While annual salary guidelines are given above, again, keep in mind that the ranges are wide because salaries will depend on a variety of factors, including the size of the yacht, the use of the yacht (private or charter), the style of boat (power or sail), and what other benefits are available to the crew, such as insurance packages or education reimbursement. Salaries may also vary depending on the specific qualifications of a crewmember, the amount of time the owner and guests use the vessel, and what itinerary will be traveled. Furthermore (and I cannot emphasize this enough), the compensation ranges listed are base salaries and do not reflect tips, if those are applicable.
The first thing people always say after I give them the above salary figures: “Gee, is that all? I thought you said it paid well?” And someone will always add, “Oh, well I can get paid that same amount to take an entry-level office job.”
But here’s the kicker: no expenses.
Most all positions on luxury yachts require you to live aboard and travel with the vessel, and therefore, your room and board are completely covered. It is customary and expected that everything you need on a daily basis is provided by the yacht owner—your meals, your uniforms, laundry detergent, linens, and on most boats, even your personal hygiene products, such as soap and toothpaste. Meanwhile, your earnings automatically go into your bank account.
What other job can you take where, at the end of the year, you have nearly your entire salary sitting in your bank account, relatively untouched? Most people in other industries are lucky if they save 1/10 of the amount they earn in a year. Why? Because they are paying rent and utilities, buying and maintaining cars, and purchasing all the clothes they wear to work each day. And let’s not forget groceries.
Ready to find out how to get started one your way to working on a yacht? All the advice you need to land that first yacht job can be found in this guide . Good luck!
Megayacht crewmembers. Photo Source: Suki Finnerty of YachtingToday.TV.
September 11, 2013 at 6:01 pm
This is something I really would like to do !! I’m going to check into getting the training !!
[…] some even more straight-from-the-book fun, click here to check out official “job descriptions” for the various yacht stewardess roles on a …, pulled directly from The Insiders’ Guide to Becoming a Yacht Stewardess’ Chapter 3. Even […]
[…] as engineers. Then you work your way up to captain, mate, chief engineer, chief steward/ess; and the salaries in those higher-level positions are outstanding, and then you have the tips, […]
[…] then travel around and see the world. Our guest today is Indy native Julie Perry. She worked as a yacht stewardess…and then wrote about it with her first book. Then she wrote a second edition that just came […]
[…] watching the full season of Below Deck, and based on my own experience as a superyacht stewardess, I feel Captain Lee made decisions that a truly professional captain would make. It is also Captain […]
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The stewardess onboard a superyacht is a hard worker with a positive, can-do attitude that takes instruction well and has an impeccable attention to detail. No detail is overlooked by a successful yacht stewardess (i.e. towel folds, perfectly ironed pillow cases). A friendly, professional character with guests is essential as is discretion and maintenance of guest privacy. This candidate will have one year of experience on a yacht or very strong experience on shore.
Career path, chief stewardess, head of housekeeping, second stewardess, laundry stewardess, junior stewardess.
Kate got her start in the yachting industry working as crew. She spent five years cruising the Bahamas, Caribbean, New England, and Central America, then segued that experience into a career in marine journalism, including stints as editor of Dockwalk and ShowBoats International .
If you’re not afraid of hard work, have a knack for hospitality and service, and are a team player, then traveling the globe as superyacht stewardess could be in your future. Here is everything you need to know to land a job as a stewardess on a luxury yacht...
A yacht stewardess (or steward) is an entry-level position in yachting that provides a gateway to a career in hospitality at sea. A stewardess serves a vital role as part of the interior team and is responsible for the upkeep and presentation of the interior of a vessel.
One of the greatest appeals of working as interior crew on a superyacht (other than travel and tips ) is that the role of a stewardess doesn’t require extensive schooling or qualifications. While experience in the hospitality or customer service sector is advantageous, when starting out as a junior steward or stewardess, it is more about having a friendly disposition and being willing to learn and work hard.
“The ideal junior stewardess will have an eagerness to absorb information and learn the ropes properly, the ability to take direction and follow instructions, as well as the confidence to ask questions when clarification or additional instruction is needed,” says Sarah Bester with Northrop & Johnson Crew Services .
A steward or stewardess maintains the interior of a superyacht and provides five-star service to its owners and guests. On charter or owner trips, the interior team handles beverage and meal service, housekeeping, and laundry, all with the highest attention to detail. They have the most face time with guests so are responsible for relaying their wishes to the deck department, chef, and captain.
A junior member of an interior team on a yacht larger than 45 to 50 meters will typically start his or her career in the laundry room and/or in housekeeping rather than in service.
