Let me start by saying this:

Working on a superyacht is the reason I’ve snorkelled in Tahiti, hiked in Hawaii, swum in the clearest water I’ve ever seen in Palau, spent New Year’s Eve in Mexico, Thailand and Spain, crossed the Panama Canal twice, sailed through the fjords of Norway and the sounds of New Zealand, and spent Christmas drinking rosé in the Caribbean.

And I got paid to do it.
With no rent, no bills, no groceries, and time off to travel even more.

Sounds ridiculous, right?
It kind of is.
Yachting is insane in the best and worst ways.

You’ll work harder than you ever have in your life.
You’ll laugh, cry, swear, and question every decision you’ve ever made while folding towels at 3 a.m.
You’ll meet people who become family.
You’ll see the world like 99% of people never do.

But it’s not for everyone.

So if you’re thinking about starting a career in yachting, here’s the real, unfiltered truth – the dream, the dirt, and how to know if this world is actually for you.

If you’re serious about getting started, I’ve also written a step-by-step guide on how to write a yacht CV profile that actually gets interviews, because this industry is brutal if your CV doesn’t stand out.

In this post, I’m sharing the incredible stuff I’ve gotten to do thanks to this industry, and the bits no one likes to talk about – so you can decide whether this wild career path is right for you.

So let’s get into the dream, the dirt, and whether it’s actually for you.

💖 How to work on a superyacht & what you’ll get from it

👯‍♀️ Lifelong Besties

Every single one of my closest friends? I met them in yachting. When you live, work, laugh, cry, and stress-eat Haribo with the same people day in and day out, you form some serious bonds 🍬💅

You’ll go through absolute chaos together – 18-hour shifts, mystery stains, broken vacuums, and the occasional “guest incident” – and somehow still end up laughing about it later.

If you’re thinking about joining yachting, this is honestly one of the best parts.

The friendships hit different.

You meet people from all over the world who just get it. 🌎

It’s like a tiny, slightly dysfunctional family that drinks rosé on off-days and plans matching tattoos at 2 a.m.

(This photo 👇 is my yachting besties back in 2015, we did a trip to India together during our time off!)

🤑 Money

One of the biggest perks of yachting? The money. 💸

You can earn an incredible salary (plus tips) while having almost zero expenses – no rent, no bills, no food costs. It’s one of the few careers where you can save and live well at the same time.

That said, let’s be honest – most of us spend the first year (or two 😬) blowing through it all.

New wardrobe, nights out, holidays, luxury “treats”… you name it. Then one day you look back and think, “wow, I literally could’ve bought a flat.” Pain.

But once you get over the novelty and start getting smart with your money, yachting can completely change your financial future.

These days, I treat it as both a career and a launchpad – it’s given me the freedom to travel, invest, and build a future that actually feels exciting.

If you’re just starting out, my biggest tip?

Learn from those early spending sprees.

Save before you splurge, automate what you can, and start investing early (it’s not as scary as it sounds – I break it down in this post).

The freedom yachting gives you is unreal – but the real glow-up is learning how to make that money work for you. ✨

🌍 Travel

This is hands down one of the best parts of yachting – you see places most people only ever dream about.

I’ve been to New Zealand, Norway, the Maldives, Tahiti, Thailand, Palau, Mexico, Greece, Spain, Italy, and the Caribbean. I’ve crossed the Panama, Suez, and Corinth Canals. I’ve seen the fjords of Norway and the sounds of NZ – all while getting paid for it. Unreal.

And on my time off? Bali (multiple times, obviously), India, Costa Rica, South Africa, Nicaragua… it still blows my mind how much of the world this job lets you see.

🌴 What this means for you:
If you’re thinking about joining yachting, this is the part that makes the long hours worth it. You could be drinking your morning coffee in France, watching dolphins in Greece, or snorkeling in the Maldives – all in the same year.

My advice?

Take photos, keep a travel journal (or at least a Notes app chaos log), and say yes to as many adventures as you can.

The places, the people, and the random stories will stay with you forever – even long after you’ve swapped your uniform for home life again. 🐚✨

(This 👇 was Tahiti in 2014. We were on our way to New Zealand and had to stop in Tahiti for fuel, so we all got 4 hours off, and it was the best 4 hours ever!)

