Now yachting sure does have some incredible perks like living on the ocean, seeing new countries, meeting new people, and the amazing salary.

Yacht crew salaries start from €2,000 – €2500 a month for junior Deckhands and junior Stewardesses, rising to €4,000+ for more senior roles. A chief stew and first officers average salary usually starts from €5000-€6000 euros DOE (Depending on experience).  A Captain can make €10,000+ per month, all superyacht salaries depend on the size of the Superyacht. 

Everyone usually has to start from the bottom unless you have previous yachting experience, certain qualifications or you have a specialised skill such as a trained masseuse or sommelier. However when you first join the superyacht industry you can expect a wage between  €2,000 – €2500 per month.

I would say these salary enhancements are a way to fast-track you to getting more money. I’ve got a list of these in The Yachting CV toolkit which can help you ‘climb the ranks’ faster. 

There are other factors which affect your yachting salary and that is whether the yacht is chartered or privately owned. If you end up working on a charter yacht you may receive tips, whereas on a private boat you will generally get a higher basic income.

Now I can see your eyes light up TIPS! You work hard for them i’ll tell you that right now…. and sometimes they pay off BIG TIME. Tips are generally at a minimum of 10% of the charter price of the boat and split evenly between each crew member. Some yachts can be 200,000 euros a week to rent, some much much more. There’s a BIG difference in the service in charters on smaller boats as opposed to the larger boats as the guests differ significantly. 

Bigger is not always better. You may be working on a smaller charter yacht that is much more affordable for the average millionaire and you’re busy doing back to back charters making bank. As opposed to being on a larger charter yacht and only chartering a couple of times a year. 

Other side notes to Yacht Crew Salaries

• Every yacht is different and may pay your monthly wages in an alternative currency (Euros, USD, etc).
•  It is standard procedure for the yacht to provide round trip fare to and from the yacht so your flights are included to your home port 
• Unless otherwise stated in your Seafarers Employment Agreement (SEA), most superyachts will provide health insurance
• Majority of yachts will provide every meal, basic toiletries, uniforms, laundry, transportation and other onboard expenses.
• Yacht crew schedules vary on each boat however, you generally have four to six weeks paid holiday per year and a five to six day work week is standard unless the yacht is on charter or if you’re on a rotational schedule.
• It’s not like a usual job where you go to work and you come home and you’ve finished for the day.  You will be living at your place of work so you’re always technically on the clock.