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Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Editors' picks.

Your First Look at Season 5

Meet the Season 5 Crew Taking on Ibiza (PHOTOS)

Tour This Season's Gorgeous Sailing Yacht, Parsifal III

How Did Captain Glenn Get Into Yachting?

Get a Below Deck History Lesson

Watch Every Season of Below Deck Med

Latest episodes.

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Daisy Kelliher Shares the Latest on Her Egg Freezing Journey: "I Have Decided..."

Below Deck Sailing Yacht's Daisy Kelliher just made an "empowering" decision for herself and her future.

Meet the Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5 Crew Taking on Ibiza (PHOTOS)

See which yachties will join Captain Glenn Shephard aboard Parsifal III for Season 5 of Below Deck Sailing Yacht.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5 Trailer Teases New Dynamics for Captain Glenn

Below deck sailing yacht season 5 trailer, cast, premiere date.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5 returns to Bravo this October.

Daisy Kelliher Reveals Her Sister Suffered a Serious Accident: "Quite a Miracle She's Alive"

Daisy shares an update on her sister following an accident.

The Below Deck Sailing Yacht cast member shared how Bonnie Kelliher is doing after spending time in the ICU.

Latest Videos

Your First Look at Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5

Chase Lemacks Says Goodbye to the Below Deck Sailing Yacht Crew

Gary King to Chase Lemacks: "I've Never Worked with a Deckhand Like You"

Your First Look at the Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 4 Reunion

There’s Trouble in Paradise for the Throuple Onboard

Gary King and Chase Lemacks Show Off Their New Speedos

Daisy Kelliher Tells Gary King They Need to Stop Flirting

Alex Propson and Mads Herrera Get a Surprise Personal Training Session

Ileisha Dell Is Short on Time as She Prepares a 10-Course Dinner

Glenn Shephard Is Noticing There's Something Going on with Daisy Kelliher

Gary King and Daisy Kelliher Escort the Guests on a French Shore Excursion

Chef Ileisha Dell Describes Herself as “Pretty Loyal” in Relationships

Glenn Shephard

Daisy Kelliher

Cloyce Martin

Davide Morosi

Danni Warren

Keith Allen

Emma Crouch

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About below deck sailing yacht.

Capt. Glenn and his expert crew set sail on Parsifal III to the luxury party capital of the world, Ibiza. While Ibiza is known for its sunny day parties and crystal-clear coast, it’s stormy waters ahead for the crew as they navigate blossoming boatmances, competitive co-workers and tense personal dynamics, all while trying to raise the bar every charter.        After a distracting love triangle last season that took her focus away from work, Daisy is ready to take the reins back in the interior department with a new sense of energy and determination. However, plans for a stress-free charter season are threatened when her stews question her leadership.  On deck, Gary attempts to keep his team motivated as one crew member struggles to learn the ropes. In the galley, Chef Cloyce charms the crew and guests but at only 22, he may be too inexperienced to meet the demands of the high-maintenance charter guests.   

Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5 cast: Meet Captain Glenn’s new and returning crew members

Captain Glenn Shephard will be back on the small screen soon for Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5.

After a delay and a slew of fan speculation, Season 5 of Below Deck Sailing Yacht finally received a premiere date and a trailer.

However, in true Below Deck fashion, a couple of alums make up Captain Glenn’s latest crew, but a fan favorite is missing.

Colin MacRae isn’t returning as Chief Engineer after a turbulent Season 4 that fractured his friendships with Gary King and Daisy Kellier.

The three helped revamp the sailing show after a lackluster Season 1, making it a hit along with Captain Glenn. Colin will undoubtedly be missed.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht stars Daisy Kelliher and Gary King are back

Two people needing no introduction are Gary and Daisy, who are each back for their fourth season on Below Deck Sailing Yacht.

Last summer, photos of Gary and Daisy filming Season 5 were leaked; honestly, we weren’t surprised to see them in the mix. Despite their friction, which amps up for Season 5, Daisy and Gary make good television.

Gary was featured much less in the trailer than in previous seasons, and that likely has to do with the sexual misconduct allegations that came out after Season 5 was filmed. Recently, Gary shared an update about his accuser as he continues to proclaim his innocence.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Above Deck Podcast (@abovedeckpod)

Who are Captain Glenn Shephard’s new Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5 crew members?

Chef Cloyce Martin takes over the galley, and at 22, his age will play a huge factor in the season. We already see him clash with Daisy in the trailer.

Davide Morosi takes over Colin’s chief engineer role, and he seems to be pretty private, with little to no activity on social media.

Stew Diana Cruz declares herself “an organized mess” who has caught the acting and yachting bug.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Diana Cruz (@dianacruzc_)

Danni Warren rounds out the interior crew. She has a connection with Below Deck Med’s Bri Muller and seems to want to be in the social media influencer game, too.

Deckhand Keith Allen catches Daisy’s eye on Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5. Keith isn’t just a sailing yachtie but a photographer and diver who loves to travel.

Emma Crouch makes up the rest of Gary’s deck team. She’s all about being a yachtie, including helping others get into the business as a trainer with Paper Boat Yachting Academy.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Emma Crouch (@emmacrouch88)

That’s a brief preview of the Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5 cast. Fans will have to turn in to find out more about Captain Glenn’s crew, especially to learn how Daisy and Gary work together after their Season 4 fallout.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5 premieres on Monday, October 7 at 9/8c on Bravo. Seasons 1-4 are streaming on Peacock.

'Below Deck' cast: Meet the full Season 11 crew after Capt. Lee Rosbach's departure

A peek into the luxury super yacht scene and the daily lives of the crew who work and live on them returns this February in Season 11 of "Below Deck."

Following Captain Lee Rosbach's departure from the show after 10 seasons, a new captain is running the yacht: Captain Kerry Titheradge , who viewers may have seen before on "Below Deck Adventure." This season, the crew is working on the M/Y St. David, a luxury yacht in the Caribbean island nation of Grenada.

The Bravo reality show has been around since 2013 and has inspired multiple spinoffs since it aired, including "Below Deck Adventure," "Below Deck Sailing Yacht" and "Below Deck Mediterranean."

Here's a look at the main cast working on the for Season 11 of "Below Deck," which premieres Monday, Feb. 5 on Bravo.

