Employer Registration
- LocationFt Lauderdale, FL, USA
- SalaryDepends on Experience
- Vessel Length111' to 144' (34 to 44 meters)
- Vessel FlagUnited States of America
Yacht Jobs in Florida
Searching for a yacht captain or stewardess role in Florida? Meridian makes it easy to access verified yacht jobs across various ranks and departments.
From seasonal charter runs to permanent billets on long-range vessels, Florida sees consistent crew movement throughout the year. Moreover, key marinas keep vessels close, and recruiters, including private yacht owners, actively use our platform to source qualified candidates.
Meridian is the yachting industry's leading digital job board with 45,000+ active crew, hundreds of agencies, and a platform designed to get you hired without the red tape. Join the platform today and start getting the latest job alerts that match your requirements.
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Deckhand
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Full-Time
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- LocationWest Palm Beach, FL, USA
- SalaryDepends on Experience
- Vessel Length176' to 210' (54 to 64 meters)
- Vessel FlagCayman Islands
Nurse
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Full-Time
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- LocationWest Palm Beach, FL, USA
- Salary3500
- Vessel Length176' to 210' (54 to 64 meters)
- Vessel FlagCayman Islands
Mate
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Full-Time
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- LocationFort Lauderdale, FL, USA
- SalaryDepends on Experience
- Vessel Length111' to 144' (34 to 44 meters)
- Vessel FlagUnited States of America
Cook/Steward(ess)
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Contract
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- LocationStuart, FL, USA
- SalaryDepends on Experience
- Vessel Length80' to 110' (25 to 33 meters)
- Vessel FlagUnited States of America
Deck/Steward(ess)
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- LocationWest Palm Beach, FL, USA
- SalaryDepends on Experience
- Vessel Length76'
- Vessel FlagUnited States of America
Mate
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Full-Time
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- LocationFort Lauderdale, FL, USA
- SalaryDepends on Experience
- Vessel Length111' to 144' (34 to 44 meters)
- Vessel FlagUnited States of America
Deckhand
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Freelance
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- LocationWest Palm Beach, FL, USA
- Salary175dy
- Vessel Length111' to 144' (34 to 44 meters)
- Vessel FlagUnited States of America
Sole Steward(ess)
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- LocationFort Lauderdale, FL, USA
- SalaryDepends on Experience
- Vessel Length38
- Vessel FlagUnited States of America
Deckhand
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Full-Time
VIEW
- LocationWest Palm Beach, FL, USA
- SalaryDepends on Experience
- Vessel Length176' to 210' (54 to 64 meters)
- Vessel FlagCayman Islands
Why Work in Florida?
Florida is one of the home bases for the global yachting industry. In fact, if you're really serious about building a career in yachting, you may spend 70% of your working tenure in Florida. A favorite of both private and charter vessels, Florida has immaculate marina infrastructure and coastline, providing a consistent demand for qualified crew throughout the year.
- With full superyacht services, including fuel, provisioning, and technical support, Florida offers a number of top crew agencies, training schools, and major marinas nearby.
- Charter activity in Florida usually peaks during predictable seasons, giving crew a clear window to target for applications. Besides, it hosts some of the world's most popular refit yards. This means there are always daywork options available for those who are new to the industry as well as those who are looking for opportunities to earn while job hunting.
- With rising demands for both entry-level and experienced crew, Florida is a significant option whether you're just starting out or want to upgrade to a more senior position.
