Below deck‘S Ben Willoughby had his work cut out for him when he took over Jared Woodin – and he still has questions about the first departure of the deck crew with him as boatswain.

“This is the longest charter we had all season: four days long. We are already one man less [with Jared], but it’s nothing I don’t think we can handle. It’s unheard of [though when we] First [are] I’m from the dock,” Ben said exclusively We weekly. ‘You have two blankets [on the boat] while Sunny [Marquis] is stated in the tender. You wouldn’t do that. To be honest, I don’t even know if it’s legal.”

The reality star pointed out that it wasn’t easy to have stew Cat Baugh leave shortly after Jared.

“Interieur would support us with everything we needed, [such as] cleaning up the crew’s mess and all that kind of stuff. [They could] are taking back some duties from the deck team because we have one less man,” he explained. ‘But now they have to take it [more] tasks in their own department.”

Ben continued: “It’s just not a level playing field anymore because we have two crew members [during] the largest charter we have had. I mean, what could go wrong? Emotions are running high. It’s definitely an experience, to say the least, and I wouldn’t want to do that again.”

During the Monday March 18 episode of Below deck, Captain Kerry Titheradge let Jared go and then promoted Ben. The crew was in for another commotion when Cat asked to leave to deal with the problems at home. Despite having two people behind him, Ben slipped effortlessly into the role of boatswain, even though he wasn’t offered the job right away.

“At first I think [I was] a lot [surprised to not be bosun] because between the two seasons I had worked as a boatswain on other ships, which was great. I fell into that role very easily,” he noted. “So when I was asked to come back and I actually stepped back from the lead sailor, I thought, ‘Damn, I’ve got to bite my tongue a little bit here and see what kind of circus this person is.’ run.'”

Ben found it “very difficult” at first, adding: “You could definitely see that in the first few episodes. It’s hard for me to just step back from a role knowing that we are destined to fail with Jared at the helm. [It was] very frustrating. I don’t think Sunny or Kyle [Stillie] I could see my frustration, but at some point I was ready to walk away. I thought, ‘If we keep doing this, I’m going to get off this boat.’”

The tension between Ben and Jared became apparent as season 11 unfolded.

“I think it was more of a competition between the two of us. I think Jared took it that way because he could have used me to his advantage. I know the boat, I know how it works very successfully,” Ben explained. “But I think he was just trying to use what we call two-stripe authority to influence that on me. I tried my hardest to bite my tongue, but I was ready to walk off that boat because I knew we were destined to fail. And apparently we are here.”

According to Ben, the benefit of taking over from Jared was that he learned what mistakes not to make.

“I was really happy that he got to work on it for the first time and I could kind of see what was going on,” he admitted Us. “I’m glad he made the first attempt so I could see how to do it and what Kerry was like and where he demanded things. Especially in the docking situations… I could tell Jared was stumbling and fumbling. So I knew I just had to be there on my A-game.

Below deck season 11 airs on Bravo Mondays at 9pm ET. New episodes stream the next day on Peacock.

Working with the wealthy, traveling to the most exotic locations in the world and living for free on luxury ships: working on board a superyacht may sound like a dream job.

But life below deck has its challenges, according to Abbi Robertson, a superyacht chef who spent seven years sailing the high seas.

Beneath the glamorous surface, the seasoned sailor reveals months spent away from family and 16-hour work days – and no privacy to speak of.

The 31-year-old, from Buckinghamshire, spoke to MailOnline Travel about the highs and lows of the job. “I wouldn’t change my experiences for anything, but you have to accept that this lifestyle comes with its downsides,” she said.

Abbi started her superyacht journey in 2017, shortly after leaving a steady job as a project manager for a double door company. She had no plans other than ‘maybe travel a bit’ and ended up in this lifestyle by chance.

She completed compulsory training in Antibes, France. And within days she was on a 50-meter motor yacht in St. Tropez. After working as a crew member for a year, Abbi saved her tip money to pay for a culinary course at the Ashburton Chef Academy and switched to working in the galley.

