yacht stewardess salary australia

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• Residence Staff

2nd Stewardess – 50m Private MY – Sydney (base) & South Pacific

Are you an experienced stewardess looking to join a high-profile program in Australia? Are you interested in being trained by a very experienced chief stewardess? Position Snapshot Live onboard (preference) or ashore Open...

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• Classification:   Steward/ess
• Location:   Australia/NZ
• Type:   Full-Time

Chief officer – 42m private MY – Sydney (base) & South Pacific Islands

Are you looking to progress your career whilst still having a land-based life in Sydney? Do you have superyacht experience from Europe / US? Position Snapshot 5750€- 6750€ / Month DOE Foreign Flagged Sydney based, with pacific Island trip in winter Live ashore (preference)...

• Classification:   Mate/Officer

Deck/ Mate / Fishing 32m Expedition MY – Kimberley, Cairns, Whitsundays, Melbourne, Tazzy

Are you a deckhand with strong recreational fishing background? Are you interested in cruising the remote Kimberely this winter? Position Snapshot Deckhand (fishing skills) Plenty of bridge/sea time Male or female A 32m expedition vessel is on the search for a deck/mate...

• Classification:   Deckhand / Bosun

Captain & Stew (Seasonal)- 63’ New Build MY- French Riviera

Interested in joining the hottest / sleekest day yacht to the French Coast? Position Snapshot Seasonal May to August Based Monaco (operating French Coast) Live onboard or ashore A terrific seasonal opportunity to join a recently launched 63’ day motor...

• Classification:   Captain
• Location:   Europe
• Type:   Seasonal

Chief Stewardess 2:2 – 60m Expedition / Scientific Research MY – Australia, PNG, Indo

Are you an Australian /New Zealand Chief Stewardess interested in finding a unicorn equal time rotation position in Australia? Do you have an interest in off the beaten track exploration / scientific research / Ocean conservation?  Position Snapshot Private...

• Classification:   Chief Steward/ess
• Type:   Rotational

1st Mate & Stewardess- 40m Private MY- Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Oman, Turkey, US, South America

Are you a 1st Mate & Stewardess team ready to for some off the beaten track world cruising? Position Snapshot Stewardess & 1st Mate Team Will consider solo 1st mate candidates if female Stewardess: $4000 US / Month , 1st Mate: $5500...

• Location:   Worldwide

Deckhand 28m Private / Charter- Whitsundays Based

Are you a Deckhand interested in being based in the Whitsundays? Do you have previous Yacht experience and in possession of a coxswain or on path to?   Position Snapshot Deckhand $65K to $75K AUD / Year + Super , dependent on experience. 4 fulltime crew A seasoned...

Captain / Engineer 28m Private / Charter- Whitsundays Based

Are you a master 4 captain interested in being based in the Whitsundays? Do you have previous superyacht experience?   Position Snapshot Master 4, MED 2 $150,000-$180,000 AUD / year DOE 4 fulltime crew A seasoned superyacht owner is on the search for an experienced...

Casual / Temp Sole Stewardess 28m – Sydney

Are you a stewardess based in Sydney available for some ongoing casual work? Position Snapshot Ongoing casual work for charters Start date: Saturday 16th March & Sunday 17th March $350-$400 AUD / day DOE Must be located in Sydney   A...

• Type:   Daywork/Relief

Sole Chef- 32m Expedition Yacht- Cairns, Kimberley, Melbourne, Tasmania

Are you a culinary trained chef interested in cruising the remote Kimberley?   Are you interested in working within a highly professional (and fun) crew?   Position Snapshot   $100,000-$130,000 AUD + Super  DOE Private use, low guest numbers Start: Mid/End...

• Classification:   Chef

1st Officer/Relief Captain- 38m New Build Charter/Private MY- Sydney , Australia & Pacific

Do you value working for an exceptional yacht owner?   Are you interested in pursuing a role that offers commercial drive time?   Position Snapshot   $110,000-$125,000 AUD / Year + Super+ Bonus DOE Multiple...

Temp Chef (Urgent) 37m Private MY- Sydney

Are you a high end / executive chef available for a short contract? Position Snapshot Friday 8th to Tuesday 12th March $700-$750 AUD / day DOE/Negotiable Will fly interstate. Chef required for private guest trip in Sydney Harbour, owner is a foodie...

Deckhand – 47m Private MY – Indonesia

Are you a deckhand located in Australia/NZ or Indo region?   Are you interested in a fulltime deckhand role on your own tropical island in Indonesia?   Position Snapshot - Mid March Start - $3,000 US mark, 42 days leave, and two return flights - Must be located locally (Australia/NZ/Asia)   A...

Deckhand (carpentry) 90m+ Private MY – US & Pacific

Are you a deckhand with carpentry skills looking to join a high profile , world cruising program?   Do you have all-round waterman skills and can drive tenders?   A very high profile 90m+ private MY currently cruising the US is on the search for a deckhand with carpentry, watersports and tender experience...

• Classification:   
• Location:   
• Type:   

Lead Deckhand / Tender Captain – 34m Private MY – Sydney Based

Are you a deckhand or deck/stew interested in being based in Sydney year-round? Do you have tender driving experience and hands on maintenance skills? Position Snapshot Sydney based (all year) Must have own accommodation ashore $70,000-$80,000...

Captain – 70’ Sail Yacht – East Coast Australia

Are you a sail yacht captain or mate with a racing background?   Are you interested in being the back-end captain to a prestigious racing Maxi?   A unique opportunity has become available for an experienced sailor to be the back-end captain to a prestigious racing Maxi along the east coast of Australia.   The...

Stewardess (rotation 3:1) – 60m Expedition / Scientific Research MY – Australia, PNG, Indo

Are you an Australian or New Zealand Stewardess interested in joining an expedition yacht with a Diving & Science Focus?   Position Snapshot Private & Scientific research focus Dive orientated expeditions Start: ASAP   Rotational Position , 3 months...

Chief Stewardess- 37m Private MY – Sydney , Fijian Islands, Whitsundays

Are you an experienced stewardess interested in working with a fun team? Are you currently based in the Australia/NZ region? Position Snapshot Live onboard Interior team of 2 Open to step up candidates from Sole or 2nd stew Work rights for...

• Location:   Pacific

Junior Stewardess- 40m Private MY- Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Oman, Turkey, US, South America

Are you a junior stew interested in travelling off the beaten track locations?   Are you interested in joining a dynamic crew with a strong wanderlust for adventure?   Position Snapshot -World Travelling -Starting: ASAP in Thailand -Australian / NZ candidates preferred   A...

Captain- Private Superyacht fleet – Perth Based

Are you a Perth based captain interested in a terrific lifestyle role?  Are you interested in working across a fleet of privately owned yachts on terrific rates   Captain Rates   $750/day for the first 10 hours. $115/hr for every hour worked after the...

Personal Assistant – Superyacht / Engineering – Gold Coast Based (with some travel)

Are you a former superyacht stewardess looking to segway into a personal / executive assistant role?   Are you looking for a role primarily based on the Gold Coast?   An excellent opportunity has become available for a former superyacht...

• Classification:   Other

Lead Deckhand/Relief Bosun 4:2 Rotation- 80m + Private MY – South Pacific, Fiji, Caribbean, Europe

Are you an experienced Lead deckhand with all-round waterman/women skills?   Are you keen on hitting the South Pacific Islands and onwards to the Caribbean?   Position Snapshot Lead Deckhand /Relief Bosun (with water sports skills) 4:2 Rotation + fights Flexible...

