Charter & finance
What is APA?Advance Provisioning Allowance
The Advance Provisioning Allowance (APA) is money a charterer pays on top of the charter fee to cover the variable costs of a crewed yacht charter, such as fuel, food, drinks and berths.
The captain holds the APA, spends it on the guests' behalf and keeps a receipt for every expense. At the end of the charter, the captain prepares a reconciliation: unused money is refunded to the charterer, and any shortfall is paid before the guests leave.
APA is usually set as a percentage of the charter fee. Ranges of 25–40% are commonly quoted, with motor yachts at the higher end because of fuel. Crew gratuity is separate from the APA and is at the charterer's discretion.
Good APA practice: keep it in a separate account or card, log each expense on the day, know the running balance, and ask for a top-up early if spending runs ahead.
Related terms
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