau. Four grounds cover nearly every week: Juneau and Tracy Arm for glaciers close to port, Glacier Bay for tidewater ice, Admiralty Island and Frederick Sound for bears and humpbacks, and Sitka for the outer coast.
Four cruising grounds at a glance
JuneauJuneau and Tracy Arm
The twin Sawyer glaciers at the head of a long, narrow fjord south of Juneau. Tracy Arm lies outside the national park, so it needs no Glacier Bay permit.
Icy StraitGlacier Bay and Icy Strait
Tidewater glaciers inside a national park, humpbacks in Icy Strait and the Tlingit village of Hoonah. Needs a park permit from June 1 to August 31.
Admiralty IslandAdmiralty Island and Frederick Sound
Brown bears at Pack Creek, limited to 24 visitors a day, and humpbacks in Frederick Sound. Pack Creek needs its own Forest Service permit, April 1 to September 30.
SitkaSitka and the outer coast
The old capital of Russian America, on the open Pacific side. A week that ends here is one way, so it carries a delivery fee for the yacht’s return.
The trade-off worth saying out loud: Kenai Fjords and Prince William Sound are a different coast, across the open Gulf of Alaska. They are a separate trip from Seward or Whittier, not a day on a Juneau week. For other wildlife-led weeks, see the Galápagos or every destination we book.
When to charter in Alaska
Charters run from May to September. June to August is the busy window, because that is when Glacier Bay’s permits and its six-a-day charter quota apply. In May and September charter vessels aren’t held to that quota, so Glacier Bay is easier to fit around your dates.
| Month | Glacier Bay, charter vessels | Pack Creek bear viewing |
|---|---|---|
| May | No daily quota | Permit needed |
| June | Permit; 6 a day. Longest days of the year (solstice June 21) | Permit needed |
| July | Permit; 6 a day | Permit needed |
| August | Permit; 6 a day | Permit needed |
| September | No daily quota | Permit needed to Sept 30 |
A sample week from Juneau
This week starts and ends in Juneau, so there is no delivery fee. It covers glaciers, bears, whales and Glacier Bay. Your captain sets the final route on the weather, the wildlife and your permit dates.
- Day 1
Juneau to Tracy Arm
Board in Juneau, run south down Stephens Passage and anchor near the fjord mouth.
- Day 2
Tracy Arm to Frederick Sound
Up the fjord to the Sawyer glaciers, then out to Frederick Sound to look for humpbacks.
- Day 3
Frederick Sound to Admiralty Island
Bear viewing at Pack Creek if your permit date lands here (24 visitors a day; permits April 1–September 30).
- Day 4
Admiralty Island to Glacier Bay
North through Icy Strait to Bartlett Cove, the park’s entrance.
- Day 5
Glacier Bay to Icy Strait
Up the West Arm to Margerie Glacier, then out to Icy Strait and Hoonah.
- Days 6–7
Icy Strait back to Juneau
Back to Juneau, 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 and replies within one business day.
Plan my weekWhat an Alaska yacht charter costs
Published weekly rates for crewed yachts cruising Alaska start at about $36,000 for an 80–100 ft motor yacht and reach $300,000 and more for a 150 ft+ superyacht. Most weeks fall between $50,000 and $150,000. Each yacht’s owner sets the rate, and your broker quotes real yachts that are free for your dates.