Urgent- Deckhand 47m Charter/Private MY –Caribbean & New England

***Calling all deckhands available for an immediate start***   Are you a watersports frother keen for an active charter yacht? Position Snapshot High profile charter yacht Super active, watersports, fitness , Adventure + $4000 US / month + Tips + 60 days leave, return flight ...

• Location:   Americas

Bosun 47m Charter/Private MY –Caribbean & New England

Do you hold a yachtmaster and interested in joining a high-profile charter yacht? Do you have any extra skills like fishing, diving, kiting , surfing ? Position Snapshot High profile charter yacht Super active, watersports, fitness , Adventure + $5000 US / month + Tips + 60 days...

Urgent 3rd Stewardess 47m Charter/Private MY –Caribbean & New England

***Calling all 3rd stewardesses available for an immediate start*** Position Snapshot High profile charter yacht Super active, watersports, fitness , Adventure + $3500 US / month + Tips + 60 days leave, return flight 20th February start or sooner A...

Seasonal Head Chef 70m+ Private / Charter MY- Europe

Are you a male head chef interested in a seasonal charter position in Europe? Do you have previous Head Chef experience on vessels 50m+? Position Snapshot Starting: 15th April in France   Term: Seasonal , until September The requirement is: Seasonal...

Seasonal Stewardess- 36m Private MY – Greece

Are you an experienced stewardess interested in cruising Greece this European summer? Are you interested in working for a terrific Australian owner? Position Snapshot Seasonal Role: April to October Will fly Candidates from Australia / NZ 3500€...

Dayworker- (deck) Private Motor Yacht – Gold Coast

Are you based in the Gold Coast region and available for some daywork? A high-profile private yacht currently on the gold coast is in need of a deckhand dayworker to assist with their yard period. Position Snapshot 3-4 days / week Duration: 4-6 weeks (flexible) $300...

Seasonal Mate/ 2nd Engineer- 35m Private MY – Greek Islands

Do you have experience on deck and engineering inclined? Are you interested in a seasonal role in the Greek Islands? Position Snapshot Feb/March Start to Late September 5000€ / month DOE +/- on experience (can go up) Private use only A lovely personable, Australian...

2nd Engineer (temp or fulltime) 70m+ Private / Charter MY- Caribbean

Are you a commercial / cadet engineer looking for a start on Superyachts?   Do you hold a III/2 engineering ticket?   Snapshot   Temp (1-2 month) or permanent III/2 No superyacht experience required Start: 15th February in St Maarten   A...

• Classification:   Engineer

Chief Stewardess- 33m Private/Charter MY- Sydney (base) + Whitsundays

Are you an experienced stewardess looking for a terrific lifestyle role in Sydney? Do you enjoy higher end term style charters? Position Snapshot: Sydney based (live ashore) Managing a fulltime 2nd stewardess From $100,000 AUD + Super (negotiable, DOE) A...

Stewardess/Hospitality support – High Profile -Perth Based Residence

Are you an experienced stewardess looking for a unique lifestyle opportunity in Perth? ...

• Classification:   Residential

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Property Managers – Live In Couple – Full-time – Byron Bay region

75m m/y – stew + nurse/medic – 2:2 – worldwide – private, 75m m/y – rotational deckhand – 3:1 – worldwide – private, 70m m/y – full-time deckhand – med/caribbean – private/charter, 56m m/y – chief stewardess – gold coast – private, 42m m/y – first mate – australia – private, 40m+ m/y – 2nd stewardess – qld, png & south pacific – private/charter, 40m m/y – rotational deck/engineer – 3:1 – west coast usa/central america – private, 40m m/y – rotational chief engineer – west coast usa – private, 40m m/y – deckhand – australia, nz & indo – private.

Yacht Crew Salaries: Complete Guide to What Yacht Crew Earn

It’s no secret that the impressive yacht crew salaries attract most people into the exclusive yachting world.

Junior deckhands or stewardesses can earn starting salaries of $3000 per month. With a few years of experience and some courses to back you up, this amount moves up towards $4000-$4500 per month!

In order to compile this superyacht crew salary guideline, I have taken 10 of the top yachting platforms and used all of their data, combined with my personal experience, to reach an average salary expectation for each position.

Table of Contents

How Much do you Make Working on a Yacht?

Yacht Captain Salary

• 20m-30m: $4000-$7500
• 30m-40m: $5500-$9500
• 40m-50m: $8000-$15000
• 50m-70m: $13000-$19000
• 70m+: $16500+

Requirements of a Yacht Captain

• Years of experience needed: 3-5 years of experience as Chief Officer/Mate and more than 5 years of experience as a Captain for larger yachts
• Minimum level of Qualification: 200ton licence which allows you to drive vessels below 200tons

The Captain has the highest level of responsibility onboard the yacht and hence they earn the most out of all the yacht crew salaries.

Captains are accountable for the overall safety of the yacht, crew members and guests.

They also handle daily operations of the yacht, guests, and owner liaison. They deal with management companies, port control, budgets, human resources, and many more tasks and logistics that make the job demanding and stressful.

On top of this, Captains are required to hold high levels of certifications depending on the size of the yacht they are driving.

Yacht Captain salaries can sky rocket with higher levels of qualifications.

If you are looking to become a Yacht Captain one day I recommend looking into the courses required so you can get started with licenses and sea time. It takes time to get there, but when you do it will be worth it.

Chief Officer Yacht Salary

• 30m-40m: $4000-$6000
• 40m-50m: $4500-$7500
• 50m-70m: $5500-$9000
• 70m+: $8000+

Requirements of a Chief Officer

• Years of experience needed: 3-5 Years
• Minimum level of qualification: Officer of the Watch

The Chief Officer is second in command to the Captain and is responsible for carrying out the Captain’s standing orders.

On smaller yachts, the Chief Officer is referred to as the Mate.

The Chief Officer is responsible for carrying out the safety duties onboard and assisting in the bridge with paperwork and navigational planning.

The Chief Officer is also responsible for leading and managing their deck team, ensuring crew are following their duties as well as managing the water sports and guest activities.

The salary of a Chief Officer depends heavily on the license held.

Bosun Yacht Salary

• Years of experience needed: 2-3 years
• Minimum level of qualification: Yacht Master Offshore
• A yacht Bosun salary can vary between $4000 and $6000.

Responsibilities of a Bosun

The Bosun is essentially the Lead Deckhand onboard. A lead deckhand salary on a larger vessel will be similar to that of a bosun salary on a smaller vessel.

This is an opportunity to step up from being a deckhand and gain some experience in a leadership role. This position is in place for larger yachts so that when the Officer is busy with bridge duties, someone is in charge on deck.

Yacht Deckhand Salary

Years of experience needed: 0

• Minimum level of qualification: None needed, however Power Boat Level 2 and Yacht Master offshore will put you at a great advantage
• Entry-level yacht crew salaries start at $3000 and can go as high as $4000/$4500.

Responsibilities of a Deckhand

A Deckhand is an entry-level role on a yacht.

You need to spend a few years (or less) as a Deckhand in order to learn and gain experience so that you can step up in the ranks and obtain your licenses.

This role will be very hands-on in maintaining the exterior of the yacht. Duties will include cleaning, polishing, varnishing, sanding, caulking, and any other maintenance work required.

