Below Deck

Below Deck is an American reality television series that premiered on Bravo on July 1, 2013. The show chronicles the lives of the crew members who work and reside aboard a superyacht during charter season.

The series has a number of spin-offs, including Below Deck Mediterranean, Below Deck Sailing Yacht, Below Deck Down Under, and Below Deck Adventure.

Production
Producers booked a five-week Caribbean charter in Sint Maarten on the 50-meter (164-foot) yacht Cuor di Leone. The yacht was renamed Honor for the series, and is captained by Lee Rosbach. The original crew used for the vessel were given the time off, to be replaced by the cast of the series for the duration of filming. Rosbach and his first officer and engineer stayed on board the vessel to ensure everything went as planned. Chief stewardess Adrienne Gang, chef Ben Robinson and stewardess Kat Held had worked on yachts prior to the series. The series was shot over a six-week period in September and October 2011.

On August 27, 2013, Bravo announced that the series' first season averaged 1.4 million total viewers per episode, which led the network to renew Below Deck for a second season. The second season premiered on August 12, 2014, and featured four returning cast members from the previous season: Captain Lee Rosbach, Ben Robinson, Kat Held and Eddie Lucas. New cast additions included Kate Chastain, siblings Kelley and Amy Johnson, Jennice Ontiveros, Andrew Sturby, and Logan Reese. The second season had the crew working on Ohana, a 153-foot yacht, during the charter season in the British Virgin Islands. The season concluded on November 4, 2014.

Bravo renewed Below Deck for a third season after the second season finale, which was the highest rated episode of the season. In March 2015, Bravo announced a Below Deck spin-off show entitled Below Deck Mediterranean, which would feature a crew heading to "the world's oldest cruising grounds, the Mediterranean Sea, for its next superyacht charter season."

The third season premiered on August 25, 2015. The show followed crew members living and working in the Bahamas on a 161-foot yacht called Eros. A sneak peek of the season was released on July 21, with a half-hour preview special which aired on August 10, 2015. The season featured Lee Rosbach, Kate Chastain, Amy Johnson and Eddie Lucas who all returned from the previous season, along with another five new crew members.

In April 2016, the network renewed Below Deck for a fourth season which was filmed in the US Virgin Islands.

On February 21, 2017, Bravo announced that production filming for season 5 had begun. On July 17, 2017, it was announced that the fifth season would premiere on September 5, 2017, with Lee Rosbach, Kate Chastain, and Nico Scholly returning. The series was filmed in Saint Martin.

The sixth season premiered on October 2, 2018 and was filmed in Tahiti, French Polynesia. Lee Rosbach and Kate Chastain returned. In season 6 episode 11, Ashton Pienaar had a close brush with death when he got a tow line wrapped around his leg and was dragged into the water between the yacht My Seanna, which was underway, and the vessel's tender. The show's cameraman Brent Freeburg was able to save Ashton by freeing the tow line. If he had not completely freed the line, the tension between the vessel and the tender would have pulled it tight around Ashton's leg and severed his foot; he would have bled to death in seconds. Rosbach instituted strict procedures to keep this from happening again.

In March 2019, Bravo announced a new spin-off, Below Deck Sailing Yacht. The show follows a crew sailing aboard the sailing yacht, Parsifal III, as they cater to charter guests in Greece. On December 18, 2019, it was announced that the spin-off series would premiere on February 3, 2020.

On August 26, 2019, it was announced that the seventh season would premiere on October 7, 2019. Lee Rosbach, Kate Chastain, and Ashton Pienaar returned as crew members. The series was filmed in Phuket, Thailand.

On September 21, 2020, it was announced that the eighth season would premiere on November 2, 2020. Lee Rosbach and Eddie Lucas returned. The series was filmed in Antigua. The season was curtailed after the final two charters were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In May 2021, Peacock ordered a new spin-off, Below Deck Down Under. The series followed the upstairs and downstairs of a super-yacht in Australia. The series premiered on March 17, 2022.

On August 19, 2021, Bravo announced that a ninth season would premiere on October 25, 2021. The season again featured the yacht My Seanna, and was filmed in St. Kitts.

On May 12, 2022, Bravo announced the renewal of Below Deck and Below Deck Mediterranean, and also announced that a new spin-off, titled Below Deck Adventure, would premiere in late 2022.

On November 3, 2023, it was announced that the eleventh season would premiere on February 5, 2024.

