Hiring and Managing Your Superyacht Crew: A How-To Guide

Spending time aboard on some of the most luxurious, decadent waterborne vessels ever created, slipping across crystalline waters from one gorgeous, exotic location to another and all the while being paid to be there. It sounds so idyllic and desirable and certainly makes the superyacht crew market a competitive one. This is great news for potential owners who are considering buying a superyacht but there are some factors to take into consideration and some issues and potential pitfalls to avoid. 

We have gathered together pearls of wisdom our experienced, knowledgeable team have garnered over years in the industry to create a 'how-to' guide for hiring and managing a perfectly functioning, highly-motivated superyacht crew. There are several ways to go about finding the perfect crew members, and they depend very much on your preferred level of involvement and input into the process. First things first:

Choose your captain wisely

Your captain represents the most pivotal and influential crew member you must find in your quest to fit your superyacht out with a great team. Individual crew members in other positions might come and go without too much disruption, but not your captain. As the person you are going to interact with the most and rely upon heavily if you can find a captain you feel comfortable with and respect and trust, the battle is already almost won. This process will be all the easier if you have moored your vessel in one location for a long period, and spent lots of time getting to know the local captains and crew members.

Accept your captain's recommendations

It is worth remembering that, depending on your location and the local sailing culture, there is a strong chance crew members will already be very familiar working with each other and may even expect to be hired as a team. It is almost inconceivable your chosen captain does not already have some preferred crew members and recommendations of their own and it would be remiss to ignore them. The success of this endeavour pivots on assembling a team able to operate seamlessly like a well-oiled machine. If the leader of the team has ways to make that process easier and a good outcome more likely, why ignore them? Put your faith in your captain, give his people a chance, and remember, this is much more likely to create unity among the crew and motivate them to do the best job possible. If crew members feel indebted to your captain and grateful for the opportunity to board your superyacht, they are so much more likely to be loyal and hardworking. 

Finding crew in unfamiliar locations

While getting to know your captain and crew members personally and selecting them yourself is perhaps the ideal way to proceed, in the real world it cannot always work out that way. Especially if you are new to the superyacht community or find yourself in an unfamiliar location in need of a captain or additional crew members. Here again, if you have a great relationship with your captain, the chances are they can put the feelers out in the crew community and see how the local environment is at that time. It is only natural that the crew from any berthed vessels will socialise and operate in their own community, sharing information about owners and employment opportunities. If you can find a way to tap into that, you give yourself the best chance of hiring people you actually want to have on board.   

• Be decisive - Candidates will have several irons in the fire, and if you get a good feeling about them, do not hesitate too long or risk losing them.

• Look beyond the resumé - Accept that, beyond required qualifications and impressive lists of achievements, suitability is subjective. At the end of the day, you are the one they will be working for, and you should trust your gut instincts and those of your captain.

• Recognize genuine enthusiasm - A willingness to learn and the drive towards self-betterment are powerful motivating factors. Be prepared to give individuals a chance if they display a real passion for the work and lifestyle. 

Using a yacht crew agent

When the more direct, intuitive route fails, there is always the reliable fallback of using a yacht crew agent to do the legwork for you. Agents are a primary source of information for individuals on both sides of the process and effectively bring suitable parties together if competent and professional. The truth is, of course, not all agents are the same, and you might find yourself having to spend time seeking out an agent with a good reputation. But once you do, they should have an excellent grasp of your conditions and requirements as an employer and their candidates' skillsets and qualifications. Bringing the two together should then be plain sailing. A reliable crew agent should be able to: 

• Quickly and accurately access quality crew

• Work closely with yacht owners to intimately understand their needs and requirements

• Keep on top of the current recruitment market

• Effectively assess and vet potential recruits

• Create a successful hiring strategy 

• Comply fully with the Maritime Labour Convention of 2006 and have a copy of their certificate available for inspection

Crew retention

Although positions working on luxurious superyachts are highly sought-after and often experience fierce competition, it is also true that the industry can be a flighty one by nature. Problems with crew retention are common for a number of reasons. Some, the owner and captain can work together to mitigate, others simply occur as a result of the constantly shifting nature of the role. This lifestyle often appeals most to younger people, and they are the least likely to consider any position as one they will keep for years to come. The balance is a fine one, but with perseverance and careful thought, it can be maintained successfully. Some factors to consider if crew retention is an issue on your vessel include:

• Wages - Do you offer wages and conditions to match those available on other vessels?

