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Retaining Yacht Crew: A Multifaceted Conundrum

Why do we still grapple with retaining yacht crew is there a silver bullet, and if so, who has it.

Yacht crew are the cogs that keep the yachting industry turning. They are the driving force behind curating unforgettable experiences on board and delivering seven-star service, but there is an ongoing challenge of high turnover and poor crew retention rates.

Crew retention is a complex issue that isn’t new; the industry has been asking ‘why?’ for a while now. What does the job role lack? What is the reason behind leaving? Is it money? Is it the work-life balance? Or perhaps it stems from inefficient leadership and a toxic culture on board? There are multiple reasons behind this issue plaguing the industry, with various perspectives and priorities at play. 

A shifting industry 

The industry has experienced several shifts over the years. It isn’t bullet-proof, and certain global events have impacted the workforce, such as Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict . However, as shifts continue, there seems to be no clear or one answer to retaining crew. 

“Three to six months can now be classified as longevity whereas 10 years ago, everyone did a year plus,” said Liam Dobbin, managing director of Wilsonhalligan . 

This reduced benchmark indicates a stark contrast, and it has become imperative to investigate why.    

Toxic cultures 

What hasn’t changed is the industry’s demanding nature, high expectations, and prolonged work hours, coupled with living and working in such close quarters. These factors can pose a challenge in fostering a work-life balance and positive onboard culture. 

“Living and working on board together 24/7 will take its strain on even the most experienced crew member,” said Sharon Rose, head of crew recruitment at Bluewater . “Crew that feel balanced and content are less likely to check if the sea is bluer elsewhere.” 

Summer King, director of Superyacht Crew UK , highlights a healthy working space as a key factor in improving retention.  

“The primary concern and major obstacle in retaining crew is upholding crew satisfaction and wellbeing, a positive environment is vital and a toxic environment can lead to higher turnover,” King said.

While it is evident in some cases that the industry has begun to champion enhanced professionalism, it still struggles with ingrained issues that can lead to a negative culture where bullying and harassment are commonplace. 

“There is unfortunately still a toxic side to the industry, if crew members find themselves on a poorly managed yacht or with problematic individuals on board making life unpleasant, they do their best to continue but ultimately will leave if there is no support or action to change the issues,” said Emma Baggett, director of The OM . 

An increase in the awareness of legalities and wellness by crew is another reason crew are leaving, according to Dobbin.

“The crew are now ensuring they look after themselves, which means joining and staying on a good boat that looks after them mentally and physically,” Dobbin said.  

Who is in charge?   

As the adage goes, ‘people leave people, not jobs.’ It isn’t a revolutionary concept that a well-managed shoreside company with good leadership has a better chance of keeping employees, so why should a yacht be any different?   

“As far as culture is concerned, it’s down to the departmental heads and ultimately the captain,” said Benjamin Maltby, the general secretary for The Owners Club . 

Capt. Kelly J. Gordon, an accomplished motor yacht captain that also helps captains and crew navigate the yachting industry concurs with Maltby’s point. 

“There are a lot of dynamics to consider, but simply crew do not stay when the environment on board is toxic, and that points to leadership,” Gordon said. 

Phil Richards, is the technical/deck recruitment consultant at The Crew Hunter . The Crew Hunter is a boutique head-hunting agency that works with management, captains, and head of departments to find the right fit for client’s teams. 

“I think that vessel representation such as captains and HODs should ask themselves what kind of culture they are creating, what their values are, and what they are trying to achieve,” Richards said.   

Leadership training and professional development have become a well-debated topic over recent years, with a significant rise in non-mandatory training courses. Lucie Fox is the recruitment consultant at Hill Robinson and helps place crew on board exclusive yachts worldwide.

“Leadership, training, and career development are all essential to building a great team and positively impacting turnover; they are separate elements but intrinsically linked,” Fox said. “Strong leadership is extremely important to improving crew retention, and a good leader will likely undergo continuous personal development.” 

The training company ‘ The Crew Academy ’ has recognized retention as an issue big enough to create a specific course named ‘HR, Recruitment & Retention’ that was launched in November 2022. 

