What’s Happening In Yachting This Summer?

With the major changes that have hit the travel industry over the past year, we thought it would be fun to share with you today a peek into what’s going on in the yachting industry - and why it’s the absolute best time to get hired as yacht crew!

“Normal” travel may look different than ever before, with many hospitality jobs lost as people have hit pause on regular travel. But the charter yacht industry is on fire!

Here’s why:

Safe Spaces

Charters are being booked at incredible rates, as those with the means to travel this way are booking private yachts to enjoy travel in a naturally socially-distanced way.

As Captain Dave Zimath told Fresh Yacht, “Yachts are perceived as about as safe as you can get. You can choose to be isolated and choose who you are with.”

While crew will still need to leave the boat to provision and guests may go ashore on occasion, the yacht's environment is naturally controlled and the size of the party is significantly smaller than in any other type of holiday destination.

In addition, you’re not likely to find a cleaner environment than a yacht!

Yachts are always under the control and guidance of the captain when it comes to safety, and pandemic cleanliness procedures aren’t so different from everyday expectations when it comes to the yachting world.

Yacht crew are used to keeping everything gleamingly clean, with attention to detail that surpasses many other industries. This means that a superyacht is a pretty safe space for both guests and crew!

Adaptable Itineraries

Unlike cruise ships or other fixed destination travels, yachts offer charter guests, owners, and captains the opportunity to adapt their travel to the realities on the ground. As the pandemic closed borders or shifted regulations, yachts can choose to go elsewhere.

For instance, the Bahamas are currently a popular yachting destination. Not only do they offer world-class cruising, but there's also a lot of territory to cover, and only one government to set regulations.

Instead of facing testing or quarantine periods that vary from island to island, while cruising within the Bahamas only one set of rules applies.

This is significant because the Caribbean - traditionally a yachting playground - has faced unique challenges during the pandemic, particularly regarding infrastructure and hospital resources.

Many islands were locked down, although they struggled to stay open and keep economies afloat as much as possible.

For a yacht crew, dealing with the uncertainty could be an extra challenge, but with a flexible itinerary, yachts can adapt and adjust more quickly than other travel platforms.

Similarly, the Florida Keys have been an extremely popular destination for charter and private trips out of south Florida.

With no borders to cross or required testing, owners and charter guests can enjoy a relaxing getaway without dealing with additional challenges or restrictions.

More Charters = More Need for Crew

Another perk for aspiring yacht crew is the growing demand for both boats and crew to run them.

Just as many parts of the country have seen a boom in housing prices as people relocate during the pandemic, yacht sales are incredibly active. Demand is high, and prices are at a premium. 

2020 was the best year ever for sales of second-hand boats over 24m, according to the Yacht Club of Monaco. Orders for new builds are also up as 2021 begins.

This reflects an active market and a growing fleet of boats being used for charters and needing crew.

For new yacht crew the opportunities to work in the travel industry, in a well-paid position, with relative security and limited exposure to potential COVID risk factors, all add up to a simple fact...

...now is a great time to break into yachting!