How to become a Massage Therapist
Nobody starts as a Massage Therapist. The usual path starts as a Steward / Massage Therapist, a role people enter from work ashore, and reaches Massage Therapist at about year 1 to 3 of a yacht career.
The pathFrom no experience to Massage Therapist. A typical path, not a rule.
Steward / Massage Therapist
Year 0. Pay from about US$3,800 a month. A stewardess or steward who also gives qualified massage treatments to guests, combining interior service with a small onboard spa offering.
Massage Therapist
Year 1-3. Pay from about US$4,000 a month. A qualified massage therapist who gives treatments to guests and owners on larger yachts, and usually helps the interior team between bookings.
Before you applyWhat a Steward / Massage Therapist needs, from the Steward / Massage Therapist guide
Must have
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 Medical Certificate
- Recognised massage qualification (ITEC or VTCT Level 3, or equivalent)
Gets you hired
- Food Hygiene Level 2
- GUEST Introduction to Yacht Interior
- WSET Level 1 or 2
- Sports massage or reflexology diploma
- PDSD
Later, for Massage Therapist
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical certificate
- Level 3 massage qualification (ITEC, CIBTAC or VTCT)
- Proficiency in Designated Security Duties (PDSD)
Visas
- US B1/B2 for Caribbean and Florida
- Schengen right to work or visa for the Mediterranean
What counts instead of yacht experienceOur advice
Captains hire a Steward / Massage Therapist for swedish and deep tissue massage, silver service and table setting and housekeeping and laundry care. With no yacht job behind you, show the same skills from work ashore. For a Steward / Massage Therapist, that means your qualifications and the years you have worked in the profession.
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.
- Swedish and deep tissue massage
- Silver service and table setting
- Housekeeping and laundry care
- Treatment room hygiene
- Guest scheduling
- Discretion with principals
- Wine and cocktail basics
Your first stepsIn the order we suggest
Get the tickets a Steward / Massage Therapist must hold
You need STCW Basic Safety Training, ENG1 Medical Certificate and Recognised massage qualification (ITEC or VTCT Level 3) before a yacht can put you to work as a Steward / Massage Therapist.
STCW and ENG1: what they are and what they cost →Write a first Steward / Massage Therapist CV
Keep it to one page. Put your tickets and your start date at the top, then your qualifications and your work ashore, with dates.
See a Steward / Massage Therapist 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. 1 Steward / Massage Therapist job is open on SuperyachtRoles.com now.
See open Steward / Massage Therapist jobs →Step up to Massage Therapist
The usual path puts Massage Therapist at year 1 to 3. Pay starts from about US$4,000 a month.
How to become a Massage Therapist →
Steward / Massage Therapist jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com. Some ask for experience, so read each advert.
QuestionsMore in the green crew guide
Can I become a Massage Therapist with no experience?
Not directly. Massage Therapist is mid level work. The usual path starts as a Steward / Massage Therapist, and reaches Massage Therapist at about year 1 to 3.
How long does it take to become a Massage Therapist?
The usual path puts Massage Therapist at about year 1 to 3 of a yacht career, after Steward / Massage Therapist. It is a typical path, not a rule: time on busy yachts and the tickets you pass move it.
What does a Steward / Massage Therapist earn at the start?
From about US$3,800 a month, by our Steward / Massage Therapist guide. Expect a few hundred dollars a month more than a standard stew at the same level. Charter tips of 10-20% of the charter fee are shared among the crew, and some guests also tip for treatments directly.
Let the yachts come to you
Upload your CV and we build your crew profile from it. Captains and recruiters contact you. Free for crew.