Q. What’s the job scene like at the moment? Are there lots of yacht crew jobs out there?
If you were to line up all the “new builds” in shipyards end to end there would literally be 23-kilometres of yachts that will need professional crew to man them once launched. And there are already thousands of yachts in existence with older crew retiring and younger crew taking their places.
The Global Financial Crisis has meant that Captains and Owners are seeking a higher calibre of crew for their yachts. Those with professional training under their belts will definitely distinguish themselves from ‘the rest’. Additionally those with something extra to offer in terms of life experience and other skills, for example massage therapy, nursing/medical experience, trades, sports instructing, cooking, childcare, musical ability, hairdressing, beauticians, will certainly be in higher demand due to their wider skill base.
Those wishing to work on Superyachts must be prepared to travel to Europe (France, Italy or Spain generally) or the USA (Florida) and do whatever it takes to get a job ie. walk the docks calling on yachts to offer your CV, day-working, registering with crew recruitment agencies, and the other tips that you will learn on our 1½ day Superyacht Induction course and our 6-day Steward/ess and Chefs courses!
The best time to look for work is “pre season” ie. March – May (in Europe) or September and October in the USA & Caribbean.
The yachting scene in Australia is steadily growing any many find work locally, however it is a much bigger industry abroad and for many the lure is the worldwide travel and the big USD or Euro income that can be made.

Q. Where do these yachts operate?
Yachts can travel worldwide and many do embark on world cruises or perhaps to cruising grounds like Scandinavia, The North and South Pacific, Alaska, Australia and New Zealand etc. However most will travel around the Mediterranean during the European ‘summer’ (May to September) and some will then travel across the Atlantic to the USA and/or Caribbean for the ‘winter’ (October to March). The hub of yachting in Europe is France but Italy and Spain both have a lot of yachting activity, as do the French and Italian islands Corsica and Sardinia. The Monaco Grand Prix and the Cannes Film Festival often kick off the ‘season’ in May with many yachts booked for corporate charters and of course owners wishing to experience these events! Yachts that stay in the USA all year will often go north to Canada, Alaska, or to New York, New England and Nova Scotia to beat the summer heat. It is also popular for yachts to cruise Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, and the US West Coast after they’ve experienced St Barths, Antigua, St Maarten, Bequia, St Kitts, etc. in the Caribbean archipelago.

Q. What kind of work does a Steward or Stewardess do?
The primary role of a steward or stewardess is guest service (when guests are onboard) and this means 24/7 service, all meal service, buffets, cocktail parties, bar-tending, coffee making etc. There is also responsibility for the guests’ laundry and all housekeeping – keeping the yacht in pristine condition at all times! It goes way beyond the 5-star hotel standards – it’s the elite of hospitality service. Your manners must be impeccable and your standards of service the highest. If there is no Purser onboard, the Chief Steward will also organise tours and trips for the guests as well as fulfil all of their requests for anything at all. It is quite a different world to anything that you may have experienced on land or on cruise ships!

Q. I am male and want to work as a steward.  Are the positions mainly for women?
It’s just as usual for owners to want a Butler (Chief Steward) to head up the interior team as it is for a Chief Stewardess. It can also work well to have a male in the role if it fits with the crew accommodation arrangements. Males often work as a deckhand/steward, which would mean that you work both on the interior and exterior or the yacht.

Q. What kind of work does a Deckhand do?
The primary role of a deckhand is keeping the exterior of the yacht in pristine condition! It involves a lot of ‘washdowns’, scrubbing decks, chamoising windows and paintwork, polishing of chrome, sanding and varnishing and other maintenance work. There is also tender-driving to ferry goods (and guests) to and from the yacht when at anchor. The deckhands play an important role when the yacht is parking at a marina; communicating on the radio with the captain, operating winches, throwing lines, placing fenders et al. On sea passages deckhands will be required to assist keeping watch and will be working with more experienced ‘watchkeepers’ and crewmen which will enable them to literally “learn the ropes”!

Q. I am female and want to work as a Deckhand. Do they employ women on deck?
It’s quite popular for females to be employed on deck these days and many women are gaining their deck qualifications and holding their own. It takes a certain level of fitness and stamina to perform well as a deckhand and many women are great in this role.

Q. What is the pay like?
Starting salaries for junior crew (deckhands and steward/esses) are somewhere in the vicinity of US$2000-$4500 (2300-2500 Euro) per month net. However charter yachts tend to pay lower wages (than private yachts) because the tips can be enormous (eg. US$500 to US$4500 after a week’s charter!) and this is additional to your monthly wage. Private yachts usually offer a higher salary to offset the lack of tips. Either way your medical insurance, uniform, food and accommodation, toiletries and a flight home once a year are usual inclusions in your contract. As you progress up the ranks, so does your income!

