Fuel surcharge and additional fees: why and how much?

What costs can be added to the rental price?

Beyond the rental fee, several items may be added. Some are mandatory, 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 marina, and the destination. Amounts are shown in euros, the currency charged at Mediterranean marinas, with approximate US dollar equivalents at around $1.15 to the euro.

Is fuel included in the price?

Fuel is almost never included in a boat rental. Because consumption varies by itinerary and boat type, it cannot be estimated in advance, so it is settled separately, either on a “full-to-full” basis or as a flat fee paid at check-in. It depends on your itinerary and the boat: a crew sailing mostly under sail and anchoring every night uses very little fuel. Anyone who wants to rent a motorboat without a skipper should budget for the highest fuel costs. The operator therefore charges for fuel based on actual use, 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 stop at 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 surcharge 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 pick up the boat with a full fuel tank and return it with a full tank, paying only for the fuel you have used. In practice, you refuel at the marina the evening before return, before heading back to the departure marina. 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. It is convenient at the end of your trip, but it can cost more if you sail mostly under sail. The model applied is always stated in your charter contract.

How much does fuel cost in a week?

Fuel for a week typically ranges from €80 to €150 (about $90 to $175) for a sailing yacht used mostly under sail, up to several hundred euros for a motorboat, depending on engine size and use. 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. Renting 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.

Rental 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 maneuvers, 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 marina during the briefing.

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

On a classic bareboat charter, the rental rate is fixed once the booking is confirmed: it does not increase. Fuel is not a price increase, 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 tied to the dollar exchange rate may apply between booking and departure. This is outlined in the terms of sale as a price-revision clause.

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

What mandatory costs must be paid locally?

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

1. End-of-charter cleaning: a flat fee for cleaning the boat, often mandatory, sometimes bundled with linens 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 (about $1.15 to $1.75), 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 linens and towels: usually one set of sheets per person is provided. Towels are often optional, around €10 per person (about $12), and extra sets are billed. Linens may be included, offered as a package, or billed per person depending on the company.
4. Destination-specific costs: transit log in Croatia, entry tickets to certain national parks, possible harbor fees.

The slip at the departure marina 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 rent a motorboat with a skipper, and the onboard hostess: billed 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 mandatory nautical document for charter boats in Croatian waters: it documents the boat, crew, and voyage, and is required for sailing in Croatian waters. It is prepared by the charter company and handed to you at check-in at the marina; keep it on board throughout the rental.

The transit log is a flat fee based on boat size, often between €150 and €250 (about $175 to $290) for a 12 to 14 meter monohull, and usually includes the crew's tourist tax. Depending on the company, an end-of-charter package with cleaning, bed linens, and towels may be added. If your destination is Croatia, ask your advisor for a breakdown of these costs when you book your boat rental in Croatia, as they are added to the rental fee and paid at the marina.

For example, on a Croatian booking for a monohull of around 14 meters, the costs paid at the marina 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 marina, 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.

Carry cash for these costs, in euros most of the time. Before departure, check three points:

• the cost of visas and any entry fees;
• the local custom regarding tips or a shared onboard fund 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 marina on the day of boarding, together with the security deposit. Plan for a means of payment accepted by the operator, 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 marina, 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 advisor to confirm before paying.

Is the security deposit charged or only held?

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

This pre-authorization 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 sailing vacation 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, mandatory, 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 you get to the marina.
6. If in doubt, ask your Filovent advisor 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 rental.
• Payments: installments, 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: organizing 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 advisor or our concierge service at +1 332 378 9848.

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.