Private yacht charter in St Barths
St Barths sits at the northern end of the Leeward Islands, surrounded by water that changes color every hour of the day. A private yacht charter in Saint-Barthélemy is how you actually see it. Not from shore. On a crewed 55-foot sailing yacht or a sleek motor yacht out of Gustavia, with no fixed itinerary and no other passengers. Most guests spend six to eight hours on the water—long enough to reach Colombier, anchor off Île Fourchue, and still make dinner at Le Sereno.
Superyacht charter Saint-Barthélemy
Gustavia harbor is one of the finest superyacht anchorages in the Caribbean. During high season—December through April—the harbor fills with 80- to 200-foot vessels. If you want to charter at that level in St Barths, availability moves fast. Crewed superyachts come with a full team: captain, chef, stewardess, and water toys. Weekly rates start high and go higher. Worth every cent if that is what you are after.
Sailing yacht vs. motor yacht in St Barths
The trade-off is straightforward. A sailing yacht charter in St Barths moves slower, quieter, and covers less ground—which is exactly the point. Wind in the sails, engines off, just the sound of the hull through the water. A motor yacht charter gets you to St Martin for lunch and back before sunset. Both have their place. What matters is what kind of day you want.
Weekly yacht rental in St Barths
A weekly yacht rental in Saint-Barthélemy is a different kind of trip. The boat becomes your base. You anchor at Colombier in the morning, move to Anguilla in the afternoon, sleep under open sky off the northeast coast. Crewed charters handle everything—provisioning, navigation, meals. Bareboat rental is available for licensed sailors who prefer to run their own program. Seven days on the water around St Barths rarely feels like enough.
Sunset cruise from Gustavia
The St Barths sunset yacht cruise runs about two hours. You leave Gustavia harbor around 4:30, head west, and watch the light go gold over the Caribbean. Champagne is standard. It is not a tour—it is a private charter, so the captain goes wherever you want. Popular for proposals, anniversaries, and the kind of evening people talk about for years afterward.
When to book a yacht charter in St Barths
High season is December through April. That is when yacht availability in St Barths tightens fast, especially around New Year's and the Bucket Regatta in March. Two weeks ahead is the minimum during peak season—a month is safer. May through November the island quiets down and same-week charters are usually possible. Prices do not drop dramatically off-season, but the crowds do.
