'Below Deck': Do charter guests get booking discount for being on show? Fans speculate 'they just foot tip'
Charter guests on 'Below Deck' are often in the cross hairs of the yacht crew for being demanding and rude. As Season 8 returned to the TV screens, the viewers got a glimpse of how the team has to be on its toes to meet with the guests' expectations as their tip amount depends on it.
Now fans are speculating if guests get a discount on their bookings for being a part of the show. A Reddit threadhas viewers commenting that the showrunners bear half of their expenses for being on the yacht. "Do they guests actually pay to charter the yacht or does the show pay for it and they just foot the tip?" a user asked, while another answered: "guests get like 50% off or something like that." Two others echoed. "The guest pay a discounted rate to be called rude assholes by internet cranks. Win/win," a fan commented. "I've read they get some sort of discount for filming but not sure if that's true. Also, the envelope full of cash is mainly for the show. Someone here who works in yachting said the guests usually tip electronically then gets divided and sent to each crew member's account," another weighed in.
However, this seasons first Charley was very particular and wanted everything according to his taste and preferences. He began the pushing the limits by going behind the bar and helping Isabelle "Izzy" Wouters make drinks for the guest. In addition to this, he made James Hough wear a sparkly speedo and twerk while the birthday girl enjoyed her cake and Jello shots off his body. Charley also asked chef Rachel Hargrove to put together an exhausting menu that would represent food from a host of countries across the world.
It was quite the experience for everyone on board. Firstly, because everyone was new except for Captain Lee Rosbach and bosun Eddie Lucas. Therefore, the team balance was a bit off but going forward they should be able to learn from their mistakes and put up a better show than the last.
Catch all the new episodes of 'Below Deck' Season 8 on Bravo every Monday at 9/8c. For more information, check your local listings.