Nanny

The job is childcare in a setting that brings its own risks. You plan meals with the galley, keep naps and bedtimes on track across time zones, and run activities on deck, in the water and on shore trips. Water safety comes first. You know where every child is when the swim platform is down, the tender is coming alongside or the jet skis are out. You also handle the quieter work: laundry for the children's cabins, packing for days ashore and keeping the parents informed.

Owners' nannies and charter nannies do different jobs. A family nanny often travels with the owners all year, between homes and the yacht, and sometimes sits on the household payroll rather than the crew list. A charter nanny joins for one trip or one season and meets a new family every week or two. On a 45m yacht the nanny may also cover stew shifts when the children are asleep. On an 80m+ yacht with several children there may be two or three nannies working to a rota.

Captains and parents hire for experience and references above all. A recognised qualification such as Norland, CACHE Level 3 or an early years degree carries weight, as do several years with private families. Paediatric first aid is expected. Strong swimming, a clean background check and a second language, often French, Russian or Arabic, all help. Many families want discretion first and someone who fits quietly into a crew of twenty.

Progression usually means moving to bigger families, longer contracts and better-paying owners rather than up a rank. Experienced nannies move into governess or tutoring roles as the children reach school age. Some move into the interior, using the stew hours they picked up along the way to become a second stew and later a chief stew. Others step back to land and work for the same family at home, where long service is valued.