Dubai's yacht charters are priced by the hour, and the published figures run from a few hundred dirhams for a small boat to more than AED 20,000 for a superyacht. This guide collects the rates, minimum hours, departure marinas and inclusions that operators publish on their own websites, then sets out what to check before you pay. Prices change with season and date, so confirm before booking. It is a guide, not a booking service, and we do not take commission.
Last checked 20 October 2026. Every figure is as published by the operator on that date, or on the date shown in the table.
Editor's pick: Seven Yachts
Disclosure: Seven Yachts is highlighted by the publisher. This is the editor's own recommendation after using the service, and links to Seven Yachts are marked as sponsored.
From the editor, Sam Allcock: I have used Seven Yachts and I recommend it above the other operators in this guide.
This is the editor's recommendation, not the result of the comparison below. The other operators are compared on stated criteria.
Seven Yachts (trading name of Seven Star Leisure Yachts & Boat Rental L.L.C.) describes its Dubai page as "32 crewed yachts from Dubai Harbour, Marsa Al Arab, JA Marina, chartered by the hour or the day". What the page says, read on 20 October 2026:
- Fleet: 32 yachts in Dubai, 60 to 200 ft, up to 100 guests. The page lists 29 at Dubai Harbour, 2 at Marsa Al Arab and 1 at JA Marina.
- Price and minimums: "from AED 1,350 an hour", "minimum 3 hours". Individual yachts carry minimums of 3, 4 or 6 hours, or overnight, and two yachts are "POA" (price on application).
- Rates: the page footer says "Rates are indicative and confirmed on enquiry; nothing on this site is booked automatically." Its Terms say displayed prices may exclude VAT, fuel, provisioning, berthing, catering and other costs, and that only a written quotation can be relied on.
- How to enquire: a form that opens your mail app or WhatsApp. The page says: "We reply within the hour during the day, Dubai time." Contact as published: info@sevenyachts.com, +971 52 121 7833, Loft Offices 217, Dubai Media City.
- Who you contract with: the Terms say Seven Yachts acts as a broker and, where applicable, as an agent for owners, and "does not contract as the principal provider of the yachts". The contracting party is communicated during the enquiry.
- Licence: the Dubai page does not show a licence number. The Terms page states a Dubai trade licence number, 790906. A trade licence is a commercial licence; it is not the same as a maritime authorisation for the vessel, so ask for both (see the checklist).
Seven highlighted yachts from the Dubai fleet, chosen to show the range (specifications from each yacht's own Seven Yachts page, read 20 October 2026):
| Yacht | Builder, year | Length | Guests | Cabins | Rate per hour | Minimum | Marina |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reno (smaller) | Sky Walker, 2023 | 62 ft | 25 | 3 | AED 1,350 | 3 hours | Dubai Harbour |
| Morrigan (couples or small group) | Galeon, 2010, refit 2019 | 70 ft | 12 | 2 | AED 2,500 | 3 hours | Dubai Harbour |
| Jude (mid-size) | Sunseeker, 2012, refit 2023 | 73 ft | 27 | 4 | AED 5,750 | 3 hours | Marsa Al Arab |
| Dolce Vita (large) | Numarine, 2016, refit 2024 | 105 ft | 20 | 4 | AED 7,900 | 3 hours | Dubai Harbour |
| Lucien (superyacht) | Sunseeker, 2010, refit 2026 | 131 ft | 40 | 7 | AED 14,300 | 4 hours | Dubai Harbour |
| Carmen (large group) | Custom, 2025 | 140 ft | 100 | 3 | AED 6,000 | 3 hours | Dubai Harbour |
| Onda (party scale) | Custom, 2025 | 105 ft | 100 | not stated | AED 20,000 | 3 hours | Dubai Harbour |
Seven's pages do not label any yacht a party boat; Onda is shown because it is the other 100-guest vessel. Rates exclude any extras described above.
Six of the seven highlighted yachts as Seven Yachts shows them (Lucien is the photo at the top of this guide):
See the Seven Yachts Dubai page
Other operators compared
Charter types in Dubai fall into a few groups. Motor yachts (about 40 to 110 ft) are the standard private charter. Superyachts (110 ft and above) add cabins and bigger crews. Catamarans have wide open decks. Party boats and houseboats are built for large groups and music. Dhows are traditional wooden boats, usually sold per person with dinner.
