A week on a boat around the Amalfi Coast sounds like the expensive option. Split between four to eight people it is frequently comparable to a week in a decent coastal hotel, and occasionally cheaper. Here are the real numbers.
What you are actually chartering
Three broad options, and the price gap between them is large.
Bareboat. You skipper it yourself. Requires a recognised sailing qualification and, in Italy, a VHF radio licence. Cheapest by a wide margin.
Skippered. Bareboat plus a professional skipper, typically €180–250 a day on top plus their food. No qualification needed, and the sensible choice for most people.
Crewed. Skipper plus hostess or cook, meals prepared, everything arranged. Substantially more, and a genuinely different holiday.
Typical week prices
For the Gulf of Naples and Amalfi Coast, high season, boat only:
- Monohull, 4 cabins (sleeps 8): roughly €3,500–6,000 a week
- Catamaran, 4 cabins (sleeps 8): roughly €6,000–11,000 a week
- Smaller monohull (sleeps 6): roughly €2,500–4,000 a week
Shoulder season — May, early June, late September — commonly runs 30–40% below August.
Split eight ways, a €5,000 monohull is €625 per person for the week’s accommodation and transport combined. Against €300+ a night for a Positano hotel room, the arithmetic is not as one-sided as people assume.
The costs on top
This is where charter budgets go wrong. Beyond the boat:
- Skipper: €180–250 a day plus food
- Marina berths: €80–250 a night on this coast in season, and Capri is at the top of that range. Anchoring is free, and how you control this cost.
- Fuel: €200–400 a week depending on how much you motor
- End cleaning: €150–300
- Security deposit: €2,000–5,000, refundable, or a damage waiver of a few hundred instead
- Provisioning: €40–70 per person per day if you cook aboard
Realistically, add 35–50% to the boat price for an all-in figure. A €5,000 boat becomes closer to €7,000–7,500 for the week with a skipper and a mix of marinas and anchorages.
Where you actually sail
The classic week runs Naples or Salerno out to Capri, along the coast past Positano and Amalfi, then across to Ischia and Procida. Distances are short — two to four hours between stops — which suits people who want to swim and eat rather than sail hard.
Procida is the one people are surprised by: unpolished, cheap, and the most likeable of the islands. Capri is the opposite — spectacular, expensive and busy with day boats until about 5pm, after which it becomes lovely.
Is it better than staying ashore?
It is better if you want to move, swim off the back of the boat daily, and eat aboard half the time. It is worse if you want to unpack once, sleep in a large bed, and walk to a different restaurant every night.
Boats are small. Cabins on a four-cabin monohull are genuinely tight, and the heads are smaller still. Groups who love this holiday tend to be groups who already know each other well.
If you are weighing it against a hotel week, see where to stay on the Amalfi Coast for what the shore alternative costs.
Booking notes
Book six to nine months ahead for July and August; the good catamarans go first. Saturday to Saturday is the standard week on this coast.
Check specifically whether the price includes the skipper, end cleaning and the tourist tax, because listings vary and the gaps are the expensive part. We use SeaRadar to compare boats and operators, which shows the extras clearly rather than burying them.
For the wider picture on charters — licences, bareboat versus crewed, other Mediterranean grounds — see our yacht charter guide. For Italy generally, the Italy travel guide, and for day trips and shorter boat hire, GetYourGuide covers the local operators.
VTourBook earns a commission when you book through our links, at no extra cost to you. We don’t sell tours or own hotels — which is why these guides tell you when the cheaper option is the better one.
Compare yacht charters in Italy
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Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to charter a yacht on the Amalfi Coast?
In high season, roughly €3,500–6,000 a week for a four-cabin monohull sleeping eight, or €6,000–11,000 for an equivalent catamaran. Shoulder season is typically 30–40% cheaper. Add 35–50% for skipper, berths, fuel and cleaning.
Is chartering a yacht cheaper than a hotel on the Amalfi Coast?
It can be, split across a group. A €5,000 monohull divided eight ways is about €625 per person for the week’s accommodation and transport combined, against €300 or more a night for a Positano hotel room.
Do you need a licence to charter a boat in Italy?
For bareboat, yes — a recognised sailing qualification plus a VHF radio licence. With a skippered or crewed charter you need no qualification at all, and the skipper costs roughly €180–250 a day plus food.
What are the hidden costs of a yacht charter?
Marina berths at €80–250 a night in season, fuel at €200–400 a week, end cleaning of €150–300, provisioning, the tourist tax, and a refundable security deposit of €2,000–5,000. Anchoring instead of berthing is the main way to control the total.
Where do you sail from on the Amalfi Coast?
Most charters start in Naples or Salerno and run out to Capri, along the coast past Positano and Amalfi, then across to Ischia and Procida. Legs are short, typically two to four hours between stops.
About the author
Born and raised in the Middle East, I’ve spent most of my adult life travelling — more than 40 countries so far. I write these guides the way I’d explain them to a friend: real prices, honest opinions, and a straight answer about when the cheaper option is the better one.
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