After more than ten years working on superyachts, I’ve realised there are two constants in yachting:
- Nothing ever goes to plan.
- Everything somehow works out anyway.
The amount of plot twists this job can throw at you is wild – plans change hourly, schedules don’t exist, and just when you think you’ve seen it all, someone proves you haven’t.
So here’s a running list of the biggest things I’ve learned along the way – for anyone currently spiralling in a crew mess somewhere with a lukewarm coffee, wondering what on earth just happened.
#1. Have Backup Cash (Seriously)
This one’s not glamorous, but it’s the truth.
Save. Some. Money.
Everyone spends their first couple of years blowing tips and salaries on holidays, designer trainers, and drinks that come in pineapples. Then something unexpected happens – contract change, refit, or a sudden “break between seasons” – and you realise savings aren’t optional.
Have enough cash stashed away to get you through at least 6 months of being unemployed, for peace of mind.
You’ll thank yourself later.
(Also be like one of my nineteen-year-old stewardesses who was already saving cash and investing her salary in ETFs. She’s probably retired by now.)
#2. A Boat Getting Sold Doesn’t Automatically Mean You’ll Lose Your Job
The first time you hear the words “the boat’s for sale,” your brain immediately goes into panic mode. Totally normal.
But here’s the thing: not every sale means a full crew change.
I’ve been through several, and every single time, the new owners kept most of the team.
Yes, some owners do a full clean-out. But plenty don’t.
So before you start mentally rewriting your CV at 2am – breathe.
Keep doing your job, stay professional, and remember – you’re an asset, not a number. And whatever’s going to happen, will happen.
And when you do need to rewrite your CV, clarity matters more than trying to sound impressive. If you want a clear structure and real examples to help you explain your experience properly, I’ve put together a Superyacht CV Guide + editable Canva CV templates that walk you through it without the generic fluff.
#3. Skeleton Crew Isn’t the End of the World
When you first hear “we’re going down to skeleton,” it feels dramatic – like the Hunger Games but with uniforms.
In reality, it’s often fine. Peaceful, even.
I’ve watched so many crew lose jobs in those situations and land incredible new ones within weeks. Sometimes it’s the break people didn’t know they needed.
A few months later, they’re on a new boat with better rotation, better salary, and wondering why they ever panicked.
#4. Everything Is Temporary – The Good and the Bad
That insane guest trip you think will never end?
It will.
That refit that feels like a prison sentence?
It’ll be done before you know it.
And that perfect season where everything clicks and the crew’s amazing?
Enjoy every second – because change is guaranteed.
Nothing in yachting stays the same for long, and that’s actually what keeps it exciting. You learn to stop fighting the unpredictability and just roll with it.
#5. Your Attitude Is What People Remember
You can be the most skilled person on board, but if you’re a nightmare to work with, people won’t call you back.
What people do remember is how you handled things when everything went wrong – whether you stayed calm, stayed kind, and kept the humour alive.
The industry’s small. Your reputation travels faster than Hop Store gossip.
#6. Learn Who You’re Dealing With
One of the best things I’ve ever learned (thank you, leadership courses) is how to read personalities.
Once you figure out who’s detail-driven, who’s spontaneous, who thrives on structure, and who’s allergic to it – life gets easier.
I’m a solid Red personality type, which probably shocks no one. Now I can spot the Blues (the planners), Greens (the calm ones), and Yellows (the excitable chaos merchants) from across the pantry.
It’s basically emotional cheat-codes for crew dynamics.
#7. You’ll Laugh About It Later
No matter how stressful something feels in the moment – the trip, the refit, the change – it always turns into a story.
Ten years later you’ll still be texting old crew about it: “Remember that week when everything broke and we still pulled it off somehow?”
That’s the weird magic of yachting. The chaos becomes nostalgia.
#8. You’re Replaceable – But You’re Also Valuable
Here’s a hard truth: every single one of us is replaceable.
You can be the world’s best stewardess, purser, or deckhand, but if you left tomorrow, the boat would replace you in a week and keep moving.
And that’s not cruel – it’s just business.
A yacht will always do what’s best for the owner, the budget, or the programme. That’s literally how it survives.
So you have to do what’s best for you, too.
If that means staying where you are because it’s a great fit – perfect.
If it means moving on to something that challenges or excites you more, also great.
Loyalty is lovely, but your health, happiness, and life outside the boat matter more.
You can’t pour Champagne from an empty cup.
Too many crew forget that this is a career and a business.
Boats get sold, management changes, captains move on – and through all of that, the only person who’s truly looking out for you… is you.
So take the job that aligns with your goals, negotiate the salary you deserve, take your leave, go on the trip, do the course.
The boat will be fine – and so will you.
#9. Calm Always Wins
The loudest person in the room isn’t usually the most capable one. If yachting’s taught me anything, it’s that calm people get sh*t done.
Whether it’s a last-minute guest trip, a missing provision, or guests who have just moved lunch forward by an hour (because of course), staying calm will always get you further than panic.
The best crew I’ve ever worked with aren’t the ones sprinting around shouting – they’re the ones quietly fixing the problem with a “yep, classic” expression and maybe a muttered swear word under their breath.
The job’s unpredictable, so your attitude is everything. A calm, professional, can-do energy will carry you through 99% of yachting chaos – and it’s exactly what people remember you for.
#10. You Can Love Yachting Without Letting It Consume You
Yachting is amazing – but it’s not your entire identity.
It’s easy to get wrapped up in the lifestyle, the seasons, the promotions, the constant “what’s next?” energy. But you’re allowed to have a life outside the job.
Make plans on your leave. Do your hobbies. Have non-yacht friends who don’t know what a tender is. Go to the gym, go travelling, go home.
The happier and more balanced you are off the boat, the better you’ll be on it.
You can love the work and still remember it’s just one part of your life. The goal isn’t to survive yachting forever – it’s to build a life that feels good both onboard and off it.
✨ The Point
12 years in, my only real advice is don’t panic.
Boats change, people move on, things break – constantly.
It always sorts itself out eventually, usually with less drama than you thought.