Abbi is currently working on a mid-sized superyacht, serving up to eight guests and five crew members.

She works on a rotation basis, spending ten weeks at sea and ten weeks on land. Before that, she worked full-time and spent most of her time on board with only six weeks of vacation per year.

A typical day starts at 6:30 am with breakfast prepared and served and meals for the day planned. She then serves lunch, ranging from a three-course fine-dining menu to sharing platters ‘depending on what the guests prefer’.

Abbi takes a short break after lunch, before preparing a ‘sweet treat’ or afternoon tea at 3pm and canapés for cocktail hour at 6pm. At 7 p.m. she serves dinner and “tackles the mountain of dishes in the galley.”

After preparing dessert and drawing up a menu for the next day, she will finally rest at 11 p.m. Ready to do it all again.

One thing that surprised Abbi about working on a superyacht is how hard the work is.

She said: ‘It’s an easy assumption to think we’re on a “permanent holiday” and once the guests leave we’ll hang out on the yacht and have a good time. But in reality, the work on a boat is never done.

‘A superyacht must work perfectly and look new every time guests come on board. That takes a lot of work and a lot of night work to achieve that.’

And there are many problems when you spend a long time at sea.

From the impossibility of cooking while the ‘boat is bouncing along’ to the lack of work-life balance and routine, Abbi said the lifestyle is not ‘suitable for everyone’.

She said: ‘The obvious disadvantages are being away from family, not having privacy or any kind of work-life balance – difficult when you live at work – but what I have found most difficult as as I got older, there is a lack of routine or consistency. You build a group of friends in one port and get used to your life there, but at any moment you can be told by the captain that you are sailing to the other side of the world and have to start all over again.’

But for Abbi, working on a superyacht is ‘worth it’.

Highlights, she said, include visiting “some incredible countries I’ve never heard of,” with highlights including “sailing the Strait of Magellan in Patagonia, spending a whole year in Tahiti and exploring the islands Visiting Vanuatu’.

A close second in terms of travel are the “amazing people” she has met along the way. “When you have a good team around you, it hardly feels like work,” she said.

Abbi added, “You often have to go with the flow and roll with the punches. If you can do that, you can enjoy a great lifestyle and experience unique destinations.”

For more from Abbi, visit her on TikTok at www.tiktok.com/@abbicooks.uk (earlier www.tiktok.com/@abbicooks) or Instagram here – www.instagram.com/abbicooks/.

While dealing with personal issues off the boat, Jared Woodin continued to alienate himself from more Below deck actors.

During the Monday, March 11 episode of the Bravo series, Jared, Fraser Olender, Anthony Iracane, Ben Willoughby And Kyle Stillie enjoyed a boys night out after a charter. However, things took a turn when Fraser suggested that the others help Anthony more in coping with the anniversary of his father’s death.

Jared was not happy with the request because he felt he had done more than enough work. After Jared became visibly frustrated, Fraser questioned his behavior.

“I know we’re all going through our own issues, but Jared seems a little aggressive,” the head steward said in a confessional. “If someone can go there so quickly after a few drinks, that’s a red flag.”

The drama only escalated when the crew returned to the boat. Jared’s attempts at flirting Barbie Pascual were not answered as she officially chose to act on her feelings for Kyle instead. Barbie and Kyle then went to her cabin to hang out, while Jared got angry about the mess his deckhand left upstairs.

“He’s on King’s Day tonight,” Barbie said after Jared entered her cabin numerous times—without knocking—to express his annoyance with Kyle. Jared asked Kyle to clean himself up, which didn’t happen quickly enough for the boatswain.

‘You have to understand. At the end of the day, I have a job to maintain,” Jared told Kyle before their conversation got too loud and woke him up. Captain Kerry Titheradge. “I’m not done talking yet. I just cleaned up a lot and it’s not even enough. I’d like you to vacuum before you go to bed.’

Jared continued, “At the end of the day, it’s my ass and the reason I brought you here to do this is because I don’t want to do it in front of other people.”

