Crew F.A.Q
Join our database: it’s easy to do – no lengthy registrations
→ just upload your CV through our Jobs Board!
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We provide CV advice and if you want “CV Surgery” we offer a professional service to enhance your presentation to give you an advantage in the job stakes.
You will receive professional guidance and direction from former yacht crew who are seasoned professionals in the industry.
We advertise Permanent, Temporary/Contract and Casual roles. We even have another sector of our business Australian Elite Domestic Staff for ‘retired’ ex-yacht crew that wish to continue their careers in the domestic sphere as House Managers, Housekeepers, Chefs, Butlers, etc.
We also offer crew training if you need to up-skill or renew your qualifications: visit www.AussieCrew.com
We post articles of interest to yacht crew from time to time to keep you up-to-date with useful information and knowledge.
For the USA: Crew wanting to work on international flagged yachts in US waters will need to obtain their B1/B2 “crew” visa. It is easier to obtain this when you’re in Europe before your vessel heads to the USA. You (and those of your crew needing a B1/B2) will be required to go to a US embassy for an interview to obtain this. The Captain will give you a letter on yacht letterhead to substantiate your application. It is generally a simple process this way. Most visas are valid from between 1 – 10 years depending on which passport you hold. NOTE: A B1/B2 visa is a multi-entry visa which allows you to work on foreign flagged vessels cruising American waters. It is not like a Green Card and you cannot work on land or on American flagged vessels.
If you require information on how to obtain your B1/B2 visa SCI covers this within our Superyacht Induction course, the Steward/ess, Deckhand and Chef cross-training courses.
To enter Europe (or the USA) you generally only need a 90-day visa waiver. Working on a Superyacht is not working on French or Italian soil – it’s usually working on a foreign-flagged yacht. Some nationalities need a Schengen visa for travelling in Europe. See the list of countries whose nationals need a visa for a stay of up to 90 days.
ENG1 is an MCA Seafarers medical certificate. It is mandatory for crew to work on MCA Commercial Yachts but is also worth getting for all yachts to enhance your employment opportunities. It is valid for 2 years and costs vary according to where it is obtained – expect between $100-$160. The examination takes between 30-45 mins usually. You can obtain it at medical centres worldwide. A list of providers is available from the MCA website.
NOTE: There are equivalent medical certificates available in ‘white list’ nations.
In Australia the following centres are approved:
BRISBANE: Anzac Square Medical Centre + 61 (0)7 322 91344
MELBOURNE: Bridge Street Clinic + 61 (0)3 9646 3551
SYDNEY: Medical and Dental Centre + 61 (0)2 9261 9200
To find out more information on where you can find this medical worldwide visit the MCA website and search for “ENG1”.
NOTE: In Australia an MCA medical certificate will only be recognised by foreign flagged vessels not Australian flagged commercial yachts.
An AMSA Medical is also a Seafarers medical certificate. This has become a mandatory requirement for all crew to hold before obtaining employment aboard Australian commercial yachts. It is valid for 2 years and the costs vary – generally around A$300 or so. To obtain an AMSA medical visit the nearest medical centers provided to you on the AMSA website.
STANDARDS OF TRAINING, CERTIFICATION AND WATCH KEEPING is an International Safety Standard which has been decreed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and endorsed by the MCA and signatory countries. It’s like an Occupational Health and Safety course for anyone whose workplace is at sea.
The course consists of the following modules:
- Sea Survival Techniques
- Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting
- Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities
- Elementary First Aid
- Security Awareness
For more information about where you can get this visit:www.aussiecrew.com
*NOTE: We recommend an AMSA-approved STCW95 courses for Australians and New Zealanders so that they can be eligible to work on Australian registered commercial yachts and ships. These courses are usually 8-10 days long. Only AMSA STCW95 is valid for work in Australia. AMSA’s requirements are high!
CVs are very specific for the Superyacht industry.
- You’ll need a suitable photograph
- You’ll need to give your current location and availability date
It is mandatory to have STCW95 Basic Safety Training and the Seafarer’s Medical certificate (ENG1) and these should be mentioned in your list of Qualifications and certificates.
Your employment history is important – show your most recent roles first: Job Title, Where you worked, When you worked there. Give details about the specifics of each job.
Referees (at least three) should be current and all contact details provided: Name, Position, Yacht, Phone & Email.
Don’t forget: Your CV should be ‘selling’ your skills and experience and not merely present as an account of your time! This is your self-marketing tool – so make a good effort to present yourself well. It needs to be accurate, well set out, containing the necessary information: Objective, Personal Details, Qualifications/Certification, Work History, Referee list. Some crew also add a list of interests.
