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My Experience As A Superyacht Stewardess

Welcome to my Stewardess blog!

I’m Angelique. I left home at age 20 to travel and work on mega yachts, as you may know, if you’ve been reading my blog.

I’m delighted I completed this job since it allowed me to travel to the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and Australia extensively. I had a lot of experiences, therefore I’m glad to be through. I’m no longer employed in this field. Now that I’m married and raising a family, my life is taking a totally different turn than it did while I was working as a stewardess.

On my blogs, this is the query that is asked the most frequently. In order to address all of your questions in one location, I decided to do a Q&A. I thus invited you to post queries about sailing on my blog. Let’s begin.

Where to begin was a subject of some debate. I’ll thus start there.

How do you enter the stewardess or sailing world? Where do I begin?

You enroll in STCW training. Without completing STCW training, you cannot work on any boat. The STCW training covers both fire safety and water safety; in short, you’re responsible for other people’s lives as well as that of your guests, yourself, and of course the staff surrounding you. Understanding safety precautions is crucial.

I completed the training in one week and learned all I needed to know about security, including first aid, fire safety, and water safety. If you want to be anything higher up than a stewardess, such as an engineer, captain, or someone else, you can take further training. There are several other courses you must take. But as a stewardess, I was only required to get my STCW; any additional coursework I completed was optional and added nothing to my resume.

The STCW course is required. You can then seek employment after completing your coursework and proceed in a more or less direct manner. After finishing school, I moved to Cape Town and did an STCW course, and started applying for employment. I went to several of the docks and handed out my resume, and I also applied online. I also participated in a few Facebook groups, which provided information and occasionally posted job openings. After applying to several positions, I finally found my first job online. Once you land your first job, other opportunities present themselves and are considerably simpler. But even though gaining that initial experience might be incredibly challenging, everyone eventually receives their first bow.

In other words, you have to enroll in a course, and then once you pass it, you have to apply for a job. So that’s all.

There are four questions that are comparable to this one, then.

What time should you set off on your travel and is it worthwhile? What to anticipate How did the chance come about, and what gave you the guts to seize it? Before you went, did you have anything scheduled, or is this a last-minute chance?

I had the aim of leaving Johannesburg to go work on the super yachts, which sort of answers all four of those questions. When he was younger, my oldest brother did it, which is how I got the concept. Additionally, it was something I wanted to attempt and did. In essence, I departed Johannesburg and traveled to Cape Town. And I was aware that I had registered for my course in Cape Town on a particular day. After finishing my education, I started applying for employment. I thus had it planned, but I had no work lined up. I had just signed up for the course.

It was unplanned. It was quite impromptu because I just purchased a one-way ticket a month or two prior to leaving. However, I had the course scheduled, so I was prepared.

How did the chance come about, and what gave you the guts to seize it?

I remarked that I was certain I wanted to travel abroad. I also intended to relocate to Durban. My brother then suggested that I give sailing a try. I finished. It excelled. He then assisted me in scheduling the course. Additionally, it had superb sound. It sounded like something I would take pleasure in accomplishing. So my brother led the way for me, and yes, that’s how I learned about it and entered it.

What did you do every day as a stewardess? How many hours would you put in? Is it challenging?

Let’s just say that you put in a lot of time and effort. However, there were also times when you would receive time off and work a regular nine-to-five. It all depended on whether or not the boss was present. If the boss wasn’t present, your hours would be pretty standard nine-to-five; you would clock off at five and be free to leave the boat and do whatever you pleased. so long as you were in port and not out at sea. Of course, working for a boss meant working more than 16 hours per day, seven days per week, for months on end, and on occasion, four months straight of 16-hour days. Thus, it varies. I received a reasonable amount of each. There were times when I worked so hard and was always inside that I would go for weeks without seeing the sun. Despite working 16-hour days, you would always have an eight-hour break. However, that may be divided into two during the day and six at night. The amount of sleep you receive at night may only be six, but you still have a two-hour respite during the day. No matter what, you must get eight hours of sleep. Yes, it varies. At times, it might just be a regular nine-to-five, sometimes even shorter. On the vessels I worked on, we frequently received half days off. And that was great. However, there were also times when you wouldn’t be working 16 hours a day, seven days a week, for months on end. Thus, it has a reasonable amount of each.

What did your everyday schedule entail?

It again depends on whether or not your employer is in charge. It may become rather intense when you have a boss on. When they are finished, if they had a shower, you must go and dry it off because you were serving them the entire while you were cleaning the bathroom. You would have to prepare breakfast for them, serve it, be on call for them, wash laundry, continue to do crew laundry, set up lunch for the crew, and clean up lunch. Yes, it was somewhat taxing if Boss was present. The cleaning up of everything they left behind was incessant; you were always at their service. Fold the toilet paper when they’re finished cleaning up the bathroom. As I previously mentioned, if they have a shower, you must enter, dry it off when it’s wet, and visit each room. When the boss was on, you had to do it for every visitor; if there were five, you had to do it for five people. When the boss was off, you were free to do anything you needed to on the yacht.

