What Happened in Below Deck Season 3? (Full Recap)

Stella Aurora

In Season 3 of Below Deck, another summer means another season of champagne, caviar, and tropic thunder on charter ships. Along with new crew members Don Abenante, Connie Arias, Raquel “Rocky” Dakota, Emile Kotze, and Leon Walker, Captain Lee Rosbach, Kate Chastain, Amy Johnson, and Eddie Lucas return from Season 2 to make life aboard an 11-million-dollar private, luxury yacht an unforgettable experience for their guests.

Cast of Below Deck Season 3

  • Lee Rosbach – Captain
  • Leon Walker – Chef 
  • Ben Robinson – Chef 
  • Kate Chastain – Chief Stewardess
  • Don Abenante – Second Engineer/Deckhand 
  • Amy Johnson – 2nd Stewardess
  • Raquel “Rocky” Dakota – 3rd Stewardess
  • Eddie Lucas – Bosun
  • Connie Arias – Deckhand
  • Emile Kotze – Deckhand
  • Dane Jackson – Deckhand 
  • David Bradberry – Deckhand 

Episode 0 - Preview Special

Below Deck S3 - Eros crew members

On board, the 161′ luxury yacht, Eros, Captain Lee Rosbach, and his returning crew of Kate Chastain, bosun Eddie Lucas, and Amy Johnson are joined by five new crew members as they begin a new charter season in the Bahamas. These yachties will become irrational due to the new boat, the new visitors, the high expectations, and the cramped conditions.

Episode 1 - More Foam, Bosun!

Below Deck S3 - Capt Lee Rosbach

Five new crew members join Captain Lee, Kate, Eddie, and Amy as they prepare the luxury yacht Eros for a new charter season in Abaco, Bahamas. The crew’s first charter guests, a hard-partying hotel owner, and his buddies, present new characters and problems. The team must prevent the charter guests’ planned on-boat “foam party” from turning into a wash due to the impending bad weather.

While the rest of the staff prepares the foam party, the visitors dine. It’s embarrassing that the primary guest is so drunk. The foam party appears to be somewhat of a hot mess. Neither did it appear to be anything I would want to do, nor did it resemble a genuine foam party.

Episode 2 - Off the Radar

Below Deck S3 - Rocky and Emile doing risky stunt

Rocky Dakota and Emile Kotze receive punishment for their risky stunt. Connie Arias receives some horrible news that threatens her position on the boat. After Kate and Chef Leon Walker debate over the final dinner for the charter guests, Kate quickly realizes that there may be too many cooks in the kitchen.

Connie informed Captain Lee and Eddie that her father had passed suddenly after the party. She hesitated to return home, even if her brother pleaded with her. The captain and the bosun both showed much compassion for her predicament.

Episode 3 - Pretty Cheeks

Below Deck S3 - Dean Slover

The Eros crew is kept on their toes by Dean’s reappearance, Kate’s charter guest soulmate from last season, and Kate is forced to step up her towel-art game. Rocky attempts to carry on with her menial stew jobs after receiving encouragement from her father. At the same time, Don Abenante tries to make amends with Eddie but ends up grappling with his fellow “deckies” instead.

Captain Lee is not at all pleased with him throughout the meeting. He exhorts Don to put in more effort, to which Don replies that he has been accommodating. After a heated argument with Captain Lee, Don puts in his two-week notice and concludes this isn’t his cup of tea.

Episode 4 - I Don't Date, I Mate

Eddie and the other deckhands are relieved and more vital than ever, even though Don’s departure leaves them one man short. The “Eros” crew agrees when primary guest Dean offers a crew dive competition. Rocky dons her favorite mermaid tail to entice Dean and his companions into the water.

Leon said he worked on a cruise ship, but Kate is still skeptical about his yachting experience. Eddie, on the other hand, experiences issues at home and starts to understand how difficult it may be to maintain a long-distance relationship while working on a yacht.

Episode 5 - I'm Ironing the Captain's Shorts

Rocky demotes Emile to the friend zone following their underwhelming date, but he doesn’t have it. For the new charter visitors, Kate neglects to provide a special tequila bottle; if she can’t locate it in time, it may be disastrous for the tip. The ladies of “Eros” are delighted to have some new eye candy when a new deckhand arrives.

They discovered at the meeting that their tip was the largest one in a very long time. Well done for making the best of a bad situation. Following an unpleasant date between Rocky and Emile and a heart-to-heart between Captain Lee and Eddie.

Episode 6 - My Dearest Emile...

Eddie’s relationship is on the rocks, and his troubles are made worse when Dane Jackson and the other “deckies” commit a string of dumb errors. Connie and Rocky’s whipped cream bikini party leaves an enormous mess on “Eros.”

The crew is kept busy by the charter guests, a bunch of ex-sorority sisters who are eluding their husbands and children while reliving their college antics. The feedback is unfavorable when Rocky eventually enters the galley to prepare dinner. Rocky sends Emile a depressing letter in the meantime.

Episode 7 - Storm's A Comin'

Below Deck S3 - Emile Kotze

Rocky’s very public declaration of the status of their relationship annoys Emile. The lavish multi-course tasting menu that the charter guests, a preppy brother, and sister, seek puts the meal and the crew’s gratuity in peril because Leon didn’t order the ingredients in time.

