All roles/Interior/Daywork Steward / Stewardess
Interior
Daywork Steward / Stewardess
A daywork steward or stewardess is hired by the day to clean, polish, launder and prepare a yacht's interior, usually before a season, after a refit or when the crew is short.
- Department
- Interior
- Reports to
- Chief Steward / Chief Stewardess
- Yacht size
- 24m to 100m+
- Contract
- Casual, paid by the day
- Starting pay
- €120 per day
What the job is
Daywork is casual interior work, booked by the day or by the week. Yachts take on daywork stews when they need extra hands for a short burst: the deep clean before the owner arrives, the end of a shipyard refit, a busy turnaround between charters or cover for a crew member on leave. You turn up, the chief stew gives you a list, and you work through it until the job is done or the day ends.
Most of the work is detailing. You vacuum and wipe down cabins, polish stainless and glass, clean heads, scrub bilges under bunks, unpack and fold linen, wash and press towels, and put dust covers on or take them off. After a refit you clear dust from every surface, locker and air vent. On some days you help with stores, carry provisions on board or set up a guest area ready for inspection.
Daywork is how most new crew get their first job. Captains and chief stews use it as a paid trial. If you are reliable, quick and careful with expensive finishes, you are often asked back or offered a permanent position. The busiest daywork hubs are Antibes, Palma, Fort Lauderdale and, in winter, Auckland and the Caribbean islands. Work can be steady in spring and patchy at other times, so savings help.
What makes a good one
- Careful detailing of luxury finishes
- Laundry, ironing and folding
- Reliability and good timekeeping
- Taking instruction and working quietly
- Stamina for long days on your feet
A day in the life
- 07:30Arrive at the gangway in clean, plain clothes and soft-soled shoes. Sign in, leave your shoes in the basket and meet the chief stew in the crew mess.
- 08:00Get your task list for the day. Today it is the four guest cabins on the lower deck, which still carry dust from the varnish work.
- 08:15Vacuum ceilings, vents and wardrobes from top to bottom, then wipe every surface with the right product for each finish: lacquer, leather, marble and gold-plated fittings all need different care.
- 10:30Strip the dust covers off the beds and bag them for the laundry. Short coffee break in the crew mess.
- 11:00Clean the cabin heads, polish taps and mirrors, and descale shower glass. The chief stew checks your first bathroom before you move on.
- 13:00Lunch with the crew, usually cooked by the chef or brought from the yard café. A good time to ask questions and be remembered.
- 13:45Run linen and towels through the laundry, iron pillowcases and fold towels to the yacht's standard. Restock each cabin with toiletries from stores.
- 16:00Help the deck crew carry boxes of guest amenities and cleaning supplies up the passerelle and stow them in the interior lockers.
- 17:30Final walk-through with the chief stew. You are paid for the day and asked to come back tomorrow to start on the main saloon.
Pay by country
Paid by the day, not monthly. Rates assume an 8 to 10 hour day and vary with yacht size and season. Lunch is usually provided. Daywork rarely carries charter tips. Agree the rate and how you will be paid before you start.
- France and Monaco
- €120 – 160 a day
- Spain
- €110 – 150 a day
- Italy
- €110 – 150 a day
- United Kingdom
- £100 – 140 a day
- USA (Florida)
- US$150 – 200 a day
- Caribbean
- US$150 – 200 a day
- UAE
- US$130 – 180 a day
- Australia
- A$220 – 300 a day
- New Zealand
- NZ$220 – 300 a day
Required
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
Recommended
- PYA GUEST Introduction to Yacht Interior
- Food Safety Level 2
- PDSD
- WSET Level 1 Award in Wines
- Silver service or hospitality experience
Visas
- Schengen visa or EU passport for the Mediterranean
- US B1/B2 or C1/D for crew joining yachts in the US
- Australian MCV for joining yachts in Australia
- Right to work in the country for dock or shipyard work
Where it leads
Daywork Steward / Stewardess jobs open now
Questions crew ask
How do I find daywork?
Register with crew agencies, join the local crew job groups and walk the docks in the morning with a CV and a polite introduction. Staying in a crew house in Antibes, Palma or Fort Lauderdale helps, because word of daywork spreads fast there.
Do I need STCW and ENG1 to do daywork?
Many yachts insist on them even for a day, and you will need both for any permanent job. Get them before you arrive so you can say yes to every offer.
Can daywork lead to a full-time job?
Yes, it is the most common route into a first interior position. Show up early, work hard and keep your phone on, as chief stews often hire the dayworker they already trust.