Additionally, you could have needed to tidy up the cabinet or prepare a room in case the boss came on. If the boss went off, things might have changed. It was considerably more relaxed and laid back than a typical nine-to-five in the hotel industry. However, while the boss was in charge, there was simply no time for breathing; it was all or nothing.

Can you do yachting for a one- to two-year period?

Yes, but only for a period of two years. By season, it changes. Thus, the summer season is around six months long. And after that, you might decide to spend another summer in the Caribbean during the winter because many boats travel there. As a result, they enjoy summer all year. Alternatively, you may just spend the winter aboard the boat by doing a winter season. It may be completed in between one and two years. But as you advance in the field, your pay increases and, in my opinion, your quality of life improves. This is because, when you start out as a junior, you get all the undesirable jobs, just like in any other field. And certainly, there are many more benefits to moving ahead in the field. So I suppose that the longer you stick out, the more your career will develop into being a chief stewardess or whatever you want to accomplish. And certainly, it’s a little easier on you than constantly acting like a junior. But you can do it for a year or two. For three years, I did it.

Okay, this query was frequently asked. Are you treated nicely by your bosses? Were the customers courteous or unkind? Did you communicate with the clients frequently?

It depends, as I indicated; your boss or anybody else who joins the team might be the friendliest individuals imaginable. They could be the most impolite individuals ever. There are two different kinds of boats that you may work on: one is private, meaning that the owner is the one who owns the vessel. And then he starts talking about himself, his family, or his friends. He, therefore, owns the boat. Charter is the second. Whereas people hire boats for charter boats.

The standards must be quite high if people are leasing the boat since they will undoubtedly host parties and demand more because they are spending so much money to do so. Of course, private yachts must also meet high standards, but chartering a boat is significantly more labor since the expectations are often much higher. The advantage of charters is that you constantly encounter fresh groups of passengers, but with privately owned vessels, the owner is essentially constant. With charter, you also receive a lot of tips from people who are constantly trying to provide five-star service in order to earn high tips.

But in essence, it varies. Some people are so impolite that they will just snap their fingers and demand food, regardless of the fact that they’ll damage something you just cleaned. Even if some people are quite rude, you still receive a tip. Some individuals are kind. I’ve lived with several lovely families who were quite welcoming to me. They address me by name, but I’ve also encountered some really rude people who have just snapped their fingers. Get me a drink, kind of. Therefore, it depends on who you choose, but if you wind up with a decent family-owned yacht, it will be well worth it. You have struck the lottery if you can find a decent job, a good family boat, and a good crew since it’s really difficult to find all three. It would be a really delightful and enjoyable experience, but often, they claim that you either have to accept having a lousy staff or bad owners since you seldom have a good crew, a good owner, or excellent visitors.

I’ve had my fair share of both excellent and bad owners, so it really just depends. If you have excellent owners, it is so worth it because they value you, call you by your name, and even darling, allow you to take time off. They are simply decent people. The bad ones deplete you. Therefore, it depends, but you do communicate with the client. Again, it depends. Some clients want to converse with you and get to know you, while for others, you simply greet them with a good morning. What can I get you? Sir, may I clean your room? a certain level of vitality. If a good family wants to get to know you, they treat you like a visitor rather than an employee. It is a lot of fun.

Okay, the following query is: Was the remuneration satisfactory? What sort of income do you receive as a group on pay?

The money is rather excellent, but I have no idea what you consider to be good and I have no idea what your current wage is. I believe it is excellent. Which explains why many stewardesses and deckhand crews continue to work in the field. I began out as a new green, or Greenie as the crew would say. My income was 45K per month (ZAR), which is around average, although I’m not sure. Although most of the boats I’ve been on were 45K, I believe certain vessels do pay you 40K. Since that is typical pay, that is how much you are paid each month. And if you did charter boats, you would receive gratuities from customers who hire the boat, as I said. And you would receive a lot of tips if you received any. In other words, everyone who rents a boat is expected to tip 10% of the increased boat fee.

You are required to tip the ship when we did charter, but I’m not sure of the specifics, so don’t take my word for it. Yes, you are working a little bit more because these folks are hiring the boat, but it was still much better. As I stated, they demand a lot and have high standards, but you also occasionally receive a big tip; for example, for a week’s charter, I may receive about 15K in tips. Depending on the individual, you might make a lot of money by, for example, having one family come on for, say, two weeks or 10 days, then another family comes on for another four days, another family comes on for another month, and so on. Each family that comes on will tip you. Moreover, your hourly wage. I did work on private yachts, earning simply my regular 45K, and I still consider it to be a respectable wage.

