What is APA?
APA: Advanced Provisioning Allowance
Advanced Provisioning Allowance (APA) is the process for securing the logistics for a charter. Chartering a yacht involves more than just paying the rental fees, it is about creating an entire schedule with provisions for the duration of the charter. As such, when planning a trip, you need to take into account more than the yacht charter price, its crew, and the destinations. You must include fuel, food, drink, entertainment, medical care, berthing fees, customs, communications and more. These extra details are all included in the APA.
How does APA work?
APA is usually calculated as a percentage of the charter fee, and you pay this up front as an addition to the fee before your charter starts. The money is then used by the Captain (or agency) to pay for all the extra fees, taxes, and provisions required to maintain a perfect experience.
Any monies left over after the trip has ended returned to the client. All receipts for all purchases made with the APA funds are available to the client at all times. This way, the client is capable of tracking expenses during the trip.
APA is a standard found in every yacht charter company.
When does APA apply?
APA always applies on all yacht charters, some charter companies will include this in the fee, and therefore there are some companies that offer what seems to be more expensive options, to companies that prefer to break down the fee and give their clients more freedom of choice, transparency, and control.
The big difference is in the terminology, a charter that is all-inclusive means you get what they decide is included in the trip. As such, if you want more, you need to dish out more, and you need to ask and understand what is actually included in the all-inclusive menu.
It`s better to take an APA approach, you get total control over what you want to have on your trip. Just consider the food and drink options of an APA menu; its exactly what you want it to be.
How much is APA?
The price of APA depends on what you request, as a rule of thumb, it is usually around 25% to 30% of the total trip cost. It will go up if there are special requests or long distance trips, etc.
How do I pay the APA?
APA is paid up front with the charter fee and is usually processed through a bank transfer.
What happens if my APA does not cover the expenses on the yacht charter?
If you decide to go over budget, you will be asked to provide the finances for this during the trip.
What if the APA yacht charter is more than I would like to spend?
Budget control is all about deciding what specifics and extras you need to enjoy your trip. When you plan the schedule with all the stops and also include all the sites to visit, the resources and nutrition required, you will receive a calculated APA cost. This reflects the overall spend that the charter expects to meet. In most cases, it will be slightly above the total spent, since charters prefer not to ask for more money during the trip, and you get refunded.
However, if, during your pre-trip schedule the calculations are above your budget, we suggest you set the limit down beforehand and let us suggest which options can be substituted with alternatives that might meet your requirements and personal tastes.
