Below Deck Sailing Yacht Producer Reveals How the Crew Is Hired

Below Deck Sailing Yacht assembled quite the compelling crews with yachties from all over the world in Seasons 1 and 2. So, how was it decided who would get a coveted spot aboard Parsifal III?

Executive producer Jill Goslicky revealed how the Below Deck Sailing Yacht crew is hired for the charter season during an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit on March 1. "The cast gets hired through an extreme vetting process that both we the producers and the Captains have to sign off on," she explained.

Goslicky added, "The Captains do have a say in who we bring on, but we all collaborate on who should fill out the yacht crew for each season. The Chief Engineer position, for instance, specifically has to have [Captain Glenn Shephard]’s sign-off each season because that’s a technically skilled job, and the person filling it must be up to the task."

Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 2 first mate Gary King also shared why it is necessary for yachties to have the proper training before they join a crew. "I [think] this is general to yachts but [it's] very important to have properly trained crew. [In case] an emergency situation happens people know what to do and how to act. [Captains] and officers study for years to get where they are," he said during the AMA. "With regards to sailing and being at the mercy of the elements, yes this could add to the chances of accidents happening, especially to people/guests who are unfamiliar with sailing."

When it comes to what Captain Glenn is looking for in a crew, he said during the AMA that for Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 2 he "wanted to have a dynamic crew and people with a positive mindset," adding, "that's critical with having a good season."

Gary said that the crew that was on board Parsifal III this season he would "bring them with me any day." In fact, "meeting everyone" was his favorite part of the charter season. "Sounds vague but us crew had such a connection and we became great friends," he shared. "And that to me was very special."

Captain Glenn said that he also makes every effort to try to keep his crew together during the charter season, noting that his noticeably more relaxed leadership style is "a conscious choice." "My philosophy is that even though this is a ship, it’s not in the Navy. I can’t [court-martial] them and make them walk the plank. My first job is to try and keep them, so finding their replacement isn’t the easiest thing and you don’t know if they will be better or worse. I don’t believe in giving up on people easily," he said. "Not all the problems are apparent to me. If they’re doing their work well then I’ll stay out of their hair. I want to make sure the guest has the best experience possible. It’s when what we’re trying to achieve suffers and that might mean someone having to go."

And, of course, crew members are sometimes let go. "If the cast member can’t do the job, they’re let go. If the cast member interferes with the TV show in a major way, that could also get them removed from the boat," Goslicky said. "So these are decisions that we make alongside the Captains to make sure their staff is up to par throughout the season."

Just because a crew member's time on Below Deck has come to an end doesn't mean they say goodbye to the yachting industry either, according to Goslicky. "After the show, many of the cast members DO continue working on yachts. Sure, some don’t, and they try their hand at other endeavors," she said. "But many that I’ve worked with continue their yachting careers after Below Deck."

Want more Below Deck Sailing Yacht? New episodes air every Monday at 9/8c.

Sneak a peek at what the Parsifal III yachties are going to get up to in their first night off of the season, below.

The Yachties Celebrate the End of Their First Charter With a Hot Tub Party