Fans quickly get on board with Below Deck Adventure

There’s a new Below Deck spinoff in the Bravoverse and fans were quick to hop on board. Below Deck Adventure follows the crew of the Mercury, based in the icy waters of Norway. With breathtaking views and frigid water, this show is unlike anything we’ve seen yet and fans were quick to get into the swing of the new show. 

As with all Bravo series, and particularly with the Below Deck franchise, the first thing everyone on social media was talking about was the crew of the Mercury. Aussie Captain Kerry Titheradge has a lot of experience and high expectations for his crew, but he’s also very fair and willing to help. 

Chief Stew Faye Clarke is proud of her southeast London roots and loves her big hair and makeup. She’s experienced and determined to run a tight interior, but she might have a challenge from her stews, Kasie Fadah and Oriana Schnepps. It just so happens that Oriana was chief stew on the first boat Kasie worked on, and Kasie didn’t like her boss at all. Oriana, who spent most of the first charter in bed after eating some bad chicken, looks like she’s going to give Faye a run for her money because she has her own ideas about how to do things. 

Chef Jess Condy is a galley yoga enthusiast (she did handstands in the galley ahead of the first charter) and a big proponent of wanderlust on her social media. She’s immensely talented, but the Mercury’s odd configuration (with an ill-conceived pantry located high above the staircase) will pose some challenges. Also, Faye’s lack of communication during the first dinner service had Jess frustrated, so hopefully they can iron things out. 

The exterior team is managed by bosun Lewis Lupton, who just wants everyone to get along. He’s easygoing and hardworking, but he’s going to have his hands full from his team. 

Cowboy enthusiast Kyle Dickard is a pompous jerk who thinks he knows everything, and he’ll let you know. Michael Gilman graduated from the Maritime Academy and served on commercial ships so he’s not entirely green, but he’s never worked on a yacht before. And it was impossible not to fall in love with kind and gentle Nathan Morley, an experienced deckie who hails from the Bahamas and sends his money home to care for his seven sisters. 

The cold climate in Norway makes it so that guests can’t swim, so Below Deck Adventure is all about onboard experiences and going ashore for exciting adventures. There’s also the matter of very long days to contend with — the sun rises around 5 am and sets after 10 pm, adding to the challenges of keeping guests happy and occupied. 

Speaking of guests, the season’s first charter guests were celebrating their 40th birthdays in style, which meant lots and lots (and lots and lots) of alcohol. The strange thing was seeing Faye and Kasie sampling the liquor — a great deal of the liquor — as they came up with colorful concoctions to keep the guests happy.

Below Deck Adventure offers something new and unique to the Below Deck universe, which also includes Below Deck Mediterranean, Below Deck Sailing Yacht and Below Deck Down Under, but it’s not without many of the same challenges that other shows face. 

There’s no question that Kyle’s days on the boat are numbered. He’s too much of a bully and a jerk to last long under Captain Kerry’s regime. As for the interior, well, tension between Faye and Jess could turn into something more, or Faye might be caught up with lots of stew drama.

Fans had lots of thoughts about Below Deck Adventure. Here’s what they were saying:

Below Deck Adventure airs Tuesdays at 9 pm ET/PT on Bravo.