Q. This sounds like the ultimate job!! Can it be real?
Don’t be fooled by the apparent glamour – it is very hard work and long hours most of the time. However the travel is real, the amazing people that you work with are real, the great food and the great pay is real but you need to be prepared to deal with the 24/7 nature of the job, and always conduct yourself in a professional way and have a smile on your face the whole time. But the truth is that there are few other jobs that demand as much, challenge as much, pay as much, or provide as much satisfaction!
Working on yachts will teach you a lot about yourself and what you are capable of achieving! Expect to work long hours when guests are onboard – 14-18 hour days for periods of up to 3 months at a time – sometimes more! The movements of the yacht according to the owners’ requirement and/or charters booked, will determine when the Captain is able to give crew days off... This is not a job for clock-watchers or anyone fond of a routine 9 to 5 existence! Once of the best aspects of working in professional yachting is that you are really working at the top of your game! Yachting is a complete contrast to any land-based work environment, as you live and work with your fellow crew in what can feel like a confined space. Sometimes your duties will seem boring, repetitive, and physically demanding, but it is part of your job to not let it show and smile regardless! On the whole yachting is incredibly rewarding. You will travel to places you have only ever dreamed about, meet and work with some wonderful guests and crew and make lifelong friends; but expect to work very hard in the process.

Q. What skills do I need to be able to work in the professional yachting industry?
This will largely depend on the area in which you would like to work: Deck, Engineering, Interior, Chef.
Any and all marine experience is highly regarded, as well as any previous experience you have in your field. Other related experience such as nursing/medical, massage, hair and beauty, sports instructing, SCUBA diving, fishing, customer service, hospitality or tourism, trades (particularly painting, electrician, carpentry, mechanical. etc.) childcare/nannying, accounting/bookkeeping, secretarial and computer skills, cooking, languages, and musical ability all helps.
To be successful good crew require: well-honed interpersonal skills, physical stamina, a solid work ethic, adaptability, patience and a lot of maturity, not to mention possess a sense of humour and the ability to smile no matter what. Those who always maintain professional behaviour and know how to ‘takes their cues’ will do extremely well.

Q. Are there any mandatory qualifications that I need to be able to work on a Superyacht?
Yes. The STCW95 is minimum qualification for anyone wishing to work on a Superyacht. It’s like an “Occupational Health and Safety” course for anyone working on a boat. If you need to achieve this training Australian Superyacht Crew Recruitment & Training can facilitate your STCW95 course Click here for details and dates of courses held in Sydney and Brisbane.  A huge discount of $275 off the total is offered to students who book both their Steward/ess training (or Chefs cross-training) and STCW95 through Australian Superyacht Crew Recruitment & Training.

Q. What about Steward/ess training and certification? Do I need that too?  What if I am already hospitality experienced?
It is quite competitive to obtain your first job so having a Steward/ess training certificate would greatly enhance your chances of being selected by the Captain or owner, as this demonstrates that you are prepared, have taken a professional approach to the job and therefore know the standards expected. Captains have a lot more confidence in hiring a person who had completed this training especially if you are new to the industry as you appear to them to be a much safer choice.   Even people who have worked in hospitality previously still don’t know how things are done on Superyachts.  It’s quite different to cruise ships too. 

Experienced crew who wish to progress their careers up the interior ranks should also consider the senior ‘up-skilling’ courses on offer by Australian Superyacht Recruitment & Training. Click this link for more information

Senior crew who wish to progress their careers up to become a “Head of Department” should also consider the ‘management’ course on offer by Australian Superyacht Recruitment & Training. Click this link for more information