On smaller boats, the stewardess can be a department of one. “If you’re a solo stew you’ll be up early doing it all,” says Alene Keenan, a 30-year veteran of interior work who has literally written the book on yacht service, The Yacht Guru’s Bible. The day starts with opening duties: “setting up for breakfast, preparing breakfast, serving and clearing breakfast, laundry, cabin service, housekeeping duties, more laundry,” lists Keenan. This is followed by lunch service and more housekeeping and laundry, ongoing beverage service, setting up for afternoon activities, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres service, dinner service, cabin turndowns, finishing and returning laundry, and to close the day, pulling dishes, décor, and service items for the next day’s breakfast.
“If you have two or more interior crew, the duties are shared and probably rotated, and start times depend on hours of work and rest,” Keenan says.
On larger yachts, the chief stew will provide his or her team with a checklist of duties to perform for each shift. “The routine will generally be the same,” says Chief Stewardess Tracey Bamforth . “You will be allocated a shift, shift duties, and shift expectations. You will wake up and dress in your on-charter uniform, making sure you are presentable, fresh, and on time. It’s important to remember that when the guests are on, your need to manage yourself to the best of your ability: speaking softly, working smartly, being very aware of your environment — for example, not leaving cleaning products out and about and keeping the yacht to its absolute best standard.”
Off-charter is when maintenance, deep cleaning, and inventorying are done in addition to daily laundry, crew mess, and bridge duties.
This varies depending on the size of the yacht and crew. “Every yacht is unique and could have a different set-up; nothing is black or white,” says Lien Eggermont, senior yacht placement consultant for interior crew at Viking Crew .
Generally, when a stewardess works alone, they report to the captain. When there are two or more in the interior department, the junior would report to the chief stewardess, or with larger teams, they may even report to the second steward/ess. For the largest of superyachts, each interior division — housekeeping, laundry and service — will have their own head of department (HOD), so for example a housekeeping stewardess would report to the head of housekeeping.
All crew need STCW basic safety training , a five-day course, and an ENG1 medical certificate , and some yachts may also require certification in Food Safety & Hygiene, a one-day course.
On top of these necessities, there are numerous options for yacht-specific interior training, but many chief stews, like Robert, prefer to teach on the job. “Most of the skills you need in yachting, especially in the interior, you learn as you go,” she says.
The amount of knowledge you need going in may depend on when you’re hired. “Early in the season, the HOD will have time to train and teach everything from scratch. Mid-season they don’t have time to hold somebody’s hand — in the nicest possible way — and will need somebody who can hit the ground running,” Eggermont says.
Courses that introduce entry-level candidates to yacht interior work are offered in many countries around the world. “Bluewater hosts some fantastic courses; their Yacht Interior Service courses start at a zero-to-hero course and can really help with a newbie or green stewardess who wants to acclimate and understand the principles and products used on a vessel,” Bamforth says.
Bester points out that additional courses like silver service and WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) can help a candidate stand out. “These courses are an additional investment and thus an indication that the candidate may be more career minded,” she says.
“Training has always been a privilege in my mind,” adds Bamforth. “Most newbies starting out will already be stretched from arriving from a new country, trying to find a new role, living in a crew house, and then to expect them to start off with a couple thousand dollars in courses under their belts is somewhat unfair. I believe in the ability to train and trial a newbie and give them the opportunity to show you they have the capacity to work, learn, live in a very close environment with others, repeat the systems they are learning, and, most importantly, have a good attitude!”
Maxine Robert, chief stewardess on 47-meter M/Y Loon , adds, “Having a positive attitude is everything as we live in such close quarters and work very closely with each other every day.”
“Many programs will consider junior stew candidates who are green to yachting but come with strong land-based hospitality experience,” says Bester. Eggermont seconds this: “Waitressing in high-end restaurants or hotels, background in events, housekeeper in a hotel or, for example, a boutique B&B. But also candidates who have worked on board cruise ships or river cruises will be considered.”
Keenan points out a wide range of work experiences on land that translate to interior work at sea, listing: “restaurant/hotel work, flower arranging , event planning, retail sales, anything with customer service.”
Furthermore, Bamforth says she considers a potential new hire’s complete background, including things like whether they have finished university — “my thoughts would be that they have a ‘stick it out to the end’ attitude, and an ability to think on their own, which is always a plus,” — or if they played team sports at school — “shows an aptitude for playing nicely with people.” She says she has enjoyed working with hires from a wide variety of backgrounds, from advertising to having a family member who is a florist. “Nurses or medical-trained candidates I find to be extremely empathic and good with other crewmembers,” she says.
The entry-level starting salary can range from $2,500 to $3,500 per month, says Bester at Northrop & Johnson. “Charter programs will typically be on the lower end of the salary range due to the additional income crew receive through charter tips,” she says. Eggermont at Viking Crew says the average is €2,500 per month.
