Adventures of a Yacht Stewardess: An Interview

When I last saw D, it was on the Zadar docks in Croatia. I was late for a speedboat half-day trip, which she delightfully helped to organise, and there was literally no time to say hello, and I was already climbing into the chase boat, and D. was departing Zadar for her yachting career.

The little information we had exchanged related to her being excited about new experiences on a yacht; since she skippered chase boat day trips, she has plenty of hospitality and guest experience, that she could not wait to translate onto a bigger yacht.

From that point in time, nearly a year passed, and now D. visited the Zagreb offices of SuperYachts Croatia, and we got talking about her first impressions and experiences of the yachting industry. I simply could not wait to hear what she had to say about her first official superyacht job as a yacht stewardess.

Interviewer: So, you went to the Caribbean, as your first ever stew job on a yacht?

D.: Yes, it was supposed to be a winter season in the Caribbean, but it didn’t happen, because there was a mix-up in the charter planning phase. The charter company wanted to branch out into the Caribbean, but due to unforeseen circumstances, the entire plan was postponed. The original plan was to set sail from Greece, all in all, 24 total crew members, with 5 more incoming to the Caribbean via air.

We prepared for the Atlantic crossing, doing sea tests in the Mediterranean, because we wanted to test the readiness of the crew. We did a sea test in Albania, and they went off to Italy, and onwards to France and Gibraltar, and then VERY close to Gibraltar, we heard that the charter was cancelled, and then we had to return to our home port.

Interviewer: Absolutely terrible news! Just awful. You were preparing for a stew position, right?

D: Yes, one among 8 of crewmembers in charge of the interior. There are still some extra accommodations on the yacht, for butlers and whatnot, for extra service. All in all, it seems like a bad start for me in the industry, but it all turned out great in the end. The somewhat sour beginning could have been avoided if better logistics were involved. Maybe next time it will, since this was a trial run.

But it was a huge loss for the company in terms of fuel, provisions and other costs. Unfortunately, my first experience was a huge dud, and returning to port, there was a sour taste in the air. Everyone was confused at first, being at the port and not knowing what our objective is. But, in the next several days, there were regular viewings of the yacht, by several potential clients, and some yacht parties, as well as tourism fairs and similar events, organised on the yacht, like conferences and birthdays.

All of this served to blunt the initial blow of the unsuccessful Atlantic crossing since the people from the company turned out to be good people and there were no hard feelings whatsoever.
Thankfully, the circumstances were such that I found work very soon, on a 50-meter yacht called in Monaco.

This was a month in the winter season, so we are talking about Christmas and New Year’s Eve. And the entire month of January, with a possibility of extending the contract, but this was stopped because of the weather. But the guests remained for a month, and they celebrated Christmas and Hanukkah,

Interviewer: Can you paint a more detailed picture of this Christmas charter?

D: The charter took place mostly in the Monaco harbour, with a stationary yacht. This is because of the cold weather, primarily. We cruised along the French Riviera, Nica, Caen, and the like.

Interviewer: Ok, so let’s get into the specifics about your time on the 50-meter.

D: I arrived during the tenth day of charter, during a heated period, „tutta forza“, everyone was moving everywhere, and I was thrown into the deep end directly. Hit the ground running, as they say. I managed to learn the ropes quite fast, but in the end, everything depends on the guest. And if the guest is high or low maintenance. Luckily, these guests were very relaxed, civilised and courteous, so I did not have much trouble in that department. There were no requirements for silver service or fine dining because guests preferred family style.

There were ups and downs, like the time that the crew got sick and the entire yacht had to function with only three active crewmembers, with the rest below deck and recuperating. This sickness wave was terrible, with numerous incidents, but everybody came through.

The specifics about this charter were that everything rested on the interior crew, since the 50-meter rarely left port, and the sea was way too cold for water toys or any other kind of water-based activity. In these kinds of situations, the guests often do not know what to do, and it is up to the interior crew to come up with interesting stuff, fun activities or other forms of entertainment.

Interviewer: I envy your resolve. I like writing about yachts, but for me to actually step onboard and do some deck or interior work, for 12 hours straight, and all with a smile on my face. Not for me definitely…

D: The funny thing is,  distance is preferred over a positive attitude, and a professional relationship is more prevalent than „constantly-smiling stews“. The entire point is that the crew is and remains invisible because there is always a risk of guests misinterpreting the friendly attitude of the crew as something else. Maybe this depends on the style of service that the guests prefer because I can only speak of my experiences…

Interviewer: Interesting. I definitely had the wrong assumptions about some aspects of the industry. Ok. Guide me through a typical day on the 50-meter. You came to the yacht and had several days to „acclimatise“. What now? At what time do you get up?

D: There were 3 stews in the cabin on the 50-meter, and we rotated throughout all the departments, and the time I got up depended on the person that was on the night shift the evening before. But, the stew that was assigned to the breakfast service would get up at around 7:00 – 8:00, since the guests liked to sleep in. The second stew would then wake up around 8:15-9:00, and thus we would rotate, depending on the department we were assigned to.

Interviewer: And then what? You would eat your breakfast?

Dora: I liked to drink my coffee on the bow, to catch some sun before the work day started. I would get up earlier if necessary, just to enjoy my morning cup of coffee in the sunshine. As for workout routines, the first yacht had a crew gym, so during the sea trails, there was a line for the gym. But on the 50-meter, we were too busy with the guests, seeing that the interior crew had to bear the brunt of the labour, so there was no time for working out.

But, I don`t mind if there are many guests on board; If I am busy, then time flies by faster. But, you also need to master the technique of doing your job without being seen. After the guests would get up, the interior crew would run down their cabins, cleaning them while the guests were having breakfast or out and about in the local port city.

Interviewer: I assume that you must carry a ton of equipment, with dozens of different cleaning products.

D: You would be surprised, but not. For the most part, all the glass and glossy surfaces are done with a simple mixture of alcohol and water, with several drops of fragrant essential oils. Also, there is a caddy in which we carry all the necessary cleaning equipment.

Interviewer: I would have never guessed…

D: Yes, also, when doing the ensuite, stews must pay very strict attention not to leave any water marks or water spots; actually, there should not be any marks or traces that anyone was in the cabin. Using discarded towels helps with moisture, but since everything needs to be spotlessly polished, even the shampoos.

Also, you have to look out for labels when taking out the laundry, which is generally left in the laundry bin. There are turn-ups and turn-downs (cleanings done in the morning and in the evening), but also, stews clean the cabins every chance they get, to make everything spotless all the time.

Interviewer: After all that hard work, was there a party for the crew? How did you blow off steam?

D: There was a party the first night we arrived, and there was also the New Year’s Eve party, where the guests invited the entire crew for a toast, to celebrate together. We drank champagne together and all in all, it was a very cool thing to do and a unique experience for the crew. Since this entire experience stemmed from me being a replacement stew, I am entirely grateful for the experience.

Interviewer: And, after all that, what are your plans for the incoming 2023 summer charter season?

D: First, I need to update my CV. Then, I need to talk to the agency and see which positions are available, and on which yachts.

Interviewer: I am looking forward to doing a follow-up interview. Thank you for finding the time to sit down with me and talk about your experiences as a superyacht stewardess.

D: No problem. I will check in a couple of charter seasons later, and there will definitely be more stories to tell. Although, the most interesting events cannot be disclosed, due to the strict nature of NDAs (Non-Disclosure Agreements) that every crew member has to sign.

Interviewer: No problem, thank you again.