S01.E09: Can't A-Fjord to Lose

[TexasGal]

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Faye orders the team back to the picnic field to fulfill the guests' request for an afternoon of games; Lewis triumphs with an obstacle course; Seth approaches Captain Kerry about replacing Lewis; the crew is rewarded with an adventure.

Airdate: 01.03.2023

Oh, this crew sure deserves a reward! 🙄

[Tanukisan]

Like a dysfunctional crew that mutinies against itself, these comments are in the order of the episode scenes broadcast…

Captain Kerry – “If I get involved all the time, I’ve hired the wrong people.”  The problem is, mate, you haven’t gotten much involved at all, and the whole boat has suffered.  You’re watching goats on the hillside more than your crew.

Lewis just doesn’t seem to get that all the crew are in it to make the guest experience as good as it can be – yeah, for the tip, but also just as part of the whole experience for the guests as well.  The guests for this charter had a really good attitude overall and Lewis is a complainy, whiny child by comparison.

On the flip side, Chav Faye continues to yell for help from the deck crew even when it comes to simple interior work.

Once again, it just shows the entire dysfunctional nature of the interior and deck crews.  Each is entirely focused on their own turf without any real sense of boat teamwork as a whole.  And not helping the situation at all is Captain Kerry’s “hands off” approach to everything.  In my opinion, it’s Kerry, Faye, and Lewis that are all the big problem.

More fake drama with the docking – looks like if everyone does their job and has patience, it shouldn’t be a problem – and it wasn’t.

Lewis continues to be a whiny bitch when he complains that Chav Faye mentioned she needed more “manpower” at the tip meeting.  Frankly, that’s the best time to review the latest charter to go over what went right and what needs improvement – it’s a very appropriate time to do that.  And frankly, Kerry should have been the one to bring it up.

Delusional Chav Faye thinks Seth is stripping beds and helping out because he wants to “get in her knickers.”  HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.  Oh, sister, no, he wants to get in Captain Kerry’s “knickers”, metaphorically and impressively speaking, not yours. 

Captain Kerry shut down Seth very quickly in his coup attempt – too bad he doesn’t pay as much attention to the rest of the crew.

Jess (on the day off adventure) – “I thrive in high stress environments.”  Since when?  You fold like a cheap suit under the slightest amount of pressure!

And no sooner than Captain Kerry shuts him down, Seth schemes to become “lead deckhand” only because he’s still determined to be Bos’n.  And says so.

What will happen next week?  Will Chav Faye get any respect?  Will Seth do away with Lewis?  Will Jess find herself in a situation that doesn’t cause her to get into a “Robbie the Robot” meltdown?  Stay tuned… and watch your back!

[Caseysgirl]

I think Faye is probably the worst chief stew they have ever had on this show. So intense all the time; can’t organize the two excellent   Stews that she has & too insecure to give anyone else a title.  She is always crying for help from the exterior but I don’t remember this happening as much on other cruises.  Wow! Seth’s an arrogant guy. Space ship to Mars Captain?  And of this he’s sure.

[aqusdealer]

I knew Kerry would get pissed off with Seth throwing an established (albeit under-performing) crewmember under the bus. Then he plots yet again with the lead deckhand ruse. This Seth is a narcissist. Probably got it from his Dad.

[aghst]

1 hour ago, Caseysgirl said:

I think Faye is probably the worst chief stew they have ever had on this show. So intense all the time; can’t organize the two excellent   Stews that she has & too insecure to give anyone else a title.  She is always crying for help from the exterior but I don’t remember this happening as much on other cruises.  Wow! Seth’s an arrogant guy. Space ship to Mars Captain?  And of this he’s sure.

I don't know if she's necessarily bad at her job so much as hard to get along with, to be around.

She knows she's been nagging people but she doesn't care, will keep doing it.

Guess her personality doesn't work for being a manager because she's exhausting her workers, not just physically but emotionally.

How about that Seth, coming for Lewis' job, even after Kerry shot him down.  All to be bosun for a couple of weeks of shooting on a TV show.  Come on they put him up to it and he's more than happy to play the villain for the air time.

