Jun 3, 2026 | The Chief Stewardess
Navigating the Seas with Clear Intentions
Being a chief stewardess on a superyacht is about far more than setting tables and looking after guests. It is about running a tight ship behind the scenes, where the real work happens out of sight. One of the most powerful tools you have for that is goal setting. In an environment as fast-moving, high-pressure and politically delicate as a luxury yacht, planning with intention is what keeps you on course, and frankly, what keeps you sane.
Why Goal Setting Matters for a Chief Stewardess
The unique demands of the role
A chief stewardess answers to the owner, the guests, the captain and her own team, often all at once and often with each wanting something different. At sea, where the day rarely goes as planned, clear goals are what hold everything together. They give you focus and direction when the situation around you is anything but orderly. Without them, you simply react all season long, and reacting is exhausting in a way that hard work never is.
Don't forget your own growth
Your job is to make sure everyone else is comfortable and looked after, which makes it dangerously easy to forget about yourself entirely. Don't. Set goals for your own development alongside the operational ones. You are not just keeping the interior afloat. You are building a career, and nobody is going to build it for you.
The Goals Every Chief Stew Should Be Setting
Short term and long term
Short-term goals are the ones you can act on this trip or this season: tightening up your provisioning, smoothing out the service flow, getting the laundry routine to a point where it stops eating your evenings. Long-term goals look further out, perhaps a purser's role or a yacht-management qualification that opens new doors. You need both. The short-term goals keep the ship running. The long-term ones keep you moving.
Career progression
Look past the next season and ask yourself where you want to be in five years. Then work backwards and set measurable milestones along the way, whether that is completed training, a leadership role, or a step up to a larger vessel. A vague ambition you never write down is just a daydream.
Your team and the culture below decks
A happy interior department starts with you. Set goals around your crew as deliberately as you set them around service. Mentor your juniors properly. Cross-train the team so the whole department is more capable. Pay attention to morale and to the mental health of the people living and working in that confined space with you. A crew that feels looked after will carry you through a brutal season.
The Intelligence Trap: A Lesson From My Own Career
The double-edged sword
Being clever is a genuine asset, but in the close quarters of a yacht it can work against you if you are not careful. I learned this early, and the hard way. I was quick to solve the problem and quick to say so, and I thought that was a strength. But some captains read my input as challenging their authority, and some of my own team felt a distance opening up, as though I were operating on a different level. Neither reaction was what I intended. Recognising those dynamics changed how I led, and changed it for the better.
Adjust how you communicate
The answer was never to make myself smaller or pretend I knew less than I did. That helps no one. The answer was to change how I communicated. Speak plainly. Give instructions clearly. Stop letting the cleverness show for its own sake. Let the results do the talking instead of the reasoning. A perfectly run charter says more about your ability than any well-argued point ever will.
Setting Goals That Actually Work
Specific and measurable
A goal you cannot measure is not a goal. It is a wish. "Make the service better" means nothing, because you will never know whether you achieved it. "Reduce guest complaints by a third this season" or "have every junior confident on the coffee machine by the end of the month" means something, because you can look back and know plainly whether you got there.
Achievable within the season
Set goals you can actually reach inside the rhythm of a charter season. Prepare your themed table settings in advance rather than scrambling the night before. Train the team on a new service style before the high-profile trip arrives, not during it.
Tied to what the owner actually wants
Every goal should ultimately serve the vessel's purpose. If your owner values privacy above all, build your protocols around discreet, almost invisible service, and let your goals reflect that. Read your owner, then aim accordingly.
Handling Ego and Hierarchy at Sea
Managing upwards
Learn the personalities above you. Some captains and officers welcome initiative and want a chief stew who thinks for herself. Others would rather you simply did as you were told. Neither is right or wrong. Your job is to read which is which and shape how you communicate upwards to match.
Leading downwards
Lead through clarity, kindness and consistency, never through fear or rank. Your team will always perform better when they understand the "why" behind the "what." Be the kind of leader your crew would choose to follow even if you held no title at all. That is the only authority worth having.
Tools That Keep You on Track
Checklists, shift logs and reports
These are not just paperwork to be endured. Used properly, they are how you track your team's performance, spot patterns, and adjust your targets before small problems become large ones.
