See full version: Freebie alert: First Steps to Yachting
In this episode, we dive into the skills that you need to become the best damn yacht stewardess out there. These core skills will make you effective at your job as a SUPER STEW. They are also transferable skills as you develop them over time and take them with you as your career develops; think of them as your passport to yachting success. [links]
Do you have the skills to be a great yacht stewardess? Climbing the ladder to be well on your way to Chief Stew in no time. [links]
A podcast where you join me (Jess!) From Superyacht stories with other Yachties to helpful hints for green crew, we cover it all.
I am a yacht stewardess now living life back on land! After 5 years travelling the world on Superyachts. I want to share with you how you can do it too! more
+ Some other skills: Good conduct, great personal hygiene, and appearance, having a good memory and concentration skills, being punctual, having local knowledge, positive personality and can-do attitude, being honest and reliable.
Silver wear / Glass wear: This is where polishing comes into play. First you’ll want to wash the objects (a sponge with warm soapy water works best for glass), rinse with water to remove all soapsuds and dry right away with a flour-sack cloth to remove/avoid all water spots. For silver wear you’ll want to do the same, but also include a polish solution.
Mirror/Windows: the longer you work as a stewardess, the better you’ll become at spotting a streaks from across the room – and the more it will drive you crazy each time you see it. Cleaning a mirror properly also starts by going from top to bottom, but most importantly it is the type of cleaner and cloth/wipe you use that will make your life heaven or hell. Spraying the solution you use on a clean, dry, lint-free cloth is easiest. Use this cloth to wipe the solution on the mirror/glass and get it clean. Next, take a dry cloth and give it a buffering in circular motions to make sure no residue or dirt was left behind.
Hint: we find that using a vinegar/water solution with a hint of essential oil (mint) and newspaper as your second-wiping cloth works wonders.
Vacuuming: this machine will become your second limb as you drag it around all rooms and levels of the boat. Unlike in a house, vacuuming does not just apply to the floors. You start at the top and work your way down, meaning you start by vacuuming the ceilings, then the walls, then the objects in the room and finally, the carpets/floors. You’ll learn to love and use all heads of the vacuum. [links]
The life of a stewardess is no easy task and when it comes to cleaning up a Super Yacht there are several tricks to the trade that may help you make the most of your busy time. Whether you’re cleaning, doing laundry or serving the guests you want to make sure you do it with a smile, and are as prompt as possible. Here are a few tips that could help you with your newfound fame of running a smooth ship when it comes to your yachts interior.
Dusting: again, this works best if you start at the top and work your way down to the bottom. This task will also go a lot smoother if you remember that everything needs to be dusted, nothing is safe! Pull out electronics, remove everything from a shelf (vacuum it first if necessary) and wipe down every surface. Before returning the objects back to a bookshelf for example, you’ll also want to dust and wipe down every item that goes on it first.
Heads/ Day Heads: this refers to the bathrooms
Being a Yacht Stewardess is a wonderful, multifaceted role that challenges you in different ways, enabling you to learn many skills and develop a fulfilling and diverse career. The responsibilities of a Yacht Stewardess vary depending on your level and the yacht size.
What if I have Hairdressing or Beauty Therapy skills?: here
Take a look at some of the current job roles available for candidates like you to apply for! Apply with a CV and/or cover letter, and we’ll do everything we can to help find the right role for you depending on your experience.
As you progress within your career and become a senior member additional responsibilities can include but are not limited to: more
HPTravel: You must have seen some amazing places. What were your favorites, and your least faves?
JP: I absolutely loved Malta--it's like you stepped back into a film. Turkey is a beautiful place to sail. The Portuguese Azores is simply a magical place. I would put money on the fact that it’s the sunken Atlantis of lore. Maybe I say that because when we arrived there on our Atlantic crossing, we’d been at sea for days (and were at sea for days after we left to reach our next pit stop), but it really did seem to rise out of the ocean in the middle of nowhere. The views and climate were very reminiscent of Scotland to me, with its foggy mountain tops, lush and verdant. It truly is a spectacular place. As for least favorites, perhaps I read too many Frances Mayes books (she can make any destination sound like paradise), but I have a hard time tossing any destination off as not being to my liking when I really can’t take the time to explore it in full. From a “passing through” vantage point, Naples wasn’t what I pictured. But since then, I’ve ready Frances Mayes’ account, and now I’d love to go back and dig deeper. Otherwise, to me, it was a big, smelly city where—despite the great pizza—was more like a Miami that you pass through on your way to more remote destinations. For us, the Isle of Capri and Positano were a stone’s throw away, and were our next stop for a two week trip. I was also a bit let down with the ports we visited in Sicily. Again, that’s very much due to the “large city, touristy and dirty” feel. I would still go back there, too. The U.S. and British Virgin Islands also seemed a little boring to me when compared to St. Barts and St. Maarten. I suppose I just like it when things were extremely foreign—and the U.S. & British influences couldn’t top the French and Dutch.
When many people think of what this job entails, they hear things like, “you’ll be filling a bartender/server role at times.” What they don’t hear are the things that must occur first to make that happen. it is up to those crewmembers to not only make and serve drinks, but also to provision and stock the bars appropriately, making sure you have all the mixing ingredients and spirits onboard that go into common cocktails, both traditional and fashionable. If guests want to go ashore, you are suddenly playing the “concierge” role, and it’s up to you, no matter what port you are in around the world, to find that “best” restaurant possible, make reservations (sometimes bribing the Maitre D’), and see to it that guests are delivered and picked up to that dining establishment on time and with no problems. here
HPTravel: Where do crew hangout on their time off?
JP: When you do get a day off, crew tends to party hard. Some of my favorite places amongst the locations I've sailed to are:
--On Antigua, take in a sunset dinner at OJ's, which has a great view of Montserrat's volcano. Try Harmony Hall for a nice, long lunch. It has a cute art gallery and a great view of the bay. On Sundays, a lot of yacht crew will head to Shirley Heights Lookout for the cookout. It's an island thing.
--On Antibes, if you're missing a big game, The Drinkers Club is a popular place to watch sporting events. The Blue Lady is an English-style pub that's really popular for networking amongst crew members.
--On St. Maarten, the Soggy Dollar Bar in Palapa Marina has created a home away from home for the visiting yachtsman
--In Viareggio, Italy, il bar sotto il mare is located near the dock area of Azimut-Benetti and Perini Navi shipyards and attracts a lot of local yachtsmen.
HuffPostTravel: What would people be surprised to know about yacht stewarding?
Julie Perry: Our rooms are the size of cabinets. I've heard of crew members sleeping in the same room as the washer/dryer because there was so much wash. As far as how long we work, my longest charter was 42 days, which means 42 days without a break. That said, let's say the charter costs $25,000 a day and it's a 10 day cruise. Staff gets tipped 10%, so your split amongst the crew is $2,500. That's good money considering you don't have time to spend it. more