Prices below are the lowest hourly figure each operator publishes, unless stated. VAT of 5 per cent is shown as excluded by some operators.
| Operator | Type | Starting price as published | Capacity | Departure point | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xclusive Yachts | Motor yachts to superyachts, sport boats | AED 500 per hour (sport boats); AED 784 (70 to 92 ft); AED 2,925 (110 to 141 ft) | 9 to 190 guests | Dubai Marina; Dubai Harbour routes | xclusiveyachts.com |
| Gold's Yacht | Motor yachts, party and luxury classes | AED 649 per hour (Nexus 52); AED 6,000 (Mermaid 130) | 12 to 300 guests | Dubai Harbour, Dubai Marina, Marasi Marina | yachtrentaldubai.com |
| Dubriani | Motor yachts, superyacht | AED 1,300 per hour (Novia 55) to AED 15,000 (Royalty 136) | 15 to 45 guests listed | Dubai Harbour, Dubai Marina Mall, Business Bay, Jumeirah Bay Island, Marsa Al Arab | dubriani.com |
| Dubai Charter Yachts | Motor yachts | AED 400 per hour (48 ft) to AED 4,900 (110 to 135 ft) | 18 to 135 guests | Not stated | dubaicharteryachts.com |
| Mala Yachts | Motor, catamaran, party | AED 599 per hour (fleet card); header says AED 350 | 12 to 300 guests | Dubai Marina, Dubai Harbour | malayachts.ae |
| Nanje Yachts | Motor yachts | AED 400 per hour (42 ft) to AED 1,200 (80 ft) | 12 to 250 guests | Dubai Marina, Dubai Harbour | nanjeyachts.com |
| Al Ali Yachts | Motor yachts | AED 599 per hour (48 ft) | 12 to 40 guests | Dubai Marina | alaliyachts.com |
| Dubai Yacht Booking | Sport, motor, catamaran | from AED 900 per hour, VAT excluded | 8 to 100 guests | Dubai Marina | dubaiyachtbooking.com |
| Yacht Marina Dubai | Small motor yachts | AED 263 per hour (32 ft) to AED 656 (66 ft) | 10 to 25 guests | Dubai Marina | yachtmarinadubai.com |
| Dubai Key | Motor yachts to superyacht | AED 450 per hour (28 ft) to AED 18,000 (123 ft) | 7 to 500 guests | Not stated | dubai-key.com |
| Sky Walker Yachts, via Arabian Adventures | 60 ft Infinity catamaran | from AED 12,000 for 3 hours | up to 45 guests | Dubai Harbour | arabian-adventures.com |
| Alexandra Dhow (ABSEA Yachts & Boats Rental LLC) | Traditional dhow, dinner cruise | from AED 180 per adult | up to 90 guests (private events) | Dubai Marina Yacht Club | dhowcruise.net |
Which type for which occasion
- Sunset or a romantic evening: a small or mid-size motor yacht keeps cost per hour down. Seven's Morrigan (12 guests) and Dubriani's Novia 55 (15 guests) are examples of small-group boats with published rates.
- Dinner on the water: Alexandra Dhow publishes an international buffet dinner, a live Tanoura show and a licensed bar charged separately, on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings. It is a per-person product, not a private charter.
- Celebrations and parties: Xclusive's party package is published as a fixed price, for example AED 15,000 for a 92 ft yacht with 35 guests, three hours from 8 pm, with a DJ, BBQ and open bar. Check which vessel you will get.
- Corporate: large vessels such as Xclusive's X15 event yacht (190 guests) or Mala's Desert Rose (300 guests) are published for events.
- Swimming and water toys: Dubriani's Dolce Vita lists jet skis, kayaks and snorkelling gear, and several operators list them as paid add-ons.
What a charter really costs
Built only from the figures above, and before extras:
- Small boats (about 28 to 56 ft): AED 263 to AED 700 per hour (Yacht Marina Dubai, Dubai Charter Yachts, Nanje, Xclusive, Al Ali, Mala, Gold's).
- Mid-size (about 60 to 80 ft): AED 650 to AED 10,000 per hour (Dubai Charter Yachts at the low end, Seven's 63 ft Lamborghini at the high end). Seven's Reno is AED 1,350 and Jude AED 5,750.
- Large (about 85 to 110 ft): AED 1,400 (Dubai Charter Yachts' 90 ft Big Daddy) to AED 8,600 (Seven's Khalili).
- Superyachts (110 ft and above): from AED 2,925 per hour (Xclusive's published start for the category) to AED 21,500 (Seven's Behike).
