Below Deck Down Under Season 2 has seen rough waters so far—and I’m not talking about the ocean. While the interior team has been knocking it out of the park, the deck team has fallen short. The guests may be leaving happy, due to the excellent service from the stews, but the deck team is crucial for the safety of the guests, crew, and the ship itself. In many ways, the interior team is outpacing the deck team this season, though both teams have faced major hurdles.
Partway through the season, both teams lost a member—Bosun Luke Jones and First Stew Laura Bileskalne. Both Luke and Laura absolutely deserved to be fired, and we’re glad to see them go after their inappropriate behavior towards their fellow crew members. No need to rehash their actions here, take my word for it, they suck.
Obviously, losing a team member in the middle of the charter season is a major problem. Thankfully, both teams found replacements, with João Franco and Jaimee Neale taking Luke and Laura’s places. But even taking into account the crew member shakeup, the interior team has been able to roll with the punches much better than the deck crew.
The Interior Team Is Killing It
Part of the Interior crew’s success comes from the team’s leadership. While the deck team was led by scum in human form, Luke, the interior has been led by the delightful Aesha Scott. Aesha’s infectiously upbeat attitude makes her impossible not to love, and it’s no wonder that the guests adore her as much as the viewers. With Aesha’s excellent leadership, the interior crew have been able to smooth over any problems that have arisen.
But it’s not just Aesha who has excelled on Below Deck Down Under Season 2. Chef Tzarina Mace-Ralph has done an excellent job, especially considering the sub-par kitchen she’s had to work with. So far this season she’s served up stunning charcuterie boards and impressive feasts. Though sometimes Tzarina’s perfectionist nature stresses her out, it also pushes her to succeed.
Margot Sisson has also stepped up in a big way this season. Despite going through a truly awful situation thanks to Luke, Margot has kept up a positive attitude and dedicated herself to her work. Though Margot has only been in yachting for six months, she’s demonstrated an eagerness to learn and improve.
Jaimee hasn’t been part of the crew for long, but from what viewers have seen of her, she seems to be a great team player and a talented stew. She may have gotten on Chef Tzarina’s bad side, but that doesn’t take away from the excellent service Jaimee shows her guests.
The Deck Team Is…Struggling
However, as much as the interior crew has excelled this season, the deck team has dropped the ball. The deck crew were in trouble from the start, with Luke as a leader, but there were other cracks as well.
Adam Kodra, one of the deckhands, can’t swim and gets seasick—not great qualities in a crew member. Harry Van Vliet has been in yachting for a few years, but often seems more interested in forming a boatmance than doing his job. Culver Bradbury joined the deck crew a few days into the charter season, but the self-proclaimed “Chief Entertainment Officer” often seems more suited for the interior crew.
The deck team has been responsible for several accidents and mishaps on board this season. After Adam neglected to rinse the main aft deck, a guest got glass stuck in their foot, the team let a swim ladder get ripped off the boat, they damaged the boat again when bringing the tender back on board, and recently caused a large scratch in the hull when they didn’t get a fender in place in time.
After João replaced Luke as Bosun, he noted that Adam, Harry, and Culver seem to struggle with professionalism and aren’t working well as a team. In a teaser for the next episodes, it also looks like there will be yet another accident caused by the deck crew.
There’s Still Time For the Deck Team To Turn Things Around
Though the interior and deck crews both work hard, there are much different stakes for each team. If the interior team drops the ball, the only real thing at risk is losing out on tips. However, if the deck team drops the ball, people can get seriously injured.
The fact is, the deck crew really needs to step it up for the rest of the charter season. With João as their new leader, it’s possible that the deck crew can come together as a team and exceed expectations. However, it’s not looking good. If nothing else, the deck crew need to be extra nice to the interior crew, as they’re the ones who are carrying the season.
TELL US – WHO HAS THE BETTER TEAMWORK ON BELOW DECK DOWN UNDER SEASON 2, INTERIOR OR DECK? CAN THE DECK TEAM STEP IT UP BEFORE THE CHARTER SEASON ENDS?
