Mar 22, 2024 | Housekeeping
What is Turndown Service?
Welcome aboard, the epitome of luxury and refinement in the realm of superyachts. As we sail through the azure waters, our commitment to unparalleled hospitality shines brightly, encapsulated in the timeless tradition of Turndown Service.
Originating centuries ago, Turndown Service has evolved into a cherished nightly ritual, meticulously crafted to ensure our esteemed guests experience nothing short of perfection. Unlike traditional hotels, where this service is commonplace, onboard a superyacht, the experience is elevated and offers a unique rendition of this opulent practice tailored to the discerning tastes of those who grace our decks.
The Superyacht Stewardess
For these modern-day sirens of the sea, their days are a whirlwind of activity, attending to the needs and desires of discerning guests with unwavering dedication. From polishing silverware to orchestrating elaborate soirées, their responsibilities are as varied as they are demanding. One such duty is turndown service, also known as evening service.
So, what precisely unfolds during our Turndown Service?
As twilight descends upon the horizon, our dedicated crew members discreetly enter each stateroom, poised to orchestrate an enchanting transformation. With precision and finesse, they delicately turn down the bedcovers, fluffing pillows to cocoon-like comfort.
An indulgent touch awaits as a selection of gourmet delights, and evening quotes, meticulously curated to tantalize the palate, graces the pillows.
But Turndown Service aboard the superyacht transcends the ordinary. Beyond the realm of bed linens, the crew choreographs a symphony of hospitality, meticulously tidying and refreshing every facet of the stateroom.
From the removal of any trace of clutter to the replenishment of amenities with the finest luxuries, no detail is spared in our pursuit of excellence.
As the final notes of this exquisite performance echo through the stateroom, a serene ambience envelops the space. With curtains drawn, lighting dimmed, and the temperature delicately adjusted, each stateroom becomes a sanctuary of tranquillity, beckoning our guests to surrender to the embrace of a restful night’s slumber.
In the realm of superyachts, where extravagance knows no bounds, Turndown Service stands as a beacon of our unwavering commitment to exceeding expectations. And, at the at the heart of this seamless operation is the superyacht stewardess, a beacon of grace, efficiency, and hospitality.
One invaluable resource that many stewardesses turn to for guidance in navigating the intricacies of their role is “The Stewardess Bible.” This comprehensive manual serves as a trusted companion, offering sage advice on everything from table settings to emergency procedures. “As the day comes to a close, may your dreams be filled with peace and contentment.”
Turndown Quotes for the Very Busy Superyacht Stewardess
Looking for the perfect collection of turndown quotes to use in your next project? Look no further! The carefully curated selection below provides a great starting point for any situation where a firm but polite no is required. Whether you use them as is or adapt them to your specific needs, these quotes are sure to help you communicate your message with clarity and confidence.
“Wishing you a restful night’s sleep and dreams as beautiful as the stars above.”
“Let go of today’s worries and embrace the serenity of the night. Good night!”
“May the night bring you tranquility and the sweetest of dreams. Good night, my friend.”
“As the day fades into night, may your troubles fade away and your dreams take flight.”
“Sending you wishes for a peaceful night and a bright tomorrow. Good night!”
“Wrap yourself in the blanket of night and let its comforting embrace lull you to sleep.”
“May the night unfold like a gentle lullaby, soothing your soul and guiding you to dreamland.”
“Rest easy, knowing that tomorrow is a new day filled with endless possibilities. Good night!”
“As you lay your head down to sleep, may your dreams be filled with joy, love, and happiness.”
Sep 12, 2019 | Housekeeping
Small Space – Storage Solutions
As a superyacht stewardess, you are required to be very creative with your small space storage solutions. The storage area needs to be clean, dry and easily accessible…. Which, let’s face it, is quite often NOT the case…..
If you are like me and had your fair share of battling with mattresses to get to the under bed storage or contorting your body into the most fabulous position to get into a tiny bilge space, then I think the following article will be quite helpful.
