Here's Who The Below Deck Med Cast Are Forbidden To Talk To On The Show
Sometimes, the "Below Deck Mediterranean" universe seems like a lawless place. Despite expectations to stay on their best behavior, the crew members have frequently indulged in irresponsible (and sometimes drunken) antics over the years. Who can forget the time Stewardess Lara Flumiani quit after only one charter? Or when Chef Tom got into a fight with Captain Sandy Yawn over — well — frozen fish? Of course, there was also the time Kyle Deckard got a little too comfortable with a guest.
That said, "Below Deck Med" doesn't actually take place in an anarchic society. For starters, the cast usually faces consequences for their actions. According to Us Weekly, Captain Sandy fired Hanna Ferrier in the middle of Season 5 after the chief stew brought Valium pills and a CBD pen onboard without declaring them. There was also the time Captain Sandy gave the crew a little tough love after they failed to meet her expectations. There are plenty of rules and regulations the cast members (as well as charter guests) must follow. Here's who the "Below Deck Med" cast is forbidden to talk to.
The cast can't talk to the crew
If you think about it, "Below Deck" kind of exists as a world within a world. Despite the theatrics, the various crew members are real workers employed by the yachting company. Then, there's the whole reality show aspect, courtesy of Bravo's filming crew. However, these two worlds aren't supposed to intersect. During an episode of the "Another Below Deck Podcast," Terez Lauren (who was once a guest on the Lady Michelle) spoke about her unique experience. "You can't say Bravo," shared Lauren.
The same rule applies to the crew, at least according to cast member Hannah Ferrier. "The fourth wall when it comes to Below Deck is very, very strict," Ferrier said on her podcast, "Dear Diary, You're Effed." She added, "You're not even supposed to say like, 'Good morning.' Or, 'Bye,' or nothing to camera and audio." Ferrier expressed similar sentiments when chatting with In Touch. "On Below Deck, they're very, very, very strict with the fourth wall," she revealed. "So even for myself, I've filmed five seasons of it, the camera crew, audio, and everything like that, they won't interact. They won't say hello to me. They won't," she added.
The cast has to follow a ton of other rules
Working around an icy production crew is far from the only thing the "Below Deck Med" cast has to contend with. For starters, every crew member is required to have real-life experience and training to back up their positions. "Each of the crew members has to have an STCW, which is a standard set by the maritime industry for watch-keeping and just being on board—it's basic first aid, firefighting," Captain Lee Rosbach shared with Reality Blurred. Cast members also have to deal with cameras that never switch off. "I just know there's cameras everywhere," Jessica More explained to In Touch. "There's zero privacy unless you're going to the restroom." And while the crew sometimes has access to empty guest quarters (when they want privacy), they're not permitted to enter production's various control rooms and operation zones (via The New York Times).
Finally, outside of safety, respect is of the utmost importance. "Address me as captain in front of the charter client," shared Captain Sandy Yawn (via Sun Sentinel)."It's the level of respect for the position." However, Yawn does allow her crew to address her by her first name in private. "I don't want them to feel like they are always on. They have to be able to relax when we are having a meal together," she added.