Do yacht workers only get paid tips?

At the end of every charter, the whole crew even receives tips from the guests on top of their salaries. On Below Deck, the crew usually brings in around $15,000 per person in tips for about six weeks of work. Plus, the team does not work a whole yacht season, so they likely make more as they move from boat to boat.



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Anecdotally, US clients tend to tip 15% – 20% per charter. Many yacht crew prefer to work on board busy charter vessels as they can almost double their salary each month with tips. If for each charter, a yacht stewardess is awarded $1,000 in gratuity, she could make up an additional $4,000 each month.

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In general, brokers advise tipping between 5 to 20 per cent of the base charter fee, depending on the yacht and the location. It is usually towards the lower end of that scale in the Med and higher in the US and Caribbean. Tipping your crew is a customary practice at the end of a superyacht charter.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Typically, there are two yacht charter seasons. That includes the summer season and the winter season. The summer season runs from the beginning of May until the end of October, while the winter one commences in November to April. However, there are a few exceptions to these time zones, depending on where you are.

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Yacht charter seasons explained Winter/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.

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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.

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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.

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As for the chefs, such as Below Deck alum Chef Ben Robinson, they make about $7,000 to $10,000 a month, depending on experience and training. The Captain of the boat is the highest earner, making between $150,000 to $210,000 a year working on a 185-foot superyacht like Captain Lee's My Seanna.

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Yes, staff do have sex with each other, as well as occasionally with clients onboard and even with the actual owners of the boats when they return. Abbie told The Tab that everyone has sex out there: “It 100 per cent happens, although it's supposed to be forbidden so it is always kept away from the captain.

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Do treat the yacht as you would your own home. A simple rule to follow. The crew want you to feel at home and equally the boat owner will appreciate care taken with his property. Superyacht owners want charter guests to treat the yacht like it's their own home.

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“Usually it is rare to see private yacht owners giving tips, but it is not rare to see their guests, friends or family coming for a few days at no charge and then compensating the crew if they had a great trip.” “On the yachts, we worked on, definitely not – only charter guests tipped.”

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