Generally, on superyachts, we do not have the luxury of walk-in storage areas unless you are on an 80m+ vessel and even then you may find yourself in a storage battle with other departments staking claim over the precious space…
So before your frustration levels skyrocket let’s look at what you have to work with:
You may find storage in the following areas:
- Obvious cupboards in the crew area and guest accommodation
- Under bed storage: Both in the guest and crew accommodations
- Bilge areas
- Under furniture in both the guest and crew areas
- Outside under furniture
- Under the bridge consul
Important:
Now before you start to distribute your interior stuff everywhere… it is very important to respectfully ask each department to allocate space for you.
Storage items:
On a yacht, there seem to be a million things to store and so little space to store it in. So I have selected just a few items that seem to always be in the “more challenging items to store” category.
- Space bags for things you won’t need on charter
- Blue tape around types of clothing (ordered by item, not size)
- Blue tape around sizes of items
- Ziplock bags of clothing items
- Ziplock bags of items by size
- Plastic containers if space allowed
Unless you are lucky enough to have an allocated large cupboard for this I would normally store this under a bed. As with many things on this board it is really a personal preference. However, experience suggests that ordering the items by size and type is an effective solution. You can always see what the item is but finding the right size can be time-consuming.
You will be limited to what and where you can store things in the guest accommodation, however, in the crew cabins you can think in various dimensions. For example, look at vertical dividers in cupboards or hanging shoe bags on the back of doors.
Toilet paper and kitchen towels:
- Toilet paper and kitchen roll stored in bilges
- Stored in hanging nets in walking laundry cupboard
For bulkier items such as toilet paper and kitchen towel, before a charter or cruise, make sure that all of the internal cupboards are stocked well (this included under the bathroom sinks in crew cabins).
Next, make sure the galley pantries and crew mess are well stocked and then place the kitchen roll on top of the toilet paper.
Just make sure that the storage area is clean and well ventilated.
Drinks, water bottles, cans:
AUUGHGGH, drinks storage can be a royal pain in the A#$%, but with a little planning, it really shouldn’t be so hard. What I mean by this is start off by doing a little math…
Step one:
- See how much space you have. This may be 2 forward lockers, lockers on the sundeck and locker on the aft deck etc.
Step two:
- Use the space wisely.
- For the larger lockers buy plastic crates with holes in them for ventilation and an escape route if any water gets in them.
- Calculate how many bottles of water fit into space. Use this as a guide for provisioning. I.e. if you know the forward locker fits 50 x 2L bottles of water then you can easily estimate what you need for your next order.
- A good tip here is to buy a combination of both foldable crates and permanent size crates, both have a useful purpose on board.
Step three:
Go ahead and calculate all of your storage areas. If you do this properly then it will make your life so much easier in the future with mid-season provision requirements.
Wine and liquor:
So by now, you have probably figured out that storing wine on a yacht can be very challenging. The usual recommendations of wine storage such as:
- Temperature
- Humidity level
- Motion Restriction
Are pretty impossible to control on a yacht. In addition to this, you will also have to find suitable storage, which enables easy access yet it has to be secure enough that the bottles won’t break.
Typically the wine tends to be consumed on the cruise/charter, however, if it is not then common sense dictates that fine wine be stored on land for longer storage requirements.
Once the wine fridges, bar, pantries and allocated cupboards are stocked to capacity, you will need to look to the under furniture storage. If possible, I would recommend storing any excess wine amidship like in the main saloon or lower deck in the VIP cabin purely due to the lesser motion of the vessel.
There are many things that you can use to protect the bottles such as:
- Bubble plastic
- Towels
- Even kitchen roll
However, the one product that I highly recommend is a protective mesh wine sleeve.
- I love this product because it’s cheap, easy to get and easy to store any excess.
- It saves the glass bottles from smashing or clinking together and it protects the very important label.
- Finally, because its mesh you can easily see what you need
- You can buy it online from Amazon, or you can try your local ship chandlery
Remember: all cardboard should be removed from the yacht to illuminate the risk of cockroaches or other nasty bugs becoming your new nightmare on board.
Further reading on wine storage:
https://www.onboardonline.com/industry-article-index/provisioning-and-galley/a-stellar-cellar-on-board/
If there something that you would like help with then please leave a comment below or email admin@stewardessbible.com
May 9, 2019 | Housekeeping, The Superyacht
HOW TO REDUCE PLASTIC USE
As superyacht stewardesses, we see the damage caused to our oceans and waterways by plastic daily. Moreover, its no surprise to know that plastic pollution is a global problem that threatens aquatic life.
