If you are based in Ireland and thinking about working on a superyacht, the first thing you need is STCW Basic Safety Training. It is the international qualification that every paid crew member on a commercial yacht must hold — without it, no Captain can legally hire you. The good news is that Irish crew have strong options for completing STCW, both in Ireland and in southern Europe, and the all-inclusive route through Croatia is what most of our Irish students choose. This guide covers everything about STCW training for Irish yacht crew — what it is, where you can do it, and how to get fully ready for your first contract in one week.
What Is STCW Training?
STCW stands for Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping. It is the global certification framework set by the International Maritime Organization and required by maritime law in Ireland, the UK, EU, and every other country. Every person working as paid crew on a commercial yacht — deckhand, stewardess, chef, engineer — must hold a valid STCW Basic Safety certificate before they can join the crew list.
The STCW Basic Safety course covers four core areas:
- Personal Survival Techniques — life rafts, abandoning ship, EPIRB, survival at sea
- Basic Firefighting and Fire Prevention — managing and suppressing fires on board
- Elementary First Aid — treating injuries and medical emergencies at sea
- Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities — safety culture, watchkeeping procedures, crew conduct
The course takes five days of practical, hands-on training. At the end you receive a certificate that is recognised on every commercial vessel worldwide, regardless of which flag state the yacht is registered under.
STCW Training Options in Ireland
There are approved STCW training providers in Ireland operating under the Marine Survey Office (MSO), which is the Irish authority responsible for maritime certification. The MSO falls under the Department of Transport and oversees the approval of seafarer training and certification in Ireland.
If you want to complete your STCW in Ireland before travelling, that is an option. Irish STCW certificates are issued to the same international standard and are accepted on all yachts worldwide — there is no difference in validity between a certificate issued in Ireland and one issued anywhere else in Europe.
Key points about doing STCW in Ireland:
- Training providers must be approved by the MSO to issue internationally recognised certificates
- The course covers the same four practical modules as anywhere else — there is no shorter or easier version
- The Irish seafarer medical certificate is issued to the same Maritime Labour Convention standard as the UK ENG1 and accepted on all yachts worldwide
- After completing STCW in Ireland, you still need to organise your medical certificate, PDSD, Security Awareness, and CV separately before you are job-ready
Why Most Irish Crew Choose to Train in Croatia
The majority of Irish crew we work with do not do their STCW in Ireland. They fly to Split, Croatia — a direct flight from Dublin of around two and a half hours — and complete everything in one place during a single week. Here is why that makes sense for most people.
When you do STCW in Ireland, you walk away with one certificate. You still need to find a maritime-approved doctor for your ENG1 equivalent, complete your PDSD and Security Awareness online, write your CV, get your crew photo taken, and figure out your job search. All of that takes weeks to organise from scratch, and you are doing it alone.
When you train with Yachtiecareers in Split, all of that happens in the same week:
- STCW Basic Safety Training — five days of practical training, worldwide-approved certificate
- Stewardess or deckhand training — the role-specific skills that get you ready for life on board
- Seafarer medical certificate — arranged through approved maritime doctors during your training week
- PDSD and Security Awareness — completed as part of your package
- Food Hygiene Level 2 — included for all students
- Professional crew CV — written and formatted specifically for yacht applications
- Crew photo — taken in Split
- Job search support — we start working on your placement from day one, with access to our crew WhatsApp community and direct agency connections
You fly into Split, complete the week, and fly home fully certified and ready to apply. For most Irish crew, that is a faster and more straightforward path than piecing it together from Ireland.
What Certificates Do Irish Yacht Crew Need?
Beyond STCW, the full list of what Captains expect before your first contract is:
- Seafarer medical certificate — in Ireland, issued by an MSO-approved maritime doctor, accepted on all yachts worldwide
- STCW Security Awareness — required for all crew on commercial yachts
- PDSD (Personal Designated Security Duties) — required for all deck crew carrying out gangway watch and security duties
- Food Hygiene Level 2 — required for interior crew handling food on board
- RYA Powerboat Level 2 — strongly recommended for deck crew, legally required for tender operations in the Mediterranean
Read our full qualifications checklist for yacht crew for the complete picture.
Where Do Irish Crew Work After Training?
The superyacht industry is based in the Mediterranean. The main season runs April to October across France, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Greece, and Montenegro. After the Med season, a large part of the fleet crosses to the Caribbean for the winter — November through April.
Irish crew are well regarded in the industry. English as a first language is an advantage when working with international crews and guests. The physical journey from Ireland to the main yachting hubs is straightforward — Dublin to Nice, Palma, or Barcelona is a two to three hour flight. Many Irish crew start in the South of France or Spain, which is where the largest concentration of superyachts is based during the season.
For where to position yourself and when, read our guide to the best places to find a yacht job in the Mediterranean. For timing the Caribbean season from Europe, read our guide to finding a yacht job in the Caribbean.
What Do Yacht Crew Earn?
Entry-level crew — junior deckhand or third stewardess — earn between $2,500 and $3,500 per month with all accommodation, food, and travel covered on board. After one or two seasons, that rises to $3,500–$4,500. Senior roles on larger yachts reach $6,000–$10,000 and above. Charter yachts pay crew tips on top of base salary — $500 to $2,000 per crew member per week during busy charter periods. Read our full salary guide for a complete breakdown by role.
Getting Started from Ireland
If you are ready to get certified and job-ready, view our deckhand training packages or stewardess training packages. If you want to talk through your situation first — timing, which package suits you, what to expect — book a free call with our team. No obligation, just a straight conversation about how to get started. You can also read what our students say on our reviews page.