Chief Steward / Chief Stewardess Salary

• 30m-40m :$4500-$5500
• 40m-50m :$5000-$7000
• 50m-70m- $5500-$8000
• 70m+: $7500+

Responsibilities of a Chief Stewardess/Steward

• Years of experience needed: 3-5 years
• Minimum level of qualification: Depending on the size of the vessel you may need courses such as Food Hygiene and Safety, Silver Service, WSET, or a Purser course

The Chief Stewardess or Steward is responsible for all the interior operations of the yacht .

They are responsible for managing the interior team, and ensuring the interior of the yacht is maintained to the highest standards. Besides cleaning and laundry schedules , this also includes provisioning for crew and guests, budgeting, accounting, and training of junior crew.

Steward or Stewardess Yacht Salary

• Minimum level of qualification: Depending on the size of the vessel you may need courses such as Food Hygiene and Safety and Silver Service
• Salaries start at $3000 and go up to $6000

Responsibilities of a Steward or Stewardess

A Stewardess/Steward is an entry-level position working within the interior of the yacht.

There are rankings within the interior (2nd, 3rd, 4th Steward/Stewardesses). As you spend more time in the industry, you will be promoted to higher ranks, and with that will come a better salary and more responsibility.

This role covers a range of tasks, including but not limited to housekeeping, laundry, bartending, table scaping, floral arrangements, serving, and hosting guests.

Engineer Yacht Salary

• 20m-30m: $4000-$5000
• 30m-40m: $4500-$6500
• 40m-50m: $6000-$8000
• 50m-70m: $7500-$11000
• 70m+: $9000+

Requirements of an Engineer

• Years of experience needed: 2-4 years in an engineering role onboard as Deck/Engineer or relevant land-based experience
• Minimum level of qualification: AEC

The Engineer onboard is responsible for all mechanical functioning and maintenance of the vessel. This is a very technical role that can pay well as you gain experience and obtain your licensing.

Yacht Chef Salary

• 20m-30m: $4000 – $5000
• 40m-50m: $5500 – $75000
• 50m-70m: $6500-$9500

Requirements of a Yacht Chef

• Years of experience needed: 3-5 years depending on previous experience
• Minimum level of qualification: Food Hygiene and Safety Level 2

The Chef is responsible for feeding the crew 2 to 3 healthy and sustainable meals a day. They are of course required to prepare meals for guests when onboard to the highest of standards.

In their day-to-day tasks, they will be responsible for their own provisioning of the galley, maintaining stocks, cleanliness, and hygiene of the galley.

The salary of the Yacht Chef varies depending on qualifications and experience.

Yacht Crew Salaries for Private vs Charter Yachts

There are two types of super yachts that require crew: Private and Charter yachts. The salaries for yacht crew differ slightly between the two.

Private Yacht

A private boat is owned by a single person or family who uses the yacht for their own purposes. They don’t charter it out and you can expect to have the same guests onboard for the duration of your contract.

The benefit of these programs is that you get to know your guests well so you may find it easier to manage their wants and needs.

You may also benefit from traveling to off-the-beaten-track locations as I have!

For yacht crew working on these private boats, you will usually not receive charter tips.

Charter Yacht

A charter boat is one that gets chartered out by guests. This operates as a business and also means you will have different guests for every trip. 

If you work on a charter boat you can expect to receive charter tips at the end of each charter. These are usually 10%-20% of the charter fee!

Considering these tips can be anywhere from $2000-$5000 per week depending on the size of the yacht, charter boats offer great earning potential and can skyrocket your salary as a yachtie.

Hi, my name is Lisa, a Chief Stewardess in the yachting industry with 10 years of experience, as well as 8 years of hospitality experience prior to that. Being in the yachting industry has been a whirlwind of adventure, growth, challenges and some of the best experiences of my life, and I am excited to share my knowledge and experiences with all of you.

How to Write the Perfect Yacht CV [With Template]

A day in the life of a yacht stewardess.

Work On A Yacht

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Official Yacht Stewardess Job Descriptions and Salaries (Including a Salary Chart)

June 12, 2018 By Julie Perry

For some even more straight-from-the-book fun, I present to you below the official job descriptions for the various yacht steward/ess roles. These are pulled directly from The Insiders’ Guide to Becoming a Yacht Stewardess Chapter 3—a chapter that actually contains descriptions for each of the positions onboard, from Captain to Engineer, and from Executive Chef to Deckhand. And they are all presented with accompanying salary ranges.

The Crew of Megayacht “Allegria” (2010). Photo by Suki Finnerty of YachtingToday.TV

So if you’re interested in a yachting career in another department outside of a superyacht’s interior, consider picking up a copy of my book to learn more . (The “how to get started” information in Part II of the book really does pertain to most any entry-level position.)

Official Yacht Steward/ess Job Descriptions

Meanwhile, here are your yacht stewardess job descriptions, with a detailed salary chart found at the end of this post:

CHIEF STEWAR/DESS (Annual Salary Range: $39,000–$96,000+)

Job Function —The chief stewardess will carry out his or her duties and responsibilities under the direction and authority of the captain. As the person ultimately responsible for the interior of the vessel and for providing superior hospitality service to meet the owner’s and guests’ expectations, the chief stew will also train and manage any lower-ranking stews under his or her supervision. Excellent service, host/ess, and managerial skills are a necessity, as is having a good degree of creative flair.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for the everyday smooth operation of the boat’s interior department, which means being adept in the arts of housekeeping services, laundry procedures and wardrobe management, food and beverage service and cleanup, and entertaining (while maintaining proper etiquette and a high-energy, can-do attitude at all times)
• Responsible for directing, motivating, and training the lower-ranked stews (2nd, 3rd, and so on)—if any are onboard—which includes the assignment and scheduling of rotational duties and implementing Human Resources (HR) procedures and guidelines
• Providing valet services and overall guest care. Note: In the hospitality industry, “valet” refers to any employee who performs personal services for guests (and refers to more than just parking cars, which is what we normally associate it with). With regard to yacht stews, valet services include tasks such as packing and unpacking guests’ luggage, caring for their personal items and specialty garments, and even making daily activity arrangements for them.
• Protecting, maintaining, and caring for valuable interior items and surfaces, such as artwork, silks, china, crystal, linens, fine woodwork, and marbles
• Creating, implementing, and monitoring a financial planning system that includes accounting and budgeting for interior department needs
• Creating, implementing, and maintaining an informational management system of interior inventories and maintenance procedures
• Provisioning to maintain inventory supplies and cover guest usage
• Collaborating with the executive chef regarding meal service for the guests
• Creative planning and quality service of theme dinners and occasional guest parties
• Keeping all interior storage areas organized, orderly, and maintained
• Crew uniform purchasing
• Writing and updating all interior manuals and guest-information documents
• Maintaining and displaying knowledge of international etiquette and protocol
• Watchkeeping in accordance with the list of responsibilities in the crew mess
• Exterior-crew support as needed (requiring proficiency with exterior lines and fenders)
• Selecting, purchasing, and serving fine wines, specialty teas, and cigars, which may require advanced training
• Planning and managing destination experiences proficiently
• Assuming full responsibility for certain onboard safety tasks (as assigned by the first mate) in an emergency

Qualifications —A chief stewardess should possess some type of training and experience in the areas of bartending, silver service, cigar service, and wine presentation and service. (The more extensive a stew’s wine knowledge, the better.) STCW BST certification is now mandatory for a chief-stew position, and previous yachting experience on either charter or private vessels is most always required. It is also recommended that you obtain an ENG1 Seafarer Medical Certificate, or its equivalent. Floral arranging and table decorating skills prove to be an advantage, while an Advanced/Medical First Aid Certificate or a higher degree of medical training is also a major bonus. In fact, many chief stews are now taking courses to become certified as a yacht’s Medical Person-in-Charge. This requires a seven-day course that will satisfy the standards set forth by the STCW Code A-VI/4, 4.4-4.6, offered at many of the marine training schools. While the new PYA Interior-Crew G.U.E.S.T certification is not mandatory (as of July 2013), it is wise to follow the courses outlined and seek out equivalent intermediate and/or advanced interior-crew training classes, if not sign up for the full PYA G.U.E.S.T course modules.

