YPI CREW provides all advice yacht crew may need. We are here to assist those looking for work on a yacht or those who are already working as a yacht crew, but have questions or need assistance. Below, you can find links to the most useful crew information:
We have 3 sections: FAQ / What qualifications do you need? / What are the jobs available?
The specific qualifications required will depend on whether you are looking for a career in the deck, interior or engineering department.
The common certificate required in all fields is the Basic STCW 95 and comprises four modules certificate. Superyacht recruitment agencies cannot find you work unless you have this basic certificate. Yachts over 500 ft, which are commercially registered, also require for all crew to have done a Security Awareness Training for which a certificate is delivered.
Once you are working on board the yacht, in whichever capacity, your captain and or Head of department will be able to advise you and guide you on further certificates you can take to go up the career ladder.
It is likely that you will have skills to bring to the table which are transferable to the yachting industry.
We all had to start somewhere, so don’t be shy; in yachting a positive personality and hardworking attitude can go a long way.
YPI CREW recruits yacht crew at all levels and specialist recruiters are available to guide you.
If you are interested in working on yachts, there are various roles you can apply for:
Due to the competitive nature of the yacht crew industry, it is essential to illustrate your skills and experience in the best possible light. It is therefore essential to refine your CV, ensuring it is concise, relevant and well formatted. YPI CREW advises prospective candidates to consult a CV professional – such as The Crew Coach, a valued long-term partner of YPI CREW – to give themselves the best chance of perfecting their CV.
Yes, YPI CREW is listed on the French national register of seafarer recruitment and placement services under number GM1/50. The list can be consulted here.
You can find out more about MLC 2006 here.
Yacht Crew recruitment agency YPI CREW has launched a new peer-to-peer salary comparison website for the yachting industry designed to add a greater level of transparency – how much do people really earn. Learn more about it on the Yachting Salaries page.
Most crew will stay in crew houses. In Antibes the following crew houses are available :
The minimum is 2.5 calendar days per month of employment. On medium to larger yachts, however, it is a common practice for chief engineers and senior deck officers to work on rotations, such as three months on three months off.
The MLC (maritime and labour convention ) 2006 stipulates the limits on hours of work or rest shall be as follows :
Maximum hours of work shall not exceed?:
or
Minimum hours of rest shall not be less then :
However, during a busy season you should expect to have to work unusual and long hours if required as yachts operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The yachting industry is very rewarding, but it is not for everyone, because once you start working onboard, you sign up not just for the job, but also for the unique lifestyle which comes with it. As an entry-level crew member you will be expected to work very hard, be a dedicated team player, the common goal being to ensure the guests have the best holiday. You must be able to live in tight spaces with other crew members and have little privacy and time on your own. Plus, you must be totally service-oriented to ensure that each guest is happy. If you have what it takes to lead such a lifestyle 24-7 and perform well at a yachting job, then the sky is the limit and you will be able to have a long and successful career afloat in a field of your choice.
Look around you and look at what employed yacht crew wear during the day and copy that style. This will position you one step ahead of your competition. There are a few uniform shops in Antibes where you can buy everything you need. Generally speaking the professional yacht crew attire is a polo shirt or a shirt, white, blue or beige and plain shorts, skirts (not too short in length) or pants with boating shoes. Dangly and ornate jewellery is not appropriate.
In case of emergency, if your family is not able to reach you on the yacht through regular means of communication (telephone and email), your family can email us or call us. We shall forward the email onto you and follow up with a call to make sure the email has reached you. If we have received a phone call for you from your family with an urgent message, we shall email you and also follow up with a phone call. Should we have placed you on yacht through a yacht management company, we shall also contact the yacht management company and forward the message. Your family can reach us on laurence@ypicrew.com and +33492904610 during office hours.
The email address laurence@ypicrew.com is monitored outside office hours and the mobile number to reach us outside office hours, for emergencies is +33612046508. This is the number of Laurence Lewis, the director of YPI Crew. Please note that the above is only to be used in case of emergency should your family have failed to contact you directly. It is your responsibility to ensure that your family has your up-to-date email and telephone numbers on board the yacht you work on and YPI Crew will not be held responsible for failed or delayed communication. YPI Crew will not charge you for the above.
Some yachts have a grooming and appearance code and a policy of “no visible tattoos” – This means nothing visible when wearing a crew uniform (polo shirt and shorts or skirt). It is best to discuss this with your recruiter who will advise you on which yachts this might be a problem.
The standard A1.4 Recruitment and Placement, paragraph 5 of the MLC 2006 states that (b) no fees or other charges are to be borne directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, by the seafarer other than the cost of the seafarer obtaining a national statutory medical certificate such as an ENG1, the national seafarer’s book and a passport, not including the cost of visas, which shall be borne with the ship owner.
Wherever the owners want to go.
A private yacht belongs to an individual who will use the yacht with his friends and family. A charter yacht also has an owner but in addition it will be rented out to third parties for a determined amount of time.
Charter yachts follow the principles of the Maritime and Labour Convention 2006. You can read the MLC 2006 convention on our website in any of the 4 official languages.
We do not not place entry level couples; Working as a couple is a privilege which one earns and only happens at senior level; And even then yacht crew jobs for couples are not that common.
Crew cabins are small and you will be sharing with one person of the same sex; Space is at premium so best to travel light. You will be provided with crew uniforms, crew shoes and all toiletries so all you will need are a few civilian clothes for your off time. Laundry is taken care of by the stewardesses. Products such as the Kindle are great for yacht crew; Gone are the days of bulky books taking up valuable space!
The quick answer is no; English is the language of the seas and the working language on board yachts. Of course, being able to speak other languages is a bonus and can make life easier and enhance your experience. It can also help dealing with some guests on board the yacht and with local suppliers. Antibes and the south of France is the heart of the Mediterranean yachting industry and most suppliers who are serious players in the yachting industry will speak English.
There is a very large English speaking community in the South of France, many yacht crew and captains live here with their families.
We cannot answer this question, it’s the same as asking: how long is a piece of string. It depends a lot on your skill set, enthusiasm, professionalism, neat and tidy presentation, politeness, resourcefulness and, of course, luck. Some people find work within a few of days or couple of weeks…others will not make it. We recommend you give yourself a month to find work and have the financial means to sustain yourself during this time. If within a month nothing happens, you need to re-evaluate your position. Please note that recruiters will not interview you unless your online profile is up to date with a copy of your CV, STCW 95, medical certificate and passport.
It all depends; some yacht crew jobs are seasonal jobs, typically these contracts run from April to end of September for the Mediterranean season and from October to March for the Caribbean season. Seasonal jobs are most of the time for junior stewardesses and deckhands. Some yachts below 40 meters with only a one season program may also only hire a chef for that period.
Generally speaking Captains, officers, engineers, senior interior crew are employed on a permanent long term contract.
Please note, commercial yachts also known as charter yachts will provide you with a SEA ( seafarers employment agreement) which is the proper term replacing the word ” contract”. Commercial yachts should give you the opportunity to examine and seek advice on the agreement before signing and joining the yacht. For further information about SEA refer to the MLC 2006 Title 2 Regulation 2.1 Seafarer’s employment agreements. Private yachts are not required to issue a SEA.
Yes, there is. The minimum age is 16. No person below the minimum age shall be employed. Also, night work under the age of 18 is prohibited. “Night” shall cover a period of at least nine hours starting no later then Midnight and ending no earlier then 5 am. This is in accordance to the MLC 2006 Standard A1.1 Minimum age. Please note that you can start the online registration procedure with YPI CREW before the age of 18, but we will wait until you turn 18 years old to place you on a yacht.