Capt. Kerry Titheradge

• Title: Captain
• Seen on: "Below Deck Adventure"

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Fraser Olender

• Title: Chief Stew
• Seen on: "Below Deck" Seasons 9 and 10

Ben Willoughby

• Title: Lead deckhand
• Seen on: "Below Deck" Seasons 10 and 11

Anthony Iracane

• Title: Chef
• New to "Below Deck"

Jared Woodin

• Title: Bosun

Sunny Marquis

• Title: Deckhand

Kyle Stillie

• Title: Stew

Xandi Olivier

Barbie pascual.

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Below Deck Mediterranean

A reality show following the crew and Captain of a luxury charter yacht in the Mediterranean. A reality show following the crew and Captain of a luxury charter yacht in the Mediterranean. A reality show following the crew and Captain of a luxury charter yacht in the Mediterranean.

• Mark Cronin
• Doug Henning
• Rebecca Taylor Henning
• Hannah Ferrier
• Malia White
• 55 User reviews
• 3 nominations total

Episodes 160

Top cast 99

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia Former charter Captain Mark Howard passed away on October 25, 2021. Howard was 65, and no cause of death was reported. Captain Mark, appeared in the first season of Below Deck Mediterranean. He chose to quit prior to the filming of season two and was replaced by Captain Sandy.
• Connections Edited into Below Deck Galley Talk (2021)

User reviews 55

• Mar 3, 2023
• How many seasons does Below Deck Mediterranean have? Powered by Alexa
• They've stated a-few times when dividing tips that 11-12 people are on the crew, but I only count 8. Are some not shown on screen?
• May 3, 2016 (United States)
• United States
• Official Site
• Below Deck Med
• 51 Minds Entertainment
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 43 minutes

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VIDEO: See Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5 Trailer! Daisy Slams Gary as a “Prick” After Failed Boatmance, Captain Glenn Warns the Crew, and a Firing is Teased, Plus New Yachties Are Introduced!

Credit: Fred Jagueneau/Bravo

The Below Deck universe is one of the popular franchises on Bravo. Fans have been clamoring for the trailer for Below Deck Sailing Yacht following the major breakdown of Daisy Kelliher and Gary King ‘s short-lived romance last season. Now, it’s finally here, and the trailer teases everything viewers want — drama, romance, and breaking the rules with the guests.

As fans of Below Deck Sailing Yacht know, each season of the show takes place in a different location. Now in its fifth season, the show is set in Ibiza. Season four of the show was set in Italy. This new season comes after Gary was accused of sexual assault. 

The new season of Below Deck Sailing Yacht seems like a good time based on the trailer, which comes exclusively from E! News . As it begins, Daisy can be heard saying, “Going into this season, I got rid of some dead weight. The breakup did a number on me last year. I felt very broken. But now, I’m coming back in more focused, full of energy and I’m f–king good at my job. And I’m taking back the reigns.”

Of course, she is referencing her breakup with Gary. She then counters the previous statement by saying, “It’s gonna be a s–t show.”

The trailer then teases a bit of work-related drama as she says to Gary, “Guess what? We have a f–king job to do, and I’m not f–king carrying this season on my own, you f–king prick!”

Naturally, the season isn’t only about the failed romance between Daisy and Gary. The trailer also shows the crew getting a bit too friendly with the guests. Captain Glenn Shephard , who is clearly upset, can be seen reprimanding the crew after having too many drinks with the guests. 

He says, “You guys went out with some guests, I set some ground rules. Two drinks maximum. You knew the rules, you broke the f–king rules, and now you’re here getting upset.”

This season also welcomes some new faces. There’s Chef Cloyce Martin , Chief Engineer Davide Morosi , Stew Diana Cruz , Stew Danni Warren , and Emma Crouch as the deckhand. 

Fans can watch the premiere of season five of Below Deck Sailing Yacht on October 7. 

“Below Deck” — The Netflix Binge Cruisers Will Love

Doug Parker

• October 20, 2020

Netflix is known for introducing binge-worthy content to the platform.

And the latest has to be “Below Deck” — a reality series that came to Netflix in the form of two seasons in August 2020.

But the show itself was filmed way back in 2013 and has a total of 7 seasons and 105 episodes.

So why are people raving about the show? 

It’s a glimpse into a luxury escape — and the drama onboard

Below Deck follows the lives of crew members who live and work onboard a mega-yacht.

Season one follows the likes of Captain Lee Rosback, First Officer Aleks Taldykin, Chief Stewardess Adriene Gang, Second Engineer C.J. LeBeau, Chef Ben Robinson and Deckhand David Bradberry in their everyday working and personal lives onboard the 164-foot Honor .

The first release of the series averaged 1.4 million total viewers per episode.

All of the crew that is hired to be part of the show are licensed and certified, which involves a two-week course.

Captain Lee says: “ Each of the crew members has to have an STCW, which is a standard set by the maritime industry for watch-keeping and just being on board—it’s basic first aid, firefighting. It’s a two-week course and a certification they have to have before they’re allowed to work on yachts.”

The crew is filmed 24 hours a day , seven days a week working on the boat while being filmed by both hidden cameras and a crew. 

But what makes the show so addictive? 

For reality TV lovers, Below Deck is one of those shows with a brand that is instantly bingeable. This is because of the on-screen romances, drama, and professional and personal turmoils that are captured on screen.

Noah Samton, the senior vice president of the production for Bravo says that the yachting industry “attracts the kind of people that are good for TV. First of all, they’re a lot of young, attractive people. A lot of people that are sort of escaping their lives for some reason or have this adventurous streak in them. We’re really good at finding the people who are going to wear it on their sleeves.” 

And as with other reality TV shows, the cameras capture it all, sharing every aspect of their lives onboard.

The only place that they aren’t filmed is in the bathroom, but only one crew member can be in one at any given time.

Members have tried to get away with their personal antics being held in places without a camera — in one instance, a laundry room — but the crew quickly clocks on.

It’s this close look into their lives, combined with the personalities and the exotic locations, that make Below Deck so exciting to watch.

How is the show really filmed? Here are some of the secrets

When the show was first released there were some questions from fans about how ‘real’ the working lives were of those on screen. But the cast actually work as real-life stewards, sometimes up to 16+ hours a day, and sleep on tiny bunks.

T he charter company actually pays each cast member a base salary; the cast is also paid an appearance fee by the production company. And they’re allowed to take tips by guests. All their food is provided by the boat’s chef, as would be in the case if they were regular employees. 

The cast is not allowed to speak to, or interact with, the production team and cameraman in order to keep in line with the show’s guidelines. 

