Direct booking calculator for boat tours and charters
Compare the cost of direct bookings with commission-based platform bookings, using your own numbers.
Platform commission grows with every booking. Your Marencia subscription doesn’t.
The two ways of taking bookings have different cost structures. That difference, not the price tag alone, decides when direct bookings pay off.
Based on the values in the calculator above. The shaded area is the potential saving once direct bookings pass the break-even.
Show the numbers as a table
| Direct bookings / month | Platform commission | Direct: payment fees + Marencia Core | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | €113 | €114 | −€1 |
| 2 | €225 | €129 | €96 |
| 3 | €338 | €144 | €194 |
| 4 | €450 | €159 | €291 |
| 5 | €563 | €174 | €389 |
| 6 | €675 | €189 | €486 |
| 7 | €788 | €204 | €584 |
| 8 | €900 | €219 | €681 |
| 9 | €1,013 | €234 | €779 |
| 10 | €1,125 | €249 | €876 |
| Booking through a commission-based platform | Direct booking with Marencia | |
|---|---|---|
| Who brings the customer | The platform — reach and people who don’t know you yet | You — your website, returning customers, referrals, WhatsApp |
| Cost per booking | A percentage of every booking | A payment processing fee — no Marencia booking commission |
| Fixed software cost | Depends on the platform | A fixed subscription, based on your fleet size |
| Cost of the next booking | Grows with the booking value | Grows only by the payment fee |
| Customer relationship | Through the platform | Directly with you |
Use marketplaces for reach. Build direct bookings for the demand you already own.
Marketplaces can be valuable: they bring people who have never heard of you. The calculator is not about replacing them. It looks at the bookings your business can already generate itself, for example:
- Returning customers They already know you and want to come back.
- Google and your website They found you, not a marketplace listing.
- Instagram and WhatsApp They message you directly.
- Referrals A previous customer recommended you.
- Hotels and concierges They send guests straight to you.
For demand your business already generates, compare what a booking costs direct with what it costs through a commission-based platform.
What the calculation includes — and what it leaves out
Included
- Platform commission you avoid on a direct booking
- Estimated payment processing on that booking
- Marencia Core for your fleet size
- Your active booking months and, optionally, Seasonal Hold
Not assumed
- More bookings or a higher conversion rate
- Fewer no-shows
- Lower staff costs
- Higher customer lifetime value
- Marketing or advertising costs for your own channel (for example Google Ads)
- Taxes and currency effects
Marencia does not create demand. It gives demand you already generate a direct booking and payment channel, without a Marencia booking commission.
Your own channel takes some work. Someone has to answer questions and keep availability up to date. Marencia centralizes that work in one backoffice, but it does not eliminate it.
Marencia Core: the software behind your direct booking channel
If you want more of your bookings to come in directly, this is what happens with each of them.
- Website Customers book or send a request through the booking widget on your website.
- Availability Availability across your boats and bookings is managed in one calendar.
- Customer Customer and guest details are stored with the booking.
- Payment Customers pay online in the booking flow; down payments and the remaining balance stay visible on the booking.
- Operation Confirmations and pre-tour reminders can be sent, and the booking moves through its status until the trip.
- Other channels Bookings received through WhatsApp, phone or email can be added to the same backoffice.
€99/ month
- No Marencia booking commission
- Cancel monthly
- Seasonal Hold for the off-season
- 14-day free trial · No credit card required
Questions about the calculation
How is the break-even calculated?
Your average booking value is multiplied by the difference between the platform commission and the estimated payment processing fee. That is what one direct booking saves compared with the same booking through a platform. The monthly Core price for your fleet size divided by that saving is the number of direct bookings it takes to cover Marencia.
Will Marencia bring me more bookings?
No, and the calculator does not assume it does. Marencia is booking and backoffice software, not a marketplace. It gives demand you already have — from your website, returning customers and referrals — a way to book and pay directly.
Should I stop using booking platforms?
Not necessarily. Platforms can be a valuable way to reach new customers. The calculation is about the bookings your business can already generate itself — for those, a direct booking avoids the commission.
Why does the calculator only use the Core plan?
Direct online bookings start with Core: the website booking widget, the direct booking flow and online payment are not part of Starter. A break-even for Starter would compare against something Starter cannot do.
Are payment fees a Marencia charge?
No. Payment processing fees go to your payment provider and depend on the provider, the payment method and the country. Marencia adds no booking commission on top. The calculator includes an estimate so the saving is not overstated.
Where do the default values come from?
They are editable example assumptions, not market averages. Replace them with your own figures — the result only means something with your numbers.
I only operate part of the year. How does that change the result?
The monthly break-even stays the same. For the annual figure, set your active booking months: savings are counted only in those months, and the remaining months are calculated at the regular Core price. If you take no new website bookings through Marencia during the off-season, you can include Seasonal Hold in the calculation, which costs 30 % of your monthly price.
Can I compare Marencia with booking software that charges a fee per booking?
Yes. Switch the calculator to “Software with booking fee” and enter the other software’s monthly price and booking fee. The pre-filled values are neutral examples, not any provider’s tariff. The comparison only counts software costs, not features, and only applies if you pay the booking fee yourself — some providers let you pass it on to your guests. Payment processing fees apply with any software and are left out on both sides.
What if I manage more than 40 boats?
Above 40 boats or resources we prepare a custom quote, so the calculator stops there. We are happy to go through the numbers with you in a demo.
Want to see how direct bookings would work in your operation?
We can show Marencia with a setup based on your boats, booking flow and payment process.