Kerry interrupted the conversation before it got too heated. In a preview for the next episode, Kerry tried to summarize what happened before he got involved. Kyle told Kerry how Jared “barged into” Barbie’s room.

In response, Kerry asked Barbie if she felt “threatened” by Jared’s behavior. Kerry also had a heart-to-heart with Jared, saying, “This is the second time you’ve been taking the piss and behaving badly.”

Jared previously talked about how the problems at home weighed on him.

“I only have time to talk to my daughter twice a week. I risk losing all communication if I don’t stick to the schedule I have,” Jared, who shares a young child with his ex, explained in an episode earlier this month. “I’m trying to build trust again. For me it is very important that I maintain consistency.”

Jared said at the time that the lack of communication affected his behavior, adding: “Last night was particularly difficult for me. It was very emotional because Tuesday and Friday are the days I have to talk to my daughter. And because I had no phone service, I couldn’t talk to my daughter. It is real.”

Kerry offered support, while still reminding Jared that he had to do his job.

“I really care where Jared is and I can tell he’s not in a good place. He’s going through a rough patch, but he’s the head of a department,” Kerry said in a confessional. “You can’t have your head in the clouds or somewhere else. It affects your safety and the safety of the guests. You have to be focused on the work.”

Below deck season 11 airs on Bravo Mondays at 9pm ET. New episodes stream the next day on Peacock.

MILLIONAIRE Barrie Drewitt-Barlow has been criticized for his behavior on reality series Below Deck: Sailing Yacht.

The British businessman appeared in season 2 of the show, which first aired in 2021 but has just been added to Netflix, with his ex-husband Tony, their respective partners and five of their children.

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Barrie and Tony came into the spotlight in 1999 after becoming the first gay couple to have children through a surrogate mother.

The couple made their money through a transatlantic surrogacy business and a global medical research company.

They split in 2019, but still live together and have remained good friends.

The family made a splash as soon as they arrived on the sailing yacht, as 10-year-old twins Dallas and Jasper arrived on the boat wearing an ornately patterned three-piece. to take.

They had many demands on the staff, including refusing to be served buffet meals and requesting to be served only by leggy heartthrob JL.

Barrie shared on Instagram an offensive message that a troll sent to him after seeing him on the show.

The troll said, ‘I saw you below deck.

“You are the biggest f*ing ahole people I’ve ever seen.

“Asking the impossible, difficult, insulting”.

“You deserve to be treated like shit for the rest of your life.

“You and your family can fuck yourselves.”

In response to this post, Barrie replied, “They see you on a reality show and think you’re literally easy goal LOL.

“I mean, come on, is it outrageous to ask for your meal to be brought out at the same time?

“And don’t forget, it’s a reality show, with thirty cast members all fighting for airtime, you mug!

‘Like flowers don’t get anything.

“Wake up! @natashadebourg [the Below Deck chef] and I’m actually very, very good friends”.

During the episode, staff on the boat struggled to meet the family’s demands, with Barrie complaining about portion sizes and only drinking from crystal glasses that had to be hand washed.

“This is a fucking nightmare,” said Chef Daisy.

Barrie moaned to the wait staff, who were taken aback, that the family had been served at slightly different times.

“We can’t eat like this,” he complained.

Chef Natasha appeared to be furious at Barrie’s demands.

“I’m a chef, I’m not a clown, I don’t do magic,” she said.

Although Barrie was not impressed with the service on the boat, his trip still ended on a high note.

On the last night of the trip (which was also Tony’s birthday), Barrie proposed to his boyfriend Scott.

The family seemed overjoyed by the proposal, even Barrie’s daughter Saffron, Scott’s ex-girlfriend.

Fabulous pays for your exclusive stories. Just email fabulousdigital@the-sun.co.uk and put EXCLUSIVE in the subject line.

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Between an awkward battle with supplies and being insulted by a guest, Below deck‘S Jared Woodin is visibly having a hard time on the boat.

During a new episode, which aired on Monday, March 4, Jared started the charter on a rocky note with a call to the supplier. Jared initially sent a text message asking for blue and white deck towels, which the supplier called a “difficult” request.

