Watch the Below Deck franchise chronologically and you’ll go: Below Deck (2013, the original), then Below Deck Mediterranean (2016), Below Deck Sailing Yacht (2020), Below Deck Down Under (2022), and finally Below Deck Adventure (2023), following the order each series actually premiered. That covers the main branches. The full season-by-season breakdown, with exact premiere dates and episode counts, follows below.
TL;DR:
- The franchise has been producing new seasons almost every year since 2013, with the latest flagship season airing in 2025.
- Watching in release order allows viewers to see the franchise’s evolution from a single yacht format to five distinct series across three continents.
- The episode count varies significantly, from 11 to 20 episodes per season, impacting how much time viewers should allocate for binge-watching.
- Captain Mark Howard, the first season captain of Below Deck Mediterranean, died in October 2021 due to hypertensive cardiovascular disease linked to chronic alcoholism.
- The franchise has expanded steadily with each series introduction, making the timeline complex but manageable through careful tracking of premiere dates.
Table of Contents
- The Complete Below Deck Timeline, Season by Season
- Should You Watch in Release Order or by Series?
- What Fans Keep Asking About the Below Deck Franchise
- How We Built This Below Deck Season Timeline
- A Publisher’s Note on Tracking This Franchise
- Keep Every Below Deck Premiere on Your Radar
- Sources
The Complete Below Deck Timeline, Season by Season
The original Below Deck premiered on Bravo on July 1, 2013, and the franchise has been expanding almost every year since. Twelve main seasons have now aired, alongside four spin-offs that each carved out their own yacht, crew, and drama. Here’s the full chronological record, pulled from the franchise’s episode guide.
Below Deck (original series)
- Season 1: premiered July 1, 2013
- Seasons 2 through 12 followed on a roughly annual schedule, with Season 12 premiering June 2, 2025, and wrapping September 15, 2025
Below Deck Mediterranean
- Season 1 premiered in 2016, introducing the Mediterranean charter circuit and Captain Mark Howard
- The spin-off has continued with new seasons nearly every year since, cycling through different superyachts across Croatia, Spain, and Italy
Below Deck Sailing Yacht
- Launched in 2020 as the franchise’s first sailboat spin-off, swapping motor yacht luxury for wind power and a noticeably different crew dynamic
Below Deck Down Under
- Debuted in 2022, moving the format to Australian waters with a new cast and a distinct filming rhythm tied to the region’s charter season
Below Deck Adventure
- The newest branch, premiering in 2023, built around expedition-style charters in more remote, rugged locations than the franchise’s earlier glossy Mediterranean backdrops
Episode counts vary widely across the franchise’s episode guide, with individual seasons running anywhere from 11 to 20 episodes depending on the series and year. That range matters if you’re planning a binge: a 20-episode season of the original series is a very different time commitment than an 11-episode spin-off run.
Season 12 of the original series stands out as the most recently documented entry, premiering June 2, 2025, and closing out September 15, 2025. That gives the flagship series roughly a decade of continuous production, which is rare territory for unscripted reality TV.
Should You Watch in Release Order or by Series?
Release order shows you how the franchise actually evolved: how a single charter-yacht format on one boat in the Bahamas turned into five distinct shows spanning three continents. Franchise grouping, watching all of one series before moving to the next, keeps the setting and cast consistent, which some viewers find easier to follow.
Release-order condensed list:
- Below Deck, early seasons (2013 to 2015)
- Below Deck Mediterranean, early seasons (2016 onward)
- Below Deck Sailing Yacht (2020 onward)
- Below Deck Down Under (2022 onward)
- Below Deck Adventure (2023 onward)
- Continue cycling through current seasons of each as they air
Franchise-by-franchise list:
- Finish the entire run of Below Deck first
- Move to Below Deck Mediterranean in full
- Then Below Deck Sailing Yacht, Down Under, and Adventure, in any order that appeals to you
If you just want a taste before committing, a six to eight episode quick-start sampler works well: two episodes each from an early season of Below Deck, an early Below Deck Mediterranean season, and one spin-off you haven’t tried. Entertainment roundups tend to agree that mixing release order with a series-by-series option covers most viewer preferences.
What Fans Keep Asking About the Below Deck Franchise
Which Below Deck cast member has died? Captain Mark Howard, who led the Below Deck Mediterranean season 1 charter, died in October 2021. Later reporting from Us Weekly cited hypertensive cardiovascular disease, with chronic alcoholism listed as a contributory cause.
Who are the wealthiest Below Deck cast members? Net-worth figures for reality stars circulate widely online but rarely come from verified financial records, so treat any specific dollar figure as a rough estimate rather than fact.
Did Captain Sandy Yawn go to jail? No credible reporting supports that claim. What’s actually documented is that Captain Sandy Yawn has spoken openly about more than 30 years of recovery from alcoholism, a story fans often point to as one of the franchise’s more grounded arcs.
Pro Tip: When a Below Deck rumor sounds dramatic and specific, check whether it traces back to a primary interview or just a recycled tabloid headline before repeating it.
How We Built This Below Deck Season Timeline
This timeline draws from the franchise’s episode guide pages, Wikipedia’s franchise entry, and direct entertainment reporting on specific cast events. Coverage runs through Season 12 of the original series, with spin-off renewals tracked through early 2026.
- All premiere dates listed are U.S. original air dates, not international broadcast dates
- Episode counts come from the episode-specific guide rather than estimated season lengths
- Spot an outdated date or a new season we haven’t added yet? Reach out through Tantrums & Taglines and we’ll get it corrected
A Publisher’s Note on Tracking This Franchise
Tantrums & Taglines has spent years mapping Bravo timelines the way superfans actually watch them, cast arcs and all.
— j
Keep Every Below Deck Premiere on Your Radar
This site helps fans keep up with a franchise that now spans five series and a dozen-plus seasons, without needing to cross-reference multiple episode guides every time a new season drops. Users can build a personal watchlist, receive premiere reminders before a season airs, and browse franchise guides designed for dedicated viewers.
This isn’t editorial coverage pretending to be neutral. It’s a fan tool, built by fans, for tracking the shows you already love. If you’ve ever lost track of whether Below Deck Down Under or Below Deck Adventure aired first, check out this fan hub and set up your watchlist before the next season premiere catches you off guard. Pair it with a look at how to handle a reality TV reunion episode once you’re caught up on the current season.
Sources
- Below Deck — Wikipedia
- Below Deck Med’s Captain Mark Howard’s Cause of Death Revealed — Us Magazine
- Below Deck star Captain Sandy Yawn celebrates over 30 years in recovery — AlcoholFree podcast
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