Season 1: Honor
Yacht source:
 * Lee Rosbach – Captain
 * Aleks Taldykin – First Officer
 * Ben Robinson – Chef
 * Adrienne Gang – Chief Stewardess
 * C.J. LeBeau – Second Engineer
 * Kat Held – 2nd Stewardess
 * Samantha Orme – 3rd Stewardess
 * Eddie Lucas – First Deckhand
 * David Bradberry – 2nd Deckhand

Season 2: Ohana
Yacht source:
 * Lee Rosbach – Captain
 * Ben Robinson – Chef
 * Kate Chastain – Chief Stewardess
 * Kat Held – 2nd Stewardess
 * Amy Johnson – 3rd Stewardess
 * Eddie Lucas – Bosun
 * Kelley Johnson – Second Engineer
 * Andrew Sturby – Deckhand (ep 1–4)
 * Logan Reese – Deckhand (ep 8–11)
 * Jennice Ontiveros – Deckhand

Season 3: Eros
Yacht source:
 * Lee Rosbach – Captain
 * Leon Walker – Chef (ep 1–10)
 * Ben Robinson – Chef (ep 10–13)
 * Kate Chastain – Chief Stewardess
 * Amy Johnson – 2nd Stewardess
 * Raquel “Rocky” Dakota – 3rd Stewardess
 * Eddie Lucas – Bosun
 * Don Abenante – Deckhand/Second Engineer (ep 1–4)
 * Connie Arias – Deckhand
 * Emile Kotze – Deckhand
 * Dane Jackson – Deckhand (ep 5–8)
 * David Bradberry – Deckhand (ep 11–13)

Season 4: Valor
Yacht source:
 * Lee Rosbach – Captain
 * Ben Robinson – Chef
 * Kate Chastain – Chief Stewardess
 * Emily Warburton-Adams – 2nd Stewardess
 * Sierra Storm – 3rd Stewardess
 * Kelley Johnson – Bosun
 * Trevor Walker – Senior Deckhand/Second Engineer (ep 1–2), Deckhand (ep 3–4)
 * Nico Scholly – Deckhand (ep 1–12), Senior Deckhand (ep 12–14)
 * Lauren Burchell – Deckhand
 * Kyle Dixon – Deckhand (ep 5–14)

Season 5: Valor
Yacht source:
 * Lee Rosbach – Captain
 * Matt Burns – Chef
 * Kate Chastain – Chief Stewardess
 * Brianna Adekeye – 2nd Stewardess
 * Jen Howell – 3rd Stewardess
 * EJ Jansen – Bosun (ep 5–11)
 * Nico Scholly – Lead Deckhand (ep 1–14), Bosun (ep 14)
 * Chris Brown – Deckhand (ep 1–6)
 * Bruno Duarte – Deckhand
 * Baker Manning – Deckhand
 * Kyle Dixon – Deckhand (ep 11–14)

Season 6: My Seanna
Crew and yacht source:
 * Lee Rosbach – Captain
 * Adrian Martin – Chef
 * Kate Chastain – Chief Stewardess
 * Josiah Carter – 2nd Steward
 * Caroline Bedol – 3rd Stewardess (ep 1–9)
 * Laura Betancourt – 3rd Stewardess (ep 10–16)
 * Chandler Brooks – Bosun (ep 1–9)
 * Ross Inia – Lead Deckhand (ep 1–8), Bosun (ep 9–16)
 * Ashton Pienaar – Deckhand
 * Rhylee Gerber – Deckhand
 * Tyler Rowland – Deckhand (ep 10–16)

Season 7: Valor
Crew and yacht source:
 * Lee Rosbach – Captain
 * Kevin Dobson – Chef
 * Kate Chastain – Chief Stewardess
 * Simone Mashile – 2nd Stewardess
 * Courtney Skippon – 3rd Stewardess (ep 1–10), 2nd Stewardess (ep 11–18)
 * Ashton Pienaar – Bosun
 * Brian de Saint Pern – Lead Deckhand
 * Tanner Sterback – Deckhand
 * Abbi Murphy – Deckhand (ep 1–6)
 * Rhylee Gerber – Deckhand (ep 8–18)

Season 8: My Seanna
Crew source:
 * Lee Rosbach – Captain
 * Rachel Hargrove – Chef
 * Francesca Rubi – Chief Stewardess
 * Elizabeth Frankini – Stewardess (ep 1–3), 2nd Stewardess (ep 3–8), Stewardess (ep 9–15)
 * Ashling Lorger – 3rd Stewardess (ep 3–8), Stewardess (ep 9–16)
 * Isabelle "Izzy" Wouters – Stewardess (ep 1–3), Deckhand (ep 3–13), Lead Deckhand (ep 13–16)
 * Eddie Lucas – Bosun (ep 1–16), First Officer (ep 16)
 * James Hough – Deckhand
 * Shane Coopersmith – Deckhand (ep 1–7)
 * Avery Russell – Deckhand (ep 1)
 * Robert Phillips – Deckhand (ep 8–16)

Season 9: My Seanna

 * Sean Meagher – Captain (ep 1–2)
 * Lee Rosbach – Captain (ep 2–15)
 * Eddie Lucas – First Officer
 * Rachel Hargrove – Chef
 * Heather Chase – Chief Stewardess
 * Fraser Olender – 2nd Steward
 * Jessica Albert – 3rd Stewardess (ep 1–9)
 * Kaylee Milligan – 3rd Stewardess (ep 12–15)
 * Jake Foulger – Deckhand (ep 1–3), Lead Deckhand (ep 3–15)
 * Rayna Lindsey – Deckhand
 * Wes O'Dell – Deckhand