Therefore, it is necessary for everyone to take small steps to reduce plastic use as well as take good care of their environment.
This article is written for the superyacht stewardess but can be applied to all walks of life. Further, it aims to highlight some steps to follow to reduce plastic use and pollution.
Cutting down the Daily use of Plastic
Avoid using plastic straws.
These straws are a massive problem in ocean contamination; they are also among the most picked up trash on beaches.
To stop straw use is straightforward: As a consumer, simply do not order a straw, and as a superyacht stewardess do not offer a plastic straw. If you guests asks for one, offer a bamboo straw instead.
Make use of a reusable tumbler or a no-go mug when you order coffee. As a consumer, take your own insulated coffee cup along to your favourite coffee shop. The use of insulated tumblers will also keep your beverages hot or cold a lot much longer.
Moreover, You also need to know that paper coffee cups are mostly coated with plastic resin, so you need you to avoid these as well and go for reusable containers.
Avoid dry-cleaning in reusable bags.
Avoid making use of the dry-cleaners’ one-time-use plastic bags and nasty coat hangers. Instead, provide your dry cleaner with your own coat hangers and reusable bags.
Avoid chewing gum.
How would have thought that chewing gum was so bad for the environment! However, according to Planet experts, it is.
The gum was initially made from natural materials like sap and rubber, but manufacturers now make use of a type of synthetic plastic instead.
Therefore instead of mindlessly grabbing the first of chewing gum, you see look for a biodegradable natural gum or eat mints instead.
As a superyacht chief stewardess who does all of the provisioning’s onboard, this is one area that you have complete control over and one tip that can be extended throughout all of your product purchases
Check out these romantic biodegradable straws
Make use of eco- friendly shopping tips
Use reusable bags to carry your groceries.
Yearly, billions of plastic bags occupy landfills. In order to help reduce this number, use your tote bags when you go grocery shopping.
- Reusable bags are much sturdier for moving groceries and will make a large impact on the number of plastic bags used.
- It is easy to get reusable bags at most grocery stores and if you are using a provisioning company, ask them not to use single-use plastic bags.
- Buy food from bulk bins and store them in reusable containers. Purchasing foods from the bulk section will save you money as well as lots of plastic packaging.
- So instead of bagging your bulk foods up in plastic bags make use of your reusable bags or containers.
- Waste-free storage options include cotton bags, glass jars and stainless-steel containers.
- You may consult the customer service desk if you are worried about how your containers will affect the weighing and paying.
- This is because most stores have weighing options for personal containers. Cotton bags have their weight printed on the bottom which makes the weighing process easier.
Avoid purchasing bottled beverages.
Stop your use of plastic bottles by getting alternatives, i.e. by using a reusable bottle to fill up with water, by making your own soda with machine-like Soda Stream, or you purchase fresh fruit to make your juice.
I acknowledge this is a hard thing to do onboard a superyacht, but as we are all citizens of this planet, this point is for everyone, so please just do your best.
Purchase secondhand toys and electronics.
This is because new toys and electronics come with excess plastic packaging. This may not be an easy tip to adopt onboard the superyacht if you are shopping for the guests, but it is easily done in your private life.
Shopping secondhand helps you eliminate waste and high price.
Reduce Plastic onboard the Yacht.
Keep your food in glass containers or jars.
This is a super easy thing to change onboard. And if you are worried about breakage, then there are other alternatives, such as wheatgrass containers, or upcycled plastics. Also, check out the beeswax food wraps.
Produce your own multi-purpose cleaner.
The vinegar and water cleaning solution for example.This help to prevent the purchase of cleaners in plastic bottles.
Try recycling your plastic products. After you might have used all plastic products make sure to recycle instead of disposing of them.
You should have a recycling service stop by and have the plastic products picked up at your home, or you take plastics to the facilities.
I have written an article on this matter for Dockwalk magazine, which you can check out here:
- The Superyacht Stewardess and Going Green
CONCLUSION
Reducing plastic use involves everyone taking small steps which all amount to a solid solution.
These steps as listed above include replacing single-use plastics with reusable options, when shopping, shop secondhand and purchase in bulk to reduce plastic packaging.
Each step seems small, but small steps will add up to significant change!