A Chief Superyacht Stewardess handles the ordering of provisions and other guest amenities for the yacht, which might include things like floral displays that the interior crew is too overwhelmed to handle on its own. While that may sound like an easy task, consider that no matter how many years a yacht stew has been doing this job, he or she will always end up in a new port (sometimes half-way around the world). First, he or she must find a reputable vendor. And not only do fresh flower arrangements need to be ordered, but they must be paid for as well. A chief stew must keep thorough accounting throughout a trip and make sure all vendors and provisioners are paid from the right accounts. Photo Credit: Suki Finnerty of YachtingToday.TV.

STEWARDESS—2nd and 3rd Stews; sometimes referred to as Senior and Junior Stews (Annual Salary Range: $30,000–$54,000+)

Job Function —A 2nd or 3rd stew will carry out his or her duties and responsibilities under the direction and authority of the chief stew and the captain. Individuals holding these positions are responsible for assisting with the maintenance of the interior of the vessel and providing superior hospitable service, in line with the owner’s and guest’s expectations. Hostess skills should be well developed to fully accommodate the owners and their guests while onboard.

• Maintaining interior housekeeping during a trip (detail cleaning) while also being held largely responsible for guest-cabin care
• Laundry, ironing, and other wardrobe maintenance tasks for guests and sometimes crew (when guests are onboard)
• Applying excellent guest service (including silver service) and expert bartending skills when called upon
• Guest care and valet services
• Assisting in the creative planning and quality service of theme dinners
• Assisting with physical product inventories, provisioning, writing and updating checklists, and all other applicable tasks within interior
• Exterior-crew support as needed

Qualifications —This is an entry-level position; while previous yachting experience is not required, it does bring added salary benefits. STCW BST certification is now mandatory for obtaining even entry-level work on a megayacht. It is also recommended that you obtain an ENG1 Seafarer Medical Certificate, or its equivalent. Table service, bartending, and cocktail-service experience or equivalent qualification are crucial to landing a job—training and certification recommendations for these can be found in Chapter 7 of The Insiders’ Guide to Becoming a Yacht Stewardess. While the new PYA Interior-Crew G.U.E.S.T certification is not mandatory (as of July 2013), it is wise to follow the courses outlined and seek out equivalent introductory interior-crew training classes, if not sign up for the full PYA G.U.E.S.T introduction modules.

Yacht Stewardesses at Work Photo Credit: Suki Finnerty of YachtingToday.TV

Dual Positions

On smaller and midsize vessels, where not as many crewmembers are needed (nor is there room for them), the core crew positions listed in the last section are often fused into what I call “dual positions.” An individual hired into such a position will assume a dual role and be expected to wear more than one “hat” during the course of a day.

Here are some examples:

• Deckhand-Stew
• 2nd Engineer-Deckhand
• Captain-Engineer
• Stew-Purser

Steward/ess Salaries

According to Dockwalk’s annual Crew Salary Survey in September 2013 , steward/esses are making a wide variety of salaries these days, and the amount of experience and training they have makes a difference. Of course, the size of the yachts will also be a factor. 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 $2,500–$3,600 a month.

Base salaries for stewardesses, when compared with those of food and beverage servers, cabin stews, and laundry staff on cruise ships, are slightly higher. But where the potential income differences become dramatic is when you consider the tips one can earn working on luxury charter yachts, or the bonuses and perks afforded the crew on solely private yachts.

Here is a table that sums up salary ranges for the various stew roles within the interior department on a megayacht / superyacht:

Steward/ess Salary Ranges

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.

Yacht Crew Have Got 99 Problems, But Living Expenses Ain’t One of Them

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.

Interested in more advice on how to become a yacht stewardess and what it takes to handle the job? Download Chapter 1 of The Insiders’ Guide to Becoming a Yacht Stewardess 2nd Edition here .

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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Yacht Steward / Stewardess Jobs

The latest yacht stewardess and steward jobs on super yachts around the world:.

Refine your search to find junior stew , housekeeping stew , service stew , laundry stew & chief steward/stewardess specific vacancies or view all superyacht steward(ess) jobs below.

The latest yacht stewardess & steward jobs on superyachts around the world:

Refine your search to find junior stew , housekeeping , service , laundry & chief   steward/stewardess specific vacancies or view all superyacht steward(ess) jobs below.

Steward(ess)/Deckhand

We're looking for a stew/deckhand to join a busy 40 meter charter M/Y based in Australia.

This role is ideal for those who love to travel to different destinations in the Southern Hemisphere.

It will be a full time position. Can also be coupled with a chief officer or chef....

Job Details:

Job ID: #7055 Job Type: Full Time Start Location: Australia Start Date: 07 Apr 2024 Qualifications (Essential): STCW Basic Safety Training 95 (2010) Qualifications (Preferred): ENG1 (or equivalent Seafarer's Medical Certificate) Min Yachting Experience: 1-2 Years Gender Required: Female Smokers: No

Second Steward/ess

We are looking for an experienced 2nd Stewardess for a 55m+ M/Y charter and private. Vessel will be doing the Med season with 7-10 weeks of charter and very light owner use.

The ideal candidate will have at least 2 seasons charter experience in the 2nd Stew role.

Must have s...

Job ID: #7051 Job Type: Seasonal Start Location: Saint Martin Start Date: 11 Apr 2024 Qualifications (Essential): ENG1 (or equivalent Seafarer's Medical Certificate), STCW Basic Safety Training 95 (2010) Min Yachting Experience: 1-2 Years Gender Required: Female Smokers: No

UGRENT TEMP SECOND STEWARDESS NEEDED IMMEDIATELY!

Seeking an experienced Second Stewardess - New Zealand

Busy 40m private Motor Yacht Seeking a highly motivated, fun and energetic Second Stewardess to join the vessel immediately.

This is a temporary position star...

