.gif)
Working as a yacht stewardess can be both exhilarating and demanding, with long hours, demanding guests and the need for constant attention to detail, there’s never a dull moment on board a luxury yacht. Although many might think working onboard a yacht consists mostly of sunbathing on deck and joining in themed parties, the reality of a day in the life of a yacht stewardess can be quite different, to understand more, read The Yacht Stewardess Diary: On Charter.
Here is what a typical day might look like for the interior team on charter on a motor yacht around the 50-metre mark…
6:00 am – Rise and Shine
Many yacht stewardesses start their day before the sun comes up. They might begin with a quick coffee or breakfast before heading to their assigned tasks. In a team of three, typically one stewardess will be on the early shift (usually the third stewardess) where they will be up before the guests to ensure everything is up to superyacht standards. Tasks might include; dusting the main guest areas, polishing the windows, juicing oranges for breakfast and turning the laundry on.
7:00 am – Breakfast Prep
The breakfast table is then prepared ahead of time, regardless of when the guests rise the table should be set. The early shift stewardess will now begin pulling crockery and table settings to create an inviting breakfast table for guests. The stewardess will work with the chef to make sure all breakfast items are prepped, including but not limited to; pastries, fresh fruit, bacon, eggs, fresh bread, toast and cereals.
This can be an enjoyable time of day where you might be lucky enough to see an epic sunrise whilst you work and enjoy some quiet time before the buzz of the day begins.
8:00 am – Breakfast
Breakfast service begins. This service is usually more relaxed and is typically served ‘family style’ with all dishes on the table for the guests to serve themselves. The third stewardess will usually start by taking orders for coffee and any cooked breakfast dishes, relaying this to the chef accordingly.
9:00 am – Cabins
During breakfast time is an ideal time for the second stewardess to begin in the cabins. Everyday the cabins need to be ‘turned over’, replacing any stained linen with fresh linen, detailing the bathroom and collecting laundry. It’s important to be aware of time as the guests may be soon returning to their cabin after breakfast. The chief stewardess may now be checking in and discussing the day with the guests to see if their planned itinerary has changed or if they require any restaurant bookings, etc.
12:00 pm – Lunch Prep
Lunchtime usually requires two stewardesses to serve and set the table together whilst the other stewardess deals with laundry. Like Breakfast, on a boat of this size, Lunch is usually served family style and can be more casual depending on guest preference. Checking the weather is crucial as if you are out on anchor and are experiencing heavy swells or winds, it might not be suitable to seat guests outside. Discuss with the deck crew to see where is best to serve.
Crew will also take their turns to have their own lunch prior to guests eating which is prepared by the chef and placed in the crew mess for everyone to enjoy.
2:00 pm – Free Time
During the mid-afternoon, guests might take a nap, relax on the yacht’s sundeck, or partake in water activities, while the crew takes some time to catch up on their own tasks or take a break. Stewardesses will typically use this time to turnover the laundry, do some ironing or check any provisions that might be running low. If you’re lucky and happen to be in port, you might be able to take a stroll outside and explore your surroundings – likely to be beautiful!
5:00 pm – Late Afternoon Tea or Cocktails
Depending on guest preference, this might be a time for late afternoon tea or cocktails, usually one stewardess will be present to serve guests and will liaise with the chef to serve any cakes or snacks that they request.
View this post on Instagram
7:00 pm – Table Setting
Possibly the most satisfying part of the day for a stewardess, coming up with a romantic and creative table setting for dinner. As dinner tends to be more of a lengthy and formal service on most boats, this is really a stewardess’s time to showcase creativity and service skills. Its fun to add decorations that reflect the location or the theme of the dinner, if tonight is Italian cuisine add fresh lemons, decorative branches and crisp white linen to the table, pick some ambient music and switch on the battery powered candles to match the setting sun. Stunning!
View this post on Instagram
8:00 pm – Dinner Service
During dinner, which will typically be handled by the second stewardess who serves the food and the chief stewardess who serves the wine, all guests are absent from their cabins. This is the time for the third stewardess to turn down all five guest cabins, wiping down the bathrooms, collecting any laundry and refreshing towels and turning back the sheets for sleeping.
11:00 pm – Bedtime
The stewardess who woke early can now get some rest or enjoy some downtime whilst the later rising stewardesses wait for the guests to retire to their cabins, continuing to serve drinks and ensure that everything is running smoothly and that guests are fully satisfied by their experience onboard.
Read more Yacht Stewardess Diary articles here.
We would love to hear from Crew! Connect with us here:
Instagram
Facebook
LinkedIn
