Why is a charter yacht limited to 12 guests?
Commercially registered yachts under 24 metres in load line length carry a maximum of 12 passengers under way. Above that number a vessel is regulated as a passenger ship, with different construction, crewing and survey requirements.
The limit is a function of the vessel's certification, not its deck space. A 26-metre Sunseeker with room for forty people at a party still carries twelve guests to sea, because the certificate she trades under says twelve. Any operator in Malta offering to take 20 guests cruising on a private charter yacht is either using a licensed passenger vessel, which is a different product, or is not compliant — and it is worth asking which.
How many guests can board for a static event?
Typically 30 to 50 guests on a crewed motor yacht and 50 to 60 or more on a 40m+ superyacht, because the yacht remains alongside or at anchor and does not proceed to sea.
Numbers for a static event are set by usable deck area, crew numbers, safety equipment and the marina's own event rules rather than the cruising passenger limit. We confirm the exact figure for your chosen yacht and berth in writing before you commit, along with the boarding plan and the emergency procedure the crew will brief.
Where do corporate yacht events take place in Malta?
Grand Harbour Marina in Birgu, Valletta Waterfront, Portomaso Marina in St Julian's, and Msida and Ta' Xbiex for larger berths.
Grand Harbour is the strongest setting: the yacht sits under the Three Cities bastions with Valletta floodlit across the water, and guests arrive on foot or by coach directly at the pontoon. Portomaso suits groups staying in St Julian's and Sliema and gives easy access to hotel accommodation. Berth availability in July and August is the real constraint, so an event date should be held early.
Can a group of 30 people still go cruising together?
Yes, as a flotilla. Three or four yachts depart together, run the same route and anchor side by side at each stop, so the group stays together all day.
In practice this works better than people expect. Guests swap yachts at swim stops, the rafted yachts become one large floating deck at lunch, and the skippers coordinate on one channel. For 30 guests the usual build is one crewed Manhattan 66 plus two Axopar day cruisers, which also gives you a shaded interior and a bathroom for the whole group.
Can we have a private chef and full catering?
Yes. A chef aboard for seated service on the crewed yachts, canapé and platter service for receptions, and a shoreside catering partner for larger static events.
For cruising days we recommend a platter or barbecue format served at anchor, because a seated three-course lunch consumes most of the afternoon. For static receptions the catering is built around a rolling canapé service with a bar station, which keeps guests moving around the deck instead of queuing.
Do you invoice companies and handle purchase orders?
Yes. We invoice the company with its VAT number and any purchase-order reference, and settle by bank transfer, with card payment available on request.
The standard structure is a 50% deposit to confirm the date with the balance due seven days before the event, and a single consolidated invoice covering charter, catering, transfers and extras so your finance team receives one document rather than several.
What happens if the weather turns on the event date?
A static event continues — the yacht is alongside and covered. A cruising day either reroutes to sheltered water or, if the captain judges it unsafe, reschedules free of charge or is refunded in full.
This is the practical argument for holding a large corporate event alongside rather than at sea. Malta's prevailing north-westerly makes the Comino run uncomfortable a handful of days each season, and no captain will take 12 guests out in it. A harbour event is weather-proof to within a genuine storm.
Can you host a wedding party or milestone celebration?
Yes. The common format is a static reception aboard for 30 to 60 guests, with an optional cruising day for the couple and close family either side of it.
We do not conduct ceremonies aboard. What we do well is the reception and the photography: a yacht in Grand Harbour at golden hour, a bar and canapé service, and a short golden-hour run for the couple with a photographer while the guests stay aboard with the crew.
