See full version: Be a superyacht steward or stewardess
*These salary guidelines are based on the current yachting market as of January 2018. Actual salaries will always vary depending on a candidate’s specific experience, training, certification, and additional skills – as well as a particular yacht’s needs. Data provided by Camper & Nicolson International [links]
You will receive a range of qualifications including food safety, fire prevention and first aid, and you will receive training for the ENG1 medical certificate and STCW basic safety training – both are mandatory for crew on large yachts.
On a small yacht there may be just one Stewardess. As well as housekeeping, you could be expected to help with anchoring, mooring and deck operations. On a larger yacht there can be upwards of five Stewardesses whose job is to keep the yacht pristine at all times. Basic duties could be cleaning, bartending and close attention to housekeeping details; on larger yachts there may be a separate Head of Housekeeping. more
For this entry level role, you will earn a great wage of on average €2,500 per month (tax free), often with generous tips on top! With clear career progression along a structured route, there’s plenty of opportunity to make this a rewarding, lifelong career. here
There are excellent career opportunities for well-informed, hard-working stews who are passionate about their work. As you become more experienced you could move into a Chief Steward or Stewardess role, or perhaps become a purser if you’re interested in the finances and general management of the yacht and its crew. [links]
You can get your Seafarers Medical Certificate from a doctor approved by the appropriate board – the most popular of these accreditations is the ENG 1 certificate, which is the British Seafarers Medical Certificate, and it must be obtained from a Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) approved medical professional. You can find a list of approved doctors here: [links]
We have already covered what qualifications you need to be a yacht stewardess, but there is always more you can do to secure that dream job.
If you are employed on a ship, and it’s your normal place of work, then regulations require you to have a medical examination. This is to prove that you are in good enough health and fitness to carry out your duties. more
STCW Basic Training can be obtained from a number of certified schools around the world, some of which will allow you to spread out your modules to work around other commitments. here
If you are a non-British crew you can contact the relevant maritime authority of your country to establish how to obtain a seafaring medical certificate. As much of the yachting industry revolves around the MCA we recommend that you check that your national Seafaring Medical Certificate is recognised by the MCA (all EU Medical are) and if not, we advise you obtain an ENG1. [links]
Things to remember when sharing a small space whether it’s your cabin or the crew mess (living area). Be respectful of others belongings – if it doesn’t belong to you, don’t touch it. Clean up after yourself. There’s nothing worse than living with someone who is a grot. Be courteous. Your crewmates are working weird hours, don’t be the reason they can’t sleep.
Over the years I have worked in many jobs to keep my travels funded. But by far the best job has been when I worked as a stewardess on yachts. For the avid traveller, there is no better job. If you are sick of working a 9-5, you want to get paid (well) to travel the world and are ready to make incredible friendships, then read on to find out how to become a yacht stewardess.
Because of the limited number of crew members, you’ll need to be filling multiple roles. When there are guests on board you could be working 14 hour days or longer. A yacht stewardess will be in charge of three main areas: housekeeping, service and laundry. You also need to look after the crew areas and set up and pack down for crew meals.
You make great money. Yep, you read that right. Not only do you get to enjoy these amazing benefits, but you also get paid well to do it. Depending on where you are from this could even be tax-free. Most starting wages are upwards of 2500€/month plus in some cases tips.
As a result of your CV being out there, you’ll be getting all these calls asking for you to come in for an interview. They want you to be one of their yacht stewardess’s! To begin with, you need to dress the part. Make sure you’re hair is up and neat and you have light minimal makeup on. Wear a polo shirt with either a skirt, skort or shorts that is a respectable length in a navy, black or beige. Most interviews are conducted on the yacht in person, so I wore flip flops to all of mine. This is because once you reach the boat it is yacht etiquette to take your shoes off before boarding. [links]
Depending on the size of the yacht there are usually under 30 crew members. For example, a 50m yacht normally wouldn’t sleep more than 12 guests and only has 10-12 crew. It is essentially a floating 5-star hotel for the worlds richest people, celebrities and their guests. As a yacht stewardess, you need to predetermine everything the guests will require before you head out to sea and ensure they have the best time possible.
“A patient I treated mentioned how her husband was a Captain on-board Private Yachts and that I should give it a go as an on-board Nurse. From that off chance meeting and swapping of contact details I was informed of the qualifications needed and have not looked back. I am due to start my first Nurse / Stewardess role next week and cannot wait, knowing I am young enough to try something different, pay off my student debt and still have my solid Nursing Degree behind me should I change my mind.” – British candidate [links]
Working on-board a Yacht is a job like no other, from waking up in a different country each week to staring out at the beautiful ocean on your tea break. As a Nurse/Stewardess you will be expected to maintain the on-board Medical Ward and Nursing Stations. This would include stock take, ordering supplies and recording inventories. Depending on the Yacht Owners health you may be required for certain medical duties; otherwise your role will be on standby awaiting the need for Medical Attention. There may be another Nurse to work with and sometimes even an on-board Doctor on some of the much larger vessels. more
On asking a few of our Nurse candidates about their experiences, here is what they had to say… here
What to expect as a Nurse Stewardess more
The Benefits of Being a Nurse Stewardess here
Qualifications: STCW A-VI/1-1Personal survival Technique, STCW A-VI/1-2Fire fighting, STCW A-VI/1-3 First Aid, STCW A-VI/1-4 PSSR, STCW PST, Valid Seafarers medical, Following preferred: PYA beginner.
Must have international driving license and be fully vaccinated against covid-19.
Applying for this position is really simple, but you need to login first. [links]