But I don't think Faye has to pretend to be anything, that's her real self and she's like scraping her nails on the proverbial chalkboard to just about every other member of the cast.

 

[nokat]

11 hours ago, Tanukisan said:

Jess (on the day off adventure) – “I thrive in high stress environments.”  Since when?  You fold like a cheap suit under the slightest amount of pressure!

I really like Jess. Think of the chefs on all of the versions of below deck, and she is quite mellow. We know the chef can bring in the big tips and she is a perfectionist. The guests certainly seem to love her food. Presentation is important, so plates need to be turned a certain way. Yes, she was wrong to berate the stews in front of guests and was got on Captain Kerry's bad side.

[nokat]

7 hours ago, aghst said:

I don't know if she's necessarily bad at her job so much as hard to get along with, to be around.

She knows she's been nagging people but she doesn't care, will keep doing it.

Guess her personality doesn't work for being a manager because she's exhausting her workers, not just physically but emotionally.

How about that Seth, coming for Lewis' job, even after Kerry shot him down.  All to be bosun for a couple of weeks of shooting on a TV show.  Come on they put him up to it and he's more than happy to play the villain for the air time.

But I don't think Faye has to pretend to be anything, that's her real self and she's like scraping her nails on the proverbial chalkboard to just about every other member of the cast.

 

Faye has been so bossy with the deck crew, and you can see the tug of war (ha) she's having with Lewis.  Speaking of Lewis, that obstacle course looked fun and everyone was really enjoying it.

That thing with needing help with the Baked Alaska, she needed to say we need help carrying up the dessert, five minutes. Being the bossy type she is, the deck crew were afraid they'd be cleaning the kitchen.

I think this is the first deck crew that all sit down to eat together. Seth is coming hard for the bosun position, and he probably would be better than Lewis, who sucks at it.

[iMonrey]

It takes a lot of balls for a new crew member like Seth to go to the captain and throw Lewis under the bus by suggesting he replace him. This guy has quite an ego. My question is, if he's been captain, why did he accept a job as a deck hand? Why was he that hard up for work in the first place? Could it be that nobody wants to hire him? 

Not that he wouldn't probably be an improvement over Lewis. Almost anyone would, I think. Lewis spent forever setting up that floating iceberg, which was his idea in the first place (although the fact that such a thing was on board at all is suspicious), when he was supposed to be on shore with the rest of his crew. Then he spent hours trying to put it away when interior needed help. Putting the inflatable iceberg away wasn't time-sensitive like tending to the guests was. It was only time-sensitive to Lewis, who wanted to go to bed. And who did finally, bailing on Nathan and Mike to finish it themselves. 

I don't understand why paragliding was enough to fulfill the "adventure" aspect of the charter. Following it with a game of tug of war and "rounders" seemed lame and childish to me. 

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I really like Jess. Think of the chefs on all of the versions of below deck, and she is quite mellow. We know the chef can bring in the big tips and she is a perfectionist. The guests certainly seem to love her food. 

She might be a good cook but she seems entirely unsuited for any kind of stress-level job. She admitted as much here when she said she had to be alone in the galley. Sorry lady, that's just not how it works. Plus the Captain told her a day ahead he was joining the guests for dinner the next night and she forgot. That's not something that should slip your mind when you are the one preparing the meals. 

[snarts]

While I agree that Faye's approaching the situation all wrong, I do agree that the deck team is being very insular and unsupportive. They do a lot of hanging out together both in the stew mess & on the laz, which is especially apparent during dinner service.

Part of that is likely due to her approach but part of that falls on Lewis. It's obvious he confides in Mike and we've seen Mike becoming more negative and unhelpful as the season goes on. 

I don't agree that the deck crew should be at her beck & call for any & everything but they should send someone to support the off the boat activities, hauling tables, chairs, etc. and they shouldn't be on break or going to bed all at the same time. 

Faye's focus on stew appearance (hair & make-up) is comical when her hair so often looks like a rats nest.

Agree that Kerry should be more of the dynamics of his crew. How did he not notice that non one from the deck crew went to the paragliding/picnic?

[aghst]

Remember, this is a TV show and they only shoot for a few weeks.  By now they're half way through shooting so maybe a couple of weeks left.

