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You may be crew joining the industry or maybe this is your first crossing ‘across the pond’, but you will hear yachties & recruiters all the time referring to the ‘Med Season’ & ‘Caribbean Season’ – both are very different in what you can expect as crew. Sarah from Seas The Day is here to tell you all about it!
The Med
The Med season kicking off around April/May time after preparing the yacht for the upcoming season prior & goes on until October.
Yachts follow the extensive, glorious Mediterranean coastlines, moving between the indulgent Rivieras & serene quiet bays.
Popular locations
The most popular areas are Italy – Sicily, The Amalfi Coast, Greece, Croatia, Sardinia, Spain, the Balearics, the stunning South of France & of course the glamourous Monaco.
What’s it like working with guests?
Guests onboard often expect a busy itinerary blending trips ashore to exclusive restaurants, like Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc where many celebrities frequent, the infamous champagne flowing Club 55, Ibiza end of season parties, Hotel Splendido in the breath taking Portofino, Monaco’s suave casino culture, Cannes fashion frenzy glorious hot spots, Sardinias cool beach clubs & exclusive boutiques as guests adore a methodical trip ashore to splash some serious cash on what the high fashion world offers.
For crew the season is a daily, busy back & forth with guests as they soak up the many hot spots the Med has to offer.
Service is at its highest, with a far more formal approach than its Caribbean season sister. Celebrities & friends are often added guests for a lunch or a dinner, with a buzz of ‘who’s who’ & ‘who is wearing what’. Note, no matter the guest, they have to take their shoes off too! Many a crew member has encountered the ‘do you know who I am’ guest.
Trips ashore, shopping, restaurants, the culture, beach BBQ’s (which is actually the more difficult of service as its entails so much prior preparation)… The Med season tends to be fast paced, living life filling it to the maximum capacity of what guests can fit in during their stay.
That is not to say that there is no relaxing. Of course, there are the many hidden coves, golden sand beaches & treasure chests that only the best Captains know of (well this is what we want the guests to believe) are utilised daily. But most have a blend of both.
It’s a busy season
For crew you are kept on your feet constantly, the Chief Stewardess & Captain coming up with the most imaginative locations, trips ashore, themed lunches & dinners, onboard entertainment ranging from singers, acrobats, mermaids (yes you read that right), jugglers, magicians, performers offering all manner of ‘unique’ experiences… The options are endless!
A Med season offers luxury, sophistication, glamour, celebrities, fine dining & glorious Old World vintage wines. It is busy & bustling with energy keeping crew on their toes at all times.
The Caribbean
Now to enter the Caribbean Season…usually December to March time.
For me, I just adored this season. Guests have a totally different aura – you can see them visually just relax & melt into the rasta beats & charms that is incomparable to anywhere else.
What locations do you visit?
Note: we call it the Caribbean season, but many yachts travel outside of the Caribbeans waters, but the season remains named the same.
The BVI’s, Bahamas, Saint Barts, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Antigua, St. Maarten… The list goes on, all are stunning, yet all offer a vibe for crew & guests, that is much more laid back, relaxed, leaving crew feeling they have stepped into another world after the Med.
What’s the dynamic onboard like?
While wine is of course still offered, crew find themselves making cocktails throughout the day. Water sports are nonstop, locals sail up to the yacht offering local produce. Although the standards certainly don’t slip, as the guests relax, so do the crew. The manic of the Med seems polar opposite.
Christmas & New Year on a busy charter yacht are always booked out for guests. But unlike the Med, many guests encourage crew to come shoreside with them to enjoy the celebrations.
While I enjoyed the Med season, I always adored the Caribbean for its laid back charm that is contagious to everyone onboard.
Seas The Day offers the tools and guidance you need to start your career in this incredible industry, or enhance your current skillset, including: courses from the comfort of your home, onboard courses to enhance your skills and at various accredited maritime schools.
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