A day before the charter, Jared called the supplier again for an update on the “condition” of the towels. In response, the woman informed Jared that they could not trace the items.

“We can’t get towels on the island [Grenada] Very easy. Especially the style you ask for and in a specific color,” she said, to which Jared fired back, “I just need towels.” There must be towels on this island. White or blue.”

The off-screen employee was not happy with Jared’s reaction.

“Listen, if you were a little more professional and cordial in your tone, I think it would come across better,” she noted. “Because I feel like we’re having a little bit of an argument on the phone here. I’m here to help you.”

Jared apologized to the supplier, but ultimately was unable to obtain the towels. In a confessional, Ben Willoughby called the boatswain a “f-king d-khead” after witnessing Jared going back and forth during the phone call.

Later in the episode, Jared got emotional when a drunk guy told him it was a good thing he was attractive because he had “nothing else” going for him.

“The guest’s comment takes me back to the way I felt as a child and being told I had made something up. Back to not being good enough,” Jared told the cameras before he started crying on the boat. “I tend to put myself down a lot. It’s the way I think about my self-worth.”

In the sneak peek of the March 11 episode, it’s revealed that Jared’s future on the boat will be called into question when Captain Kerry Titheradge walks in on a tense conversation between him and Kyle Stillie. The captain previously tried to help Jared after noticing how his mental health had deteriorated.

“I really care where Jared is and I can tell he’s not in a good place. He’s going through a tough situation, but he’s the head of a department,” Kerry said in a confessional during Monday’s episode. “You can’t have your head in the clouds or somewhere else. It affects your safety and the safety of the guests. You have to be focused on the work.”

Jared told Kerry that most of his stress came from not being able to contact his daughter.

“I only have time to talk to my daughter twice a week. I risk losing all communication if I don’t stick to the schedule I have,” Jared, who shares the young child with his ex, explained. “I’m trying to build trust again. For me it is very important that I maintain consistency.”

Jared, who has never met his child before, explained how important it was to him, adding, “Last night was especially hard for me. It was very emotional because Tuesday and Friday are the days I have to talk to my daughter. And because I had no phone service, I couldn’t talk to my daughter. It is real.”

Kerry, meanwhile, offered resources to Jared. ‘If you want to call someone, come to my place. All those things you have to deal with, work through them, but you are the boson on the boat,” the captain added. “You have to hold yourself to a higher standard.”

Before season 11 premiered on Bravo, Kerry spoke exclusively We weekly that not the entire cast will last.

“I think we may have hit the sack record this season,” he teased Us in February before addressing Jared and Ben’s tension. “It’s a bit of a power struggle there with Jared and Ben. It wasn’t until that first episode that I realized how bad it was.”

Below deck season 11 airs on Bravo Mondays at 9pm ET. New episodes stream the next day on Peacock.

Below deck‘S Cat Baugh said she wasn’t sure if working at St. David was the right choice — and fellow stew Barbie Pascual disagrees.

“I don’t think she should have ever signed up for this,” Barbie said exclusively We weekly on Thursday, February 29, after filming season 11 with Cat. “This isn’t for her.”

Barbie noted that Cat might need more experience before joining such a big ship, adding, “I think sailing could too [still] be for her. Small yachts and maybe even potentially mega yachts. One day she could climb the ladder there, but this environment was not for her. That’s no problem. This is a lot.”

Earlier this season, Cat was promoted to chief steward Fraser Olender that she felt overwhelmed after being assigned to help everyone on the internal team. Slowly she found her stride, but the stews lacked rank and made Cat question her place on the boat.

“It was an umbrella of everything [for her]. The pressure of being at St. David is not [like] be on another boat,” Barbie said. “The pressure is – it’s a lot. And you work a lot of hours, and that’s really not for everyone. I give her grace for that, because it’s really, really hard.

Throughout season 11, viewers have seen Barbie and Cat clash, with Fraser caught in the middle. Although Barbie felt more experienced in a leadership role, Cat’s attempts to speak up caused several arguments. Fraser tried to mediate, but that only made his working relationship with Barbie worse.