Yacht Job Salaries in Florida
A popular hub for expedition yachts and water adventures, Florida-based roles often pay 10- 15% above the national average. With the rising demand for skilled and technically sound crew members, the pay for yacht positions in Florida is competitive. However, Florida is undisputedly one of the top locations for engineering and technical maritime roles. Typical monthly salary benchmarks in Florida look like this:
- Deckhand (entry): $2,800 – $4,000
- Steward/Stewardess: $2,500 – $4,500
- Head Chef: $5,000 – $9,000+
- Chief Mate / Chief Engineer: $6,500 – $11,000
- Captain: $10,000 – $22,000+
Permanent roles in Florida obviously offer more stability than seasonal contracts. While tips are rare in permanent jobs, you get a better work-life balance. In fact, in some cases, many permanent owners pay you for time-for-time training, e.g., they may pay for your next Coast Guard training program in return for a commitment to stay. On the other hand, seasonal roles in Florida come with high turnover but are better for those who are just starting out. The benefits are minimal compared to those of permanent roles and usually only cover food.
Frequently Asked Questions
Online job boards like Meridian and social media platforms are arguably the most active places where you can look for day work and last-minute yacht job openings. However, using both the online and offline modes for searching jobs is the best way. Visit ports and ask for jobs in person, build connections with yacht crew members, and offer day work services if you're new.
Rather than targeting one city, consider the routes vessels take through Florida. Ports along those paths, where yachts refuel, restock, or switch crew, are often the hottest spots for job opportunities.
For most entry-level deck roles, a valid STCW Basic Safety Training certificate is the minimum requirement. For more senior positions — mate, captain, chief engineer — you'll need appropriate USCG or MCA certification.
Yes, there are. Based on weather, charter demand, and vessel migration, seasonal hiring in Florida usually follows a predictable pattern. You have a significant advantage when timing your applications if you understand that cycle.
As per current trends, the average annual salary for a yacht crew in Florida is $30,000. When simply calculated, the sum is about $15.00 on an hourly basis. Something that you should keep in mind is that salary and other monetary benefits vary depending on many factors, such as the position, your experience, the number of days you'll work, the size of the vessel, etc. While entry-level deckhands can expect an average of $2,500-$3,500/month, senior roles like chef or chief mate can range from $5,000 to $10,000+, depending on various factors.
The most reliable hiring in Florida is driven by busy boatyards and marinas exclusive for private and non-industrial yachts. You are in the right place at the right time if you know which facilities handle the biggest vessels and when they are busiest.
Walking the public docks and asking for day work on yachts alone won't work for you in 2026. Upgrade your search capacity by signing up for the leading yacht crew recruitment websites, like Meridian. It's free to join and lets you apply to unlimited jobs, including all active postings in Florida. Besides, it's so simple to create and update a profile on Meridian. You just need to upload your CV, and the platform automatically prepares a digital profile for you. Once your profile is live, you'll start getting the notifications for the latest yacht job posts, and can apply instantly within a few clicks.
Why Use Meridian for Your Yacht Career?
Meridian has helped thousands of yacht owners, management companies, and recruiters find exceptional captains and crew for amazing yacht vacancies since Crew4Yachts was founded in 2006, continuing after its acquisition in 2020.
Beyond this, here are other reasons why you should use Meridian to jump-start your yacht career:
- Fast hiring cycle: It takes less than 2 minutes to upload your CV so that hiring yacht owners, captains, and recruiters can search our platform to find, contact, shortlist, and hire you.
- Trusted by captains and recruiters globally: We have been in the game since 2006, constantly connecting owners and recruiters with competent captains.
- Easy-to-use yacht crew database: Our platform is user-friendly, making it the best choice for owners, captains, and recruiters.
- Meridian grows with you: Today, you may be looking for work; tomorrow, you may be looking for crew. Within your account, you can easily switch from crew to employer.
Posting job vacancies or searching our platform for experienced crew takes just a few minutes.
How Our Platform Works
Join for free in under two minutes. Instantly get discovered by hundreds of employers hiring yacht crew, receive job alerts tailored to you, and apply for opportunities around the world.
1Join for Free
Upload your CV to create your account. If you'd like, you can also add qualifications and references.
2Be Found
Employers can find and contact you directly using keyword search, just like Google.
3One Click Apply
Apply through our job alert emails or directly from our website.
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