“The course will help HODs to recruit and retain staff through creating positive working environments, career paths, and HR practices,” said Andrew Roch, founder of The Crew Academy.                                                                            

Generational shift 

“There is a generational shift happening; sometimes there can be almost three generations on board some boats,” Dobbin said. 

With the generational shift comes new voices and ideas to the industry, which should be listened to according to Fox. 

“Crew entering the industry today have different knowledge and expectations than many of our captains had in their time; it is important that leaders welcome new ideas and management styles that are better suited to this generation,” Fox said. 

Some say the younger generation is being tarnished with entitlement and increasing demands from the industry, but could this be because change is necessary for development? 

“Crew often get blamed for high turnover, but the industry has enhanced the awareness surrounding wellbeing, and this had a knock-on effect; people used to suffer in silence years ago and would just put up with it until the end of the season, but now that isn’t the case,” Dobbin said.   

Changing perceptions 

How the industry is viewed has also changed; recent years have seen it thrust into the spotlight. One notable impact is from the popular Bravo TV series Below Deck . This newfound visibility has brought a mixed bag of opinions and consequences. 

“There has been a rush of people coming in who, perhaps having watched Below Deck, are motivated to work in the sector but don’t have the commitment or understand fully the world they are entering into and lack the professionalism needed for the job,” Baggett said.

While recruiters have worked to become more diligent and transparent when explaining the industry to green crew and the ins and outs of particular jobs until a crew member joins, there is still a significant element of the unknown. One tool that has helped, or hindered, and is up for debate is social media. These platforms have not only enabled crew to be exposed to more job opportunities, allowing them to jump ship easier, but is also shaping the narrative whereby crew discuss the intricacies of job roles and individual yachts. 

Over the years, the structure of job roles has also changed with more crew demanding rotational positions to aid better work-life balance. While there are benefits to this structure, it hasn’t been the magic solution that everyone had hoped for across all ranks.

“We have waited so long for rotation and while it has made a huge difference for crew at a higher level it is problematic for juniors and can be the reason behind high turnover,” Baggett said. “If crew members get rotation early in their career it can be disruptive to their learning environment and ability to gain sea time, plus they tend to struggle to save as they spend all their money when they are off for long periods of time, they think they want rotation but actually it doesn’t always prove to be the perk that they think it will be and crew drop out through this as it is so disjointed.”

Baggett has also seen an increasing trend in senior crew resorting to temping instead of long term commitments. She attributes this to crew continually coming across poor culture on board, so they trial out boats until they find what works for them instead. 

“Temping is a sign that those senior crew that are committed to long term careers in the sector are tired of unprofessional boats and toxic work environments and do not want to leave but also don’t want to commit to vessels until they know they are properly run,” Baggett said. 

Lack of direction 

“The biggest challenge is changing the general perception of working on superyachts as something transitory rather than a rewarding, secure, and lifelong career,” Maltby said. 

Not seeing progression is another reason crew leave, according to Summer King.

“A lack of clear pathways and advancement may mean that crew seek better opportunities elsewhere,” King. 

One group working toward understanding the reasons behind the crewing problem is ‘Raising the Bar’ – a group of voluntary superyacht industry professionals who began their mission in February, 2021. Having conducted multiple surveys, the group identified a number of reasons behind turnover and the resulting high-cost figures. To help crew see the longer-term prospects, career maps have been created and are hosted by Superyacht Industry Careers , highlighting the various qualifications, experience, and timeframe needed to progress. 

The human factor 

“The industry needs to stop seeing crew as a disposable commodity and support them as a valuable sustainable asset worthy of their investment,” Baggett said.

This prevailing issue of crew members being expendable assets rather than valued has begun to filter into a culture where loyalty quickly wanes. If the crew recognizes they could be replaced in a heartbeat, why wouldn’t they leave for a better-looking opportunity? 

Hiring and firing in yachting occurs at an operational level, regularly without intervention from an independent body that could help manage some retention issues. Not only could such a body give rise to concerns around crew welfare and wellbeing, but it could also address grievances impartially and provide a neutral platform for conflict resolution.  

