A superyacht charter is one of the most consequential purchase decisions in luxury travel. A week on a 60-meter yacht in the Mediterranean costs between $350,000 and $2M+ once you factor in charter fee, VAT, APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance), fuel, and gratuity. Who you book through matters — a great broker gets you the right yacht at the right rate, negotiates favorable APA terms, coordinates with the captain, and makes sure the itinerary works. A weak broker just forwards emails.
There are hundreds of charter companies in the world. Only a handful actually run the superyacht market. These are the eight that consistently move the largest yachts, hold the deepest client rosters, and set the market standard in 2026.
Before booking with any of them, read our related guides: yacht charter cost guide 2026, and how to book a superyacht charter.
The Short Answer
- Burgess — the largest superyacht broker in the world; the default for 60m+ charters and new-build sales.
- Edmiston — the boutique alternative; strongest at 40–70m range with famously discreet clientele.
- Fraser Yachts — deepest crewed motor and sail fleet; strongest management arm; longest track record (est. 1947).
- Northrop & Johnson — best US-based broker; strongest Caribbean and Bahamas charter inventory.
- IYC (International Yacht Company) — strong Mediterranean fleet with a growing sales/new-build side.
- YPI (Yachting Partners International) — Monaco-based; expedition-yacht specialist and the strongest option for polar/remote itineraries.
- Camper & Nicholsons — oldest brokerage in the world (1782); best-established European client base.
- Ocean Independence — Swiss-based, strong on sales; competitive charter side with a fleet skewed toward newer yachts.
1. Burgess
Burgess is the largest name in the superyacht business by both charter volume and sale volume, with offices in London, Monaco, Miami, Palma, Hong Kong, and Singapore. If a 90-meter yacht is chartering in the Med next summer, Burgess likely has the listing or knows who does. The firm charters yachts from 40 meters through the world’s largest available charter yachts (Nord, Octopus, Faith).
Fleet strength: Deepest inventory of 60m+ motor yachts in Europe. Strong long-distance sailing yacht listings including some of the Perini Navi and Baltic fleet.
Service model: High-touch. Every charter is assigned a dedicated broker and typically a support coordinator. Post-charter service (delivery of preferences to the next yacht, seasonal planning) is where Burgess pulls ahead.
Where they win: First-time charterers spending $1M+ per week and returning charterers who value continuity across the yacht lifecycle (charter → charter management → potentially yacht purchase).
Where they don’t: Not the best price on any single yacht — Burgess’s scale means their standard charter margin is fully baked. If you’re chasing a specific yacht at the sharpest price, a smaller broker with a direct relationship to the owner might undercut.
2. Edmiston
Edmiston (founded 1996 by Nicholas Edmiston) is the discrete alternative to Burgess. Smaller by headcount, but with a client base that leans heavily toward European family offices, Middle Eastern royalty, and long-standing yacht-owning families. Offices in London, Monaco, Mexico City, Newport Beach, Miami, and Beverly Hills.
Fleet strength: Very strong 40–70m range, including exclusive listings on iconic yachts (Aviva, Le Grand Bleu) not always publicly marketed. Good expedition-yacht coverage.
Service model: Concierge-style. Edmiston brokers routinely coordinate ground programming (villa rentals, jet transfers, private restaurant bookings) that go far beyond the standard yacht charter mandate.
Where they win: Repeat charterers who want to be recognized on the phone by name from the first call. Also strong for clients who want maximum discretion — Edmiston publishes less in industry press than any competitor of comparable scale.
Where they don’t: Smaller inventory at the extreme high end (90m+) than Burgess. Newcomers to charter may find the Edmiston model less transparent than a more marketing-forward broker.
3. Fraser Yachts
Fraser (founded 1947 as Fraser Yachts in California, now globally headquartered in Monaco) is the oldest major yacht brokerage still operating under its founding name. The firm’s strength has always been its charter management division — Fraser manages more crewed superyachts than any competitor, which means its charter-side brokers have first-look access to premium inventory.
Fleet strength: Broad — Fraser is the most cross-category broker in the top tier, working strong charter volumes on both motor and sailing yachts. Particularly deep on classic sailing yachts and modern superyacht sailboats (Panthalassa, Twizzle, Zenji).
Service model: The Fraser client is often a repeat charterer or owner. The brokerage-management crossover means Fraser is uniquely positioned to move you from charter to ownership if that becomes the goal.
Where they win: Sailing-yacht charter (best in the market), Med-based crewed charters, and clients whose long-term interest in the yacht world extends beyond a single week.
Where they don’t: Motor-yacht-only clients get better focus at Burgess or IYC. Fraser’s cross-category breadth is a strength for the right client and a distraction for the wrong one.
4. Northrop & Johnson
Northrop & Johnson is the strongest US-headquartered superyacht broker, with offices in Fort Lauderdale, Newport, Palm Beach, San Diego, Antibes, and Palma. The firm’s US footprint gives it the deepest Caribbean and Bahamas charter inventory of any competitor — meaningful for the December-through-April charter season when the market pivots west.
Fleet strength: The strongest Caribbean charter fleet, including preferential access to yachts wintering in St. Maarten, Antigua, and BVI. Also strong on New England summer charter (Nantucket, Newport, Maine coast).
Service model: High-touch, US-style. English-first, straightforward pricing conversations, less deference to European yachting formality.
Where they win: US-based charterers on Caribbean itineraries. Newport-to-Nantucket summer charter. Turks & Caicos and Exumas charters.
Where they don’t: Less depth in Mediterranean 80m+ inventory than European competitors. Not the default for Turkish or Croatian coast charters.
