How to charter a Below Deck superyacht

60 metre Benetti motor yacht St David is the star of the tenth season of Below Deck, returning to the Caribbean with beloved Captain Lee. A finalist at the 2009 World Superyacht Awards, St David is a full-custom yacht with both interior and exterior design by British studio Winch Design.

She has made appearances at a number of high-profile events such as the Cannes Film Festival and has been spotted at various locations around the world including the Seychelles, Red Sea and Abu Dhabi. Accommodation is for 12 guests in six cabins, with a split-level master suite that lets in plenty of light.

A palatial theme characterises St David’s social spaces, with features including a generous skylounge and a spiral staircase that leads through all three decks and is lit by a skylight in the spa pool of the sun deck. Elsewhere, St David has expansive water toy facilities and storage, including scuba dive gear, a new 7.2m tender, new Waverunners, and an electric foiling surfboard.

Charter cost: St David is managed by Morley Yachts with a weekly charter rate starting from €325,000.

The star of Below Deck Mediterranean season seven, 49.8 metre Home is the first “green” superyacht to appear on the show. Featuring a ground-breaking combination of a super-efficient Fast Displacement Hull Form by Van Oossanen Naval Architects with power provided by a hybrid propulsion system, Home boasts reduced emissions and fuel costs for the eco-conscious charter guest.

Defined by a distinctive vertical bow and large expanses of glass, Home was penned by Omega Architects and launched by Heesen in 2017. Her interiors, designed by Cristiano Gatto in a modern “Ibiza style”, can accommodate up to 12 guests in six cabins including a full-beam master cabin with a dedicated dressing room and a private office. There is also room for nine members of Below Deck crew on board, including Captain Sandy who has returned to the helm for the seventh season while Home is cruising the coasts of Malta.

The main socialising spot is up on the sundeck, complete with a Jacuzzi and sit-up bar, a shaded lounge and protection from the elements provided by glass screens. Closer to the water, a beach club with an air-conditioned gym is situated next to the swimming platform from which guests can launch the water toys including SeaBobs, Hoverboards, E-foils, Jet Skis and a Flyboard. Home also carries gear for scuba diving, waterskiing and wakesurfing for guests to make the most of their time on board.

Charter cost: Home is managed for charter by Burgess with a weekly charter rate starting from $245,000.

Sailing under her own name around the South Pacific islands of French Polynesia on Below Deck’s sixth series, the 56.4 metre My Seanna (now Starship) was built by Delta Marine in 2000 and refitted in 2014. The Glade-Johnson designed superyacht reappeared again for season eight, where she was filmed cruising in Antigua. She is now starring in the latest season of the show, season nine, following her recent sale.

Key features include an open air Jacuzzi surrounded by an al fresco drinks bar, a gym, a sauna room, a helipad and a spacious beach club complete with a lounge, flatscreen TV and a small galley for preparing snacks or drinks. Her opulent interiors can accommodate up to 12 guests and 11 crew and even offer a home cinema and piano for entertaining in the main saloon. There are multiple toys carried on board as well, including gear for diving and spearfishing, Seabobs and equipment for underwater filming.

“The thing that I really love about My Seanna is the spacious cabins” says Worth Avenue retail charter broker, Shannon McCoy, who has appeared on episodes of Below Deck. She describes My Seanna as a “well-appointed yacht with a good collection of toys for the guests to enjoy,” offering an excellent layout with a variety of spaces that allows charterers “to have breakfast in a different place every morning or enjoy dinner whether it's outside under the sun or in the formal dining area.”

Charter cost: Starship is managed for charter by Worldwide Boat with a weekly charter rate starting from $275,000.

Sailing under her real name, Lady Michelle was the star of the sixth series of Below Deck Mediterranean, which was the latest series from the Med spin off. The 54.8 metre Benetti superyacht is the second biggest yacht ever to feature on the show, following just behind the 56.2 metre motor yacht The Wellington from season five. During season six Lady Michelle hosted charter guests in Ibenik, Croatia with Captain Sandy behind the helm.

First delivered in 2003, Lady Michelle features accommodation for up to 14 guests including a split-level master suite with its own panoramic observation lounge. Her Stefano Natucci interiors offer indoor and al fresco dining spaces, an expansive sundeck with a hot tub and dedicated gym. There’s also a range of toys at the guests’ disposal, from Jet Skis and Seabobs to fishing gear and a waterslide.

Charter cost: Lady Michelle is managed by Burgess with a weekly charter rate starting from $325,000.

Actually named The Wellesley, this 56.2 metre Oceanco superyacht is owned by property magnate and hotelier Khalid Affara and named after his luxury art deco hotel in London. Delivered in 1993, The Wellesley features extended deck spaces and Donald Starkey-penned interiors that replicate the grandeur of the eponymous Knightsbridge hotel. Highlights on board include a waterfall jacuzzi, an outdoor cinema for movies under the stars and a unique private club-style lounge complete with a Winston Churchill inspired cigar room. 