Standardization is a problem, further exacerbating the retention issue. There are yachts with sound systems in place and a positive culture, but some are still poorly managed, unprofessional, and harboring bullying and toxic cultures. Implementing human resource procedures could help standardize procedures such as performance reviews and crew development, bolstered by more effective communication and fair treatment.  

A collaborative fix 

“Crew retention cannot be addressed by one course of action and requires a holistic approach,” said Barrett Wright, president of U.S. Hill Robinson. “We continually review individuals, captains, crew, and owner feedback to address any issues that may arise before crew feel they must leave.” 

The industry must foster a positive on board culture to enhance crew welfare and the work-life balance while instilling better leadership training and clearer career pathways. There is no one size fits all solution to retaining crew, but to address the issues, the industry requires increased collaboration between all stakeholders involved.

Responsibility shouldn’t fall on one section of the industry. The industry as a whole needs to value crew more. Recruiters and management companies need to prioritize onboarding the right crew versus short-term solutions, and in the right way, with adequate training and procedures to ensure a positive workplace. Simultaneously, the crew themselves need to respect and uphold professionalism. The failure to address the problems will continue the crew retention cycle and hinder the industry’s progress and long-term stability. 

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The Results Are In: ACREW's 2022 Crew Awards

By Heather Collier

The results are finally in for the 2022 Crew Awards. This year, ACREW hosted their annual Crew Awards in the world-renowned marina village and luxury lifestyle destination, Porto Montenegro.

Created by ACREW IN 2018, the awards celebrate professional excellence and personal achievements within the yachting industry. The judging panel is comprised of current and senior superyacht captains and crew who remain highly valued within the yachting community. 

The 20 different awards categories included Charter Yacht Award, Private Yacht Award, Captain Master Award, Environmental Crew Award and Social Influencer Award, among many others.

Many of the official winners include ROMA for Best Charter Yacht, EOS for Best Private Yacht, and Kelly Gordon, Sean Read and Sebastian Gerards as the Best Captain Masters (of  500GT, 3000GT and Unlimited respectively), among a number of other prestigious award wins.

This year, ACREW celebrated their 5th edition of The Crew Awards with over 220 crew and businesses in attendance, including superyacht captains. 

All finalists were invited to a luxury weekend away full of activities at the Mediterranean's iconic marina village, with the theme being 'A Knight to Remember', offering each guest the opportunity to be treated like royalty.

" The yachting industry is built on foundation of hard work behind the scenes ," says Tony Browne, Marina Director at Porto Montenegro.

" We are immensely grateful to all our friends and partners at ACREW, for celebrating all levels of experience, giving captains and crew the visibility and credit that they deserve within the industry." 

"We were thrilled to host the crew awards here in Porto Montenegro for the first time in 2022. Both the marina services and the lifestyle amenities here are designed to create an exceptional experience, not only for owners and charter passengers, but for crew. As we take the time to recognise crew and their achievements, it is only right that we host them here in Porto Montenegro, and show them a good time," he adds.

The official winners of the 2022 Crew Awards:

Best Charter Yacht Crew Award - ROMA

Best Private Yacht Crew Award - EOS

Captain Master Unlimited Award - Sebastian Gerards

Captain Master 3000GT Crew Award - Sean Read

Captain Master 500GT Crew Award - Kelly Gordon

First Officer Crew Award - Alexis Hennion

Enginer & TEO Crew Award - Bruno Ferreira

Purser Crew Award - Michelle Maree

Chief Stew Crew Award - Julia Dobrogorska

Chef Crew Award - Ben Descoteau

Stew Crew Award - Monica Hiemstra

Deck Crew Award - Carmen Hooper

Entrepreneur Crew Award - Lauren Wadley

Duty of Care Crew Award - Kayla Viljoen

Mentorship Crew Award - Rachel Cunningham

Enivronmental Crew Award - Artefact

Lifetime Achievement Award - Brendan O'Shannasy

Professional Development Award - Ondrej Cizmar

Junior Crew Award - Melissa Beatie

Social Influencer Crew Award - Nina Wilson

" The diversity of the winners this year, reflects the many different elements that make up the yachting industry; a reminder that each and every individual is integral to maintaining the high standards that yachting is known for ," says Onno Ebens, Managing Director at ACREW.