Job ID: #7050 Job Type: Temporary Start Location: New Zealand Start Date: Immediate Start Qualifications (Essential): STCW Basic Safety Training 95 (2010) Min Yachting Experience: 1-2 Years Gender Required: Female Smokers: No

Hairdresser / Housekeeper 120m+ Private Motor Yacht

Wilsonhalligan are looking for a Hairdresser / Housekeeping Stew to join a 120m+ Private Motor Yacht. The ideal candidate will be confident in cutting, colouring and styling male and female hair. Unfortunately due to cabin arrangements only female candidates can be considered. Requirements:

STCW ENG1 Food & Hygiene Level II Hairdressing Qualification

Salary: 3000 Euros Leave: 60 days / 5:1 Start: ASAP

Chief Stewardess 50m+ Private Motor Yacht

WIlsonhalligan are looking for a Chief Stewardesson a 50m+ single season Private Motor Yacht. We are looking for someone with at least 1 year's experience in a Chief Stewardess role on a similar sized vessel. The vessel is only used during the summer months, but is always very busy during this time. Team of 3 within the interior, very much a hands on role with concierge duties. Requirements: STCW ENG 1 Level 2 food and hygiene Package: Salary: DOE Leave: 60 days within the winter months. Start date: ASAP

Sole Stew 27m MY Private and Charter Based in Nice Cruising France, Spain and Italy Seasonal position 4 crew 3000 Eur

Point of contact [email protected]

Busy Private 33m MY looking for Chief stew Seasonal Med based position 1April to 1Nov 4500Eur True non smoker 2 in the interior

Point of contact: [email protected]

50m looking for 2nd stew 2 seasons of experience Charter/Private 3000+/- Seasonal contract Med Based single season

Looking for 3rd stew 50m Private and Charter Single season, Med based Open to green crew with solid hospiality experience on land Salary2500Eur

Point of contact: ivana@njcrew

POSITION: CHIEF STEWARDESS SIZE OF THE YACHT: 40 m PRIVATE/CHARTER: CHARTER BASE/ITINERARY: ITALY/SPAIN NUMBER OF CREW: 7 NUMBER OF CREW IN INTERIOR: 2 SEASONAL START DATE: END OF MARCH HOLIDAYS: 3 DAYS PER MONTH SALARY RANGE: DOE

POINT OF CONTACT: [email protected]

50m MY New Build Private and busy Charter Dual season, from 2025. 3 in the interior 38 days leave Looking for strong 2nd/relief CS 3 years of experience 2 on charter yacht Itinerary this summer: Croatia, Turkey, Italy Salary DOE

Looking for very experienced 3rd Stew for a busy 40m Private yacht. ASAP start Itinerary: Greece, France, Monaco and Italy. Permanent position, single season, Med based

-Strong service background -Housekeeping; STRONG eye for detail, the owner is meticulous, wardrobe management, laundry; crew, owner and guest bedding -Both to work in a team work and the ability to work alone -Self starter/a motivated individual -Organised and presentable

Stew/Cook/Deck- Non liveaboard

Seeking an experienced, polished Sole Stewardess/Deck/Cook for a 28m M/Y. Vessel is based out of South Florida and does day trips- cocktail cruises Full Job Description Vessel stays in North Miami and is a non liveaboardposition.

Family used vessel for the most part with occasional business/client entertaining. Owners are lovely and very respectful.

~ Must be good with younger children (owners have 4 grandchildren that are under the age of 10). ~ Strong eye for detail and the ability to keep the vessel in guest ready condition at all times. ~ Bartending skills and wine service. ~ Ability to assist with lines/fenders and help Captain with washdowns

B1/B2 visa or US Citizen (preferred). STCW, ENG1 Nonsmokers only, minimal visible tattoos that are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Fully vaccinated. Start~ As soon as possible Salary~ DOE

Point of contact is Christine Hodgson. Email your interest directly to [email protected]

DC6031 – PERSONAL ASSISTANT REQUIRED FOR THIS UHNWI/PRIVATE RESIDENCE IN DUBAI

Start date: Flexible Itinerary: Dubai, Paris and beyond We are looking for a Personal Assistant for our client who will look after the day-to-day coordination and communication wherever the client might be at home, his yacht or travelling. This is more like a chief stewardess role and nothing to do with the principals business. More info to follow at interview stage. stage. REQUIREMENTS Previous experience in a similar role Hospitality experience from Hotels preferred Chief stewardess on yachts a plus Good educational background French language PACKAGE Salary: 4000-5000 EUR DOE Leave: 45 days negotiable Accommodation Transport Flights Medical insurance

Exp. Stewardesses x 3- 3/1 rotation- 54m private

Seeking 3 personable, polished, Stewardesses ( one+ seasons exp.) for a 54 m private M/Y. One girl to start immediately, One girl to start late May New England/Caribbean B1/B2 visa and a true non smoker/vaper Great Captain and crew onboard. Team of 4 on the interior. Vessel has full summer season ahead and owners will be onboard for the most part. Package offers 90 days leave per year- 3/1 rotation, full medical and all flights. Salary~ $ 4000 per month- paid every month Start~ Two girls to start by April 1st. One girl to start June 1st Joining in Savannah Contact person for this position is [email protected]

Temporary Chief Stewardess-54m private

Looking for a personable, well presented, experienced Chief Stewardess to fill in on a private 54m M/Y. Must have prior Chief Stewardess experience on similar sized vessels. Vessel is currently in a shipyard period in Savannah. Further details to follow on schedule.

******Candidates is the US or close to will have first preference.

Great Captain and crew.

B1/B2 visa, STCW, ENG1

Start: March 25th or slightly later if need be. Finish: Late April Salary: $ 400 per day

Point of contact is [email protected]

TEAM Deckhand & Stewardess – 52m Private

TEAM ONLY POSITIONS

Looking to fill the below positions for a beautiful,52 m, FF vessel. The Interior position is to start ASAP, preferably onboard in Caribbean by the 22nd of March.

Great crew and owners. Caribbean/MED

Deckhand - (To start May 1st or thereabouts) 1 - 2 seasons experience preferred, but also willing to train green crew who have some daywork experience and a great attitude. Strongly prefer someone who has boating experience, even if it is not in the yachting industry. Experience commercial fishing or sailing dinghies or really anything boating related. Fishing / diving / tender driving skills would be a HUGE plus.

Stewardess / Galley Assistant It is a split role with about 70% of the time in the interior and 30% in the galley. Could be a great fit for a stewardess who has an interest in cooking and would like to get some experience in the galley and learn from two amazing rotational head chefs. When on Interior the role includes almost exclusively housekeeping, laundry and crew mess duties and we would like someone experienced in theses areas and happy with this rotation.

B1/B2 in hand (Schengen if applicable) , ENG1, STCW

Salary~ At the higher end of industry standards- DOE Start ~ Immediate for the Stewardess, Early May for the Deckhand Full medical, MLC contract with 38 days leave, 1 R/T flight per year

experienced Stew

Looking for experienced stew for a busy 80m MY Private and light Charter. Starts at 3250 going up to 3500 after probation 60 days leave Dual season Interior team of 7

Will only consider candidates currebtly in Europe.

Seasonal 3rd stew 40m Private and Charter MY Must have season of experience or solid background in hospitality. Only considering candidates in SOF and available for face to face interviews.

DC1001 – GENERAL APPLICATION INTERIOR

We are always looking for Interior Crew so please feel free to send us your CV along with the required documentation from our check list and we will keep you on file for any suitable future opportunities. In the meantime please follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook to see our job posts.

How to obtain a superyacht steward/stewardess job:

Are you new to the superyachting industry? Find out all you need to know about how to find a steward(ess) job on a yacht or superyacht.

Become a superyacht steward/stewardess

What does a steward/stewardess job entail?

The role of a steward/stewardess varies depending on the size of the yacht as well as the structure of the interior department.

Find out more about the structure of the steward/stewardess department

Complete the correct training to acquire a job as a yacht steward/stewardess

Certain yacht steward(ess) training courses are essential for you to qualify for a yacht steward(ess). Obtaining the correct certification can help you stand out in a competitive job market.

Find out more about yacht steward & stewardess training

Fi nd a Steward(ess) job with no experience:

If you are looking for your first job as a yacht steward or stewardess, we advise you to search for junior stew jobs and ensure that you have created a professional yacht cv , to help you stand out from other yacht crew.