So nobody cares about what title they have.  Even Oriana has given that up.

So Seth doesn't really care what role he has on the boat.  He cares what role he has on the TV show though, and he wants to be a prominent character, get a lot of screen time.  So he's stirring up shit, because the producers told him to or he believes it's a good way to get attention or both.

[Baltimore Betty]

Is it just me or do any of you also find it hard to understand some of what is said by some of this cast? I am going to have to watch with subtitles.

On every other BD show the crew does help carry tables and chairs, etc...to beach picnics, even up steep stairs to some old forts for guests lunch.  Kerry should be the one to make sure his bosun understands how the deck crew should assist.

I did not get the purpose of the zip line then falling in the cold water, it was shallow as well (and that one deck crew person decided to dive head first in to the water did not look like a wise choice), how is that fun?

 

[Oosala]

1 hour ago, Baltimore Betty said:

I did not get the purpose of the zip line then falling in the cold water, it was shallow as well (and that one deck crew person decided to dive head first in to the water did not look like a wise choice), how is that fun?

I think I missed something.  Weren't they supposed to also go "canyoning?"  I'm not exactly sure what that means but I'm assuming it means rubber-rafting through the actual canyons.  I didn't see that happening.  Maybe it got too late in the day.

 

2 hours ago, snarts said:

While I agree that Faye's approaching the situation all wrong, I do agree that the deck team is being very insular and unsupportive. They do a lot of hanging out together both in the stew mess & on the laz, which is especially apparent during dinner service.

Absolutely agree about the deck crew being insular.  It's a documented fact that stoopid Lewis hates Faye.  He's such a big baby.  I hate him more than Seth loves himself.

 

2 hours ago, snarts said:

Faye's focus on stew appearance (hair & make-up) is comical when her hair so often looks like a rats nest.

^^^This.  'OK girls.  Let's look our best for guest departure.'  It's not a sleepover, for god's sake.  She's a shrill shtew.

[aqusdealer]

The best thing about this crew in Norway is it made me want to go there!  😁

[nokat]

 Oh hell yeah, Norway is gorgeous.

[aghst]

2 hours ago, Oosala said:

I think I missed something.  Weren't they supposed to also go "canyoning?"  I'm not exactly sure what that means but I'm assuming it means rubber-rafting through the actual canyons.  I didn't see that happening.  Maybe it got too late in the day.

^^^This.  'OK girls.  Let's look our best for guest departure.'  It's not a sleepover, for god's sake.  She's a shrill shtew.

The Amazing Race had a task similar to this recently.  They ran through a couple of miles which included jumping into a river where there were rapids and running and swimming though it but also running through the forest and such.

I'm sure more hardcore people into this sort of thing go for miles and they do climbing or repelling as well as more time in the water.

I would not want to jump into cold water.

 

As for the appearance of the stews, yeah they really went with the right red lipstick, particularly Oriana, which overpowered whatever makeup they had.

That reminds me of the origins of lipstick, Egyptian prostitutes supposedly started painting their lips in reddish colors to make them appear more like vaginas.

 

[iMonrey]

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I did not get the purpose of the zip line then falling in the cold water, it was shallow as well (and that one deck crew person decided to dive head first in to the water did not look like a wise choice), how is that fun?

The zip lining would be fun, and the scenery was gorgeous, as usual. But I wouldn't want to jump into that icy cold water. I wouldn't have wanted to do the "obstacle course" for the same reason. 

[aghst]

That is the one pitfall of Norway, lot of cold and rainy weather even in the summer months.

They generate all their electricity from hydroelectric power.

So as beautiful as it is, the bright sunny weather days are relatively rare.  Makes you think they might have waited for at least the rain or drizzle to stop, if not look for some sun when shooting a lot of the scenes.

Nathan talked about how clean the air is up there.  But the one time I visited, we went from Alesund, where they dock, to Geiranger, which is one of the most popular fjords in that area of Norway.