Q. What should I include on my CV?
First and foremost your CV needs to be clear, concise and recent, with all of the necessary information. Don’t use too many fancy fonts or try to be too creative. Your CV should clearly state your professional goal and should be 2 pages maximum length.
Make sure your photo is recent and of good quality as this is extremely important to get right! A picture tells a thousand words so it helps to’ look the part’ by dressing in yacht uniform (i.e. white polo shirt.) and have a neutral or ‘marine’ background and good lighting . Make it close-up shot with a ‘natural’ smile, ie. head and shoulders. Attach a flattering photo onto your CV (and also upload this to the website).
Include any marine experience as well as any related experience you have in your field and other related experience such as nursing/medical, massage, hair and beauty, sports instructing, diving, fishing, customer service, hospitality or tourism, trades (particularly painting, electrician, carpentry, mechanical. etc.) childcare/nannying, accounting/bookkeeping, computer skills, cooking, languages, and musical ability all helps.
Referees are absolutely essential for any prospective crew. You must provide us with at least 3 Referees stating their position, the organisation plus phone and email contact details. Make sure that you ask permission from your Referees so that they are prepared for contact regarding your abilities and character etc. and will therefore speak well on your behalf.
If you have any written references from past employers make sure that the scans of these (in PDF or JPG) are available to upload also.
Personal Information and References: Australian Superyacht Crew Recruitment & Training will give you feedback on your CV but will not in any way amend personal data. It is wholly your responsibility to ensure your data is correct and up-to-date. You will also need to check back with us every 2 months to keep us informed of where you are in your yachting career search. If you are employed but “looking” for a better job, we would keep your confidence and be discreet about contacting you, so please indicate this on your application.
If you feel that you really need some “CV Surgery” to give yourself the competitive advantage we can certainly help you out.  Just email us your current CV and we will respond accordingly.  For only $99 you can finally get a professional looking CV that you can continue to update throughout your career, as your information evolves.

Q. How do I register with Australian Superyacht Crew Recruitment & Training?
On our Home Page on the right of the screen is a green box entitled REGISTERED USERS. Click on the “Crew Register” link to be taken to the on-line registration form. Here you can fill in all the details about yourself and what role you are seeking, plus upload your latest CV, photograph and references. Make sure that you provide all contact details, including your location and availability so that we can contact you when a suitable position arises. We can only put forward crew when we are sure of their interest and availability for the role! You’ll need to update us if things change. If you are also available for ‘day work’ or ‘temp/fill-in jobs’ please let us know and we will contact you should a suitable position arise.
Once you’ve submitted your details an email will be sent to your email address seeking verification. You will need to respond to this to go forward. Next time you visit the site you enter via the same box using your Email and Password. You need to keep your details up to date, so make sure that you revisit to keep us aware of your situation.

Q. Do I need a visa? What is the B1/B2 visa?
Those travelling to Europe usually enter on a 90-day visa waiver although some may be eligible for a ‘working visa’ depending on age and nationality. It is necessary to check with the embassy of the country that you wish to work in. The 90-day visa waiver also applies for entry into the U.S.A.. The 90-day visa waiver program is for tourism and does not permit working.
A B1/B2 visa is a visa for the U.S.A. only and is to enable non-resident crew to work and travel freely in the United States for a specified period. It is not a ‘green card’ to work for a US business on land. A B1/ B2 Visa is usually issued for 12 months to Australians however this period can be extended to 5 years. It varies depending on your nationality, so enquiry should be made to the relevant U.S.A. embassy in your country for details. Certain guidelines must be met when applying for the visa and this usually includes an interview. Usually an extension will be granted for a B1/ B2 Visa if the applicant can prove that they are able to support themselves financially, and intend to leave America at the end of their stay. It is often easier for crew employed on a yacht to obtain their B1/B2 visa by obtaining a letter from the Captain on the yacht’s letterhead stating their position onboard and reason for needing a crew visa, and the issue is usually straightforward.

Q. How do you advertise available jobs on your site?
Please visit our website blog regularly and let us know if there are any particular jobs for which you would like to be put forward. We will only be able to put you forward if we can confirm your interest and availability for the position, so you need to be contactable. Your skills, experience and qualifications will also need to fit the requirements described in the position.
We also put up alerts on Facebook if we cannot find who we are looking for from within our crew database – the FIRST place we look!   So find us on FB – search for Australian SuperyachtCrew 

AUSTRALIAN SUPERYACHT CREW RECRUITMENT & TRAINING explained:

• Our Superyacht Induction training will help Superyacht Crew get their CV/Resumes into the Captains shortlist.

• It costs nothing for crew to register on our crew database.

• We are a “traditional yacht crew agency’. Even though we have an impressive and automated web site; that is where the automation ends. Each candidate is vetted and contacted prior to be put forward for a position. We take great care to learn from the employer what their requirements are in order to ensure a close a match as possible.
Our crew agency works by:

• Matching suitable crew to suitable jobs.

• Maintaining up-to-date information from candidates – so keep in touch!

• Building relationships!

• Encouraging candidates to up-skill and develop their careers
To use our Crew Agency you need to:

• Register and provide contact details

• Attach a current C.V. with a good photo

• Provide 3 Referees

• Maintain your active crew status by keeping in touch regularly.

Please contact us at crew@superyachtcrew.com.au if you require more information.