Charter vs cruise.
A yacht for twelve guests with a crew of thirteen, or a ship for two thousand. Both are valid. Here's when each is right.
The numbers
A 50-metre motor yacht hosts 10–12 guests with a crew of 12–14: roughly one crew member per guest. A luxury cruise ship hosts 2,000 guests with a crew of 800: one crew member per 2.5 guests. The yacht-to-cruise service ratio is 5–10x.
What you pay for
A premium suite on a six-star cruise (Silversea, Seabourn, Crystal) runs $1,500–$3,000 per guest per night. A 50m motor yacht with 12 guests at €120,000/week is roughly $1,800 per guest per night — but you have the whole boat, your own itinerary, your own chef.
When the cruise wins
Solo travellers, very small groups (2–4), itineraries with on-shore programming (Galápagos science cruises, Antarctic expeditions), or when you don't want the responsibility of curating the trip yourself.
When the yacht wins
Groups of 6+. Anyone who wants private anchorages. Anyone who has done the Med once and wants to actually swim in it. Anyone whose schedule is bespoke (a wedding, a family reunion, a board off-site).