Whether you own a private yacht or superyacht, or you run a charter yacht, a yacht steward or stewardess is an essential staff member you will want onboard. The number of stewards or stewardesses you require will depend on the size of the yacht and your specific needs.

For smaller yachts, you may only require one to five stewards or stewardesses. For superyachts, you may want between five and ten stewards and stewardesses. Regardless of your needs, finding the best yacht crew is essential to keeping your ship sailing smoothly.

What Is a Yacht Stewardess/Steward?

A yacht stewardess or steward is considered an entry-level position. They are responsible for providing a high level of hospitality and guest services for yacht owners and guests. They are also responsible for the yacht’s maintenance and upkeep by performing various job responsibilities.

What Does a Yacht Steward or Stewardess Do?

The exact job responsibilities will vary, depending on the steward or stewardess job, the size of the yacht, and the number of crew members. Stewardesses and stewards will have set roles and job functions they will perform, including:

• General housekeeping
• Yacht upkeep duties such as deck cleaning, painting, polishing, etc.
• Foodservice and bartending duties.
• Completing laundry and wardrobe tasks for the principal, guests, and crew.
• Delivering exceptional guest service and guest satisfaction at all times.
• Keeping track of onboard inventories and restocking as needed.
• Exceptional culinary knowledge, including fine dining, cocktails, fine wines, beers, etc.
• Maintaining a safe and secure working environment.
• Providing general first-aid when necessary.
• Handling the placement of decorations, floral arrangements, ice sculptures, etc.

Keep in mind, this list is not exhaustive and job responsibilities can and do vary. For instance, a superyacht stewardess will have different job duties from a stewardess on a small yacht.

Additionally, yacht jobs can include other types of yacht stewardess jobs and yacht steward jobs. Two other jobs in this yacht staffing category include pursers and chief stewardesses/stewards.

The purser performs a wide range of administrative duties and functions. They can be tasked with recruitment and hiring yacht staff, maintaining the financial records for the yacht, keeping track of inventories, and reordering items when needed, such as food, wine, uniforms, cleaning supplies, etc.

The chief steward’s or chief stewardess’s primary responsibility is to manage the interior crew of the yacht. They will assign job duties and responsibilities to stewards and stewardesses while serving in a management capacity and providing exceptional hospitality service for the yacht owner and guests.

They also serve as the point of contact when the principal, their family members, or guests have special requests they want fulfilled, such as scheduling a shore excursion at a port of call. They can even be tasked with handling currency exchange transactions as needed.

What Are the Characteristics of a Good Yacht Steward/Stewardess?

As you can imagine, the characteristics of a good yacht steward or stewardess should be able to provide excellent service with a smile. Other desirable traits you will want to look for when hiring stewards and stewardesses for your yacht include:

• The candidate is energetic. They need to be prepared to work long hours.
• Maintains a professional manner at all times. You want stewards and stewardesses that remain professional no matter where they are seen onboard or whether they are on duty or off duty.
• Possesses the necessary qualifications, certifications, and training. There are several different certifications and training required to work on yachts, such as first-aid training, SCUBA training, RYA training, and so on.
• Has relevant job experience. Those with entry-level positions may not have experienced a lot of time at sea. However, they should have experience working in the service of a household, in the hospitality industry, etc.
• Pays attention to details. Your stewards and stewardesses should provide consistent, accurate, and thorough results, no matter what job responsibilities they are completing.

Recruiting the Best Stewards and Stewardesses

Finding the very best-of-the-best stewards and stewardesses can be challenging, due to the number of yacht owners all wanting to find the best yacht crews. The easiest way to ensure your yacht is staffed with experienced yacht stewards and stewardesses is to get assistance from Staffing at Tiffanie’s.

We work with you to develop job descriptions for each position you want to fill. We take care of background checks, reference checks, and other such administrative tasks before presenting you with the most appropriate candidates who possess the skills and traits you desire.

All you need to do is interview the candidates and decide which ones you want to hire. We can even assist you with salary negotiations. For further information or help recruiting the best stewards and stewardesses, or other yacht crew positions you want to fill, contact us at 866-484-5550 today!