Digital tools
A simple shared board on something like Trello or Notion can hold your recurring routines, your seasonal planning, and a running record of guest preferences for next time. Get it out of your head and into a system, so your memory is free for the thousand things that genuinely need it in the moment.
Communication That Empowers Rather Than Overwhelms
Clear, not condescending
Say what you mean and mean what you say. Strip out the jargon. Clear instructions create efficient crew, and confused instructions create mistakes you will spend the afternoon fixing. Simplicity is not the same as talking down to people. The clearest communicators are very often the sharpest people in the room.
Read the room
Some of your crew need encouragement to do their best work. Others do their best work when you leave them to get on with it. The skill is noticing which is which, and giving each person what they actually need rather than what is easiest for you to give.
Learning to Play the Political Game
When to speak and when to stay quiet
Not every disagreement is worth having. So much of getting on in this industry comes down to timing, tone and tact. When you do raise something, do it with a clear purpose rather than in the heat of the moment. Speak with intention, not emotion.
Authenticity with discretion
You do not have to hide who you are to get on. You simply have to present yourself with thought. Authenticity paired with discretion is one of the most powerful combinations a chief stew can have. Say the true thing, but say it at the right time, in the right way, to the right person.
Reviewing and Resetting After Each Season
End-of-season reviews
At the end of every charter, season and rotation, sit down and look honestly at what happened. What worked? What fell apart, and why? A proper debrief is not about blame. It is about gathering the lessons while they are still fresh, so the next cycle starts from a stronger position than the last.
Bring the team in
When crew have a genuine say in the goals they are working towards, they commit to them in a way they never will to targets simply handed down from above. Shared ownership lifts morale and lifts results. Ask for their input, then actually use it.
The Bottom Line
Goal setting as a chief stewardess is not an administrative chore. It is a survival skill, and it is the thing that separates a competent chief stew from a genuinely respected one. Blend a clear vision of where you are going with real awareness of the people around you, and you will rise through the ranks, earn the respect of the whole vessel, and build an interior culture people queue up to work in. Play it thoughtfully, and the deck is yours.
How often should a chief stewardess review her goals?
Regularly and reflectively, at the end of every charter, season and rotation. The work gives you natural review points, so use them.
What's a good career goal for a stew aiming to become chief?
Master every part of the interior first, complete recognised training such as the Stewardess Bible programme, and make your leadership ambitions known clearly during your performance reviews.
How do I balance team goals with my own ambitions?
Align them so they pull in the same direction. Set goals that visibly develop your team and demonstrate your leadership at the same time. Done well, one goal serves both.
Can being too intelligent really hurt your career in yachting?
It can, if you don't manage it with emotional awareness. Adjust how you communicate, and use your intellect to support the people around you rather than outshine them.
What tools are most helpful for goal setting on board?
A combination works best. Pair the old-school reliability of checklists, shift logs and performance reviews with a digital board such as Trello or Notion. Use whatever you will actually keep up with.
How do you adapt when your goals conflict with your superior's?
Stay calm, propose a workable compromise, and remember where you are. A yacht is not a democracy. Make your case once, clearly and respectfully, then know when to pivot.
Dec 17, 2019 | The Chief Stewardess
Superyacht Crew Profiles
Superyacht Crew are the heartbeat of the yacht. They are central to the yacht functioning in a coherent, professional and effective manner. The crew is the “human element” working in synergy with an abundance of luxury onboard, offering the guests a seven-star plus cruising experience.
Therefore, it is imperative that the guests know who their crew are and how their individual skills add to the synergy of the yachts functioning.
How to Write Crew Profiles
Crew profiles are not everyone’s cup of tea to write, and I know many senior crew who avoid doing this task, until the very last minute. This avoidance results in flat and uninteresting compositions that nobody wants to read.Writing these profiles, however, was one job, which I was happy to do, and I relished in the creativity of such a task.
So why write a crew profile?
In short, to inform the yacht’s guests who the crew are. These profiles are added to the guest compendiums and left in the cabins, for the guests to read at their leisure, along with familiarising themselves with the yacht’s other operational procedures.