While you’re talking to Ustold Barbie what she would have done differently in her interactions with Cat.

“I should have been more sympathetic. But I did what needed to be done to get the job done,” she continued. “I didn’t know her story either. She never sat with me. She sat down with Fraser and gave me the opportunity to be empathetic, so that was something different.

Cat previously told Fraser about the “trauma” she experienced during her time in a religious cult.

“I was in a foster home. My father died when I was nine from multiple sclerosis. And then my mother died when I was 13, just in her sleep. It was very sudden and no [they don’t know what it was]she explained in a February episode. “So me and my brother were thrown into the system and separated.”

Cat was then adopted by a family who did not want her to come into contact with her brother.

“I don’t talk to the family I lived with because they were a cult religion,” she continued. “We were [in the same state]. But they wouldn’t even let me talk to him because he wasn’t religious. It was such an extreme religion that they wouldn’t even let me speak to my own biological brother.”

As she grew older, Cat made the decision to reconnect with her sibling. “Because I wanted to continue the relationship with my biological brother, they said, ‘No. We do not support that,” she concluded. “When I turned 18, I decided to choose my brother and choose my life. I decided to live for myself and that’s when I became the most independent. Now me and my brother are so close. He is like my best friend.”

Cat discussed in a confessional how her childhood ultimately influenced her work ethic.

“When you grow up with a lot of trauma, you become very insecure about yourself. The foster family I was with did a lot of things that made me feel like I just wasn’t perfect,” she recalled. “You had to be perfect. So how people perceive my work ethic is very important to me. I don’t want to be seen as weak. It literally gives me great anxiety.”

With reporting by Christina Garibaldi

Below deck season 11 airs on Bravo Mondays at 9pm ET. New episodes stream the next day on Peacock.

Have you ever wondered what rich people get up to, away from prying eyes?

Well, a former passenger aboard the world’s most exclusive private residential ship has now told the truth about what’s really happening among some of the wealthy elite who choose to escape by taking to the high seas.

Peter Antonucci, who worked as a commercial litigator in New York City, lived for five years aboard the ship, which has a strict invitation-only policy.

The 64-year-old compared the ship, which has apartments for sale from around $2 million, to a student dormitory and claimed the exclusive community was steeped in heated clashes and dirty dealings. Affairs.

The houseboat, named The World, was launched in 2002 to offer a ‘lifestyle of luxury living adventure previously unthinkable’.

Peter first booked a trial trip on the ship with his wife Tami and was quickly seduced by almost every aspect: from the hospitable crew to the regulated itinerary.

Then the couple bought their first cruise ship condo in 2014 for a price in the region of $1.6 million and would spend up to eight months of the year on board.

Ultimately, they moved at various points during their tenure – after owning four separate apartments at different times – with the price tag rising to around $4 million.

The millionaires’ playground, which spans 200 meters and features twelve desks, is usually shrouded in secrecy, but Peter has since shared what really goes on behind closed doors.

He explained to DailyMail.com that he had better insight than most after being elected to The World’s Board of Directors.

“Any extreme conduct violations are brought to the attention of the board, so that’s what it comes down to,” Peter said.

‘I knew where all the skeletons could be found – I knew who slept with who, who attacked who, who stole… And of course I have two eyes and two ears. You see things and you feel things.’

He explained: ‘The dramas, stories and subplots didn’t all happen overnight – some took months or even years.

‘As residents, we sat lustily watching them brew. Many people on the ship were entranced by the gossip.

“The ship was powered more by rumor than by diesel.”

Elaborating further on the dynamics of the residents, Peter explained that there was a party ‘every day’.

“Here you have a small group of very successful, entitled people floating around in a steel basin in the middle of the ocean,” he said.

‘When you’re at sea for six, seven days, people just go from bar to bar, and what could go wrong?

“Have you had people crushed? Naturally. Have you had people dive into the pool fully clothed? Yes. Did they remain fully clothed? Not always.

