below deck sailing yacht tips

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'Below Deck's Kate Chastain Explains How Yacht Tipping Actually Works (Exclusive)

'below deck's kate chastain explains how yacht tips actually work (exclusive), megan fox reacts to mgk's blackout tattoo and makes plastic surgery confessions, travis kelce reveals the reality show he loves that's 'worse' than 'catching kelce', 'the fall guy' trailer no. 2, kate middleton: royal reporter weighs in on conspiracy theories, 'diarra from detroit': watch morris chesnut star in sneak peek (exclusive), ‘married at first sight’: michael tells chloe he feels 'drained' planning their future (exclusive), regina king says she feels late son’s presence at ‘shirley’ premiere (exclusive), 'road house': jake gyllenhaal honors 'kind and giving' patrick swayze (exclusive), rap royalty unite at dr. dre's walk of fame ceremony: highlights from snoop dogg, 50 cent and more, aaron taylor-johnson rumored to take on james bond role (report), beyoncé says 'cowboy carter' 'ain't a country album', kris jenner mourns death of sister karen houghton, '90 day fiancé': natalie denies josh's claims that she's too jealous (exclusive), dr. dre says getting day named after him means 'everything', scott foley weighs in on the possibility of a ‘felicity’ reboot (exclusive), sydney sweeney fangirls over angelina jolie dress moment at oscars after-party (exclusive), ‘critter fixers: country vets’: dr. hodges and dr. ferguson celebrate 6 seasons (exclusive), christina applegate credits 'sick' sense of humor with keeping her ‘ok’ amid ms battle, mgm debunks bruno mars $50 million gambling debt report, nicole kidman makes rare comments about daughters sunday and faith, gives 'big little lies' update, the 'below deck' chief stew reveals what yachties consider a good tip… and what they don’t..

Yacht life definitely pays.

Week after week on Below Deck , viewers see the crew clean up with giant wads of cash left behind by the charter guests as a "tip" for their work -- and chief stewardess Kate Chastain tells ET, it's not faked for reality TV.

"On a yacht of that size, [a good tip] would be $5,000 a person, for seven days of work," she reveals. "Five grand a crew member, usually. 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. We usually get around $2,500, $2,000. Anything less than $1,000 would be depressing, which sounds crazy, doesn't it?"

Below Deck charters typically last two or three days, but Kate says the crew puts in the equivalent of five days of work to jam-pack the experience with a week's worth of fun.

"We're working not just eight-hour shifts, it's like, we're working pretty much around the clock," she notes. "All the days start to blur together. And during the tip meeting, Captain Lee [Rosbach], will say what we got and I'm always like, 'Is that good? I don’t know anymore… $3,000, are we happy with this?'"

To put this in perspective, those tips are on top of a fee for charting the yachts. Kate previously revealed to ET that it costs about $150,000 a week to take over the ships.

The tips come on top of a regular salary, which differs based on job. A chief stew, reportedly , earns between $62,000 and $75,000 per charter season on a Below Deck -sized yacht (most of the vessels on the show are in the 150-foot range). Second and third stews would make about $50,000 a season, a chef between $70,000 and $95,000, while a captain would earn $120,000 or more, a bosun about $52,000 and deckhands between $40,000 to $52,000.

Kate says there is one part of the tip process seen on the show that might just be for TV -- how the tip is delivered. On the show, the crew stands in line to send off the guests, with the primary charter guest handing over an envelope of cash to Captain Lee. Kate notes that the lineup is standard, but the envelope handoff isn’t.

"There's always a lineup, just 'cause it's polite," she says. "Like, even in Downton Abbey , they all line up. So, I think it's a tradition that’s been around for hundreds of years, but sometimes, I think, instead of traveling with so much cash, they wire the money."

"So, it's not as dramatic," she continues. "But I've had charters where we anchored in the British Virgin Islands, the guests had left, we're eating leftover lobster, drinking leftover champagne, counting our stacks of cash. I felt pretty special at that moment."

Below Deck airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.

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‘Below Deck’ Charter Guests Break Silence On Low Tip Controversy

The charter guests of Below Deck Sailing Yacht are speaking out about that low tip. In the Monday, March 14, episode, the notorious charter guests only tipped $6,500, which is the lowest in the show’s history. The charter guests are already making history for all the wrong reasons. Fans called them the worst charter guests in Below Deck history.

Erica Rose returned with her mom, Cindi Rae Rose, and her husband, Charles Sanders. Chief stew Daisy Kelliher was not excited about her returning, and the two have been in a war of words ever since. In fact, the charter guests haven’t stopped talking about their time on the yacht.

Erica Rose explains the reason for the low tip

Erica made an appearance on the Another Below Deck podcast . She explained that her fellow guests refused to contribute to their tip. The group knew they were responsible for the tip. While they were aware of the rules, they didn’t want to tip the hard-working crew members.

“The whole group is responsible for tipping. We had to pick up the slack for everyone else because no one else tipped.”

As Below Deck Sailing Yacht fans know, the crew busted their behinds to make the charter guests happy. In a previous episode, Erica’s husband Charles received backlash for calling the food “disgusting” and that he had better at a “ballpark.” He claims that producers told him to call out Chef Marco Spaziani’s food.

The couple said that all of the guests had to contribute to the tip. If that were the case, that would’ve brought the tip to $25,000. She claims they had a serious conversation about the tip before leaving the boat. Yet, her former friends have a different story as well as the proof.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 3 crew got the worst tip in history

Both Erica and Charles got called out for their lies. Per Monsters & Critics , fellow charter guests Rhett and Janelle Flatt said they have proof of a conversation she had with Erica. Janelle took to her Instagram account to share screenshots of their text message exchange. She claims that Erica lied about the tip.

In the text message exchange, Janelle asked Erica how much they should tip the crew. Erica responded, “Our price includes tip! We can bring cash and tip extra if we want. I over tipped last time. I think prices is ($) 5000/ per person including tip!! Not per couple. [SIC].”

Erica also seemingly wrote, “So it’s like ($) 3,000 per person, the $900 required tip and then ($)1,100 airfare is how it comes out to $5,000.”

Rhett became the hero of the show when he called out Charles for slamming the food. In another scene at their beach lunch, Charles called Janelle a “b***,” Rhett approached him and threatened to punch him out. Many Below Deck Sailing Yacht fans praised him for it. Janelle had more to say on Instagram and said they were never friends of Erica and Charles.

Janelle is a hairstylist and Erica was one of her clients. Erica invited her to the yacht trip, and of course, she wanted to go. But the moment they left the yacht, she fired Erica. The two are no longer speaking.

What are your thoughts on the tip? Do you agree that it’s the worst in the show’s history? Sound off below in the comment section. Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 3 airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET, on Bravo.

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Haha, sure. You understand that no one believes your made up story.