The more you advance, the more money you’ll make. Therefore, it depends on your position on the boat. The compensation is often decent, but you are making a lot of sacrifices to be at sea. Of course, the tougher the task, the more credentials you need for the position, and the higher the salary. You occasionally spend a considerable amount of time away from land, away from your family, and with little opportunity for social interaction. If you work as a stewardess, you are always working indoors. It is a highly demanding lifestyle, but the pay is fantastic. So that’s why I believe a lot of stewardesses and deckhand crews continue to do it—for the money.

Do you meet people on the yacht? Did you also have to share a bathroom, a room, etc.? And how did the personnel seem?

You develop friendships with your crew, of course. A happy crew means a happy boat on many of the boats I worked on, but there were other boats where that effort paid off. On other boats, though, the crew wasn’t as important, and it was a really difficult and unpleasant experience to be on such vessels. A happy staff, therefore, means a happy boat. However, it goes without saying that you make friends on board. For me, some of the finest moments have been spent with the crew, and I still have friends with whom I communicate frequently from the boats. They became some of my closest pals.

Are you sharing a bathroom or a room? You do. In the crew mess, you both share a cabin. You have a bunk bed, a single bunk bed, and often one other person uses the bathroom. All of my other boats were just me and another person, with the exception of one when I had three in one room and shared with two other females. However, there is a bathroom and a bunk bed. The entrance area also has a mess caused by the staff. There is a little kitchen there, and there is where you all gather to have supper. You eat there, of course. There is generally a TV as well. So the answer is that you do share with others. The Captain always had his own room.

What aspect of sailing was the worst?

This is a really intriguing query. There were many negative aspects, but they were outweighed by the positive ones. The sacrifice you have to make to work, to be away from your family, and to return home after work is, in my opinion, the worst aspect. You can’t make a lot of sacrifices and be among your pals. The pay is decent. Therefore, occasionally money can make up for such issues. However, I placed a lot higher value on my mental well-being than I did on money. I gave it a go and kept hopping boats in the hope that they would be safer, but they weren’t.

I thus believe that it was just the industry in general for me. I wasn’t overjoyed. Because I was working so hard, I wasn’t thinking about myself and I was eating a lot of junk food. Since I was working 16 hours a day in the midst of the ocean, I found it difficult to maintain a healthy balance. Before you can please yourself, you have to please so many other people. And I wasn’t really into it. The same as with every employment, there are many advantages and disadvantages.

After asking this question, I’ll probably end the conversation. Just end it on a positive note. I believe I’ve addressed most of the questions I intended to address.

One asked about your favorite memory. And what aspect of the overall experience was the best?

Traveling was certainly the highlight of the whole trip for me. the locations I was able to visit and the experiences I created. It was great, even though it was just with myself. It was wonderful to be able to visit these locations, and I don’t have many better memories. There are both good and terrible things about it, but looking back, I can chuckle. However, if you have a nice crew, you will always have wonderful recollections. I believe that because you don’t have many days off, your vacations were much more thrilling.

In order to get from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, you must do an Atlantic crossing. And that was unquestionably a memorable event. That was absurd. My bucket list was definitely crossed off with it.

There are numerous recollections, but I can’t think of just one. It was both incredibly difficult and highly fulfilling. Being surrounded by so many diverse individuals with diverse emotions in a small, cramped environment is difficult mentally, in my opinion. You must be fairly powerful and guard your energy. And I didn’t always do it well. There were times when I just wanted to abandon everything. I’ve also always believed that the grass is always greener on the opposite side. Ocean blue on the other side isn’t always the case, though, for me. Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that this position is not for me.

I do commend those who work in the field for more than five years. Well done, they make progress. If you still want to do it after reading all of this, then take the leap of faith and go ahead and do it. I advise everyone who wants to do it. Life is fantastic as a stewardess.

It is possible anywhere in the world. Everything is covered for you when you’re on the boat, including your lodging, food, and amenities, making it a fantastic opportunity to work and save money. So if you want it to be your job, it’s a terrific industry to work your way up in. It’s also a great opportunity to save money, travel, and see the globe.

The STCW course is thus a wise investment if you want to make this your career, and you can quickly recoup the cost of the course from your earnings at sea.

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Travel as a Superyacht Steward/ess: Oh, the Places You’ll Go

January 16, 2022 By Julie Perry

So what’s it like to travel as a superyacht stewardess?

Here’s an excerpt from The Insiders’ Guide to Becoming a Yacht Stewardess: Confessions from My Years Afloat with the Rich and Famous :

I Must Confess…

I had never even heard of some of the places i made it to working on yachts..

What attracted me to this industry was the seduction of travel… and I wasn’t disappointed.

Superyachts in the Caribbean. Photo Credit: Suki Finnerty of YachtingToday.TV.

I was hired through a crew agency in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to fly down and meet my first boat in San Juan, Puerto Rico (and yes, they paid for my flight). I had certainly heard of Puerto Rico, but it’s a place I don’t think I otherwise would have visited.

From there, our yacht journeyed all over the Caribbean. I always thought I had a pretty thorough grasp of this part of the world, and sure enough, St. Martin/St. Maarten , Antigua , St. Barths , and the U.S. Virgin Islands were on our itinerary—and were familiar to me.

