Fuel surcharge and additional fees: why and how much?

What costs can be added to the hire price?

Beyond the hire fee, several items may be added. Some are compulsory, others optional, and most are paid locally. The table below sums up the most common costs, with an approximate amount that varies with the boat, the base and the destination.

Is fuel included in the price?

No, in the vast majority of hires fuel is not included: your consumption cannot be estimated in advance. It is paid separately, on a 'full-to-full' basis or as a flat fee. It depends on your itinerary and the boat: a crew sailing mostly under sail and anchoring every night uses very little. Anyone who wants to hire a motorboat without a skipper should budget for the largest fuel bill. The charter company therefore charges for fuel based on actual consumption, not as a flat fee.

Some charter companies or rates are an exception and include fuel in the price, on certain destinations or with certain fleets. Specifically, 'fuel included' means the company covers the final tank, the one on return: you still go to the fuel dock before handing the boat back, but you do not pay for that tank, it is included in the price. This is the exception rather than the rule: always check the exact wording on your quote and contract before assuming it is included.

How does the fuel supplement work?

Fuel is settled under two main models, set out in your charter contract. In both cases the boat is handed over with a full tank, unless the charter company states otherwise.

What is the 'full-to-full' system?

The 'full-to-full' system means you collect the boat with a full fuel tank and return it full, paying only for the fuel you have used. In practice, you refuel at the marina the evening before return, before heading back to the base of departure. Keep the fuel-dock receipt: you will need it as proof at the handback inspection.

What is the fuel flat fee?

Some bases apply a fuel flat fee paid at check-in, calculated according to the boat and the area. In that case you do not have to refuel on return. Convenient at the end of the charter, but potentially more expensive if you sail mostly under sail. The model applied is always stated in your charter contract.

What is the difference between the fuel flat fee and 'full-to-full'?

With 'full-to-full' you pay only for the fuel you actually use, refuelling before you hand the boat back. With the fuel flat fee you pay a fixed amount at check-in and do not refuel on return. As a rule, 'full-to-full' works out cheaper if you sail mostly under sail, while the flat fee is more predictable and convenient at the end of the charter.

How much does fuel cost in a week?

The cost of fuel for a week depends on three factors: the type of boat, its engine and your itinerary. A monohull sailing yacht sailed mainly under sail uses little, especially on a coastal cruise with short legs. Hiring a catamaran in Croatia usually means higher consumption, as it is heavier and often motors in light winds. A motorboat is by far the largest fuel bill.

Hire boats run on diesel, and the price at the pump varies from one marina to another. As a guide: a yacht sailed mostly under sail only motors a few hours a day, typically 2 to 4 hours on a coastal cruise, for manoeuvres, anchoring and windless days. A motorboat burns fuel throughout the passage, so the fuel cost can easily reach several hundred euros a week depending on size and use.

To keep this budget under control, sail as soon as the wind allows, plan reasonable legs and avoid long motoring on the last day. The exact amount is only known on return, unless your contract provides for a flat fee. If you are unsure about your boat's consumption, ask for an estimate at the base during the briefing.

Can the price of my hire increase because of fuel after I book?

On a classic bareboat hire (bareboat charter), the hire fee is fixed once the booking is confirmed: it does not increase. Fuel is not a price rise, it is a separate item, paid on top according to your actual consumption, almost always locally.

The situation is different for rates that include services with a variable price, such as a cabin cruise with flights. On certain long-haul destinations, Egypt for example, a fuel surcharge or an adjustment linked to the dollar exchange rate may apply between booking and departure. This possibility is set out in the terms of sale, in the form of a price-revision clause.

In that case, Filovent gives you the amount before any payment: an unexpected charge will never appear at the base without explanation. As a guide, this type of surcharge ranges from a few tens to a few hundred euros per person depending on the service and destination. If you book a product with flights, ask your adviser whether a fuel revision is possible, so you can include it in your budget from the start.

What compulsory costs must be paid locally?

On top of fuel, depending on the boat and destination several costs may be compulsory. They are usually paid at the base on the day of boarding:

1. End-of-charter cleaning: a flat fee for cleaning the boat, often compulsory, sometimes bundled with linen in an end-of-charter package.
2. Tourist tax: due per person per night in many destinations. In Croatia it is around €1 to €1.50 per person per night, with a reduced rate for children. If you pay it locally even though it was included in your file, Filovent refunds it on presentation of the invoice and your bank details (IBAN).
3. Bed linen and towels: usually one set of sheets per person is provided. Towels are often optional, around €10 per person, and extra sets are chargeable. Linen may be included, offered as a package or charged per person depending on the company.
4. Destination-specific costs: transit log in Croatia, entry tickets to certain national parks, possible harbour fees.

