I’m a die-hard Below Deck fan—like, can’t-miss-an-episode obsessed. But every time the drama hits a boiling point, I find myself asking: how much are these yachties actually getting paid to live through this chaos?
Today, we’re spilling the champagne and breaking down the real Below Deck crew salaries, tips, TV pay, and a few secrets they probably wish we didn’t know.
Life on a yacht = solid pay + a ton of stress
Yes, they get to work on a floating luxury hotel… But let’s be honest, it’s not all Aperol spritzes and sunsets. Think 18-hour shifts, no privacy, demanding guests asking for cucumber-infused water on the hour, and bunk beds that make hostel rooms look spacious.
Here’s the average monthly take-home pay for real yacht jobs:
- Captain: €13,800–€19,300 / $15,000–$21,000—and if they charter out the yacht all year, they can bag an extra €92,000 / $100,000.
- Deckhands: €3,200–€4,100 / $3,500–$4,500
- Bosun: ~€4,600 / $5,000
- 2nd & 3rd Stews: ~$4,600 / $5,000
- Chief Stew: €5,000–€5,500 / $5,500–$6,000 (plus emotional trauma from wrangling the interior)
- Chef: €6,400–€9,200 / $7,000–$10,000 (and no, complaints about scallops don’t come with a bonus)
Tips are where the real magic happens
Forget your local café tip jar—these are next level. Guests routinely drop €13,800–€17,300 / $15,000–$18,500 in tips per crew member for a six-week charter season. That’s the reward for surviving drunk billionaires, malfunctioning jet skis, and stews crying in the laundry room.
Most of these tips are handed out in wads of cash during the dramatic “tip meetings,” which have basically become a Below Deck signature moment. One wrong move, and that glorious tip can go from “party” to “pocket change” instantly.
Bravo pay isn’t Housewives money
Yes, they’re reality TV stars now. But while the drama streams into our living rooms, the Below Deck crew gets about €4,600–€5,500 / $5,000–$6,000 per month for being filmed 24/7. Compare that to The Real Housewives, who pull in €930,000/$1million+ per season for throwing wine—ouch.
No wonder some crew members have ranted about it. Ashley Marti from Below Deck Sailing Yacht even called the pay gap a joke. Honestly? Hard to disagree.
Bravo pay isn’t Housewives money
Being a reality TV star comes with perks, but the pay is not outrageous. While the drama streams into our living rooms, the Below Deck crew gets about €4,600–€5,500 / $5,000–$6,000 per month for being filmed 24/7. Compare that to The Real Housewives, who pull in €930,000/$1million+ per season for throwing wine—ouch.
Some crew have openly called the TV pay laughable. Ashley Marti from Below Deck Sailing Yacht went as far as to call the pay gap “a joke.” And, honestly? Watching them scrub toilets after 17-hour shifts, it’s hard not to agree.
Fame is the long game
Here’s where things get juicy. Once a yachtie hits the screen, they can cash in on:
- Paid appearances and conventions
- Brand deals and sponsored beachwear posts
- Influencer-level partnerships and merch
- Even books, podcasts, and skincare lines (looking at you, Hannah Ferrier!)
Some crew members transform their 15 minutes of fame into a full-blown career, while others disappear after a single season—often by choice.
The unspoken reality: You’re paid to bring the drama
This isn’t just a job—it’s a floating soap opera. You’re signing up for:
- Hook-ups that come back to haunt you
- Fights over laundry and 2 a.m. anchor watches
- Tequila-fuelled tears in the crew mess
- Passive-aggressive radio calls from the bridge
- And that one guest every season who thinks they own the ocean
The crew knows that to make the final cut, you need to deliver storylines. Your wild night out or your laundry room meltdown is part of your unofficial job description.
Bonus treat: My Below Deck song!
I love the show so much, I wrote a little tune inspired by the chaos—think Avril Lavigne meets Taylor Swift but with jet skis and champagne flutes. It’s all about 18-hour shifts, laundry room meltdowns, and the sweet sound of the tip bell. Give it a listen right here—it’s the unofficial yachtie anthem.
But fame? That’s the long game
Once they’ve been on the show, crew members can cash in off the yacht. Appearances, brand deals, sponsored beachwear on Insta—it adds up. Some even parlay their reality fame into full-on influencer careers, writing books, starting businesses, and launching skincare lines. (Looking at you, Hannah Ferrier.)
Let’s not overlook the juicy details…
Here’s the unspoken deal: you’re not just getting paid to mop the deck or fluff pillows. You’re getting paid to bring the drama. That means:
- Random hook-ups that come back to haunt you
- Fights over laundry and late-night shifts
- Tequila-fuelled tears in the crew mess
- Passive-aggressive radio calls from the bridge
- And that one guest every season who acts like they own the ocean
Below Deck isn’t just a job. It’s a wild, floating soap opera—with tips.
What a season on Below Deck really looks like
If you break it down, one season usually means:
- 4–6 weeks of chartering
- 18-hour days and minimal sleep
- €30,000–€50,000 in total pay and tips
- Non-stop drama and zero personal space
You live, work, party, and cry all in the same 180-foot space. Cameras are rolling, producers are listening, and if you so much as sneeze during a crew night out, it might become a GIF by next Tuesday.
The final verdict?
Work four months a year, live on a superyacht, make five figures, and maybe get famous. Tempting? Absolutely. But you’ll need earplugs, a thick skin, and a backup plan for when Bravo inevitably airs your most questionable drunken moment.
Would I do it? Honestly… I’d at least apply. The promise of sun, sea, and superyacht tips is hard to resist.
