“Below Deck” isn’t just a free luxury vacation for its guests.
Have you ever watched an episode of “Below Deck” and thought, “How lucky are these people getting to vacation on a luxury yacht for free?” Well, you might be surprised to learn that the guests on the show aren’t just enjoying their high-sea adventures for free. They actually pay for their trips. Here’s the inside scoop on how that works.
First, let’s clarify what “Below Deck” is. It’s a popular reality TV show that features the life of the crew aboard a multi-million-dollar charter yacht. The crew works to provide top-notch service to the guests, who are enjoying a luxury vacation at sea. The show follows the crew as they cater to the demands of the charter guests and navigate their personal lives and relationships.
Now, here’s the part that you might not know: the charter guests who vacation on the yacht actually pay for their trips. It’s not all as glamorous and effortless as it seems. However, they don’t pay the full price as one might in a typical yacht charter, but rather a discounted rate.
You might be wondering why the guests are paying at all if they are part of a TV show. The idea is to keep the experience as authentic as possible. In real life, chartering a luxury yacht is a paid service. So, in order to recreate this reality on the show, guests pay their own way, just as they would if they were chartering a yacht outside of the show. Plus, their payments help to cover the costs of their charter, including food, fuel, and the crew’s wage.
But, it’s not all out of pocket for the guests. The show does offer some perks to make it worth their while. The production company covers their airfare to and from the yacht, for example.
And, of course, being on the show is an experience in itself. The guests get to enjoy their time on a luxury yacht and become part of a popular reality show. They also get to participate in fun, often extravagant activities planned by the crew.
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How Much Do Guests Pay on Below Deck?
So now that we know guests on “Below Deck” are paying to vacation on the yacht, a burning question remains: how much do they really pay?
According to reports and insider information, guests pay a discounted rate for their stay on the yacht. While an exact amount hasn’t been officially disclosed, some sources claim that guests are required to pay anywhere between $40,000 to $50,000 for about three days.
That might sound like a lot, but we’re talking about a luxury yacht vacation here. Chartering a yacht of this caliber, outside the context of the show, could cost significantly more. Prices typically depend on the yacht’s size and the season in which it’s being rented. Some of the biggest and most luxurious yachts can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to charter for just one week!
In addition to the charter fee, guests on “Below Deck” are also expected to tip the crew. It’s customary in the yachting industry to tip 10-20% of the charter fee, and this practice is followed on the show as well. Typically, tips on the show range from $15,000 to $20,000 per charter, which the primary charter guest leaves for the crew to divide among themselves.
READ MORE: The Truth Behind $30,000 Bellow Deck Tips
While these amounts may seem steep, guests are also offered some incentives. For example, their round-trip economy airfare is taken care of by production. Plus, they get to be a part of a popular reality TV show, and that in itself is an experience many are willing to pay for.