The berth at the base of departure is usually included in the price. Stopovers in other ports during the cruise, however, are at your expense.

What costs are optional?

Other costs apply only if you choose the corresponding services. They are therefore entirely up to you:

1. The skipper, when you hire a motorboat with a skipper, and the onboard hostess: charged per day, usually excluding the crew member's meals.
2. The tender and outboard motor, when they are not part of the boat's equipment.
3. Leisure equipment: paddleboard, kayak, onboard wifi, to be booked in advance.
4. Practical services: bed made on arrival, airport transfers, provisioning prepared before boarding.

On a cabin cruise the logic is different: most of these items, crew included, are already built into the price. Check your travel documents for what may still be payable locally.

What is the transit log in Croatia?

The transit log is a compulsory nautical document for charter boats in Croatian waters: it records the boat, the crew and the voyage, and is required to sail in Croatian waters. It is prepared by the charter company and handed to you at check-in at the base; keep it on board throughout the hire.

The transit log is a flat fee based on boat size, often between €150 and €250 for a 12 to 14 metre monohull, and usually includes the crew's tourist tax. Depending on the company, an end-of-charter package with cleaning, bed linen and towels may be added. If your destination is Croatia, ask your adviser for a breakdown of these costs when you book your boat hire in Croatia, as they are added to the hire fee and paid at the base.

For example, on a Croatian booking for a monohull of around 14 metres, the costs paid at the base broke down as follows: around €190 for transit log and taxes, €60 for the tender's engine and €35 for towels, with the tender included. These amounts are indicative and vary with the boat, the base and the season.

What specific costs can arise in long-haul destinations?

Beyond Europe, some destinations add costs to pay locally, often in cash: visas, tips for the crew and drinks on board. These items mainly concern Egypt and crewed cruises.

It is advisable to carry cash for these costs, usually in euros. Before departure, check three points:

• the cost of visas and any entry fees;
• the local custom regarding tips or an onboard kitty for the crew;
• exactly what the onboard catering covers.

Drinks, including soft drinks with meals, are not always included and may be paid separately. On a crewed cabin cruise, your travel documents state what is included and what is at your expense.

How and when are these costs paid?

Most additional costs are paid at the base on the day of boarding, together with the security deposit. Allow for a means of payment accepted by the charter company, almost always a credit card. Fuel is paid at the end of the charter on the 'full-to-full' system, or at check-in if a flat fee applies.

To avoid confusion on your invoice, remember the general rule:

• what is firm and booked in advance with Filovent (skipper, certain options and packages) is paid at booking and appears on your quote;
• what depends on your consumption or the destination (fuel, tourist tax, transit log, cleaning depending on the company) is paid at the base, at check-in.

If an amount looks billed twice or in the wrong place, check the 'payable locally' wording on your quote and ask your adviser to confirm before paying.

Is the security deposit charged or only held?

In almost all cases the security deposit is held by a pre-authorisation on the card, not charged. The amount shows as reserved on your account during the hire, but is not debited: it is released automatically on return if no damage is found.

This pre-authorisation can feel like a charge, because the amount is unavailable during the cruise. It is not a payment: no money actually leaves your account, as the deposit is only charged if damage is found on return. Depending on the company, you can also reduce or remove this deposit by taking out a damage waiver or a deposit-reduction package. A deposit reduced to zero through such a package is normal: it simply means the financial risk is covered by the insurance taken out. To understand it all, see our article on insurance and security deposits.

How to avoid unpleasant surprises?

To budget for your hire with peace of mind, keep these basic rules in mind:

1. Read the costs section in your quote and charter contract: it distinguishes what is included, compulsory and optional.
2. Note the fuel arrangement shown, 'full-to-full' or flat fee, and check whether fuel is exceptionally included.
3. On products with flights, ask whether a fuel revision can apply after booking, so you can include it in your budget.
4. Anticipate destination-specific costs, such as the transit log in Croatia, visas and tips in long-haul destinations, or national park entry fees.
5. Book options in advance, skipper, tender or paddleboard, rather than asking for them once at the base.
6. If in doubt, ask your Filovent adviser for a breakdown with figures before confirming.

Find out more

To prepare your budget and your cruise in detail, see our articles:

• Pricing: what is included in the price of your hire.
• Payments: instalments, means of payment and paying locally.
• Insurance and security deposits: understanding the deposit and the damage waiver.
• Boat inventory: how check-out and the return of the deposit work.
• Life on board: organising and budgeting for daily life during the cruise.
• Documents and formalities: what to present and pay on the day of boarding.

For any questions about the costs of your booking, contact your Filovent adviser or our concierge service on +44 20 4576 3186.

This article was written by the Filovent team and reviewed by our concierge service, which every year helps thousands of customers prepare for their cruise.