| Yacht | Guests | Weekly rate (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Motor yacht, 80–100 ft | 6–10 | $36,000–$89,000 |
| Motor yacht, 115–130 ft | 8–12 | $62,000–$150,000 |
| Superyacht, 150–190 ft | 10–12 | $175,000–$300,000+ |
| Expedition yacht, 85–165 ft | 7–10 | $58,000–$175,000 |
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, a float for fuel, food, drink and berths; unspent APA is refunded |
| Local sales tax | Alaska has no state sales tax; Juneau levies 5%, capped at $50,000 per item or service from October 1, 2026 |
| Delivery fee | One-way weeks only, for the yacht’s return |
| Crew gratuity | Discretionary, your choice |
Alaska is a US charter, so there is no VAT. How Juneau’s sales tax applies depends on where the charter is performed, so your broker confirms the tax line in writing before you sign. For larger yachts, see expedition yachts and 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 park fees
- Paid excursions arranged by the crew
Extra, on top of both
- Crew gratuity, your choice
- Flights to Juneau
- Delivery fee for one-way weeks
- Alaska sport fishing licences, required from age 16, plus a king salmon stamp for kings
- 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 ShortlistGlacier Bay permits decide your dates
From June 1 to August 31, Glacier Bay limits charter vessels to six a day, and each needs park authorisation to operate there. If Glacier Bay is the point of your week, pick the dates and the yacht together, because the yacht’s permit decides which days you can go.
Outside June–August, charter vessels aren’t held to the daily quota, so a May or September week is easier to plan around the park. One detail most guides miss: the park counts a yacht as a “charter vessel” only if it is under 100 gross tons (US) and certified for 12 or fewer overnight guests. Bigger yachts fall into other categories with their own quotas, so ask how your yacht is classed before you count on Glacier Bay.
Tracy Arm lies outside the park, in the Tongass National Forest, so its glaciers don’t depend on a Glacier Bay permit.
Where your week starts
Most Alaska charters start and end in Juneau, which you reach by flying into Juneau International Airport (JNU), served by nonstop flights from Seattle. Sitka and Ketchikan work for one-way weeks, which add a delivery fee for the yacht’s return.
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, permits and taxes on this page, and he is the person who will answer when you send your dates.
Get a shortlist for your dates
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 genuinely free for those dates, 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.
Alaska yacht charter FAQs
How much does it cost to charter a yacht in Alaska for a week?
Published rates start at about $36,000 a week for an 80–100 ft crewed motor yacht and pass $300,000 for a 150 ft+ superyacht. On top of the fee come an APA of 25–35% for fuel, food and berths, any Juneau sales tax, a delivery fee on one-way weeks and a discretionary crew gratuity. You see every line before you sign.
Is a private yacht charter better than an Alaska cruise?
It depends what you want. A cruise is the better pick for a fixed price, shows and onboard entertainment. A private yacht is for a small group that wants to change the route daily, anchor in quiet coves and get close to glaciers and wildlife. It costs more per person.
Do I need a permit to take a charter yacht into Glacier Bay?
Yes, from June 1 to August 31. In that window the park allows six charter vessels a day, and each needs park authorisation. Outside those dates charter vessels aren’t held to the quota. Pick the yacht and the dates together, because the yacht’s permit decides which days you can go.
When is the Alaska yacht charter season?
May to September. June to August brings the longest days and the Glacier Bay quota of six charter vessels a day, so those weeks book first. In May and September charter vessels aren’t held to that quota, which makes Glacier Bay easier to fit around your dates.
Can a 7-day Alaska charter include Glacier Bay and Kenai Fjords?
Not comfortably. Glacier Bay sits in Southeast Alaska near Juneau; Kenai Fjords is near Seward, across the open Gulf of Alaska. A week from Juneau covers Tracy Arm, Frederick Sound, Admiralty Island and Glacier Bay. Kenai Fjords and Prince William Sound make a separate week from Seward or Whittier.
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 permits, negotiates the contract and stays reachable while you’re aboard.
Sources
Checked October 2026.
- National Park Service — Glacier Bay boating permits
- 36 CFR § 13.1160 — Glacier Bay vessel quotas
- 36 CFR § 13.1102 — Glacier Bay vessel definitions
- US Forest Service — Pack Creek Bear Viewing Area
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game — Southeast sport fishing regulations
- Juneau local sales tax, 5%
- Juneau sales tax cap rises to $50,000, effective October 1, 2026