Below Deck Recap: Girls Trip

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Can anyone truly believe we’ve reached the final charter of this season? Despite Below Deck‘s apparent shift in focus – prioritizing personal conflicts over job-related matters, and keeping individuals with little to no yachting experience onboard, despite their poor performance – there are some aspects that never change. The crew always gets priority during the last charter. Granted, tips matter, but rules become more lenient. If guests want the deck team to be shirtless throughout the charter, they can oblige! If Damo feels like rekindling his long-standing romance with Solène without any clear reason, even after criticizing her professionalism just a day ago, it seems the crew doesn’t mind!

Additionally, the upcoming charter arrives with a lively atmosphere. It’s fortunate that we are welcoming a group of middle-aged women who have had Botox treatments, eager to enjoy themselves. However, they pose a challenge as they collectively have over 700 dietary restrictions and plan to dine on an eight-course menu themed “fire and ice.” Moreover, they are arranging for a beach outing at the secluded Happy Bay and fireworks provided by Fraser for their final evening. As a result, Anthony is already feeling quite anxious.

The following day, the guests are expected, so the team decides to go out for a relaxed dinner and drinks in the evening. They opt for espresso martinis, a questionable choice for a school night. Nonetheless, they live by the motto “You only live once” (YOLO). During their absence, Bárbara and Jess share an intimate moment in the bathroom. Upon their return, Bárbara proposes a game of ‘Fuck, Marry, Kill’, which everyone takes lightly. Jess jokingly suggests she’d marry Solène for dramatic purposes and kill Bárbara; however, Solène responds by expressing her intent to eliminate Jess immediately. Earlier in the day, while conversing with Hugo in the team’s mess hall, Jess admitted that her reaction to Solène’s probe about the Kerry embargo was disproportionate. She expressed her personal grievances towards a coworker in front of her superior, which she later deemed unacceptable. To rectify the situation, Jess approaches Solène to apologize. Solène accepts the apology but makes it clear that it does not change anything; essentially, Jess is as good as dead to her.

It seems that Solène doesn’t benefit from everyone always apologizing to her, as it seems to inflate her ego excessively. I don’t believe Jess did anything particularly wrong; she simply told Solène the truth, albeit forcefully. Although she could have spoken more calmly, she didn’t exactly insult her mother. In any case, Jess is currently preoccupied with concerns about what will happen to her and Bárbara once the season ends. It appears that Bárbara is moving on to another boat after the St. David, while Jess plans to take a break. They plan to meet up when they both have some free time. Later in the episode, Jess consults a friend for advice on what to do. Since Bárbara resides in New York, and Jess intends to travel across the U.S. anyway, her friend advises her to go ahead and do it. Bárbara tells Damo that she’s not getting her hopes up: que será, será.

It’s clear that Damo isn’t the go-to guy for heartfelt discussions. After dinner, he playfully flirts with Rainbeau but assures us it’s not romantic. However, his interest lies with Solène, given their limited time left together. Emulating a senior’s bold spirit, he decides to make a move since they have only three days left.

Damo shares an unsettling anecdote about his Brazilian ex-girlfriend who was significantly older than him when they were dating, which gives off an awkward impression. Regardless, Damo’s actions towards Kyle are questionable, as Kyle is still recuperating from a self-destructive phase and remains unaware that his friend intends to take Solène away from him again.

Throughout the episode, Kyle and Solène sneak affectionate kisses in boat corners, reminiscent of their past. Hugo even captures them passionately locking lips during a break.

Rainbeau’s observation is that Solène is performing well at work for a change, unlike her usual behavior from five episodes ago. Her improved attitude might be due to being the center of male attention again. She’s back to being unsure about what she wants, even expressing a desire to swap bodies with Kyle and have Damo’s affections instead. Solène recalls Damo telling her bluntly that she’s incompetent at work, but she continues to pursue him throughout the episode. In conversation with a friend during the charter, she discusses her romantic complications, with her friend’s exclamation of “oh, putain” implying that Solène tends to create chaos not just on yachts, but in her personal life as well. Despite flirting with Damo all episode, Solène eventually asks Kyle to share her bunk.