But when our captain announced we were heading to Nevis and then on to Anguilla , Tortola , and Anegada , my reaction was, huh?… where?

Caribbean with Nevis, Anguilla, Tortola, and Anegada marked.

No less shocking was when we headed back to Miami at the end of the season to prepare for an upcoming trip across the Atlantic Ocean.

I was given our itinerary:

We would be spending one month hanging out at the Miami Yacht Club, getting the boat ready for our voyage and provisioning for the upcoming season (it’s cheaper and easier to buy dry food and guest necessities in the States than it is in Europe). We’d then head out in early May for our two-week transatlantic journey, making our first pit stop in Bermuda. Okay, I thought, I’ve heard of Bermuda.

Next, I was told we’d be stopping in the Portuguese Azores . (Say it again?) My captain showed me this one on the map; I encourage you to go check it out yourself. It’s literally out in the middle of nowhere (far off the coast of Portugal and northwest of the Strait of Gibraltar); and if you do an Atlantic crossing on a yacht, which most crew experience at some point, you’ll go there.

The Portuguese Azores: It truly is a spectacular place: lush and verdant. I would put money on the fact that it’s the sunken Atlantis of lore, re-arisen. It really did seem to rise out of the ocean in the middle of nowhere.

Our final fuel stop was going to be Gibraltar (Spain) before arriving at our final destination in the seaside town of Viareggio, Italy (near Pisa and Florence).

When I looked at the itinerary for where we’d be headed later in the season, with guests onboard, I drew blanks with nearly every destination: Lindos , Simi , Gocek , Fethiye , Kastellorizon , Limassol , Spetses , Hydra , Kefalonia —all lovely ports in Greece and Turkey , I was told. Not only had I never planned to go to these places, I never knew they existed (little recall from having read Homer’s epics in high school English class). And until we actually got to them, I had no way of knowing they would be slices of paradise: azure waters, white villas, and glamorous beaches—dreamscapes.

Lindos, Greece. White houses of the village of Lindos, a fortress on the hill and the beautiful bay.

Of course, not all of our ports of call were unbeknownst to me. We had a charter later in the season that included the Cannes Film Festival , and another where we were docked in the heart of the port (front row seats!) at the Monaco Grand Prix .

The Monaco Grand Prix. France. Photo Credit Alliance/Photoshot.com and BoatInternational.com

We later sailed to Dubrovnik, Croatia ; Haifa, Israel; and Valletta, Malta .

We went all over the coast of Italy ( Capri , Portofino , Naples , Positano ) and the South of France ( St. Tropez , Cannes , Monte Carlo , Nice, Antibes )—so many times, in fact, that some ports began to feel like home.

Capri Island. Italy.

But that’s just it: This yacht was my home. And each day, as I climbed up the stairs from the crew quarters area below, I would emerge to find a different destination awaiting me…

Odysseus, eat your heart out!

Megayacht crew on lunch break in Antibes, France near Port Vauban.

Read more yacht crew confessions from Julie Perry by picking up a copy of her book, The Insiders’ Guide to Becoming a Yacht Stewardess, 2nd Edition .

Don’t want to wait? Start learning more about what it’s really like to live and work “ below deck ” with a career in the luxury yachting industry by downloading Chapter 1 here .

[…] oh yeah, and I got paid boatloads of money to travel by sea to some of the most beautiful and exotic ports in the world. […]

[…] Throw in the “team player” and the “trained in high standards of etiquette and well-traveled” parts, and you have a pretty impressive applicant for most jobs—corporate or […]

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Stewardess , All guides

Stewardess on a superyacht -10 steps to find your first job.

• July 13, 2021

How to become a Yacht Stewardess ?

Step 1 – Get Qualified Step 2 – Get the right skills and training Step 3 – Get the perfect Yachting CV Step 4 – Location – Plan your journey with your mentor Step 5 – Daywork and experience

Step 6 – Get the right Yachtie Network and Contacts

Step 7 – Get a Strong Superyacht Reference Step 8 – Start applying for our Superyacht jobs Step 9 – Ace your job interviews with your coach Step 10 – Get a job, bank account and sign contract Claim your Yachtie Careers Deckhand and Stewardess offer

Step 1 – Get Qualified as a Stewardess

Despite what you will hear…. To start working on a Superyacht there are only 3 Basic Documents required to make you qualified, and in order to start as a Stewardess you need:

• Passport (Valid 12 months)
• Basic Safety STCW Training
• Medical Certificate (Valid 6 months at least)

Step 2 – Get the right skills and stewardess training

To get an edge over other crew, some yachts require additional certificates to be held by a minimum amount of crew on board. This is called safe manning certification . If you are a Stewardess starting you should consider these:

• Food and Hygiene Level 2
• Crowd and Crisis Management

This is included in Yachtiecareers Stewardess Superyacht Course

Step 3 – Get the perfect Yachting CV

You will need to write a perfect Superyacht Stewardess CV. The sections of your CV should include:

• Contact Information
• Personal Information
• Skills and Qualifications
• Certificates
• Education & Languages

With Yachtiecareers we write the CV for you , in order to make you avoid make the mistakes of other crew and give you an edge over the competition to get your first job.

