Key aspects of crew life on a yacht charter

Crew life on a yacht charter

There are MANY different elements to a successful yacht charter story and crew life on a yacht charter, beginning with brokers, agents, and a whole network of support staff whose job it is to attract, design, and conclude business deals between potential charter guests, yacht owners, brokers, and support staff.

Once the rough part of contract signing, different arrangements, percentages, and deals are concluded, the fun part starts. Boarding a yacht and venturing forth into the unknown, but beautiful and welcoming waters of the Croatian Adriatic sea is truly a fantastic feeling. The experience aboard a superyacht is always a cut above anything guests would come to expect from on-land accommodations such as 5-star hotels or luxury private villas.

The driving force behind successful charters is actually a tight-knit group of professionals, who all have their duties on board, but share a common trait. This trait is the passion they feel for the yachting industry, and that passion drives them to constantly outdo themselves in terms of hospitality, interpersonal relations, and attention to detail. From captain to deckhand, here is an overview of typical roles found on a superyacht charter. This comes with the understanding that the bigger the yacht, the more crew members she can host, making crew life on a yacht charter more complex. Some crew members have additional skills like providing yoga instructions, massage therapy, or diving lessons. These can be particularly useful when guests want a specific service, but there are no available professionals from land. The crew always includes a captain plus any combination of other crew members, depending on the size of the yacht. These include, but are not limited to the first mate, the deckhand, the stewardess, the engineer, and the chef.

The captain

The captain is responsible for the entire yacht and the safety of all people aboard a yacht at any given time. Knowing all the routes and with decades of experience, your superyacht captain will always work with you to give you the best charter experience. The captain is one crew member who you will rarely see, since he or she is always busy making sure every charter is a safe and enjoyable experience.

The first mate

The first mate helps the captain with the day-to-day, making sure that the interior and the exterior run smoothly. Since he is second in command, he is knowledgeable of every piece of your yacht and every part of a successful charter. Crew life on a yacht charter is also a part of his responsibilities, making sure there is synergy between crew members, so that the guests have the best possible experience.

The engineer

The engineer rarely leaves the engine room, unless there are problems. His duties include overseeing the engines, the generators, and all the other technical equipment needed for a smooth and steady cruise. The engineer is the unsung hero of every aspect of crew life on a yacht charter because he makes sure everything runs smoothly behind the scene.

The deckhand

Working on the exterior, the deckhand`s job revolves around keeping the exterior of the yacht clean and tidy, so guests could feel at home. He is also responsible for launching and storing all water toys. A good deckhand must know his way around every water toy because guests often see deckhands as instructors of a particular toy. When anchoring and berthing, they help the captain with visual navigation, while operating all the lines and ropes needed for a safe and secure docking procedure.

The stewardess

Depending on the size of the yacht, there can be one or multiple stewardesses. A bigger crew usually means that there is a chief stewardess and a second stewardess. Their duties mainly revolve around keeping the interior spotless, which includes the guest’s cabin, the dining area, and the leisure areas. They serve food, drinks, cocktails, canapes, or anything else that the guests should want. The chief stew has more responsibilities regarding logistics, meaning that she takes care of provisioning, and organizing events, musicians and entertainment. She also books restaurants, clubs, museums, shows, or concerts; anything that the guests would want. The second stew sometimes helps in the galley but is primarily focused on the hospitality factor, sticking close to the guests and trying to fulfil their every desire.

The chef

Saving the best for last. What would a superyacht charter holiday be without one of the most essential ingredients to any enjoyable vacation? A superyacht chef`s main and only responsibility is to keep the guests well fed. To achieve this, a yacht chef is constantly in the galley, preparing menus, preparing ingredients in advance, plating etc. It is customary that the chef meets the guests and gets to know their preferences, before starting any major culinary operation.

The sous chef

Some bigger yachts employ sues chefs, to help the chefs prepare dishes for a larger number of people in less time. The role of the sues chef can sometimes be also given to a particular member of the crew who is skilled in the galley if the situation demands it, to make crew life on a yacht charter easier.