Victoria “Vee” SanJuan, who began her maritime journey aboard dive boats in Fort Lauderdale, has firmly established herself as a bona fide yachtie. In the current season of Below Deck Mediterranean, viewers have watched the Florida native transition from mastering the interior workings under the guidance of Chief Stew Aesha Scott to joining Bosun Nathan Gallagher’s exterior team following a crew reshuffle. Although SanJuan has always felt more at ease on deck given her background, she has faced her share of challenges, including dealing with a personal tragedy—the loss of her boyfriend Bon in a diving accident prior to joining the Bravo series.

SanJuan openly shares her experience, explaining, “Talking about Bon was never difficult for me. It was my way of keeping his memory alive and honoring him.” She chuckles, recalling, “Bon always had this secret wish to be on TV.” SanJuan’s natural charm, strong work ethic, and eagerness to learn have undoubtedly made Bon proud. She explains, “He trained me as a dive master, and many of those skills are applicable on a deck crew. People can see his expertise shining through me.”

After a year of healing, SanJuan felt ready to venture back into dating, crossing paths with Joe Bradley, an attractive deckhand who rejoined the series a few charters into the season. “With my Spanish heritage, hearing a man with a Liverpool accent fluently speak Spanish was irresistibly charming,” she admits. “Confidence really does speak volumes.” However, Bradley’s history of womanizing presents potential complications. SanJuan notes, “Without trust, you have nothing,” hinting at the challenges their relationship may face as the charter season progresses. “If I can’t trust you, that’s the end of it,” she adds pointedly.

In a candid Zoom conversation with Decider, SanJuan delves into the lessons learned from Captain Sandy Yawn, her observations on the dynamic between Gallagher and his partner Gael Cameron, and the intriguing prospect of a “medium” attempting to set her up with a former cast member from Below Deck Sailing Yacht.

DECIDER: Were you a fan of the Below Deck franchise before you applied? What made you want to be on the show?

VICTORIA SANJUAN: I didn’t hear about Below Deck until I worked on a party boat and started giving tours. Obviously, Fort Lauderdale is, like, the yacht capital of the world, so there’s all this talk among the yachties about the show. I’m like, “what’s Below Deck?” They’re like, “you should do it.” I was like, “no, I don’t know if I’m cut out for that.” Eventually, so many of my friends sent me the casting call that I was like, “why not let me just try.”

You’ve spoken very candidly about your late partner, Bon. Was it cathartic to open up about him on the show? Were you nervous to be so vulnerable?

It’s so funny because Bon always kinda wanted to be on TV [laughs]. He looked like the lovechild of captain Jack Sparrow and Aquaman, two of my biggest crushes. I wanted to talk about him because he’s part of my story. Also, I think that people can learn from what I’ve been through. Losing someone you love so young is such a unique experience. I felt very alone, and I hate to think that other people might feel the same way. I thought maybe I could help someone going through the same thing. Talking about Bon was my way of remembering and honoring him.

From what you’ve shared about him, I know he would be so proud of you for getting back on deck. Is it important for you to share and continue his legacy?

Most definitely. He trained me as a dive master, and a lot of those skills are transferable to being on a deck crew. He really wanted me to be the best person on the boat. He was like, “I need you to be the best because that’s my reputation.” People are seeing his skills through me.

Is Captain Sandy the first female captain you have worked for?

She’s actually the second. I worked with a captain called Brito, but her real name is Brittany. It was awesome because we were the only female duo in Fort Lauderdale on a dive boat for a bit. I felt very empowered. She would be driving this boat and drop me underwater like 80ft to the bottom to tie off of this rack. It was super fun. I love working with females because we hold each other accountable. If we mess up, we aren’t afraid to tell each other because we want to be better.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve taken away from working with Captain Sandy?

If you work hard, people will notice. You might not be the best, but if you really give it your all, people will recognize that and appreciate you. Sandy allowed me to switch from stew to deck because she saw that I really wanted it.

How did your season shift when you went from working as a stew with Aesha to being on deck with Nathan?

When it came to service and being around guests, I felt out of place. I’m just so nonchalant. There’s even one scene in the beginning of the season where I’m like, “Aesha, can I come serve in socks?” And she’s like, “no.” I’m a dive boat girl. I’m from a different world. I was just always more comfortable with lines and knots. That’s just my jam [laughs]. I felt more much comfortable on deck because it felt more at home to me.

In the mid-season teaser, Captain Sandy tells Nathan he’s losing control of the deck team? Did you feel like that was so during some of those later charters?

We had so many dark days where when I first started, it was difficult to see what a full day on deck would be like. As the season went on, we had a lot of bad weather and issues with the water toys. We get more tired as the cruise continues. It is a very physical job. We’re all sleep deprived, and we’re all running around and getting fed at weird hours. That’s when things start fumbling a little bit more.

Do you think Nathan was distracted by what was going on between him and Gael?

I had private conversations with him about relationships. We spoke about how hard it is to move on from your first love like it’s been for me with Bon. I asked him if he ever thought about Gael, and he was very emotional about it. He still really cared for her. This season probably wasn’t as much fun for him because he was in charge of everything. Last season with Gael, it was all romance and fun.

What were your impressions of their dynamic when she came to visit?

I thought they were so cute. However, I saw them on a night out. Everyone was very intoxicated and emotions were high. They had a lot of conversation. I do remember them in the car in tears. I was just like, “What’s going on? Why are people crying? Like, did I miss something?” So, I’m sure they had things they had to talk about after not seeing each other for a while.

Now, let’s talk about Joe Bradley. What initially drew you to him?

At the time, I was moving to Spain. I knew that he lives in Spain. I have a Spanish background, and a man with a Liverpool accent speaking perfect Spanish was a hard one to not get giddy about [laughs]. The man has so much charm to him. Things are very natural, very easy for him. Confidence does speak volumes, for sure.

At this point in the season, Joe is down bad for you. Were you surprised by the intensity of his feelings?

I was surprised because Aesha warned me about him. He was telling me a lot of conflicting things. At one point he was acting like our connection had an expiration date, like I was a yogurt or something. Then, he’d be talking to me about his mom and asking me about moving to Spain. It was very confusing. I was initially excited that my feelings were reciprocated, but I felt I had to be a bit on edge, given his reputation of being a ladies’ man.

Now in the midseason teaser, you say to Joe, “You told me I’m not going to do anything physical with any of the girls, I give you my word. That word was broken.” What can you tease about the future of your connection with Joe?

Why are you going to make promises you can’t keep? I’m a big believer in trust. If you don’t have trust, you don’t have anything. So, if I can’t trust you, there it goes.

Lastly, I hear someone is trying to set up you with Chef Cloyce from Below Deck Sailing Yacht. Are you interested? What are your thoughts?

It’s so funny. I’m not really into the younger guys, but this girl who is a medium says she feels this energy. Like, the two of us are meant to be together. Personally, I don’t think we are. I don’t think I would want my next man to be American. I want someone who speaks multiple languages and can catch a tan instead of a sunburn. The UV index is getting higher. I need my children to be able to handle some melanin [laughs]. I think Cloyce is probably a lovely guy, but I don’t know if I’d be attracted to him.