Below Deck charter guests get to live like kings and queens while aboard a superyacht. But how much does it cost them to ride the open sea like royalty? Well, although they appear to need to be very rich, charter guests on the Reality TV show pay a steeply discounted rate to have their indulgent vacation filmed.
Primary Dr. Kim Nichols (AKA Dr. Nipples) complained about paying “f**king sixty thousand dollars” for her charter on Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 3. But before fans buy the rude doctor‘s claim, let’s look at some solid evidence to find out what charter guests typically pay.
How Much Charter Guests Pay For A Below Deck Superyacht Vacation
Back in 2020, comedian actor and director Seth Rogan said he’s constantly offered to charter a superyacht on Below Deck by producers.
@Sethrogen Hi, I am the casting producer for Below Deck, heard you were a fan, how can I get you on with your friends or family??- tracycasting@gmail.com
— Tracy sinclair (@TracyDancer19) May 18, 2019
“Bravo is literally sending me emails asking me to pay $40,000 to be on an episode of one of their TV shows, which is … psychotic. If that is the business model for Below Deck, I understand why there are so many of them because that’s a good business,” he said to Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show. Considering how little Bravo pays Below Deck cast, he’s probably on to something! The spinoffs Below Deck Mediterranean, Below Deck Sailing Yacht, Below Deck Down Under, and Below Deck Adventure also suggest business is booming.
Bravo producers have been courting Seth ever since he revealed he loves the show.
There’s no way we’d tip enough.
— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) December 27, 2018
Verifying Seth Rogen’s claim about Below Deck yacht costs, celebrity gossip Instagram account DeuxMoi leaked the charter guest rates back in late 2020.
In a document advertising Below Deck Med charter yacht rates, would-be guests are offered a trip for $40,000! On top of five-star service and a five-star chef for three days and two nights, charter guests get round-trip economy airfare and hotel accommodations the night before and after the charter. While aboard, charter guests get all the free food and booze they can chow down and imbibe. This helps explain why so many charter guests get hammered on board, booze is free! That and some are nervous being filmed. Drinking copious amounts of alcohol only help!
Prospective charter guests are also offered the option of three nights, four days aboard the superyacht for $45,000. You are also expected to provide the tip money for the yacht crew (yes it’s real).
Charter Guests Don’t Have To Be That Rich To Go On A Below Deck Superyacht Trip
Below Deck charters are really a condensed charter that typically is a weeklong. Typical charters on a superyacht the size of Home, My Seanna, Parsifal III, etc. go for $80,000 to $120,000, according to experts at Windward Islands. Although the charter is discounted, the tip is expected to paid at the full amount of a weekslong charter, at 15-20%. That’s why a lot of charter guests tip around $15,000 or more. It’s also why some charter guests end up tipping so low, like Erica Rose’s charter’s infamous $6,500 tip.
In the case Dr. Nichols, if she paid the entire trip for her husband and friends to promote her skincare clinics, her $60,000 claim is accurate. She would’ve paid $40,000 for the charter, and at the end the crew got a $20,000 tip. Certainly getting a friend to foot the bill is the cheapest way to get a trip on a yacht.
For those that don’t have such generous, rich friends, it’s still not that outrageously expensive. Keeping in mind the $40,000 price tag for a Below Deck superyacht charter, and adding in tip of $15,000, the price really isn’t that exorbitant when split evenly. Below Deck production allows up to eight guests on a charter trip. $55,000 divided by eight equals a cool $6,875! Just imagine the satisfaction you could get from paying that amount to be on Parsifal III barking orders at Chief Stew Daisy Kelliher on Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 4. If you tip shitty, you could get on the show for even cheaper. You’ll just have to face the wrath of Below Deck fans afterwards.
It became an addiction that equaled following the series ROME. Love the interaction of clients and the crew.