Wanna know how a day in a life of a yacht stewardess looks like? Well let me tell you. To start of you need to know, that no two days are ever the same. Everything comes down to your customers and the crew.
In the company I’m working for, we’re doing daily charters, which means that it’s very rare, that guests are staying on board over night, that also means that different types of duties have to be fulfilled.
Our daily charters are usually starting around 10 o’clock and lasts for about 8 hours, but that varies depending on the guests.
My day starts around 7 in the morning. Quick shower, getting dressed in my uniform, then time for coffee and breakfast. I start my work day at 8 o’clock, which gives me two hours before arrival of the guests to make sure that everything is to the highest possible standard.
I’m starting with down stairs area and clean all the bathrooms, polish EVERYTHING that can be polished, make sure that the towels are straight, toilet paper in place no spots on the mirror etc… With yachting industry is like with 5 stars hotels, only better. Then making sure there are no creases on the beds, just like in the military. When you throw a coin on the bed, it has to bounce back. Dusting all the surfaces and checking for fingerprints. Once all of that is done, it’s time to move upstairs.
By this time my grocery order would be delivered, so we have to put everything away. Now it’s time for more polishing. The mirrors, glass doors, door handles, flat surfaces, coffee tables, bare in mind that everything is covered in glass…
The yacht I’m working on is 24m long, and apart from the captain, there’s also a deckhand with me, who is responsible for the exterior of the vessel. So after the interior is all sparkly clean, I usually help out on deck. Since the yacht is washed daily, we have to make sure that all windows are clean with no smudges or spots, we also wipe down every inch for any dried water drops and polish the railing since it’s made of stainless steel.
By that time our guests are about to arrive and we are more than ready 🙂
Now the second part of the day begins. Meet and greet on the arrival, introductions, quick safety brief and off we go.
While the guests are on board I’m making sure that they have everything that they need. Here is the tricky part, you have to be one step forward at all times. You notice their drink is getting low, you refill before they ask, you see them getting ready to get some tan, you are right there with the towel, and all this while giving them as much privacy as you can.
The first stop is usually around 1-1,5 hrs of the cruise. The captain drops the anchor and the guests are enjoying the free time. This is where we are preparing are first snack. Meat and cheese platters. It can be time consuming, because we are always making sure that the presentation is worth a Michelin Star. While I’m in the galley my colleague is taking care of the guests.
Time for a bathroom check, during stops I’m cleaning the bathrooms after every guest since they are all swimming and changing. Remember, everything has to be sparkly clean AT ALL TIMES.
By then it’s time to make a move, so we are doing a safety check: steps up, platform up, all the doors closed and secured.
Now for lunch we have two options, the guests either go out to the restaurant, or stay on board and we are preparing the food.
If they go out, it’s time for us to… yeah you guessed it… clean the yacht.
But if they decide to stay, I’m starting with preparing the lunch, setting the table, while making sure that the guests are taken care of, then we serve the meal, it usually takes around 1-1.5 hrs, as they can not wait to go back in a water. For a dessert we prepare a platter with mediterranean fruits. After lunch we clean and put away everything immediately, as every glass item on deck is a potential hazard. Whenever everybody is ready, it’s time to make our way back. Again safety check: steps up, platform up, all the doors closed and secured.
At this point during the cruise the guests usually take it slow, relaxing and enjoying the rest of the day(it’s not always the case, but it’s what we – the crew quietly wish for). Once we reach the disembarkation point, I’m helping guests with their belongings, making sure that nothing is left behind. Then it’s time for mooring, so I’m helping with the lines. After the yacht is safe and secured leg three of my day begins.
Sometimes I take thirty minutes before I throw myself into the whirl of endless tasks(on a yacht the job is never finished) and have a coffee or a late lunch, but other times we might have came back later than anticipated, therefore I start straight away as to have a little time in the evening, or a night if you will.
Again starting with bathrooms and staterooms: I am disinfecting all the toilets and showers, replacing amenities, changing the towels, sorting out the beds.
Moving upstairs, it’s time to polish all the glass surfaces, windows, door handles, mirrors, the list just goes on. Hoovering the sofa and all the carpets. Last but not least the galley. Once everything is done interior-wise I’m making a shopping list for the next days charter.
By this time my colleague is usually done with the exterior, but if that’s not the case I go out and help him so we can finish for the day.
Aaaand we’re done. It’s around 10pm, we are absolutely exhausted, time for dinner and a quick shower. By midnight I’m usually in bed, so the next day I can be up bright and early and ready to do it all again.