Superyachts.com would like to extend our congratulations to all of this year's finalists and winners.

"The yachting industry is built on foundation of hard work behind the scenes. We are immensely grateful to all our friends and partners at ACREW, for celebrating all levels of experience, giving captains and crew the visibility and credit that they deserve within the industry." Tony Browne, Marina Director, Porto Montenegro

"The yachting industry is built on foundation of hard work behind the scenes. We are immensely grateful to all our friends and partners at ACREW, for celebrating all levels of experience, giving captains and crew the visibility and credit that they deserve within the industry."

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What We Know About the Crew on the Ship That Hit the Baltimore Bridge

One crew member of the Dali received stitches, then returned to the ship. It’s not clear how long they’ll have to remain on board.

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By Santul Nerkar

• March 28, 2024

The crew members of the cargo ship that crashed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge were still aboard Thursday, more than two days after the collision that collapsed the bridge and left six people dead.

Most of the crew — at least 20 people — were from India, according to Synergy Marine, the management company that operates the vessel, the Dali. Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesman for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, said on Thursday that the crew was in good condition; one crew member was injured in the crash and received stitches at a nearby hospital before returning to the ship, he said.

The ship, owned by the Singapore-based Grace Ocean Private Ltd. , had just embarked on a 27-day voyage to Singapore when it struck the bridge early Tuesday morning. Darrell Wilson, a spokesman for Synergy Marine, said on Thursday he did not know when crew members would leave the ship.

Josh Messick, a chaplain and the executive director of the Baltimore International Seafarers’ Center, a religious nonprofit that seeks to protect the rights of mariners, said the crew did not have reliable internet access. His organization was working to deliver Wi-Fi access and SIM cards so they could reach family members back home, he said.

Large container ships like the Dali typically have about 20 crew members, a figure that has come down over the years as operators have sought to cut labor costs. Larger shipping companies may recruit workers from countries like India and the Philippines , where looser labor laws enable them to pay cheaper wages.

Crews’ time at sea can vary, but some voyages are now taking longer than usual: Attacks on ships by the Houthi rebel group in Yemen in the Red Sea have caused lengthy detours away from the Suez Canal, disrupting global shipping across the globe.

Typically, a container ship crew includes the captain, an officer in charge of securing the cargo, sailors assigned to the engines and handling the ship's myriad systems, and stewards who handle tasks like cooking and laundry.

John Konrad, a licensed container ship captain and the editor of gCaptain.com , a shipping industry news site, said every container ship is “unique and has its idiosyncrasies.” It’s normal for crew members to stay on damaged ships because the captain is still in command, and crew members must make sure the crashed vessel — and any potentially hazardous goods — does not pose a further danger.

“They’re making sure the ship doesn’t catch on fire,” Mr. Konrad said in an interview, adding that the crew must also remain to comply with the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation.

On Wednesday, Jennifer Homendy, the chair of the N.T.S.B., said the ship’s cooks were working when she boarded the ship. “It smelled very good, and I was very hungry,” she said.

Santul Nerkar is a reporter covering business and sports. More about Santul Nerkar

Yacht Mark Twain being refurbished in bid to compete in Sydney to Hobart race once more

For the better part of five decades, one yacht returned to the starting line of the Sydney to Hobart race more than any other.

The timber and fibreglass hulled Mark Twain was built in 1971 and has competed in the race a record-breaking 26 times.

But since its last effort in 2018, it has languished at port.

The yacht's new owner, Rob Payne, who refers to himself as the boat's custodian, has grand plans to refurbish the vessel, a Sparkman and Stephens 39, and return the Mark Twain to its former glory.

Although he hopes to return the boat to the starting line of the Sydney to Hobart, he also believes the yacht can be used for a greater good.

Along with Beaconsfield mine disaster survivor Brant Webb , Mr Payne has plans to establish a group called Old Saltys, which will aim to use sailing as a vessel to empower youth through sharing knowledge.

"Sailing is a metaphor for life. You've got to trim your sails and set your course and you're gonna get buffeted around," he said.

The Old Salty's motto will be 'well-weathered wisdom', and the men believe they have a lot of life experience they can share with young people anywhere Mark Twain can sail.

