‘Below Deck Down Under’ Season 4 Episode 18 Recap: Ben and Joao clash as charter drama escalates in finale
The latest ‘Below Deck Down Under’ episode resumed the verbal altercation between Ben and Joao. It started after Ben slept in the guest bedroom, which had been made and was ready for the next charter guests. Listening to Ben’s yelling, Joao told him to be “careful.” Ben replied, “I’ll remember this.” Some of the crew members could listen to the arguments between the two from the deck’s pool. “Me and Joao are actually friends, and it just feels like he should not be dragging me out of this guest cabin. I locked the door for a reason,” confessed Ben to the cameras. He noted that it had been a “really, really long season” for him and that he had not been sleeping well at all. Joao told Daisy that there was a “big clusterf**k,” referring to the argument with Ben. “He then tore the bed and said, ‘Well, now it’s not made. Girls can make it in the morning,’” recalled Joao.
In her private confessional, Daisy noted that it was “completely selfish” behavior from Ben. “We spent a lot of time getting those beds ready for the charter, and now we have to redo all of that work.” Joao confessed, “If he wants to put our friendship on the line, it’s his choice, not mine. At the end of the day, we’re here to do our job, and if you are going to be the head of the team, then you must act like a head of the team.” Both Ben and Joao sent separate texts to Captain Jason regarding how the situation unfolded. The next morning, the captain went to the guest room where Ben slept. “What happened?” he asked. He mentioned that after Daisy yelled at him, he was “awakened” and wanted to sleep away from drama.
Later, the captain had separate conversations with Ben, Daisy, and Joao to know “all sides of the story” and how everything happened. Daisy noted that Ben could not have a “reasonable conversation.” Captain Jason told the cameras, “To say that I’m disappointed is an understatement. Going into the final charter, personalities are being tested…” He then called all three of them and said, “Now, we’ve to clean up the mess.” When Captain Jason mentioned that Ben got himself away from the “situation,” Daisy noted that there was no “situation.” However, he said he would talk, and there would not be any talk back. He reflected on their conversation from the beginning of the current season. “We said we’re all gonna stick together. And what happens? Lack of accountability, miscommunication, egos…we’re bigger people than that. As a team, we could probably change a few things,” said Captain Jason. After that, Ben went to Joao and Daisy separately and apologized for his behavior. He also apologized to the crew and for the extra work they had to do because of him.
Fans witnessed the new charter guests’ arrival. It turned out to be quite the nightmare for the crew, especially Ben. While the guests’ preference sheets mentioned they wanted seafood for lunch, they changed it after it was served. Additionally, one of the guests, who was the co-primary’s friend, was unhappy with the seven-course dinner menu. This was because he was quite a picky eater. However, Ben prepared a pizza for him, as he had requested. Seeing the guests’ behavior, the crew, including Daisy, told Ben that it was not his fault they did not like the food. As the charter ended, co-primaries noted that it was their “best charter” ever. They left a $34,500 tip for the crew. Captain Jason revealed that the season’s total tip money was $235,700, which meant $26,189 for each. Everyone cheered and soon said their goodbyes as the season came to an end.
