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When things don’t feel right on a yacht, standing by the crew door looking out to sea can feel pretty lonely.
And the crew mess can be wildly annoying, particularly at the height of the season when you haven’t had time off for ages, you’re stuck at anchor, and everyone is just driving you nuts.
Are you finding yourself looking at other yachts in the distance and wondering if the grass is greener — or in this case, the sea bluer — on another yacht? Is it time to find out? Or have you just got the August blues?
As crew agents, we understand that not all yachts will suit you, whether it’s because the crew culture isn’t a good fit, the yacht owners are unusually difficult, or you’re not getting the opportunity to grow your skills. Maybe the yacht’s itinerary has changed suddenly, taking you far away from the people you love, or you’ve decided you’d be better off on a quieter private yacht, or vice versa.
As crew agents operating for over 30 years, we have seen every possible variation of crew sadness and dissatisfaction on a yacht. We’re definitely not here to judge! But, we are here to give you career advice about making your best possible path through yachting. We’re always available for a discreet chat about your yachting future, whether that’s ‘I need to find a new job RIGHT now’, ‘I want to skill-up for promotion’ or ‘I want to start thinking about something different next season.’
If you’re mid-season, we generally advise trying to hang on until the end of the season —unless of course your mental health is suffering by remaining onboard. Ideally, you don’t want to let the crew down or tarnish your reputation. You also don’t want to get off the yacht without another job lined up if possible, particularly in August when the ports and crew houses are dead-quiet for job hunting.
However, we also know that sometimes… you just have to go. And that sometimes there’s a great role on another yacht waiting there for you, whether it’s mid-season or not! And we’re here to help you find that next opportunity.
Is it your first yacht? Maybe your expectations of what yachting would be and what it actually is just aren’t matching up.
Should you leave? It depends on what you don’t like about it. For example, if you’re not enjoying the amount of cleaning, the crew politics, or the lack of time off, it’s unlikely those things will be improved much by finding another yacht. (They’re kind of part of the deal.)
If it’s your first yacht, we strongly suggest working out the season. Yachting has a learning curve, and it takes time to adapt. Also, you’ll find it much harder to find another job if you left mid-season on your first boat.
Is your mental health suffering? If you are feeling really lonely, bullied, or depressed — if the crew culture is toxic or you can’t cope with the yacht owners, then this yacht is NOT for you.
Should you leave? Yes. Please reach out and we can advise you on how to leave the yacht quickly and professionally.
Is it just August? August can be BRUTAL for yacht crew. It’s often famously difficult, and can crack even the old salts at times.
Should you leave? Cast your mind back to 2 months ago. How did you feel about the yacht then? If you quite liked it and could see how the job was working towards your future, just HOLD ON. See how you feel after the season calms down and you have a couple of days off.
Had your doubts about the yacht even before the season started? Definitely reach out so we can see what else is out there for you.
Maybe your HOD is a micromanager and you’re not allowed to serve guests. Maybe you’ve been bypassed for promotion, or maybe you’re just not learning anything new. At this point, stories from other crews about all the cool stuff they’re doing in their roles can just chafe.
Should you leave? Ideally, you’ll stick out the season, but it sounds like you need to book a chat with us to plan your next move.
The crew culture just isn’t right. We’re not necessarily talking about a toxic culture here, just one that it isn’t right for you. Maybe the crew party more than you like, or aren’t social enough. Maybe you’d prefer a yacht where the crew are a bit younger, or older, or are into health and fitness or going on adventures on days off. There are thousands of superyachts in the world, and each one has its own crew culture.
Should you leave? If you’re in August already, you can probably make it to the end of the season to avoid letting others down. But whenever you’re ready, we’ll work to match you with a crew you’re better suited to.
We know that the ‘perfect yacht’ doesn’t exist. But we also know that a person can be extremely unhappy on one yacht, yet be extremely happy on another. Our job is to match you with the right job for your skills and your personality so that you can have a really successful and fulfilling yachting career.
If you want more than you’re currently getting from your yacht, for whatever reason, we always welcome a chat and career strategy session. Contact the Bluewater Crew team to talk about your next move.