If word-processing isn’t your thing you can ask us for “CV surgery” to enhance your presentation ‘on paper’.We will transform your CV so it would be worthwhile to invest in yourself in this way. Download the application form
These days it can be quite competitive to get your first job in the professional yachting industry! Therefore training is required!! STCW95 Basic Safety Training is mandatory. You’d be wise to also do a vocational course (Steward, Deckhand or Chef cross-training) to get the necessary skills and knowledge to perform well in your new role. This will also give you an advantage when compared to other candidates as a safer choice!
Not having previous yachting experience is not necessarily a disadvantage as many Captains, Chief Officers and Chief Stewards like to employ candidates whom they can train themselves.
However having some formal Steward or Deckhand training will enhance your chances of getting a better job faster! Ensure that the training is industry accredited and delivered by experienced Superyacht crew trainers who have actually worked in the professional industry internationally. The best interior courses have the PYA GUEST accreditation.
Those who have completed a vocational course have shown their dedication and professionalism by going beyond the minimum and have a lot more confidence and skills to bring to their first role.
MCA stands for (Maritime and Coastguard Agency of Great Britain). This organisation governs the safe manning and qualification levels that apply to commercial yachts that carry the ‘red ensign’. This is effectively 99% of international yachts (except those under US Coastguard rule). To find out about the MCA and its charter you can visit their website or we’ll elaborate more in our 1-day Superyacht Crew Induction Training course.
AMSA stands for (Australian Maritime Safety Authority) and governs the safe manning levels and qualifications for crew on Australian vessels as well as preservation of the marine environment. You can visit the AMSA website at www.amsa.gov.au
AMSA control and audit the training institutions in Australia that offer STCW95 and other deck and engineering qualifications.
That’s a bit of a “how long is a piece of string?” question! There are a lot of variables: your location, the time of year, your age, your skill set and experience, your qualifications, your personal presentation and a bit of luck! We can tell you about the jobs that our clients ask us to fill that may suit you, but you need to be proactive and tenacious. There is no set time frame in finding a job. Sometimes it’s being in the right place at the right time. We give our vocational course students some great ideas for job hunting that help to increase their chances for finding work.
Yacht crew seeking a job will often travel to a yachting hub and need accommodation whilst they job hunt and day work. It’s like a dorm room for yachties. The advantage of staying in a crew house is that you can get to know other crew of all experience levels and start networking.
Senior crew will often visit crew houses to find day workers and many crew houses will have a Jobs Board as a service to their guests.
Yachts can travel worldwide and many do embark on world cruises or perhaps to cruising grounds like Scandinavia, The North and South Pacific, Alaska, Australia and New Zealand etc. However most will travel around the Mediterranean during the European ‘summer’ (July to Sept) and some will then travel across the Atlantic to the USA and/or Caribbean for the ‘winter’ (Nov to March). The hub of yachting in Europe is France but Italy and Spain both have a lot of yachting activity, as do the French and Italian islands Corsica and Sardinia. The Monaco Grand Prix and the Cannes Film Festival often kick off the ‘season’ in May with many yachts booked for corporate charters and of course owners wishing to experience these events! Yachts that stay in the USA all year will often go north to Canada, Alaska, New York, New England and Nova Scotia to beat the summer heat. It is also popular for yachts to cruise Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, and the US West Coast after they’ve experienced St Barths, Antigua, St Maarten, Bequia, St Kitts, etc. in the Caribbean archipelago.
The prime time for crew to look for work on yachts in the Mediterranean begins around March/April and can continue until June.
Primary countries: France, Italy, Greece, Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Turkey.
During the actual summer season (July to September) there can still be a lot of temp and day work jobs to be found, with heavily used charter yachts needing extra hands to ‘turn over’ between charters. Just prior to the Monaco Yacht Show in late September you can find work helping yachts prepare for the show.
The northern hemisphere winter is the season for yachting in the Caribbean and around Florida. Places like the Bahamas are popular and on the go all year round.
The primary places are: Antigua, St Maarten, Bahamas, Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
The majority of crew base themselves in Fort Lauderdale.
In the summer months (June – September) many yachts leave the south to head to the northeast coast of the United States where the weather conditions are cooler.
Primary places: Newport, Rhode Island, New York, Martha’s vineyard and even up to Nova Scotia in Canada.
These are popular cruising grounds for Owners and Charter Guests.