What is the best way to approach writing these profiles? I found there is two preferred way. The fist is a personal chat with each individual crew member for a more casual flowing biography.
The second way is to read their CVs and compile an exciting picture of who they are. Furthermore, and as an added bonus of adopting this formal style of writing, is that you have all of their education, technical skills and interest all in one place, which is a great time saver.
Now, think about your international environment in which you work. Many guests may not be native English speakers. Therefore, use simple language with easy to read sentences.
Long-drawn out grammatically correct sentences can be a real bore, and your guests may lose interests in the crew profiles very quickly. Lastly, have someone else read the profiles before printing them out and adding them to the compendiums.
Now that you have chosen your preferred style, simply start the beginning, with an introduction. Include their name, job title how long they have worked onboard.
Next, comes the fun part where you get to be a little more creative and show their personal side. Things you can discuss here may include, where they come from, what their professional credentials are.
Writing The Crew Profiles
When writing the crew profiles, consider the personal qualities and professional, credentials which are commonly associated with the relevant positions.
For example:
| Position |
Personal Qualities |
Professional Accomplishments |
| Captain |
Achiever, kind, curious, focused, inspired, positive, uplifting, driven, determined, always at the forefront, trustworthy |
Accomplished, expert, leader, experience, innovator, authority, safety, commander, authorised, licenced, |
| Chief Officer |
Tenacious, earnest, noble, industrious, direct, meticulous |
Resourceful, dependable, direct, professional, certified, |
| Bosun |
Intrepid, athletic, strong, flexible, considerate, |
Skilful, accomplished, seasoned, |
| Deckhand |
Seeker of adventures, hard-working, fit, cordial, |
Accomplished, trained, endorsed, |
| Chief Engineer |
Capable, innovative, ingenious enterprising, disciplined, natural problem solver |
Experienced, knowledgeable, proficient, licensed, commissioned, |
| Second Engineer |
Proficient, skilful, adaptive, selfless, tolerant |
Qualified, licensed, experienced, skilled, |
| Chief Stewardess |
Gracious, supportive, friendly, considerate, respectful, understanding, insightful, discreet |
Experienced, degree, diploma, knowledgeable, disciplined |
| Stewardess |
Happy, enthusiastic, cooperative, capable, helpful, gentle, |
Approved, certified, competent, suitable |
| Head Chef |
Creative, inspired, visionary, unorthodox, accommodating, kind-hearted, |
Accredited, certified, endorsed, appointed, |
| Second Chef |
Zealous, efficient, predisposed, likeable, |
Trained under, recognised, educated |
For your convenience, I have created six sample crew profiles in Appendix Twelve of The Chief Stewardess Bible for the purpose of adaptation.
Nov 7, 2016 | The Chief Stewardess
How to Write a Good Letter of Recommendation. As a chief stewardess, you may be required to write a recommendation for your departing crew member.
A letter of recommendation also known as a reference letter is a formal document which requires a lot of thought and consideration. Generally speaking, the letter should be 12 point font in an easy to read business font such as:
- Arial
- Time New Roman
- Garamond
Further, the letter should be printed on letterhead and the stamped with the yachts official stamp next to your signature.
How to Write a Good Letter of Recommendation
As a chief stewardess or interior manager, you will/may be required to write a letter of recommendation for your departing interior crew member. This is a very important skill to master as it, as the crew member leaving will rely on it to gain future employment.
You can see online there are many variations in the layout of a good letter of recommendation, but below is a good place to start.
To begin the letter you should always start off by stating the facts, things like:
- Full name of crew member whom you are writing the letter for
- Duration of service on board, including dates
- The position or title held
The second paragraph is designed to highlight their skills, education and positive attributes:
The third paragraph focusses on positive personal attributes such as:
- Is a team player
- Has a bubbly personality
- Has a warm personality and is easy to get along with
Close your letter on a positive note and give your contact details. Always finish with yours sincerely, or yours faithfully.
A letter of service
Now consider the crew member whom you are writing the letter for, had a bad record of service onboard and you had to let them go. Clearly this letter will not be a glowing letter of recommendation, however, you still need to be professional and maintain a balanced outlook on the person.