Captain Lee is actually in charge of the boat, including when and where they can sail and anything that needs to be considered in terms of the weather. He can also fire anyone at any time. Production is not allowed to have any influence on this.

The boat costs upwards of $300,000 per week to hire — which is why all filming is done during the six-week period. 

All cast members get three days off per season during the six weeks of filming on the boat. They can stay in a hotel room on those days, but they’re not allowed to communicate with each other. 

There are also advantages for the guests on the boat, as they are given a fifty percent discount on their journey — although they pay their own money to rent the boat and for their tips.

What’s the future for Below Deck?

So far, Netflix has releases only two series of the show, but we can expect more. For the ones that can’t get the show’s pristine sceneries out of their mind, sites like borrowaboat.com have boats and yachts for every taste available to rent, perfect to recreate the sailing lifestyle.

While there are only two series so far released by Netflix, we can expect more. And the new Below Deck season eight will likely premiere sometime in the fall of 2020.

With eight seasons now, it’s likely that there could be more in the future and that audiences will be able to continue to enjoy the drama-filled lives of those who work below deck and onboard the ship.

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Below Deck Sailing Yacht: Season Four; Bravo Reveals Reality Show’s Premiere Date and Cast

by Regina Avalos, March 20, 2023

Below Deck Sailing Yacht has been renewed for a fourth season, and Bravo has now announced the cast and premiere date for the reality series return. Captain Glenn Shephard, Daisy Kelliher, Gary King, and Colin MacRae are set to return in season four and will be joined by new crew members.

Bravo revealed more about the new series in a press release.

“ Below Deck Sailing Yacht ” season four premieres on Monday, April 10 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo and is available to stream next day on Peacock. Returning this season are Capt. Glenn Shephard and veteran department heads Daisy Kelliher (Chief Stew), Gary King (First Mate) and Colin MacRae (Chief Engineer). New crew members include Chef Ileisha Dell, stews Lucy Edmunds and Mads Herrera and deckhands Chase Lemacks and Alex Propson. “Below Deck Sailing Yacht” is produced by 51 Minds with Mark Cronin, Courtland Cox, Vivian Kohon, Tania Hamidi, Christian Sarabia and Zachary Klein serving as executive producers. UPCOMING THIS SEASON Capt. Glenn and his comeback team Daisy Kelliher, Gary King and Colin MacRae resume their responsibilities aboard Parsifal III, along with new, dynamic crew members, as they set sail in Sardinia, Italy. Capt. Glenn realizes that his laid-back leadership style has allowed his crew to become too comfortable and starts taking charge of quality control in the interior department, much to Daisy’s dismay. In the galley, Chef Ileisha’s cooking impresses the guests, but her indecisiveness and co-dependency lead to time-management issues between courses, which causes her to self-destruct. On deck, strong personalities collide, and a power struggle results in a near mutiny, as Gary clashes with his new overconfident deckhand, Chase. Two overlapping love triangles further complicate the dynamics on-board, and a shocking hookup puts Colin, Daisy and Gary’s friendship in jeopardy. With a near collision, fire, crew rebellion, gruesome guest injury and two different potentially season-ending engine failures, this is the most captivating and unpredictable season yet of “Below Deck Sailing Yacht.”

Check out a sneak peek at this reality series below.

What do you think? Are you excited about the return of this Below Deck series on Bravo?

Check out our status sheets to track new TV series pickups, renewals, and cancellations. You can find lists of cancelled shows here .

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‘Below Deck Sailing Yacht’ Is Returning for Season 5 After Gary King’s Sexual Misconduct Scandal

Below Deck Sailing Yacht is coming back for season 5 after Gary King’s sexual misconduct scandal.

Bravo announced on Monday, September 16, that the next season reunites Captain Glenn Shephard , chief stew Daisy Kelliher and Gary as they spend their charter season in Ibiza. The rest of the cast includes chef Cloyce Martin , chef engineer Davide Morosi , stews Diana Cruz , Danni Warren and deckhands Keith Allen and Emma Crouch .

The upcoming installment comes more than one year after Below Deck Sailing Yacht wrapped up its fourth season on Bravo in July 2023.

Gary’s future as a cast member has been up in the air, however, since a production assistant from the show accused him of making unwanted advances while filming season 4.

Related: Below Deck Sailing Yacht's Biggest Drama Through the Years

In a Rolling Stone exposé, which was published in October 2023, Samantha Suarez and other former employees, who asked to remain anonymous, accused Bravo of allegedly helping cover up Gary’s inappropriate behavior.

“It was insane. There were multiple incidents of sexual harassment in front of multiple producers after this person had been given verbal warnings multiple times,” one of the accusers alleged. “I had to promote and make this guy who just assaulted someone look awesome. That was my job, to make this person look cool, capable and exciting.”

Samantha recalled being asked to look after Gary when he allegedly got drunk. Once filming wrapped, Samantha remained with Gary in his hotel room before he tried to stop her from leaving by pressing himself against her. Samantha alleged that Gary refused to let her leave until she started to fight back.

According to Samantha, she alerted producers about the incident , who told Gary to sleep on the boat on days when the crew wasn’t filming as a way to keep him out of the hotel.

Related: Former 'Below Deck Sailing Yacht' Stars: Where Are They Now?

Bravo addressed the allegations in a statement to Rolling Stone , saying, “Bravo is committed to maintaining a safe and respectful workplace for cast and crew on our reality shows. We require our third-party production companies to have appropriate workplace policies and trainings in place and a clear process on how to report concerns. The concerns Ms. Suarez raised in July 2022 were investigated at that time and action was taken based on the findings.”

Gary has maintained his innocence since news broke about the claim. “I know [that I did nothing wrong], and I know the truth but it still hurts when people will tell lies to bring you down,” he replied to a fan via Instagram one month later.

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In the aftermath, Gary didn’t appear at BravoCon in November 2023 despite initially being announced as a guest. He has since stated that he wasn’t ruling out a Below Deck Sailing Yacht return.

Related: A Guide to 'Below Deck' and Its Many Spinoffs

Gary replied to several Instagram users in December 2023 who reminded him there’s a “life after” Below Deck .

“I hope so, will have to see but will definitely be trying to stay on peoples tv screens ☺️,” Gary wrote back. In a separate comment, Gary maintained that he would return to reality TV, adding, “I will do and hopefully be back on your screens, everyday I’m trying to better myself so hopefully if they ask me back you’ll see this.”