Dockwalk conducts an annual salary survey that polls both placement agencies and working yacht crew. According to its most recent 2020 Salary Survey , the low end of the range given by agencies — where most junior crew would start — is between $2,250 and $2,800 per month. Interior crew who aren’t working as the chief or solo self-reported that they made from $3,000 to $4,500 per month, with the bigger bucks being netted on bigger vessels.
The earning potential of interior crew grows alongside experience. At the top of their game, a chief steward/ess on a vessel longer than 70 meters earns $7,000 to $12,000 per month, says Dockwalk ’s wage guide.
“I’d say don’t be too picky as a junior crewmember,” Eggermont says. “If a 90-meter-plus (yacht) offers you a role at €2,000 with potentially an increase after probation or so, I’d say take it. Do a season, do your best so that you get a great reference. You need a foot in the door!”
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With Bluewater's expertise in crew training and yacht crew recruitment, finding your ideal yacht crew vacancy is simple. We offer yacht management services to a variety of exclusive superyachts. Our team excels in sourcing top-notch yacht crew positions, spanning from 25-meter private yachts in the Bahamas to 50-metre charter yachts in the Mediterranean to luxurious 100+ metre superyachts navigating the globe extensively.
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Alongside sourcing the latest yacht crew jobs worldwide, Bluewater offers a range of specialised yacht crew training courses. Whether you're new to the superyacht industry seeking entry-level qualifications, an experienced deckhand or engineer aiming to advance your career, or a dedicated crew member looking to enhance your resume with certifications like HELM (Human Element Leadership and Management), Yachtmaster, or OOW (Officer of the Watch), explore our comprehensive yacht crew training options.
Working as a crew member on a superyacht is undeniably one of the most rewarding yet demanding professions, calling for hard work, dedication, and professional training. The opportunities within the yachting industry are vast, and at Bluewater, we are committed to helping every crew member discover their ideal yacht crew position. Our recruitment division focuses on finding the perfect yacht for crew members and provides unparalleled professional support. Our recruitment experts guide crew members through every step of their yachting career journey, ensuring they receive the best possible assistance.
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Superyacht Stewardesses are responsible for serving meals and drinks, maintaining guest areas and cabins, and meeting the needs of the guests.
Stewardesses must be great diplomats, guest focused, with excellent communication skills.
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Hello everyone. We are a family. Two adults, two teenagers. We have a Princess Y72 built in 2022 and are...
8 June 2024 - Palma
About the yacht: This is a 35m private M/Y, based in the South of France, with an EU flag. The project : We...
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We are looking for a strong stew with at least six months of experience with longevity in previous positions, strong...
18 June 2024 - Spain
We are searching for a Captain and Stewardess Team to join a 62 foot Sail Yacht. PRIVATELY OWNED Captain must...
16 June 2024 ✔ Approved
90m+ Private Motor YachtWilsonhalligan are looking for a Temporary Nurse/Stew to join a 90m+ private vessel. This role has the potential to...
14 June 2024 - Undisclosed
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Sole engineer, chief officer, junior stew, head of housekeeping, 2nd officer, masseuse/ stew, deck/ steward(ess), chief engineer, 2nd engineer, deck/ carpenter, head of service, deck/ engineer, crew chef/ cook.
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Yacht Stewardess jobs in California. Sort by: relevance - date. 25+ jobs. VIP Specialist. Pechanga Resort & Casino 3.7. Temecula, CA 92592. ... View all Hornblower Yachts LLC jobs in Marina del Rey, CA - Marina del Rey jobs - Attendant jobs in Marina del Rey, CA; Salary Search: Dock Attendant ...
Assistant Restaurant Manager / Banquet Manager. Walnut Creek Yacht Club 4.7. Walnut Creek, CA 94596. Typically responds within 3 days. $60,000 - $65,000 a year. Full-time. Monday to Friday + 3. Easily apply. Restaurant, Bar and Seafood Market *.
8 Yacht Stewardess jobs available in Maywood, CA on Indeed.com. Apply to Steward, Attendant, Dishwasher and more!
Compensation for chief stews runs anywhere from $3,450 to $5,650 a month on smaller yachts (80 to 140 feet) to $5,200 to $8,000 a month on yachts over 140 feet. It is very common now to see $65K and $70K salaries, or even $90K+ on the much larger vessels. Salaries for entry-level yacht stewardesses start out between $30K-$43K a year, or ...
The San Francisco Yacht Club. Belvedere, CA $22 - $24. Be an early applicant. 2 months ago. Today's top 92 Yacht jobs in California, United States. Leverage your professional network, and get hired.