Mine collapse survivor finds solace on the sea

Brant Webb, who was one of two miners rescued after spending 14 days trapped almost a kilometre underground when a Tasmanian mine collapsed in 2006, says sailing helped him after the ordeal.

"After Beaconsfield, if I was having a bad day I'd call up the GP and he'd say 'get the boat ready, we're going sailing'.

"I've been sailing since I was eight years old. All my life. That's the great thing about it, you can turn your phone off out there and no-one can find you."

Mr Webb said the Old Saltys group was intended for "sailors who are too old to race and too young to cruise".

"It gives us old folk a new lease on life. The whole thing is to connect people, to put the unity in community, which we lost during COVID."

Mr Payne, a recent transplant from New Zealand, said he was heartbroken by the condition of the Mark Twain when he first found it in 2020.

"When I saw it, it broke my heart," he said, adding that he had the opportunity to "do something about" refurbishing the "old girl".

"We're only ever the custodians of these extraordinary vessels."

Once a fine racing yacht, the Mark Twain had fallen into disrepair in port at George Town in recent years.

From its first entry in the Sydney to Hobart in 1971, the boat long held the steadily increasing record for the greatest number of entries in the iconic race, even managing to clinch podium finishes for its class on several occasions.

Throughout the latter half of the 20th century, it competed in more than 20 Sydney to Hobart races, and in 2002 became the first-ever boat to have sailed in 25.

"Thousands of men and women have sailed on this beautiful vessel," Mr Payne said.

It was bought and refurbished for its 26th entry by veteran Sydney to Hobart skipper Michael Spies in 2018, but that was the last time it took part.

Mr Payne spent several months last year refurbishing the boat's hull himself and on Wednesday, March 27, the mast and boom were removed to be restored by a Beauty Point shipwright.

Along with Mr Webb, he hopes to take the Mark Twain around Tasmania, Australia and New Zealand and share their knowledge of the seas.

"My encouragement to youth is to get into sailing and you know, become part of the community within those sailing clubs," Mr Payne said.

"You don't necessarily have to own a huge boat … you can be in a little sabot [dinghy] and have that experience on the water. It's life changing and transformational."

He is keen to share the refurbishment project with anyone who wants to be involved and hopes the Mark Twain will sail again in the next two to three years.

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The unspoken rules about how to behave on a superyacht

• The superyachting world is very small, with only 5,800 yachts longer than 30 meters at sea.
• That insularity has bred a specific etiquette, which is often hard for outsiders to know about.
• These are the de facto rules of the most expensive billionaire toys, superyachts .

For the owners of superyachts , privacy is often the most valuable thing money can buy. It's one reason centimillionaires and billionaires pay eight or nine figures for a palace at sea, far from the prying eyes of land dwellers.

Even the most gossipy crew members should stay tight-lipped about the name of a former owner or charter guest, and many brokers shy away from answering benign questions.

That means that, aside from basic safety guidelines, most of the rules of superyachting are unwritten. The very few who need to know them — there are only about 5,800 yachts longer than 30 meters at sea, according to SuperYacht Times — already know them.

But if you do happen to be a lucky guest at a party on a billionaire's $500 million ship or find yourself included in a $1 million-a-week vacation, there are a few things you need to know.

After four days of touring superyachts that sell for as much as $75 million and chatting with the people who buy, sell, and work on them at the Palm Beach International Boat Show , Business Insider gleaned a few key edicts. Given the discreet nature of the industry, almost all the people we spoke with requested anonymity to protect their working relationships, but here's what they had to say.

Take off your shoes

While it's a basic rule for anyone in boating, it may come as a surprise to an outsider that no matter how rich you are or how expensive your heels are, in the vast majority of cases, you can't wear shoes on board.

It's partly for safety — you don't want anyone slipping on a wet deck — but partly to keep the yacht clean. So expect to see barefoot billionaires, and if you forgot to get a pedicure, bring a set of special boat shoes.

Don't make any assumptions about money — but know the signs

In the superyacht world, it's safe to assume almost everyone you meet is very, very rich, and many brokers and builders say you can't judge a book by its cover when it comes to prospective clients.