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'Below Deck’ on Honor Yacht - New Bravo Superyacht Crew Reality Show

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By Editorial Team   1 July 2013

The 50m (164’) luxury charter yacht ‘Honor’ is the setting of new Bravo reality series ‘Below Deck’ that follows the lives of crew and guests on board a five-week charter of the Caribbean.

The show has already been subject to some criticism, with many in the industry claiming it does not offer a true insight into luxury yacht chartering. The fact that the yacht was renamed ‘ Honor ’ (previously ‘ Cuor di Leone ’) and the crew of eight were given time off to be replaced by an all-American crew chosen by the executives goes some way to proving this.

Her Captain Rosbach and engineer are real however and remained on board to safely operate the charter yacht throughout the duration of filming. Many in the industry have questioned why they would have taken part in the show when it risks the reputation of ‘Honor’ as a charter yacht as well as exposing unprofessional behaviour of the crew. Yet with a reported $1,000,000 paid by Bravo, treated as a normal charter the Captain would have had to have made it work as he usually would.

‘Below Deck’ is the brain child of co-executive producer, Rebecca Taylor, who has been carrying around the idea since spending three summers working on charter yachts in New England during her college years. She describes the show as documenting when ‘upstairs and downstairs worlds collide’, revealing a young crew who live in a confined space not just with each-other but with their ‘wealthy, demanding charter guests’. 

Obviously, much of the drama and antics have been amplified for entertainment value but one thing that can be highlighted through the show is the long working hours of charter crew and the challenges they face in providing a personalised five-star service to each guest. Every episode features different charter guests, from millionaires, to entertainers to hard-partying well-heeled friends, each presenting their own specific demands for the crew to deal with.

By its very nature, the work that goes into preparing a luxury yacht like ‘Honor’ for charter, from doing laundry, cleaning bathrooms, scrubbing floors and washing the exterior to serving gourmet food and champagne is rarely seen in action. The yacht’s formidable chief stewardess Adrienne Gang, said she was glad viewers would get some insight into the yacht lifestyle and also realise how much work it is to be part of the yacht crew. Others members of the crew include Captain Aleks Taldykin, Chef Ben Robinson, David Bradberry, C.J. Lebeau, Eddie Lucas, Samantha Orme and Kat Hela.

For those who haven’t experienced and luxury yacht charter for themselves, it is advised that ‘Below Deck’ be taken with a pinch of salt. Unlike most luxury charter yachts, only three of the eight crew that took part in the documentary had previous experience and were no doubt chosen for their particularly extrovert personalities. All in all ‘Below Deck’ is just another reality show and while it may represent some situations negatively, should not be taken too seriously. If you are interested in chartering a luxury yacht similar to ‘Honor’ contact your nearest yacht charter broker .

Take a look at all the luxury yachts for charter  , including the world's largest charter yacht Eclipse.

one thing that can be highlighted through the show is the long working hours of charter crew and the challenges they face

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50m Benetti 1999 / 2021

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• Cuor di Leone
• Rebecca Taylor
• Adrienne Gang
• Captain Rosbach
• Aleks Taldykin
• Ben Robinson
• David Bradberry
• C.J. Lebeau
• Eddie Lucas
• Samantha Orme

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Below deck sailing yacht season 5 trailer leaves fans disappointed with gary king’s involvement.

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Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5’s trailer has finally arrived, and with Captain Glenn Shephard’s crew including First Officer Gary King, fans are disappointed in the show’s return . While Below Deck viewers have been impatiently awaiting news about Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5 for over a year, the trailer has finally been released, and has many concerned about what the season is going to look like. While the trailer reveals the return of some familiar faces, the storylines that appear to be part of the season left viewers feeling uneasy. After Gary’s sexual misconduct allegations, his involvement seems overwhelming.

In the Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5 trailer, the crew’s chartering guests around Ibiza in a new sailing adventure. With Gary showing up early in the trailer after Daisy Kelliher makes her grand entrance, things get dicey quickly. “That’s right, we have a f****** job and I’m not carrying this f****** season on my own you f****** prick,” Daisy shouts at Gary in one moment of the trailer as he lays in his bed, looking dismayed. The rest of the trailer shows the genuine chaos of the season, featuring Gary heavily much to the surprise of Below Deck viewers .

What Gary’s Involvement In Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5 Means

He’s part of the show more than ever.

Throughout the Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5 trailer, it was clear that Gary will be a focal point of the exterior team’s story. Being shown on the deck with some of the exterior team, pushing Deckhands to their limits and critiquing their work, Gary’s presence on the sailing yacht may be odd during Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5 . While he appears to be getting along with Daisy , he may not even have her in his corner by the end of the charter season. His heavy involvement in the trailer may not indicate the same throughout the whole season.

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Although Gary has been a part of Below Deck Sailing Yacht since the early days of the series, seeing him as a member of the crew after his sexual misconduct allegations came to light is tough. While Bravo filmed Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5 before the allegations were revealed, they came to light during the filming of the season and it appears that the network didn’t choose to remove Gary from later episodes or take action at all. Though it remains to be seen if production did anything about Gary , it’s disappointing to some to see him on screen.

Our Take On The Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5 Trailer

It could be chaotic fun, but gary leaves a stain on the show.

Although the trailer for Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5 makes it seem like one of the most exciting, dramatic seasons of the series we’ve ever seen, the mess may not be worth it if Gary’s involved. By ignoring the sexual misconduct allegations lodged against Gary and leaving him on the series, seemingly without explanation, Bravo is allowing it to seem like what he may have done is okay. Though nothing has been proven, taking no action on Below Deck Sailing Yacht could be a misstep that may taint the entire season of the sailing spin-off for once excited viewers.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht premieres Monday, October 7 at 9 p.m. EDT on Bravo.

Source: Below Deck /Instagram

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

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Below Deck Sailing Yacht is a spin-off of the Below Deck reality television series. Premiering on Bravo, the show follows the life of a Yacht crew as they attempt to navigate a busy Charter season in which many customers make use of a 177-foot sailing yacht. Over the first three seasons, the yacht has been to Greece, Croatia, and Spain.

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Below Deck: Superyacht TV show to return for two new series

US TV network Bravo has announced that superyacht TV show Below Deck will be returning to screens for two new spin-off seasons, Below Deck Adventure and Below Deck Down Under.

Premiering in early 2022, Below Deck Adventure will follow the escapades of explorer yachts cruising in the icy fjords of Norway , playing host to thrill-seeking charterers as they partake in adrenaline-fueled exploits while exploring the glacial waters and rugged landscapes.

