Yacht vs Catamaran: Which One Should You Charter?

Ask ten captains which is better, a yacht or a catamaran, and you will get ten different answers, most of them wrong for your particular trip. The honest answer is that neither wins outright. A catamaran is, technically, a yacht with two hulls, so when charter guests ask "yacht vs catamaran," what they usually mean is monohull versus catamaran, with a motor yacht often waiting in the wings as a third option.

Each hull type rewards a different kind of trip. Catamarans deliver stability and space, ideal for families and groups who want a floating villa. Monohulls deliver the sailing feel, sharper upwind performance, and easier access to tight harbor quays. Motor yachts trade sail for speed, covering more distance with the most onboard comfort. This guide compares them honestly, dimension by dimension, so you can figure out which one fits your group, then our yacht charter brokers can match you to the right vessel.

What's the difference between a yacht and a catamaran?

In common usage, "yacht" refers to a monohull sailing yacht: a single hull, a deep keel, and the classic profile most people picture when they hear the word. A catamaran is a twin-hull sailing vessel, two slender hulls connected by a wide deck. Both are technically yachts. The distinction that matters for chartering is hull count, because it drives nearly everything else: how the boat handles, how much space you get, and what it costs to berth.

A third option worth knowing before you compare stability and cost: sail versus power. Most catamarans built for charter are sailing catamarans, but power catamarans exist too, trading sails for twin engines and a faster cruising speed while keeping the stability and beam. Monohulls follow the same logic, with some designed purely for sailing and others, known as motor sailers, built with a stronger engine focus.

Monohull yachts, or sailing yachts

A monohull is the classic single-hull sailing yacht: it heels under sail, points well upwind, and rewards you with a responsive helm and a genuine feel for the wind. The slimmer profile also means it slips into tight town quays that a wider vessel simply cannot reach, so if a Mediterranean harbor town is on your list, a monohull often gets you closer to the center of it. Its narrower beam also means marinas typically charge lower berth fees than they do for a catamaran of comparable length. For couples and sailing enthusiasts, this is the boat that feels most like sailing rather than cruising.

Catamarans, or twin-hull multihulls

A catamaran replaces the single hull with two, connected by a wide deck and a spacious saloon. That structure is why catamarans stay level at anchor and underway, with far less heel or roll than a monohull. Less motion means less seasickness, easier movement around the boat, and a more relaxed atmosphere for groups who are not experienced sailors. The wide beam roughly doubles the living and deck space, giving you separate hulls for privacy, big saloon windows, and room to spread out. The shallow draft is another practical advantage: catamarans can anchor closer to beaches and in thinner water than a monohull's deeper keel allows. The tradeoff is cost. Wider beam means higher marina berth fees, and catamarans are usually more expensive to charter per foot than a comparable monohull. It is worth noting the sail versus power distinction here too: a sailing catamaran still uses sail as its primary means of propulsion, while a power catamaran is built for speed and relies on twin engines.

Where motor yachts and trimarans fit

A motor yacht rounds out the picture for guests who want speed and range over the sailing experience itself. With no sails to manage, a motor yacht covers ground fast, often carries multiple decks, and brings a larger crew and more onboard amenities, water toys included. It is the choice for long island-hopping itineraries or when the brief is pure glamour rather than a sailing holiday. Pricing typically works differently too: motor yachts are usually chartered on a "plus expenses" basis, with an advance provisioning allowance (APA) and gratuity added on top of the base rate, rather than the all-inclusive model common on sailing yachts and catamarans.

Trimarans, three-hulled vessels, occasionally come up in this conversation as well. They combine some of a catamaran's stability with notably fast performance, but they remain rare in the charter market, so most guests will not encounter one as a practical option.

Stability, space and comfort

This is the catamaran's home turf. Twin hulls keep the boat level, with little of the heel or roll you get on a monohull under sail, which translates directly into less seasickness and an easier time moving around the boat, whether that is carrying drinks across the saloon or getting the kids ready for a swim stop. That stability, combined with roughly double the usable space, wide decks, and generous saloon windows, is why catamarans are the default recommendation for families and larger groups. Separate hulls also mean cabins with genuine privacy, useful when you are chartering with another family or a group of friends.

To be fair to the monohull, modern designs are considerably roomier than older models, with wider beams and smarter interior layouts. But even the best modern monohull is still working with a single hull, so it will feel snugger than a catamaran of comparable length. If space and a level ride are your priority, the catamaran wins this category clearly.

Sailing, speed and anchoring

Flip the priority to the sailing experience itself, and the monohull takes the lead. It offers the authentic feel of sailing: a responsive helm, better performance upwind, and the kind of connection to the boat and the water that drew many charter guests to sailing in the first place. Its slim profile also lets it slip into tight Mediterranean town quays that wider vessels cannot access, putting you steps from a harborside taverna rather than anchored offshore.

Catamarans sail flat and move quickly off the wind, but they point less effectively upwind than a monohull, a real tradeoff if you are drawn to sailing as a sport rather than a mode of transport. What they lose in upwind performance, they partly recover in maneuverability, since twin engines make close-quarters handling easier. Their shallow draft is a genuine anchoring advantage too, letting them tuck closer to beaches and into thinner water than a monohull's deeper keel permits.

Motor yachts sit outside this comparison entirely since there is no sailing involved, but they are worth noting here for a different reason: they are the fastest option by far, with the longest range, which matters if your itinerary covers real distance between islands.

Cost: comparing charter prices

Cost is where honesty matters most, because the numbers rarely point to one obvious winner. A catamaran usually costs more per foot to charter, and it costs more to berth thanks to its wider beam, which marinas factor into pricing. But a catamaran also packs more cabins and living space into each foot of length, so once you divide the total cost across a full group, the per-guest cost can land close to what you would pay on a monohull. For a family or two couples splitting the bill, that math often narrows the gap considerably.

Catamarans and sailing yachts are frequently chartered on an all-inclusive basis, where food, drinks, and most onboard costs are folded into the rate. Motor yachts more commonly charter on a "plus expenses" model, with an advance provisioning allowance and gratuity added separately, which can make the headline rate look lower than the true cost of the week. Marina and berth fees, along with fuel consumption, also vary by hull type and should factor into your comparison.

Because pricing structures differ this much between vessel types, the cleanest way to compare real cost is a tailored proposal rather than a headline day rate. Ritzy builds that proposal for you, so the full picture, all-inclusive or plus expenses, is clear before you commit.

Which should you charter?

There is no universal answer here, only the right answer for your group, your destination, and how you want to spend your days on the water.

Best for families and groups

The catamaran is the comfortable, sociable choice. Its stability keeps everyone at ease, its space gives a family or group room to spread out without living on top of one another, and its shallow draft puts you closer to the beaches and calm anchorages that make a group trip memorable. Separate hulls also mean privacy for parents, older kids, or a second family sharing the charter.

Best for couples and sailing enthusiasts

The monohull delivers the real sailing experience: the heel, the upwind performance, the direct feel of the helm that a catamaran simply does not replicate. It is also the easier boat to berth in a tight town quay, so if wandering a Mediterranean harbor town in the evening matters to you, this is the vessel that gets you closest to it.

Best for speed, range and luxury

The motor yacht is built for guests who want to cover more ground and arrive in comfort rather than sail there. Multiple decks, a larger crew, and a wider range of onboard toys make it the choice when your itinerary is ambitious or the brief is simply top-end comfort.

Not sure which yacht is right for you? Let Ritzy Yachts match you.

Tell us your group size, destination, and how you want to spend your time on the water. We’ll recommend the right yacht and put together a tailored proposal with clear pricing and no surprises.

Contact us and let us take it from here.