When you’ve invested so much into a superyacht capable of turning an ordinary day into a royal holiday at sea, give yourself the gift of smooth sailing by finding the perfect crew. 

Nothing beats the peace of mind and comfort that come with a good crew – well-balanced, enthusiastic, good-humored, competent and financially supported. However, assembling the right crew for your yacht is an artform. Here is our guide to doing it right.

Hire a captain first

As an owner, staffing your yacht intelligently is an investment in the year-round health of your vessel. However, you’re not necessarily in the business of human resources, so the best thing you can do is engage your captain and let him or her serve as the onboard staff manager.

The captain is the connection between owner and team and the single most important member of the crew. Their job is to interpret the owner’s wishes and ensure their needs are met at all times. Once your captain is hired, they can personally handle hiring additional positions or work with a crew staffing agency to source the right personnel. 

That doesn’t mean you have no say in the selection process. The right crew is what makes the superyacht experience truly come alive, and as the owner, you get to decide what that experience looks like. Do you want a fun, lively crew? A discreet team that operates invisibly? How your crew looks, speaks and serves all begins with you.

As the owner, you need a clear idea of the kind of atmosphere you want, so that your captain can bring that vision to life.

Choose a crew agency

Aside from the captain, the right crew management agency is critical. There are so many to choose from, though, and owners have been known to send the same staffing requests to a dozen or more recruitment companies. However, this doesn’t guarantee the right outcome. In fact, it can make it more challenging to find specialized talent as agencies flood you with candidate CVs.

Less competitive agencies offering lower estimates may seem like a good option, but they typically won’t have access to a strong pool of talent. Look for well-established crewing agencies with a history of experienced and professional staffing. Yachting is a tight-knit industry and crew agents are like matchmakers, connecting open positions with best-fit candidates, and building a team that will work well together.

Happy crew, happy sailing

There are many factors to keeping crew members happy. Being paid well and on time is a great first step, but money isn’t everything. Many owners focus on salaries at the expense of mental health. Today, experienced yacht staff are more likely to value a good work-life balance and generous shore leave, allowing them to properly recuperate from long hours at sea.

Owners can also incentivize crew members with perks like quality health insurance and 401K retirement investment plans. With this kind of compensation, your crew will feel like valued, long-term employees instead of just temporary workers.

Staff your yacht for its needs

The size and style of your vessel will determine how many staff members are needed and for what positions, but how you plan to use your yacht is also a big factor. It’s important to understand what a typical journey looks like. Do you mainly take short trips for professional networking? Longer trips with family and friends? Will there be children on board? Do you plan on doing watersports? Do you prefer a beach club experience? Answering those questions can help you understand your staffing needs.

A final note: Your flag directly impacts the yacht’s employment structure. If it’s American-flagged, you need to comply with certain standards like only hiring U.S.-based crew members. If you’re using a crewing agency, they will typically contract workers to your vessel who are technically employed through their offshore headquarters. This arrangement can insulate owners from certain liability and labor concerns.

One thing is certain, though: Good crew members don’t stay on the market for long. Choose a captain you trust, who knows your vessel intimately, as well as a reliable agency, and together they can ensure that you get your pick of top talent.