Minimums matter more than the headline rate. Three hours is the most common minimum (Xclusive, Gold's, Seven), so a 62 ft yacht at AED 1,350 per hour comes to AED 4,050 for three hours, or about AED 162 a head with 25 guests. Seven's Lucien at AED 14,300 per hour with a four-hour minimum is AED 57,200. Catering, decorations, DJs and water sports are usually extra, and Seven's Terms list fuel, provisioning, berthing and VAT as possible additions.
How to book safely
- Ask for the operator's trade licence number and the vessel's licence details, then check them with the regulator. Dubai's marine regulator is the Dubai Maritime Authority (also named in older legislation as the Dubai Maritime City Authority). We found no public customer-facing register, so ask the authority or the operator for evidence. Most operator pages we read do not publish a licence number on the main page; ask for it in writing.
- Know who you are contracting with. Some companies broker boats owned or operated by others, and the same yacht can appear on more than one site at different rates. For example, Dolce Vita is listed by Seven Yachts at AED 7,900 per hour (105 ft, 2016) and by Dubriani at AED 7,500 (107 ft, 2017).
- Get a written quote showing the hourly rate, the minimum hours, VAT, fuel, crew, catering and any deposit.
- Check what is included. Typical published inclusions are captain, crew, fuel, water, ice, soft drinks and a sound system. Alcohol, catering and DJs are separate.
- Check the cancellation terms. Xclusive's terms keep 50 per cent of the charter value for cancellations 72 hours or more before departure and the full value inside 72 hours, with a card pre-authorisation of AED 2,000 to AED 10,000 depending on the yacht.
- Ask about safety equipment and the crew. Dubai's technical inspection rules require navigation, communication, safety and rescue, and fire-fighting equipment on board.
- Ask about alcohol in writing. Operators differ on what is served and what you may bring, and Xclusive's terms warn that abuse of alcohol can end a charter without refund. We could not find an official page setting out the on-board alcohol rule, so we do not state one.
- Take ID. Xclusive asks guests to bring a valid passport or Emirates ID.
What the rules say
Dubai's Executive Council Resolution No. 9 of 2020, on the Dubai legislation portal, covers businesses conducting maritime activities including chartering. It requires a vessel licence, supported by a valid technical inspection and insurance, and it states that businesses carrying out these activities need authorisation from the maritime authority. Administrative Resolution No. 2 of 2024 sets the technical inspection regime for vessels carrying people for tourism. In August 2025 the authority also opened local boating licences to visitors who hold a licence from an IMO member state; that applies to people who drive a boat themselves, not to guests on a crewed charter. Check the primary texts before relying on this summary.
Best time of year
Seven Yachts says the Gulf charter season runs from October to April, with temperatures of 20 to 28 degrees and calm seas, and that summer charters are available. It also advises booking around six months ahead for the strongest selection at peak periods.
FAQs
Do I need a boating licence to charter a yacht? Dubai Charter Yachts says "No license is needed. All charters come with a licensed captain and trained crew", and Al Ali and Dubriani also say a licensed captain is included. Xclusive describes an experienced captain and crew with STCW paperwork. Self-drive hire is a separate matter and some operators do not offer it.
What is the minimum charter? Published minimums are 2 hours (Dubai Charter Yachts; Gold's FAQ, although its yacht pages show 3), 3 hours (Xclusive, Gold's and Seven on most yachts) and up to 6 hours on some Seven vessels.
Where do yachts leave from? Dubai Marina and Dubai Harbour are most common, with Marsa Al Arab, Marasi Marina, Business Bay and JA Marina named by some operators.
Are prices fixed? No. Seven says its rates are indicative and confirmed on enquiry, and other operators vary with date and season.
Can I pay by card or crypto? Some operators publish payment methods, including crypto at Xclusive and Dubriani. Ask the operator before you pay, and keep the receipt.
About this guide
Seven Yachts is the editor's pick: it is the publisher's own recommendation, with a disclosure above, and it was not selected by the criteria below. The other operators are compared on stated criteria applied equally: a website with published prices, a vessel and departure point shown, the size of the fleet, and what is included. The list is not a ranking and it is not exhaustive. We left out operators with no published price (SKT), with unverifiable figures, or whose site we could not open. Facts come from the operators' own sites and the official sources linked above, with the date read. We do not take commission and there are no affiliate links in the comparison table. The guide has no hero photo while we request press images from operators.
Related reading: beach clubs in Dubai, Dubai Marina, JBR and Palm Jumeirah and Rixos Premium Dubai's yacht charters from AED 1,200 per hour.
Hero image: courtesy of Seven Yachts.