A guest ignores your third correction, loads the bar heavier than you agreed, and grins at you. Another asks you to come to his cabin to "show him that stretch properly". A third tells you about her medication and then asks you not to mention it to anyone. You are also on cabins at 09:00. All of this is one job, and none of it is optional to get right.
The guest who ignores your instruction
You do not win this by arguing. You win it by owning the session.
- Correct once, clearly. Correct twice, with a reason: "If it moves like that, you will hurt your back."
- If they continue, regress or remove the exercise. You control what is on the programme.
- If they continue still, end the session calmly: "Let us stop here and pick this up tomorrow."
- Report it to the chief stew. You are not telling tales — you are protecting the boat and yourself from an injury that will be blamed on you.
You are responsible for the session. If you cannot make it safe, you stop it.
The guest who crosses a line
Some guests will misread the relationship. A few will do it deliberately.
- Leave the situation. You do not owe anyone politeness at the cost of your safety.
- Report it — to the chief stew, and to the captain. Same day. In writing if you can.
- You are never at fault. Not for being friendly, not for what you were wearing, not for having taught them yesterday. The blame sits entirely with the person who crossed the line.
- A yacht that does not back you on this is a yacht to leave. Good boats have policies, and good captains use them.
Confidentiality and health data
Screening forms, medications, injuries, body-image conversations, what someone weighs. All of it is confidential health information.
- Store forms securely; limit access; never leave one on a counter.
- It does not go into the crew mess. Not as a joke, not as gossip, not ever.
- Share only what is genuinely required for safety, with the chief stew or captain.
Your own body
You are doing two jobs. Cabins, service, turnarounds — then a 6 a.m. session and a yoga class at sunset.
- Protect your sleep first. It is the thing that goes, and it is the thing you need most.
- Do not train yourself into the ground on top of a stew's day. Your own training gets lighter during charter, not heavier.
- Eat properly and drink water. You will cue guests to do it all week and forget yourself.
- Say when you are at capacity. Burnout in this role is common and it is not a character flaw.
Onboard Notes
- These lessons are preparatory study only. They do not qualify you to instruct anyone. Instructing guests requires an accredited qualification and professional indemnity insurance.
- The whole course reduces to one line: screen, refer, and stay inside your scope.
- Go and get qualified properly. The yacht will still be here, and you will be worth considerably more when you come back.