The crew member may have performed badly for many reasons, this is not for you to analyse as you have already made the decision to let them go, rather you need to focus on their strengths (remember… everyone has both strengths and weaknesses).
The format is as above with an example letter below. The things to remember here is to just state the facts.
This should never be a personal vendetta against the person, however, if you cannot possibly recommend them or write a simple letter of service, then ask the chief officer or the captain to write a letter of service, (its ok to do this we are all human at the end of the day).
Lastly, if you feel so negative about the person then simply write the letter of service, end it in a positive note, i.e., I wish her/him well, but do not include your contact details at the end.
You need to be able to stand by what you write, and if you write merely a letter of service, then chances are that it hasn’t gone well on board, therefore you do not want to “run off with your mouth” with a verbal reference check!
Sample letter of recommendation
[Insert Yacht Letter head]
[Yacht Name]
[Current location]
[Date]
To whom it may concern;
I had the pleasure to employ and work with [insert full name] from [insert date] until [insert date]. She/ he was employed on a permanent basis in the capacity of [insert position].
[Insert yacht name] is a [insert size and type of yacht] which is [insert private or charter yacht], which spends her time between the Mediterranean and the Caribbean seas. [Include more details about the yacht, i.e., busy with children, back to back charters or demanding owner’s etc.].
[Insert name] was an excellent asset to have on-board. She/he holds an advanced diploma in Hotel Management and is clear to see these skills displayed with her/his superb hospitality and people skills. Her true strengths are in managing her time and quality of work.
She joins us with short notice and adapted immediately to the crew and her working environment. [Insert name] has a pleasant personality and is a team player, this made her popular with the crew and guests alike.
We are very sorry to see her/him leave, but I know that [insert name] will compliment any yacht that is fortunate enough to acquire her/his excellent services. {You can also add why she/he is leaving here}
I highly recommend [insert name], and I wish her/him well with future endeavours.
Should you have any further questions regarding [insert name], please do not hesitate to contact me [insert telephone number, email address or both].
Yours sincerely
[Insert your name and position] {Insert yacht stamp and have the Captain sign it}
Sample letter of service
[Insert Yacht Letter head]
[Yacht Name]
[Current location]
[Date]
To whom it may concern;
[Insert name] joined [insert yacht name] from [insert date] until [insert date]. She/ he was employed on a permanent basis in the capacity of [insert position].
[Insert yacht name] is a [insert size and type of yacht] which is [insert private or charter yacht], which spends her time between the Mediterranean and the Caribbean seas. [Include more details about the yacht, i.e., busy with children, back to back charters or demanding owner’s etc.].
[Insert name] holds an advanced diploma in Hotel Management, and is clear to see these skills displayed with her/his superb hospitality and people skills. Her true strengths are in managing her time and quality of work.
If the crew member does not hold formal qualifications, then simply state their duties which they performed; i.e.
[Insert name] performed the following duties to a satisfactory/ good level
Housekeeping, service, floral arrangement, laundry etc.
I wish [insert name] all the best with future endeavours.
Yours sincerely
[Insert your name and position] {Insert yacht stamp and have the Captain sign it}
May 1, 2015 | The Chief Stewardess, The Superyacht Stewardess
The Mediterranean season is in full swing and for many superyacht stewardesses, this means long hours, difficult guests and draining colleagues.
It’s right about this time that the stewardess is not looking out to sea or enjoying the beautiful sunshine, but rather at the mountain high pile of towels in the laundry, dirty cabins and running from one of the yacht to the other, making sure that the guests have everything that they need and want.
Everyone desires a meaningful and fulfilling professional life. When you’re happy with your work, you feel more content, purposeful, and complete.
When you’re unhappy at work, the days seem long, you miss home, friends and family, and the daily stresses and negativity can build up and up until there is little room to conceal your feelings any more.
This can lead to poor decision making, a change in your personality, poor work performance and depression. The work of a superyacht stewardess can be mundane and boring, so it is right about this time that you may be asking yourself “What am I Doing Here”?
Whatever your motivation or trigger is that has led you to the point of resignation, ask yourself the following questions before you throw in the towel.