"It has nothing to do with how they're dressed," one broker told BI. "It's the biggest mistake you can make because a complete slobby-looking guy or couple could be a multibillionaire."

There are, however, a few clues. Watches are one; new footwear is another.

"Rich people always have new shoes," a superyacht expert said. But because of the shoe rule mentioned above, this tip probably applies only when they're on land.

Book your massage early

Wellness areas, including spa rooms with a massage bed or two and a professional-grade facial machine, are becoming must-haves on superyachts . Most have a customized spa menu and a crew member who doubles as a trained masseuse or beautician — and they're usually in high demand.

One captain said he'd implemented a booking system to ensure people weren't fighting for the same spots. A broker said sometimes masseuses would be so busy they wouldn't leave the small spa cabin for hours on end.

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So if you want to make the most of your relaxing time on board, reserve your pampering slot as soon as you get your welcome cocktail.

Pirates are more real than you'd think, and many superyachts have hidden safe rooms

While you might dress up as a fake pirate for an onboard theme party, there are very real ones — and other dangers — on the high seas.

In certain areas, including parts of the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden, pirates are a cause of concern . In the Red Sea, owners are concerned about the Houthis .

Superyachts can come equipped with sonic weaponry, lockdown systems, and anti-drone protection. Builders are even designing safe rooms — which are apparently just as plush as the rest of the ship.

The longer the boat, the closer to $1 billion

While you can't judge a buyer based on appearances, you can judge them on the length of their boat.

One rule of thumb: If someone has a brand-new 50-meter vessel, chances are they have $1 billion to their name. If it's over 100 meters, expect the owner to have at least $2 billion. And for a boat bigger than that — like Jeff Bezos' 127-meter megayacht Koru — it takes many, many billions.

Money can't buy you everything

The world's biggest, most expensive yachts are custom-built by shipyards that produce only a handful of boats a year.

But no matter how many tens of millions of dollars clients are spending, there are things to which builders will refuse to say yes.

"In the end, the boat has our name," an executive from one of the world's biggest shipyards told BI.

They recalled a client who requested a yellow hull to match his Lamborghini . The shipyard declined, steering the client in another direction.

"If I don't like it, I don't build it. I finalize two or three contracts a year," another builder said. "If somebody can say your vessel is ugly, my reputation is bad."

Yacht crews are trained to make the impossible possible. A guest requests fresh caviar flown into the middle of the Caribbean? No problem. Fresh flowers every day while at sea? It'll cost you, but it can be done.

But they can't time travel, and captains and crew members say the thing that causes the most friction is when a client or owner wants to go from point A to point B — right now.

"The hardest request is when they want the boat in a place — yesterday," one captain said.

The best person to know? A friend with a superyacht

Superyachts are expensive to build and expensive to maintain . According to the industry standard, owning a superyacht will cost 10% of its new-build price annually. For a $100 million yacht, that's at least $10 million yearly going to crew, regular maintenance, insurance, fuel, and dockage.

Chartering, too, is costly . Beyond the list price, which can be hundreds of thousands a week, guests must pay for provisions, which are pegged at 35% of the charter fee, and are expected to tip between 10% and 20%.

So the most important unspoken rule of superyachting is actually that the only thing better than owning a superyacht is knowing someone else who does — and invites you along, of course.

Watch: Why it costs $1 million a day to run one of the world's biggest cruise ships

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Seasick yacht crew rescued by lifeboat off Studland Bay

A seasick sailor has been rescued after a yacht got into difficulty in choppy seas off Dorset's Jurassic Coast.

Poole Lifeboat was sent to the 10m (33ft) vessel with three onboard off Studland Bay on Sunday at 14:30 BST.

The skipper had called the coastguard after the propeller caught on a buoy, the engine overheated and one of the crew became unwell in the conditions.

Suffering from severe sea sickness the crew member was passed onto the lifeboat.

The RNLI said after an an initial assessment "and needing a quick evacuation" the crew member was then taken onto a police boat back to Poole Lifeboat Station for further care.

RNLI volunteer Stirling said: "We're glad we were able to help the crew of the yacht get safely ashore.

