Unveiling the Untold: Jill Zarin's Behind-the-Scenes 'Below Deck' Secrets Revealed (Exclusive)

Unveiling the Untold: Jill Zarin's Behind-the-Scenes 'Below Deck' Secrets Revealed (Exclusive)

Discover the hidden truths as Jill Zarin opens up exclusively to Us Weekly about the unseen aspects of her time on 'Below Deck' that surprised viewers

Jill Zarin is sharing behind-the-scenes details of her experience on Below Deck.

During her two-day charter on the St. David boat, which was shown on Bravo in April, Jill communicated her concerns to the crew. She mentioned that the food was cold and that the service was slow.

"I'm happy with my actions," she shared exclusively with us. However, she disagreed with the way others reacted to her comments on the show. Feeling that her side of the story was not represented, she decided to speak up since she didn't have the opportunity for an interview or confessional on the show.

After seeing the crew discuss her in a negative light on the show, Jill felt that the situation was unfair as her perspective was not considered.

"I felt the need to clarify some things, and there are still more things to clarify, but there's only so much time in a day," she joked. "I didn't experience any negatives while filming. In fact, I had a great time and really enjoyed it. I believe that I learned some valuable lessons during my time on the boat."

Jill admitted to being aware of the "awful things" said about her by the Below Deck cast on screen, but her disappointment also stemmed from what was not shown on air.

"There are a couple of scenes that were cut out of the show," she mentioned to Us. "With only 50 minutes in a show, they prioritize the drama."

Below Deck season 11 is shown on Bravo on Mondays at 9 p.m. ET. Viewers can also catch new episodes the following day on Peacock. Stay tuned for the most significant revelations from Jill's interview with Us, revealing what Below Deck fans may have missed on the show.

How Much Money Jill Zarin Spent on the Trip

Money Jill Zarin Reveals What Below Deck Fans Did Not See on Screen After Drama

Money Jill Zarin Reveals What Below Deck Fans Did Not See on Screen After Drama

During her interview with Us, Jill brought up an incident involving stew Barbie Pascual making a comment about her "freeloading" on the trip. Barbie has since apologized to Jill for the remarks she made in confessionals.

Jill clarified that she was not a freeloader since she contributed to the tip and paid for her own airfare and hotel. She mentioned that spending $6,000 to fly to Grenada for just two nights was a considerable amount of money and effort for a short trip.

She expressed that her friends, who were very generous, did not deserve to have any of their guests treated disrespectfully by the crew after spending $65,000. Jill also addressed speculation about guests receiving discounts on the charter if they filmed for the show. She explained that when they gave a $20,000 tip, it was not because they were being cheap, but because the previous week, a $30,000 tip was given on a three-night trip. They matched this generosity by giving $10,000 per night on their two-night trip.

The Gift Jill Zarin Received From Captain Kerry

Viewers missed out on several major moments including Jill receiving a “three-star lapel” from Captain Kerry.

Excitement Over Becoming an Honorary Captain

"I was in my pajamas when he surprised me by putting them on over my clothes. He wanted to make me an honorary captain because he was impressed by my knowledge and skills in boating. I have a lot of experience with boats, docking, and everything related to boating since I am a licensed captain," she shared with Us. "I owned a 50-foot Sea Ray for many years before upgrading to a 72-foot San Lorenzo with a captain and a chef. I have chartered boats all around the world and have friends with large yachts. While I can't speak for others who have been on these boats, I can only speak for myself."

Inside Jill Zarin's Hilarious 'Below Deck' Requests — Including How She Drinks 10 Diet Cokes a Day

Inside Jill Zarin's Hilarious 'Below Deck' Requests — Including How She Drinks 10 Diet Cokes a Day

PEACOCK

Jill mentioned during her stay on St. David that the boat didn't have snacks readily available for the guests. She explained that her expectations were based on the information given to her by chief steward Fraser Olender.

