Superyacht Hospitality graduate stories

Superyacht crew life stories

Our graduates share their experiences, before, during and after their course sharing snippets of advice for crewing on yachts.

Molly Shirley

At 18 years old Molly Shirley was finishing college and working in hospitality, it was at this point that she began to research getting into the superyacht industry. In 2021 she decided to enrol on UKSA’s Superyacht Steward(ess) Training Course

  • Before the course: Studying for College and working in hospitality
  • After the course: Stewardess on board a superyacht
My advice

“If you’re considering the course, you learn so much – take everything in! You will have the best time, and when you do start work the skills you learn are so transferrable.”

Demi Pearson

25 year old Demi from Suffolk had been working at Tesco as a Team Leader/Community Champion when she met a chef skiing who worked on superyachts. in August 2023 she joined UKSA’s Superyacht Steward(ess) training course.

  • Before the course: Tesco Community Champion
  • After the course: Stewardess/Masseuse on 60m motor yacht
My advice

“I think a good bit of advice to anybody wanting to get into the industry would be try to get some sort of work/experience within housekeeping / hospitality before setting off as this will give you a head start and could make you stand out as a greenie. I also would say to not get disheartened if you feel like you are applying for roles and are not hearing anything back, keep applying, keep trying, keep in contact with as many agencies as you can and refreshing your job search pages each day. It might feel like it’s never going to happen but it will if you want it bad enough and it will be so worth it when it does.”

Beatrice Perks

Beatrice, a former Executive Officer at the Department of Work and Pensions and Bar Supervisor in Bristol, discovered UKSA through internet research. The positive reviews from previous attendees and future employers influenced her decision to enroll in the academy.

  • Before the course: Executive at Department of Work and Pensions
  • After the course: Stewardess onboard a 80m superyacht
My advice

 In such a competitive market, she advises signing up with agencies and maritime groups quickly, and making applications and CVs stand out as much as possible to increase the chances of employment. By signing up for groups, individuals can gain an understanding of what employers are looking for and get connected with others in the industry.