Jill Zarin recently appeared on Below Deck for a two-day charter aboard the St. David boat. During her time on the show, she voiced some concerns to the crew about the food being cold and the service being slow. Jill felt that the crew’s reaction to her comments on the show was one-sided and did not take her perspective into account. She wanted to address this discrepancy by sharing her side of the story, as she did not have the opportunity to do so during filming.
While Jill acknowledges the negative comments made about her on the show, she also feels that certain important moments were left out in favor of focusing on drama. She clarified that she was not a freeloader on the trip, as she contributed to the tip, paid for her airfare and hotel, and spent $6,000 for two nights in Grenada. Jill also dispelled the notion that guests receive a discount on the charter for filming the show, highlighting the generosity of her friends who paid $65,000 for the trip.
One of the missed moments on the show was Jill receiving a three-star lapel from Captain Kerry for her knowledge and experience in boating. Jill, who is a licensed captain and has chartered boats around the world, shared that she was honored by this gesture. She also addressed the issue of snacks not being readily available on the boat, attributing the miscommunication to the information provided by the chief steward, Fraser Olender. The lack of snacks and delays in meal service left Jill and her group feeling hungry and frustrated.
After her time on the show, Jill maintained communication with Fraser Olender and even provided feedback on their experience. However, their friendship soured when Fraser did not defend Jill from fan scrutiny despite acknowledging her kindness and lack of wrongdoing. This led to a breakdown in their relationship, and Jill expressed disappointment in his response. She also felt that the show’s edit portrayed her as the only one making comments on the boat, which was not reflective of the entire group’s experience.
In hindsight, Jill believes that the show’s producers mishandled her appearance by not allowing her to be herself and have fun. She felt that the crew should have engaged with her in a more lighthearted manner instead of taking things too seriously. Despite the negative comments from fans, Jill stands by her experience on Below Deck and believes that the portrayal of her complaints on the show was not entirely accurate. She wishes that the crew had approached the situation differently and allowed for a more enjoyable interaction with her as a guest.