“Have you had people using drugs? Of course you did it. Anytime you have a group of people, you get that stuff.”

Peter added: ‘A lot of the things I’ve seen on The World look somewhat like a student house.’

He not only drew parallels to the antics of college students, but also identified comparisons to HBO’s dark comedy The White Lotus.

The satirical drama follows a star-studded cast – including Jennifer Coolidge – as their affluent characters embark on sun-drenched vacations marred by affairs, hedonism and sinister secrets.

“To be clear, the people on the ship weren’t killing each other… it wasn’t that bad.

“But you had entitled owners yelling at staff when they couldn’t get their way and you had guests who were inappropriate, barely dressed and grinding against each other on the pool deck.”

He said there were also incidents of heated arguments, altercations and affairs that lasted “months or years” – even between residents and crew.

When asked how rule breakers were dealt with, Peter explained: ‘You can’t get rid of people straight away if they’re paying $5 million to buy on and they’re paying $5 million in maintenance fees every year.

“But there were protocols in place to deal with it.”

Peter, who kept a diary during his time on board, has done so ever since wrote three novels about a fictional ship – with titles such as Billionaire’s Paradise, Scandal at Sea: Billionaire’s In The Deep and Tides of Betrayal.

He claims his books are purely inspired by true events, but said he was initially shunned by other residents after they learned of his projects.

THe authorwho described himself as a provocateur, said: “People know I’m not afraid to say things.”

‘When I was writing the books, everyone was very worried and said, “I can’t believe you’re going to write this”, they ignored me, they wouldn’t talk to me and I was isolated.

‘Then the book came out and it was all fiction and they all came to me and said, “Why am I not in your book?”

A spokesperson for The World told DailyMail.com: ‘WWe had previously been in contact with Mr. Antonucci, who assured us in writing that his works have no connection with The World or its inhabitants, and that his publications are fictional works of art about a fictional ship.

‘We wish him every success with his creative works of fiction, which we understand have no relationship with De Wereld or any of its inhabitants.’

There are 165 luxury homes on board The World, which travels to more than 100 destinations per year as part of an itinerary planned two to three years in advance, ranging from stylish studios to three-bedroom apartments.

They cost between $2 million and $15 million, not including annual ownership costs, but according to Business Insider, only a handful are resold each year.

Residents are reportedly allowed to make renovations and decorate according to their personal taste.

Most passengers on board are said to have an individual net worth of at least $10 million.

Peter told DailyMail.com that the demographic was ‘very international’, adding: ‘It skews towards almost exclusively retirees – over 80 per cent.

‘One of the things that’s impressive about the ship is that most of the inhabitants are self-made.

“They’re not trust fund babies, but that’s a good thing and a bad thing.”

He continued, “It’s a good thing because they understand what it’s like to build a business and develop something.

“But it can be a bad thing because they’ve never said no and when they have an idea they just go with it.”

Peter left the ship in 2019, adding: ‘I left because of two things.

‘First of all, I’d been around so long that I’d seen the world a few times. Secondly, I was personally tired of the gossip, the rumors and the cattiness.”

He now divides his time between Connecticut and Palm Beach, Florida.

Anthony Iracane dropped a bomb Below deck viewers when he revealed his wife left him – for his uncle.

“This dinner is about love. I wish I could be so in love with someone,” the chef told the cameras during a new episode, which aired on Monday, February 26. “I got married when I was 26. We had many plans to start a family. It was a big deal.”

Anthony recalled what caused his marriage to fall apart, adding, “Long story short, one from my uncle[s] is a captain. He [found out] that she is a chief stew and he [found] her a job. I still haven’t received a text from her. No phone call. I think she just left me for my uncle, you know? It was pretty decent.”

Despite the setback in his personal life, Anthony said he is hopeful for his future. “So right now I’m literally in love with my cat,” he added.

Anthony wasn’t the only one with love on his mind during Monday’s episode. Several Below Deck stars shared their thoughts on happily ever after while planning a joint vow renewal – and wedding – for their current charter guests.

