For 8 guests you need a 40–50m motor yacht (5–7 crew, 4–5 cabins). Rule of thumb: allow 5–6m of vessel length per sleeping guest. Always round up one size if you want genuine space and comfort.
What Size Yacht Do I Need?
The most common mistake in yacht chartering is choosing a vessel by price and discovering it's too small. Guest comfort, crew space, and water toy storage all require length. Use the tool below to find the right size for your group.
35–45m
Motor yacht
5–7 crew
4–5 guest cabins
Weekly rate
€30,000–€80,000 / $32k–$86k/wk
Best for
The most popular size for first-time charterers and families. Large enough for full water toy inventory; small enough to access tight anchorages.
Example vessels
Sunseeker 116 · Ferretti 960 · Princess 40M
Full yacht size comparison
| Guests | LOA | Crew | Cabins | Rate/week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2–4 | 28–35m | 3–4 | 3–4 guest cabins | €12,000–€35,000 / $13k–$38k/wk |
| 4–8 | 35–45m | 5–7 | 4–5 guest cabins | €30,000–€80,000 / $32k–$86k/wk |
| 8–12 | 45–55m | 8–10 | 5–6 guest cabins | €70,000–€150,000 / $76k–$162k/wk |
| 10–16 | 55–65m | 11–14 | 6–8 guest cabins | €130,000–€260,000 / $140k–$281k/wk |
| 12–20 | 65–80m | 15–20 | 8–10 guest cabins | €250,000–€400,000 / $270k–$432k/wk |
| 16–30 | 80m+ | 20–35+ | 10–12+ guest cabins | €350,000–€600,000+ / $378k–$648k+/wk |
Rules for choosing the right size
Count sleeping guests, not day guests
The boat needs to sleep everyone comfortably. Day passengers who leave at sunset don't affect the size calculation.
Round up one size if any guests need privacy
Two couples often want their own deck space, not just their own cabin. The next size up transforms the experience.
5–6m per sleeping guest as a minimum
A 40m yacht for 8 guests = 5m per person. A 50m for 8 = 6.25m. The difference is tangible — wider decks, bigger cabins, more crew.
Consider the destination
Tight Croatian harbours and Greek fishing villages suit 40–50m. Monaco Grand Prix and the Côte d'Azur want 55m+ for presence. Remote anchorages suit shallower-draft vessels.
Budget APA on top of everything
APA (30–35% of base rate) adds significantly to the weekly cost. A vessel that fits your base rate budget but not the APA budget is the wrong vessel.