Below Deck is a show on Bravo that follows the crew of a superyacht as they serve guests and visit beautiful locations. Captain Lee is the guiding force on these ships while the stewardesses are the ones who cater to the guests’ every need. The chief stews are the leaders of the interior and the stewardesses are the ones taking drink orders, doing laundry, and cleaning the rooms (among many other tasks)
- One of the best parts about Below Deck is the inside look at the yachting industry. Although the head chef, bosun, and captain are some of the more coveted positions, the stewardesses (stews) shouldn’t be ignored. Without stews, the interior of the yachts would falter. And as well-trained and professional as most of these stews are, the worst stews on Below Deck are those that don’t take direction well. Considering how hard everyone works, it’s hard to say the worst Below Deck crew are those who did, in fact, try, but there are always good and bad workers on these yachts.
Some of these stewardesses were better than others as they either melded with the rest of the team or were left in the dust. Some stews deserved praise, whereas some should have been handed a plane ticket home.
The Best Stewardesses
Emily Warburton-Adams (Season 4)
Emily Warburton-Adams was a London native who was excited to be at work after being in the yachting world for a few years already. One of her best qualities was always making sure the guests were having fun and joining them in a good time as well.
According to her Instagram, these days Emily is no longer in the yachting industry and doesn’t entertain the Bravolebrity lifestyle, but she’s still a fan favorite for her bubbly personality and sweet nature when she was a part of the show. Many feel she would have been a great chief stew on Below Deck.
Ashling Lorger (Season 8)
Ashling Lorger was on season 8 of Below Deck and worked under Francesca Rubi. With Rubi, Ashling also had to work with stews Elizabeth (Liz) Frankini and Izzy Wouters. Even though Liz was one the worst stews, Ashling was one of the best because of how she handled working with her.
Ashling could have easily lost her cool with Liz’s lazy work style, but she always kept her mouth closed and did her job. Many felt that she should have been promoted to second stew to replace Liz instead of third. And while some thought Ashling was being fake to Liz—since she shared her real feelings on her in the confessionals—a majority noted that she was simply being professional.
Courtney Skippon (Season 7)
Courtney Skippon threw fans for a loop during her opening interview when she talked about normally being the one who was served on yachts and how she loved attending glamorous parties. It seemed like she would quickly become one of the least favorites due to her less-than-perfect attitude, but it turns out she was one of the best.
Skippon was not like the worst guests on Below Deck, she was a hard worker and relatable. She was able to make drinks and serve guests like a pro, despite being the third stewardess under Simone Mashile. Fans watched as she shined with the guests and gave former chief stew Kate Chastain little to complain about as she did her duties without stirring the pot.
Amy Johnson (Seasons 2 and 3)
Amy Johnson appeared in two seasons and at first, fans thought she might become one of the worst stewardesses they had ever seen. The first season brought arguments with Kate Chastain, as she felt she was the outcast, but the next season major changes were made.
Johnson stepped up her game and became the stewardess fans didn’t expect. She brought her Southern charm and was always smiling, which seemed to put the guests at ease no matter what was happening.
Brianna Adekeye (Season 5)
Brianna Adekeye was onboard during season 5 and fans loved her ability to stay beneath the radar. She never caused any trouble, but was able to listen to problems without becoming the center of attention. While there are bound to be fake moments on Below Deck, Brianna’s professionalism was anything but.
Former chief stew Kate Chastain was constantly fighting with Jen Howell over her behavior, and Adekeye was able to continue doing her job without any issues throughout the drama. This is a rare thing to see during a Bravo reality show.
Josiah Carter (Season 6)
Josiah Carter was trained as a butler, so fans knew he was going to succeed in the yachting industry — especially on a reality show like Below Deck. He acted like Kate Chastain’s twin and was constantly a step ahead of what her next request was going to be in Below Deck’s sixth season.
Carter had good ideas and was able to make incredible drinks that the guests loved throughout the show. It was a good thing Chastain had him to help during this season seeing as Caroline Bedol was basically useless in the interior.
The Worst Stewardesses
Elizabeth Frankini (Season 8)
Elizabeth was on season 8 of Below Deck, and she made quite the impression, but not in a good way. She was in the yachting world for four years and tried to use healing crystals to protect her from evil.
Like many yachties, Elizabeth found herself in a fling with James Hough and didn’t put her full effort into work. In a few scenes, Elizabeth was spaced out and not fully present on the tasks at hand. In one season, she went from being the first stew to second to third. This was a first in the series, as it showed that her skills kept dropping throughout the various charters. If there was a rule she had to follow on Below Deck, she more than likely broke it.
Laura Betancourt (Season 6)
Fans had high hopes for Laura Betancourt after she replaced Caroline Bedol as the third stewardess in season 6, but viewers were sorely disappointed. She immediately came in and began criticizing everything that Kate Chastain was doing instead of learning about yachting on Below Deck as she went.
Betancourt was scolded several times for her attitude and fans even saw in earlier episodes how her know-it-all personality wasn’t based on actual knowledge. They had to constantly correct her on how things should be done, which is not what one would expect from the seasoned professional she claimed to be.
Sierra Storm (Season 4)
Sierra Storm was not the sharpest tool in the shed, as she managed to miss her flight in order to arrive at the yacht on time. She also constantly clashed with Kate Chastain over things she should have been doing, like always keeping track of her radio.
Sierra on Below Deck meant well, but she wasn’t meant for the yachting world. Chastain even tried to tie her radio to Sierra in order to help her remember, but she refused based on her pride. The radio is one of the things every crew member on the reality show is supposed to have on them at all times in case of emergencies, and it was obvious that this stewardess didn’t care about this side of the job.
Jennifer Howell (Season 5)
Jennifer Howell was a fairly lazy stewardess and cared more about her appearance at times than the feelings of the guests. She constantly refused Kate Chastain’s orders, as she felt she was out to get her. (If she thought Chastain was tough, imagine her with Captain Sandy.) She even slept in a time or two instead of waking up to do her job and still failed to understand why Chastain was angry with her.
There are always criticisms of Below Deck, and Howell’s laid-back personality was criticized intensely. Howell often made snarky comments toward Kate and then grew upset when she dished them right back. It was frustrating to watch, making her one stewardess fans wish had been given the boot.
Raquel ‘Rocky’ Dakota (Season 3)
It’s unclear how Raquel Dakota managed to make it an entire season without receiving a ticket home because she pulled some fairly ridiculous stunts. The worst was when she stripped down to her skivvies and jumped overboard where she tried to board a different yacht.
Even though Captain Lee was one of Below Deck’s more likable captains, he didn’t see this as a fireable offense. Dakota also constantly complained about her job, as well as Chastain’s orders. She might have dreamed of Chastain being let go, but fans had a different stewardess in mind.
Caroline Bedol (Season 6)
Caroline Bedol was one of the worst stewardesses to be hired throughout the seasons, as she barely did anything to help lighten the workload. Even though she got a foot injury and had to be put on bed rest for a few days, she still wasn’t doing herself any favors before then.
Luckily, she finally gave a two-day notice, but then decided last minute that she was quitting immediately. Bedol refused to leave her cabin and even locked the door as she laid in bed and waited for Captain Lee so she could tell him herself about her immediate resignation. Bedol was one of the worst crew members in the entire franchise.
