Massage Therapist
Yachts hire massage therapists when an owner or charter guests want treatments on demand, at sea or at anchor. Most dedicated posts are on yachts over 60m with a proper treatment room. On smaller boats the job is usually advertised as a stew who can also massage. You need a recognised qualification and solid hands-on experience before a captain or chief stew will take you seriously.
The jobWhat fills the day
The work is treatments: Swedish, deep tissue, sports massage, hot stone, often reflexology or Thai if you have them. You keep a booking sheet with the chief stew, set up and break down the treatment room, launder your own linen and keep oils, towels and couches spotless. You also take notes on each guest's preferences and any injuries, because the same principal may want the same pressure and playlist every evening for six weeks.
Guest trips shape everything. With a charter aboard you might do five or six treatments a day, timed around meals, tender runs and swimming, and you will work evenings when guests come back from shore. With no guests the day is quieter. Most yachts expect you to join the interior rota then: housekeeping, laundry, detailing and sometimes service. On a 100m yacht with a spa manager you stay closer to the spa. On a 55m you are a stew for half the day.
Captains and chief stews hire people with a Level 3 or higher massage qualification such as ITEC, CIBTAC or VTCT, plus two or more years in a five-star hotel, destination spa or cruise ship spa. Steiner and OneSpaWorld cruise contracts are a common route in. They want calm, discreet people who can read a room and who will not mind picking up a hoover when the treatment book is empty.
Progression usually runs from a dual steward and massage role to a dedicated therapist post, then to a broader spa therapist role covering facials and nails, and on to spa manager on a 90m+ yacht. Some therapists move to rotation and keep one or two regular owners for years. Others add a personal training or yoga qualification, which makes them far easier to place.
Skills captains look for
- Swedish and deep tissue
- Sports and remedial massage
- Treatment room hygiene
- Guest preference records
- Discretion with principals
- Interior housekeeping support
- Flexible scheduling at sea
A day aboardCharter week, 78m motor yacht, at anchor off Mykonos
Set up the treatment room, check the couch heater, warm stones and towels. Confirm the day's bookings with the chief stew at the interior meeting.
Early stretch and sports massage for a guest who wants to swim before breakfast. Note shoulder tightness on her card for tomorrow.
Help the interior team turn cabins while guests are on the tenders. Fold and restock spa linen from the laundry.
Crew lunch in the mess, then an hour off in your cabin.
Back-to-back 60-minute deep tissue treatments for two charter guests, with a reset of the room and fresh linen between them.
Hot stone treatment on the sun deck, under the shade, at the principal's request. Keep the sound low and the deck crew briefed so they stay clear.
Crew dinner and a short rest while guests dine.
Late foot and scalp massage for a guest back from shore. Clean down, run the laundry and update the booking sheet for tomorrow.
Pay by yacht sizeMonthly, before tips. Estimates. Bars share one scale.
Charter tips often add one to two months' salary a season, and some private owners tip per treatment. Rotation posts on large yachts trade a slightly lower monthly rate for paid time off. See the Spa, Wellness & Childcare salary guide for figures from live adverts.
Tickets and visas
Must have
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical certificate
- Level 3 massage qualification (ITEC, CIBTAC or VTCT)
- Proficiency in Designated Security Duties (PDSD)
Gets you hired
- Level 4 sports or remedial massage
- Hot stone, reflexology or Thai massage certificate
- GUEST Introduction to Yacht Interior
- Food Hygiene Level 2
- First aid at work
Visas
- Schengen visa for non-EU crew
- US B1/B2 visa
Where it leadsA typical career path
Massage Therapist jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com
Questions crew ask
Can I get a yacht job with just a massage qualification?
It is hard. Most captains want two years in a hotel, cruise or destination spa first, and on smaller yachts you will need to work as a stew too. A season on a cruise ship spa contract is the usual way to build that record.
Will I only do massage?
Only on the largest yachts with a full spa team. On most boats you join the interior rota when there are no bookings, so housekeeping and laundry skills matter at interview.
Where do I look for work?
Antibes and Palma in March and April for the Mediterranean season, and Fort Lauderdale in October and November for the Caribbean. Register with crew agents and do daywork as a stew while you wait for a therapist post.
Do I need my own equipment?
The yacht supplies the couch, linen and products. Many therapists bring their own preferred oils and stones, and you should check what is aboard before joining.