A look at yacht etiquette rules that celebrities like Victoria Beckham and Lauren Sanchez often break, from wearing heels to smoking and public displays of affection.
It is official - superyacht summer has arrived. This week, Bella Hadid is enjoying a trip in Saint-Tropez on a luxury vessel, while David and Victoria Beckham are holidaying with their son Romeo and daughter Harper on their £16 million yacht around Ibiza.
On Thursday, the former Spice Girl-turned-designer impressed her fans after showing her commitment to fashion by teetering in heels on rocky terrain as she exited the yacht to join her family for a lunch in Formentera. The scenes were reminiscent of when Victoria's friend Lauren Sanchez kept her own heels on as she walked along a rocky Ibiza beach in August last year.
But despite the impressive sight, the move to wear shoes - especially such glamorous pairs - is actually breaking yacht etiquette, according to Laura Windsor, known as the Queen of Etiquette, who advised Netflix on Regency-era social graces for Bridgerton. She insisted that absolutely no heels are allowed as they could dig into the decking. Usually, one goes barefoot. The crew will let you know where to keep them or just place sandals in your bag.
Absolutely no heels allowed as they could dig into the decking. Usually, one goes barefoot. Julius Smith, a former royal butler with more than thirty years experience, agreed, saying that it is common knowledge that certain shoes will damage the deck.
However, he added that the reality of getting guests to remove their shoes and always leave them at the deck is quite unusual. The crew will always have something laid out for the guests to walk along more comfortably. So perhaps it is no wonder that famous faces like Victoria Beckham and Lauren Sanchez cannot help but look their best even when leaving and arriving on yachts.
Both have been pictured walking across rocky ground in heels during luxury holidays on vessels. Meanwhile, the crew must always respect the guests and vice versa, said Julius. One thing to remember is that the owner may own the yacht, but it is the captain who is the real boss, and you always want to stay on his good side. Some captains are good, some are awful.
But if a captain and crew are chartering a £3.5 million yacht, guests would be expected to leave at least £350,000 for the crew on board. Owners may not get tipped, but certainly the crew should be.
However, Laura urged that guests should not be overly friendly with the crew. Remember to use your please and thank yous and treat them the way you would any other staff. Alongside fashion moments and daring PDA, some celebrities - such as JK Rowling and Rita Ora - are photographed smoking whilst on board their luxury yachts. But guests on board are okay to smoke, if allowed by the owner, explained Julius.
Some charter boats may have a no smoking policy, which must be respected. Unfortunately, some will smoke anyway, but you always want to be polite. On many high value yachts, it is usual for guests to smoke cigars and cigarettes. The crew, on the other hand, cannot smoke.
You would also never have lit candles, but always battery-operated ones to avoid fire hazards. If you easily become drunk do moderate your alcohol intake, warned Laura. Falling overboard while the boat is moving does not give a great impression to your host or anyone else. There is also the danger of drowning and that would definitely ruin the whole holiday - for you, your loved ones and the people on board.
So as A-listers flaunt their high-heeled fashion, public displays of affection and smoking on board - all things that according to the experts should not be done on a luxury vessel - we take a look at yacht etiquette and the celebrities who have broken it. It is clear that while yachts offer a luxurious escape, they also come with a set of unwritten rules.
From the Beckhams to Rowling, even the rich and famous can stumble when it comes to onboard manners. The key is to balance personal style with respect for the vessel and its crew. After all, a superyacht holiday is meant to be relaxing, not a lesson in etiquette failures
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