• We make sure your strengths are highlighted
• We work with graphic designers to make the lay-out appeal to Captains and recruiters
• We write it so that the overall message is selling your persona
• We structure the information correctly.
• We use industry expert writers for sentencing, paragraphing to make your CV stand out
• Most importantly you get a personal CV and can avoid using a CV-template looking like the other 20 CVs in the pile.

Step 4 – Location – Plan your journey with your Personal guide

Are you in Europe or in the US ?  Depending on your location, you can use our guides and knowledge to maximise your chances to get daywork in each city.

The best places to start Yachting, in order to succeed are the following:

• Fort Lauderdale
• US West Coast

To become a Yacht Stewardess those are location hubs for Superyachts, offering you most chances to secure a job, furthermore it will connect you with people in the Yachting Industry, in addition to the Yachtiecareers network.

• Antibes, France
• Barcelona, Spain
• Palme de Mallorca, Spain
• Split, Croatia
• Genoa, Italy

That is the top-list , recommended to find daywork with no experience by Yachtiecareers, moreover it will enable you to travel and see some of the most beautiful places in Europe.

Step 5 – Daywork and experience

The best way to find daywork is to speak with your Yachtiecareers Instructor and network in the location you are currently in. You need to be flexible and ready to work and step in at short notice.

When I was starting Yachting , I spent one day day working in Portofino in Italy , the next one in Monaco and 2 days later I was in Cannes in France.

Towards the end of the week I was doing a crossing on a 50m yacht from Antibes, France to Venice, Italy. 

You need to be flexible and ready to work and step in at short notice, in order to get the right opportunities.

• Network in your Location
• Use Yachtiecareers Partner Daywork App to find daywork with one click
• Let your Instructor find daywork for you
• Have your phone ready at all times
• Have your CV and business cards ready 
• Use your crew house contacts
• Join relevant Facebook groups (this is not always a good idea)

We can assist you finding daywork, just text your Instructor on WhatsApp.

Step 7 – Get a Strong Superyacht Reference

Just like any other profession, network is everything. When you complete our training we are confident in your abilities and are happy to provide you with a reference.

If I am looking for a Stewardess on board and I get a recommendation from a friend or someone I know, because I will choose your CV over 10 other CVs with stronger experience. That is just reality.

So build references and network using YachtieCareers, your Instructors, people you meet in Yachting hubs and ask during your Daywork.

Step 8 – Start applying for our Superyacht jobs

The way to find Superyacht jobs as a Stewardess with no experience can be hard. By all means you can register, on regular crew agencies, crew databases and apply for jobs daily.

However you will be competing with thousands of other crew, the chances that I will even read your CV are very slim.  And if I do get your CV it will be in a pile with 20 other CVs. At this point it is very important your CV has the perfect lay-out and structure.

At Yachtiecareers  we have created a Superyacht recruitment platform where we focus only on junior crew.   In addition to that the yachts we work with only contact us with junior crew requests and with the help of your personal Instructor you can get connected to people in the industry making it easier to land that first job. 

Other ways is to network and daywork. Do nor apply for hundreds (100) of online jobs without having the perfect CV and experience, it will just be a waste of time, moreover you should spend your time more wisely.

Step 9 – Ace your job interviews with your coach

At this point, you are very close to securing your first job, since you have completed the right training and used our step by step guide to secure your first job interview, because the CV they have received has displayed your key strengths.

Before the interview, your Chief Stewardess Instructor will prepare you for the questions you might face before starting, remember that 90% of the questions will be about your CV, so know your own CV inside out before the interview to explain your past experiences.

As long as you appear willing to start the job, humble and showing a happy attitude it will get you on board if you follow the interview guide from your Instructor, as result you will secure your first Superyacht job.

Step 10 – Get a stewardess job, bank account and sign your contract

Great, because you followed our guide it has led to you securing your first Superyacht  Stewardess job.

Now the fun starts. It is time to pack, to sign your contract and to get a Bank account. 

We will go through your contract with you, moreover we will make sure it is either MLC compliant or giving you the basic rights as yacht crew. If you have got the interview by using the Yachtiecareers network, the Yacht will be compliant.

• We help you with your Bank Account, to get the right currency and setting it up online
• Make sure to bring your Medical Certificate, Passport and STCW certificates originals.
• Get your flight tickets
• Sign the contract
• Pack your personal belonging, you might be away a long time, therefor there is limited space on board, so you have to get it all in to one suitcase !

