If you have ever watched Below Deck, you have probably imagined a fancy vacation on a luxury yacht. For most of us, that is just a dream because of the huge cost. But for some well-known people, setting sail as a charter guest is a trip they can definitely afford. A few have even let their adventures be filmed for the show. From athletes to reality TV stars, quite a few famous faces have shown up on Below Deck. Not all of them have been excellent guests, let me tell you.
The show's twelfth season has just started, bringing back Captain Kerry Titheradge aboard the superyacht St. David. He is on his second tour of duty for the reality show. This season is already stirring up more drama among the crew and passengers as they travel through the Caribbean. The trailers for Season 12 hinted at some really high-stakes drama. There was one chilling moment where Captain Kerry declared an "emergency on the boat." Many of us thought it might be a medical crisis. But the truth was even more surprising: a guest became so aggressive and out of control that the situation escalated into a full-blown crisis. Captain Kerry had to call the police, a first in his career. This is definitely not your average yacht vacation.
Captain Kerry did not share too many details, but he did say that alcohol was not the only cause of the incident. "Alcohol didn't help, but, this lady's got some demons, and I felt sorry for her," he shared. He saw her pain. But it got to a point where he had to shut down the whole boat. He had to station crew at every exit and contain the guests. There was even a language barrier with the French authorities. The attack was so intense. Captain Kerry had hoped to avoid calling the police. But it "was a big deal." He added, "I don't want to bring her approach on the vessel, and I wanted to give the lady time to calm down, but she got worse and worse and worse. Looking back, it was huge. But I'm very proud of my crew. They got together and contained the situation."
Captain Kerry and Chief Stew Fraser Olender Face Their Toughest Guests Yet on Below Deck Season 12From Physical Altercations to Obnoxious Personalities, The Crew Has Its Hands Full This Season
Chief Stew Fraser Olender also hinted at his own guest nightmare. He revealed he faced "the worst charter guests" of his career this season. When asked if it was the same unruly guest Captain Kerry had to detain, the captain laughed and suggested something even more shocking. “I don’t know if that’s the one—there actually might be another one he could be referring to, actually. Yeah, this wasn't the only incident for the season. You are gonna need to strap in." This means we are in for multiple shocking moments, not just one. It makes me wonder just how bad these guests really are. What kind of people pay so much for a luxury trip just to cause so much trouble?
Olender looked back on his own bad guest experience. "I think this year I had the worst charter guests I've had," he shared. "Yeah, no, it was bad. I couldn't control ... yeah, really bad. Just some really obnoxious, horrible, really, really horrible people, and the saddest thing is that's actually how they are. Sober and drunk, but sort of worse sober, which makes everything even more confusing. You'll see exactly what I mean. But I get to the point where I just, I can't even respond for a good while." He believes this specific guest belongs in the "worst Below Deck hall of fame." He added, "They make a mockery, and they probe, and they push, and they insult, and they terrorized me." It is almost never the primary guest causing the problems. That is a familiar pattern on this show.
Speaking of guests, it is no secret that a forbidden romance happened between deckhand Kyle Stillie and a guest. Both Olender and Captain Kerry found this very funny. It is a huge rule to break. "To this day, I don't know where I stand on it, and I think it'll be interesting to see what the viewers genuinely think, because I genuinely don't know," Olender said about the teased hookup. It appears to have happened while the guests were still on board. Captain Kerry joked, "If the guy could learn to keep it in his pants, the sky's the limit for him, put it that way. He’s a good bloke, and he’s got a lot going for him." But he warned that viewers will see how this affects Kyle's standing on the boat. And if Kyle is one of the crew members who gets fired this season. "What I can tell you this much. If I believe he's done it, he's no longer on the boat," Captain Kerry teased. It sounds like there will be many intense moments for the crew to navigate this season.
Below Deck returns with its twelfth season bringing new crew members demanding guests and plenty of drama on the luxurious St. David yacht in the Caribbean.
Looking Back at Some of Below Deck's Most Notorious and Entertaining Charter Guests
From Demanding Divas to Unexpectedly Chill Celebrities, The Yachts Have Seen It All
One of the most talked-about guests from season 11 was Jill Zarin, a star from Real Housewives of New York City. She caused a lot of trouble for the crew, even though she was not the main guest. She complained constantly and made many demands to the stewards and even Captain Kerry himself. After the episode aired, she got a lot of angry reactions for how she acted. But she did not apologize.