Unlike other seasons that have been set in sunnier climes, such as Below Deck Mediterranean , the camera crew will follow charterers’ exhilarating activities in sub-zero temperatures, such as heli-skiing and dog sledding.

The crew will be pushed to new limits as they attempt to maintain a luxury service alongside managing the physical and technical demands of cold-weather cruising.

Below Deck Down Under will be aired on NBC’s Peacock streaming platform. This series, which is already well underway with filming, is taking place on the other side of the globe in Australia. Home to the Great Barrier Reef , Australia has some of the world’s greatest cruising grounds on offer, and the crew will be expected to provide activities for guests below and above the water, with scuba diving being one of the main draws of the region.

The TV show follows the secret lives of superyacht crews working on board charter yachts , capturing behind-the-scenes footage of their day-to-day obligations and interactions. Crews featured in previous series have worked on a range of superyachts available for charter , including 54 metre sailing yacht Parsifal III and 56.2 metre motor yacht The Wellesley .

Some crew members, such as Captain Lee Rosbach and Captain Sandy Yawn , have achieved something of a celebrity status following the success of the show’s earlier seasons.

Further details about the new series, including the crew cast, are yet to be announced but will be released in due course.

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• Entertainment

The Untold Truth Of Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Bravo TV 's second season of the reality show Below Deck Sailing Yacht debuted on March 1, and fans are already rabid to dive back into the world of chartered sea vessels. The series follows the highs and lows of a crew who sail charter boats in Croatia's Ionoian Sea.

The show is part of a series of spin-offs based on Below Deck , which has proven to be massively successful for the network. After 23 seasons, it's no surprise that two spin-offs were born: Mediterranean and Sailing Yacht . As Joshua Ocampo of Men's Health explains, people love all three shows because "the series has exposed the underbelly of [the] ultra-luxurious yachting industry."

Season two of Sailing Yacht features a lot of new names, including Daisy Kelliher , Dani Soares, Alli Dore, Natasha de Bourg , Colin Macrae , Gary King , Jean-Luc Cerza Lanaux, and, of course, a familiar face: Captain Glenn Shephard (via Bravo ).

First mate Gary King did not get along with Jean-Luc Cerza Lanaux in season 2

As said, this year's BDSY team is full of brand new faces, which a lot of the series' fans think was the right move. The new cast is definitely expected to shake things up. Captain Glenn Shephard told Us Weekly that he believes Gary King is "a bit of a party animal," but added that he appreciates King's sailing skills. "He's a good sailor. I could relax a little bit with a right-hand man there. I didn't have to explain to him, he understands."

Captain Shephard also offered a little bit of dirt on the season. Turns out  Jean-Luc Cerza Lanaux , the youngest crew member, and first mate Gary King aren't really good friends, but luckily they were still able to work well together. "I don't know that he and Gary got on perfectly, but I think they manage the season and their department quite well" (via Us Weekly ).

It turns out the real story is a little deeper than that. Meaww writes that Lanaux and King had a huge fight over how to clean the ship. Lanaux and fellow crewmate Colin Macrae were mopping when they decided to use a cleaning solvent instead of soap... but then discovered that the solvent was really diesel fuel. The publication notes, "You could see Jean was apologetic and first mate Gary King was fuming but a little quick-thinking helped the crew manage the crisis."

There's also a scary accident in season 2 of Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Interpersonal drama isn't the only thing that will keep season 2 of Below Deck Sailing Yacht exciting for viewers. It turns out that Captain Shephard has now become the first captain in series history to crash a yacht.

Shephard explained to Showbiz Cheat Sheet that the accident was pretty rough. "That particular [accident], I felt it. And when I'm feeling the impact I'm fearing the worst and thinking 'Oh my God this is really, really bad.' In the end, it's not quite as bad as I feared. So I may have overreacted a little bit. But yeah, it's pretty serious."

It also sounds like the accident happened due to error on Captain Shephard's part and technical issues he dealt with. "I've never had an issue with the result like we had. And you can tell I was quite upset about it. I've never had that kind of result, but I've definitely had issues before where I've lost everything. The engines shut down. I have no thrusters, nothing. And that can be a little nerve-wracking. That's something that can be a showstopper, like an 'end the season' and kind of thing. It's something that can be very, very serious. People can get injured, it can be very serious."

Guests get a whopping 50% off if they book a trip on the yacht

If sailing around as a guest on Below Deck Sailing Yacht is your idea of a dream vacation , you're in luck: with the right amount of money, it's really easy to hop aboard the Parsifal III ! The show's producer, Mark Cronin, participated in an Ask Me Anything forum on Reddit four years ago and revealed quite a lot about what it takes to be on the show.

For starters, Cronin said that while he wishes he could be more selective, he simply can't; whoever can afford to sail on the boat is welcome. "Whoever's check clears the bank is on the show! I wish I could be picky" (via Reddit). Luckily, guests don't have to pay the full $150,000 fee to charter such a yacht. "The guests pay their own real money to charter the boat. But we do give them a discount (about 50%) from the real cost of the vessel for three days. We ask them to tip about 15% to 20% of the full cost though. The tip amount is up to them as well. They are not compensated, but we pay their airfare" (via Reddit).

Guests on Below Deck Sailing Yacht can be super rude

Mark Cronin fielded quite a few questions about the passengers that come on board the yacht throughout filming. It turns out that most of them have the same complaint: they don't like how they appear on the show. But Cronin adds that typically, if someone appears to be rude on the show, they're that way in real life. While speaking about the passengers who have come on board, he noted, "I think they are actually rude sometimes. Rich people can be rude to people they consider 'servants.' Some get a rush out of it I guess. They're hungry for 'amusement' and sometimes abusing the staff [is] amusement" (via Reddit).

Fans who watched the first season of BDSL likely remember one guest who caused a lot of problems. As Decider recounts, two men behaved as if chartering the boat meant they had the right to behave however they saw fit. The pair wanted the crew to drop them off at a beach bar to find women to spend time with, but worried aloud about what they were wearing, with one of them demanding, "Pull right on the f****** beach. I don't want to get the f****** linens dirty."

Cast members get paid way more than you might think

Jill Goslicky, the show's executive producer, recently participated in her own Ask Me Anything forum on Reddit and addressed a few key questions: how do people become yachties on the show, and how do they get paid?