Dane’s crewmates are extremely frightened due to his work and personal problems. The crew and the guests are in disarray due to an unexpected freak storm. Still, the true catastrophe could be the storm developing between Kate and Leon. Rocky receives a rather provocative text from Eddie.

Episode 8 - Boom Boom in the Laundry Room

Below Deck S3 - Eros crew on day off

The Eros crew enjoys a day off at an island retreat. Still, Dane’s drunken antics cause him to argue with Eddie, endangering his position on the boat. Leon is forced to make a last-minute adjustment to protect the crew’s tip when the fit and appealing proprietors of a multimillion-dollar clothes firm, the charter guests, question his lunch selections.

Captain Lee warns the crew after observing Kate’s futile attempts to calm down the irascible Leon. Eddie’s proposal to Rocky results in a covert meeting in the meantime.

Episode 9 - Fire!

Below Deck S3 - fire breaks on Eros

During deck sailing, Eddie and Captain Lee are impressed with Connie’s abilities as a deckhand, but Emile feels underappreciated. Eddie starts to wonder if Rocky and he is that close, but when a fire starts in the galley and threatens the entire boat, there is more at stake than just personal ties.

Captain Lee intervened to keep an eye on the situation. Since most people behave well around him, having the captain watch over them improved things, but it didn’t wholly resolve everything. By the end of the episode, the two had stopped conversing altogether, and Kate had resorted to writing down the guests’ demands on paper and passing them to him like a diner menu.

Episode 10 - What Took You So Long?

Below Deck S3 - Capt Lee investigates the cause of fire

To determine what started the galley fire, Captain Lee interrogates the crew; the result is a heated dismissal. Rocky’s crewmates are furious and shorthanded due to her dramatic, unauthorized leap off the boat in a fit of disobedience against Lee’s decision.

The ship’s crew must unite to plan a unique 50th birthday celebration for their charter guest because Captain Lee is at his wit’s end owing to the continual mayhem aboard the vessel. However, the party may be ruined by an enraged altercation between Kate and Rocky.

Episode 11 - The Real Housewives of Atlanta

Below Deck S3 - RHOA housewives aboard Eros

Cynthia Bailey and Claudia Jordan from “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” with their loved ones and friends, board the “Eros” to celebrate Cynthia’s birthday. The crew must put in additional effort to treat their charter guests when they are stranded at the port due to bad weather.

Dave, a seasoned deckhand, joins the ship. Still, Emile, another “deckie,” quickly becomes the guests’ favorite eye candy and the ladies’ clamor for his undivided attention. The dynamics of the rest of the team are rapidly impacted by Chef Ben’s return, which complicates his relationship with Kate.

Episode 12 - Dirty Laundry

Below Deck S3 - Rocky is mad with Eddie

Rocky finds it challenging to control her emotions as her anger toward Eddie, and her job grows. Ben impresses the new charter passengers with a steakhouse-style dinner but gets upset when they don’t like his breakfast offerings. Rocky tells Amy and Emile about her and Eddie’s covert romance.

Another brilliant thought came to Rocky; she believed it would be a good idea to inform more people about her relationship with Eddie. Amy was cornered in the restroom, and she was told everything. Amy, who was utterly shocked, made an effort to be encouraging.

Episode 13 - Loose Lips Sink Ships

Below Deck S3 - Ben Robinson

When Ben sustains a severe injury and needs Rocky’s assistance, the season’s final meal is put in jeopardy. Eddie loses his cool when he finds that Rocky has been informing crew members about their romance as Captain Lee speaks to Connie about her future in yachting. Eddie and Rocky engage in a heated argument at the crew’s celebration bonfire.

Ben and Kate have an honest discussion about their relationship. As the Eros crew disperses following a fruitful charter season, Kate and Amy ponder their recent friendship.

Episode 14 - Reunion Part 1

Below Deck S3 - Reunion Part 1

In a fans-awaited event, hosted by Andy Cohen, Rocky was told by Kate and Amy what they honestly thought of her work ethic or lack thereof. Eddie discusses how his struggles hampered his ability to guide the group, and Emile describes how, in the wake of Rocky’s rejection, he took matters into his own hands.

On a sailing yacht, Deckhand Don appears in front of the cast for the first time since his abrupt departure, and Captain Lee Rosbach explains why Chef Leon and his beef cheeks had to go. As Kate is accused of drinking while on duty the night of the galley fire, tensions increase.

Episode 15 - Reunion Part 2

Rocky and Eddie confess their relationship in the laundry room on the lower decks. Kate and Ben strive to determine whether they will be romantically involved in the future. Connie reveals why she likes crew member Emile better when he shuts his mouth, and Captain Lee gives two cast members a particular dose of tough love. Rocky alleges that she and Eddie continued their relationship even after the charter season ended, which caused tension.

Below Deck Season 3 Quick Facts

  • an American reality TV series 
  • premiered on Bravo TV on July 1, 2013
  • aired from August 25, 2015, to December 1, 2015
  • executive producers are Mark Cronin, Courtland Cox, Nadine Rajabi, Lauren Simms, Rebecca Henning, James Bruce, and Elise Duran
  • under the production of 51 Minds Entertainment
  • consists 15 episodes (Episode not included)

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