A new yacht carried the crew and charter guests through the sparkling waters of Thailand on Below Deck Season 13, and chief stew Fraser Olender took us on an exclusive Bravo Insider video tour of M/Y Azul V (watch above). We also got a look at the vessel during Below Deck’s season premiere.
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Below Deck airs on Mondays at 8 p.m. EST/PST on Bravo. Episodes stream next day on Peacock.
“It’s a 48 meter based in Malaysia, and we brought it here to Thailand,” Captain Kerry Titheradge detailed during the Oct. 12 episode. “And the interior layout of this boat is amazing. The deck space is incredible. The sun deck is vast and open.”
Not only is the yacht new to Fraser and the crew, it’s also new to Kerry. “I haven’t driven this boat before, so I’ve got to get familiar with that,” he admitted.
Fraser didn’t hold back his enthusiasm for Azul V, joking to Kerry, “I feel like I’ve got a new toy. Can I run around the boat?”
Keep scrolling to get more details on Azul V.
Fraser Olender shares a new look at Below Deck yacht Azul V
During Fraser’s exclusive Azul V tour (watch above), he began just like he would with any charter guests: in the sky lounge and main sitting area. Decked out in earthy, calming tones with pops of color in the pillows, the large wraparound couch was complimented by round tables, chairs, a television and even a small bar.
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Fraser called the sun deck his “favorite part” of Azul V, and added, “This is where the magic happens.”
Fraser then called another guest favorite—the hot tub—the “cold tub,” and explained why: “We don’t turn it on, because in Thailand, it’s extremely warm, and we don’t want to heat ourselves up any more than we already are.”
Fraser made it clear where he stands on indoor versus deck meal service on Azul V: indoor all the way.
“This is my preferred location for all meal service, breakfasts, lunches and dinners,” he noted of the dining room during the tour. A big reason why includes the dining room’s proximity to the galley, so it’s easier to keep the food hot. “Life is a lot easier when we’re serving here,” he added.
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Although the Azul V galley is chef Moe Vilomar’s domain, Fraser admitted there’s tons of “foot traffic” in this particular galley as he shared behind-the-scenes details.
“It links the dining room, the pantry, the other pantry, and the sky lounge,” he explained. “I’m sure that chef is not too happy with us using this as a walkway, but, we have no choice.”
When it comes to the crew mess, Fraser noted it’s a “very small space.” He continued, “I don’t think it can actually fit the whole crew in one seating.”
Adding to his tour of the crew areas, Fraser showed off the laundry room, which he called “the heartbeat of the vessel.”
The tour of Azul V included the primary suite, which Fraser pointed out is called “the diamond suite.” It includes two walk-in wardrobes for primary guests, as well as “a fabulous, very large bathroom” with a big soaking tub and shower.
Fraser highlighted that all the guest accommodations on board Azul V are named after gemstones, with the second-largest suite nicknamed “the sapphire suite.” Fraser admitted the sapphire suite is his personal favorite guest room, as he described it as “adorable.”
Captain Kerry Titheradge reacts to the new Below Deck yacht, Azul V
During the Season 13 premiere, Kerry admitted that he “debated this boat, because it’s an older vessel.” However, he concluded, “It’s absolutely perfect for what we’re doing in Thailand.”
However, Kerry quickly ran into issues on the first charter when one of the engines stalled twice. “It’s an older boat. This uses compressed air to start the engine. We only have three starts per tank. If it stalls three times, it’s not starting the fourth time. Not good.”
Luckily, the issue was resolved.
Fraser also opened up about his private life during Below Deck Season 13’s premiere, and spoke on his split from Matt Rogers for the first time.
