The Hidden Costs of Bad Crew Hiring - And How to Avoid Them

When the Wrong Crew Sinks More Than Spirits

You find a great-looking CV in your search to fill an important vacancy. It seems like a perfect fit and a no-brainer, so you hire the person quickly. Right after hiring, red flags start flying up, and you realize you made a mistake. But what do you do if that happens on your yacht?

Count yourself lucky if you’ve never faced this situation, but this happens often in the yachting world.

One bad hire costs more than money. It can hurt your yacht’s reputation, guest experience, and safety.

We’ll help you find the hidden costs of hiring mistakes while sharing some practical tips to help you make better choices while hiring your yacht crew.

More Than a Paycheck - What a Bad Hire Really Costs

The first hit made by a bad hire is on the yacht’s budget. You’ll have to train the new crew member, which costs both time and money.

Their poor service skills increase complaints among your charter guests, which could lead to partial refunds and lost tips. Charter brokers may hear from other brokers that the crew don’t provide an excellent experience, which could also lead to future lost charter revenue.

Setting the financial loss aside, consider the emotional toll. One wrong hiring choice lowers the overall morale due to the stress it causes to your team. Tension in the crew affects everyone.

Things also slow down operationally. Tasks will get delayed and quality will suffer. These implications become a real risk to safety.

Your yacht’s success depends on teamwork. One wrong hire can easily disturb the entire workflow, vibe, and morale.

Owners expect professional crew who work well together. Not a revolving door of new faces and having to reset their expectations over and over again. If yacht ownership feels like a job for an owner, rather than an escape, they will just sell the yacht which isn’t good for crew or the industry as a whole. Crew issues are the number one reason owners sell their yachts before they are ready and this happens on average between years three and five.

Common Hiring Mistakes Yacht Owners & Captains Make

By rushing to fill roles, you can sometimes make the following common mistakes:

• Rushing the hiring process: If you try to fill a position in a hurry, you may miss important warning signs.
• Trusting certificates alone: The bitter truth is that certificates show skills only on paper. Attitude and teamwork skills don’t show through certificates.
• Skipping reference checks: Talking to past employers reveal hidden issues you won’t see in an interview.
• Choosing by appearance or social media image: It’s tempting to hire someone who “looks the part.” Remember that good service and professionalism matter much more than looks.
• Not using trusted crew hiring platforms: By finding crew through Facebook and other sources, you increase your risk of hiring someone unqualified and unverified.

Pro Tip: Fast is not always efficient. Take a little more time to check qualifications, references, and perform a background check, to save yourself from big problems later.

How to Properly Vet and Hire Yacht Crew

How should you properly hire your yacht crew? Consider these pro tips:

• Find trusted sources: For hiring good crew members, use trusted and respected crew agencies or vetted platforms like Meridian.
• Better interviews: Don’t ask generic questions. Go beyond asking someone to tell you about themselves. Instead, ask them questions based on real scenarios to see how they think and react.
• Trial periods: Short-term contracts or 90-day trial periods, let you easily assess how the person will perform on board.
• Check certifications: Ensure that the crew you hire has STCW, ENG1, and other valid certificates.
• Background Checks: With recent headlines of murder and other felonies perpetrated by crew, there is a movement to insist on background checks on all new hires.
• Focus on soft skills: If you want to successfully hire great yacht crew, focus on attitude, willingness to learn, ability to work well with others, and whether they seem like a good fit long term. While skills matter, it’s worth remembering that skills can be taught, but personality, work ethic, and maturity cannot.

The Benefits of Getting It Right the First Time

Keep in mind that hiring the right person isn’t always about avoiding mistakes. Getting it right gives you benefits like:

• Delighted owners and guests: Better hires translate into better experiences.
• Lower turnover rate: Crew stay longer, so you spend less time and money rehiring.
• Safety: Smoother operations and tighter crew relationships increase safety.

Hiring the right yacht crew can transform your vessel into one of the most sought-after yachts to work on or charter.

Your Shortcut to Smarter Crew Selection

Finding the right crew doesn’t have to chore. The right resource will help you find the perfect fit for your yacht. Here are three leading crew solutions:

• MeridianGo: This platform has advanced hiring tools to help you quickly hire professional yacht crew by posting jobs or searching their platform like a Google search.
• Yotspot: This platform helps you connect with crew by posting jobs or searching with filters.
• Northrop & Johnson: N&J offers recruitment services to help you hire qualified and vetted crew.

These crew placement options streamline your hiring process, minimize the risk of a bad hire, and help you find crew who are a stronger long-term fit, saving you time and ensuring a smoother onboard experience for crew, owners, and charter guests.

Conclusion

Hiring mistakes can cost you money, harm your yacht’s reputation, create a negative guest experience, and lower crew morale. A bad hire can also pose safety risks. Take your time when hiring and follow these suggestions to ensure the best outcomes for your yacht program and everyone onboard.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it usually take to hire yacht crew?

It depends on the role, season, vessel location, itinerary, whether you are using a recruiter or crew platform, and the current crew market. Limited crew availability can extend the hiring timeframe. With all of these factors considered, it typically takes 3 days to 3 weeks. However, for a junior role, it could be the same day, while senior roles such as a 70M captain with 7+ years of experience can take up to 3 months.

What qualifications should I look for in a first-time steward(ess)?

They should have an STCW and ENG1 medical certificate, be friendly with a service-minded attitude, and have some hospitality service experience typically from a high-end restaurant or hotel.

Should I use a recruitment agency or a crew hiring platform and do it myself?

If you have the budget but no time, consider using a well-respected recruitment agency to handle the entire process for you. A typical placement fee is equal to the role’s first month of salary. If you don’t mind taking a few minutes to post a job, review candidates, or perform an instant crew search, join Meridian or a similar platform where you can choose and hire the crew you believe will be the best fit for your program. Sign up for an annual unlimited pass at a fraction of the cost of a single recruitment fee.