There were big cruise ships up there, a couple of Disney ones, moored toward the end of the fjord.  So the water is surrounded by tall cliffs on both sides and the town of Geiranger is like at the dead end of one of those topiary mazes.  There were all kinds of plumes coming out of those idle cruise ships and you could see the haze hanging over the water.  I think the topography trapped the smoke or at least wasn't windy enough to clear it.

These yachts no doubt also contribute to the pollution.

 

 

[Oosala]

1 hour ago, aghst said:

There were all kinds of plumes coming out of those idle cruise ships and you could see the haze hanging over the water.  I think the topography trapped the smoke or at least wasn't windy enough to clear it.

That makes so much sense.  It's the same with smog in the huge Los Angeles basin, surrounded by a string of mountains and opening onto the ocean, the smoke and fog get trapped.  It used to be MUCH worse than it is now.  Now all cars are required to pass an emissions check every other year.  I used to be able to look directly at the setting sun through the smog.  I believe the same situation exists in Denver, CO and in Mexico City.

[Mr. Miner]

21 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Following it with a game of tug of war and "rounders" seemed lame and childish to me. 

I was embarrassed for everyone involved.

[pasdetrois]

Perhaps Jess is an introvert. She loves the challenge of cooking great food, but she hates being surrounded by people and the inevitable chaos of a small work area.

I'm enjoying the episodes when the guests are pleasant folks. This gang was very appreciative and friendly. The jellyfish victim was notably calm.

The chief stew seems like a lightweight compared to some other BD stews. Perhaps that's why "nobody respects her." That, and her preoccupation with her appearance (the real reason she doesn't want to get wet).  The helpless "Ooh I'm scared" crap during the canyoning event was cringe worthy. I noticed how there were no strapping men rushing in to rescue her. Just one quiet "you can do this." And how many times did she call attention to her bolt-ons?

[rur]

1 hour ago, pasdetrois said:

 

The chief stew seems like a lightweight compared to some other BD stews. Perhaps that's why "nobody respects her." That, and her preoccupation with her appearance (the real reason she doesn't want to get wet).  The helpless "Ooh I'm scared" crap during the canyoning event was cringe worthy.

I'm going to give her a pass on that water plunge. I've eagerly done lot of things that other people thought were pretty daring, but just looking at that Grand Canyon glass walkway freaks me out. So, being expected to just grab on to a crossbar at a height-- when I don't know how long it would be before my arms gave out --  and there are sharp rocks below me and water of uncertain depth? I was getting the heebie jeebies just watching her. I totally understood  physically freezing and saying "I can't".

[Jobiska]

Yeah, the holding on long enough would be my issue too, not the drop or the cold.  I once had to climb up a ladder to a platform on a tree and jump off, and my arms were just not strong enough to get me up and around the lip of the platform, small though it was.  I ended up jumping from the tree instead.  I can't even do a pushup (well, I can do the ones with knees on the floor).  And with cold hands on cold metal?  I'd fall onto that muddy promontory instead for sure.  It reminds me of the guest on BDSY a season or two ago who could just not let go when he swung out on the rope and was supposed to fall off into the ocean but he just slammed back into the mast or some such structure instead.  

I'm not a huge Faye fan, but Lewis' passive aggressive snarking behind her back and just not listening to her and so forth is way more irritating even than her nagging (at least to me).  

Seth, heh.  I am not sure this career step is going to get you captaining a spacecraft to Mars.  But if you do go, can you take most of your shipmates with you, and leave them there?

[RoseAllDay]

My crap work schedule has thrown me off watching these eps as they come out.

All I gotta say here is, this is the most dysfunctional team I’ve seen. That “iceberg” thing was not the equivalent of one of those slides that BD and BDM have to fight with. Then Lewis bailing because he was done for the day? LOL. No, man, you of all people stay till the job’s done.

Gee, Faye, how many stews does it take to do dinner service and cabins? Ask Kate, Hannah, Bugs, etc…Calling on the deck crew to constantly help, then getting angry when they don’t, shows me that you do see them as your trusty backup. They’re not. Manage your own crew better.

Seth clearly is a production plant, but even so Lewis is so poor of a bosun that I don’t care. Reminds me of the EJ-Nico battle on BD, only better. But Lewis is getting played, again — watch your back, dude.