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Yacht STEWARDESS Jobs

If you are looking for a career which will take you to some of the most beautiful and stunning locations in the world, then why not consider becoming a yacht steward or stewardess. An entry-level position, a yacht steward or stewardess is the excellent starting point for a fulfilling yacht career. What’s more, your salary may even be tax-free, depending on your nation of origin. A central part of the yacht’s interior crew, the primary job responsibilities includes ensuring the interior of the yacht is kept to highest of standard while offering premium guest service to the yacht owners and guests. Yacht steward and stewardess jobs are available on both privately owned yachts as well as charter yachts, which are rented out per day or week.

Yacht steward and stewardess jobs are widely seen as the entry-level route to a fulfilling career in yachting. From this role, one can work their up the ladder into more specialised management or interior positions, like head of interior, chief steward and head of service. Check out our entire yacht steward and stewardess job offering to start your new career today.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

A yacht steward or stewardess daily tasks cover general housekeeping, service duties and serving. This includes doing laundry for the guests and crew, preparing and serving drinks, meal service duties, polishing tableware, interior decorations and maintaining the bar. The exact day-to-day job description of a steward or stewardess varies per yacht, type and size of the yacht, as well as the itinerary and season.

A common working schedule for yacht stewards and stewardesses when guests are not aboard is 8 am to 5 pm, with two days off per week. Hours tend to increase when guests or owners on onboard, as yachts run 24 hours a day. 

YACHT STEWARDESS SALARIES

The average salary on charter and private yachts for steward and stewardess jobs starts at €2,400 a month. More senior roles, such as chief steward and chief stewardess, can earn more than €8,000 a month. When working on charter yachts, stewards can also expect to make solid tips. Still, it is easier for junior or novice stewards to gain valuable experience working on private yachts first, as the work pace tends to be slower. 

40m charter yacht searching for a Stew

Stew for a 50m Yacht

Stew needed for a 60m Yacht

Stewardess on 34m private yacht

2nd Stewardess on 50m private yacht

Stewardess on private yacht

Stewardess on a 34m private yacht

2nd Stewardess on 42m charter yacht

Chief stewardess on 42m charter yacht, deckhand/stewardess on 35m motor yacht.

Stewardess on 35m motor yacht

Deckhand/Steward

Stew/nurse on 50m private m/y.

Steward(ess) on 55m private/charter yacht

Sole Steward(ess) on 33m Motor Yacht

2nd steward(ess) on 42m motor yacht.

52m Chief stewardess

A 52m private motor yacht is looking for a Chief stewardess

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Welcome to Crew Pacific Recruitment.

A Super Yacht Recruitment Agency that has been established since 2001 in Cairns, Australia. Crew Pacific specializes in providing a unique and high level of service to luxury Super Yachts within Australia and world-wide.

Crew Pacific provides crew that are either MCA or AMSA qualified, highly trained, and experienced crew that have worked on super yachts both motor or sail within Australia and world-wide.

Crew Pacific understands the unique needs of Owners & Captains when placing competent and experienced crew, whether it is for full time, seasonal or temporary positions.

Begin Here.

Welcome to Crew Pacific's Super Yacht Training.

A Super Yacht Recruitment Agency that has been established since 2001 in Cairns, Australia. Crew Pacific specializes in providing a unique and high level of service to luxury Super Yachts within Australia and world-wide. … Crew Pacific provides crew that are either MCA or AMSA qualified, highly trained, and experienced crew that have worked on super yachts both motor or sail within Australia and world-wide. Crew Pacific understands the unique needs of Owners & Captains when placing competent and experienced crew, whether it is for full time, seasonal or temporary positions.

begin Here.

Australia’s Leading Training provider for Super Yachts, which has been established since 2001 in Cairns QLD Australia … Crew Pacific specializes and delivers Professional Elementary Super Yacht Steward/ess, Deckhand Steward/ess/Deckhand courses, these courses are recognized both in Australia and Internationally. Crew Pacific’s Elementary Super Yacht courses provides you with the skills & tools and knowledge of what your daily duties are as a crewmember Onboard super yacht and how the MCA AMSA International and National super yacht industry works? Once you are fully super yacht trained & qualified Crew Pacific can then place you onto a Super Yacht world-wide within 1-3 months.

Terms & Conditions

POLICY ON STUDENTS PAYMENTS & REFUNDS FOR THE THEORY (MODULES)

• To obtain the theory training for the 2, 5, 8, & 10 Day super yacht elementary courses an individual fee is required to be paid in full. Once the student has obtained these course modules there is a Non-refundable policy, however if for unforeseen circumstances should occur such as
• A family member bereavement or family member should get hurt badly.
• Student should hurt themselves badly or become critically ill
• Notification must be given in writing, email or by advising a Crew Pacific staff member in the office where the Crew Pacific course is being held. Students should consider the following notification periods as to what sort of refund they can expect.

PRINCIPLES – CREW PACIFIC COURSE CANCELLATION & FEES PAYABLE

• If Crew Pacific has insufficient bookings (numbers) to economically run a scheduled course, we reserve the right to cancel the course by notifying all students that their course has been cancelled. In an event that, Crew Pacific cancels a course, students are eligible for a full refund, or they can transfer to another course.

POLICY ON STUDENTS PAYMENTS & REFUNDS FOR THE PRACTICAL LESSONS 

• On the first day of the practical lessons the outstanding amount for the course you are completing will be required to be paid in full, this fee is Non-refundable policy, however if for unforeseen circumstances should occur such as
• A family member bereavement or family member should get hurt badly and you need to return home immediately.
• Notification must be given in writing, email or by advising a Crew Pacific staff member in the office where the Crew Pacific course is being held. Students should consider the following notification periods as to what sort of refund they can expect
• If Crew Pacific receives notification (In writing, by e-mail or by phone call) from a student that they wish to withdraw from a practical course, the amount of refund to be provided will be as follows.
• Notification more than 5 business days before the date of course  – 100% refund of course fee or transfer to another course at no cost.
• Less than 5 business days before the date of the course – 75% refund of course fee or transfer to another course at no cost.
• Less than 3 business days before the date of the course NO REFUND payment will be made by Crew Pacific, however you can transfer to another course date at no cost.  
• If Crew Pacific has insufficient bookings (numbers) to economically run a scheduled Practical course, we reserve the right to cancel the course by notifying all students that their course has been cancelled. In an event that, Crew Pacific cancels a course, students are eligible for a full refund, or they can transfer to another course.

NON-ATTENDANCE & NO NOTIFICATION WITH BUSINESS HOURS.

• If a student fails to not turn up to a class, no refund will be payable. Students need to be aware that leaving a message on the Crew Pacific office answering service outside of business hours where the course is held on the day before the course is not accepted as a notification of cancellation.
• If a student is sick on the day of their course, and can support this with a medical certificate, they will receive either a full refund or be transferred to alternate date at no charge but must be available to complete the training within six months of the original course date.
• If the student has failed to attend due to any other reason NO REFUND will be payable however a course transfer may be granted at the discretion of the Crew Pacific office.

STUDENT COURSE TRANSFER

A student may request a course transfer without incurring any administration fee but must consider the following conditions.

• Participants will only be permitted to transfer courses once and must complete the training within six months on the original date of enrolment.
• If a student failed to turn up to the scheduled course and can provide evidence to support the reason, they may be awarded one additional transfer. Evidence accepted includes a medical certificate, or evidence of death in the family. Subsequent course transfers granted to the students may incur a 10% transfer fee charged at the discretion of the Crew Pacific office.
• Once a subsequent transfer is granted, no further transfers or refund will be granted.