Describing why she makes an excellent charter yacht, James Graham-Cloete, director of charter management from TWW Yachts, says that The Wellesley is “ideal for entertaining family and friends, or hosting corporate events in utter privacy,” thanks to the fact that she “boasts some of the largest open deck spaces of any 56 metre on the water.” Graham-Cloete also adds that, on The Wellesley, “guests are invited to experience the same exceptional personal service, fine dining and attention to detail that has become synonymous with the hotel, on board a private superyacht,” while being looking after by her 14 crew members. “The crew have one of the lowest turnover rates in the industry and one of the best charter records, along with a full-time masseuse on board- making her the ultimate charter yacht!” says Graham-Cloete.

Charter cost: The Wellesley is managed by TWW Yachts with a weekly charter rate starting from €230,000.

Built in 2006 by Turquoise Yachts, with a refit in 2012, the 54.2 metre Talisman Maiton sailed the coasts of Italy in the third series of Below Deck Mediterranean and was also captained by Sandy Yawn. Key features include a generous open plan sun deck with a forward-facing Jacuzzi and bar, al fresco dining spaces and a gym. Inside, she features six individually styled cabins for her 12 guests – including a master suite with its own private office – complemented by a sumptuous interior inspired by a combination of Asian and Art Deco influences. Her toy box is filled with snorkelling and fishing gear, Jet Skis and more for guests to enjoy while on board.

Charter cost: Talisman Maiton is managed by Burgess with a weekly charter rate starting from €273,000.

Appropriately named for the first season of Below Deck Mediterranean, which was set in Greece, the 45.7 metre Christensen-built yacht was captained by Mark Howard during filming. Launched in 2005 and last refitted in 2016, Ionian Princess features a luxurious Greek-style inspired interior finished with high-gloss sapelle mahogany joinery and custom in-laid stonework throughout. Ionian Princess can host up to 12 guests in six cabins, including two master cabins, and also boasts plentiful dining options and a sundeck equipped with a hot tub and sunpads. She also comes with a fleet of water toys from waterskiing and wakeboarding kit to Jet Skis and kayaks. Thanks to her shallow draft, she can also access hard-to-reach hidden gems in the Mediterranean Sea that other larger yachts aren’t able to. “Ionian Princess is ideally suited for cruising the Mediterranean, which is the most sought-after region for summer yacht charters,” says her management team at charter brokers Northrop & Johnson.

Charter cost: Ionian Princess is managed by Northrop & Johnson with a weekly charter rate starting from $175,000.

This 46.88 metre Feadship yacht has so far starred in three seasons of Below Deck, filmed while cruising in the warm-weather destinations of the US Virgin Islands, Saint Martin and Thailand. Featured under the name Valor, she is actually called BG and is owned by Canadian entrepreneur Bobby Genovese. Delivered in 1990 to a design by Frits De Voogt, BG can accommodate 12 guests and 11 crew members. On board highlights include her deck hot tub, on board gym and al fresco dining spaces. She also carries an extensive fleet of toys from Jet Skis and wakeboards to a climbing wall and inflatable slide. In 2021, BG emerged from an extensive, multi-million dollar refit, with her owner detailing that “everything that could have been done to the boat, has been done”, from tech upgrades and new toys to a fresh lick of paint on her hull. “I love that boat, and the more boats I go on, the more I like my boat,” says Genovese.

Charter cost: BG is available to charter privately, POA.

Appearing under an alias, Eros –named after the Greek god of love - was actually called Mustang Sally during season three, which was filmed in the pristine waters of The Bahamas. Since airing in 2015, the 49.07 metre superyacht has been renamed Stay Salty. Built by Trinity Yachts in 2008 to a design by Geoff Van Aller, Stay Salty accommodates a total of 12 guests and 10 crew members on board. Inside, highlights include the split-level master with a private study and panoramic views, as well as a formal dining area and skylounge with a drinks bar. Above deck, viewers would have seen guests enjoying themselves in the hot tub and al fresco dining and lounge areas. Toys carried on board that charter guests made full use of during the show include Jet Skis, fishing equipment and a beach picnic set up. Powered by twin caterpillar engines, Stay Salty can reach a top speed of up to 20 knots.

Charter cost: Stay Salty is not currently available for charter, but in 2020 was sold by Denison Yachting with an asking price of $12,900,000.

Appearing on the second season of the show in 2014 under her own name, Ohana has since been sold and renamed Star Diamond The yacht was originally launched as Roxana by Admiral Marine in 1998 and last refitted in 2018. Designed by Donald Starkey, her interiors have a classic feel with glossy wood finishes and a colour palette blending nautical colours like creamy whites and marine blues. Key features on board this 46.94 metre yacht include accommodation for 10 guests and 10 crew, a six person Jacuzzi on the sun deck alongside a barbecue grill and plenty of spaces for al alfresco dining and drinking.

For a fun entrance into the water, Star Diamond also has an inflatable slide which guests can slip down on from the top deck plus there are a number of other water toys stored on board from Jet Skis to to fishing gear. During the summer, Star Diamond can be found cruising the coasts of New England while in winter she chases the sunshine by heading south to Florida and The Bahamas.

Charter cost: Star Diamond is managed by Ahoy Club and Northrop & Johnson with a weekly charter rate starting from $160,000.