All roles/Specialist crew/Massage Therapist
Specialist crew
Massage Therapist
A massage therapist delivers treatments to the owner and guests on board, keeps the spa or treatment room spotless and stocked, and helps the interior team when the treatment book is quiet.
- Department
- Specialist crew
- Reports to
- Spa Manager or Chief Steward / Chief Stewardess
- Yacht size
- 60m to 150m+
- Contract
- Seasonal or permanent
- Starting pay
- €3,500 per month
What the job is
You give massages and body treatments to the owner, their family and charter guests. On most yachts that means Swedish, deep tissue, sports and aromatherapy massage, often with reflexology, hot stone or lymphatic drainage on the menu. Treatments happen in a dedicated spa room on larger yachts, or on a portable table set up in a guest cabin, on the sundeck or on a beach after a tender ride ashore.
Guest hours drive everything. A busy charter can mean six or seven treatments a day, booked around lunch, water sports and shore trips, and a guest may want a massage at 22:00 after dinner. You keep a treatment log, track allergies and injuries, and adjust pressure and timing to people who are jet lagged, sunburnt or hungover. Discretion matters. You will hear private conversations and you keep them to yourself.
On yachts under about 80m the role is usually combined with interior work, so expect to serve, clean cabins and help with laundry between treatments. On larger yachts with a full spa team you focus on treatments, spa hygiene, stock and the gym area. Off charter you run treatments for crew, deep clean equipment, order oils and linen, and plan the menu with the Spa Manager or Chief Stew.
What makes a good one
- Wide range of massage techniques
- Reading guest needs quietly
- Strict spa hygiene
- Flexible with hours and space
- Interior service and housekeeping
A day in the life
- 07:00Breakfast in the crew mess, then a quick briefing with the Chief Stew on guest plans, tender runs and who has booked treatments.
- 07:45Prepare the spa room. Warm the table and hot stones, lay fresh towels and check oils, robes and slippers.
- 09:00First treatment, a 60 minute deep tissue massage for a guest with a stiff back after a long flight.
- 10:30Couples massage on the sundeck under the shade awning before the guests go out on the jet skis.
- 12:30Help the interior team with lunch service on the aft deck, then turn down the spa and wash the linen.
- 14:00Crew lunch and a short break in your cabin. Update the treatment log with notes on pressure and preferences.
- 16:00Two back to back treatments, a reflexology session and a 90 minute aromatherapy massage for the principal charterer.
- 19:00Set up the cabins for evening turndown with the stews and restock spa consumables for tomorrow.
- 22:00Late request for a head and shoulder massage in the master cabin, then a final clean of the table before bed.
Pay by country
Monthly salary for crew on yachts of 60m to 100m, usually quoted in EUR or USD. Dual roles and larger spa teams pay toward the top. Charter tips, often 10 to 15% of the charter fee shared across the crew, come on top.
- France and Monaco
- €3,500 – 5,000
- Spain
- €3,500 – 5,000
- Italy
- €3,500 – 5,000
- United Kingdom
- £3,000 – 4,300
- USA (Florida)
- US$3,800 – 5,500
- Caribbean
- US$3,800 – 5,500
- UAE
- AED 14,000 – 20,000
- Australia
- A$5,800 – 8,300
- New Zealand
- NZ$6,300 – 9,100
Required
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- Level 3 Diploma in Massage (ITEC, CIBTAC or VTCT) or equivalent
- Proof of professional treatment experience
Recommended
- PDSD (Proficiency in Designated Security Duties)
- PYA GUEST interior courses
- Sports massage qualification
- Reflexology or hot stone qualification
- Food Safety Level 2
- Medical First Aid
Visas
- Schengen visa (non EU crew)
- US B1/B2 or C1/D
- Australian MCV for Australian cruising
Where it leads
- Steward / Massage Therapist
- Massage Therapist
- Spa Therapist
- Spa Manager
- Interior Manager
Massage Therapist jobs open now
Questions crew ask
Do I need yacht experience to get a massage therapist job?
Not always, but strong salon, spa or resort experience is expected. Many therapists start in a combined Steward / Massage Therapist role on a smaller yacht to build sea time and references.
Will I only do massage?
On yachts over about 90m with a spa team, mostly yes. On smaller yachts you will usually work as a stew between treatments, so be ready to serve, clean and do laundry.
Do I bring my own table and products?
Larger yachts supply a fixed table, portable table and products, though they may ask for your input on brands. It helps to bring your own preferred oils and small tools, and check with the yacht before you join.