40 Rules the Cast of 'Below Deck' Have to Follow

Although the show doesn't typically air footage of the chef whipping up crew meals, it's one of his most important duties. The crew members are provided all of their food by the boat.

"They spend their real money to be on the show," producer Mark Cronin told Bravo TV. But since it may not be the most relaxing trip, guests that are featured on the reality show get a 50% discount on their charter.

It's entirely up to the guests what they tip the crew members, so if the crew feels slighted by a small tip, that's all real.

While filming the season, the cast doesn't have to pay any bills or living expenses for living on the boat.

According to Maritime law, all crew members must be sober when not tied to the dock.

For a three day charter on Below Deck, the crew members earn anywhere from $2,000 to $2,500 each in cash. "Our charters are a little bit shorter, just so we can make the show, [but] everything else is exactly the same. So, it's prorated," Below Deck chief stewardess Kate Chastain told Entertainment Tonight. "Anything less than $1,000 would be depressing, which sounds crazy, doesn't it?"

When chief stewardess Hannah Ferrier failed to report her prescribed anxiety medication on season 5 of Below Deck Mediterranean, she was swiftly fired. Ferrier's co-worker Malia White explained it more in depth. "We're obviously filming a TV show, but more than that, our jobs come first. We have a job and a duty first," she shared on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.

As Below Deck star Eddie Lucas revealed on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, drug tests can often be used as the first step if a crew member is suspected of breaking the rules. When asked what he would do in the case of the Hannah Ferrier situation, he replied, "I think the first line of order would have been drug testing. That really kind of is the normal procedure in that case."

All crew members must be at least 21 years old to join the show. So if you don't meet the minimum yet, hold off for a season or two before you apply.

Since yachting is an international industry, there are a lot of logistical details involved. All Below Deck crew members are responsible for securing the appropriate visa to work in the filming location for that season.

Before being cast on the show, potential cast members must provide the proper paperwork that says they are able to work on the boat. "Each of the crew members has to have an STCW, which is a standard set by the maritime industry for watch-keeping and just being on board—it's basic first aid, firefighting," Captain Lee Rosbach told Reality Blurred.

In order to be on the show, every crew member has to sign a contract with Bravo, as well as a waiver and release form for appearing on television.

According to Bravo, political aspirations and yachting don't mix. In order to join the show, the cast's contract says that you can't be a candidate for public office and you can't run for office until a year after your episodes have aired.

If you're a yachtie who wants to give reality television a try, online applications to be on Below Deck are posted as Bravo begins casting for each season. All you have to do is share your basic information, your yachting resumé, and a short video to introduce yourself.

The show vets each cast member thoroughly to make sure they can get the job done safely—but will also bring the drama. "It's almost impossible to find a real functioning crew and step on with cameras and say go," co-executive producer Rebecca Taylor told The Triton.

No one on the boat is banking a typical eight-hour work day. The cast members sign on for 16-hour or longer shifts, and that only includes their responsibilities for the boat.

The crew members are filmed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In addition to having a camera crew on board, there are hidden cameras around the boat, including in cast member's cabins.

The bathroom is the only place a cast member is allowed to have privacy and is the only place onboard without cameras. But if there's more than one crew member in the bathroom at a time, the camera crew can follow them in.

Each season is put together from around the clock footage taken of the cast members over the course of six weeks.

Other reality shows can extend their filming schedule to capture extra footage, but Below Deck can't extend beyond their six-week schedule due to the extra expense of chartering the yacht. It's up to cast members to bring the drama in the allotted time.