Lastly, I encourage everyone to do there homework on this issue. The following websites are a great help:
Apr 4, 2017 | Housekeeping
Cleaning with Vinegar
Cleaning removes germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces or objects. “Cleaning works by using soap (or detergent) and water to physically remove germs from surfaces. This process does not necessarily kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection.
Disinfecting kills germs on surfaces or objects. Disinfecting works by using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces or objects. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection.
Sanitizing lowers the number of germs on surfaces or objects to a safe level, as judged by public health standards or requirements. This process works by either cleaning or disinfecting surfaces or objects to lower the risk of spreading infection.”
Things you SHOULD clean with vinegar:
As a general rule, to make up a vinegar cleaning solution, simply add ½ cup vinegar to 2 cups of water. Place it in a spray bottle and you are good to go.
- Removes tea and coffee stains on porcelain
- Removes water marks on the glass
- Removes grime and sticky stuff off scissor
- Restores rug fibres
- Freshens most fabrics
- Removes waxy residue of wooden furniture
Removes candle wax
Mixed with a ½ cup of baking soda, unclogs, and deodorizes drains
Shines chrome and stainless steel
Place a bowl of water and vinegar into the microwave for a steam clean
Mixed with baking soda, deodorises the refrigerator
Shines ceramic tiles
Removes calcium and mineral deposits from shower heads
Helps to fight mould and mildew
Add 1 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle of the washing machine for soft fabric
Mixed with baking soda, removes sweat stains from around collars and underarms
Freshens up musty cupboards
Kills some bacteria and germs
Wash your fruits and vegetables to kill pesticides
The most glaringly obvious things that you should not clean with vinegar is granite and marble tops. This material is a very durable and resistant material which is commonly used in bathrooms, pantries, and floors on board superyachts.
The stone would normally have a sealed finish on it, however, due to the porous nature of these natural stones, you want to stay away from citrus and vinegar based cleaning solutions because it can etch away at and put the stone. Instead, use warm soapy water and a microfibre cloth to clean the beautiful stonework.
Smart screens:
By cleaning your smartphone tablet, or Crestron multimedia screen with vinegar, you can actually remove the oleophobic coating. Instead, keep the touchscreen free of dirt and dust.
You can clean the screen by using a non-abrasive cloth with any non-ammonia cleaning solution applied directly to the cloth (do not spray the screen directly).
Cleaning with Vinegar
The Steam Iron:
I know you would love to pour some vinegar directly into your steam iron, but in fact, this can damage the inner workings of your iron, and it may lead to more black stuff being spat out.
Instead, READ the manual and use the self-cleaning function. Further, many modern steam irons will come with an anti-scale cartridge to remove the scale deposits inside the iron.
These tablets will prolong the life your steam iron.
The same applies to the coffee machine. I know there is a lot of recommendations all over the internet about cleaning your coffee machine with a vinegar solution. However, depending on the machine, the boilers are typically made from steel or aluminium, which vinegar can corrode.
Any waxed surface. As mentioned above, vinegar is a mild acid, so it makes sense that it would strip away any waxy residue, leaving the surface dull.
Lastly, does not mix bleach and vinegar. Both of these substances are powerful cleaning agents in their own rights, however, mixing the 2 can create a dangerous gas.
May 3, 2016 | Housekeeping
Please note: It is not the intention of the author to belittle you, rather, it is to slightly educate you as to what will happen if you do.
Why a superyacht stewardess should NOT flush tampons down the toilet
The menstruation cycle of a woman is a standard monthly occurrence. However, it is not a topic that is readily discussed amongst men, especially not seafaring men.
(Let’s be honest here, it’s not the most delicate subject to talk about, and it does make many people very uncomfortable)
Nonetheless, in the Superyacht industry, it is the engineers (typically men) who have to sort out the problem when women dispose of their feminine hygiene products correctly.
This article will discuss Why a superyacht stewardess should not flush tampons down the toilet.
The “NO tampons in the toilet” instruction came from the engineering department; where the personality characteristics of an engineer varied as much as the oceans themselves.
Some would bark the command… “don’t put tampons down the toilet”, others would approach the subject a little more delicately. However, the message was always the same.
