In September, Bravo dropped a bombshell: a new Below Deck spinoff was coming to Bravo. Titled Below Deck Adventure, the Bravo cameras will follow a new crew touring around Norway. The location offers guests a chance to do bone-chilling adventures that they wouldn't have done elsewhere. Fans of the franchise can tune in on November 1, 2022, on Bravo, according to Entertainment Weekly.
With a new series in the broad franchise, fans are more curious than ever about the ins and outs of the show. From how much the cast is paid to how to apply to the show, there's a lot that goes into this Bravo reality show.
How Much Do The Charter Guests Pay?
There have been some amazing (and not so amazing) charter guests on Below Deck over the years. Many guests felt entitled to act a certain way because they've spent so much money on an incredible experience and expected to be treated differently. But how much are they paying?
According to different sources, how much a guest pays depends on the size of the vessel and how long the charter is. The Instagram account @Deuxmoi revealed that guests get a discount for appearing on the show. Showbiz CheatSheet also said, "Below Deck Mediterranean Season 6 guests paid about $40,000 to $45,000 for their Croatian charter." Winward Islands also noted that these kinds of charters typically run between $80,000 to $120,000.
Here's How To Get On The Show
So, how exactly does a new crew member get on a show like Below Deck? They can apply. Although there are some fake aspects of Below Deck, it's also incredibly real and raw.
Yachting Pages explained there were "eight stages of the application process." Yachties must be licensed in their respective position, older than 21, not involved with politics, have the necessary work visa, pass a background check, sign agreements with Bravo, apply appropriately online, and work hard when chosen.
The Crew Is Bigger Than What The Show Shows
While there are some great stewardesses, chefs, and deckhands, not every position is shown on Below Deck. Deckhands and stews are shown the most in the series because they're the ones who interact with the charter guests and do the most work.
However, more positions aren't shown. YPI Crew noted the First Officer is another position that works closely with the captain that isn't shown on the series. There's also an engineer on board and a safety officer. Show Star News even explained their positions on yachts and that they're also tipped.
Each Season Is Filmed In Six Weeks
What makes Below Deck such a great reality show is its authenticity. The captain and crew say on camera that they're a part of the yacht for about six weeks. This is also how long the cast is filmed for, according to DockWalk.
What's even more interesting is how much film the producers walk away with in six weeks. Captain Lee told Cosmopolitan that the yacht has a "production office" made into one of the open bedrooms. "As soon as one day of filming ends, the footage is shipped off right away to start working on post-production. I think we ended up shooting some 45,000 hours of film, and that gets condensed down into 900 minutes of actual TV," Lee said.
Where Does Production Sleep?
Knowing that some vessels aren't that big and there are multiple crew members who aren't shown on TV, where do members of the production staff take breaks and sleep?
Bravo production explained, "With a team so large (and only so much room on the yacht), the entire Below Deck production crew sleeps in hotels." Shockingly, in season 7 of Below Deck, there were around 50 members of production on and off the vessel. If the yacht was out to see, production used a water taxi to get on board.
Why Do Yacht Owners Allow Their Boats To Be Shown?
The reason why there are so many rules on the yacht is because it's owned by a person or company who set those rules in place. These rules keep the yacht pristine while also keeping everyone safe.
But do yacht owners want to see how the cast and crew treat their yachts for six weeks? DockWalk got in touch with Kim Vibe-Petersen, the owner of the sailing yacht that was shown in season 1 of Below Deck sailing. When asked about his yacht, the owner was hesitant but opted to do it. He said, "I don’t use the boat those six weeks. They paid me a million dollars, they fixed the damage that [they caused], my crew got the opportunity to have time off, and it made sense for me.”
Captain Lee Never Auditioned For The Show
It's not just yachties who have to apply to be on the show, captains have to as well. While Captain Sandy has been the face of many memes for her focus on safety, Captain Lee is known as the Stud of the Sea.
Funny enough, Captain Lee told Cosmopolitan that he never applied to be on the show. Lee said he wound up on the show "accidentally." He continued saying, "Alex [Season One] was supposed to be the captain - that's who they hired. For one reason or another, it ended up being me. But I didn't audition. If it hadn't been dumped in my lap I never would have done it.”
The Tips Aren't Exactly Accurate
At the end of every charter, the captain gathers the crew and has a "tip meeting." The captain goes over what the crew did well with and what their need more help with. They also give everyone their tips from the charter guest.
Viewers have seen the crew get upwards of $2,000 a person in tips, but Below Deck's Kate Chastain said the tip segment isn't exactly accurate. Chastain told Entertainment Tonight that a "good tip" for large yachts is around $5,000 per person — a lot more than what's shown on the show. Since the charters are shorter to make the show, their tips hover around $2,000. So it's the charters off-camera where they make the real money.
But The Crew Gets Paid Three Times: By Bravo, In Tips, And By The Yacht's Owner
Crew members who only lasted on season probably miss the payday of being on Below Deck. Show Star News broke it down for fans just how much these reality stars get paid.
On top of getting tipped by the charter guests, the crew also gets paid a salary from the yacht's owner. The site noted that salaries change depending on the size of the yacht and the length of the charters. On top of those two paydays, the cast also gets paid by Bravo. However, it should be said that former yachties signed NDAs and admitted they get paid "peanuts" by Bravo.
The Vessel Names Can Be Made Up
It doesn't matter what series in the franchise it is, each vessel has its own name and identity. The name is stitched onto the crew's shirts so that fans are reminded what vessel they're on to separate the season from others.
Funny enough, some vessel names can be made up. Yachter Chart Fleet explained that the only vessel name that didn't change from the original series was My Seanna. The other names in the charter were made up to protect the original vessel's integrity and reputation.