Once you have your STCW and certificates sorted you can focus on the question – where can I find a yacht job. The superyacht industry moves with the seasons between the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and beyond. Where you should be depends entirely on when you finish your training and what time of year it is. This guide breaks down every major yacht job market in the world. If you are still working out what training you need first, read our complete STCW guide for yacht crew. For the full breakdown of how to get hired — step by step — read our how to get a yacht crew job guide. When you are ready to start training, view our deckhand or stewardess training packages.
The Mediterranean — April to October
The Mediterranean is the centre of the global superyacht industry. More superyachts are based here during summer than anywhere else in the world. If you want to find your first yacht job, the Med is where you start.
The season runs from April through October, with charter peaking in July and August. The hiring window opens in March and runs through May — that is when Captains are building their teams for the summer. Being in position in April or May with your full certification and a professional CV gives you the best chance of landing your first contract. For a full breakdown of when exactly to be where during the Med season, read our month by month guide to the Med season.
The main locations to focus your search:
- Palma de Mallorca, Spain — the biggest superyacht hub in the world. More yachts, more crew agents, more positions than anywhere else in the Med. Start here if you are targeting the Med.
- Antibes, South of France — Port Vauban, the largest yacht harbour in Europe. Strong market for large and superyachts, particularly in the 40–80m range.
- Barcelona — good secondary market in Spain, worth covering alongside Palma.
- Croatia — Split, Trogir, Dubrovnik — fast-growing market with a strong charter fleet. Less competition from other candidates than France and Spain.
- Montenegro — Porto Montenegro — newer market, growing fast, less saturated.
- Greece — Athens, Corfu, Rhodes — strong sailing yacht market, excellent for smaller vessel positions.
- Italy — Genoa, Naples, Sardinia — major motor yacht presence, especially for larger vessels.
For a full breakdown of every location with the best marinas, crew agencies, and timing for each, read our complete guide to the best places to find a yacht job in the Mediterranean.
The Caribbean — November to April
After the Med season ends in October, a significant part of the fleet crosses the Atlantic to the Caribbean. The Caribbean winter season runs from November through April, with peak charter weeks around Christmas, New Year, and February half-term. The main markets are:
- St Maarten / Sint Maarten — the best single location in the Caribbean for finding work, especially on motor yachts. The marina has heavy foot traffic and active crew turnover throughout the season.
- Bahamas — Nassau, Palm Cay — strong motor yacht market, particularly for the December and January peak period.
- Antigua — excellent for sailing yachts and a major refit hub at the end of the Caribbean season in April.
- British Virgin Islands (BVI) — prime sailing yacht territory. Smaller boats, more informal hiring, good for entry-level positions.
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida — not technically the Caribbean but many yachts base here in winter. A major crew hub with multiple agencies.
- Grenada — growing market, starting point for some yachts coming up from South America.
The best way to enter the Caribbean market is not to fly there and start looking — it is to be in the Med in August and September when Captains are looking for crossing crew. If you join a yacht crossing the Atlantic, you arrive in the Caribbean as working crew with sea miles and a reference already behind you. For the full guide on how this works, read our complete guide to finding a yacht job in the Caribbean.
Florida and the United States — Year Round
Fort Lauderdale is the yachting capital of the United States and one of the most important crew markets in the world year round. Unlike the Med and Caribbean which are seasonal, Fort Lauderdale has a permanent fleet of yachts based in or transiting through US waters. The main advantages:
- Year-round activity with no dead season
- Major crew agencies based locally — EYOS, YPI Crew, Luxury Yacht Group
- The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (October/November) is one of the biggest hiring events of the year
- Proximity to the Bahamas and Caribbean for boats that move seasonally
The critical point for non-US nationals: you need a B1/B2 US visa to work on a yacht in US waters. Apply for it before you travel — sorting it from the US is significantly harder. Read our full visa guide for yacht crew for what is required by nationality.
Dubai and the Middle East — October to May
Dubai has grown significantly as a superyacht market over the past decade. The season runs October through May, avoiding the extreme summer heat. The fleet based in Dubai and Abu Dhabi is predominantly private — less charter than the Med or Caribbean — but the positions are well-paid and the lifestyle is distinct.
- Dubai Marina and Port Rashid — the main yacht hubs in Dubai
- Abu Dhabi — growing market, more private vessels than Dubai
- Muscat, Oman — smaller market but worth knowing if you are already in the region
Dubai is often an extension of the Mediterranean season — Captains who spend summer in the Med sometimes take the yacht east in October rather than crossing to the Caribbean. Being known to a Captain in September in Antibes or Palma can lead to a Dubai season invitation rather than having to relocate and start the job search again.
Southeast Asia — November to May
Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia have a growing superyacht presence, particularly around Phuket, the Andaman Sea, and the Indonesian archipelago. The season aligns with the dry season — November through May. The market is smaller than the Med or Caribbean but growing year on year, and competition from candidates is lower.
- Phuket, Thailand — the main hub for Southeast Asia, with a permanent marina infrastructure and year-round crew movement
- Bali, Indonesia — growing fast, particularly for charter sailing yachts and smaller motor yachts
- Langkawi, Malaysia — tax-free status makes it popular for yacht registration and basing
Southeast Asia positions typically come to crew who are already known from a previous season elsewhere — it is not a market where cold dockwalking works as well as the Med. Building a reputation in the Med or Caribbean first, then following the fleet east, is the most common route.
What Yacht Crew Earn in Each Market
Salaries are consistent across markets — your pay is determined by your role and the size of the yacht, not the location. What changes by market is the tipping culture. Charter yachts in the Caribbean and Med pay the most in tips — $500 to $2,000 per week on busy charter boats. For the full breakdown by role and yacht size, read our yacht crew salary guide:
- Junior deckhand / third stewardess: $2,500–$3,500/month
- Deckhand / second stewardess (1–2 years): $3,000–$4,500/month
- Bosun / Chief Stewardess on 40–50m: $4,500–$6,500/month
- Senior roles on 60m+ yachts: $7,000–$10,000+/month
- Charter tips: $500–$2,000/week
How to Choose Where to Go
The right location depends entirely on the time of year you finish your training and what your visa situation allows. For a full step-by-step guide on how to get hired once you are in the right place, read our deckhand job guide or our stewardess job guide.
- March to May — go to the Mediterranean. Palma or Antibes first. This is the strongest hiring window of the year.
- June to August — still the Med, but expect more competition. Position yourself in Croatia, Montenegro, or Turkey where there are fewer candidates relative to positions.
- September to October — excellent. Be in the Med for boat shows and end-of-season crew changes. October is also the window to catch crossing crew positions to the Caribbean.
- November to February — the Caribbean (St Maarten or Antigua), Fort Lauderdale, or Dubai depending on your visa situation. The Med is quieter but refit positions exist in the yards.
When you train with Yachtiecareers, we advise you on exactly where to go based on the month you finish. We have students placing every month of the year and we know where the fleet is and where the opportunities are at any given time. View our deckhand training packages or stewardess training packages, or book a free call to talk through your timing and where to go. You can also read what our students say on our reviews page.