Questions to Ask Yourself If You want to Leave the Yachting Industry
1. Why am I unhappy with this job?
Understand where your unhappiness comes from — is it specific to the type of work you do, who you work for, or is there a personality clash on board? This is a great starting point for understanding your unhappiness and a great place to make a change.
2. Do I need a job change or a life change?
Ask yourself: Is my unhappiness about my job, or life in general? Unhappiness in one part of life can have a cascading effect on the rest of what we do. Before taking action, make sure your focus is to resolve the primary cause of your discontent.
3. What are your professional goals?
What do you want to achieve professionally, and when? Are you currently on the path to achieve those goals? If not, what do you need to do or change about your current job and career path to get there?
4. What’s been missing for you professionally?
What are you lacking in your professional life? Recognition, compensation or advancement? When you know what’s missing, you can make plans to fill in the gaps, in your current position or elsewhere.
5. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10? 20?
Envisioning your future self is a great way to keep the bigger picture in mind. A simple envisioning exercise: close your eyes, clear the mind with a few minutes of breath awareness, meditation, and then look ahead five, 10 or 20 years.
- Where are you working?
- What have you achieved?
- What does the rest of your life look like?
When you open your eyes, jot down what you saw. You can then take action to align your present life with the future.
6. What do you feel you were put on this earth to do?
This question is hard for many people but warrants deep thought if you’re considering a career change.
- What do you feel in your heart you’re meant to do?
- What work would bring you deep happiness and meaning to your life?
This may be something you can do outside of your current job – as a hobby or part-time interest. Or it might be worth pursuing wholeheartedly as a career.
Undertaking self-exploration work will allow you to understand what you need to be more fulfilled professionally. If you have financial obligations and other considerations that preclude making a significant job change, look for ways to incorporate what you learned about yourself in other areas of life.
Take action. Move towards the activities, interests, and people that resonate with you, and fulfilment will follow.
Apr 25, 2015 | The Chief Stewardess
How to Manage Superyacht Crew Uniform
Uniform management is one of those chief stewardess responsibilities that rarely gets the attention it deserves — right up until the moment something goes wrong. A crew member turns up for a guest arrival in a polo shirt that has seen better days. A new stew arrives on board and there is nothing in her size. Charter season starts and half the uniform is unaccounted for.
None of this needs to happen. With a straightforward system in place, crew uniform management is entirely predictable, largely effortless, and one less thing to think about when the pressure is on.
Here is how to do it properly.
Why Uniform Matters
On a superyacht, the crew are the first thing a guest sees and the last thing they remember. A well-turned-out team in clean, well-fitting, well-maintained uniform communicates professionalism, pride, and attention to detail before a single word has been spoken.
Uniform also matters for the crew. When people look good, they carry themselves differently. Standards on board rise and fall with presentation — and it starts with what your team is wearing.
Who Is Responsible?
On most vessels, uniform management falls to the chief stewardess. On larger megayachts, a dedicated chief housekeeper may take on this role — but the principle is the same. One person owns it, one person maintains it, and one person is accountable for it.
The responsibilities of the uniform manager include:
- Conducting uniform inspections, both routine and on crew changeover
- Checking and logging new uniform deliveries against the order
- Tracking stock levels and placing replenishment orders in good time
- Overseeing laundering, repairs, and general maintenance of all uniform items
- Managing the distribution and return of uniform when crew join or depart
- Maintaining an up-to-date uniform inventory at all times
This is not an occasional task. It is an ongoing one, and it rewards consistency.
The Inventory System
Every superyacht should have a uniform inventory system. It does not need to be complicated — a well-maintained spreadsheet is entirely sufficient for most vessels. What it does need to be is accurate and current.
Your inventory should record:
- Every uniform item held on board, by type and quantity
- Sizes held in stock
- Items currently issued to crew (by name)
- Items returned and back in storage
- Items condemned or written off
- Pending orders
On larger vessels or multi-yacht programmes, a barcode or QR scanning system can make inventory management considerably more efficient — though it does require an initial investment in equipment and setup time. For most yachts, a clean, consistently updated spreadsheet managed by the chief stewardess is entirely adequate.
The key is discipline. An inventory that is updated sporadically is barely more useful than no inventory at all.
How Many Uniforms to Order?