Search for professional crew jobs on yachts/superyachts as deckhand, stewardess, chief engineer, captain and many more roles. Jobs Share. Join ... Search through hundreds of active jobs below by Position or Region. Whether you are looking for yacht jobs in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, USA, or any other location, Meridian is the first step in ...
Fort Lauderdale, FL. Actively Hiring +4 benefits. 1 week ago. Today's top 15 Stewardess Yacht jobs in United States. Leverage your professional network, and get hired. New Stewardess Yacht jobs ...
Experience in five-star establishments (i.e. Michelin star restaurant, fine hotel) Wine certification. Tender driving certification. Limited computer skills. Yacht Steward or Stewardess have 0 - 3 years experience and are responsible for interior cleaning and maintenance. They earn $30K-38K based on yacht size & experience.
Belvedere Tiburon, CA 94920. Tiburon Ferry Landing. $21 - $27 an hour. Full-time. Day shift + 5. Easily apply. Full Time Bartender- job post*. $21 - $27 an hour - Full-time. The Corinthian Yacht Club in Tiburon is seeking full-time and part-time bartenders for our….
San Diego, CA. Be an early applicant. 4 days ago. Today's top 28 Yacht jobs in San Diego, California, United States. Leverage your professional network, and get hired. New Yacht jobs added daily.
All crew need STCW basic safety training, a five-day course, and an ENG1 medical certificate, and some yachts may also require certification in Food Safety & Hygiene, a one-day course. On top of these necessities, there are numerous options for yacht-specific interior training, but many chief stews, like Robert, prefer to teach on the job ...
12 Steps To Becoming A Yacht Stewardess. The best way to become a yacht stewardess is to prepare yourself from all angles. Here are the 12 steps to becoming a yacht stewardess. Research the yachting industry: Understanding the yachting world is very important for aspiring yacht stewardesses.
Manchester Yacht Club. Manchester, MA 01944. $20 - $25 an hour. Full-time + 1. 32 hours per week. Monday to Friday + 4. Easily apply. Must have USCG Limited Masters License or higher. Assisting members and transient vessels with docking and mooring needs.
Sole Chef - 44m Private Motor Yacht. Med. Permanent. Qualifications: STCW, ENG1, Food & Hygiene Level 2. Experience: 3 Years +. Salary: Industry standard. Apply. Next →. The latest yacht crew jobs available onboard exclusive charter yachts and luxury private yachts with leading yacht crew recruitment company, Bluewater.
Stewardess 50m Private MY. STEWARDESS 50M PRIVATE MYÂ We are seeking a stew ready asap to join a fantastic 50m MY located in the... 13 June 2024. Page 1 of 17. 1. 2. 3. Next. View current job vacancies for a Stewardess on-board yachts, superyachts and megayachts.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316. ( Harbordale area) Estimated $50.3K - $63.7K a year. Full-time. Easily apply. File crew list, check that the yacht is manned according to Safe Manning document, receive and file crew certificates, documents and passenger lists.
Having a relevant background is helpful, but not essential. According to our survey: 50% of stews have a hospitality background, with years of experience. 30% have zero or minimal relevant experience, with brief bar jobs or academic background. 20% have related experience such as housekeeping, child care and customer facing roles.
boat stewardess jobs in Hansen Hills, CA. Sort by: relevance - date. 15 jobs. Dock Attendant. ES Ring. Marina del Rey, CA 90292. $20 - $22 an hour. ... View all Hornblower Yachts LLC jobs in Marina del Rey, CA - Marina del Rey jobs - Attendant jobs in Marina del Rey, CA; Salary Search: ...
Explore a comprehensive list of yacht jobs available worldwide on Yacht Career Hub. From deckhands to captains, find opportunities that align with your skills and career goals in the luxury yachting industry. ... Stewardess. 80m M/Y. €2500 per month. Full-Time. French Riviera. Private. Europe. June. Schengen. Posted 4 hours ago. Junior Stew ...
Yacht Cook. City Cruises - California. Marina del Rey, CA 90292. From $19 an hour. Part-time. Day shift + 4. Easily apply. Salary Range: $19.00 - $21.00 per hour City Experiences is seeking a Cook for our City Cruises operation in Marina del Rey. About Us: City….
Topside Yacht Technician. Executive Yacht Group. San Diego, CA. $17 - $25 an hour. Full-time + 2. Monday to Friday + 1. Easily apply. Full service Yacht Management company hiring Topside Detailing Personnel Topside Technician -- Boat cleaners and yacht detailers with experience in boat…. Active 7 days ago ·.
10 Yacht jobs available in Phillips Rnch, CA on Indeed.com. Apply to Line Cook, Mechanic, Executive and more!
9 Yacht Charter jobs available in Torrey Pines State Beach, CA on Indeed.com. Apply to Restaurant Manager, Front Desk Agent, Office Assistant and more!