🧳 Time Off

One of the absolute best parts of yachting is the time off – and I don’t just mean a weekend on anchor. I’m talking about proper, paid leave. ✨

I’ve been really lucky to mostly work on rotational contracts – which means I work for a set number of months, then get paid time off. A few examples:

• 5:1 = 5 months on / 1 month off
• 4:2 = 4 months on / 2 months off
• 2:2 or 3:3 = full rotation (aka the dream)

Since 2019, I’ve only taken full-rotation jobs, and honestly? I could never go back. Once you’ve had proper time off, it’s impossible to un-know that freedom. 😅

☀️ Why it matters:
That time off is where the balance happens.

It’s when you get to reset, rest, and actually live a little – travel, sleep in, go for brunch, do yoga, or just rot in bed watching Bake Off.

Whatever fills your cup.

For me, it also means proper quality time with my parents and my boyfriend – not just a rushed weekend visit, but actual, slow days together. Countryside walks, gym sessions, dinners, beach days.

That kind of time is priceless – and honestly, money can’t buy it. 🫶

💡 Pro tip:
I actually got a 5:1 rotation pretty early on, but that’s not the norm, especially when you’re just starting out. As a greenie (new person), you can’t be fussy and start demanding rotation right away. The first step is getting your foot in the door and building experience.

Once you’ve proven yourself and moved up, you’ll have way more options – and rotation becomes one of the biggest game-changers for your work–life balance.

(👇 Bali during my leave in 2024)

⭐ Cool Guests

One of the wildest parts of yachting is who you meet. You’ll serve some very cool people – and some you’ll quietly pray never come back onboard again. 😅

I’ve had the chance to meet genuinely lovely guests who treated the crew with so much kindness and respect, which honestly makes all the difference. When the vibe’s good, it reminds you how fun this job can be. You see stunning destinations, eat the best food, and sometimes get tipped more than double your salary for one trip.

Of course… there are also the other kinds of guests. The ones who think manners are optional and towels are disposable. You learn patience, self-control, and how to perfect your “smile through the chaos” face.

💡 Pro tip:
Every crew member has at least one “you’ll never believe this” story – it’s basically a rite of passage. Just don’t be the one sharing them online. 😉

Keep it professional, protect your reputation, and always respect confidentiality (NDA or not). The industry is small, and word travels fast.

The cool part? Working with that level of clientele gives you insane attention to detail and professionalism that translates to any career after yachting.

You’ll leave this industry with five-star standards baked into your DNA. ✨

💩 What You Might Not Love

🚪 Cabin Life

Ah, the cabin. Your new home, office, therapy space, and occasional crime scene of laundry chaos.

You will share a cabin. Yes, even if you’re an adult with boundaries and a skincare fridge at home. And yes, even when you just want five minutes alone to scroll in peace. Welcome to communal living at sea.

It can be a shock at first – especially when your cabin mate snores, sings, or somehow manages to own 47 skincare products in a shared bathroom the size of a cupboard.

But honestly?

You learn to adapt.

You get tidy, organised, and low-key psychic about other people’s moods.

💡 Pro tip:
Bring earplugs, an eye mask and some home comforts (photos, fairy lights, etc), and keep your side of the cabin spotless.

Sharing a cabin teaches you how to live respectfully with others – a skill you’ll use for life. Some of my best friends started as my cabin mates. You’ll laugh, cry, and end up knowing each other’s coffee order, dating history, and emotional triggers within a week.

It’s weird. It’s intense. And weirdly… you’ll kind of love it. 💅🏼

⏱ Long Hours

Some boats are chill, and the guest trips are nice and cruisy – 12-hour days, a bit of structure, maybe even a lunch break if you’re lucky.

Others?

Absolute chaos. 14–16-hour shifts are standard when guests are onboard, and every now and then you’ll get that one trip where sleep simply doesn’t exist.

I once did a 24-hour day, then followed it with a 28-hour one. 🫠

You learn to run on adrenaline, caffeine, and sheer stubbornness.

🦶 Wrecked Feet

Your feet will scream. Long hours on marble floors and teak decks will humble even the most seasoned crew. I sleep with my feet elevated on several pillows, and I never go without memory foam insoles.

Pro tip: invest in compression socks, stretch your calves, and get pedicures when you’re home – not for vanity, but survival. Your future arches will thank you. 👣

🛏 Missing Big Moments

You’ll miss weddings, birthdays, and sometimes even Christmas – it’s just part of the deal.

But your crew becomes your family, and honestly? Some of the best days (and nights) of my life have been with them.

You create your own traditions onboard – Secret Santas, crew dinners, random theme nights – and they become memories you’ll never forget. 🎄💌

🧽 It’s Not All Glam

If you’re new to yachting (aka a greenie), prepare for a lot of behind-the-scenes graft before you ever get to the guest dinner table.