Students who are more than 30 minutes late for their scheduled transfer course will forfeit all rights to any further transfers or refund.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN MCA AND AMSA ENDORSED COURSE:

AMSA ENDORSED COURSE:

AMSA course is recognized by “Offshore Super Yacht & Australian Flagged Super yacht. This ticket is recognized in the following countries England, Europe, America, New Zealand and Australia, which means you can obtain work on BOTH offshore super yachts and Australian flagged Super yachts.

MCA ENDORSED COURSE:

MCA courses are only recognized by  “Offshore flagged Super yachts” NOT Australian flagged yachts. This ticket is recognized in the following countries England, Europe, America, which means you would be unable to obtain a job on an Australian flagged super yacht because AMSA does not recognize the MCA training.

How Crew Pacific Started.

Crew Pacific’s Recruitment and Training division was originally established in 2001, however Crew Pacific’s Steward/ess Courses were developed by Joy Weston Owner/Operator of Crew Pacific in 2000.

My experience in the International Super Yacht Industry started in 1992 when I travelled to London to work as a professional Nanny. Looking after two spoilt kids for three months changed my career path radically! I returned to hospitality, working for a 5-star intercontinental hotel (The Forum) based in Earl’s Court. During my six months with the hotel the London Boat Show was running. A couple called Bob and Fiona Freeman were staying in the hotel and I served them several times at the bar and in the restaurant. One particular evening they were quite excited and I, being inquisitive, asked them why??? They told me they just been accepted for a job on a 90ft Super Yacht as Captain and Chief Stewardess. Basically, I had no idea what a Captain was or even a Chief Stewardess, so I asked them. They explained and then proceeded to show me a brochure of the yacht. Wow!!! I was amazed as I had never seen a yacht like this in my life. Coming from a country town in New Zealand and horse riding professionally most of my life, I had only ever been on the Whanganui River in New Zealand on jet boats and this yacht seemed enormous to me at the time. We got chatting and the next thing I know they offered me a position as 2nd Stewardess. I accepted the job and started to write down details of when I would start, where I was to meet the yacht and blah, blah. A month later I flew to the South of France. I was picked up at the airport by Captain Bob and taken to the yacht. Wow!!! When I arrived at the Marina, I realised that I was joining the smallest yacht in the Marina…. yet I was overwhelmed and excited all at the same time. I completed 3 months on board M.Y La Paradiso with Bob and Fiona during which we travelled to Marmaris, Turkey to charter. I resigned due to relationship issues between the captain and wife team.

I stayed on in Marmaris obtaining day-work and freelanced doing stew/deckhand/cook jobs for Sunsail and Moorings flotillas for about a month until I obtained a full-time stew/deckhand position on a sailing yacht called S.Y. Nuku II 72ft. I worked for two years (two seasons in a row) for the Welsh couple, Margaret and Rob, who chartered Nuku II throughout Turkey and Greece, gaining an immense amount of skills and knowledge about sailing yachts and how to become a professional crew-member. After finishing up the second season in Turkey with Rod and Margaret I decided to expand my horizons and sail to the Caribbean.

I organised an unpaid delivery as stew/cook on a 72ft sailing yacht called S.Y. Shonalonga. I would be living and working with 5 South African crew and it would take us up to 6 weeks to reach the Caribbean. During our travels we experienced some bad weather which caused our main sail to whip. We managed to make our way to Gibraltar where we provisioned and fixed the main sail (which I can say is quite an experience in itself), spent 5 days there and then set off into the sunset to the Canary Islands. We had a 2-day layover in the Canary Islands and then sailed to our final destination of Antigua in the Caribbean.

Upon arrival in Antigua I spent 2 weeks on the yacht before being offered a position on a large Super Yacht called S.Y. Snow Goose, 140ft sloop. I completed the season with Snow Goose although I will say I did not have a good experience on my first large yacht (you can find out why during Crew Pacific’s Training Courses!). The experience nearly put me off yachting for the rest of my life. I was very lucky to be rescued by an Irish Captain on a 65ft Swan who employed me as a stew/cook for delivery back to the Mediterranean, more precisely Palma de Mallorca, an island off Barcelona, Spain.

Once we arrived in Palma I stayed on board the yacht for a few days and then discovered a Crew House which I moved into whilst looking for permanent work on yachts. Living in a Crew House is a lot of fun as you get to mingle with many different characters and learn more about the Super Yacht Industry. During my travels at sea I had a lot of time to think about which direction I would like to follow. I decided that I wanted to work on larger vessels ranging from 40-60m as a stew/deckhand and wanted to be on motor yachts. Whilst I was in Palma de Mallorca, I registered with all the international Crewing Agencies (the major agencies which now recognise Crew Pacific’s Training). They assisted me with job opportunities, however I was fortunate enough to find a job myself by walking the docks. I was very lucky to find a good Captain and Owner and a good job all at the same time. A lot of crews were experiencing bad Captains and bad Owners and getting into the wrong job. This can still happen today and depends very much on the questions you ask and your knowledge of the International Yachting Industry. (There are ways you can avoid the pitfalls of the industry and this information is covered in the Crew Pacific Training Courses).

The position I obtained was a stew/deckhand position on a 43m motor yacht (private) working for an Arab owner. My Captain was Larry Barnett (Scottish) and his wife Manu was our Chief Stewardess (German).

This is when my Stewardess Manual started to come into being as I began to realise that the international standards of large yachts were extremely high, with an exceptional level of service which I had never experienced on smaller yachts or in the land hospitality jobs I had held over the years. I started to realise that I had entered into an industry that was “Unique” and “Elite” and that these high-profile people were extremely “Rich” and liked expensive items, fabrics, clothes and objects and so much more….and that they employed the everyday person to look after their yacht and toys so that when they chose to us their yacht it was ready to go and everything was shiny and beautiful for them.

During my six months on board M.Y. Ramses working with Manu the Chief Stewardess, I started to learn many different techniques from her on what a good stewardess ought to be doing on board a larger Super Yacht, such as folding fitted sheets neatly into sets, washing and ironing guest clothing and crew uniforms to a suitable standard, understanding the foreign stain removers, learning various napkin folds and so much more. After six months all the crew left the yacht due to owner issues. I continued the Mediterranean season, freelancing as a stew/cook and stew/deckhand.

At the end of the season I returned to Norfolk Island where my parents had resided and spent 6 months working on Norfolk Island. I then received a phone call from Captain Larry Barnett. He and Manu had obtained a Captain and Chief Stew position on a 43m motor yacht called M.Y. Legend of Tintagel. This yacht was both charter and private. Larry asked if I would like to the join the yacht in Palma de Mallorca, Spain as stew/deckhand. Obviously, I jumped at the opportunity and left on the next plane out of Norfolk Island for my new adventure. During my 2.5 years on M.Y Legend of Tintagel I learnt further skills which I added to the Stewardess Manual. Whilst I was on Legend of Tintagel, I experienced a personality clash with the First Mate. Unfortunately, due to rank, I had to professionally leave the yacht. I do not wish this experience upon anyone however I learnt a lot from it. Larry Barnett the captain found me another job as 2nd Stewardess on a 56m motor yacht called M.Y. Destiny Langkawi, on which I spent 3.5 months and during that period I was promoted to Chief Stewardess. I received a call from Larry Barnett informing me that the First Mate had been dismissed due a stupid incident on board. The owner and Larry asked if I would like to return back to M.Y Legend of Tintagel. I agreed I would return to Legend of Tintagel on the condition I was offered the 2nd stewardess position. I got my wish and spent the rest of the season on board before the yacht was sold to an American owner.