Not just the worst guests, Charles, Erica, and Cindi are horrible humans. However, producers do pull people aside and give directions for story line. Charles may be telling the truth about that one thing, especially since he praised the dinner at first. Best dinner he ever had, apparently. I wish producers would stop. It doesn’t have to be drama all the time!!!

The most classless was LaQuisah from episode 13 season 10. She requested gold steak. She was a pain in the a– 7 a HUGE glutton. You can tell that she eats at Popeyes, and Red Lobster, and would take all the shrimp even if she didn’t eat it.

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BDSY: Biggest Tips in Show History & $30,000 Tip Explained

Below Deck Sailing Yacht ‘s first four seasons produced some very big tips from wealthy charter guests willing to blow tens-of-thousands of dollars to reward the hard work of Captain Glenn Shephard ‘s ever-changing Parsifal III crew. However, the biggest tip to date in the spinoff show’s history came from Primary Charter Guest Bryan Gaurnieri , and his gay friends Craig Lowry Shreve and Wickliffe Shreve , Madison Stutts and Erik Robert Funderburk. The group gave one of the biggest tips in all of Below Deck history at $30,000 USD while on Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 4 . Let’s take a look at how much money each crew member made from this giant tip and the other top tips from the last four BDSY seasons. We’ll also take a look at how much money cast members made on each season of BDSY .

Biggest Tips In Below Deck Sailing Yacht History: $30,000 Tip Explained

Primary Charter Guest Bryan Guarnieri and friends after giving the crew the biggest tip in show’s history (Bravo).

Avid Below Deck fans already know Primary Charter Guest Bryan Guarnieri is hard to please. His obnoxious list of demands, including a ten-course meal on his preference sheet , while sailing in Sardinia, Italy , is reminiscent of his previous trip on the original Bravo yachting show. In Below Deck season 8, Bryan, Craig and Wickliffe chartered My Seanna in Antigua . Hot-headed Chef Rachel Hargrove briefly quit during the preference sheet meeting because of his four pages of demands . She ended up knocking off Bryan’s socks, leaving him crying and giving Captain Lee Rosbach’s crew a $25,000 tip, which divided into $2,250 a piece.

Chef Ileisha Dell similarly delivered five-star delectable cuisine in BDSY season 4. The entire crew embraced the LGBTQ+-themed charter, especially First Officer Gary King and deckhand Chase Lemacks when they danced in speedos and rainbow-colored fans. The crew’s hard work didn’t go unnoticed, or uncompensated. Bryan and his upbeat group of friends left the crew a whopping $30,000 tip. BDSY season 4’s charter guests gave some big tips , but Bryan’s group outdid the rest. The $30,000 tip divided amongst nine crew members meant everyone took home $3,333 for a three-day charter. That’s over a thousand dollars per day in pay. And that’s not even including cast member’s Bravo and yachting salary , too. The next biggest tip on Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 4 came from returning Primary Charter Guest Jim Blumenthal ‘s group. They tipped the crew $27,500 or $3055 (€2,700) each.

Primary Charter Guest Jim Blumenthal hanging out with Chef Marcos after meeting on the show back in season 3 (Instagram).

Without including the final charter, the BDSY season 4 crew made $175,600 in tips from eight charters, already beating the tips totals of any of the previous BDSY seasons. Each crew member made $19,511 in tip money eight charters into the season, with one charter left to go.

Biggest Tips From BDSY Season 3 & Total Tip Money Made

Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 3 cast members line up to say goodbye to nightmare charter guest Erica Rose (Bravo).

On Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 3 , the crew had a great haul of tips from charter guests. The top tip, $23,000, came from Canadian tech entrepreneur and reality TV star Lane Merrifield , fiancée Amanda Bourke and friends. Each crew member on the charter took home $2,555.

Millionaire Primary Charter Guest Lane Merrifield, his fiancé Amanada, and friends from BDSY season 3 (Bravo).

They really enjoyed playing on an obstacle course against the crew and Captain Glenn, Chief Stewardess Daisy Kelliher , Chief Engineer Colin MacRae, stewardess Ashley Marti and the rest of the original crew each made $16,762 for the charter season out of a total of $160,500 in tip money. The season also had one of the most infamous and disgraceful lowest tips in Below Deck history, left by Erica Rose , her husband Chuck (Charles) , and her mom Cindi. They gave a paltry $6,500 tip to the crew after terrorizing the yachties for three days.

Biggest Tips From BDSY Season 2 & Total Tip Money Made

Co-Primary Charter Guests Nikki and Rusty (Bravo).

Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 2 turned out to be a shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Gary’s love triangle with Australian Alli Dore and deckhand Sydney Zaruba dominated the drama much of this season of filming. The boatmance resulting in a pregnancy took over headlines after season 2 aired. Deckhand Jean-Luc Cerza Lanaux impregnated Brazilian beauty Dani Soares while working together. He then refused to step up and be a father to the child. He even refused to take a paternity test or visit Dani and their daughter in Australia.

Doctor Frank Martinis and his wife Jessica on BDSY season 2 (Bravo).

Due to the shortened season, there weren’t many high tips. Primary Charter Guest and board certified urologic surgeon Frank Martinis and his group ended up tipping the highest, at $23,000 or $2,500 per cast member. Avid sailors and Co-Primary Charter Guests Rusty Niedwick and Nikki Linn, from Newport Beach, California, gave practically the same amount, too, at $22,500. The shortened season resulted in the crew only making $106,450 or $11,830 per person that charter season.

Biggest Tips From BDSY Season 1 & Total Tip Money Made

Co-Primary Charter Guests Alan and Jennifer Ward (Bravo).

Despite the consensus from Below Deck ‘s subreddit that Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 1 is one of the worst season’s in the show franchise’s history, the crew hauled in some big tips. The highest tips were lower than any other BDSY season, however the show was filmed in 2019, so, factoring in inflation, the crew did well. They could’ve done better, though, if Chef Adam Glick and Chief Stewardess Jenna MacGillivray kept their PDA outside of working hours.

BDSY season 1 crew members Paget Berry, Ciara Duggan, and Byron Hissey at a tip meeting (Bravo).

Retired high-level software engineer at Apple Alan Ward and his wife Jennifer, from New Orleans, Louisiana, and their group celebrated the recent marriage of Italian model Alessia Caprio and Indonesian beach club owner Guy Somers while aboard Parsifal III. The group tied for the most generous tip of $20,000 or $2,222 each. Some of the worst charter guests of season 1, a testosterone-fueled nightmare for the crew (including season 2’s Primary Frank Martinis) wreaked havoc aboard the sailing superyacht. Primary Charter Guest Richie Hosein — a successful entrepreneur from Long Island, New York, with ventures in health care, hospitality, nightlife and music — and his group of frat boys at least compensated the crew well after thoroughly embarrassing themselves. They also tied for highest tip of the season at $20,000. The BDSY season 1 crew ended up making a total of $143,000 and earned over $16,000 per crew member in tip money.

