There are many benefits to working on board a boat or a yacht. You can travel the world, you live at sea on board a boat and you are compensated well. In addition to a base salary, many yacht crew receive generous gratuity from satisfied clients. But how much do yacht crew make in tips?
Yacht Crew Tips FAQ
Do Yacht Crew Get Paid a Salary and Receive Tips?
Yes, yacht crew are paid a monthly salary and can expect to receive tips on top of this.
What is the Base Salary for Yacht Crew?
If you are hired to work on board a yacht, the base salary can be much higher than for a shore-based job. Also, your cost of living is much lower as you do not have to pay for food, accommodation or everyday products.
Yacht Crew Salary 2022
Wages for yacht crew vary depending on experience, the role on board and the owner of the yacht. YPI CREW produces an annual report on average crew salaries.
For 2022, YPI Crew reported these were the average monthly salaries for crew (presented in Euros).
*Image and information courtesy of YPI Crew
How Much Do Charter Yacht Crew Make in Tips?
On board yachts, charter managers advise that a minimum of 10% of the entire charter cost is the customary amount to give as a tip to the crew. Typically, the guest will give this amount to the captain at the end of the charter and the captain will divide this up among the individual crew members. Anecdotally, US clients tend to tip 15% – 20% per charter.
For example, if a yacht charter totals $100,000 for a week, guests will tip $10,000. However, if the crew have been particularly good, many charter clients give more than this.
Many yacht crew prefer to work on board busy charter vessels as they can almost double their salary each month with tips. If for each charter, a yacht stewardess is awarded $1,000 in gratuity, she could make up an additional $4,000 each month.
Why do Charter Clients Tip Yacht Crew?
Charter clients tip the crew because the crew work extremely hard to make their time on board an incredible experience. Crew will spend time playing with children, creating memorable evenings and themed nights, delivering impeccable service, and making sure that guests are always comfortable and well-looked after.
How Much Do Private Yacht Crew Make in Tips?
For crew who work on private yachts, it is less common to receive gratuity from the owners on a regular basis. However, it is common for owners to say thank you to the crew at the end of the season by paying for a team dinner or trip.
How Many Crew Members does a Yacht have?
The number of crew on board a yacht will vary on its size. A yacht will always have a captain, and most yachts will have a stewardess and a deckhand. Large yachts need multiple interior crew and many deck hands and engineers to ensure that guests are safe and that the yacht runs smoothly.
