Hit the booksLong periods of time off are usually spent in one place due to a yard period or during the off-season. If this is the case, they are usually spent in big yachting hubs, so these spurts of time can be used to easily complete courses.
The charter guests you see on the show are genuine charter guests. They pay their own money to secure a space within the six weeks of filming time each season. It can cost tens of thousands of dollars to charter any of the superyachts featured in the series.
There is no guarantee of full-time employment. If you're looking for year-round employment with regular hours, then think carefully before becoming a yacht crew member. Most jobs are temporary - six weeks here, two weeks there - and you may find yourself with down time (and bills to pay) between jobs.
Yacht charter seasons explainedWinter/summer seasons each last around six months and refer to both location and time of the year; summer yacht charter season spans from around April/May through October, while the winter season starts in November and runs through April.
But the mega bucks go to the top dogs, Captain Lee and Captain Sandy, who on a 185-foot superyacht make between $150-$210,000 a year. Then you have to add on the tips, reportedly average at around $15,000 per person for about six weeks of work.
According to the MYBA, yacht tips should run 5% to 15%. You'll give the tip directly to the captain—either via cash, check, or even a wire transfer if you don't want to carry a substantial amount of cash on your vacation. Often you can go through your charter broker to wire gratuity to the captain.
Although there are opportunities across the globe, getting a job on a super yacht is very competitive. It's a great lifestyle for the right person and a lot of people are looking to join the industry.
According to the Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association (MYBA) tipping guidelines, the general rule is to tip between 10% and 15% of your weekly charter fee, excluding running expenses and taxes.
Acknowledging that the crew often logs 16-18 hour days, a generous tip recognizes their professional work ethic and dedication. Tipping on the high end of the scale is the best way to express your gratitude if you feel as though the crew went above and beyond to make your trip special.
While most guests on the show are generous with their tips, there was one instance where the crew received no tip at all. In their very first charter back in 2013, the crew had to report illegal drug use by the guests, resulting in their removal from the yacht and no tip.
Production crew don't sleep on the yachtWith limited space on the yacht, it's already hard enough for the yachties to pretend the cameras aren't there. So when it comes time for the TV crew to clock-off for the day, they sleep on a separate boat or head to shore to stay in a hotel.