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Exclusive: Captain Glenn Shephard Shares His Top Tips For Newbie Yachties

Captain Glenn shares his conflict resolution tips for aspiring yachties exclusively with TheThings.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht 's Glenn Shephard is regularly referred to as the 'chill' Captain in the Below Deck universe, so it's no surprise that in the Season 3 premiere, he emphasized the importance of a crew who wouldn't overreact to stressful situations.

Given how exposed the crew of a sailing yacht are to the elements and each other , however, that may be easier said than done...especially for the green yachties aboard!

TheThings sat down with Captain Glenn to hear his advice for how newbies on deck can keep calm in choppy waters and chaotic conflicts.

Captain Glenn Explains What Makes Sailing Yachts Such A High-Pressure Environment

The very first episode of Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 3 opens with a cast member complaining that the most stressful part of sailing wasn't conflict, but the elements the crew get exposed to in the open waters - but according to Captain Glenn, those things can certainly add to tensions between the crew.

RELATED: Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 3 Episode 1 Review: 'Tom Foolery'

"We're in very tight quarters," he begins, so "it's very high pressure."

"There's [just] a lot of stuff going on and a lot of different personalities [at play] " and that lends itself to a greater chance of drama.

One Skill Yachties Need To Master, According To Captain Glenn

In light of the inherently stressful environment, Captain Glenn goes on to explain that the number one skill yachties need to master before going aboard is being able to stay calm even when those around us aren't.

"You have to have the ability to let things go and not take things to heart."

Captain Glenn Emphasizes The Importance Of Giving People Time

Another skill Captain Glenn believes more yachties need to acquire is the ability to give their crew mates a moment to decompress in stressful situations.

"When somebody is struggling and reacting to a [stressful] situation in a negative way, maybe it's not the right moment for you to also get in their face," he smiles.

Instead, he continues, "I think it's important, when people are struggling, to give them a little bit of space to work through whatever they're working through."

According to the Captain, that's the best way to, "try avoid conflict as much as possible."

Captain Glenn's Guide To Conflict Resolution

As for what to do once enough time has passed, Captain Glenn shares that there is a right way to deal with the issue.

"If it needs to be dealt with, come back to it when there's a moment - when your message is actually going to be heard and taken on board."

RELATED: Exclusive: Captain Lee Opens Up About The Crew's Wild Behavior On 'Below Deck'

"I've seen so many situations where people are quite upset and stressed, and if both parties are struggling at the same time, you never really have a positive resolution to that issue."

"Chances are," he continues, " [when the issue is approached in this way] , the other person will figure out that they were possibly in the wrong. But if you tell them they're in the wrong in the heat of the moment, they're probably going to get caught up in the conflict, instead of focusing on a solution."

Captain Glenn's Advice For Those Looking To Join The Industry (And Stay In It!)

Given his approach to drama on board and his reputation as a problem solver, it's unsurprising that the Captain believes staying calm in the heat of the moment is the key to staying in the industry in the long term.

"If you want to be able to survive in this industry, you have to be able to let stuff roll down your back and pick your moment, pick your battle and give the person who's struggling a chance to calm themselves down."

RELATED: Exclusive: Captain Lee's Advice To Yachties On Charter Over The Holidays

"Then, come back and say, 'it's no problem,' and 'what if we do it this way next time, so we can avoid that problem in the future?'."

"It's hard work that we do, and not everyone is cut out for it. The kind of people that excel here are the kind of people who have the mentality where they can step back, solve the immediate problem, and then try to improve the situation so it doesn't resurface later on."

Captain Chill has spoken: the only way to navigate these waters is with the right attitude!

Fans can catch new episodes of Below Deck Sailing Yacht anytime, anywhere on hayu .

NEXT: Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 3 Episode 2 Review: 'Age-Old Problems'

Charles Sanders, Below Deck's nightmare guest, leaves one of the cheapest tips in franchise history

The crew already didn't like Charles Sanders, Below Deck Sailing Yacht's returning guest. And he didn't win them over with this 'disgusting' tip.

The crew of Parsifal III weren't happy to see Erica Rose and Charles Sanders, Below Deck Sailing Yacht 's memorably bratty season-two guests, when the couple returned for another high-maintenance charter this season. And they were even more perturbed when they were given a suspiciously light tip envelope at the end — not only one of the lowest on Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 3 but in the entirety of Below Deck history. 

Charles and Erica on Below Deck Sailing Yacht were already on the receiving end of fans' disapproval with their incessant complaints about the food during the March 7 episode, and their inelegant behavior during the March 14 edition further stoked the flames. 

The guests damaged the boat's $50,000 couch with spray-tan stains ("Who puts on body makeup and sits on a white couch on a superyacht?!"), awkwardly serenaded Captain Glenn Shephard with a 'sexy' Marilyn Monroe rendition during dinner and, yes, had more finicky food specifications — which chef Marcos Spaziani fulfilled even after withstanding a horrific head injury during meal prep. Even a member of their party said of Charles: "He's the biggest douchebag you've ever met."

Despite Charles and Erica's bad behavior, the Below Deck crew went above and beyond to meet their every demand — which made the tip they received even more insulting.

A post shared by Below Deck (@belowdeckbravo) A photo posted by on

"I don't personally feel this tip reflects the quality of service we gave these guys," Captain Glenn began the crew's regular tip meeting. "You guys worked really hard and pulled out all the stops to make this the best charter for them." 

Despite all that, Charles Sanders and Erica Rose gave the crew a paltry $6,500 tip for the charter. Jaws dropped and chief stew Daisy Kelliher said: "I honestly think I'm about to burst into tears."

For comparison, the average tip on Below Deck is between $15,000 to $20,000 per charter, customarily 20 percent of the full-price fee for chartering the yacht. This comes out to about $1,600 to $2,200 per crewmate — a hefty chunk of change more than what Charles Sanders left them. 

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"They could have given us 30 grand, 40 grand, 50 grand — no money in the world would make me happy to work for people like that," Daisy said in a confessional.

