‘Below Deck’: How Do Valor’s Provisioning Expenses Compare to Other Superyachts?

Chief stew Kate Chastain and chef Kevin Dobson from Below Deck recently gave viewers a tour of the superyacht Valor’s kitchen. They offered a sneak peek of what’s inside the chef’s refrigerator plus Dobson explained how he maintains pantry items.

They also took viewers way below deck into the bilge where they maintain bulk items, which can include theme party items too. Chastain joked about how the bilge is a great place to hide during those extra tense moments on the yacht.

Provisioning on a yacht includes everything from all the food, drinks and booze. So what did it cost to get Valor up and running for the season? Dobson estimates it costs about $10,000 to $15,000 to prepare for the season. This expense may not include specifics from guests, but what does it typically cost to cover provisions?

‘Below Deck’ guests get a huge break on the price

Below Deck charter guests pay considerably less than regular charter guests. For instance, Below Deck season three guests paid about $35,000 for a three day, two-night charter, according to Yacht Charter Fleet. This is compared to $87,500 for three days or $175,000 per week.

Chastain explained how pricing generally works. “Generally a boat that size, 150 foot—this one’s 160, Valor—but around that price range, for seven days, is around $150,000,” she told Entertainment Tonight. “But that does not include airfare, fuel, food, wine, docking, tip. So, I would say for a boat like Valor, for a week vacation, it would be around a quarter of a million dollars.”

Guests who will appear on the upcoming series, Below Deck Sailing Vessel paid about $40,000 for six guests, the Sun-Sentinel reports. Like the franchise’s counterparts, the voyage is typically for two nights and three days. The cost also included air travel, food, and drinks.

What would it normally cost?

Guests only chartered Valor for a few days on Below Deck. However, it would currently cost about $160,500 per week to charter the same vessel when it’s not featured on the show. That price does not include expenses too.

What about the massive sailing vessel that will be featured on Below Deck Sailing Vessel? The 177-foot Parsifal III vessel would likely set you back about $225,000 per week off the show. This proves Below Deck guests get quite a good deal.

What about provisions?

People who aren’t chartering a yacht on the show typically sign an Advance Provisioning Allowance (APA) sheet, according to Yacht Harbour. This sheet should include the guests’ preferences (which is often discussed on the show) but it also helps the yacht broker determine how much to purchase. This agreement goes beyond food and includes berthing fees, fuel, and other expenses.

How much extra is tacked onto the standard price? Typically yacht brokers request a 25% to 30% deposit. The captain maintains a sheet with running expenses and money that is not spent is refunded at the end of the charter. “Overall, the average cost of extras on your yachting holiday is between 25 and 50% of the charter fee, depending on how much you’re pushing the boat out,” Yacht Harbour concludes.

That means if you paying about $160,500 for a week at sea on Valor, you could be fronting about $48,000 in provisioning, fuel, and other fees. One of the charter guests on an upcoming Below Deck episode asks for Wagyu beef. Dobson says they don’t have the expensive meat in stock and Chastain tells the guest it will cost an additional $1,500 to $2,000 for this request. Looks like Dobson and Chastain are running a pretty tight ship when it comes to costs.