"Sadly, things can go wrong at sea, and a fouled propeller, an overheat and a seasick crewmember all happening at once - the skipper did the right thing to call for assistance."

The RNLI said the skipper and the remaining crew member onboard the yacht sailed back to Poole harbour escorted by the lifeboat.

They had tried unsuccessfully many times to restart the vessel's engine.

Follow BBC South on Facebook , X , or Instagram . Send your story ideas to [email protected] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2240 .

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MIAMI — Two crew members died on board a Holland America cruise ship, and a fire broke out on a Carnival ship while both of the ships were in the Bahamas this weekend, officials said.

The two crew on the Florida-based Nieuw Amsterdam died Friday during an "accidental steam release" while it was calling at the private resort island Half Moon Cay, Holland America said in a statement on Sunday.

"There was an accidental steam release in an engineering space on board Nieuw Amsterdam, which sadly resulted in the death of two crew members," the cruise line said.

The Bahamas Maritime Authority and the Dutch Safety Board were investigating the exact cause of the release, Holland America said.

A representative of the Bahama’s Coroner’s Court did not immediately respond to a request for information, such as the crew members’ identities and the cause and manner of death.

The cruise line said the conclusions of any investigation would be taken seriously. "Safety is always our top priority, and we are working to understand what, if anything, can be learned from this tragic accident," it said.

Passenger Laine Doss said she was on board when the captain announced the deaths on the vessel's P.A. system.

"We were celebrating the last day of the cruise," she said, when the mood changed "to something extremely somber."

The captain's voice broke, she said.

"He broke down crying," Doss said. "There was a moment of silence that the captain requested. And that entire scenario did affect the entire cruise. Things were canceled, joyous events were canceled, and we really just thought about mortality — the people who perished on the ship."

Crew members were being offered counseling, Holland America said.

Dutch government inspectors determined the vessel to be "fully operable," and this was "confirmed" by the U.S. Coast Guard, the cruise line said.

A U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson said she was looking into the statement and was unable to immediately confirm it.

The Nieuw Amsterdam returned Saturday to its home port of Fort Lauderdale, guests disembarked, and the vessel has embarked on a cruise with a stop in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, on Monday, Holland America said.

"All of us at Holland America Line are deeply saddened by this event," the cruise line said. "We’ve been in contact with the families of both team members and are offering our support to them and to all of our crew at this difficult time."  

The ship set sail out of Fort Lauderdale on March 16 for a seven-night trip.

Fire on the port-side exhaust funnel of another Florida-based cruise ship in the Bahamas, the Carnival Freedom, rocked some passengers Saturday and took the ship out of commission for repairs, the cruise line said.

No injuries were reported.

In a statement Sunday, Carnival Cruises acknowledged witness reports of a lightning strike or the sound of thunder before the fire erupted.

Passenger Heath Barnes said the ship was on a detoured path, destined for an unscheduled stop in Freeport, as a result of stormy weather and high winds when fire started.

"I was shocked," he said. "I mean, I looked out there and you're not supposed to see black smoke and fire shooting out of the tail end of the cruise."

The blaze was preceded by "the loudest thunder-lightning clap that I've ever heard in my life," Barnes said.

Ship personnel extinguished the fire, Carnival Cruises said.

The cruise line said a technical team determined the ship sustained enough damage that it will need repairs before it can be returned to scheduled cruises. The funnel was stabilized, passengers were expected to be returned to Port Canaveral, and the ship will set off to Freeport for repairs, it said.

"The damage is more than we first thought and will require an immediate repair to stabilize the funnel, resulting in the cancellation of the March 25 and March 29 cruises from Port Canaveral," Carnival Cruises said.

Passengers scheduled for those late-March cruises are being offered full refunds and credit that can be used for a future cruise, it said.

It was the second funnel fire on the Carnival Freedom since 2022.

Marissa Parra is a national correspondent for NBC News based in Miami, Florida.

Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. 

Screen Rant

Below deck season 11's crew is one of the best (they're rejuvenating the show).

The Below Deck season 11 crew went through a major shift ahead of the season, but they're now the best part of the current season.