Jill later said that two nights on the boat cost $45,000 plus thousands of dollars in tip. She did not think the cost was worth the experience. "I should never have done it, obviously," she said. "We didn't eat. And if I was a little cranky, well it could be ’cause I was starving and I kept on asking for an apple or a piece of fruit and nobody would give me any.” She added that what people called her the worst guest in the world for was "absolutely ridiculous." She claimed everything she said was a "teaching moment" and given in a "very nice and loving way." She insisted she "wasn’t not nice." This just goes to show how different people view the same situation.
On the other hand, some famous guests have been a pleasure. Former professional baseball player Johnny Damon appeared on two seasons of Below Deck Med. He and his wife Michelle were on seasons 4 and 5. They proved to be entertaining guests. While they did have some requests, a fight Michelle had with another yacht owner on a dock stole the show during their first trip. Their second trip was more relaxed. Johnny told Sports Illustrated that it was a new experience for them. They had not seen the show before. He liked that "You are not the superstar on the boat, the crew is, which is awesome. It’s nice to not be getting all the attention.” This is a good way to look at it for guests.
Music industry executive Roy Orbison Jr., son of the famous musician, has also appeared on Below Deck twice with his family. Captain Sandy Yawn seemed to enjoy having him around. Roy said he felt the same way. "I’ve gotten used to cameras so I would do it again and again. I’m almost, like, addicted to it,” Roy shared on a podcast. He admitted that the first time, they had never seen the show and did not know what they were doing. He remembers waiting on the dock for a long time. He even wondered if it was a scam. But he found it "very fun" and enjoyable since they were only a small part of the show. This tells you that even famous people can have doubts about reality TV.
Even Cynthia Bailey, a star from Real Housewives of Atlanta, chartered a yacht on season 3 of Below Deck with Captain Lee Rosbach. He later said she was very different from what he expected. Looking back, he said she was "not demanding at all" and they all "just had a ball." He had thought she would be "high-maintenance" and a "pain." But she and her friend Claudia Jordan "couldn’t have been more different." This shows that not all reality stars are difficult. Heather Gay from Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City also had a great time on Below Deck Adventure. She called it "other-worldly" and loved seeing the fjords and waterfalls that could only be seen from a boat. She was also surprised by how much work the crew did behind the scenes, saying they were "so professional."
Dive deep into the emotional ups and downs of Below Deck Down Under Season 3, from Tzarina and Harry’s broken friendship to Kyle’s scandal and the true cost of luxury yachting. Discover the behind-the-scenes tensions, unexpected romances, and crew challenges that made this season unforgettable.
What Does the Future Hold for the Below Deck Franchise and Its Crew?
Considering New Spin-Off Ideas and How the Show Can Keep Things Fresh for Viewers
As Below Deck enters its twelfth season, it keeps reaching viewers across the globe. But there are still many ways the show could grow even more. With over 400 episodes across its five series (Below Deck Mediterranean, Below Deck Sailing Yacht, Below Deck Down Under, and the short-lived Below Deck Adventure), some of the show's common storylines might start to feel a bit old. I have loved watching crew members with clashing personalities in tight spaces. I also enjoy the entitled guests with lavish demands, and the unpredictable weather at sea. But after more than a decade, the show needs new ways to keep these same ideas from feeling boring.
To keep interest high and content fresh, Below Deck needs to find some new ideas. One idea that fans often talk about is an all-star season. Bringing back the franchise's best crew members would definitely be a huge hit. We have seen this tactic work for other reality shows. Seeing familiar faces like Chief Stew Kate Chastain return, maybe even as a guest, would be fascinating. After leaving the show and welcoming a son, Kate is appearing in other reality shows, suggesting she is open to being on TV. It would be a full-circle moment for her and for viewers. Imagine her reaction to a crew member trying to handle a guest like Jill Zarin!
Another area the show could explore is giving redemption stories to past crew members who messed up. Some have returned and done well, like Chef Rachel Hargrove. She stormed off the yacht in season 8 but came back for two more seasons. Viewers love to see a villain become a hero. Bringing back familiar faces would also help keep audiences watching from one season to the next. The show could even bring back a crew member who was fired. This would show that a comeback is possible. It would also raise the stakes during their return season. This approach could make the show even more exciting and unpredictable.
Ultimately, Below Deck season 12 is promising to be a wild ride. With Captain Kerry dealing with unprecedented guest behavior and new crew dynamics, it is clear the show still knows how to deliver the drama. Whether you love the luxury, the crew's struggles, or just watching rich people sometimes misbehave, Below Deck continues to be a must-watch for many of us. I cannot wait to see what other surprises this season has in store.