Fan reactions to Charles Sanders on Below Deck:

Is that the worst tip ever in the history of Below Deck? That’s so bad and they were AWFUL. They need to be banned. #belowdecksailing March 15, 2022

His HOBBY is going to restaurants and complaining about food so he doesn’t have to pay. DO NOT SERVE THIS MAN. #BelowDeckSailing pic.twitter.com/q61J2Ibb6d March 15, 2022

$6500 tip?! You guys are trash. Ban them from the show. They aren’t good tv. They aren’t good people. #belowdecksailing March 15, 2022

I have never in my 9 years or #belowdeck, 7 years of #belowdeckmed and 3 years of #belowdecksailing seen a $6,500 tip. I. AM. LIVID. pic.twitter.com/uUkAImOrWP March 15, 2022

Wait... $6,500 total? Not each? Ummm excuse me? Wowoowoowow so they cheap and awful people to be around. Hope they never come back #belowdecksailing #BelowDeckSailingYacht March 15, 2022

Since Glenn saved $ on the couch clean up, he should bill them $20,000 for labor and split the $ with the crew. #belowdecksailing March 15, 2022

Janelle & Rhett are classy peeps. Erika & her douche of a husband have no class. The tip was a joke & the staff deserve more. I can’t stand rude ass stuck up people. I hope to never see them again. @BravoTV #belowdeck #belowdeckmed #belowdecksailing March 15, 2022

The tip??! WTAF?? Of all the seasons I’ve watched this and the first Below Deck, there has NEVER been a tip this cheap! It’s like leaving a buck after paying a grand for dinner. #BelowDeckSailing March 15, 2022

@BravoTV was that the lowest tip in below deck franchise history?! I need answers cause that is just awful and they shouldn't be asked or allowed back #belowdecksailing #BelowDeckSailingYacht @BravoWWHL pic.twitter.com/AmcMjyVnHJ March 15, 2022

✅ “best dinner of my life” then mind changed to “worst” next morning when complaining ✅ made chef cook a Golden Corral dinner✅ ruined white couch with tanner✅ rude and uncouth✅ worst tip in Below Deck History #BelowDeckSailing pic.twitter.com/u3ILCQp6xV March 15, 2022

New episodes of Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 3 air on Bravo on Mondays at 8 pm ET, and are available to stream the next day on Peacock (US) and Hayu/Sky TV (UK). 

Christina Izzo is the Deputy Editor of My Imperfect Life. More generally, she is a writer-editor covering food and drink, travel, lifestyle and culture in New York City. She was previously the Features Editor at Rachael Ray In Season and Reveal, as well as the Food & Drink Editor and chief restaurant critic at Time Out New York. 

When she’s not doing all that, she can probably be found eating cheese somewhere. 

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Bowlines, Bosuns, and Bar Keepers Friend: The Lowdown on ‘Below Deck’

It’s time to sail the seas while catching up on all the tea.

If you're looking for a new show to binge, Bravo's “Below Deck” might just float your boat. As Bravo's most-watched series, it combines the drama of “ The Real Housewives ,” the class-consciousness and drama of “Triangle of Sadness,” and the sexual tension of “Love Island,” making it a must-watch .

“Below Deck” celebrated its 10th anniversary this year and is the first of five franchises available to stream on Peacock . The other four are “Below Deck Mediterranean,” “Below Deck Sailing Yacht,” “Below Deck Down Under,” and “Below Deck Adventure.” Really, these franchises don't need much explanation since the titles do much of the work.

In what follows, you'll learn more about the ins and outs of “Below Deck,” including useful terminology; details about the crew, guests, and yachts; and everything you need to know before hitting the high seas from your living room.

Getting Under Way

The first thing to notice about “Below Deck” is that it's gorgeous. The settings are stunning, the crews are craved by all, and boats are beautiful. Each season is set against backdrops that will make your jaw drop, including the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean, the fjords of Norway, and the Queensland coast in northeast Australia.

Apart from “Below Deck Sailing Yacht,” each season takes place on ships that are officially designated as motor yachts and cost about $200,000 per charter. The ships on this show vary in size, but let's just say that all the apartments I've ever lived in would fit comfortably in one of these “boats.” They house jacuzzis (plural) and master suites with $10,000 toilets and often carry a couple of jet skis on board wherever they go. If money talks for you, and it certainly does a lot of the talking in “Below Deck,” these ships are worth roughly 400,000 trips to your local kayak kiosk.

Boundless Drama

Part and parcel of any reality series is the larger-than-life drama that arises when people live, eat, sleep, and work together in incredibly cramped quarters, all while being filmed. This is what we make the popcorn for, though, and the crew and customers in “Below Deck” are always willing to put on a show.

As the title suggests, the stars of “Below Deck” are the crew members rather than the wealthy charter guests. Some of the employees appear on several seasons of a franchise, which provides a sense of stability amid a sea of chaos. And yet, there are enough new faces to keep the show fresh and see how all kinds of personalities mesh.

While this show might be described as “upstairs-downstairs” because of its focus on the crew as a separate entity from the passengers, the boundaries between the two are blurry at best. When guests arrive on the boat, they're met with champagne, and it doesn't stop flowing until they disembark. Even though the crew isn't allowed to drink on charter (this is probably the No. 1 rule on the show), the crew parties down once the guests are gone.

Naturally, all of the booze makes for entertaining TV, but on “Below Deck,” there's plenty of drama without it. For instance, navigating and maintaining a 150-plus-foot ship presents its own set of unique challenges, including untangling anchor chains, battling high winds, suppressing oven fires, and avoiding other boats nearby. As this show demonstrates, life in paradise can sometimes be anything but.

Comedy at Its Finest

For all the tensions that arise at sea (and at port), there are just as many laughs. It makes sense given the stressful, demanding life of a yachtie that the balance be struck between work and play. And in the same way that a seemingly limitless amount of alcohol creates trouble for guests and crew alike, much of it is in the name of fun.

Because audiences peer into almost every moment of the crew's life, they're also treated to beautiful moments of vulnerability, compassion, and teamwork. Because the safety of everyone on board depends on the crew's ability to pull together, it's heartening to see the maelstrom of charter season peppered with a dash of humanity — really good-looking humanity.

The yachties on “Below Deck” have been known to participate in diving competitions, drag performances, and much more to secure a good tip at the end of the charter. They throw lavish parties and picnics for the guests, but more importantly, they take every opportunity to pretend they're the ones with millions of dollars to waste — and that's the dream!

Finally, with the abundance of oysters, caviar, and champagne, audiences can expect a slew of romances between crew members, as messy as it is, and a wide array of couples, throuples, and more between charter guests. “Below Deck” features weddings, breakups, blowups, and throwdowns that will have you laughing, crying, and grabbing for your safety vest.

Facing Reality

Many of the yacht employees work on these boats seasonally since many of the filming locations are subject to severe weather during wet seasons. So while the tips might be lucrative (about $1,300 per charter per employee), they won't sustain someone for the whole year.

Some crew members work on yachts or catamarans (sailing ships on pontoons) throughout the year, but others lead completely different lives on land for the remaining 39 weeks of the year. After all, despite the cramped quarters and constant turnover of guests, many of the crew express how isolating and lonely it can be in this industry.

For audiences, however, the reality seems like a mix of glamor and elbow grease for the crew. They know the expectations of them on the show, and they (more or less) know what tasks they need to perform. Together, the crew reveals a fascinating side of luxury yachting, one that almost makes it seem accessible.

