If you are considering embarking on a career working on a yacht, cruise ship or other sea vessel there are some great online resources to keep you up-to-date with happenings in the boating world. Our favourite blogs are those written by sailors and marine workers themselves, giving fascinating and invaluable insights into the reality of life on board.
It is surprising that so many yacht and cruise ship workers find the time to blog, the common theme of a life on water is the long hours. The fun, adventure and camaraderie certainly makes up that though.
In no particular order, our seven favourite marine blogs are…
1. The Seaworthy Stew
Full of practical tips on how to become a stew or stewardess as well as insights into life working on a boat. This blog covers everything from the etiquette of using a mobile phone at work (taking selfies on the yacht is a big no-no) to the training required to secure the role and how to smash the interview.
https://theseaworthystew.com/blog/
2. Old Man Sailing
Written by John ‘The Old Man’ who set sail in his Rival 32 at the age of 68 to follow his dream of sailing the seas. The blog includes plenty of technical information about boats and sailing such as storm management in smaller boats.
https://www.oldmansailing.com/
3. Away with your Fairies
Written by Kevin, a French officer on a cruise ship, this blog covers everything from securing an expatriate contract to memories of working through the Covid-19 pandemic.
https://awaywithyourfairies.com/
4. The Stewardess Bible
This blog is written by author Kylie O’Brien, who has written a series of books about housekeeping, crew management and more while working on yachts. The blog posts contains posts on the finer points of stewarding such as cocktails, flower care and wine as well as a comprehensive list of yacht crew agencies. We particularly like the tips for managing challenging guests.
5. Work on a Yacht
We particularly enjoy the crew confessions on this entertaining blog written by author Julie Perry who wrote ‘The Insiders’ Guide to Becoming a Yacht Stewardess’.
https://www.workonayacht.com/index.php/blog/
6. Fresh Yacht
This blog focuses on careers advice goes into detail of the different job roles on a yacht including a day in the life of Deckhands and Stewardesses.
https://www.freshyacht.com/blog
7. Cruising as Crew
A travel focussed blog, combining cruise ship career guides with information about the various destinations you are likely to visit as a cruise ship worker. The blog is written by Lucy, who has worked onboard a cruise ship in a spa and in retail.