Below Deck has offered viewers a glimpse into the high-stakes world of luxury yachting since its debut, where long hours, tight quarters, and demanding guests can wind up pushing crew members to their limits. While the show thrives on interpersonal drama and unexpected twists, the foundation of any successful charter season hinges on the crew respecting the chain of command. Every yacht operates on a strict hierarchy, with captains and department heads expecting cooperation from their subordinates. When that hierarchy is challenged, the entire operation can turn into chaos. Through the years, several crew members have pushed back too hard.

From some refusing to follow orders to others clashing with superiors in more personal ways, some yachties join a Below Deck crew to seemingly only test the limits of the authority on the superyacht. In the past, Stews have butted heads with Chief Stews while Deckhands have pushed back against Bosuns. Typically, yachties don’t cross the line when it comes to their captain, but it’s happened on a few Below Deck franchise shows, and it’s been shocking no matter the circumstances. These moments can lead to dramatic consequences, which often create problems for the crew that last beyond that yachtie.

While some Below Deck cast members ultimately share that they understand their actions on the superyacht weren’t up to par, others own their behavior fully and choose not to apologize for their insubordination. The Below Deck cast members who rile up the fans and their fellow crewmates the most may not be loud or disruptive all the time, but they make for the most memorable and shocking moments in the show’s history. Most of the insubordinate cast members have left the Below Deck franchise, but their poor behavior is still often a major shock for long-time viewers of the series.

6

Alissa Humber

Below Deck Season 10

Coming into Below Deck season 10 as a Second Stew beneath Chief Stew Fraser Olender, Alissa Humber had a lot of attitude about her job and the best way to work. While Alissa had issues with her fellow crew members, like Fraser and Camille Lamb, the Stew knew how to work hard and keep herself gainfully employed while pushing her boundaries. When Captain Sandy Yawn of Below Deck Mediterranean took over for Captain Lee Rosbach after some health issues mid-season, Alissa quickly began to struggle more outwardly in her role, especially when she felt like she was being criticized.

Over the course of a few charters, Alissa and Captain Sandy had some tough moments. While Captain Sandy is often one of the most scrutinized captains in the franchise, she’s also great at what she does and thorough with her crew. Alissa was defiant toward Captain Sandy’s orders, using a condescending tone and rolling her eyes, which the Captain called her out on. After consistent issues, Captain Sandy chose to let Alissa go for refusing to respect her rank throughout the season, sending a clear message about who was in charge.

5

Ryan McKeown

Below Deck Down Under Season 1

As Below Deck Down Under season 1’s first chef, Ryan McKeown had a lot to prove and a little time to prove it. From early on, Ryan had a cocky attitude that he tried to play off as being wildly confident, but typically came off as arrogance. While Ryan was meant to be taking direction at times from Captain Jason Chambers due to their ranks, the chef struggled to do things he was told in favor of the things he wanted to. While he was a quality chef in moments, Ryan didn’t like to hear the feedback from charter guests.

Ryan’s inability to prioritize the needs of the entire crew made it clear that he was going to be insubordinate throughout the season, but it wasn’t expected to go beyond the galley. Unfortunately, he frequently had issues with Chief Stew Aesha Scott, being openly disrespectful about her role and making rude remarks to others behind her back. Refusing to cooperate with the rest of the crew created a tough environment, and Ryan’s attitude eventually became far too much for Captain Jason to ignore, and he was let go.

4

Magda Ziomek

Below Deck Down Under Season 1

As another crew member from Below Deck Down Under season 1, Magda Ziomek came into the role of Third Stew with a lot of energy and positivity, but things changed quickly. While she was happy to be working with Aesha as her Chief Stew, Magda didn’t have a good sense of when to take orders immediately and when to put tasks lower on her to do list. Disregarding her superior’s orders made it difficult for the rest of the interior team to work well, and she often caused major issues within the crew despite getting feedback to listen carefully.

Magda also had an issue separating herself from her personal life, which led her to be found texting her boyfriend back home more often than she was actually doing her job. Magda slacked off during service, ignoring directions and disappearing when she was needed to help the rest of the team. Her insubordination was a bit more subtle than others, but caused massive issues with the charter guests that led to lower tips for everyone else. Her behavior ultimately got her fired by Aesha, with support from Captain Jason.

3

Gary King

Below Deck Sailing Yacht Seasons 2-5

As one of the most pivotal crew members in Below Deck franchise history, Gary King’s history of insubordination proves he should’ve been fired long ago. As the First Mate aboard Parsifal III with Captain Glenn Shephard in control for years, Gary had a ton of first-hand experience working with the crew that should’ve set him up for success, and while he was good at his job, his issues were frequently more about what happened after hours than during his shifts. Gary’s inability to follow authority and respect other crew members often blurred lines too much.

Gary’s overall defiance may not have typically been directly aimed at Captain Glenn, but was often more of a general insubordination surrounding the role of authority he played aboard Parsifal III. Breaking the spoken and unspoken rules when it came to fellow crew members, especially women, Gary was often difficult to handle for the female crew aboard Parsifal III. Eventually, Gary got to a point where he made most decisions without consulting the Captain, flirted with crew members inappropriately, and created a chaotic, unstable environment for the entire crew. His Below Deck Sailing Yacht future hangs in the balance.

2

Camille Lamb

Below Deck Season 10

As a Below Deck season 10 cast member, Camille Lamb came into the role of Stew/Deckhand with very little experience under her belt, but she seemed like she’d be eager to learn. Camille’s time aboard St. David was memorable, but it wasn’t because of her success on the job. Throughout her time aboard, Camille clashed with both department heads Fraser of the interior, and Ross McHarg of the exterior. While she was struggling to understand her shifting role, Camille also questioned their authority at every turn, ignoring that they obviously knew more than her.

Camille’s insubordination became more of a widespread issue throughout the season, especially when it became clear that her fellow crew mates like Alissa were picking up her slack and doing her work consistently. Rather than trying to learn what she was meant to do in her hybrid job, Camille was often found lounging around and relaxing during her working hours. She argued with superiors and eventually got to a point where she was more disruptive than helpful. Chief Stew Fraser had to make the decision to fire Camille after giving her more than one chance to improve.

1

Lexi Wilson

Below Deck Mediterranean Season 6

As a member of the Below Deck Mediterranean season 6 cast, Lexi Wilson became one of the most infamously defiant and insubordinate Below Deck yachties in franchise history during her season. A pageant queen who got into yachting after her career on stage ended, Lexi was confident that she’d be able to handle the job of a Second Stew. Her Chief Stew, Katie Flood, was a seasoned yachtie who quickly noticed that Lexi could be more arrogant and hostile than she initially thought.

Lexi’s attitude worsened when she drank, and after a night out with the rest of the crew, it became abundantly clear that she was having bigger problems than it seemed when she went after every other crew member, verbally attacking them. Lexi’s continual issues weren’t something Katie or Captain Sandy anticipated, and her behavior got worse with every passing charter. After multiple outbursts and continuously ignoring feedback, Captain Sandy chose to let Lexi go, ending her Below Deck journey.

Source: Ryan McKeown/Instagram

Below Deck

Created by

Mark Cronin, Rebecca Taylor Henning, Doug Henning

Cast

Kate Chastain, Gary King, Mads Herrera, Daisy Kelliher, Colin Macrae, Aesha Scott, Lexi Wilson, Glenn Shephard, Jason Chambers, Marcos Spaziani, Sandy Yawn