Sailing Yacht vs Motor Yacht vs Catamaran — Which Should You Charter?

# Sailing Yacht vs Motor Yacht vs Catamaran — Which Should You Charter? The single biggest decision in a luxury yacht charter happens before you pick a destination: **what kind of yacht?** Sailing yacht, motor yacht, or luxury catamaran charter. Each delivers a fundamentally different week aboard. ## Sailing yacht charter — the romantic choice A sailing yacht charter is for guests who want the wind in the sails for at least part of every day. Modern luxury sailing yachts (Perini Navi, Vitters, Royal Huisman) deliver the same teak decks, full crew and Michelin-trained chef as a comparable motor yacht — but the experience is quieter, slower, and tied to weather. - **Best for**: Romantic couples, sailing enthusiasts, Aegean and Caribbean trade-wind cruising. - **Tradeoffs**: Slower passages (8–12 knots versus 18–25 on a motor yacht), more heel underway, fewer toys. - **Indicative cost**: 30m sailing yacht from €60,000/week base. ## Motor yacht — the all-rounder A crewed motor yacht charter is the default for most luxury yacht charter clients. Stable, fast, packed with toys (Seabobs, jet skis, foiling boards), spa, gym, beach club. Range and speed open up itineraries that would take a sailing yacht twice as long. - **Best for**: Families, larger groups, multi-region itineraries (St Tropez + Capri + Sardinia in one week), guests who want the full superyacht experience. - **Tradeoffs**: Fuel cost (the APA on a 50m motor yacht runs €60,000+/week), and the unmistakable hum of the generators at anchor. - **Indicative cost**: 40m motor yacht from €150,000/week base. ## Catamaran charter — the family value play A luxury catamaran charter delivers two things sailing monohulls and motor yachts cannot match: **stability at anchor** (no roll) and **shallow draft** for closer-in anchorages. Sailing catamarans (Lagoon, Sunreef, Fountaine Pajot) and the newer power catamarans both excel for families with young children and groups wanting a Caribbean catamaran charter or Maldives catamaran charter. - **Best for**: Families, BVI and Caribbean cruising, Maldives, Greek island-hopping with multiple swim stops. - **Tradeoffs**: Less interior volume per foot than a monohull motor yacht of the same size, less impressive marina arrival. - **Indicative cost**: 50ft sailing catamaran all-inclusive from €25,000/week. 70ft Sunreef power catamaran from €60,000/week. ## How our concierge frames the decision 1. **Who is aboard?** Families with kids under 10 → catamaran almost always. 2. **Where are you cruising?** Trade-wind Caribbean → sailing yacht or catamaran. Mediterranean multi-region → motor yacht. 3. **What's the budget?** Sub-€40,000/week → almost always a catamaran. 4. **Do you sail?** No experience needed for any crewed charter, but a sailing yacht charter is wasted if no one aboard enjoys being underway. See our [private yacht charter Maldives guide](/charter/destinations/yacht-charter-maldives) for a destination where the catamaran usually wins, and the [BVI guide](/charter/destinations/british-virgin-islands-yacht-charter) for the world's default catamaran charter ground.