Useful Vocab

There are a lot of nautical terms thrown around in “Below Deck” that might put a kink in your anchor chain, so here's a list of words so you don't have to keep track:

Bosun: Technically written as “boatswain,” this is the most senior member of the deck crew. When anything happens on the exterior of the boat, the bosun takes responsibility and answers to the captain, chief engineer, and first mate.

Bow: This is the front of the ship, also known as the “fore.”

Bowline: Perhaps one of the most important knots in a yachtie's toolbelt, the bowline is tied and untied easily and is used for all manner of things aboard a ship. Not to be confused with the “bow line,” which is the rope that attaches the front of the vessel to a dock, rock, etc.

Chief stew: Short for “chief steward·ess,” this crew member manages the ship’s interior and oversees a team of steward·esses to ensure the comfort of the guests. The chief stew works closely with the yacht's chef to coordinate meals.

Deckhands: These invaluable members of the crew are responsible for maintaining the conditions of the boat's exterior. They provide much of the physical labor, shuttling guests around, setting up water toys, and keeping the ship in, well, shipshape. They keep the teak at its peak so the guests can make the most out of the outdoor amenities.

Port: The left side of the ship in relation to the front (bow).

Starboard: The right side of the ship in relation to the bow.

Stern: The rear of the ship, also known as the “aft.”

Tender: A small motorboat used to shuttle guests from the yacht's anchorage to shore, etc.

Wheelhouse: A section of the ship that covers the helm (wheel). This is generally where a yacht captain spends most of their time. Not Captain Sandy, though; she's a great, hands-on leader.

Yacht: Surprisingly, there's no standardized definition of a yacht, but it's generally considered to be a passenger ship with a cabin intended for overnight use. Etymologically, the term comes from the Dutch jacht for “a hunt” or “a chase,” so called because of their speed and their intended use to hunt down privateers and other law-breaking ships in the 1500s.

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This Reality Star Yacht Captain Tells All About His Time 'Below Deck'

Captain Glenn Shephard also reveals the biggest misconception of the Below Deck Sailing Yacht crew.

Life may sound luxurious as a captain on a sailing yacht — especially when it's filmed for a hit reality show — but despite how glamorous it all may seem, it's more work than play.

"What we do is not for everyone. It's hard," Captain Glenn Shephard of Bravo's Below Deck Sailing Yacht told Travel + Leisure. "My friends see my photos on social media and they think I have a great life and I'm like, 'Go sleep in your walk-in closet for a month.'"

"It's give and take," he added. "We love it, it's the kind of people we are."

Born in Montreal and now a traveler who has visited 50 countries, Shephard — who spoke with T+L from Dubai via Zoom — has starred in all three seasons of the Bravo show, the third of which is currently airing.

Along with a crew of nine aboard the 54-meter sailing yacht, the Parsifal III can comfortably house up to an additional 12 travelers for about $150,000 a week, according to broker site Worldwide Boat . Throughout his time in front of Bravo cameras, Shephard has taken Parsifal III through Greece, Croatia, and Spain.

"One of the nicest things [about Croatia] is it's a long coast, in the Eastern Mediterranean but it has a lot of offshore islands and all of those islands make it a very nice cruising area because they prevent any swell from the sea coming from the shore," he said. "You can always find a flat, calm place to enter."

The calm areas, like Croatia, make the majority of the time the boat is out to be relatively smooth. Shephard is lucky to be adverse to seasickness but is no stranger to rocky waters as he's crossed the Atlantic about 22 times.

"When you're out there for that long — and we're out there for two-to-three weeks crossing from Gibraltar to the Caribbean — your sea legs are so built-in that when you get on shore it actually feels like the shore is moving around," he noted.

While "built-in" sea legs may be an acquisition for some, it's nothing new for the captain. His sailing career began when he was 24 and backpacking through Rome when he met someone in need of a deckhand — and proceeded to spend almost a year at sea.

Fast forward and Shephard is surrounded by a crew that's composed of a mix of stewardesses, led by a chief stew, engineers, and deckhands — all of whom report to him. And while he told T+L he usually has a say in the selection process for the show, the first time he meets the new crew is on camera, only about a day before a charter begins.

Despite the calm demeanor that he's known for, he said, whether dealing with the crew or sailing logistics, he faces problems "all day every day."

"A lot of people say I have a very laid-back way of doing my job," he said. "That's sort of how I manage the stress — unless it's safety or something dangerous, I try not to lose my cool."

In seasons one and two Shephard is met with a brand new crew and viewers get to watch their dynamic as they work and live together unfold — a situation that is poised to create plenty of drama on the high seas. But when it comes to working with guests on board, the whole crew rallies as one team for a successful and safe trip.

"When something goes wrong on the boat we don't get to point a finger at somebody else and blame them... we are ultimately responsible," Shephard noted.

When asked what the biggest secret of the Below Deck is, (besides the fact that the camera crew doesn't sleep on the ship) the captain is quick to respond explaining that even though it looks like tensions and conflict play a huge part in the show, the crew becomes one big family

"Most good crew who are going to succeed in this industry have the ability to let stuff slide down their back and not take it too seriously," he said. "In most cases, everyone loves each other, it's like a sibling relationship, sometimes you get angry at them but you always love them, they're always family."

Now as season 3 is underway, the captain is confident in his crew — some of which he's worked with in prior seasons and would love to continue working with in the future.

"It's a great vibe on board, we've got great people. It's so nice having the core group of Gary [King], Daisy [Kelliher], Colin [MacRae] back and of course, Marcos [Spaziani] was such an amazing chef. If we do a fourth season I'd love all those guys back."

Below Deck Sailing Yacht airs every Monday at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

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Here's What Daisy Kelliher Has Been Up to Since Season 4 of Below Deck Sailing Yacht

The chief stew is sharing some major life updates, including recent traveling adventures. 

Captain Glenn Shephard Shares a Surprising Throwback Photo (Hint: He "Had More Hair Back Then")

Our jaws dropped at this photo of the Below Deck Sailing Yacht captain from his "Bosun days." 

We Weren't Ready for Daisy Kelliher and Malia White's Jaw-Dropping Swimsuits (PICS)

We weren't ready for daisy and malia's jaw-dropping swimsuits.

The Below Deck Sailing Yacht and Below Deck Mediterranean ladies gave us serious swimwear envy with these looks. 

Daisy Kelliher Is in Her “Element” in a Teeny Lilac Bikini (PHOTO)

Daisy is in her "element" in a teeny lilac bikini (pic).

The Below Deck Sailing Yacht chief stew soaked up the sun while vacationing in Los Angeles, California. 

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About below deck sailing yacht.

Capt. Glenn and his comeback team Daisy Kelliher, Gary King and Colin MacRae resume their responsibilities aboard Parsifal III, along with new, dynamic crew members, as they set sail in Sardinia, Italy.  

