For crewed motor yachts, the APA covers fuel, dockage, food and drink during the charter (typically 25–30% of the charter fee). It is a separate fund managed by the captain. At the end of the week the captain provides a full receipted account; any unspent balance is returned to you in cash.
Payment & Security
Payment & Security
A yacht charter is a significant booking, so payment security is not optional — it is the foundation of a trustworthy charter. Every SoleSail booking uses a regulated escrow account, a signed MYBA Charter Agreement and bank-grade payment processing.
A yacht charter is a high-value, advance-paid booking.
Why Payment Security Matters
Most yacht charters are fully paid 30 days before the holiday begins. That makes the choice of charter broker — and the way they handle your money — at least as important as the choice of yacht itself. SoleSail uses MYBA-standard payment flow exclusively: regulated escrow, written contracts, traceable refunds.
📍 Aegean
Yachts Available for Secure Booking
Your funds never go directly to the yacht owner.
Regulated Escrow / Client Account
All charter payments are received into a segregated client / escrow account. The funds are held there until the embarkation date, at which point they are released to the yacht owner under the terms of the MYBA Charter Agreement. If the charter does not start, the funds remain protected and are refunded according to the contract.
The international standard charter contract.
The MYBA Charter Agreement
MYBA is the Worldwide Yachting Association — its standard charter agreement defines obligations, payment terms, cancellation rules, force majeure and dispute resolution. Every SoleSail booking is contracted on this standard form, electronically signed by both parties before any payment is made.
Multiple payment methods, all PCI-compliant.
Card, Bank Transfer and Bank-Grade Processing
Charter fees can be paid by SWIFT bank transfer (in EUR or USD), local Turkish bank transfer (TRY), or by credit card via a PCI-DSS compliant gateway. Card details are never seen or stored by SoleSail; processing is handled by the bank directly with full 3-D Secure authentication.
APA — Advance Provisioning Allowance
Cancellation Refunds
Standard cancellation rules: full refund minus deposit if cancelled more than 90 days before embarkation; partial retention 60–89 days; full charter fee retention under 30 days. We strongly recommend yacht charter cancellation insurance to cover medical, family and force majeure events.
Damage Deposit / Security Deposit
Bareboat and skippered charters require a refundable damage deposit at check-in (paid by card pre-authorisation, never debited unless damage occurs). This is fully refundable on safe redelivery of the yacht. Crewed yachts replace this with the all-in MYBA structure.
A short explainer on the MYBA escrow flow.
How Your Money Is Protected
Step-by-Step: From Payment to Embarkation
1) On contract signature, the 50% deposit is paid into the escrow account.
2) Thirty days before embarkation, the 50% balance (and APA where applicable) is paid into the same account.
3) On the day of embarkation, after a successful boarding and inventory, the funds are released to the yacht owner.
4) During the week, APA is spent transparently by the captain with full receipts.
5) At disembarkation, the captain reconciles the APA and returns any unspent balance in cash.
6) For bareboat, the damage deposit pre-authorisation is released within a few days of clean redelivery.
Secured by MYBA Standards
Currencies, VAT and Invoicing
Charter fees are typically quoted in EUR or USD for international charters and in TRY for fully domestic Turkish charters. Turkish VAT and the foreign yacht transit log are itemised separately on the invoice. For corporate clients we issue VAT-compliant invoices and can support a chartered-yacht corporate event payment plan.
Three articles to read before paying.
Helpful Reading on Payments and Contracts
Read these before any deposit: how the MYBA Charter Agreement protects you; what is APA and how to control spend; and how yacht charter cancellation insurance works for medical and family emergencies.
Recommended Reading
• A Practical Guide to MYBA Contracts
• Understanding the APA: Cash Flow on a Crewed Motor Yacht
• Yacht Charter Cancellation Insurance Explained
• How Escrow Accounts Work in Yacht Charter
Frequently Asked Questions About Payment & Security
CONTACT US
Talk to a SoleSail Specialist
Any payment or contract question — answered.
Ground Phone
+90 212 951 01 50
Cell Phone
+90 542 473 17 33
E-Mail
[email protected]
Address
Kültür Mahallesi, Turizm Sitesi Yolu Sokak No: 1E Daire: 4 PK: 34337 Beşiktaş, İstanbul, Türkiye
Working Hours
Mon - Sat: 09:00 - 18:00