How to become a Fourth Steward / Fourth Stewardess
Nobody starts as a Fourth Steward / Fourth Stewardess. The usual path starts as a Daywork Steward / Stewardess, a job you can get with no yacht experience, and reaches Fourth Steward / Fourth Stewardess at about year 0 to 1 of a yacht career.
The pathFrom no experience to Fourth Steward / Fourth Stewardess. A typical path, not a rule.
Daywork Steward / Stewardess
Year 0. Pay from about US$2,400 a month. Short-term interior crew hired by the day to clean, detail and prepare yachts in port, usually before a season, a charter or the end of a refit.
Fourth Steward / Fourth Stewardess
Year 0-1. Pay from about US$3,000 a month. A junior interior role on yachts of 60m and above, covering housekeeping, laundry and guest service under the chief, second and third stews.
Before you applyWhat a Daywork Steward / Stewardess needs, from the Daywork Steward / Stewardess guide
Must have
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical certificate
Gets you hired
- Food Hygiene Level 2
- GUEST Interior Introductory course
- Silver service or housekeeping course
- Basic barista or wine course
- Proficiency in Designated Security Duties (PDSD)
Later, for Fourth Steward / Fourth Stewardess
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 or equivalent seafarer medical
Visas
- Schengen right to stay or EU passport for France, Italy and Spain
- B1/B2 visa for US-based yachts
What counts instead of yacht experienceOur advice
Captains hire a Daywork Steward / Stewardess for cabin and surface detailing, linen and laundry care and silver and brightwork polishing. With no yacht job behind you, show the same skills from work ashore. A background in five-star hospitality is the closest match, for example work as a front of house team member.
Write each job on your CV as what you did, with numbers: how many guests, how many boats, how many covers. Then list every skill below that you can prove.
- Cabin and surface detailing
- Linen and laundry care
- Silver and brightwork polishing
- Taking direction quickly
- Careful with fine finishes
- Reliable timekeeping
- Discretion on board
Your first stepsIn the order we suggest
Get the tickets a Daywork Steward / Stewardess must hold
You need STCW Basic Safety Training and ENG1 medical certificate before a yacht can put you to work as a Daywork Steward / Stewardess.
STCW and ENG1: what they are and what they cost →Write a first Daywork Steward / Stewardess CV
Keep it to one page. Put your tickets and your start date at the top, then the work that transfers: five-star hospitality.
See a Daywork Steward / Stewardess CV example →Create your crew profile
Upload that CV and we build your profile from it. Your name and contact details stay hidden. Captains and recruiters contact you. It is free.
Create your crew profile →Apply and look for daywork
Apply to open jobs and to crew agencies, and take daywork: a few paid days on a yacht is how most first-time crew get a reference.
Daywork Steward / Stewardess guide →Step up to Fourth Steward / Fourth Stewardess
The usual path puts Fourth Steward / Fourth Stewardess at year 0 to 1. Pay starts from about US$3,000 a month.
How to become a Fourth Steward / Fourth Stewardess →
QuestionsMore in the green crew guide
Can I become a Fourth Steward / Fourth Stewardess with no experience?
Not directly. Fourth Steward / Fourth Stewardess is junior work. The usual path starts as a Daywork Steward / Stewardess, which you can get with no yacht experience, and reaches Fourth Steward / Fourth Stewardess at about year 0 to 1.
How long does it take to become a Fourth Steward / Fourth Stewardess?
The usual path puts Fourth Steward / Fourth Stewardess at about year 0 to 1 of a yacht career, after Daywork Steward / Stewardess. It is a typical path, not a rule: time on busy yachts and the tickets you pass move it.
What does a Daywork Steward / Stewardess earn at the start?
From about US$2,400 a month, by our Daywork Steward / Stewardess guide. Daywork is paid per day, usually EUR 120 to 170 in the Med and USD 150 to 200 in Fort Lauderdale. Figures above assume about 20 days' work in a month, which is never guaranteed, and there are no tips, leave or food and lodging unless the boat offers them.
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