Needless to say, that, throughout my long career as a Superyacht chief stewardess, I always had a mandatory chat with the new stewardesses about not putting tampons down the toilet.
My go-to reason was so that it wouldn’t block the toilet system.
Fair enough, I thought, (I mean, I had not given the subject much more thought than that). It was not until recently when I decided to write about this subject that I wanted to know a lot more. So off I went to ask an engineer, and this is what I found out:
- A marine toilet is NOT like a standard household toilet.
- It is a vacuum toilet constructed by the intricate use of smaller pipes with Y pieces, which twist and turn to the yachts specification.
- The pipes which are used can be 6 times smaller than those used in a private house.
- At the end of this pipework sits a macerator which cuts the human excrement and toilet paper into smaller pieces which then passes through to a holding tank.
Now, should material other than bodily fluids and purpose made tissue (i.e. toilet paper) be flushed down the toilet and get stuck in the pump, then ultimately this can interfere with the guest’s toilets.
This will depend a lot on the construction of the pipework, but basically, if you flush a tampon down the toilet, which the system can then Not the process, the whole system will need to be shut down until the problem can be resolved.
This will make for a very unhappy boss and guest. Not only that, but your fellow crew member has to then sort out a very unpleasant problem. They will first have to find the blockage, which means opening up the pipework and removing the culprit responsible for the blockage.
Now as you can imagine, the culprit will be used a tampon or too much toilet paper, or other materials such as dirty tissues or other material.
As I mentioned above, each engineer is different, and I have had the pleasure of working with some brilliant personalities and with some undesirables.
One engineer comes to mind; he would bark commands at everyone. Concerning this topic, he said,
“If any of your girls block the system then I will give them the bucket to clean it out”.
To summarise why a superyacht stewardess should not flush tampons down the Toilet:
- A marine toilet is NOT a standard household toilet
- It is constructed with smaller pipes and a lot more bends
- The vacuum system is delicate
- If the pump gets compromised, it does not only affect the crew area; it can also affect the guest accommodation
Apr 4, 2016 | Housekeeping
Now, please let me make this quite clear that the idea of cleaning up vomit is literally putting a bad taste in my mouth, and I must admit that I am feeling slightly squeamish as I write this…
However, it is one of those things that as a Superyacht stewardess you will just not be able to get around. The fact is both, guests and crew may succumb to seasickness at some point in the journey, so every Superyacht stewardess will need to know how to clean up vomit.
We protect our clothes as well as our carpets with the hope that they attract no stains. However, try as we might, accidents can happen and in a flash, we spill juice or coffee on our clothes and rugs.
There are other stains that are more difficult to remove and they include blood, grease, pet urine, and vomit, which can really stink and mess up our carpets.
How to clean vomit from carpet
Vomit falls into the category of bodily fluids, which is a protein stain. Like all protein stains the most important thing to remember is to NEVER use hot water when cleaning the stain.
As soon as you know there is a vomit mess to clean up, time really is of the essence. Especially if you want to avoid having to deal with that horrible rancid smell, or that bright orange stain on the carpet that just will not budge.
What you will need:
Gloves (for the love of god… Do not clean up vomit without gloves on)
A bucket or bowl for scraping up the chucks
A spoon or a spatula
Paper towel or a white terry cloth
Bicarbonate soda or cornstarch
A vacuum cleaner
Vinegar cleaning solution
Tepid water
Method:
Place the bowl at an angle and gently scrape the chunks and as much fluid into the bowl as you can. Be sure to do this in a gentle manner so that you avoid damaging the carpet fibres.
Make sure you pick up all the pieces first. Do not use a towel as it may spread the vomit around.
Dab the area gently with the paper towel or terry cloth to remove as much fluid as possible
Sprinkle the bicarbonate soda over the area and leave for 15 minutes
Vacuum up the bicarbonate soda and re-evaluate the stain
Should a stain remain, on a new white terry cloth, blot the area with a vinegar solution (see notes below).
Rinse the area with clean water.
Dry the carpet immediately with clean paper towel or a clean terry cloth.
Should the stain still remain, call a professional.
If you mess with the stain too much, you may be damaging the carpet fibres and a professional will they have a tougher time of not only trying to clean the original stain, but then also they will have to reverse your cleaning efforts.
(1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon clothes detergent, 2 cups of water).