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Careers Interior

The shelf life of a Superyacht Stewardess 26 October 2021

careers chief stewardess stew progression stewardess superyacht careers

If you’re a successful superyacht stewardess, or even an ambitious one just starting out, you may have heard that all good things must come to an end – especially if you’re looking to start a family.

While for many it’s a pretty transient career – an extremely well-paid and often extended gap-year to earn some cash – for others, it can and should be a long-term career choice.

For men, it’s a little easier to transition to well-paid shore-based roles, but for females, it’s still a struggle.

The usual onboard career path starts with junior stew, moving up the ranks until you eventually bag a Chief Stew role, possibly with a specialist skill under your belt like a beauty, fitness, culinary or service qualification.

Then after that? The elusive Purser roles that are actually pretty rare, certainly in yachts under 80m or so. Whilst a lot of purser roles offer rotation, they are a challenging position with the potential to encapsulate any manner of responsibilities including managing every aspect of the yacht’s itinerary, accounts and concierge work to crew documentation and outlandish owner requests! They are very well paid with excellent rotation if you can get them, but then appears the glass ceiling.

If, at this point, you want to think about transitioning from sea to shore, then your CV should showcase you as a solid employee, not just a former superyacht stewardess.

In some cases, Chief Stews have been able to move into land-based service roles that are just as well paid, such as private household PAs and luxury hospitality service managers.

But depending on where ‘home’ is for you, there may not be a 5-star boutique hotel or Michelin star restaurant down the road. If there is, you’ll be working highly unsociable hours for a fraction of what you earned onboard.

And what if you want to get out of service altogether?

A good option is to utilise your seagoing experience in a land-based role within the sector. At Quay Crew, all our consultants are former superyacht crew. There are also a myriad of training companies based all over offering interior courses to existing or aspiring crew that you might be able to lend your experience to.

Speaking of courses, doing some yourself will add to your appeal. I would suggest qualifications in project management, yacht management or brokerage are good places to start. Making sure you are an Excel, Word and Powerpoint genius always comes in handy as does basic accounts.

The key thing is to start getting these qualifications whilst still in yachting. Then you are better placed to hit the ground running when you do look for that first land-based role.

Outside of the industry, I think many ex-interior yacht crew and superyacht stewardess’ are well suited to event management and PA roles, so these areas are worth exploring. You could also consider setting up your own business?

But something important to mention…

It is virtually inevitable you will be taking a financial hit when you transition to shore so it is important you are mentally prepared for this.

Tax, rent etc are painful when you might not have had those outgoings for the last five years. That £4k a month, which sounds reasonable, quickly reduces to £2k after bills and the cost of living. So, the more financially secure you are, the easier it will be. It will also make it easier to resist the temptation to return to sea for one last cash grab!

I am actually heading to an exciting event in a couple of weeks to chat about some of these challenges with a bunch of stews and former stews. Keep up to date with stories here – Pearls Of Wisdom.

Photo credit @dare.to.be.danielle

About the author

Caroline Clarke

Hiring superyacht crew speed is of the essence, quay crew announces support for legasea mentorship programme, keep up to date sign up to the quay crew newsletter.

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Industry Insight

Adventures of a yacht stewardess: an interview.

August 1, 2023

8 minute read

When I last saw D, it was on the Zadar docks in Croatia. I was late for a speedboat half-day trip , which she delightfully helped to organise, and there was literally no time to say hello, and I was already climbing into the chase boat, and D. was departing Zadar for her yachting career.

The little information we had exchanged related to her being excited about new experiences on a yacht; since she skippered chase boat day trips, she has plenty of hospitality and guest experience, that she could not wait to translate onto a bigger yacht.

From that point in time, nearly a year passed, and now D. visited the Zagreb offices of SuperYachts Croatia , and we got talking about her first impressions and experiences of the yachting industry. I simply could not wait to hear what she had to say about her first official superyacht job as a yacht stewardess.

Interviewer: So, you went to the Caribbean, as your first ever stew job on a yacht?

D.: Yes, it was supposed to be a winter season in the Caribbean, but it didn’t happen, because there was a mix-up in the charter planning phase. The charter company wanted to branch out into the Caribbean, but due to unforeseen circumstances, the entire plan was postponed. The original plan was to set sail from Greece, all in all, 24 total crew members, with 5 more incoming to the Caribbean via air.

We prepared for the Atlantic crossing, doing sea tests in the Mediterranean, because we wanted to test the readiness of the crew. We did a sea test in Albania, and they went off to Italy, and onwards to France and Gibraltar, and then VERY close to Gibraltar, we heard that the charter was cancelled, and then we had to return to our home port.

Interviewer: Absolutely terrible news! Just awful. You were preparing for a stew position, right?

D: Yes, one among 8 of crewmembers in charge of the interior. There are still some extra accommodations on the yacht, for butlers and whatnot, for extra service. All in all, it seems like a bad start for me in the industry, but it all turned out great in the end. The somewhat sour beginning could have been avoided if better logistics were involved. Maybe next time it will, since this was a trial run.

