Yacht Steward and Stewardess jobs

A Steward, or Stewardess, works as a vital member of the yacht’s interior department. Their main responsibility lies in providing high-end, luxury service to guests whilst maintaining the vessel’s interior to a clean and tidy state.

From this role, one can work up the ladder into more managerial interior positions, such as Chief Steward/ess, Head of Service, Head of Housekeeping or Purser.

What does a Steward/ess do? | Steward/ess Job Description

Most of the main day-to-day responsibilities of a yacht Steward/Stewardess include general housekeeping and serving duties. This includes vacuuming, dusting, polishing and detailing the guest interior area, laundry and ironing, preparation of cocktails and drinks, meal service duties, maintaining bar and drinks stock, flower care, table decorations, crew provisioning, and uniform stock and order. 

The day-to-day duties included in the yacht Steward/ess job description will also be determined by the size of the yacht, the type of yacht, the season, and the itinerary. For example, on large yachts the role will be more defined and fit within a bigger interior team, while on smaller yachts your role may be more hands-on, including galley or deck operations, or even driving the tender.

The responsibilities of a Steward/ess include:

• Cleaning all areas of the interior of the yacht

• Drink preparation and service

• Laundry and ironing

• Cabin preparation and detailing to a very high standard

• Maintaining bar and drinks stock 

• Plant care

• Flower arrangement

• Turning down the guest cabins

• Setting up for meal service

• Executing meal service and cleaning up after the meals

• Executing theme parties when needed

Soft and hard skills required to be a yacht Stew

The job of a yacht Steward/ess is often a very demanding one with a solid mix of repetitive tasks and face to face interactions with guests. For this reason, the role calls for people who are hardworking, energetic and a have a positive outlook. 

For people who are new to the industry it can often be surprising that some days you might spend the entire day ironing or cleaning cabins, so someone who is flexible, with a can-do attitude will be the best fit for this position. Stews will also engage with the yacht owners and guests more than other crew members so you will need to be friendly and confident, with good communication and interpersonal skills.

The skills of a successful yacht Steward/ess include:

• Flexibility and ability to take direction

• Keen eye for detail

• Positive attitude

• Understanding of various different service styles

• Approachable and friendly manner

• Barista and mixology skills

• Wine knowledge

• Cigar knowledge

• Flower arranging skills 

• Plant care knowledge

• Teamwork and multitasking

Mandatory certificates needed to work on board a yacht 

All crew members regardless of position and seniority need to have a valid STCW Basic Safety Training certificate, along with a recognised Seafarers medical certificate, the most popular being the ENG1 which is issued by an MCA (Maritime and Coastguard Agency) professional medic. 

Without these two certificates, it is not possible for crew to work on board a yacht and a Recruiter will not be able to assist you in finding work onboard a yacht. For more information about mandatory certificates please visit our Mandatory Certificates Guide.

Are you ready to secure a Stew position onboard a yacht?

Become a member of YPI CREW and connect with our recruiters so they can guide you through your job search. 

Each of our recruiters is specialised in crew placement for a particular department and they will do their best to get you an interview on board a yacht. They will also advise you on how to best present your experience and skills and prepare for a yacht job interview.