How Yacht Vacations Have Become An Attainable Luxury
A group trip to a mediocre resort with the same old offerings can set you back thousands of dollars. New trends suggest there is a way to get a more unique, upscale bang for your buck: yacht travel. And more people than ever are taking advantage.
A 2024 report by Mastercard found that travelers were spending more time away from home than they did pre-COVID. The company also said that spending on experiences and nightlife accounts for 12 percent of tourism sales, its highest point in a half-decade.
“We’re seeing the same mindset that draws people to quality-first brands like Loro Piana and The Row shaping how they travel: with discernment, intention and an appreciation for value,” Eric Monkaba, the founder of TripScaper, told Newsweek. “Whether it’s gaining after-hours access to the Giza pyramids or renting a private ski chalet in Lech, bringing together friends or family isn’t just smart economics—it also transforms these once-in-a-lifetime moments into meaningful, shared experiences.”
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Luxury travel, especially by boat, has emerged as an increasingly popular way for families and friends to enjoy a tailored, highly experiential and unique getaway. The cost of living the yacht life is around the same as resort travel these days, but the experience is more customizable.
Yacht travel dipped due to COVID-19 but has been steadily recovering in the years since. According to Yachtfolio.com, bookings were up 70 percent from 2021 to 2024. Last year saw further market stability with bookings up 3.7 percent on the previous year.
Carving out just the right experience can be done with the help of a travel arrangements professional, someone that goes above and beyond the services of AAA or your local travel agent. Social media is becoming increasingly important as users bookmark and save posts from influencers and friends to help them plan their itineraries.
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“Boat experiences are consistently a highlight for our travelers—no matter how you slice it. We’ve chartered a catamaran in the Greek isles, hired a yacht to sail down the Bosphorus in Istanbul and toasted on a Champagne cruise along the Seine at sunset (to name a few). We’re even privatizing a boat to sail along the Nile for an unforgettable few days exploring Egypt,” Whitney Haldeman, founder of Atlas Adventures, told Newsweek.
“Our post-trip surveys consistently rank these experiences as a highlight of the trip. While our guests are seeking experiences that feel special and exclusive, they’re often out of reach financially to do solo. That’s the beauty of luxury group travel—there’s power in numbers. Our trips allow guests to enjoy the perks of private yacht charters, luxury hotels, bespoke itineraries and high-touch service, all while sharing the cost with like-minded travelers who may start as strangers but quickly feel like longtime friends. It’s a smart, connected way to travel and it’s shaping the future of how luxury is accessed,” Haldeman added.
Popular yacht rental locations include: Greece, the French Riviera, Italy, Thailand, Australia, Sardinia, Croatia, Spain, the Bahamas, St. Barts, Turkey, the Virgin Islands and Antigua. The surrounding seas are dotted with islands of all sizes, each inviting stopovers and allowing yachters to explore their settings in a unique, intimate way.
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While warm weather destinations are popular, yachts can also be rented in cooler climates like the Great Lakes, Newport, Rhode Island and Norway. In these destinations, sailing charters are popular, owing themselves to a luxury experience with a historic twist, but often with modern amenities like satellite-based Wi-Fi and gourmet meals.
Groups of guests can tender a private charter for their holiday and a more personalized experience. When split between the group, costs can be similar to what you would pay to stay at a premium or luxury resort for a week.
Going a step further, travelers can ensure a unique experience by being the captain of their own ship. Rental sites like Boataround allow travelers to tender a boat they pilot themselves (a sailing license is often required) for a few days or a week. Some smaller boats with two cabins are available for around $2,000 per week before the cost of fuel, taxes and extras are considered.
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Prices for larger tenders that fit even more people can range from a couple of thousand dollars per day to over one million dollars per week. Some are available with a captain, and some require one. Crews that work the ship are also available and the extent of services onboard is often negotiable.
While each rental is different, many larger boats can come with water sports equipment, snorkeling gear, paddleboarding equipment and a slide. Dinghies and hotel suite-like kitchen space is common. When a full week of yachting isn’t in the budget, groups can enjoy a few days at sea paired with a resort stay. Many hotels will hold larger luggage for a few days if you plan to return to their accommodation once back on dry land.
Transferring to your charter for a stay at sea is akin to arriving at a private hangar. Often your car transfer service will pull up to the dock and your luggage is brought onboard by the crew while you sip Champagne and watch the goings-on on other yachts in the harbor. The crew will give a tour of the boat to guests, pointing out important things like which button to press to open the sliding glass door, and instructing what to do in the event of an emergency. Once travel is underway, the fun begins. Itineraries are often negotiated at booking or days before setting off, and more stops can drive up the cost of a trip.
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Taking into account recommendations from the crew is a surefire way to enhance your experience. Captains know where to take tourists, but they also know the hidden local gems that are often missed, like the intimate and romantic Taverna San Vigilio on Lake Garda and celebrity hangouts Toula’s Seaside (Corfu) and Basil’s Bar (Mustique).
The best captains and staff will know how to get you a last-minute reservation at highly sought after locales like Le Plongeoir in Nice, France. For those who want the boat-life experience but don’t require a private charter, there is the option of river boating or small-boat cruising. A growing number of travel influencers are chartering entire vessels to host their followers, taking them on bespoke excursions inspired by experiences they’ve previously chronicled online.
“When it comes to trends, I’m seeing a growing emphasis on attainable luxury. I think it’s more accessible than ever before because there’s so much more competition among hotels, Airbnbs, experiences and more. Travelers are prioritizing meaningful experiences over material splurges, and boats and yachts are a big part of that,” Helene Sula from the Helene in Between travel site told Newsweek.
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“I’m noticing a rise in group and curated travel experiences. By traveling with small groups—whether it’s family, friends or curated group tours—people are able to split costs and access otherwise expensive rentals, making luxury feel more attainable. It’s less about flashy displays and more about creating lasting memories in incredible settings,” she said.
Last year, Sula hosted multiple groups of travelers aboard European river cruise boats during the holiday season. Offshore excursions to the region’s famed Christmas markets were part of the curated itinerary, but travelers were able to customize their trip to fit their desires. Sula visited and vetted each destination and tour ahead of the trip, sharing on her website and social media platforms.
“I’m especially passionate about how inclusive small-ship cruising has become. We’ve been on dozens of river cruises and love the style of travel but wanted to create an experience that was fully all-inclusive while also offering travelers more time at each destination. We also provide multiple excursions per day—and unlike many trips where you have to choose just one, we design ours so you can do both if you’d like. We find that travelers often want to ‘do it all,’ and we make it possible,” Sula said.
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Booking in on a sailboat can ease a trip’s environmental impact, as can not changing bedroom linens every day and minimizing food waste. And traveling via battery-powered, green energy-charged ferries instead of by plane can enhance the local feel of a by-water experience without indulging fully in a cruise or boat charter.
In today’s world, travelers are conscious about sustainability—and it’s becoming more important to them. In a 2024 survey by Booking.com, 83 percent of 31,000 travelers questioned acknowledged the importance of sustainable travel. But research from the same company found that 49 percent thought more sustainable travel was too expensive.
“I’m seeing more companies focusing on local immersion, sustainability and personalization—all while maintaining a luxury feel,” added Sula. “These small-ship trips offer the intimacy and elegance of private travel without the hefty private charter price tag, making them a standout example of attainable luxury.”
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