5. IYC (International Yacht Company)
IYC is a rising force in charter, having built out its brokerage side aggressively over the last decade. Offices in Monaco, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palma, and Barcelona. Strong on the sales side, with a charter fleet that skews newer than the industry average.
Fleet strength: Newer builds are IYC’s calling card — a higher share of 2018+ yachts than most competitors, with strong direct-owner relationships with several major shipyards’ recent deliveries.
Service model: Modern brokerage — digital-first pitch decks, video walk-throughs, quick response times. Less traditional than Burgess or Edmiston.
Where they win: Charterers who prioritize a newer yacht (2020+ build) with the latest tech (starlink, tenders, water-toy inventory).
Where they don’t: Classic and heritage-yacht charterers will find deeper inventory elsewhere.
6. YPI (Yachting Partners International)
YPI, Monaco-based, is a mid-sized brokerage that has built a distinctive niche in expedition yachts and unusual itineraries. If the plan involves Antarctica, the Northwest Passage, remote Indonesian archipelagos, or the Falklands, YPI is the first call.
Fleet strength: The strongest expedition-yacht listings in the market — Legend, Enigma XK, Steel, and other ice-class or high-latitude-capable vessels.
Service model: Specialist consultants who genuinely understand remote-itinerary permitting, ice-class insurance, and expedition-crew coordination.
Where they win: Anyone chartering for a specific expedition mission, or looking at unusual seasonal itineraries (e.g., New Zealand January–February, Norwegian fjords April–September).
Where they don’t: Standard Med-Caribbean-Bahamas charterers will find deeper conventional inventory at Burgess, Fraser, or Northrop & Johnson.
7. Camper & Nicholsons
Camper & Nicholsons is the oldest yacht brokerage in the world, founded in 1782 in Gosport, England. The modern firm has European offices in Monaco, London, Palma, and Miami. Historically strongest in European charter, with a client base heavy on repeat Mediterranean charterers.
Fleet strength: Solid Med and Caribbean inventory. Longstanding relationships with several classic sailing yachts and heritage motor yachts.
Service model: Traditional European brokerage. Deep institutional memory — the firm has been in the business long enough to have charter documentation on virtually any yacht that’s ever come to market.
Where they win: Repeat European charterers, heritage-yacht enthusiasts, and buyers looking for classic sailing yacht inventory.
Where they don’t: Not always the fastest to move on very new inventory. First-time charterers may prefer the more modern presentation of IYC or the higher-volume options of Burgess.
8. Ocean Independence
Swiss-based Ocean Independence (offices in Zurich, Palma, Monaco, Fort Lauderdale, Auckland) is the sales-side leader in the second tier of superyacht brokerages, with a growing charter arm that fills a specific gap — newer yachts, competitive rates, and multi-lingual service standard by default.
Fleet strength: Newer inventory average age than most competitors; strong on Northern European and Asian-flagged yachts.
Service model: Multi-lingual by default (German, French, Italian, Spanish, English) which matters more for European charterers than most US clients realize.
Where they win: Charterers based in continental Europe, and anyone wanting a newer 40–60m yacht with straightforward pricing.
Where they don’t: Less prestige-brand pull than Burgess or Edmiston for clients who want to name-drop.
How to Actually Choose
The right broker is a match between your itinerary, yacht size, and preferred communication style — not just about who has the biggest fleet.
- Med charter, 60m+ motor yacht, no strong preference: Burgess.
- Med charter, 40–70m, discretion matters: Edmiston.
- Sailing yacht charter, any size: Fraser.
- Caribbean/Bahamas charter, US-based booking: Northrop & Johnson.
- Newest possible yacht, tech-forward preference: IYC.
- Expedition or remote itinerary: YPI.
- Classic yacht, heritage sailing yacht, or European traditionalist: Camper & Nicholsons.
- Continental European client, multi-lingual service required: Ocean Independence.
Total Cost of a Charter — What Brokers Don’t Always Highlight
The base charter fee is the headline number. It is not the total. A realistic 7-day Mediterranean charter on a 50-meter yacht at $500,000 base looks like this all-in:
- Base charter fee: $500,000
- VAT (Mediterranean average): 22% = $110,000 (varies by country and cruising pattern)
- APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance for fuel, food, dockage, water toys): 25–30% of base = $125,000–$150,000
- Delivery/redelivery fees: $10,000–$30,000
- Gratuity: 10–15% of base = $50,000–$75,000
- All-in: ~$795,000–$865,000
A good broker will walk you through APA reconciliation at trip end, dispute any APA overcharges with the captain, and structure the delivery/redelivery to minimize repositioning fees. A weak broker will hand you the invoice at the end and let you sort it out. Ask specifically about APA reconciliation practice before signing.
FAQ
Do I pay the broker a commission? No — the broker’s commission (typically 15% of the base charter fee) is paid by the yacht owner, not the charterer. Your total cost is the same whether you book through a broker or directly with the owner.
Can I book directly with the yacht owner and save money? Almost never in practice. Most owners don’t take direct charter bookings; they list through the CYBA (Charter Yacht Brokers Association) network. Even when direct booking is possible, owners typically price at the same net rate the broker would quote.
What’s the difference between a charter broker and a yacht management company? Charter brokers represent you (the charterer) in finding and negotiating a yacht. Management companies represent the owner in operating the yacht year-round. Some firms (Burgess, Fraser) do both.
Should I use the same broker every year? Repeat business is how you get the best inventory and pricing. A broker who knows your preferences, your family, and your itinerary style will consistently produce better options.
Do brokers charge for consultations? No. Initial charter searches, yacht presentations, and pricing conversations are always free — the broker only earns when a charter is booked.
For more on the mechanics and cost of yacht charter itself, see our yacht charter cost guide and how-to-book guide.
