Popular opinion: There is no difference between a hostess and a yacht stewardess. There are a lot of misconceptions about the role of a hostess and yacht stewardess, so we are here to clear things up.
Smile Politely and Greet Guests
Sometimes language has a part to play. We are speaking about Croatia and specifically Split; here, the word ‘hostess’ is often misused in place of stewardess. And here’s the thing – words matter. When you hear the word “hostess” what usually comes to mind is someone to smile politely and greet guests, whereas the role of the stewardess involves so much more.
What are the Responsibilities of a Hostess?
As a restaurant or event hostess, your role is usually to smile, greet guests or even attract guests to your restaurant. You are the first point of contact, the first impression for guests. Following this, maybe your role entails making the guests feel comfortable, seating them or checking in that they have everything they need. While this role can be busy and require excellent communication skills, compared to a yacht stewardess, it really isn’t the same thing.
What are the Responsibilities of a Yacht Stewardess?
The responsibilities of the yacht stewardess are, well, everything! Primary duties include welcoming guests, serving food and drinks, cleaning the interior, concierge – organising restaurants and activities ashore. In short, think 5-star service to ensure guest satisfaction. You need to have knowledge of fine dining and service etiquette, wine and cocktails, maintain guest cabins and the interior with detail, assist with inventory and provisions, manage logistics of guest movements, organise reservations ashore for guests. As the yacht gets bigger, so too the responsibilities grow, especially in terms of administration, management, organisation and ordering. Depending on rank, if you are a senior stewardess, you will also be expected to understand, follow or help implement health and safety regulations and training. And of course, all of this is done with a smile because guest satisfaction always comes first.
Life at Sea is a Brilliant Career
Hopefully, you are still reading and we haven’t scared you off yet because life at sea really can be a brilliant career. Yes – the job is demanding and all encompassing but it can also be very rewarding. Working as a yacht stewardess gives you the opportunity to meet people from all over the world – guests and crew alike. If you love a challenge and learning, then working as a yacht stewardess provides the perfect environment. Working as a yacht stewardess has a great salary and gives you incredible life skills – like communication, service, organisation, leadership and much more. This role also has a clear career path – if you are good at what you do, you can quickly grow within the industry – taking on larger yachts and senior positions. The challenges this role presents are balanced in equal measure with the benefits it gives.
Hostess vs. Yacht Stewardess
We hope we’ve done our part on educating on this matter, and that you now know that a hostess and yacht stewardess is not the same thing – so first, let’s please start using these words correctly.
Next, if a career in yachting is something you are interested in but don’t know where to start, you can contact us. We also have a Junior Stewardess course beginning soon, which is the best way to prepare you for your role as a yacht stewardess. The course covers everything we have mentioned – food and drink service, standards and etiquette, yacht systems, wine, cocktails and coffee. Being fully prepared before you step aboard will have a huge impact on your confidence and performance, and it could mean the difference between surviving (or failing) in your first role, versus thriving. The majority of people who have come through our course said they felt confident and prepared to step aboard, and many have gone on to have extremely successful careers at sea.
If you are ready to step up or start a new career, visit our courses to see more information.