But it was a huge loss for the company in terms of fuel, provisions and other costs. Unfortunately, my first experience was a huge dud, and returning to port, there was a sour taste in the air. Everyone was confused at first, being at the port and not knowing what our objective is. But, in the next several days, there were regular viewings of the yacht, by several potential clients, and some yacht parties, as well as tourism fairs and similar events, organised on the yacht, like conferences and birthdays.

All of this served to blunt the initial blow of the unsuccessful Atlantic crossing since the people from the company turned out to be good people and there were no hard feelings whatsoever. Thankfully, the circumstances were such that I found work very soon, on a 50-meter yacht called in Monaco.

This was a month in the winter season, so we are talking about Christmas and New Year’s Eve. And the entire month of January, with a possibility of extending the contract, but this was stopped because of the weather. But the guests remained for a month, and they celebrated Christmas and Hanukkah,

Interviewer: Can you paint a more detailed picture of this Christmas charter?

D: The charter took place mostly in the Monaco harbour, with a stationary yacht. This is because of the cold weather, primarily. We cruised along the French Riviera, Nica, Caen, and the like.

Interviewer: Ok, so let’s get into the specifics about your time on the 50-meter.

D: I arrived during the tenth day of charter, during a heated period, „tutta forza“, everyone was moving everywhere, and I was thrown into the deep end directly. Hit the ground running, as they say. I managed to learn the ropes quite fast, but in the end, everything depends on the guest. And if the guest is high or low maintenance. Luckily, these guests were very relaxed, civilised and courteous, so I did not have much trouble in that department. There were no requirements for silver service or fine dining because guests preferred family style.

There were ups and downs, like the time that the crew got sick and the entire yacht had to function with only three active crewmembers, with the rest below deck and recuperating. This sickness wave was terrible, with numerous incidents, but everybody came through.

The specifics about this charter were that everything rested on the interior crew, since the 50-meter rarely left port, and the sea was way too cold for water toys or any other kind of water-based activity. In these kinds of situations, the guests often do not know what to do, and it is up to the interior crew to come up with interesting stuff, fun activities or other forms of entertainment.

Interviewer: I envy your resolve. I like writing about yachts, but for me to actually step onboard and do some deck or interior work, for 12 hours straight, and all with a smile on my face. Not for me definitely…

D: The funny thing is,  distance is preferred over a positive attitude, and a professional relationship is more prevalent than „constantly-smiling stews“. The entire point is that the crew is and remains invisible because there is always a risk of guests misinterpreting the friendly attitude of the crew as something else. Maybe this depends on the style of service that the guests prefer because I can only speak of my experiences…

Interviewer: Interesting. I definitely had the wrong assumptions about some aspects of the industry. Ok. Guide me through a typical day on the 50-meter. You came to the yacht and had several days to „acclimatise“. What now? At what time do you get up?

D: There were 3 stews in the cabin on the 50-meter, and we rotated throughout all the departments, and the time I got up depended on the person that was on the night shift the evening before. But, the stew that was assigned to the breakfast service would get up at around 7:00 – 8:00, since the guests liked to sleep in. The second stew would then wake up around 8:15-9:00, and thus we would rotate, depending on the department we were assigned to.

Interviewer: And then what? You would eat your breakfast?

Dora: I liked to drink my coffee on the bow, to catch some sun before the work day started. I would get up earlier if necessary, just to enjoy my morning cup of coffee in the sunshine. As for workout routines, the first yacht had a crew gym, so during the sea trails, there was a line for the gym. But on the 50-meter, we were too busy with the guests, seeing that the interior crew had to bear the brunt of the labour, so there was no time for working out.

But, I don`t mind if there are many guests on board; If I am busy, then time flies by faster. But, you also need to master the technique of doing your job without being seen. After the guests would get up, the interior crew would run down their cabins, cleaning them while the guests were having breakfast or out and about in the local port city.

Interviewer: I assume that you must carry a ton of equipment, with dozens of different cleaning products.

D: You would be surprised, but not. For the most part, all the glass and glossy surfaces are done with a simple mixture of alcohol and water, with several drops of fragrant essential oils. Also, there is a caddy in which we carry all the necessary cleaning equipment.

Interviewer: I would have never guessed…

D: Yes, also, when doing the ensuite, stews must pay very strict attention not to leave any water marks or water spots; actually, there should not be any marks or traces that anyone was in the cabin. Using discarded towels helps with moisture, but since everything needs to be spotlessly polished, even the shampoos.

Also, you have to look out for labels when taking out the laundry, which is generally left in the laundry bin. There are turn-ups and turn-downs (cleanings done in the morning and in the evening), but also, stews clean the cabins every chance they get, to make everything spotless all the time.

Interviewer: After all that hard work, was there a party for the crew? How did you blow off steam?

D: There was a party the first night we arrived, and there was also the New Year’s Eve party, where the guests invited the entire crew for a toast, to celebrate together. We drank champagne together and all in all, it was a very cool thing to do and a unique experience for the crew. Since this entire experience stemmed from me being a replacement stew, I am entirely grateful for the experience.