Goslicky says that the crew is paid in a multitude of ways, "They do get a salary for being hired as part of the yacht crew, they do get to keep their tips, and they do get a production fee" (via Reddit). Refinery29 also reports that crew salaries range from $5,000 to $10,000 a month, depending on the position and in the case of the chef , experience and training.

A second and third stewardess starts the monthly salary scale at $5,000, followed by the chief stew, who can earn up to $1,000 more. The salary of the chef, meanwhile, starts out at $7,000, with the potential of earning up to $10,000.  And most importantly? That's all before they get anything extra: "This is before tip, which across the Below Deck seasons averages $15,000 a person for about six weeks of work" (via  Refinery ).

People who want to be on a  Below Deck  show have to follow a few key steps before they can get the gig. Men's Health   explains that the first step is filling out the application online. Yachtie applicants also have to be at least 21 years old, have a visa for the filming location, and be qualified to work on a yacht in the first place.

Recommended

Below Deck: Superyacht Reality TV

People have been saying for a long time that yachts would make a great reality show, so it’s no real surprise that the day has finally arrived: Tonight in the US, yachting reality show ‘Below Deck’ screens on Bravo TV. With episode titles like “Luggage, luggage, everywhere” and “Dude, that’s a dude, dude”, I’m guessing it’s not aimed at the intellectual end of the market.   I lost 24 brain cells just watching the trailer. See the trailier  here . 

When the idea for a reality show got floated (sorry) a few years back, there was an outpouring of vitriol on Dockwalk by yachting professionals deeply concerned that such a show would damage the industry.  And now that the show is being launched (sorry), the vitriol is back, as many people see this show as a threat: a threat to the image of the yachting industry, one that will imperil the golden rule of discretion and make yacht owners and guests view crew and yachting differently.   

Of course the ‘reality’ is dubious.  Crewed by actors and yacht crew who want to be famous, and chartered by wannabe actors who want to be famous, and edited and produced by people who want to be famous… well, it’s safe to say that the ‘reality’ of yachting will be the first victim.  That’s not to say that there won’t be situations portrayed in it that we have all actually encountered in our jobs on yachts (the producer worked as a stewardess for 3 seasons, and there are three yacht crew in the cast), but people do not act naturally while surrounded by a film crew. And even if they do let their real selves out on occasion, the final cut is made by people who want sensationalism and spectacle.  This is for telly, after all.  No one wants to watch a stewardess clean a cabin for 3 days to the sound of Rihanna on repeat. Not least because of Rihanna.

This morning, The New York Times has published an article on the series entitled “Who wants to sail with this ship of trolls?”  It’s not a glowing review, to put it mildly, calling the show ‘bland’ and the guests ‘insufferable’ , concluding that, “It’s a good thing the earth is flat, because that means the Honor, the yacht that is the focus of the new Bravo reality series ‘Below Deck’ is bound to sail over the edge someday. That would presumably relieve us of the obligation to pay any further attention to the people on it.”

The show was shot during a 5 week Caribbean charter on the 50m Cour de Leone, which was renamed ‘M/Y Honour’ for the show.  The original crew were given time off, although the captain Lee Rosbach, the first mate and the engineer stayed on board (but not as characters in the show) to ensure the boat stayed in one piece.  And 9 ‘crew’ were brought in in their place, only 3 of them with any yachting experience.  And this alone allows people to dismiss the show as unrealistic, with real captain Lee Rosbach admitting in an interview with The Triton . "They pretty much acted like crew I would have fired- they were all in way over their heads. There were a couple that worked really hard and might have made good entry level crew.” Might have made good entry level crew?  Oh dear. 

Show co-producer Rebecca explained the casting choice by saying, “The original crew were perfect, but we had to bring in new crew that we’d screened, as we couldn’t be sure that the other crew weren’t convicted felons or wouldn’t punch the cameraman.  Oh, now this smacks of disingenuity. Yacht crew aren’t well known for punching people on board, and criminal records are, well, records. Not difficult to check. Of course, what she isn’t saying here is that most professional yacht crew wouldn’t touch this show with a boat hook and a sturdy pair of Marigolds.

This excuse allowed the introduction of a merry cast of TV-worthy characters running around in hilariously tight blue polos. The bios on the show’s website  are comedy gold, as it sounds like they have been written by either the cast themselves, a small child, or a shoddy dating website.  We have the chief stewardess Adrienne Gang,’ a veteran of the yacht industry’, who lives by the philosophy ‘work hard, play hard’. Original.  Other useful facts are that she once wanted to be a doctor and used to tour with rock bands.  The fake captain, who looks remarkably like he is made of plastic, has had a love of the water since a young age (jolly good), while CJ LeBeau (yes, that is his name) is an Eagle Scout and a philanthropist, but he has a rebellious side as well . He also, you might like to know,  “gets out of most sticky situations with his witty flirtation and likeable personality.”  Snort. We have the chef, who enjoys the bachelor lifestyle, and a stewardess called Kat who is a ‘jokester’ , ‘life of the party’ enjoys snowboarding and has been through the Panama Canal. Riveting.  Oh, Bravo TV, bravo for giving me a giggle.  And of course we have a gay ex-Marine. Openly gay crew members are increasingly seen on yachts, and rightly so.  But to imply that they are represented on each yacht is a fallacy. And then we also have Sam, the stewardess who has a degree in industrial engineering, a degree which apparently separates her from the typical “uneducated yachty (sic) drifter”.  She prides herself on her leadership abilities, which is a shame really as she’s not chief stew, and going by the episode descriptions this causes some drama.  I’ll stop now, but really, these bios are tremendous fun.

As for the guests, they actually are paying charter guests.  An ad was run by Bravo TV requesting people who might like to be on a show, but will have to pay for the privilege to cover the charter fee. 50 000 dollars each, according to the original ad.  Not your typical charter guest then, but Americans who want to be famous.  

“Oh, it wasn’t scripted,” said one guest on a forum. "We just did what we wanted and they filmed us.” For my part I believe it wasn’t scripted, simply because on the advertisement we have some woman lying on a deckchair waving languorously at one of the crew and saying in a strident American accent, “Can you remove this part of the ship for me?” The ship? The ship? No genuine charter guest, past, present or future, has called a yacht a ship. They never miss the opportunity to say the word yacht, (preferably in a very loud voice).  But while it may not have been scripted, it was most certainly directed, and by its very nature with a bunch of cameramen and fake cast, unreal.

This unrealistic portrayal is making some yacht crew nervous, and others angry. From what I can see, the objections fall into several categories.

