The “Below Deck Mediterranean” crew just made franchise history after one difficult charter ended with the biggest tip the show has ever seen.
During the June 29 episode, Captain Sandy Yawn and her season 11 crew received a whopping $50,018 tip. The total worked out to $3,847 per crew member and easily broke the previous franchise record.
“We had the largest tip in Below Deck franchise history,” Sandy told Bravo Insider ahead of the season.
The previous record belonged to the “Below Deck Med” season 10 crew, which received $40,000. The “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” season 6 cast also left a $35,000 tip during their “Below Deck Down Under” season 4 crossover charter.
One Difficult ‘Below Deck Med’ Guest Added $15,000 to the Record-Breaking Tip
The massive tip came after bosun Nathan Gallagher dealt with a particularly difficult guest named Josef.
During the charter, Josef joined Nathan in the bridge while he was on night watch and insulted him as the bosun tried to enforce the yacht’s safety rules.
“I don’t like the way you’re acting…you’re a bit of a prick,” Josef told him.
Nathan remained calm and told the guest it was “not personal.” The two eventually found common ground, with Josef admitting that while he did not necessarily like Nathan, he respected him.
Sandy later praised Nathan for handling the situation.
“I am so happy to hear that Nathan chose to diffuse the situation,” she said. “That’s growth!”
His patience paid off in a big way. At the end of the charter, Josef announced he was personally adding $15,000 to the tip.
“I’m going to add $15,000 to whatever the tip is,” he said. “It’s like a, ‘Thanks for dealing with me.'”
Sandy used the moment as a lesson for the crew.
“Yachting is a business. You’re always going to have the Josefs,” she said. “When they’re rude and obnoxious, you have to diffuse. So, well done Nathan.”
As the crew celebrated, Nathan joked about what his share could mean for his family with “Below Deck Med” alum Gael Cameron.
“That’s a lot of f**king diapers,” he joked before adding, “Gael, I’m coming home, let’s make another baby!”
Aesha Scott Had an Emotional Reaction to the Historic Tip
Chief stew Aesha Scott had one of the biggest reactions when Sandy revealed the final amount.
“I think Aesha might be having a fit,” stew Kayley Smith joked, while deckhand Cooper Dawson pointed out, “Look, Aesha’s crying.”
Aesha explained that receiving that much money carried extra meaning because of how she grew up.
“I grew up in a house where cheese was such a luxury,” she told producers.
She also joked that the season’s generous tips could cover a major expense in her personal life.
“Oh my god. The way the tips are rolling in, my whole wedding’s gonna be paid for by the end of it,” she said.
Aesha married longtime partner Scotty Dobson in New Zealand in early March before the couple celebrated with a “mini honeymoon” in Queenstown.
After the record-breaking charter, she hoped the crew could keep up the same level of service.
“I’m so excited Johnny and Michelle had such a good time…We set the bar really high,” she said. “And I just really need this level of service and experience to carry though the whole season.”
New episodes of “Below Deck Med” air Monday nights on Bravo.
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