This is one of the questions I am asked most frequently, and the honest answer is: it depends. The right quantity for a 30-metre sailing yacht looks very different from what is appropriate for a 120-metre megayacht.
Key variables to consider:
- Vessel size and crew numbers
- Private or charter yacht — charter programmes require a sharper presentation standard maintained continuously
- Frequency of crew turnover — higher turnover means more frequent replenishment
- Available storage space — overstocking uniform on a vessel with limited crew cabin space creates more problems than it solves
- How often the uniform style changes — if you update the design every few years, ordering conservatively makes financial sense
A practical note on overstocking: issuing crew with excessive uniform does not improve presentation — it simply fills their cabins, results in items being squashed and poorly stored, and creates additional laundry and management work. Issue what is needed, maintain it well, and replenish as required.
Suggested Uniform Quantities: A Practical Guide
The following is based on a 50-metre motor yacht with a consistent uniform style and an average crew tenure of around two years. It is a starting point — adjust up or down based on the factors above.
On Charter Uniform
- 4 polo shirts
- 4 shorts or skorts
- 3 nightshirts
- 2 evening trousers or skirts
- 1 pullover
- 1 spray jacket
- 1 pair day shoes
- 1 pair evening shoes
Off Charter / Casual Uniform
- 3 T-shirts
- 3 shorts
- 3 trousers
- 1 gilet
- 1 fleece
- 1 spray jacket
- 1 pair shoes
A note on engineers and chefs: Both departments should hold the same general crew uniform as the rest of the team — they are part of the same vessel and should present accordingly. However, given their technical workwear requirements, I reduce their general uniform allocation to approximately two pieces per category (two polos, two shorts, two T-shirts) and supplement with the appropriate technical uniform for their role.
Managing Old and Worn Uniform
When crew depart or when uniform reaches the end of its natural life, apply straightforward common sense:
- Good condition: Return to the uniform store for reissue.
- Worn but functional: Designate as off-duty or downtime wear.
- Beyond use: Cut up for cleaning rags. Good quality uniform fabric makes excellent polishing and cleaning cloths — do not throw it away.
Never allow worn or damaged uniform to remain in circulation as on-duty wear. One crew member in a faded or fraying polo shirt undermines the presentation of the entire team.
Storing Uniform on Board
Storage space on a superyacht is always at a premium, and uniform is no exception. A few principles that help:
- Designate a specific uniform stowage area — whether that is a dedicated locker, a section of the linen room, or built-in storage in the crew corridor. Everything should have a home.
- Keep uniform folded neatly and organised by type, size, and department. A chaotic uniform store takes far longer to manage and makes stocktaking unreliable.
- Make use of the vessel’s built-in storage solutions — many superyachts have storage integrated into furniture and deck benches that can supplement dedicated uniform space.
- Ensure the area is dry, well-ventilated, and away from direct sunlight, which will fade colours over time.
Choosing a Uniform Supplier
When ordering new uniform or updating an existing design, the chief stewardess typically leads the process — meeting with suppliers, reviewing fabric swatches, and ensuring the final product meets the yacht’s standards for both appearance and practicality.
Things to consider when selecting a supplier:
- Fabric performance: Uniform on a superyacht needs to withstand salt air, sun, physical work, and frequent laundering. Prioritise quality and durability over price.
- Comfort across temperatures: Crew work in both air-conditioned interiors and full sun on deck. A good uniform supplier will advise on fabrics suited to both environments.
- Customisation: Most reputable marine uniform suppliers offer embroidery, logo placement, and custom colour matching to fit the vessel’s brand.
- Lead times: Order well ahead of the season. Uniform suppliers serving the yachting industry are busy in the months before the Mediterranean and Caribbean seasons open.
For a comprehensive list of recommended uniform suppliers, visit The Yachting Pages or contact The Stewardess Bible directly — we are always happy to point you in the right direction.
A Final Word
Good uniform management is invisible when it is done well — the crew look polished, everything is accounted for, and nobody is chasing a replacement polo shirt the morning of a guest arrival. That invisibility is the point.