Capt. Glenn realizes that his laid-back leadership style has allowed his crew to become too comfortable and starts taking charge of quality control in the interior department, much to Daisy's dismay. In the galley, Chef Ilesha's cooking impresses the guests, but her indecisiveness and co-dependency lead to time-management issues between courses, which causes her to self-destruct. On deck, strong personalities collide, and a power struggle results in a near mutiny, as Gary clashes with his new overconfident deckhand, Chase. 

Two overlapping love triangles further complicate the dynamics on-board, and a shocking hookup puts Colin, Daisy and Gary’s friendship in jeopardy. 

With a near collision, fire, crew rebellion, gruesome guest injury and two different potentially season-ending engine failures, this is the most captivating and unpredictable season yet of Below Deck Sailing Yacht. 

Which Below Deck Series Is the Best and Which Is the Worst?

With various iterations of the Below Deck franchise, it’s only natural to rank them from best to worst.

The first iteration of “ Below Deck ” began airing on Bravo in the summer of 2013. A brief 11 episodes revealed a reality show different from the usual “Real Housewives” fare. In this case, the wealthy people vacationing aboard a luxury yacht were not the show’s stars, but instead served as rotating groups of charter guests. The real stars of the series were the hardworking crew of the boat, the peasants who at night rest their heads in bunkbeds located — you guessed it — below deck.

The peasants, sometimes called sea rats, have to actually work — and in very unflattering outfits. Again, not your typical Bravo aesthetic. The drama stems not only from their interactions with each other (boat-mances are inevitable), but also their interactions with the often demanding charter guests.

Since the inaugural season, four other versions of “Below Deck” have joined the franchise, and there are now only three weeks a year that pass without a new, original episode from one “Below Deck” series or another. I didn’t stumble upon the brilliance of “Below Deck” until early in the pandemic, but since then I have watched every season of every iteration at least twice. (Embarrassingly, I’ve seen one certain season at least a dozen times.)

Hop on board to see which spinoffs in the franchise have — and have not — earned their stripes. Ranking them was more difficult than anticipated, at least for the middle three on my list. I’ve also highlighted each franchise’s best and most necessary seasons, in case you’d like to watch (or rewatch) with potential bingeing shortcuts in mind. Let’s set sail!

The choice to place the flagship “Below Deck” series first in my rankings may seem like an easy out, but I’ll give you three specific reasons the original will forever reign supreme.

Kate Chastain, Chief Stew for seasons 2 to 7, is the epitome of cool. 

Kate Chastain’s ability to remain unbothered is #lifegoals. She’s the show’s raison d’être. Don’t get me wrong: Captain Lee Rosbach , who steered the ship in seasons 1 to 10, is iconic and noteworthy. But he wouldn’t be the Captain Lee we know and love, the curmudgeonly Stud of the Sea, without Chastain providing some levity and humanity.

Despite Chastain being significantly younger than Captain Lee, they’re the dream team, as close as family. Their friendship hasn’t shown signs of sinking even after both left the show — in real life and on television in the form of recap shows, most recently “Couch Talk With Captain Lee and Kate.”

Season 3 of the original “Below Deck” is among the top five most memorable seasons of reality TV. 

The Season 3 crew is the perfect mix, but there’s one cast member who stands out as more memorable than all the rest: Raquel “Rocky” Dakota . Rocky’s most hysterical antic? Taking off her clothes and diving overboard in just her underwear in an attempt to escape the boat. This was her only season on the show, and it was glorious.

The near-fatal man-overboard incident in Season 6 put the “real” in “reality TV.” 

The infamous “fourth wall” between the boat’s crew and the show’s crew disappeared instantly during Season 6, when an errant line pulled deckhand Ashton Pienaar overboard. A cameraman had the foresight to release the line. If he had not, Ashton was within seconds of dying. Just writing about the incident made me tear up all over again.

There are many other people and events that put the original “Below Deck” a notch above the rest, but these three standouts cement it as the best show in the franchise.

Bingeing Shortcut: Chastain’s six-season run is impressive and shows a full character arc. Watching seasons 2 to 7 will give you more than enough of an introduction to the Below Deck franchise, while providing something that resembles a long-term storyline via her personal growth — not to mention her loving relationship with Captain Lee.

“Below Deck Sailing Yacht” was an exciting third installment when it joined the franchise in 2020, since the first two series take place on motor yachts and this one introduced a sailing yacht. Four seasons in, the core cast of Captain Glenn Shephard , Chief Stew Daisy Kelliher , Engineer Colin Macrae, and Chief Officer Gary King is solid.

Kelliher is considered the second-best Chief Stew of all the shows (second to Queen Kate Chastain), and her friendship-turned-love-triangle with King and Macrae is gut-wrenching television. Plus, Season 2 results in a baby for two cast members!

Bingeing Shortcut: Not only can you skip the first season, but you should skip the first season. It was dreadful, and the only person who stuck around for the following seasons was the affable Captain Glenn. Seasons 2 to 4 are must-see TV, but I don’t want the first season to throw you off!

I wrestled with the placement of “Below Deck Mediterranean” — the first spinoff in the franchise — the most. It premiered in 2016, just three years after the original, and recently finished airing its eighth season. For now, “Below Deck Mediterranean” gets a third-place ranking that could drop in future years. I don’t see it rising. Captain Sandy Yawn is an inconsistent micromanager, and there’s too much turnover among the crew.

The primary reason to watch “Below Deck Mediterranean” is the dynamic between Captain Sandy (who started in Season 2) and the seasons 1 to 5 Chief Stew, Hannah Ferrier . Whereas Chastain and Captain Lee will give you the warm fuzzies, Ferrier and Captain Sandy can barely contain their disgust for each other and are more likely to inspire frustration. Neither is particularly likable, but their power struggle is fascinating and ends with a midseason bang when (spoiler alert!) drugs come into play.

Bingeing Shortcut: The heart of the show lies with the Captain/Chief Stew struggle, so seasons 2 to 5 are your best bet.

“Below Deck Down Under” has been on for only two seasons, and I suspect future seasons will push the spinoff up my ranks. Since its 2022 debut, “Down Under” has shown promise for two reasons, both of which involve boating rock star and Chief Stew Aesha Scott , who we earlier met as a stew on “Below Deck Mediterranean.” Good-natured and clever, this New Zealander brings out the best in everyone and has a sweet relationship with Captain Jason Chambers that rivals the camaraderie of Chastain and Captain Lee.

Besides Scott’s ability to get along famously with most of her crew, she facilitated an aftermath of nurturing following a traumatic evening captured on camera during the second season: Two cast members, a male deckhand and a female stew, were the targets of sexual assault by other crew members. In another life-changing moment, the show’s behind-the-scenes crew didn’t hesitate to break the fourth wall and intervene immediately.

Producers made the choice to air the intervention and the raw aftermath. Captain Jason also fired the offending crew members. Meanwhile, Scott’s calm, caring nature amid the chaos gives me hope that we may soon see some needed reality reckoning in the Bravo-verse, which has come under fire in recent years for behavior gone way too far.

