The captain calls you at 17:00 and asks if you can come for a trial tomorrow. You say yes before you ask a single question. Three weeks later you are unpaid, undocumented, sharing a cabin with someone you do not trust, and there is no contract. All of that was avoidable at 17:00.
The Interview
Yacht interviews are short, informal and mostly about one thing: can we live with you for six months in a small space?
Expect: why yachting, what do you know about the job, what have you cleaned, are you seasick, do you drink, tattoos, relationships onboard, and how you handle being corrected.
- Be calm, tidy, direct and unglamorous. Enthusiasm about hard work beats enthusiasm about travel.
- Do not oversell. Say honestly what you have not done, and say you will learn it fast.
- Have questions ready: private or charter, crew number, itinerary, leave, rotation, who you report to.
The Trial
Most interior jobs start with a trial — commonly a few days to two weeks working onboard before anything is permanent.
- A trial should be paid (day rate or pro-rata). Unpaid "trials" that stretch on are exploitation.
- You are being watched for: attitude, speed, cleanliness, whether you ask questions, and how you are in the crew mess at 22:00.
- You are also assessing them. Watch how the crew talk to each other, whether people are exhausted, whether the chief stew teaches or humiliates.
Red Flags in an Offer
| Red flag | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| No written contract | No protection when it goes wrong |
| "We will sort the paperwork later" | They will not |
| Salary paid only in undocumented cash | Trouble for you, not them |
| Pressure to work without STCW or ENG1 | The yacht is cutting corners everywhere |
| "The tips will make up for the low salary" | The salary is the low salary |
| Vague about hours, leave, cabin sharing | It is worse than they want to say |
| Very high turnover of interior crew | Ask why. Then believe the answer |
What a First Contract Should Contain
Yachts on many flags operate under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) framework, which sets minimum standards for a Seafarer Employment Agreement. Broadly, your written agreement should cover:
- Your name, the yacht, the flag, your position and start date
- Salary, currency, payment date and method
- Leave entitlement and any rotation
- Hours of work / rest provisions
- Repatriation — who pays to get you home
- Medical cover and insurance
- Notice period and grounds for termination
Read it. If you do not understand a clause, ask before you sign, and get proper advice if it matters. Applicable rules vary by flag and change — verify against current MLC and flag state requirements.
Onboard Notes
- Never join a yacht on a handshake, however charming the captain is.
- If your gut says the crew are miserable, they are. Guests come and go; the crew mess is where you live.
- A bad first boat can put you off yachting permanently. It is better to wait two more weeks on the dock.