‘Below Decks Mediterranean’ TV Star Jessica More Sails Through Pandemic

“I got this.” That’s the catchphrase and affirmation of hard-working “third Stew” Jessica More, one of this season’s stars of Bravo’s “Below Decks: Mediterranean.”

While the travel industry has taken a beating this year, the Below Decks” series has made high-end yacht chartering popular. This season shows the lives of crew members like Jessica aboard the 184-foot yacht “The Wellington” as it takes paying guests around Mallorca, Spain. Or as Bravo puts it, “the crew encounters choppy waters trying to navigate everything from heartbreaks and power struggles to challenges with maritime law.”

Growing up surfing in Florida and Southern California, Jessica’s love of the ocean helped lead her to yachting. She took a few minutes from her duties on a commercial charter to share her experiences.

According to your bio, you have led a nomadic life, from Florida and California to working in Las Vegas, Spain and now the East Coast. Where do you live?

I live in Los Angeles, but I am on a boat most of the time. Usually it is three months away, one month home. We left Hyannis (Massachusetts) and right now I’m in the middle of the ocean on a 136” foot boat.

Where have your gigs taken you?

Sailing the Med and all over the Caribbean, the Hamptons, Martha’s Vineyard, South Florida and the Keys.

How long have you been a yacht stewardess?

Three to four years. You apply for different jobs and they can last a week or three months. You never know for sure where you are going to be. Nothing is ever set in stone. You have to be super flexible.

How long is a typical charter?

Usually most charters in the real world are from 5 to 10 days. On the show 3 to 4 days.

OK, how much does it cost?

In the real world, the starting price to rent a 120” to 135” foot yacht with crew is $50,000 to $100,000 for 6 to 8 guests, for 5 to 7 days. That is the starting price—it doesn’t include liquor, food and other extras. It can go up from there; I’ve even heard of a million-dollar charter. We have a chef, a deckhand, captain engineer and two stewardesses [on her current charter.] On this yacht I’m the second stewardess. You’ve got to do a little of everything, indoors and outdoors.

How much do crew like stewardesses and deckhands earn on charters?

Like everything else about this business it can vary, say from $2000 to $10,000 a month. I’d say $5,000 a month is a pretty standard number.

Although the show is mostly about the crew, the guests are frequently on camera too. Do they like it?

Many of them like the attention. Maybe you have to be a little bit of an exhibitionist or voyeur.

So is there a lot of mutual attraction on a yacht? Your Bravo bio says “Jessica hopes to find romance  on board this season.”

[Laughs.] I was not looking for romance. It’s pretty frowned upon on our end, but its not uncommon. I’ve known a couple of stewardesses who got married to yacht owners.

Your catchphrase is “I got this” as you work. What are your typical jobs on board?

My main duties are cabin, laundry, cleaning, shopping for crew. I’m responsible for anything in the interior. We have lost people on the interior [from attrition on the show], so you’ve got to fill in where you can.

Is your trademark sprained finger better? And tell us about your hand tattoo. (It has a pattern of stars across the back of her hand and fingers.)

I have a henna tattoo on my hand. It reminds me of India, one of my favorite places. I spent a lot of time there. To me the tattoo is about how life should be celebrated. The finger splint, on the other hand, gave me an excuse for giving people the finger!

How is it working on a yacht charter during the pandemic?

We have to be more cautious. It’s been kind of a buzzkill. At the end of a charter you’d look forward to going out partying and blowing your money. Now, we splurge on nice bottles of wine instead of bars and clubs. We tried to go out; it was an awkward vibe.

You are now chartering in the Hamptons. Do guests wear masks? Does everyone get tested for COVID-19?

We are privately owned, so it’s up to the owners. We started the first day wearing masks. We all get tested. We are taking measures, but we already had a real high standard of cleanliness. We are all on the same boat, There’s a certain trust factor. I have to leave the boat to get provisions. I could get COVID shopping, or on the Uber ride there. It is what is.

So how do you sterilize a yacht?

The good thing about yachting is we spray alcohol on surfaces all the time. The yacht’s probably the cleanest place.

When you travel to an assignment during the pandemic, do you wear a mask, goggles—or a hazmat suit? What are your tips for traveling now?

I like the hazmat suit idea! I try to pack light. I carry extra masks and gloves, and always have a bandana tied to my purse. I am also a sanitizer person when traveling. Unfortunately, it’s not pleasurable to fly now. Food and other travel options are very minimal. I bring granola bars and suck it up. Even getting a rides-hare now is tough and expensive—the Uber ride from my house to LAX was $200. It’s normally $40. It’s like we went back 10 years.

On the fun side of traveling, you have 37K Instagram followers. Any tips for perfect Instagram shots?

The self-timer on my phone is my best friend. I set my self-timer at 10 seconds and set it on reverse to see my screen.

What’s next for you, Jessica?

Finishing my anxiety triggers journal and getting it published. Dealing with anxiety, I’m a big advocate of mental health awareness.