All roles/Specialist crew/Nail Technician
Specialist crew
Nail Technician
You run manicures, pedicures and nail treatments for guests and owners in the yacht's spa, keeping standards equal to a top city salon while working at sea.
- Department
- Specialist crew
- Reports to
- Spa Manager
- Yacht size
- 70m+
- Contract
- Seasonal or permanent
- Starting pay
- €3,000 per month
What the job is
A yacht Nail Technician gives guests and the owner manicures, pedicures, gel and acrylic work, nail art and hand and foot treatments. Dedicated nail roles exist mainly on large yachts of 70m and above with a full spa team. On smaller boats the work is folded into a Beauty Therapist or Steward / Spa Therapist position. Either way, guests expect results as good as a Mayfair or Monaco salon, often booked at short notice before dinner ashore.
Most of your hours go on treatments, but the rest of the job matters as much. You keep a strict hygiene routine, sterilising tools in an autoclave and logging it. You manage stock of polishes, gels, files and disposables, which is harder when the next supplier is days away. You learn each guest's preferences, from shape and length to the exact shade they wore last trip, and record it so the next booking runs without questions.
When the spa is quiet you support the interior team. That can mean helping with turndown, laundry, service at lunch or setting up the beach club. Many yachts also offer nail care to crew on off days, which keeps your skills sharp. You need STCW Basic Safety Training and an ENG1 medical like every crew member, and you take part in fire and abandon ship drills with an assigned muster duty.
What makes a good one
- Gel, acrylic and nail art
- Strict hygiene and sterilisation
- Calm, discreet guest manner
- Stock control at sea
- Flexible support for the interior
A day in the life
- 07:00Breakfast in the crew mess, then check the spa booking sheet the Spa Manager updated last night. Three guest treatments are confirmed and one is pencilled in.
- 07:45Open the treatment room, run the autoclave, wipe down stations and lay out tools. Check the gel lamp and top up disposables.
- 09:00Gel manicure for the principal guest on the sundeck, at her request. You bring a portable kit and a tray, and match the shade noted in her preference file.
- 10:30Spa pedicure for a teenage guest with simple nail art. Clean down and log the sterilisation cycle afterwards.
- 12:30Help the interior team with lunch service on the aft deck while guests eat. Grab your own lunch once the main course is cleared.
- 14:30Count stock and note low items for the Purser's order at the next port. Update guest preference notes with today's colours and shapes.
- 16:30Acrylic infill and repair for a guest who broke a nail on the jet ski. Quick, neat and done in time for her to dress for dinner.
- 18:00Two express manicures before guests go ashore for dinner in Positano. Then a full clean of the spa and tools.
- 20:00Assist with turndown on the guest deck, then finish for the night. Check tomorrow's bookings before dinner in the mess.
Pay by country
Monthly salary for crew on yachts of 70m+, usually paid in EUR or USD. Charter yachts add tips, often one to two months' salary over a season, and some guests tip spa treatments directly.
- France and Monaco
- €3,000 – 4,000
- Spain
- €3,000 – 4,000
- Italy
- €3,000 – 4,000
- United Kingdom
- £2,600 – 3,500
- USA (Florida)
- US$3,300 – 4,400
- Caribbean
- US$3,300 – 4,400
- UAE
- AED 12,000 – 16,000
- Australia
- A$5,000 – 6,700
- New Zealand
- NZ$5,500 – 7,300
Required
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- Nail technology qualification (VTCT Level 2 or 3, or national equivalent)
- Proven salon or spa experience
Recommended
- PDSD (Proficiency in Designated Security Duties)
- Beauty therapy qualification (NVQ Level 3 or CIDESCO)
- PYA GUEST interior courses
- Brand certification such as CND Shellac or OPI
- Food Safety Level 2
Visas
- Schengen
- US C1/D
- US B1/B2
- Australian MCV
Where it leads
Nail Technician jobs open now
Questions crew ask
Do yachts hire Nail Technicians on their own, or do I need other skills?
Pure nail roles are found mainly on yachts of 70m and above with a full spa. Adding beauty therapy, massage or interior experience opens far more jobs, including Steward / Spa Therapist roles on mid size yachts.
Will I have to do stewarding work?
Usually yes, some. When guests are not booking treatments you help with service, turndown or laundry, so a willingness to pitch in is expected.
How do I keep enough stock on board?
You plan orders well ahead with the Purser or Spa Manager, carry spares of core products and order to the next port. Remote cruising grounds mean you may wait weeks for a delivery.