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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Entertainment
Kyle O'Sullivan

How much Below Deck charter costs - and the nasty food and drink surprise on the bill

We all dream of being guests on a Below Deck charter, but how much does it actually cost?

Most of us mere mortals can only dream of sailing around the Caribbean or Mediterranean in a luxury yacht - and having staff at your beck and call for 24 hours a day.

The crew have to answer to the guests' every demand, however ludicrous they may be, whether it's cooking nachos at 3am or picking out only green gummy bears.

And let's not forget all the on-board splendour, including jacuzzis, slides, giant TVs and water toys such as jet skis.

Such luxury comes at a pretty hefty cost, and you'd expect the pampered guests to pay a small fortune, although there is one nasty surprise in the bill.

Captain Lee charges a pretty penny (NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

Producer and creator Mark Cronin confirmed that guests do get a 50 percent discount on the three-day charters.

They also have their airfare covered by production, but the obvious catch is that your diva demands will be seen by millions.

One thing the guests are responsible for paying is the tip at the end, which is supposed to be 15 to 20 percent of the total real cost of the charter.

However, more often than not we see the sad faces of the crew as Captain Lee opens a disappointing envelope of cash.

The cost of the trip depends on the size of the boat and it's a bit cheaper to go in the winter season.

My Seanna, which appeared in seasons six and eight of Below Deck, was the most pricey as a staggering $300,000 a week.

Motor Yacht Valor, which has been in multiples series, costs a minimum of $168,000 per week, while Eros is slightly more expensive at $175,000.

Honor costs $186,000 for a week, while older and smaller boat Ohana, from season 2, is the cheapest at $140,000.

The bigger the boat, the more expensive the trip (Below Deck Mediterranean)

Captain Lee recently replied to a follower who asked about the going rate to stay on one of his boats, explaining it was "about $350,000 a week plus, plus, plus".

The glaring "plus" Lee was referring to was the guest's food and drink, as none of it is actually included in their price.

"Nope," Lee replied to one follower, who asked if the extortionate six-figure fee covered fancy meals and endless booze on-board the flashy yachts.

"Food and drinks not included!!!??? My god," tweeted one follower. While another revealed: "They get a bill for it and for the excursions."

Producer Mark Cronin previously explained what happens with payments - and the type of guests who come on board.

"They spend their real money to be on the show," Cronin said. "And then the tip they leave, they decide what it is."

According to fellow producer Courtland Cox, most of the charter guests have chartered yachts in the past or have been really eager to do so.

Below Deck fans can't believe some of the hidden fees (Bravo)

"They're not people that are coming on because they feel like this is a good chance for them to get on TV," he said.

"This is a great experience for them to charter a very large yacht with a very experienced and fun crew and have an amazing three-day charter in an amazing location.

"I want them to enjoy their charter and not be afraid to ask for things if they want. And I think that at the end of their charters, like, every charter guest we’ve had has said this has been an amazing experience."

The crew don't actually work on the Below Deck vessel for the entire yachting season, which typically lasts four to five months, but we can estimate their earnings.

According to Refinery 29 and Crewfinders, a second and third steward(ess) on a yacht the size of My Seanna would earn an average of about $5,000 per month.

A chief steward(ess) such as the legendary Kate Chastain will be taking home more like $5,500 to $6,000 a month, while chefs such as Ben Robinson are paid $7,000 to $10,000 per month.

For those working on the exterior of the boat, a deckhand would make $3,500 to $4,500 a month and a bosun would nab $5,000 a month.

But the big money is going to Captain Lee and Captain Sandy, who make between $150-$210,000 a year on a 185-foot superyacht.

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