I Think This Week’s Below Deck Episode Is Further Proof That Boat Romances Are Not A Good Idea

Season 11 of Below Deck has been the farthest from smooth sailing, leading many diehard fans to wonder if the franchise is in trouble. From losing two crew members in one episode to last week’s firing of the fan-favorite chef, the St. David crew just can’t seem to catch a break. While this week’s episode saw the crew members with a better group of charter guests than the previous episodes, which included an appearance by RHONY alumni Jill Zarin, the crew members still found ways to bicker with each other regarding their various boat romances.

Fans were once again treated to the drama unfolding between Bosen Ben and Lead Deckhand Sunny. This time things got even worse when Ben imploded his undefined relationship in an attempt to get back with his former boat “situationship” Camille, who was not interested. As if that’s not bad enough, fans also witnessed the aftermath of Stewardess Barbie and Deckhand Kyle’s shenanigans after last week’s night out.

Mixing work with pleasure is never a good idea, and it’s even worse when you’re living quarters are also where you work. And yet, for some reason, that has never stopped the various Below Deck crew members over the years from trying to do just that. Best case scenario it ends in heartbreak, worst case scenario it ends with someone having to leave the charter season completely. Though the crew members aboard St. David have had to learn the hard way that boat romances are never a good idea, they should have known better because there are a handful of reasons why these types of relationships basically never work.

The Boat Romances Are Never Clearly Defined Leaving One Party Often Wanting More Than The Other

On a personal level, the biggest reason so many Below Deck romances between the crew members fail is because they never clearly define the relationship. Communication is key when it comes to these complicated pairings, and yet none of the people involved in them are ever mature enough to sit down and really talk things out. Perhaps, that’s because of their young age or, more likely, it’s because they don’t actually want to be tied down to just one person.

To be fair, Sunny did try this season to explain her expectations to Ben when the two of them started getting closer. She sat him down on more than one occasion and explained how certain behaviors (like him openly flirting with stewardess Cat when she joined the crew) made her uncomfortable. Despite initially hearing her out, Ben never followed through with his actions.

Perhaps the biggest offense happened this week when Ben started posting on social media about Camille while still being intimate with Sunny. Instead of owning up to his mistakes, he gaslit her into believing their failing relationship was all her fault. Fans immediately took to social media to call out Ben’s atrocious behavior. I wouldn’t be surprised if he dethrones Fraser as this season’s villain. 

Boat Romances Always Interfere With The Important Work That Needs To Be Done

One of the biggest reasons why boat romances are not a good idea is because they always end up affecting how the crew members handle the important and often dangerous work that needs to be done. Dealing with yachts is not an easy task, and the crew should have a clear head when working instead of worrying about who they’re going to bed with when their shift is over.

In Ben and Sunny’s case, not only have their arguments backed them into uncomfortable corners where they’re forced to work alongside each other despite wanting distance, but it’s also come to affect the rest of the deckhands too. Albeit not fair, the minute Sunny was named as Lead Deckhand, Dylan immediately blamed the promotion on her relationship with Ben instead of on the impressive skills she has.

Stewardess Barbie was smart enough to catch feelings for a coworker who was in a different department, but it still didn’t stop their drama from affecting her work. This was clear in the latest episode to air on the 2024 TV schedule when she confided in Fraser (of all people) that she was having a rough day thanks to all the teasing she’d be receiving after sleeping with Kyle.

As much as they try to deny it, it affects the guy’s work abilities too. Instead of focusing on cleaning up the yacht before the next charter, Ben and Kyle spent much of the time moping around wondering what’s wrong with the girls they’re interested in instead of taking a look in the mirror. In doing so, they neglected to clean certain areas of the boat that Captain Kerry had to point out.

Everyone Will Always Have An Opinion About The Relationship

While it’s true that no relationship goes without outside input from friends and family, the Below Deck boat romances are almost always under heavy scrutiny from the other crew members on board, as well as the fans when the episodes start to air. This can sour even the best relationships if everyone is constantly telling you that you deserve to be with someone better.

Season 11 is a perfect example of this. As far as I can remember, there hasn’t been one episode this season that one of the girls hasn’t pulled Sunny aside and told her that she deserves better than Ben. The even worse example of this happened this week when Ben, having listened to Kyle vent all day long, took it upon himself to tell Barbie that she needed to have a chat with him about where the two of them stood. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

Unfortunately, No One On Below Deck Ever Learns

Eleven seasons of Below Deck and several spin-offs later, one would think that future crewmembers would swear off relationships while they’re working and the cameras are filming. However, that has never been the case. Diehard Below Deck fans have been watching romances and flings destroy things on these charters for years now.

It happened last season on Below Deck Mediterranean when Luka found himself interested in stewardesses Nat and Jessika, while also smitten with a former crew member from a previous charter season. Even this season’s Chief Stew, Fraser, has found himself in hot waters before. In Season 9, he was a willing member in a three-way hot tub kiss that left many fans speculating about his relationship status with the two other crew members involved. And based on a teaser for next week’s episode the Chief Stew might find himself lip-locked again, only this time with a charter guest.

This season isn’t the first where love has threatened how smoothly the charter runs and it won’t be the last. While I personally think boat romances are never a good idea, they do make for good TV, so I can’t be too mad about them. If you are interested in seeing how things play out for the handful of failing romances aboard St. David don’t forget to tune in to Bravo next Monday at 9 p.m. ET or stream them the next day with a Peacock subscription.