1. A strange anger at the ‘real’ crew involved.   The forums are alive with jeers about them never getting hired again, and ‘how to kill your career 101.” Let’s dispense with this one quickly with a quick question: ‘Who cares if they get hired again?’ That’s not an objection to the show itself, it is of absolutely no consequence to anyone but the crew themselves, and they have made their beds.    

2. That these people make yachting look unprofessional to the outside world. One yacht chef wailed that the food looked terrible (despite the NYT saying otherwise), and felt that no-one would take his job as a superyacht chef seriously anymore.  Another sniffed that deck crew would never be allowed to have their hair so unruly on a real yacht, while another was unhappy that during the course of filming the crew were in the tender, shirtless. You know, there may be a few viewers out there in middle America who will base their view of yachting on this show, but anyone who watches reality TV thinking it is reality is a dimwit and for one, I don’t care what a dimwit thinks about yachting, or anything else, for that matter.

3. That the ‘secret is out!”  Ah, and ain’t that the truth. We may even be overrun by young people wanting to get into the industry.   This is not the end of the world. In fact it’s very good for crew houses, training schools and bars.  There are only so many jobs, and captains can pretty easily sort the wheat from the chav – I mean chaff.  

4. The most overwhelming objection is that yacht owners, charterers and potential charterers will be deterred from chartering a yacht because of this show.   Oh, poppycock.  As captain Rosbach says, “I don’t know why people are taking this show so seriously. I don’t think billionaires sit around watching Bravo TV.”  Even if they did, I’m certain they’re not thinking, Oh, I may not charter this year because a low-budget reality show was made about it where the guests were difficult and the crew ran around like monkeys trying to shag each other, crying and drinking. (Ok, so maybe there’s some truth to this show after all.)  Otherwise we’d all be watching ‘Airport’ and thinking, Oh, best not catch a plane again, as someone has made a show about difficult passengers, and then people will think that I am difficult, because I too, on occasion, catch planes.’ 

Anyway, even if the portrayal of difficult guests is spot-on, then real yacht owners and guests won’t recognise themselves in them, because the human ego is protected by a thick wall of self-delusion, making it difficult for us to recognise our own bad behaviour.  For example, I have had a very difficult guest look at me sympathetically and say with no trace of irony,  “Gosh, you must get some really difficult guests sometimes , not like us, hey.”

Anyone who has ever owned or chartered a yacht, or is seriously planning to, are already aware that this is an industry of professionals, working their buttocks off, being discrete, going the extra 40 miles for yak milk and creating an extraordinary experience for them.  Because that is the truth.  And that truth won’t change, no matter how many ‘reality’ TV shows are made on the subject.  People who treat their crew well will continue to do so, and those that don’t care at all what the crew, or world in general, think of them, will continue not to care. If it stops a single person from chartering, I would be very surprised.

5. That discretion is dead.   That the hallmark of the industry-that crew won’t talk- is in jeopardy.  The point is, most still won’t, but as the industry grows, and more issues are being discussed on forums such as these and in magazines, it is inevitable that some stories will come out.

So then, are there any positives? 

This show can’t be considered particularly harmful, but few would say it’s beneficial to the yachting industry.  But perhaps there are a few potential positives to this show being screened, other than stopping people back home asking us if we work on cruise ships.

1. If the show has a shred of credibility about it, it will deliver on its promise of showing the hard work and exhaustion that yachting requires. It may, just may, prepare a few wannabe stewardesses for the reality of the task ahead- the bed-making, the cleaning, the kow-towing.   Despite the wealth of information now available about what to expect, you still come across the oblivious hopefuls, like the young and shiny job-seeker I met last year who asked me, “There’s isn’t really much cleaning involved, is there? I know there’s a little bit, but it’s mostly service, isn’t it?  I really hate cleaning toilets, it’s gross, I hope I don’t have to do much of that.”(Evil old goat that I am, I really enjoyed bursting that bubble.)

2. On the small boat end of the scale, perhaps the greater exposure of yachts may lead to a few more charters.  Doubtful, but possible.

3. A portrayal of crew as actual people might lead the guests to realise they are being judged, and that they do not have complete carte blanche to act as they please.  I know that many yachties, perhaps the majority, would place this argument in the negatives, rather than positives section, but this leads to my next point.

Is there a place for  superyacht stories in the mainstream media, and how dangerous is it? 

There is perhaps a greater issue here. The secret is out. The media have the scent, and superyacht stories are selling papers. Last week, an article in The Guardian , about superyachts and training courses unleashed an absolute storm of rich-bashing in the online comments.  This is a concern, because when the media focus on the sensational, the reality is lost.  That is not to say that I don’t agree that the sheer excess of the industry is sometimes offensive, but as the entire industry is based on sheer excess, it is a difficult objection to rationally sustain as long as you work on, or around superyachts.  They are the ultimate unnecessary item, a floating testament to wealth and success. And hundreds of thousands of people are employed by them, and in the shipyards, the crew agencies, the machinery manufacturers…the list goes on.  They pump enormous amounts of money into economies, they pay our wages and buy us houses.  Looking at that, it is difficult to maintain the rage.

However, this is not to say that, in my opinion, some media attention is necessarily a bad thing, if handled with sensitivity.   There are issues in yachting that I think are worth discussing: violence, sexual harassment, and sexual depravity. I’m not talking here about rudeness of guests, or prostitution, but about abuse of power. 

The typical line of yacht crew tends to be that yacht guests charter a yacht with the sense that they have carte blanche, that this is a place where they can depend on privacy while they behave how  they like, and that yacht crew should indulge them, without judgement.  For the most part, this is true. But not always.

Many years ago, I quit my first yacht when the Madame split one of the Filipino’s noses open with a shoe because a dress fell off the hanger in her dressing room when we were at sea. The next day, the Madame grabbed the same girl by the throat, and in the year after I left, she put her in hospital with internal injuries after a beating.  According to a crew member, the captain had accompanied the Madame on a trip to the Philippines, where this girl and another had been bought off their families with a suitcase of money.  She couldn’t leave:  she was a 21 st century slave.

There is a story there, not about yachting per se but about vast wealth and the abuse of power.  I worked on a yacht where on one charter, the principal threw a prostitute down the stairs. Another friend tells me that on her old boat, young Indian boys were brought on for the boss’ pleasure. On another, the guest was Islam Gadaffi.  How do yacht crew handle serving a man politely who was allegedly responsible for massacres and torture?  In yachting, political ignorance is bliss.  But these issues- where our moral line is, and how often we move it, are things that yacht crew must consider.  And if a yacht guest holds back from awful behaviour because they feel that they may be judged or reported?  I say that’s a win. 