“So today we had a wedding at a waterfall. Two couples renew their vows and one couple actually gets married.” Captain Kerry Titheradge explained. “As captain of the ship I can officiate a wedding, but I went one step further. I am ordained.”

Kerry, who shares children with his ex-wife, joked about his dating history, telling cameras: ‘It’s quite nerve-wracking for me. I’ve never married anyone. I know more about divorces than weddings in Florida.”

Later in the episode, Kerry seemingly didn’t rule out the idea of ​​tying the knot again during a FaceTime call with his girlfriend. Ghonul Bihan.

“Honey, I did that [worked on this speech] six times now. I am refining it more and more,” he told Ghönül, who was surprised by how committed Kerry was to the guest’s request. Ghönül further wondered whether Kerry could officiate his own wedding ‘officially’.

“I’ll look into that,” he replied. “We have to go for it.”

Fraser Olendermeanwhile, had different ideas about his own potential wedding day.

“I love seeing love and I love seeing people so deeply in love after so many years together,” said the head steward, who is currently in a relationship. “If I ever got married, I would want a very intimate and small group of family and friends on the beach, dressed in linen.”

Fraser continued: “And if that doesn’t happen, that’s fine because I still go on holiday three times a year so I’m fine with being alone on that beach.”

One couple that doesn’t seem to stand the test of time is Barbie Pascual And Jared Woodin. After teasing her crush on Jared, Barbie changed her mind after a night out with the crew.

“Jared’s sloppy behavior really put me off,” Barbie said before she went looking Kyle Stillie instead of. “It’s like one of those situations where you meet someone and on the first date you say, ‘I just met my husband!’ And then you go on the second date and you’re like, ‘No, I didn’t do that.’

Below deck season 11 airs on Bravo Mondays at 9pm ET. New episodes stream the next day on Peacock.

It is considered one of the most glamorous and romantic ways to see one of the world's most mysterious and enchanting countries.

But is a Nile cruise in Egypt really worth it?

Travel vlogger Sam Mayfair started exploring the pros and cons with a seven-day tour aboard the five-star cruise ship Steigenberger Royale on one of the most popular routes: Luxor to Aswan, 150 miles away.

Cruise ships on this route offer tourists the chance to see some of Egypt's most fascinating cultural sights and breathtaking landscapes.

Thirty-nine-year-old Sam, from Surrey, posted images of his journey to his TikTok account – @Sam.Mayfair – and told MailOnline it was a 'hassle-free' way to see Egypt.

Sam starts the video by showing off his spacious suite, a room upgrade with a lavish bathroom. He claims: 'There are smaller rooms, but they don't differ much in price.'

He then goes to the rest of the ship and reveals that the upper deck has a sunbathing area. He says: 'There was also a swimming pool… which I really enjoyed. There's nothing like jumping into a cold pool when it's 44 degrees [Centigrade].'

Sam continues filming, revealing an outdoor bar, a small gym and a massage room, before showing a large indoor lounge, complete with red carpets and wooden furniture. According to him, this room was used in the evening because it was 'difficult to stay outside because of the mosquitoes'.

In terms of food and drinks, Sam said the meals were included in the package, but additional drinks had to be purchased.

He adds: 'The food on the cruise was actually very good. It was a buffet with a different theme every day.'

Sam says these cruises can also include guided tours, depending on which package you book. He adds: 'However, if, like me, you haven't booked it as part of the package, you will have to pay extra for all your small tours.'

One thing passengers should be aware of is the small boats that sell souvenirs, Sam notes. In the video, Sam says they will “attach themselves to the ship and hold it for dear life while they try to sell you a towel.”

While Sam says there's “nothing wrong with buying from them,” he adds, “Just make sure you negotiate the price.”

Sam paid £1,500 ($1,886) for two tickets on board the cruise. “We started in Luxor and ended in Luxor, but most passengers arrive in Aswan after four days,” he explained.

Was the trip worth it? He told MailOnline Travel: 'One hundred percent.