Jill recalled a video she took when they first boarded the boat, where Fraser mentioned there would be snacks available throughout their trip. She emphasized that she didn't inquire about it, as it was part of his initial briefing. However, when they encountered a lunch problem and found themselves hungry, it was a different story.

Throughout their time on the megayacht, Jill experienced ongoing issues with the dishes being prepared and the speed at which they were served.

She recalled feeling extremely hungry as they had not eaten lunch or dinner, and there were no snacks available. On her preference sheet, she had requested for fruit to be available at all times, along with common items like cheese, crackers, and bar nuts. However, none of these were provided, leaving her feeling even more famished and a little cranky.

Jill Zarin’s Contact With Fraser Olender Since the Show

Jill Zarin reached out to Fraser Olender after the show. She sent him a direct message expressing her gratitude for the wonderful experience they had together. She also mentioned that she wanted to stay in touch. However, she also had some feedback to share with him about the things that went wrong during their time together. She didn't want to criticize them publicly and chose to provide the feedback privately.

Jill informed Fraser about the broken TV. In response, he said, "I'll make a note of it. Thanks a lot. Let's keep in touch. Would love to see you again." They stayed in contact for a year.

Unfortunately, their friendship faded away when Jill requested Fraser to support her against fan criticism, but he didn't.

Jill shared with Us that Fraser apologized and expressed his sympathy, acknowledging the negative attention she was receiving. He reassured her, saying, "You're a nice lady. You didn't do anything wrong." However, when she asked him to publicly address the situation, he did not respond.

Feeling frustrated, Jill stated, "I've tried to communicate with him through Instagram, but he seems uninterested in listening. He simply mentioned feeling sorry for the hate directed towards me, but did not take any further action when I requested him to speak up."

The Extra Focus on Her

Jill Zarin Claims Fraser Olender Wouldn t Defend Her After Below Deck Drama

Jill Zarin Claims Fraser Olender Wouldn t Defend Her After Below Deck Drama

Getty Images (2)

Jill believes that the edit suggests that she was the only one making comments on the boat.

Everyone in my group had tape on their mouth, so no one could talk. It felt like a scene from a movie," she laughed. "They weren't allowed to speak, only I could talk to them. Can you believe that?... You'd think someone would break the rule and chat, but nope. They removed everyone except for me from the boat. I was the only one doing the talking. It was pretty funny.

Jill was also upset with how their concerns were shown on screen. She explained that the food arrived late, causing frustration among her group.

Expressing Disappointment

"I'm not angry at anyone, but I am disappointed that fans believe I was out of line. I wasn't whining or complaining," she explained. "There were many things to complain about, but I chose not to. If you want to hear my complaints now, I have plenty. However, I kept them to myself at that time."

Jill reflected on her experience and mentioned to Us that the cast seemed too serious instead of enjoying her company.

According to the Real Housewives of New York City alum, she felt that the episode was mishandled. Jill believed that having a Housewife on the show should have been a fun experience. She expressed that the cast should have embraced her true self and shared laughs with her. Jill wished they had poked fun at her in a playful and loving manner, rather than being mean-spirited.

Jill expressed her thoughts, saying, "People who don’t know me and watch the show and wanted to hate on me, that’s fine. But anybody who knows me or really follows me on Instagram, it didn’t make sense. They’re watching me and then they’re seeing the comments [from the crew] and it doesn’t make sense.”

Reported by Johnni Macke

Editor's P/S:

Jill Zarin's experience on Below Deck was a rollercoaster of emotions. While she initially enjoyed the trip and felt she had a positive experience, she became disappointed and frustrated after seeing the negative portrayal of her in the edited footage. Zarin felt that her concerns about the food and service were legitimate, and she was upset that the crew members had made disrespectful comments about her on camera.

Zarin also expressed disappointment that the show had cut out several scenes that would have provided more context to her interactions with the crew. She believes that the editing process unfairly portrayed her as a demanding and unreasonable guest, when in reality she was simply trying to address her concerns. Despite her frustrations, Zarin says she has no regrets about her time on Below Deck, and she learned valuable lessons about the importance of communication and the power of editing.