How to become a Steward / Hairdresser
Nobody starts as a Steward / Hairdresser. The usual path starts as a Hairdresser / Hairstylist, a role people enter from work ashore, and reaches Steward / Hairdresser at about year 0 to 2 of a yacht career.
The pathFrom no experience to Steward / Hairdresser. A typical path, not a rule.
Hairdresser / Hairstylist
Before yachting. Pay from about US$4,000 a month. Hairdresser on a large superyacht, styling owners, guests and crew, often alongside spa or interior duties on yachts of 70m and above.
Steward / Hairdresser
Year 0-2. Pay from about US$3,800 a month. A steward or stewardess who also cuts, colours and styles guests' hair on board, doing full interior duties alongside a professional salon trade.
Before you applyWhat a Hairdresser / Hairstylist needs, from the Hairdresser / Hairstylist guide
Must have
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical certificate
- NVQ Level 3 Hairdressing or equivalent salon qualification
Gets you hired
- PDSD (Proficiency in Designated Security Duties)
- Barbering qualification
- Advanced colour course (L'Oréal, Wella or similar)
- Nail, lash or massage certificate
- GUEST interior or spa course
Later, for Steward / Hairdresser
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical certificate
- Hairdressing qualification (NVQ Level 2 or 3, or national equivalent)
Visas
- Schengen right to work or visa
- US B1/B2 visa
What counts instead of yacht experienceOur advice
Captains hire a Hairdresser / Hairstylist for precision cutting and colour, bridal and event styling and men's barbering and grooming. With no yacht job behind you, show the same skills from work ashore. For a Hairdresser / Hairstylist, 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.
- Precision cutting and colour
- Bridal and event styling
- Men's barbering and grooming
- Discretion with UHNW guests
- Product and stock planning
- Interior service support
- Hygiene and tool sterilisation
Your first stepsIn the order we suggest
Get the tickets a Hairdresser / Hairstylist must hold
You need STCW Basic Safety Training, ENG1 medical certificate and NVQ Level 3 Hairdressing salon qualification before a yacht can put you to work as a Hairdresser / Hairstylist.
STCW and ENG1: what they are and what they cost →Write a first Hairdresser / Hairstylist 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 Hairdresser / Hairstylist 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 Hairdresser / Hairstylist job is open on SuperyachtRoles.com now.
See open Hairdresser / Hairstylist jobs →Step up to Steward / Hairdresser
The usual path puts Steward / Hairdresser at year 0 to 2. Pay starts from about US$3,800 a month.
How to become a Steward / Hairdresser →
Hairdresser / Hairstylist jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com. Some ask for experience, so read each advert.
QuestionsMore in the green crew guide
Can I become a Steward / Hairdresser with no experience?
Not directly. Steward / Hairdresser is junior work. The usual path starts as a Hairdresser / Hairstylist, and reaches Steward / Hairdresser at about year 0 to 2.
How long does it take to become a Steward / Hairdresser?
The usual path puts Steward / Hairdresser at about year 0 to 2 of a yacht career, after Hairdresser / Hairstylist. It is a typical path, not a rule: time on busy yachts and the tickets you pass move it.
What does a Hairdresser / Hairstylist earn at the start?
From about US$4,000 a month, by our Hairdresser / Hairstylist guide. On charter yachts you share the crew tip equally with everyone else, which can add USD 2,000-4,000 a month in a busy season. Dedicated posts on 100m+ yachts sometimes come with a rotation or generous annual leave.
Let the yachts come to you
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