Think: deep-cleaning cabins, polishing chrome until you can see your soul, and washing sheets until the laundry room becomes your second home.

It’s character-building, it’s humbling, and yes – sometimes it’s gross. But you’ll laugh about it years later. 💀

Do the grim jobs well, keep your sense of humour, and you’ll move up faster than you think.

🏋🏻‍♀️ Limited Gym Access

If you’re a gym-girlie, brace yourself – this one stings.

Smaller boats won’t have crew gyms, and when guests are onboard, your “workout space” options are basically zero. You can’t exactly drop into a plank on the aft deck while the boss is having breakfast.

When no guests are on, if you’ve got a cool Captain, you can usually workout outside – a yoga session on deck, a weights circuit, or a cheeky stretch on the sundeck before anyone’s awake. Heaven.

But with guests onboard? It’s cabin squats or laundry-room lunges after everyone’s gone to bed.

The good news: bigger boats often have a crew gym with at least one cardio machine and some basic weights. And even if they don’t, you’ll find creative ways to move. Yoga mats, resistance bands, skipping ropes – all gold.

Pro tip: make fitness easy to access – pack your gym kit, schedule movement when guests aren’t onboard, and don’t beat yourself up when it doesn’t happen. Sometimes the best workout is just surviving the day. 💅🏼💪

So… Is It For You?

Here’s the truth: yachting isn’t for everyone.

It’s incredible – but it’s intense. You’ll be pushed, humbled, and occasionally question every life choice you’ve ever made while polishing a mirrored ceiling at 2 a.m.

If you’re:
💪 okay with hard work, weird hours, and zero privacy
👯‍♀️ open to living with strangers
🌍 curious about the world
🧽 willing to do the gross jobs to earn your stripes
💸 and lowkey obsessed with the idea of travel, money, and growth

Then yes, yachting might be exactly what you’ve been looking for.

If you need lots of personal space, predictability, or the idea of cleaning someone else’s loo sends you into fight-or-flight – maybe think twice.

But if you’ve got grit, good vibes, and can laugh through chaos? You’ll thrive.

📚 FYI: The Courses You’ll Need to Work on a Superyacht

So, what do you actually need to get started as a Stewardess? Don’t worry, you don’t need a maritime degree. But you do need a few non-negotiables:

You don’t need a degree in maritime science (or any degree at all) to start – but you do need a few essentials before stepping onboard.

✅ STCW (Basic Safety Training)

This is your golden ticket. It covers firefighting, first aid, sea survival, and safety awareness. You legally can’t work without it, so it’s step one.

✅ Seafarer Medical (ENG1)

A check-up by an MCA-approved doctor confirming you’re fit for sea work. Valid for 2 years.
If you’re in South Africa, a SAMSA medical is fine too, but some yachts still prefer the ENG1.
If you can – get the ENG1 to keep your options open.

✅ Food Hygiene Level 2

Mandatory if you’re handling food – and you will be. (Usually valid for 2-3 years.)

Sometimes a bit of a funny one, as most boats accept the quick online course (a few hours tops), but some agencies (& boats) will only accept a version of the course that has been done in person or on a live Zoom course. I’ve done both throughout the years.

✅ PDSD (Proficiency in Designated Security Duties)

Not always essential, but often requested – especially on larger yachts or charter vessels. It’s one of those “nice-to-have” certificates that can set you apart.

💡 Extras That Can Help

• Crowd Management & Crisis Management – required more and more often for yachts over 80m or with 12+ guests.
• Powerboat Level 2 – handy if you want to be on deck or drive tenders (I never did this, I’ve always been passenger princess).
• Barista / Mixology or Service Training – super helpful if you’re keen to work in service-focused roles.

Final Thoughts 💭

Yachting is wild. It’s exhausting, hilarious, sometimes gross, and genuinely one of the most life-changing things you can ever do.

I honestly can’t imagine my life without yachting. It’s taken me all over the world, introduced me to the best people I’ve ever met, and shaped me into someone I’m really proud of.

It’s not an easy industry to get into – especially these days – but if it’s meant for you, it will find you.

And when it does? It’s magic. ✨

🌸 Want more?

Here are a few posts I think you’ll love if you’re figuring out this whole yachting thing 👇

🩷 10 No-BS Tips for New Superyacht Stewardesses 🌸✨
🩵 Cabin Comforts: Yacht Stew Essentials I Always Bring Onboard (aka Soft Girl Survival Kit)
💌 How to Write a Yacht CV Profile That Makes Captains Say “Hell Yeah”