Working On Yachts

Explore New Horizons

There are currently over 15,000 yachts in the world large enough to require professional, qualified yacht crew and as a result this industry is growing rapidly each year.

A career in yachting can be rewarding, exciting and a wonderful opportunity to travel the world and explore new horizons!

Wherever there is water, you have the potential to go. Traditionally the yachting industry in the Mediterranean runs from April until September and from November to April in the States & Caribbean. Having said that, the possibilities are endless with many yachts circumnavigating the world.

 
 
Starting Out In Yachting

Yachting is an eye opening, ultimately fun industry that demands hard work, perfection and attention to detail. We work with yacht crew every day and have a deep insight into what new crew should do to make the most of their career. Here are our top ten tips for starting out.

pdf  Starting Out Guide - Europe pdf  Crew Training Manual
Get Qualified!

You cannot work on board a luxury yacht without getting your basic qualifications first. Bluewater offers a full range of crew training courses for those just starting in the industry:

Prepare Your CV

We have a sample copy and lots of relevant advice on creating your first yachting CV within our 'Your CV' section.

Moving To A Yachting Hub

Certain times of year are more favourable for new crew looking to join the industry. If you are going to Antibes or Palma, we advise end of March/April. Fort Lauderdale is different in that it is sunny most of the year, however there is a peak recruitment season around November each year.

Network, Network & Network

In every yachting hub you will find english speaking bars and cafes filled with yacht crew. Make sure you go and explore to build your network within yachting. Although global, it is a small industry so make sure to present yourself professionally.

Be Dynamic!

Finding your first position in yachting is the hardest. Make sure you are dock walking, looking for day work opportunities and handing out your CV. You may find that one day's work leads to a permanent role or other job interviews.

Educate yourself on the industry

Read websites, follow yachting news, learn from other crew who were in your 'deck shoes' a few years ago. Good examples of yachting websites & magazines are:

Create a profile

Apply for jobs, manage your course bookings and sign up for events.

Get A Local Phone Number

You can buy pay as you go SIM cards either in newsagents or specialised telephone shops around the Mediterranean. This will help to save you money when job hunting!

Use social networking wisely

Captains check Facebook and Twitter pages before interviews. Make sure any public images of you are professional and will not reduce your chances of employment. Once employed be sure to avoid any posts about your yachts, current location and inappropriate images.

Present yourself as you wish to be perceived

A smart, professional appearance will win over shorts and a beach top.

Applying For Yacht Jobs

The most important aspect when you are looking for work is to make sure your CV is up to date, well written and includes any relevant experience that you might have.

pdf  Starting Out Guide
Stewards And Stewardesses

It is best to emphasize any hospitality experience or customer service skills you may have had, such as waitressing, hostessing, silver service, bartending, cooking, nanny/au-pairing, babysitting, flower arranging, cleaning and/or laundry experience.

Engineers

Should you wish to join the engineering department, make sure you include all mechanical experience and qualifications, including all work done in refrigeration, air conditioning, work with engines, and any electrical work, electronics or AV/IT.

Deckhands

The most important aspect to include is any recreational sailing experience you may have had. If you are also qualified or experienced in woodwork or carpentry, have painting, polishing, varnishing know-how, then that is also great. In addition any diving, sailing, fishing, any water sports background are all fantastic skills that are easily transferable.

Chefs

We deal with a great multitude of chef positions, ranging from crew chef to head chef. Most positions will require some form of culinary training, however some crew succeed in entering this department through the stew/cook route on a smaller yacht.

Your CV

When filling in your online profile with us, make sure to only select positions that you are qualified to do onboard. Selecting more than 3-4 positions on your profile can confuse potential employers and effect our search results.

document  Sample CV  (28KB) Job Board
Keep It Simple

Your CV should be no more than two sides of A4, including your photograph (in colour, face on, without sunglasses).

Easy Access

Your CV should be in a word format to ensure it can be opened easily by all employers.

Keep It Current

List all recent contact information, references and work history.

Be Personal

Including a personal statement, along with a clear objective can help distinguish you from other candidates and helps prospective employers grasp your long term goals.

The Error Of Your Ways

Don't give employers an excuse to dismiss your CV, review and spell check it!

Salary Guidelines

Position
Less than 30m
30-40m
40-50m
50-70m
70-80m
80-100m+
Captain
€4500-6000
€4500-9000
€9000-13000
€13000-16000
€16000+
€20000+
Chief Officer
-
-
€4000-7000
€5000-8500
€8500-10000
€10000+
2nd Officer
-
-
-
€4500-5500
€5500-6500
€6500+
Mate
-
€4500
€5000
€5500
-
-
Bosun
-
€4000-4500
€4500
€4500-5000
€4500-5000
€5000+
Experienced Deckhand
€3000
€3000-3500
€3000-3500
€3500-4000
€3500-4000
€3500-4000
Deckhand
€2500
€2500-3000
€2500-3000
€2500-3000
€2500-3000
€2500-3000
Chief Engineer/sole
€4000-4500
€4500-6000
€6000-7000
€7000-10000
€10000-15000
€15000+
2nd Engineer
-
€3500-4500
€4500-6000
€6000-7000
€7000+
€8000+
Deck/Engineer
-
€3500
€3500-4000
€3500-4500
-
-
ETO/AV IT
-
-
-
-
€7000+
€7000+
Head chef/sole chef
€4000-4500
€4500-5500
€5500-6000
€6000-7500
€7500+
€8500+
Sous chef
-
-
-
€4000-5500
€5500+
€5500+
Crew chef
-
-
-
€3500+
€3500+
€3500+
Purser
-
-
-
€7000+
€7000+
€7000+
Chief Stew/Sole
€3500
€4000-5000
€4500-5500
€5500-7000
€7000-8000
€8000+
Head of Department
-
-
-
-
€5000+
€5000+
2nd stewardess
-
€3000
€3500
€3500-4500
€4500+
€4500+
Experienced Stew
-
-
€3000-3500
€3000-3500
€3500+
€3500+
Stewardess
-
€2500
€2500-3000
€2500-3000
€2500-3000
€2500-3000
€
$
Please note these are guidelines only, produced in January 2024, and do not take into consideration factors such as rotation, licence requirements, etc.
Top Tips
Research The Industry

Knowledge is power and the more you research, the more informed & on the ball you will be.

Interviews

Make sure you have a printed copy of your CV with you and always arrive early and dressed in a smart way. Research the yacht, make yourself prepared & don't be afraid to ask questions.

Networking

The key to getting your first job is to network! Always carry a copy of your CV with you.

Register With Crew Agencies

Remember the industry is a tight, professional network therefore it is crucial to communicate with others, walk the docks, distribute your CV and register with crew agencies. Bluewater is one of the longest-established crew agents - we have been finding people yacht jobs since 1991!

Keep Us Updated

Keep the agencies up to date! Always make sure your profile has the correct location and contact numbers for you so we can get hold of you when we have the perfect role for you.

Update Your Profile

Your profile is essential to us finding you work, both now and in the future. We rely on the information you input to match you to the right jobs, so please make sure it is up to date and at least 85% complete. We receive thousands of vacancies each year, and search our database for the best candidates for each one... You will hear from us more often if you are checking in regularly! Once you find work you can set your profile to 'Not Available'.