What extra expenses should I consider when I book a boat?

Are you thinking about hiring a boat for your next holiday and have started to look at our site? Have you found the boat of your dreams, but before you book it you want to have a good understanding of the total cost of the holiday?

Other than the cost of hiring the boat (which you can see for most of our boats after you’ve added the check-in and check-out dates and for others by sending us a free quotation request) there are a few other extra costs that you should bear in mind. Below you’ll find the principle ones:


  • Fuel: the cost of fuel will depend on the the type of boat, the type of motor and the speed that you travel at. If you hire a sail boat the consumption of fuel will be notably inferior to a motor boat; in most cases you’ll be able to sail for free thanks to the power of the wind. To calculate the cost of fuel you will need to think about the distance you need to travel, the consumption of your boat and the cost fuel where you are refuelling. You should also add about 30% to the amount calculated to account for differences in speed and weather conditions. Keep in mind that Charter companies get a special fuel discount so the cost is considerably cheaper because you are dealing with a boat hired fro commercial use. This discount is applicable not only for the charter but also for the client who rents the boat.
  • Provisions: The food and drink that you stock up on before you leave. This cost is difficult to estimate as it depends a lot on your personal choices. If you don’t have particularly extravagant tastes you an get by on around 100€ per person per week. You should also consider the cost of food for the skipper and any other crew members who are on the boat with you. In some marinas it will be possible to order provisioning direct to your boat but you’ll usually have to pay and additional service fee for this service.
  • Berthing Cost: You’ve also got to think about all the extra mooring costs if you stop in marinas other than your base marina. This cost can vary greatly depending on the marina, the services that they offer, the season which you are booking in and the type and dimension of your boat. You can work out the cost of the berths of the marina using the Marinanow search engine or in some cases sending us a free quotation.
  • Taxes for protected marine areas: during your trip you might find yourself travelling through a protected area. In these as well as having to pay particular attention to respect the delicate environment and the rules in some cases you will also have to pay an additional tax if you want to berth in these zones (for example the marinas of Corsica or the marina of La Maddalena in Sardinia).

Visit the site Marinanow to organise your next holiday: with our search engine you can see a list of all the boats in the area you choose and compare prices to find the perfect boat for you.