However, Solène’s revived love triangle adding a retro flair isn’t the only thing causing a sense of nostalgia; Anthony appears anxious. For starters, Captain Kerry is scheduled to dine with guests during the elaborate eight-course meal, which tends to make him restless. Moreover, the very existence of an eight-course meal seems to be a point of concern. Even before the guests embark, Fraser inquires from Anthony if he’ll have sufficient time to prepare dinner between 2 p.m., their return from the Happy Bay outing, and 7 p.m., the optimal hour for dining prior to the fireworks. Anthony seems apprehensive, almost fearful.

As a fan, I can’t help but express my excitement as Deb and Erin, along with their lively daughters, join the scene. In a private moment, Hugo chuckles, hinting at concerns about Stillie potentially getting let go mid-charter. The constant speculation about inappropriate encounters between Kyle and a charter guest due to Helen’s past incidents left me feeling somewhat irked. There was an undercurrent of suspicion with Helen that is nowhere to be found in this exuberant, retired-sorority atmosphere. These women are open, flirtatious, and quite tipsy on wine. They won’t go beyond a passionate kiss, but they certainly aren’t shy about it, especially with the captain, if given the chance. They each choose their crewmates as suitors, and later, the boys reciprocate by selecting their favorites from the guest list. The women insist on the crew driving the Jet Skis without shirts, adding to the lightheartedness. Damo wisely seeks permission from the captain before engaging in semi-nude activities with the guests. Kerry takes it a step further: During the beach excursion, he instructs the crew to keep their shirts off, knowing it will please the guests. This situation is starkly different, much lighter than the somber atmosphere that followed Helen’s charter.

As a host, I find it challenging to cater to the various dietary needs of my guests, especially since Anthony has multiple restrictions, not necessarily allergies but sensitivities. To ensure we address everyone’s preferences correctly upon arrival, I like to discuss these details with them personally. For instance, Anthony mentioned that he can manage his gluten sensitivity, yet it was noted on the preference sheet. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was intentional, making things a bit more complicated than necessary? As for Erin’s plan to divide the fire and ice night into two groups – the four sisters and the friends – I can’t help but ponder if it implies some underlying tension between them. After all, they will still be sharing the same event, right?

Deck crew, deck crew, the guests desire a fashion show with an alluring twist.” Solène, embodying Lucille Ball’s spirit, stumbles as she enters the stage.

Hugo becomes so engrossed in the fashion show that he overlooks his duty as watchman. As midnight approaches, Kerry ventures to the wheelhouse and notices it’s been more than two hours since any logbook entry was made. This is quite serious, especially given that earlier in the day, Kerry had granted Hugo a significant honor by allowing him to manage the boat during the charter. Hugo felt honored and humbled by the captain’s confidence. I recently finished an intriguing new book titled A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck, which taught me that maintaining the logbook is the most crucial responsibility a captain has onboard. Neglect this duty, and you’re in a worse situation than Damo, who can’t even start the boat.

Early in the day, Kerry summons Hugo to the bridge. Hugo confesses to his error, looking as disheartened as Kerry, who often jumps to worst-case scenarios: What if they collide with another yacht? (There’s not a single other boat around.) Kerry appreciates that Hugo doesn’t make excuses and is quick to accept responsibility, so he moves forward with his plan of having Hugo release the next anchor. Hugo feels uneasy, but does well. Jess commends him over the radio and gives him a thumbs-up later on. It’s heartening.

Today is the day of the eight-course dinner with fireworks, and Anthony seems to be under a lot of pressure. The beach excursion went well, but he returns to the galley at the agreed time. However, he informs Rainbeau that it’s unfeasible to prepare all eight courses for 7 p.m.; either they should extend the schedule or cut down on the number of courses. “Always against time, such is life for Anthony,” he sighs. I understand it’s a large undertaking, but with adequate preparation time, this could have been avoided. If he didn’t believe five hours weren’t sufficient, he should have communicated this to Fraser earlier! Since this issue exceeds Rainbeau’s responsibilities, she sends a message to Fraser asking him to speak with Anthony.

5 hours prior to dinner, Fraser hasn’t arrived yet. When he eventually enters the kitchen, Anthony is annoyed because everyone seems to be playing instead of preparing for “the best night ever.” (Scene shifts to the deck crew jumping on an inflatable platform) As Fraser understands, the chef requires a non-personal approach and encouragement to concentrate. By the time it’s just 30 minutes before dinner, Anthony starts accusing everyone of sabotage. This anxiety around the meal creates most of this week’s tension, but we won’t learn its outcome until next week. (Implication: It likely went very well.)

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2025-09-09 05:55