• New crew on Below Deck season 11 brings fresh tension and drama, captivating viewers and keeping the show exciting.
• Captain Kerry brings a major upgrade to the St. David compared to previous seasons, allowing for a new environment for crew members.
• Crew members like Cat and Jared faced struggles early on, but the team came together well to handle challenges and work smoothly.

Below Deck season 11’s crew has changed entirely from the last season’s, which has created new tension and drama while keeping the show fresh . Throughout Below Deck season 10, viewers were concerned with how the crew navigated throughout the charter season. In dealing with the absence of Captain Lee Rosbach, which brought Below Deck Mediterranean ’s Captain Sandy Yawn to take over, viewers struggled to stay interested in the happenings aboard the superyacht. The yachties aboard the St. David on Below Deck season 10 may have pushed the viewers away from the series, but the newest group won them back.

After years of Captain Lee at the helm, welcoming Captain Kerry Titheradge to the ship has been a major upgrade for the St. David. While Captain Lee was a beloved part of Below Deck, his time aboard the St. David was spotty at times, creating tension between his crew members in a way that made it difficult for them to do their jobs appropriately. The Below Deck season 11 Captain and crew have created an environment where the crew members can make mistakes and own up to them, which extends the series to a whole new type of drama.

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Below deck season 11 has a new captain & crew.

Captain Kerry isn’t the only new addition to Below Deck season 11, many of the crew members are first-timers in the Below Deck franchise. With the exception of Chief Stew Fraser Olender and Bosun Ben Willoughby , the entirety of the crew is comprised of first-time members aboard the St. David. The exterior crew, which includes Deckhand Kyle Stillie, Deckhand Marie “Sunny” Marquis, and new Deckhand Dylan Pierre De Villiers along with Ben has been able to avoid drama as they’ve moved through helping Captain Kerry guide the vessel and the charter guests with activities off of the illustrious superyacht.

The interior crew has been somewhat more of an issue throughout Below Deck season 11, but is shaping up to be one of the most interesting mixes of stews the series has ever seen. Led by Fraser, Second Stew Xandi Olivier, Third Stew Barbie Pascual, and former Fourth Stew Cat Baugh have had their work cut out for them. While Xandi and Barbie have excelled throughout the season , Cat had some issues early on and had to deal with them off the superyacht. Despite dealing with some problems in their working relationships, the interior crew has proven to be thorough.

Jared Woodin & Cat Baugh Struggled Early In The Season

Although the crew has been great overall, Cat and former Bosun Jared Woodin have had a difficult time with their work on the St. David. Cat, who struggled with control issues, wound up having to leave the St. David to attend to her mental health and personal issues at home. Jared, who boarded the St. David confident he could handle work as a Bosun, made several mistakes as he worked through his first charters. After making too many dangerous mistakes, J ared had to come to grips with the fact that his head wasn’t in the work . He ultimately was fired.

Without Cat & Jared, The Crew Has Worked Well Together

Cat and Jared left the St. David around the same time, and while being short-staffed wasn’t easy for the crew, they worked well together to make sure things were going smoothly. Captain Kerry helped wherever he could, taking the initiative to ensure that his crew knew he was with them as much as possible. For the Below Deck team, understanding that they had the Captain on their side was key, and they were able to work through their struggles as they got through a difficult charter. Working as smoothly as they could, the Below Deck crew did a great job.

The St. David Crew's Headed For Drama, But They Can Handle It

While things look like they’re heating up for the St. David’s crew moving into the rest of the Below Deck season , they’ve been a strong unit since the start of the season. With Xandi and Fraser seemingly ganging up on Barbie while Ben’s job as Bosun becomes more difficult, the drama will be ramping up on Below Deck season 11. As showmances change and charter guests get more demanding, the team is going to be thrown all-new curves as the season continues. Thankfully, the crew seems prepared to take on anything that comes their way, even Below Deck level drama.

Below Deck airs Mondays at 9 p.m. EDT on Bravo, then streams the following day on Peacock.

Below Deck is a popular reality TV franchise that focuses on a group of crew members as they work on luxurious yachts and cater to their client's needs. After the original series proved to be a success, Bravo developed a handful of spinoff shows including Below Deck Selling Yacht, Below Deck Adventure, Below Deck Down Under, and Below Deck Mediterranean.