Build the system once, maintain it consistently, and it will look after itself.
|
Country
|
Uniform Supplier
|
Web Address
|
| France |
|
|
| Antibes: |
Dolphin WearSea Design |
www.dolphinwear.comwww.sea-design.com |
| Italy |
|
|
| Rome:Varese: |
Just Uniforms Crew – JIT ItaliaFloating LifeStyle |
www.uniformcrew.itwww.floatinglifestyle.com |
| Spain |
|
|
| Mallorca: |
Deckers Ocean Attire |
www.uniforms4yachts.com |
|
Mallorca Clothing Company |
www.mallorcaclothing.com |
|
Wave Uniforms |
www.waveuniforms.com |
|
|
|
| USA |
|
|
| Ft Lauderdale: |
Haute Yacht Wear |
www.hauteyachtwear.com |
| |
Smallwoods |
www.smallwoods.com |
| |
Antibes Yacht Wear |
www.antibesyachtwear.com |
| |
World of Yachting |
www.worldofyachting.com |
| |
|
|
Apr 9, 2015 | The Chief Stewardess
How to Interview and Select the Right Stewardess
Whilst the candidates are out there walking the docks, pressing their finest polo shirts, and putting their best smiles forward — the responsibility for getting this right does not rest entirely with them. It rests with you too.
This person is going to live with you. Around the clock, seven days a week, in a confined space on the water. They will be at the breakfast table, in the crew mess at midnight, in the cabin next to yours during a force eight in the Bay of Biscay. Getting the hire right matters enormously — not just professionally, but personally. A brilliant CV attached to the wrong person can unravel an entire crew dynamic in a matter of weeks.
Here is how to approach it properly.
Before You Even Begin: Get Your Facts Straight
Before the word goes out that a position is available, make sure you have clarity on the role itself. A vague brief produces vague candidates. Know the following before you start:
- The position: exactly what role you are filling and where it sits in the hierarchy
- The package: salary, insurance, annual leave entitlement, and any additional benefits
- The vessel: size, age, motor or sailing, and any relevant details about how she operates
- The cruising programme: Mediterranean, Caribbean, world voyage, private, charter, or a combination
- An appropriate overview of the owners and crew: keep this general — privacy and confidentiality are paramount, and you should not share sensitive personal information about the principal family at interview stage
- Uniform and working hours: what they will wear, when they are expected to work, and what the rotation or watch system looks like
- Expectations: what being a team member on this vessel actually means in practice
Presenting this information clearly from the outset signals professionalism, sets expectations honestly, and saves everyone time.
Building the Shortlist
When reviewing applications, focus first on the critical criteria — the non-negotiable skills, qualifications, and experience the role genuinely requires. You do not need a candidate to tick every box; aim for a solid sixty to eighty percent match on the essentials. The rest can be taught.
For example, if you are recruiting a strong second stewardess, your critical criteria might look like this:
- A minimum of three years’ experience on vessels of 50 metres and above
- Strong communication skills, both with crew and guests
- Demonstrated leadership capability
- A sound understanding of superyacht operational procedures
- Excellent personal presentation
What is not on that list is equally important. Do not rule out exceptional candidates because they lack a skill you can teach in a fortnight. What you cannot teach — and what should always be on your critical list — is character.
Transferable Skills: Do Not Overlook Them
This is something I believe the superyacht industry consistently undervalues. Relevant experience does not only come from other yachts. The following backgrounds produce excellent interior crew and should always be looked upon favourably:
- Luxury hotel and hospitality
- Airlines and cruise ships
- Private member clubs and fine dining
- Healthcare — nursing, aged care, home help (these candidates often have exceptional composure under pressure and a natural instinct for anticipating needs)
- The beauty and wellness industry
A candidate who has spent three years as a senior waitress at a five-star hotel, or as a first-class cabin crew member, may bring more genuine service expertise to your interior than someone with yacht experience and mediocre standards. Keep an open mind.
What to Look for Beyond the CV
The shortlist is ready. Now the real work begins.
The interview is your opportunity to find out who this person actually is — not just what they have done. That is a harder thing to assess, particularly when candidates are nervous and, understandably, presenting their best version of themselves. A few principles that help:
Apply the 80/20 rule. You should be speaking for no more than twenty percent of the interview. The candidate should be doing eighty percent of the talking. Ask open questions, listen carefully, and resist the urge to fill silence. What people say when they are given space to speak freely is usually more revealing than their prepared answers.
