How Much Does a Below Deck Yacht Charter Cost?

If you've watched Below Deck and wondered what one of those charters actually costs, the short answer is: a lot — and the show's numbers are real. The yachts featured on the Bravo series are genuine luxury charter vessels, and the per-week prices the guests "pay" reflect true market rates. This guide breaks down what a Below Deck-style charter really costs and where the money goes.

The Headline Number

The motor yachts used across the Below Deck franchise generally run from roughly 150 to 200+ feet. Charters of yachts in that class typically start around $150,000–$250,000 per week as a base fee, and the largest, newest vessels can exceed that. The show usually compresses a real week-long charter into a few on-screen days, but the weekly rate quoted to "primary" guests is in line with what these boats command on the open market.

Where the Money Goes

• Base charter fee — the weekly price for the yacht and its crew. This is the figure the show quotes.
• APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance) — an extra 20–30% on top of the base fee, covering fuel, food, premium drinks, dockage and the elaborate meals and excursions you see onboard.
• Crew gratuity — the tip the primary guest hands over in the finale is real, customarily 10–20% of the base fee, split among the crew.
• Taxes and fees — VAT or local charter tax applies in many of the cruising grounds the show visits.

Add it up and a single week aboard a Below Deck-class yacht commonly lands between roughly $200,000 and $350,000 all-in once APA, gratuity and tax are stacked on the base fee.

Why It Costs That Much

You're not just renting a boat — you're hiring a floating five-star hotel with a dedicated crew of 8–12 (captain, officers, engineers, chefs, stewards and deckhands), a chef cooking restaurant-grade meals to order, and a deck full of water toys and tenders. The crew-to-guest ratio that makes the service on the show possible is exactly what drives the price.

Can You Actually Book One?

Yes — these are real charter yachts available to the public, not TV props. The realistic path is to work through a charter broker who can match a yacht to your group size, dates and cruising ground, and handle the contract, APA and itinerary. GetBoat arranges crewed luxury charters across 100+ countries with no booking mark-up for charterers, so you can compare verified yachts in the same class as the show's without combing through listings yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Below Deck yacht charter cost per week?

The 150–200+ ft motor yachts featured on Below Deck typically charter from about $150,000 to $250,000+ per week as a base fee. With the customary 20–30% APA for fuel and provisioning, a 10–20% crew gratuity and local tax, the real all-in cost of a week usually falls between roughly $200,000 and $350,000.

Are the charter prices on Below Deck real?

Yes. The yachts are genuine luxury charter vessels and the weekly rates quoted to guests reflect true market prices for boats of that size and pedigree. What the show compresses is time — a real charter runs a full week, while the episodes condense it into a few days of screen time.

Is the tip at the end of Below Deck real?

The end-of-charter gratuity is real and reflects standard practice: charterers customarily tip the crew 10–20% of the base charter fee, handed to the captain and split among the team. On a $200,000 week that is $20,000–$40,000, which is why the crew cares so much about the "tip meeting".

Can ordinary people book the yachts from Below Deck?

Yes — they are available to the public through charter brokers, not exclusive to the show. You book by specifying your group size, dates and preferred cruising ground; a broker matches an available yacht in that class and handles the paperwork, provisioning allowance and itinerary.