Below Deck season 11’s Barbie Pascual is having a difficult time on the St. David with Fraser Olender & Xandi Olivier’s behavior, and though she should be ready to quit, she shouldn’t give in to the impulse. Throughout Barbie time on Below Deck season 11, she has struggled to fit in with the rest of her cast. Barbie has been able to build relationships with the exterior crew, but her relationships with the interior haven’t been great. Despite knowing that she has a great work ethic and is able to get things done, Barbie’s relationship with Fraser in particular has been incredibly difficult.
In the most recent episode of Below Deck season 11, Barbie and Fraser finally went toe to toe on the issues that they’ve been dealing with throughout the season. Although Barbie does have an attitude at times, Fraser has been particularly vocal about the fact that he cannot handle her attitude in her work any longer. Though Barbie has been able to get her work done and deal with others who may be slacking, it’s been clear that her and Fraser’s personalities simply don’t mix despite them both trying to hear each other out. Barbie shouldn’t give up just yet.
Though Barbie’s relationship with Fraser has been difficult throughout Below Deck season 11, things have gotten worse since Cat Baugh decided to leave St. David. Early in Below Deck season 11, Frasier felt protective over another stew who had a difficult time getting along with the rest of the cast. While Cat was dealing with some issues in her personal and professional life, her work was suffering. Barbie took notice when she spoke out against Cat, and Fraser took it personally instead of trying to hear his employee out. Though Xandi wasn’t involved, Fraser’s dislike of Barbie pushed him away.
In more recent episodes of Below Deck, Fraser and Barbie’s relationship has not improved. Things have gotten worse with the team being down a stew and with Fraser being unable to pick up the slack for the rest of the workload. While Barbie has been struggling to get everything done, Frasier and Xandi have appeared to gang up on her in a way that has made her feel isolated and alone. Rather than trying to band together as a group and make things work, Fraser and Xandi have isolated Barbie, making her feel like she’s ready to quit the charter.
Barbie’s time on Below Deck has been riddled with issues beyond her control, which is difficult for somebody who struggles with control. It’s not clear if Barbie understands that she can be somewhat of a perfectionist, but the issues that she has displayed during her time on Below Deck make it clear that she is someone who likes to be in control and likes to do things their way. While this doesn’t always work for her managers, Barbie is incredibly competent at her job, ensuring her tasks are completed, and ensuring the rest of the team’s on track as well.
The first charters of Below Deck season 11 tested Barbie’s patience in a way that she likely didn’t expect. Barbie had to get accustomed to a group of other yachties who didn’t really know each other’s style. It quickly became clear that Barbie and Cat weren’t going to get along, which pushed Barbie into a difficult place with Fraser. Barbie has had a difficult time this charter season, but she’s been able to establish herself as a good, hard-working stew. Her issues with Fraser are less about her work and more about the treatment she’s received on the St. David.
Fraser has complained that Barbie has been insubordinate with him, especially in recent episodes of Below Deck season 11. While Fraser and Barbie have had their issues, Barbie doesn’t typically show how upset she is in situations with Fraser at the moment they occur. What Fraser sees as insubordination, Barbie has explained is her simply trying to block her emotions from taking over her professional abilities. Fraser doesn’t seem to take an issue with Barbie’s work but has taken issue with her attitude, which makes it clear he doesn’t have much to go off of to get rid of her.
Despite Fraser consistently coming for Barbie for her not being as friendly or open as he’d like, the issues that he has with her are minimal. While the pair have tried to discuss their problems before, they haven’t been able to do so successfully. Barbie felt like she was ready to quit during the most recent episode of Below Deck season 11, sharing she felt the St. David wasn’t good for her. Barbie’s right in her emotions, but the alienation she feels from Fraser isn’t something she should allow to deter her from continuing her work on the St. David.
While there are likely places for Barbie to make some strides forward in her attitude and in the way she communicates with Fraser, her stew shouldn’t leave the charter just because she feels like she’s getting pressure from her manager to change. Though Fraser may hold her job in his hands, Barbie shouldn’t allow one person’s view of her or her work to dictate what happens in her future. After dealing with drama on the St. David earlier this season, Barbie should be able to navigate her way through this situation without quitting and maintain her position as a stew.
The issue between Fraser and Barbie comes down to the fact that Fraser has a hierarchy for his stews. Fraser, as a manager, has struggled to navigate the dynamics between his employees. Positioning himself closer to Xandi than Barbie has isolated one of his stews, and made her ultimately feel like she can’t talk to him about her issues. While there are larger things at play that are difficult, having a hierarchy for his employees has made Barbie’s time on Below Deck tremendously difficult. Still, she should do her best to stick it out because she’s doing a great job.