An Interview with Superyacht Nanny Arielle Maia
Not every member of a superyacht crew works in the interior or on deck. Some of the most fascinating roles on board are the ones guests never see. Arielle Maia is a superyacht nanny, three years into a career at sea, and the writer behind the blog Little Mermaid At Sea. We caught up with her to find out what life really looks like from her corner of the yacht.
Where are you from? Annapolis, Maryland, USA.
What do you do in your spare time? I love anything that keeps me active. Lately I have got really into boxing — we have had a few months on land and I joined a recreational softball league too, which has been brilliant fun.
What makes you laugh? Everything, honestly. I can find something funny in almost any situation. But get me and my best friends together and we will turn absolutely anything into comedy.
Where do you see yourself in five years? Still in the travel and hospitality industry in some capacity. I have been giving some thought to hotel management lately, so something along those lines feels right.
Favourite holiday destination? That is a genuinely difficult question. I have always wanted to see the Greek islands and the pyramids in Egypt — but everywhere I have been in Europe makes my heart happy and I would go back in a heartbeat. You really cannot beat good bread and cheese with a view.
Where do you like to shop? Zara, Aritzia, and Madewell — but honestly, I probably spend most of my money in independent health food shops. I love trying new health foods and wellness trends.
What inspires you? Travelling, without question. Every time I arrive somewhere new I feel genuinely invigorated — there is a kind of high that comes from new sights and experiences that makes me see the world with fresh eyes every single time. I wish more people felt that way. I think it would do a great deal of good.
How long have you been in the superyacht industry? I completed my STCW in autumn 2010 but did not start working officially until a year later, so three years now.
What has been your biggest accomplishment? Finishing university and discovering my own independence. Both felt enormous at the time, and I am still proud of both.
Can you work under pressure? I think I actually work better under pressure. I love being busy, and I am generally good at compartmentalising and keeping a level head — which helps enormously in this industry.
What is the most difficult situation you have faced? Learning to accept my own flaws and limitations. We are all human — we have different strengths and weaknesses — and spending years berating yourself for the weaknesses rather than building on the strengths is exhausting and counterproductive. Learning to genuinely like who and what I am was a big challenge for a long time.
What are your pet hates? Passive aggression. I cannot stand it.
Tell me about the last time you felt real anger at work. I am not really someone who gets angry easily, but I think most crew will relate to what happens during a long shipyard period. Being stuck in one place for months — especially when the timeline keeps extending — can feel genuinely stifling. You have to actively work at keeping a good attitude so you do not become a miserable person to be around.
What do you enjoy most about your job? The sense of family we have on board. We are a small crew — just six of us, including the captain’s son — and we have all been together since the yacht launched. When you are so far from your actual family and friends, that closeness means everything. The travel is also, obviously, extraordinary.
Can you recommend a product or service for fellow stewardesses? We have been in the shipyard for months so my mind is not exactly sharp on this one — but oddly, all I keep thinking about is the tea tree oil cleaner our stewardess uses on the vents periodically. It is extremely pungent in person, but from a distance I have become strangely nostalgic for the smell of it. Make of that what you will.
One piece of advice for fellow crew and nannies? Take each day one at a time, but always be prepared. There is no point stressing about what is or is not coming. Give your best every single day, go to sleep knowing that you did, and let that be enough.
Introducing: Little Mermaid At Sea
Tell us about Little Mermaid At Sea. It was actually born over a farewell dinner with two of my closest friends. The original idea was simply a blog to keep family and friends at home updated on what I was getting up to on board and in my travels. It quickly grew into something much bigger after generating unexpected outside interest. Now I write about almost everything related to life on board, travel, and the specific experience of being a nanny aboard a private yacht.
When did your love of travel begin? My father was in the US Navy and we were stationed in Naples, Italy during the first few years of my childhood. I have essentially been saving for the next trip ever since.
What do you read daily? A handful of travel blogs I follow regularly, plus news — it is easy to get absorbed in the yacht bubble and lose track of the world. Beyond that I have been working through biographies and autobiographies lately. I find people and their interpretations of their own lives endlessly fascinating.
If you could change one thing about your education, what would it be? I always planned to study abroad in France and it did not happen due to circumstances outside my control. I studied French all the way through university and I still intend to live in Paris at some point and study at La Sorbonne. It is not off the table — just delayed.
What is the strangest thing you have encountered in your travels? I write an occasional blog series called Fun Fashion Friday, covering unusual fashion trends from around the world. The instalment that got the most attention — and that I personally found the most surprising — was about the prevalence of couples wearing matching outfits across parts of Asia. I even spotted a couple in matching swimwear in Hawaii. I genuinely could not believe it was commercially available.
One travel tip? Do not over-plan. Some of my best memories have come from simply wandering — no itinerary, no guidebook, just seeing where the day takes me. You never know what you will find when you stop trying to find it.
Thank you, Arielle. Find her at Little Mermaid At Sea — travel, life on board, and the occasional matching swimsuit.