Also, Captain Jason is solid eye candy.

Bingeing Shortcut: You can skip the first season. It’s uneventful.

I was tempted to write “Bingeing Shortcut: Skip it” and nothing else, if that tells you anything.

It’s not that the one season of “Below Deck Adventure,” which aired in 2022 and 2023, was awful. It’s that the lack of necessity automatically renders it less interesting. That the promised outdoor adventures were few and far between didn’t help. Its single season’s noteworthy players are Captain Kerry Titheradge , who’s now steering the original “Below Deck” series, and charter guest Heather Gay of “ The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.”

It seems unlikely we’ll get a second season, and I’m OK with that. I have the rest of the franchise to keep me from walking the plank.

Bingeing Shortcut: Skip it.

Season 11 of the original “Below Deck” airs on Mondays on Bravo, with episodes streaming the next day on Peacock . You can stream the other iterations on Peacock too.

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‘Below Deck’ Sails Into a New Era

With a different captain at the helm and new production elements, the reality show about charter yachts is switching up its style.

By Shivani Gonzalez

Starting a new season of “ Below Deck ” can be similar to returning to summer camp as a kid — you know it’s going to be fun and that you’ll be in the same environment, but some of the people will be different and you’re not quite sure what the vibes will be.

This time around, in particular, feels that way because for the first time in the show’s 11-season run, Captain Lee Rosbach is no longer at the helm. It’s a pivotal moment for a franchise that has become one of the most popular entities in the sprawling universe of reality TV since premiering on Bravo in 2013 . The show’s appeal was built on endless romances between various crew members (“boatmances,” as they came to be known), horrible charter guests and some sort of passive-aggressive fight about how many shackles of the anchor chain should be in the water. And there was always Rosbach presiding over the drama as he trudged around the boat, reeling off one liners like “I’m madder than a pissed-on chicken” and “we screwed the pooch so many times we should have a litter of puppies running around.”

At the center of the show now is Kerry Titheradge (the stern yet goofy captain of “Below Deck Adventure” fame), who is managing the Motor Yacht Saint David with the cheeky chief stew Fraser Olender by his side.

With that change in captain, the energy on the boat — both onscreen and off — is different, according to Olender.

“Lee has a no B.S. attitude, which I love with him,” Olender said in an interview. “With Kerry, he taught me a lot and sort of forced to me confront issues directly with my team, work them out, as opposed to making executive decisions too soon.”

This shift in management style changes the central conflict — whereas the drama once focused on the captain swiftly kicking out any unpleasant crew member (as we might have seen with Rosbach), the drama now focuses on the whole crew trying to get along (since Titheradge gives people those second chances).

Additionally, Olender noted that the captain’s relationship with the crew can also affect the drama on board.

“Captains absolutely do get involved, whether they know it or not,” Olender said, adding that for the crew, everything is about “trying to impress your captain.”

This phenomenon plays out early in the new season when the lead deckhand, Ben Willoughby, called out a fellow crew member over the radios about not wearing a life vest — something he easily could have done in private. The drama that followed became an interpersonal conflict between the two of them, both with the ultimate goal of impressing Titheradge. (Of course, the two deckhands had kissed on the previous crew night out, which is more in line with the “Below Deck” drama viewers are used to.)

For “Below Deck” showrunners, the changeovers in the cast allowed them to rethink what the show would look like.

From the season premiere, it was immediately apparent that Rosbach’s absence wasn’t the only change this season: The filming is sleeker, the daily, multicourse meals prepared by the chef are given their own glamour shots and the cameras sometimes cut to the perspectives of yachties running around on deck and through the galley.

“Our showrunner, Lauren Simms, is an avid consumer of all different kinds of media,” Noah Samton, a senior vice president of unscripted current production for NBCUniversal, said in an interview. “She pitches us different ideas on how to stylistically evoke different feelings and change the mood a little bit of ‘Below Deck’ without removing what really works.”

Moving through the rest of the season, and potentially through seasons to come, Olender is aiming to bring a cutthroat management style while also bringing affection for his stews, all with his signature British humor.

On Bravo’s side, there are changes in the works for the other “Below Deck” spinoffs — including “Sailing Yacht,” “Mediterranean” and “Down Under” — which collectively, have 26 seasons. Specifically, Samton said that “Down Under” is currently filming and that even though fans should be ready to see new things, the show will stay true to its original concept.

“These are real yachties doing a real job so you have to stay within those confines because the audience isn’t going to want anything that is too produced or fake,” Samton said. “So we have to find ways to reinvent while staying true to the original concept of the show.”

And as Olender said: “I’m sure that every year if I were to work with this franchise again, that I’ll be thrown a collection of total chaotic and disastrous stews — that’s what makes it watchable.”

An earlier version of this article misquoted Fraser Olender, the chief stew of “Below Deck.” He said, “I also feel like Kerry this season. ... Lee has a no B.S. attitude, which I love with him,” not “I feel like Kerry this season, as opposed to Lee, has a no B.S. attitude, which I love with him.”

How we handle corrections

Shivani Gonzalez is a news assistant at The Times who writes a weekly TV column and contributes to a variety of sections. More about Shivani Gonzalez

Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5: When does it premiere?

Below Deck Season 11 has yet to hit Bravo airwaves, but that hasn’t stopped fans from asking about Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5.

Captain Glenn Shepard and his Parsifal III crew have been fan favorites since the show was revamped for Season 2.

Fans wait to have Below Deck Sailing Yacht back on Bravo airwaves each year.

This year is no exception, especially after fans were less than thrilled with Below Deck Med Season 8.

Let’s look at when the sailing show will be back on the small screen.

When will Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5 premiere?

Unfortunately, the wait for Captain Glenn to return with some new and returning crew members will be awhile. There is an entire season of the OG show to air before we get to see the sailing show.

Below Deck Season 11 premieres on Monday, February 5 at 9/8c. If Bravo follows past seasons, there will be anywhere from 15 to 17 episodes of Below Deck featuring Captain Kerry Titheradge.

Based on that timeline, Below Deck would air the Season 11 finale in mid to late May, with a possible reunion show to follow. That means Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5 will kick off at the beginning of June.

Even if the Below Deck Season 11 finale ends in mid-May, the Memorial Day holiday will push back Below Deck Sailing Yacht. Bravo won’t start a new season on a holiday, that’s for sure.

This points to four more months until the Parsifal III guys return to Bravo airwaves.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Marcos Spaziani (@chefmarcospaziani)

What else do we know about Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5?

We know the upcoming Below Deck Sailing Yacht season was filmed last summer. Photos of Daisy and Gary filming on Parsifal III were leaked well ahead of Bravo’s confirmation of the show’s renewal at BravoCon.