“It's a really interesting way to travel and explore, and you can't help but imagine that you're making the same journey that people have been making for thousands of years.”

He said those on board can expect to see a new location every day, “including the Valley of the Kings, Luxor Temple, Karnak, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philea and the Unfinished Obelisk.”

Is there room for improvement? Sam said, “You're a little limited in time at each location. I would have liked to explore a little longer.”

But he added: “If you want to explore and travel worry-free, that's very good… and I would recommend it as an experience.”

To learn more from Sam, visit him on YouTube at www.youtube.com/@SamMayfair and TikTok www.tiktok.com/@sam.mayfair.

Luka Bruntonit’s time Below deck Mediterranean is saturated with romantic connections – and not all of them took place on board.

In 2023, Bravo fans were introduced to Luka in season 2 of Below Deck Down Under where he briefly became involved in a love triangle Jaimee Neale And Culver Bradbury.

Captain Jason Chambers Luka later recommended Captain Sandy Yawn and he was offered a position on the deck team for season 8 of Below Deck Med, which aired months later. However, Ruan Irving By forging his papers, Luka was able to rise from provisional boatswain to leading the external team.

Throughout the season, Luka managed to balance his job and his love life with surprising success. He developed a flirtationship with Natalya Scudder but it didn’t get far as she tried to figure out her open relationship with a boyfriend off-screen.

From then on, Luka turned on the charm with Jessika Asai, which turned into a season-long boatmance. Luka’s past with Below Deck Med alum Katie Flood also came to light while he was still on the Mustique.

Luka confirmed this later We weekly that he didn’t actually end up with anyone in the world Below deck universe.

“I am currently in a relationship. [I’m] back with my partner I was with before the show,” he revealed Us during BravoCon in November 2023. “We broke up [before] the show and we’re back together now. I don’t think she’s watching [this season]. It’s probably good.”

Keep scrolling for a guide to every connection Luka made during season 8 of Below Deck Med:

A long-term flirt with Natalya Scudder

It didn’t take long for sparks to fly between Luka and Natalya during season 8 of Below Deck Med. Despite being interested in each other, Natalya was actually hesitant to move forward due to a confusing open relationship with her then-boyfriend.

Natalya and Luka kissed a few times, but eventually broke up when she left early to deal with issues in her personal life. However, the pair kept in touch through flirty messages, which Luka did not tell Jessika during their affair.

“Therefore [Jess and I] being dating and maybe i don’t want to be in a relationship doesn’t mean i don’t care about her. Everyone has their feelings,” he said in a January 2024 episode. “I never told Jess I wanted a relationship. So there are no obligations. Imagine if people found out I was texting Natalya.”

A Boatmance affair with Jessika Asai

After Luka realized he wasn’t going to date Natalya, Jessika suddenly caught his attention. The pair quickly went from just flirting to a casual relationship in season 8. However, a lack of communication caused problems when Jessika found out Luka was in contact with Katie.

“This whole situation is really annoying. But at the same time, it’s not my business who he talks to,” she told the cameras in a January 2024 episode. “I’m not going to deprive myself of the fun. I’m going to face all of this with my eyes open.”

Luka, for his part, wasn’t bothered by the drama because he didn’t expect a future with Jessika.

“Obviously I like Jess a little more than a friend. We have no relationship. I’m not a f-king dating Katie Flood. We are just friends. Just friends. Even if I texted her as more than a friend,” he said in a confessional before interrupting himself. “OK. Well, I don’t know.”

A Mysterious Past with Alum Katie Flood

Below deck viewers were fooled when Luka randomly revealed that he was friends with Katie, who appeared in the last season of Below Deck Med. Luka told everyone – including Captain Sandy – that there was nothing romantic between him and Katie.

‘I’ve known Katie for four years. She was in a relationship with one of my friends and I know she has worked with Sandy in the past,” he said in a December 2023 episode. “My History [with her]? We don’t really have a history. We hung out a few times. What are you trying to achieve?”

The jury is still out on whether Luka was telling the whole truth about his platonic bond with Katie.