Host / Hostess
On a large yacht, the host or hostess is the guests' first point of contact. You meet them at the passerelle, learn what they like, book their dinners ashore and keep the day on plan. It is a front-of-house job that sits between the chief stew, the captain and the guests. It suits people from five-star hotels as much as career stews.
The jobWhat fills the day
Most of the job is people and planning. You greet guests when they arrive, show them to their cabins, sit in on the captain's welcome briefing and keep a running preference sheet. You confirm restaurant tables in Portofino, beach club cabanas in Mykonos and helicopter transfers from Nice. During service you set the tone in the main salon and on deck. You pour drinks, introduce courses and read the room. When guests go ashore you prepare the next day's itinerary, update the guest log and help the stews with turndown or table settings.
The title mostly appears on yachts of 70m and above, and on busy charter yachts where guests expect hotel-style front of house. On a 60m yacht the role is often folded into the second stew's job. On a 100m+ yacht you may join a team under a head of service or guest services coordinator, with the work split between service and guest relations. When no guests are aboard, hosts go back into the interior rotation: inventory, detailing, laundry, training juniors and preparing guest profiles for the next trip.
Captains and chief stews look for polish and good judgement. The usual backgrounds are five-star hotel front desk, private members' clubs, first-class cabin crew and senior stewardesses with strong service skills. A second or third language helps a great deal. French, Italian, Russian, Arabic or Mandarin can all be useful, depending on the owner and the charter market. Wine knowledge and a calm manner under pressure count for more than a flashy CV. You still need STCW Basic Safety and an ENG1 like any other crew member.
There are two ways up. Hosts who love service move to head of service, then chief stew or interior manager, usually after a few seasons on the same yacht. Those who prefer the planning side move into guest services coordinator or VIP guest relations roles. Some go ashore into charter management or concierge work in Monaco or Palma. Staying power matters. Two full seasons on one large yacht with good references count for more than four short contracts.
Skills captains look for
- Guest relations
- Itinerary and reservations
- Silver service
- Wine and cocktail knowledge
- Second language
- Discretion and judgement
- Event planning
A day aboardCharter day, 85m motor yacht, Porto Cervo, Sardinia
Morning briefing with the chief stew. Go through the guest preference sheet and confirm the day's plan with the bridge.
Front-of-house breakfast on the aft deck. Note any changes to the plan and any dietary requests for the galley.
Confirm a table for ten at a beach restaurant in La Maddalena, then brief the tender driver on timings and the guest count.
Crew lunch and a short rest while the deck team runs the water toys.
Go ashore with the guests and settle them at the restaurant. Keep the bridge updated by radio and handle the bill on the yacht account.
Two hours off in your cabin before the evening.
Sunset aperitivo on the sundeck. Introduce the chef's menu and take wine preferences for dinner.
Dinner service. Pace the courses with the galley and keep the conversation and glasses topped up without hovering.
Update the guest log and hand tomorrow's draft itinerary to the captain and chief stew. Off watch.
Pay by yacht sizeMonthly, before tips. Estimates. Bars share one scale.
On charter yachts, tips of 10 to 15 percent of the charter fee are shared across the crew and can add several thousand dollars a month in season. Permanent roles on large private yachts often trade tips for rotation and paid leave. See the Stewardess & Interior Crew salary guide for figures from live adverts.
Tickets and visas
Must have
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical certificate
Gets you hired
- GUEST Interior Steward course
- WSET Level 2 Award in Wines
- Food Hygiene Level 2
- PDSD (Proficiency in Designated Security Duties)
- Silver service or butler training
Visas
- EU passport or Schengen right to work
- US B1/B2 visa
Where it leadsA typical career path
Stewardess & Interior Crew jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com
Questions crew ask
Is a host the same as a stewardess?
They overlap, but the host spends most guest time front of house: welcomes, plans, reservations and service. Stews carry more of the housekeeping and laundry. When no guests are aboard, most hosts help with general interior work.
Can I get a host job without yacht experience?
Sometimes. Large yachts do hire straight from five-star hotels, private clubs and first-class cabin crew, provided you hold STCW and an ENG1. Most hosts, though, have done at least a season or two as a stew first.
Which languages are most useful?
English is essential. After that it depends on the owner and the charter market. French and Italian help in the Mediterranean. Russian, Arabic and Mandarin are valued on yachts with owners or regular guests from those regions.
Is the role open to men?
Yes. Adverts use both host and hostess, and male hosts with a hotel or butler background are often hired on large private yachts. Captains care about polish, judgement and languages more than gender.