How much does ‘Below Deck’ cast earn per season? Crew members are not 'monetizing off of the show'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Bravo's ‘Below Deck’ is back with a new season. Season 10 features many new faces while familiar faces like Rachel Hargrove and Fraser Oldender return under the captainship of Lee Rosbach. The latest season is another addition to the many spin-offs and seasons in the 'Below Deck' franchise. The series is Bravo's one-of-a-kind attempt to show viewers what it’s like working aboard a luxury yacht. 'Below Deck' highlights the drama, scandals, and hard work of the crew members.
Throughout the many shows in the ‘Below Deck’ franchise and all the seasons, viewers get to watch the crew’s dedication toward the guests while managing their own personal lives. Avid watchers of the show already know how tough it can get when some of the guests have unique and challenging demands. The crew also experiences rivalries and it is pretty evident that yachting is not for everyone! So, it is only natural for fans and viewers to wonder what these crew members are paid for all the hardships they must endure onboard the luxe cruisers and whether the compensation is worth all the trouble.
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How much does the ‘Below Deck’ crew earn per season?
While Bravo or any of the ‘Below Deck’ cast members have not revealed the exact details about their paychecks, according to US magazine, the cast earns money working on the boat, supplemented by guests’ tips and involvement in the reality series. But in May 2022, ‘Below Deck’ ex-star Eddie Lucas sparked a conversation about paychecks when he revealed that he wouldn’t be returning for Season 10 of the reality show after appearing in six seasons. The bosun had said, “There is somebody monetizing off of the show, but it’s definitely not us,” adding, “Below Deck — regardless of it being the most popular show on Bravo — we are the lowest-paid cast members.”
Other stars of the franchise have also voiced their opinion on paychecks, with ‘Below Deck Sailing Yacht’ alum Dani Soares responding to an Instagram fan page in July 2022, commenting, “Southern Charm makes 25K per episode ... I made less than that all season including tips.” Kate Chastain, a former chef stew on ‘Below Deck’, discussed the salaries offered to the crew in 2019 in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, stating, “On a yacht of that size, [a good tip] would be $5,000 a person, for seven days of work,” She continued, “Five grand a crew member, usually. Our charters are a little bit shorter, just so we can make the show, everything else is exactly the same. So, it’s prorated. We usually get around $2,000 to $2,500. Anything less than $1,000 would be depressing, which sounds crazy, doesn’t it?”
Chastain's statement substantiates the information released by Refinery about the cast’s salaries. According to their research, a second and third stew would make about $5,000 a month, a chief stew would make $5,500-$6,000 a month, and a chef would make $7,000-$10,000 a month, depending on experience and training. A deckhand would make $3,500-$4,500 a month, and a bosun would make $5,000 a month. The research also estimates that a captain of a 185-foot superyacht makes between $150,000 to $210,000 a year.
‘Below Deck’ is currently airing Season 10. Watch the new episodes on BravoTV on Mondays at 8 pm ET.