Episode reviews

🌊 High Tides and Higher Drama: Below Deck Sets Sail with Season 12
By Sienna G, Entertainment Contributor

When Below Deck returns to the Caribbean for its twelfth season, it wastes no time reminding viewers why it’s still the crown jewel of Bravo’s seafaring franchise. Premiering with a mix of green crew members, veteran leadership, and signature onboard chaos, Episode 1 is a cocktail of yacht luxury and reality TV dysfunction—and it goes down as smoothly as a glass of rosé on the sundeck.

Welcome Aboard the Drama

Season 12 opens on the opulent St. David, once again cruising through the picturesque waters of Sint Maarten. At the helm is returning Captain Kerry Titheradge, who swaps out the more laissez-faire leadership style of his predecessor for strict professionalism. It’s clear from the start that Kerry means business—and he’ll need to, as his crew stumbles out of the gate.

Chief Stew Fraser Olender is back, bringing with him a polished exterior and simmering nerves. He’s joined by two new stews: Bárbara, a confident Brazilian with high standards, and Solène, a French stewardess with a relaxed approach that quickly rubs her colleague the wrong way. What starts as an awkward vibe soon turns volatile when a cultural misstep from Solène leads to a confrontation that sets the tone for the interior team’s rocky road ahead.

Galley Gone Wrong

In the galley, newcomer Chef Lawrence Snowden suffers from more than just first-day jitters. Tasked with impressing demanding charter guests—especially germaphobic primary Sam Rashid, who inspects his quarters with a blacklight—Lawrence buckles under the pressure. A botched steak order, cooked less than “beyond well-done” (yes, that’s a thing now), pushes the chef to the brink.

By the episode’s final minutes, the stress is palpable. With Lawrence threatening to jump ship after just one meal service, viewers are left with a cliffhanger: Will he actually quit before the second charter even begins?

Deck Crew Disarray

Meanwhile, on deck, things aren’t faring much better. Bosun Caio leads a mostly inexperienced team, and their first major blunder—forgetting to bring the guests’ luggage onboard—earns a sharp rebuke from Captain Kerry. The incident, quickly dubbed “LuggageGate” by fans online, feels like a preview of logistical chaos to come.

Setting Sail on Season 12

What Below Deck excels at is presenting a high-stakes environment where professionalism and personalities clash. Episode 1 of this new season proves no exception. The friction between crewmembers feels raw, not rehearsed, and the production smartly leans into those early missteps without overproducing the tension.

If Episode 1 is any indication, Season 12 will ride a wave of onboard conflict, questionable cuisine, and dramatic dockings. With a combustible mix of green crew and high guest expectations, the seas ahead look anything but smooth—which, for Below Deck fans, is exactly what we signed up for.

Rating: ★★★★☆
High drama, lush visuals, and enough tension to sink a tender—Season 12 is already shaping up to be a standout.