At the end of 1998 I returned again to my home base of Norfolk Island and started to research the Industry in the South Pacific. Things slowly started to fall into place for the Steward/ess Course. For the first part of 1999 I worked casually in Norfolk Island and during this time I started to develop the Stewardess Training Manual.  I began to research Crewing Agents and training organisations in New Zealand as the America’s Cup was to be held in New Zealand in 2000. Late 1999 I flew to Auckland, New Zealand for 2 weeks, held business discussions with International Crewing Agents and various training organisations, however nothing really came of it until I meet Ami Ari from Crew Unlimited, an International Crewing Agent from Ft Lauderdale which I used whilst working on Super Yachts overseas. Ami’s word of wisdom to me was to start my own business and become the first person in the South Pacific and Southeast Asia to develop a Super Yacht Steward/ess Course for the International Super Yacht Industry and to incorporate a recruitment agency into this venture so each would complement the other.

I flew back to Norfolk Island to get the wheels turning. I had just been back in Norfolk Island for a couple of weeks when I received a surprising call from out of the blue!!!  A yacht manager, Mr Tony Smith, asking if I would like a position as Sole Stew on a 35m motor yacht called Kokomo II. At first, I was not interested in the position at all, however I changed my mind very quickly as the yacht was travelling to Auckland, New Zealand for the America’s Cup and then heading to Sydney for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. I had an interview, was offered the position and flown to Sydney at the end of 1999 to join the yacht. I spent 18 months on board M.Y. Kokomo II and during that time was given the opportunity to complete courses to assist me in the setting up of Crew Pacific. Eventually Kokomo II ended up in Cairns, Queensland, Australia for a refit. I assisted with the refit and eventually resigned in September 2001. This is when I registered Crew Pacific. At the beginning of 2002 Crew Pacific’s 8-Day Internationally Recognised Super Yacht Stewardess Course was launched.

In 2005 I purchased a two storey Queenslander which i turned into a Crew House (accommodation for yacht crew) office and training facilities, where i run our short 2 day super yacht induction course and the 5 and 8 Day Super yacht Steward/ess course. Late 2011 I sold the crew house/office and moved into a new premises. (22 Minnie Street, Cairns, Australia). Crew Pacific no longer has a crew house. Crew Pacific’s main focus these days is just Super yacht Training and Recruitment.

By the middle of 2012 Crew Pacific launched two new courses; a 5-day Super yacht Deckhand course and a 8 day Super yacht Steward/ess/Deckhand course. Then in 2017 we started up the Crew Pacific 10 Day Super Yacht Steward/ess/Deckhand course. These courses are specifically tailored to the International Super yacht industry and are the “First in the world” to be developed. These courses have been developed to provide the appropriate “Knowledge Skills & tools” required to be a Deckhand or Steward/ess/Deckhand on an International Super Yacht.  These courses wouldn’t have come about with the help of professional Yacht Captains and First mates that assisted me in the development of these courses. The Deckhand course criteria has been developed to the level and standard of a 50m-80m motor yacht. Students will learn the “Finesse and Skills” that are required for these types of vessels, both Motor and Sail. These skills will help to increase your chances of employment aboard yachts in Australia or overseas.

Crew Pacific’s aim is to train crew to the highest standard of the International Yachting Industry and be able to give them the opportunity to travel, be well paid, have exciting adventures and to meet some of the richest and most famous people in the world. This industry is awesome and if I could do it all over again i would!!!

Joy Weston Owner/Operator Crew Pacific

Impartial training and careers advice

Call us: +441983 280 641

+441983 280 641

Yacht Stewardess Job Description & Salary

• Yacht Stewardess Job Description & ...

A Superyacht stewardess job is like no other and is one of the most common ways to start working on superyachts.

Providing a 5-star service to the owners and guests, your main responsibility is to maintain the interior of the yacht and provide the highest standard of hospitality possible.

Job description of a yacht stewardess

As a Steward or Stewardess, your main responsibility is to maintain the interior of the yacht and provide the highest standard of care to the owners and guests.

Taking direction from the Chief Stewardess, you will need a keen eye for attention to details, be able to learn new skills quickly and be confident in your ability to perform any job in an exceptional manner.

Every yacht is different but generally you would start at 08:00 with a crew briefing, your day begins around 08:30.

Your duties may include cabin preparation and detailing to a very high standard, laundry, setting tables, arranging flowers and cleaning all areas of the interior of the yacht.

On some yachts you will help the deck team moor (park) the yacht. When guests or owners are on board you will serve food and drinks, prepare beach parties, pack and unpack luggage and be on call for anything that the guests want anytime day or night.

There will be two breaks plus lunch before finishing work around 17:00. When the owner or guests are on board the days can be long and hard work.

In reality there is no set finish time so you should expect 12 – 14 hour days. It has been known for yacht crew to work weeks without a day off however, the perks do outweigh the long hours and hard work, which is why working in the Superyacht industry is so attractive.

How much does a stewardess make on a yacht?

Salaries for yacht stewardesses start from around €1,800 a month, rising to €4,000+ for more senior roles. Like most jobs, your salary will depend on your previous experience and whether you can bring any added value to the yacht.

Experience does not just mean working on yachts, there are a lot of other transferable skills that can help you get a job or negotiate a higher wage. For example hospitality work will help massively, but this is almost a prerequisite for all yacht stewardess jobs. The yachts are looking for hard working people who are used to working long hours, and this is generally the case for hospitality workers.

Fear not, if you do not have much hospitality experience our Superyacht Stewardess Course includes barista training, wine appreciation and mixology so you can be confident serving and hosting onboard the boat. Other great work experience can include childcare, massage, beauty therapy or even hairdressing. Any job that involves working with the public will help.

For all salaries on board a yacht – see our Superyacht Salary Guide .

What qualifications do you need to be a yacht stewardess?

You must have your ENG1 medical and STCW Basic Safety Training certificate to work on any commercial vessel. Other qualifications that are great for stewardesses wanting to work on yacht include:

• Superyacht Interior Certificate
• CIEH Food Safety Level 2 ( online course is not accepted on yachts )
• MCA Proficiency in Designated Security Duties (PDSD)
• RYA Powerboat Level 2
• RYA Personal Watercraft Course (PWC)
• RYA VHF Radio
• Barista training, wine appreciation and mixology

If you are interested in becoming a Stewardess on a Superyacht, Flying Fish run Superyacht Stewardess Courses throughout the year.

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• Steward/ess

About the Steward/ess

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.

Job Responsibilities

• Setting stewardess schedules for guest service and cleaning
• Interior cleaning and maintenance
• Interior inventory
• Interior accounting
• Liaison with guests and service - meals and bartending
• Liaison with galley for meal services
• Orchestrating guest activities
• Boat stowage for sea
• Assisting with lines and fenders on deck
• Assisting captain with ships paperwork

Required Skills

• Ability to delegate
• Good communications, organization and diplomacy
• Vast knowledge of wines, service and housekeeping
• Knowledge of restaurants and activities in cruising areas
• Familiar with ISM and ISPS protocols
• Knowledge of flower and table decorations
• Attention to detail
• Financial management

Salary Modifiers

• Experience in five-star establishments (i.e. Michelin star restaurant, fine hotel)
• Wine certification
• Tender driving certification
• Limited computer skills