‘Below Deck Mediterranean’ Star Aesha Scott Shares Packing Tips

Below Deck star Aesha Scott is ready to be back in the Mediterranean.

But this time, the 32-year-old is coming prepared for the hard work — as well as the drama — with all the right looks thanks to her stealth packing skills.

“I’ve spent the last 10 years living out of a bag, so I’m a master of shifting around my contents,” she told Travel + Leisure in an interview ahead of the Below Deck Mediterranean season premiere on Monday. “I try to pack pieces that are quite versatile, always packing for both seasons because, inside the boat, I find it very cold and then outside the boat is very warm. And then you’ve got your activewear. So I just try and pick three outfits per season; one activewear, three for winter, three for summer.”

But befriending your cabin mate for some extra options doesn’t hurt either, she added.

“You’ve just got to make friends with your roommate, and then you can mix and match,” she said. “I always raid all the other girls’ closets…because there’s no way you can fit 10 different outfits in those tiny little closets that we have. You have to just pick pieces that you can wear with multiple different looks.” 

Fashion aside, Scott tells T+L that returning to the Med for season 9 of Below Deck Mediterranean —after starring on the show’s Australian spin-off Below Deck: Down Under — is a homecoming of sorts as she first got in front of Bravo cameras in 2019 in the Med with Capt. Sandy Yawn at the helm.

“This season is really, really special to me because I’ve gone back to the Med,” Scott said. “I loved ‘Down Under,’ [and] I love [Capt.] Jason [Chambers]. I don’t want anyone to question that. But the Med is where it began.” 

“It’s got a very special place in my heart. I spent so many years wandering around the cobbled streets and enjoying the Mediterranean sun,” she added, sharing that she got her first yachting gig in France. “And then it’s also special to me because I started my Below Deck journey with Sandy. I have so much respect for her, and I wanted to prove myself. I just really wanted to show her that I could do a good job.”  

And this time, aboard luxury yacht Mustique, she’ll be the chief stew.

But it’s not just Sandy who adds a little workplace pressure. So too, does the destination itself, because as Scott explains, the Med “definitely high-end” and a place where guests expect truly exceptional service — as proved by this preview clip where the mere thought of waiting on laundry threw guests into a tailspin.

“I think the Mediterranean has this sense of class which raises the standards even more,” Scott said.

And really, she thinks that’s an important thing to consider — just what level of luxe you want to be at — if you’re considering chartering a boat anytime soon. 

According to Scott, while the Med can be a bit buttoned up, in Australia, “it’s a much more laid-back vibe. The crew will get more involved. It’s a bit more casual, [there’s] a bit more banter. It’s just a little bit less formal.” 

But for those looking for more of a Goldilocks fit — a destination that’s not too luxe but not too laidback —  she thinks the Caribbean is the perfect mix. There, she says, “you’ve got these really beautiful exclusive places, but it is still island vibes.” 

But again, at least professionally, the Med keeps calling her name.

“I’ve tried other places, I’ve been around, but it keeps calling me back,” she says with a laugh. “There’s just nothing like it.” 

Below Deck Mediterranean premieres on June 3 on Bravo at 9 p.m. ET.