Marcelle HailwaxYacht charter broker, DMA Yachting
Because those two amounts are not the same for every yacht, so baking them into the listed price would make every rate wrong for someone. The Bahamas charter tax is the predictable part: a flat 14% of the charter fee, collected through the Bahamas Port Department since July 1, 2025, when it replaced the old 10% VAT plus 4% port fee.
The APA is the variable part. It is your onboard budget for food, drinks, fuel, and dockage, usually 25 to 40% of the charter fee. Where a yacht lands in that range depends mostly on fuel: a modern, efficient yacht on a relaxed Exumas loop needs far less than an older boat covering long legs. Unused APA is refunded after the charter.
What we promise instead: the first quote you get from us shows the full all-in number, charter fee, tax, APA, and expected gratuity, so you compare real costs between yachts, not headline rates.