Since its premiere in 2013, the Below Deck franchise has been impressing viewer. The original show and its various spin-offs follow the personal and work lives of crew members working on luxury yachts, during charters with various guests. But how much does a Below Deck charter cost? While most of these charters last only a few days, guests can easily spend tens of thousands of dollars on them.
Below Deck Mediterranean was the first spin-off produced by the franchise, which was later followed by Below Deck Sailing Yacht. Below Deck Down Under recently launched in 2022, while Below Deck Adventure is the series most recent spin-off. Viewers often wonder how much the charters on all of these shows really cost. Luckily for you, we have some answers.
Different Ships Have Different Charter Prices
The Below Deck franchise has featured a number of super yachts, and each has their own unique charter prices. Sail Checker gives an insight into these prices, and breaks the price for weekly charters down by ship. The least costly ship is the Honor, which was featured on Below Deck Season 1, that charges $130,000 for a week-long charter.
The Ohana from Below Deck Season 2 is slightly more costly, costing $140,000 for a one week charter. The Eros from Season 3 sees a huge price increase, as a week-long charter on that yacht costs a staggering $175,000. The Valor, which was featured on Below Deck Seasons 4, 5, and 7, sees a slight price decrease, charging $160,000 for a one-week charter.
My Seanna from Seasons 6 and 8 appear to be the most expensive superyacht from the show, with a whopping price of $260,000 for a weekly charter. On the other hand, a week-long charter on the Parsifial III from Sailing Yacht has a lower cost of $195,000.
Tipping Is Crucial On These Charters
Below Deck fans know that tipping is an important aspect of any charter, and that these tips are by no means small. All tips are of course in addition to the charter prices mentioned above. However, they are fair given that the crew works incredibly hard. Former cast member Kate Chastain previously opened up to Entertainment Tonight, on exactly how tipping worked onboard.
Kate explained that on a week-long charter, yacht guests would be expected to give each crew member a $5,000 tip to be fair. Since Below Deck crews usually range from about 10 to 12 members, this means that guests can expect to tip anywhere from $50,000 to $60,000 on a one-week charter.
However, the charters used for filming are usually only about two to three days in length, so the tips are usually less. For a charter of this length, Kate confirmed that anywhere between $2,000 to $2,500 per crew member could be expected from each guest.
Charter Guests Expect VIP Treatment
When you’re paying tens of thousands of dollars for a super yacht, you’re going to expect the best of the best treatment. Below Deck viewers know that many charter guests are not easy to please. But that has a lot to do with the prices that they pay. Before setting sail, guests inform the crew of their every need, such as the food they wish to be served and the activities they wish to partake in.
Since the Below Deck crew wants to make a good impression and earn a good tip, they are usually more than happy to meet the guests’ needs. Some guests are more demanding than others, who are more laid back with the crew. A lot of the pressure from guests often falls onto the chefs, such as when a guest requested Ileisha Dell prepare a seven course pride themed meal.
When it comes to Below Deck charters, there is no question that the highest level of luxury is expected. This is understandable, when guests spend over $100,000 on a few days long vacation, and even more on tipping the crew.
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