That is why I say the subjects must be handled with extreme sensitivity, by careful writers, who know that this is not common in yachting, but can and does happen.  But any fair commentary also includes the wonderful stuff- the nice owners, the extraordinary opportunities, the sheer adventure of it all. 

But the journalist in me, and the moralist, believes that stories need to be told that are bigger than yachting.  No place on earth is a moral vacuum, not even a superyacht, no matter how much money you pay for it.  Or no place I want to live in, anyway. 

So yes, the secret is out, and not all media coverage will be favourable.  Some of it will be written by hacks caring little for the consequences. If you want to be worried about something, be worried about that. 

But ‘Below Deck’? One thing is certain: there is no grave danger to the industry in this show. It is a show, and will not change our reality. 

The cover has been blown off the porthole. And now we wait for the waves.  ‘Below Deck’ may not bring them, but something will. 

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Comment by: Timothy Valentine - 8 Nov 2021, 23:31 (3 years ago)

Despite the demerits of the show, it hit me on good side, so I feel I wanna join the industry.

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How Real Is Bravo's 'Below Deck'?

A charter broker makes waves with the truth behind the reality show.

Reality TV isn't exactly known for its measured and reasoned depictions. Think: the hot-headed cooks on  Top Chef  and  Hell’s Kitchen  or the over-the-top romance on  The Bachelor . But while we may be familiar with what going to a restaurant or on a date is like, not many people can afford the luxury of chartering a fully staffed yacht.  Below Deck , the Bravo reality show now in its seventh season that goes “behind the scenes” of life on the high seas, gives viewers a glimpse into a world they might otherwise only see through celebrities’ Instagram posts.

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The  featured yacht  changes nearly every season and is often available for charter (even by us regular folk...well, rich regular folk), starting in the low six figures (plus expenses), for groups of up to 12 and a crew of nine or more. To get onboard one of these multimillion-dollar vessels, would-be guests turn to a charter broker, a person whose job it is to pair each guest with the right yacht. Lauren Littlejohn, now a charter broker for Ocean Independence, grew up in a yachting family (her father was a captain of a 102-foot yacht that cruised the Great Lakes and Bahamas) and spoke with us about what actually happens below deck.

So kick off your shoes (you can’t wear them onboard anyway), and find out what yacht life is really like.

The 147-foot M3, available for charter, has a sundeck Jacuzzi.

The guests onscreen are paying to be there, but don’t get let off the hook on behavior.

Forget the pirate’s life and any notion of international waters. Behavior onboard a yacht is regulated both by the laws of the country you’re in and the country where the yacht is registered, as well as a code of conduct agreed to before setting sail. Rules can range from a typical zero-tolerance drug policy to yacht-specific rules like no red wine (it stains). It all comes down to the contract.

“If any of these written rules or laws are violated, the charter contract is considered in breach and the charter may be terminated immediately,” Littlejohn says. “If one person’s behavior is jeopardizing the charter (whether a guest or crewmember) remedies can sometimes be made with removal/replacement of the person in question.”

Charter brokers talk, so bad behavior on one yacht could keep a guest off another.

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An inflatable three-story slide on the 147-foot Avalon can launch guests into the ocean.

Crew storming off or quitting unexpectedly is really, really frowned upon.

Crewmembers are working nearly 24 hours a day during a charter, then sleeping just feet apart, so it’s no surprise that tensions can run high. Despite the dramatic footage of the show's chief stewardess storming off down the dock in season seven, professionals know they’re agreeing to long hours and sometimes-demanding guests. The show's captain,  Capt. Lee Rosbach,  prefers a deckhand or stewardess to work through the end of a charter. If something goes very wrong mid-trip, guests are unlikely to spot the now-unemployed crewmember again, thanks to staff-only hallways, stairwells, and accommodations.

The most successful charter vessels employ a long-term crew, although some people do prefer the variety of yacht-hopping. “Longstanding crew create repeat clients and consistency. You’ll find some crew members will leave a boat after a season, enjoying more flexibility personally this way,” Littlejohn says. “Crew often miss out on big life events such as friends’ weddings, birthdays, or the birth of children.”

While  Below Deck  hasn't led to an increase in the number of charters, it may have increased the number of crew applications. “There seem to be fewer numbers of experienced crew, and most seem to be making a shorter career out of yachting,” says Littlejohn. “I believe that the poor behavior being so emphasized on TV has possibly tightened up some of the behaviors nowadays; that may also come from captains tightening up their onboard rules.”

Explore untouched beaches on a charter vacation.

If a guest has expensive taste, that’s going to factor into “plus expenses.”

There’s a reason why the chef is one of the highest-paid crewmembers onboard: Everyone remembers the food, so it better be amazing. While noting dietary restrictions happens long before a guest steps on board, it’s difficult to predict guests’ mood and cravings once there. Plus, there’s only one person preparing up to three three-course meals a day. (Yes, breakfast can be three courses.)  Below Deck  crew said they spent between $10,000 and $15,000 to provision the yacht for six weeks of filming  season seven, but that’s just the initial setup. What the guests on each individual charter want to eat could impact the bottom line.

“Because each charter is unique, one might have a group of pescatarians that sip on margaritas all day, while the next may have a group that only requests red meat and wine. This is where the provisioning allowance comes into play,” Littlejohn explains. The yacht budgets a certain amount for basic necessities for every charter—think eggs, bread, basic wine—but an additional percentage of the charter rate is added to accommodate requests and preferences.

It's not uncommon for a chef to leave a Michelin-starred restaurant for a yacht because, as one said, “the view is so much better.” But creating a week's worth of interesting and tasty menus for a dozen people takes skill.

“Chefs have become much more seasonal; some prefer the variety of settings between private estates, restaurants, and yachts,” Littlejohn says. “It is also one of the few positions where the individual isn’t looked down upon for short-term positions.”

Charters are ideal for those who like watersports like standup paddleboarding and riding Jetskis, like on Samara.

That envelope full of cash tips? That’s real.

“That is surprising, but crew is actually often tipped from an envelope full of cash!” Littlejohn says. “It might not come directly from a client [at the end of a charter]—often they may wire the gratuity later—but then it is doled out to the crew in cash.”

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