A Sailing Charter vs a Resort Stay: Comparing the Costs

So we decided to do an exercise on the cost implications of both options. To us, the benefits of a sailing holiday speak for themselves.

For the purpose we chose the popular Society Islands of French Polynesia, comparing a one-week private boating charter with a local mid-range resort comparison, and the results are striking!

To book a tropical island resort or to go sailing together in paradise? That is the question.

Let's assume you are a party of six – three couples travelling together and requiring a modern charter catamaran with queen cabins, each with ensuite. 

Your boat will typically also have single cabins in the bow for a paid crew, or you may allocate a queen cabin  for that purpose. Whtever the configuraton, you have the option to charter full bareboat, bareboat with skipper and steward, or with full permanent crew. Your boat has a generator and mains power equipment for air conditioning and appliances including a water maker. Wifi is available and there is entertainment, electronic navigation, an easy-sail rig configuration, water toys and very comfortable inside/outside living.  

For your resort, we have chosen Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts with its range of room options. You can pay considerably more at other resorts on Bora Bora, and sure there are accommodation options that cost less as well. But we are trying here to get as close as possible to the same standard of luxury that applies on and off the water, albeit in two very different formats.  

Before we did any budget analysis, we expected to find that the price for six adults staying in any of Bora Bora’s fine establishments to be so high as to question the value of any comparison. We don't stay in resorts when we travel, and even after 30+ years in the business our first survey of this type done in 2024 was the first time we have done this exercise anywhere.  

Our challenge therefore was to find a resort of an acceptably high standard to provide a meaningful comparison with the boat chosen, while still within a reasonable budget range. Even given our expectations, the margin we found between a sailing holiday and a resort was an eye opener! And the room pricing was just the start! 

The comparison: private boat charter vs land-based resort stay

The boat costs are as per our current listings with variables as follows:   

• The modern cats we charter are in or close to luxury class, with all amenities as now demanded by discerning sailing vacation clients. 
• Included are two paddle boards and a fair cost for fuel at 400 Euro.
• Boat costs are before any applicable Discounts

The table below sets out our comparison between these two attractive holiday options in the Society Islands. The resort costs come straight from Booking.com, noting:

• A two b/room villa + one b/room villa configuration is more expensive than 3 x 1 b/room villas in the same location. So we listed the latter.
• Not included: restaurant meals other than breakfasts, drinks and excursions – which all add significantly to the listed resort price. 
• For Jan. 27 pricing, a heavy off-peak discount applies due to pricing 9 months in advance.

All prices in the tables are in Euros.                                                                                                                                   

All prices include 2 x stand-up paddleboards as extras, and 400 Euro for fuel

Source: Booking.com accessed 22/04/26. 

Of course not everyone wants to spend their vacation on a catamaran, however luxurious and fit for purpose it may be. But when thinking of a resort, what an absolute bargain a charter becomes. We would strongly encourage you to give this style of holiday a try!  

Resort life

Boat life

Resort stay extras that are all included in your boat charter

On charter your boat is your accommodation, means of travel and excursions all rolled into one. Think of it as your alternative over-the-water bungalow with all those extras included. And if you choose to take the crewed option, it’s your restaurant as well, saving significant costs over the land-based option.  

Consider your charter boat your own private floating resort. One on which you travel at a leisurely pace to explore and make the most of your important recreation time. Each day you visit somewhere new and exciting, perhaps staying a day or two, or just stopping for lunch before moving on. You are on an itinerary you are free to make up as you go along. 

What applies in the Society Islands applies wherever the sun and the sea draw vacationers in sufficient numbers to create both sailing charter and resort markets. There is of course more modest accommodation everywhere too, places to stay where the difference in cost is not so striking. Options that while aligning more closely to the cost of a bareboat/skippered charter, we’re confident will still come out considerably more expensive for a group. And the benefits don’t stop there, with the cost of meals and excursions that are add-ones to the cost of  your land-based stay.  

There’s so much more to this destination than Bora Bora

Before we finish, let’s acknowledge the premium that Bora Bora attracts, and for a fuller picture look at a Society Islands alternative. The Le Taha’a Resort, also operated by Pearl Resorts and in our opinion every bit the equal of its Bora Bora equivalents, is on the western reef of Taha’a, looking out over the ocean to the peaks of Bora Bora and towards the setting sun.  

Here passing boat crews are made welcome to stop by and enjoy some of the facilities. In fact we recommend to our clients that they breakfast there when exploring Taha’a during charter.   

Despite this island’s lower profile, for our six couples wanting to stay at Le Taha’a instead of Le Bora Bora, the peak-season price still comes in at 28,722 Euro for overwater accommodation including breakfast  – 4,787 Euro per person.  Speaking personally, I enjoy stopping off at Le Taha’a for morning brunch and a snorkel in the Coral River. But once done I’m ready to move on. I could do that and in fact visit all the main Society Islands including Bora Bora by boat for less, even taking an upgrade to a fully-crewed Bali 5.4! 

Except that I don't have that sort of money to invest in a holiday. I can have the same experience with family and friends on a fLagoon 43 with skipper for just 2,955 Euro per person per week.

The idea of this article is to make an impartial comparison between the costs of a 7-day sailing charter holiday and spending a week chilling out at a suitably appointed resort in the same general location. Having researched and written it, we conclude that there simply is no comparison!   

Before booking a resort holiday in the Society Islands or anywhere boat chartering is an option, do yourself a huge favour and talk to me, Robert at Sail Connections. You won't regret it!