Watch the body language. How someone carries themselves, makes eye contact, and responds to unexpected questions tells you a great deal. Confidence is not the same as arrogance. Nerves are not the same as unsuitability. Learn to read the difference.
Trust your instincts. Fifteen years of interviewing has taught me that your gut feeling about a person is almost never wrong. If something feels off — even if you cannot immediately articulate why — pay attention to that feeling. Equally, when someone walks in and the energy is right, that matters too.
Ask yourself honestly: Will this person fit with the existing crew? With the owners and guests? With the organisational structure of this vessel? Skills can be developed. A poor cultural fit is almost impossible to fix.
Facilitating the Interview
The environment you create for the interview is as important as the questions you ask. A few practical points:
- Prepare in advance. Do not wing it. Know your questions, know what you are looking for, and give the candidate the courtesy of a considered process.
- Present well. You are representing the yacht. Dress appropriately, be punctual, and conduct the interview in a quiet space away from distractions.
- Set the tone. Begin with something light and off-topic — How was your morning? Did you have any trouble finding us? A candidate who relaxes slightly will give you far more useful information than one who remains in interview-armour throughout.
- Do not patronise. Every candidate — regardless of experience level — deserves to be treated with respect. You may well learn something from them.
- Conclude gracefully. If it becomes clear early on that a candidate is not right for the position, bring the interview to a professional close, thank them sincerely for their time, and move on. The yachting world is small, and how you treat people is remembered.
On Communication: A Non-Negotiable
Communication is the one skill that underpins everything in the superyacht interior. You can train service technique, silver service, wine knowledge, and housekeeping standards. You cannot easily train someone to read a room, moderate their tone, or understand the non-verbal signals of a guest who would rather be left alone.
In the interview, pay close attention to how the candidate communicates, not just what they say. Are they measured? Do they listen as well as they speak? Do they answer the question asked, or do they deflect? Can they self-reflect? Do they communicate with warmth and professionalism, or does their language feel inappropriate for the environment they are applying to work in?
Communication is the hardest thing to teach and the most important thing to hire for.
Interview Questions Worth Asking
These are some of my favourites — built and refined over fifteen years of interviewing. They are designed to reveal character, self-awareness, and suitability rather than simply rehearsed answers.
“How has your morning been?” The icebreaker. Tells you immediately how someone presents in a relaxed, conversational moment.
“Tell me a little about yourself.” The classic opener. Give them space and see what they choose to lead with.
“What is your greatest achievement — professional or personal?” Reveals what the candidate values and what they consider a meaningful accomplishment.
“Tell me about a time you felt genuinely overwhelmed at work. What happened, and how did you manage it?” This is one of the most useful questions in any interview. It looks at self-awareness, problem-solving, and emotional regulation under pressure. The candidate who says they have never felt overwhelmed is either not being truthful or has not been challenged enough.
“What prompted you to apply for this particular position?” Looks at motivation. Are they driven by money, travel, career progression, the specific vessel, or something else entirely? None of these is wrong — but knowing which one tells you a great deal.
“What are three strengths you would bring to this role?” These do not need to be purely professional. How a candidate answers this question — with confidence or with hesitation, with specificity or with vague generalities — is as telling as the strengths themselves.
“What do you look for in a leader?” Can they be honest with you about what they need from a manager? This one requires a degree of trust to answer well, and the answer will tell you whether that trust is already present.
“When you work as part of a team, what role do you naturally fall into?” Are they a leader, a supporter, an executor, a problem-solver? Knowing where someone naturally sits in a team helps you understand how they will fit with the people already on board.
A Final Word
Everything above — the criteria, the shortlist, the questions, the structure — is in service of one thing: finding the right person. Not the most qualified person on paper. Not the most impressive interviewer. The right person.
This industry is unlike any other. The person you hire will not simply work alongside you — they will live alongside you, through long passages and difficult guests and 3am emergencies and the rare, extraordinary moments that make this career unlike anything else.
Hire for character first. The rest, in a willing and committed person, can always be taught.