Season 10: St. David

 * Lee Rosbach – Captain (ep 1–5, 14–17)
 * Sandra "Sandy" Yawn – Captain (ep 5–14)
 * Rachel Hargrove – Chef
 * Fraser Olender – Chief Steward
 * Alissa Humber – 2nd Stewardess (ep 1–13)
 * Leigh-Ann Smith – 2nd Stewardess (ep 14–17)
 * Hayley De Sola Pinto – 3rd Stewardess
 * Camille Lamb – Deck/Stew (ep 1–6), Stew (ep 6–9)
 * Tyler Walker – Deck/Stew (ep 10–17)
 * Ross McHarg – Bosun
 * Ben Willoughby – Deckhand (ep 1–4), Lead Deckhand (ep 5–17)
 * Katie Glaser – Deckhand
 * Luis Antonio "Tony" Duarte – Deckhand

Season 11: St. David
Crew source:
 * Kerry Titheradge – Captain (ep1-17)
 * Anthony Iracane – Chef (ep 1–12)
 * Nick Tatlock – Chef (ep 13–17)
 * Fraser Olender – Chief Steward
 * Xandi Olivier – Stewardess (ep 1–4), 2nd Stewardess (ep 5–17)
 * Barbie Pascual – Stewardess
 * Cat Baugh – Stewardess (ep 1–7)
 * Paris Field – Stewardess (ep 10–17)
 * Jared Woodin – Bosun (ep 1–7)
 * Ben Willoughby – Lead Deckhand (ep 1–7), Bosun (ep 7–17)
 * Marie "Sunny" Marquis – Deckhand (ep 1–11), Lead Deckhand (ep 11–17)
 * Kyle Stillie – Deckhand
 * Dylan Pierre De Villiers – Deckhand (ep 8–17)

Reception
The reality show has received mixed reviews from television critics. David Hinckley from the New York Daily News gave a negative review, remarking that Bravo "make[s] waves with reality series set on a luxury yacht, but viewers aren't well served by a show that's anchored in tedium." Reviewing the first episode of the show, he was not impressed by the lack of storylines and called the premiere "pretty mundane". Emily Yahr, a critic from The Washington Post, questioned the show's truthfulness and added that the series "seem[s] so scripted—the stereotypical spoiled crew members, the neatly wrapped-up “plotlines”—that it's hard to take seriously, even in the dubious cable reality show genre." Rob Owen of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was more positive by describing the show as a "fairly entertaining, voyeuristic look at a made-for-reality-TV crew."

David Wiegand, writing for the San Francisco Chronicle, noted the show's idea by saying that Below Deck "takes the idea of disparate types thrown together in a controlled environment and capitalizes on two seemingly inevitable results: friction and sexual tension". Neil Genzlinger from The New York Times criticized the casting choices, writing that "the real issue with this series is that the crew members aren't all that interesting." He also felt that "it's not actually the crew members—the stars of this series—who are unbearable" but the guests, for whom "the word “insufferable” was invented." Sandy Malone, writing for The Huffington Post in September 2014, questioned whether the show is hurting the yachting industry. Malone said, "My conclusion, if this show is going to do positive things for the yachting industry, instead of destroying its reputation for stellar service, a big change had better come with [the upcoming season]."

Broadcast
Below Deck premiered on the Bravo cable network in the United States; the first episode debuted on Monday at 10:00/9:00 ET/PT on July 1, 2013. The preview special of the series aired on June 10, 2013. The first season ran for eleven episodes and concluded on September 9, 2013. The second season of the reality series debuted on August 12, 2014 and ended on November 4, 2014, after airing thirteen episodes. Both seasons featured a "Reunion" episode that reunited all the crew members to discuss the events of the season, as well as a special episode, "The Crew Tells All" with unseen footage of the season. The third season premiered on August 25, 2015 and concluded on December 1, 2015 with a two-part "Reunion" episode. Season 4 premiered on September 6, 2016 and concluded on December 6, 2016. The fifth season premiered on September 5, 2017 and concluded on December 5, 2017 with a "Reunion" episode airing on December 12, 2017. Season 6 premiered on October 2, 2018 and concluded on January 29, 2019 with a "Reunion" episode airing on February 5, 2019.

Both Below Deck and Below Deck Mediterranean appeared on the Canadian E! network for the first five seasons. For these seasons, the Canadian E! network would often air the seasons in the same time slot as in the US, however not all seasons followed the Bravo US schedule. Starting in season 6, Below Deck and Below Deck Mediterranean were picked up by the Canadian Slice network and all shows aired in the identical time slot as in the US on Bravo. Although Canadians have access to both networks, Bravo US and Bravo Canada (not the same ownership), Below Deck has never aired on Bravo Canada. The two shows have a faithful viewing audience in Canada – especially since season 5 when Canadians started to appear on the show as part of the crew. Canadians appearing on the show have included Matt Burns from Ottawa, Ontario as the chef in season 5 and Courtney Skippon from British Columbia as the third stewardess in season 7.