Interviewer: And, after all that, what are your plans for the incoming 2023 summer charter season?

D: First, I need to update my CV. Then, I need to talk to the agency and see which positions are available, and on which yachts.

Interviewer: I am looking forward to doing a follow-up interview. Thank you for finding the time to sit down with me and talk about your experiences as a superyacht stewardess.

D: No problem. I will check in a couple of charter seasons later, and there will definitely be more stories to tell. Although, the most interesting events cannot be disclosed, due to the strict nature of NDAs (Non-Disclosure Agreements) that every crew member has to sign.

Interviewer: No problem, thank you again.

SuperYachts Croatia

Is a yacht connoisseur, agent, broker, local tour operator, destination manager, organizer ... a wholehearted company that will provide you with a list of luxury yachts available for charter in Croatia. Find all relevant information about your yacht charter & get in touch with us in order to book your dream superyacht.

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Wondering what to pack in your suitcase when embarking on your yachting adventure to find a job?! ⁣ When I first left Australia in search of a job on yachts, I had zero winter clothes 🤦🏻‍♀️ thinking I would get a job on a boat and be chasing summers around the world.

…What I didn’t realise is yachts can be doing shipyards in the European winters, your “off” time will most likely not be in the summer and you pretty much live in air conditioning onboard. *Brrrrr

To help make it easier for you, I’ve made a GO-TO Yacht Crew Travel Packing list which you can download below. From the staples to the extras you may want to consider. From how many bikinis you actually wear, to seamless underwear (girls) and how to half your toiletries.

Other items to consider: • Do not pack a hard suitcase, space is SO limited onboard. You must buy a soft top suitcase. My go-to is from Eastpak and has lasted so many years through so many boats and travel adventures, it folds flat and is easily stored away • Noise cancelling headphones (In my eyes very necessary onboard… from drowning out anchor noises to noisy roommates) I have a pair of Bose Noise cancelling headphones which have lasted for nearly 6 years • ⁣Photos from home 🤍 • Hard copies of all your yachting certificates (must not forget these… also save a scanned version to a USB or send it to your email so can email them quickly to recruit agencies and captains)

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Housekeeping Articles

The Superyacht Guest Compendium

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The superyacht guest compendium provides guests with vital information, in a simple, elegant and effective way.

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As a part of our March  Maintenace Month. This article will discuss ways in which you as a superyacht stewardess can maintain the equipment onboard the yacht to a high standard. Starting with How to Clean a Washing Machine.

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by Kylie O'Brien | Mar 20, 2015 | Housekeeping

As a Superyacht stewardess, there is just no way of getting around NOT doing the laundry! This is probably not the most glamorous subject to talk about, but it’s a subject that has caused me a lot of grief over the years.

How to Care for Fine Art

by Kylie O'Brien | Mar 18, 2015 | Housekeeping

How to Care for Fine Art. Superyacht stewardess requires proficiency in areas of housekeeping, knowledge of fine materials and technical skills associated with the maintenance of a super yacht interior.

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by Kylie O'Brien | Mar 12, 2015 | Housekeeping

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How to Clean Glass and Mirrors Whilst Maintaining Your Sanity. Cleaning glass and mirrors can be a real nightmare. Here are some useful tips that will leave your glass and mirrors streak free and sparkling.

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by Kylie O'Brien | Mar 5, 2015 | Housekeeping

Wardrobe Management. As a super yacht stewardess you should have this routine so well organized that nothing will faze her cool calm demeanor.

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by Kylie O'Brien | Sep 30, 2014 | Housekeeping

We protect our clothes as well as our carpets with the hope that they attract no stains. However, try as we might, accidents can happen and in a flash, we spill juice or coffee on our clothes and rugs.

There are other stains that are more difficult to remove and they include blood and pet urine, which can really stink and mess up our carpets.

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The Stewardess Bible

Housekeeping perfection – module three.

This book has been written on the premise that the super yacht stewardess requires proficiency in areas of housekeeping, knowledge of fine materials and technical skills associated with the maintenance of a super yacht interior. The super yacht industry demands highly skilled professionals who are able and educated enough to handle such a task.

The book presents the types of expertise required to fulfil the duties of a housekeeping stewardess: housekeeping procedures, yacht operational procedures and technical operations.

Part one is geared towards the managerial aspect of the job, covering the mind-set of a housekeeper, how to stay focused on the job, housekeeping operational procedures and guest relations.

Part two deals with laundry operational procedures, including crew uniform management, equipment maintenance inventory techniques and difficult stain removal.

Part Three and four is dominated by the technical details; discussing in depth the array of materials found in a superyacht interior and how to maintain them.

The Appendix is a collection of tools, tips and tricks that will allow the stewardess to fulfil her duties with ease. Included in this section you will find checklists, sample inventories and work lists.

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