Why does hiring follow the seasons?
Most of the fleet works two seasons. In summer the yachts cruise the Mediterranean. In winter they move to the Caribbean and the US. YPI Crew puts the Med season at roughly May to October and the Caribbean season at roughly November to February. With guests aboard, a yacht has little time to train a newcomer, so captains want crew who can work from day one. New crew have their best chance in the weeks before guests arrive, when yachts are filling their crew lists and need extra hands to get ready.
YPI Crew is clear that people find jobs at other times of year too. The busiest recruitment comes in the run-up to each season. Plan your money and your training around those two windows. Arrive with your tickets already done. Turning up during the build-up and then spending a fortnight on a course costs you the weeks that matter most.
Spring: the Mediterranean build-up
YPI Crew names February to May as the best months for junior crew to look for Med work, because that is when yachts prepare for summer. Yachts arriving in France, Spain and Italy take on temporary crew for preparation and seasonal crew for the summer, and shipyards need help. Antibes and Palma are the two hubs. A YPI recruiter calls Antibes the place for junior crew, because most agents interview there and trains reach ports from Genoa to Marseille cheaply.
The same months are busy across the Atlantic. Dockwalk reports that most Caribbean yachts begin changing crew for the summer once Antigua's spring race week ends. From mid-April to mid-June, many yachts return to Fort Lauderdale for repairs, maintenance and provisioning before summer. So spring work exists on both sides of the ocean. In Florida it often comes as daywork on a yacht in maintenance. In the Med it comes as season hires.
Summer, autumn and the crossing
Superyacht Content sees Antibes a little differently. It calls June to August the ideal time to look there, when the marinas are full, and rates May and September as great. It says March, April and October give a decent chance, and November to February are the worst months. Read the two views together. The build-up is when whole crews are put together. A full marina in summer still gives anyone on the dock plenty of yachts to approach.
Dockwalk describes the end of summer as a second crew-change point. Cruising finishes, yachts go into repair and maintenance, and there are no guests aboard for several weeks. Many people are also in Fort Lauderdale for the autumn boat show. Superyacht Content notes that October is the last month in Antibes before yachts head across the Atlantic. Yachts that stay behind for the winter work through maintenance and yard periods instead.
Winter: the Caribbean and the yards
YPI Crew says yachts prepare for the Caribbean from October to the end of November, which makes that the best window for winter work. Late November usually ends the hurricane season. Antigua, St Maarten and Fort Lauderdale become the centres. Because most yachts pass through the US at some point, YPI says they mostly look for crew who already hold a B1 visa.
The winter is quieter in the Med, but it does not stop. Dockwalk notes that holiday charters bring a surge in guest trips, and rotational posts open when crew take a break over the holidays. YPI Crew says yachts that skip the crossing often go into maintenance or yard periods with smaller crews. Engineers stay in demand then, because yard work brings a heavy load. Superyacht Content advises green crew against hunting in Antibes from November to February.
What you need
- STCW basic trainingDockwalk advises getting your basic STCW training finished before you start looking, so you are ready when the hiring window opens.
- B1 visa for winterYPI Crew says Caribbean-season yachts mostly look for crew who already hold a B1 visa, because they pass through the US.
- Being in the right hubAntibes or Palma for the Med build-up, Fort Lauderdale for spring maintenance and the Caribbean build-up. Dockwalk's advice is to be available when and where the yachts need you.
- Agency contactYPI Crew recommends registering with a few reputable agencies, keeping your CV current and visiting in person if you are in the area.
- Useful extra skillsDockwalk lists fishing, engineering, au pair work, massage, inventory management and helicopter piloting as skills in demand.
By location
| Antibes and the Riviera | YPI Crew calls Antibes the place for junior crew during the spring build-up, from February to May. Superyacht Content rates June to August as the best months there and November to February as the worst. |
|---|---|
| Palma de Mallorca | YPI Crew names Palma, alongside Antibes, as a crew hub in the run-up to the Med season. |
| Fort Lauderdale | Dockwalk says many yachts return there from mid-April to mid-June for maintenance and provisioning. Crew changes pick up again after the summer season and around the autumn boat show. |
| Caribbean | YPI Crew names Antigua and St Maarten as the main winter centres. Yachts prepare from October to late November, and most want crew holding a B1 visa. |
How to get there
- February to MayMed build-upBe in Antibes or Palma with your tickets done. Look for temporary preparation work, seasonal posts and shipyard help.
- May to OctoberMed seasonYachts cruise Italy, France, Greece, Croatia and Spain with guests. Experienced crew are favoured, but full marinas still give you yachts to approach.
- September to OctoberAutumn crew changeCruising ends, yachts go into maintenance and crews change. Some yachts cross the Atlantic and others stay for yard periods.
- October to NovemberCaribbean build-upBe in Fort Lauderdale or the islands with a B1 visa as yachts prepare for winter.
- November to FebruaryCaribbean seasonHoliday charters bring a surge in guest trips, and rotational cover opens as crew take breaks.
- April to JuneSpring crew changeCaribbean yachts change crew for summer, and many head to Fort Lauderdale for maintenance and provisioning.
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Questions people ask
What is the single best time of year to find a first yacht job?
The weeks before the Mediterranean season, from February to May, according to YPI Crew. Yachts are preparing, hiring temporary and seasonal crew, and agents are interviewing in Antibes and Palma. The October to November build-up for the Caribbean is the second window.
Can I find work in the middle of a season?
Yes, but it is harder for new crew. YPI Crew says yachts with guests aboard want people who can work from day one. Superyacht Content still rates June to August as good months in Antibes, because the marinas are full of yachts.
Is winter a dead time for yacht jobs?
No. Dockwalk notes that holiday charters bring a surge in guest trips and open rotational cover. YPI Crew says yachts in yard periods still need engineers. For green crew, though, Superyacht Content rates November to February as the worst months to hunt in Antibes.
Do I need a US visa for the Caribbean season?
YPI Crew says Caribbean-season yachts mostly look for crew who already hold a B1 visa, because the yachts pass through the US during the season. Get it before you start applying for winter work.
Are engineers hired on the same calendar as deck and interior crew?
Largely, but engineers have more work outside the seasons. YPI Crew says shipyard periods bring a heavy workload, and engineers often need extra help while the yacht is in the yard.