• Job descriptions - Are you providing all the information needed to assess the position accurately?

• Expectations - Is the position a particularly demanding one? High levels of stress and feelings of being under-appreciated are a sure way to drive away some crew members. 

• Downtime - Can crew members expect a reasonable amount of leisure time to enjoy the fruits of their labours? 

• Career progression - Is there scope to move up the career ladder working on your superyacht? 

There will be many other factors you cannot predict or account for however, the more time and effort you can put into giving consideration to these concepts and assessing your vessel from both sides, the more likely you are to achieve mutually beneficial results. 

Communication is the key to success

Whether between the owner and the captain, or the captain and the crew, clear, effective communication is always going to be preferable to subtle hints and nuanced instructions. Before you even begin this exciting journey, make a list of all the things you consider to be non-negotiable in your staff and crew and hold a meeting to discuss them. Working relationships can become strained and frayed easily, especially when misunderstandings or alternative interpretations of instructions occur. 

As much as people like to feel a sense of individualism and power over their own responsibilities, they also appreciate knowing exactly where they stand and what is expected. Make sure everybody is on the same page from the word go and then let them get on with their jobs. Avoid micro-managing if possible, and remember you're paying them to operate the vessel so you can relax and focus on other things. Let people prove themselves and not disrespect or abuse those who make mistakes, and the on-board harmony will be sweeter and more tolerable to all involved.  

• Encourage your captain to speak regularly with the crew and assess their mood

• Build interpersonal relationships with the crew yourself, no matter their level

• Be clear and concise in your expectations and requirements

• Forgive honest mistakes

• Try to put yourself in the shoes of your crew and view the role from their perspective

• Consider an anonymous suggestions box 

• Install a fixed, reliable procedure for airing grievances

Support, empowerment, and mutual respect

Empowering the crew to make certain decisions themselves gives them a sense of worth and motivation to work harder to prove their decisions right. It is also important to understand and accept that not every crew member will be interested in the longer-term prognosis of their position. Some will be in it for the money, travel opportunities, and thrills, but that doesn't mean they cannot make valid, valuable contributions. Work closely with your captain to highlight individuals who seem keen to make a career in the industry and nurture their efforts wherever possible. Loyalty can be a fickle concept in the superyacht crew world, but people do not easily forget those who treated them with kindness and respect and helped them on their way. 

Give your crew the chance to enjoy themselves

There are few things in life worse than finding yourself in a job you don't like or where you feel undervalued, disrespected, or put upon in terms of working conditions and expectations. Nothing will drive crew members away faster than finding they are not enjoying their work or there is not enough time off to make up for the long hours, sense of captivity, and constantly-moving nature of the work. There is no arguing that working on board a superyacht brings some incredible perks and is a job many people dream of but it also brings some disadvantages and disruptions that must be mitigated and compensated for. 

It is essential to sense the mood of your crew and make sure they are given enough time to enjoy themselves and experience the benefits of their chosen lifestyle. Some ideas to keep them happy and entertained include:

• Throw spontaneous parties

• Book crew excursions

• Give unexpected time off

• Facilitate shore leave 

• Be flexible and understanding when faced with unavoidable absences

The more valued your staff feel, the more appreciative of your efforts they will be and, hopefully, inclined to reciprocate and overlook hardships or frustrations. Remember, many crew members will be younger people without families tying them to a single location. This is useful in terms of their flexibility but means their youthful exuberance and motivations must be taken into account and catered for to maintain harmony and continued quality of work.

The importance of hierarchy and teamwork 

When it comes to the business of a smoothly operating, efficient crew that understands their roles and performs tasks without question, your choice of captain is once again the crucial element. It is all well and good to have a stern, professional captain who expects the highest standards and discipline at all times, and they must do so. However, if that comes at the expense of a positive, reciprocally trusting relationship with the crew, it is going to drive some individuals elsewhere. If, as the owner, it is difficult for you to engage with the crew in a totally open and honest way, your captain must be able to do so.

Hierarchy is non-negotiable on board for safety reasons alone, and the captain must be the unequivocal leader. Everyone aboard must respect and obey their decision-making regarding the operation of the vessel if nothing else. However, respect flows both ways, and there is a balance to be found in maintaining professionalism and integrity along with emotional investment in the position and everything it brings. 

If you’re looking to offload the demands of owning and running a superyacht, please do not hesitate to contact us to learn more about our superyacht management programmes and how we can help.