Colin wasn’t in any pictures, and his travel adventures at the time have fans believing he won’t be on the next season.

Meanwhile, Gary’s future on the show remains up in the air amid sexual assault allegations made against him by a production team member.

As Monsters and Critics previously reported, the scandal broke right after filming, and Gary was soon removed from the BravoCon list of attendees.

So far, Bravo and 51 Minds has been tight-lipped on what that means for his presence on Below Deck Sailing Yacht. Gary has played a key role on the show since Season 2. Editing him out or reducing his role will drastically alter the season.

Keep checking back for more updates, as details on the next sailing season will be here before we know it.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht is currently on hiatus on Bravo. Below Deck Season 11 premieres on Monday, February 5, at 9/8c on Bravo.

Gary needs to be gone. Don’t diminish what the victim said! He’s a drunk, aggressive, horrible person with no boundaries. What gives him the right to act in this way?

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Below Deck Recap: The Purge

Jared is not unlike a Gremlin. Feed him alcohol after midnight, and you’re in for a very, very bad time. He continues to berate Kyle, ostensibly for spilling tobacco on the deck. It’s definitely not because he’s jealous of the time he’s spending with Jared’s possible one true love, Barbie; why would you think that? How dare you? He even manages to wake up the captain, not once but twice ,  which, considering the unforgiving schedules these people keep, is basically an act of violence.

Barbie and Kyle (his job is boat) finally get to watch their movie, snuggled up together in her bunk. “You’re a beautiful girl; love your work,” he tells her when he leaves in the morning, which is all I ever want to hear from anyone in any context. Meanwhile, Ben and Sunny have sex in the shower, or so some moan-y, frankly none-of-my-business audio over a shot of the closed bathroom door wants us to believe.

The next morning, our bosun appears to be even more of a mess than usual. Jared is like Pig-Pen, except instead of dust he’s followed by a constant cloud of frustration and confusion. Captain Kerry, P.I., tries to piece together the events of the previous night through separate conversations with Kyle and Barbie, edited together like a little baby  Rashomon.  Cinéma!

Finally, it’s time for Jared to get acquainted with the consequences of his actions. There is no front on which Jared has not fucked up at work: basic logistics, safety, inappropriate interpersonal conflict. This kind of behavior from someone in a leadership role is unacceptable, Kerry tells him. “Okay,” Jared responds. “Um.” Not that there was anything he could have said to vindicate himself by this point, anyway: He’s fired. I think Kerry, who’s been both patient and abundantly clear about his expectations with Jared, handled this as best he could. To keep Jared on the boat would be a “disservice” to him. Everyone gathers to wish Jared a friendly farewell — Barbie hugs him good-bye and tells him to go meet his daughter.

White smoke emerges from the bridge, in accordance with ancient tradition: A new bosun is chosen. Ben, formerly lead deckhand, has evolved into his final form, and he seems awfully happy about it.

The interior isn’t without its own personnel problems. Cat can’t properly fluff a   pillow; her surfaces are unwiped; her sheets are half-heartedly ironed. She is the Amelia Bedelia of the high seas, without ever producing an all-redeeming lemon meringue pie to save the day. On the one hand, she does a bad job, but on the other, she also does it very slowly.

A friend of Cat’s calls her, crying and freaking out, and Cat takes the phone into the bathroom to continue the conversation privately. She doesn’t share anything about the situation, but it’s obvious that this has significantly worsened her already tenuous emotional state. Miscellaneous family revelations: Barbie’s mom is a sex therapist whose job sounds like it involves more sex dolls than I necessarily would have expected. Fraser’s sister is currently flashing her “huge knockers” at Mardi Gras, as is her right. Fraser sweetly sings Anthony’s praises in French to his mother on a video call.

To Captain Kerry’s credit, he’s pitching in to help bridge the gaps while they’re understaffed, busting his ass carrying chairs around like a man of the people when their new charter begins. Loading up their provisions takes even longer than usual — Ben points out that, as always, there are so, so many eggs. Why  are  there so many eggs? Is  Below   Deck  a convenient international waters cover for a money-laundering scheme or illegal chicken-breeding operation?

Primary guest Lesley is beautiful, make no mistake, but I would be failing you if I did not mention her hairstyle: sunburned fourth grader on a Caribbean vacation braids at the temples with a Drybar Southern Comfort-style blowout taking up the rear. (Business in the back, party on the sides?) A mortgage professional, she is so enthusiastic about what a great time it is to buy a house  right   now  that I am prepared for her to start staring into the camera to pitch us viewers directly.

Ben’s reign is off to a good start. Even though the exterior is down a member, undocking   somehow manages to go much more smoothly in Jared’s absence. Sunny, who has apparently already dated a boss of hers in the past, is just happy she gets to drive the tender around. Kyle blows up an inflatable that sounds like a screaming fart. The guests ride Jet Skis while, back on board, Cat drops various things onto the floor.

For their first dinner, the guests request surf and turf — no French food, please. (“Oh. Okay,” Anthony says.) Barbie obliges their request for a Mardi Gras theme by climbing onto the table to scatter some masks, beads, and a few meekly flashing lights around. She hates it. The guests, however, love it. (So far, the worst thing about them might be that some of them call Fraser “Fletcher” or, possibly annoying him even more, “Frazier,” with an extra vowel sound jammed in there.)

The next morning, Cat fully loses her composure when Xandi (gently) confronts her about misplacing the cleaning caddy and failing to answer her radio. “I’m fucking done, dude,” she tearfully tells Barbie, otherwise occupied with eating an apple. “I’m over this shit.” Does she want to talk about it? No? Well, okay. Barbie resumes snacking.   Cat flees to her cabin. She sobs behind the closed door of her bathroom for the third time in this episode of a liminal place of secrets and intense emotion. I repeat: Cinéma!

Fraser comes to see her and suggests it’s time to put her mental health first. Weeping in his arms, she agrees. And so her tenure on the St. David ends not with a bang but a (literal) whimper. In many ways I am very sympathetic, as someone whose own brain occasionally requires me to disconnect and reconnect the battery a few times until the mysterious Check Engine light switches off. I’m also glad, for all our sakes, that she decided to leave. She cries in her post-mortem confessional. She cries as she steps off the boat. She cries as she boards the water taxi. Sometimes, on a clear night, they say you can still hear her sniffles carried on the ocean breeze.

Oh, Cat, we hardly knew ye. I wish you well and I hope you’re doing better. “That’s the way it goes,” says Ben in what passes for a professional eulogy. “That’s yachting, mate.” Forget it, Jake. It’s  Below Deck .

Hopefully the staffing service is running a BOGO special this week. With two crew members gone, the St. David is operating on double hard mode. But at least for now, the guests are happy, mainlining approximately three dozen eggs each —  plus  they got to witness and gossip extensively about a crew member mysteriously departing the vessel, which would be the highlight of my vacation.

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