Truth or Fiction?

Maybe you’ve heard a lot of rumors about superyacht life, or you think you know the secrets of this industry. We’re here today to debunk some of the most persistent myths about working in the superyacht industry!

Myth: You need lots of training or experience in the industry to get a job on a yacht. If you didn’t grow up boating, you’ll never have a chance.

Fact: Absolutely false! Although the industry may seem confusing or difficult to break into when you don’t know what steps to follow, once you have a blueprint the path is pretty simple and truly open to anyone.

While some skills are valued in the industry, there is minimal specific training required to start your first job.

Myth: Going out to sea on a yacht is dangerous

Fact: Every career carries its own risks, but the truth is you’re probably safer on a superyacht than you are commuting by car to and from your desk job!

Superyachts are extremely safe places to work, as both the Captains and the Owners are under immense legal and financial pressure to ensure a safe environment. From repeated safety drills to maintaining the boat at a certain operational standard, owners of yachts ensure their yacht is as safe as possible. 

Myth: Working as yacht crew is a glamorous job. I'm going to be able to travel the world in style and party in every town the yacht stops.

Fact: You will travel the world and visit some of the most luxurious destinations -- but, you’ll still be there to work. To be successful as superyacht crew you must be willing and able to work hard.

There will be times when you might not have a day off for weeks. Your job likely will consist of a lot of repetitive tasks and a lot of cleaning. This is especially true of the newer crew on board, who are working to gain experience and move up the seniority ladder. 

You'll need good mental fortitude and a positive attitude to keep performing at a high level, even when you're tired from weeks of work without time off.

Your behavior is what gives the guests the ultimate luxury travel experience - greeting them every day with a welcoming smile and an attitude like there's nowhere else you'd rather be.

The time will eventually come where you can let loose and party, if that's your thing, or take a day to go soak up nature if that's your way of recovering. 

Myth: I'll never have time off or get a chance to visit my family while I'm working on a yacht. 

Fact: The nature of the yachting seasons and maintenance periods mean that time off is built into your job.

Most yachts will provide their crew with a one-month paid vacation and a return flight home. In addition, crew will be given weekends off when possible.

Sometimes you’ll work a nonstandard schedule, and you may go through a period of days or even weeks with no time off -- but you’ll always be rewarded with a long weekend or a chunk of time off when the yacht schedule allows.

You might not always have enough time to fly home to visit family, but you’ll also have the chance to see the places where the yacht travels around the world. 

Myth: I'll be stuck in a low-level cleaning job forever. There's little opportunity to move up the career ladder on yachts.

Fact: An entry-level crew member can easily start gaining experience, taking additional training and moving up the career ladder to a position with more responsibility and a bigger salary. Most yacht captains were once deckhands with no experience. Interior crew can move up to chief stew or purser.

For motivated crew, these advances can be made fairly quickly. The key is finding a position that suits you and sticking with it for a while. Longevity on the right yacht helps, as will exposure to different sizes of yachts and different responsibilities.

You’ll also see more advancement in your career once you’re working under the mentorship of a captain who is supportive and willing to allow you time off for training.

What MYTHS do you want FreshYacht to debunk? What’s most surprising to you about the superyacht industry? Send us an email and let us know what's been holding you back from starting a career on yachts!

Really... we want to know!