All roles/Specialist crew/Yoga Instructor
Specialist crew
Yoga Instructor
Runs yoga, stretching and breathwork sessions for the owner, guests and sometimes crew, tailored to each person, so wellbeing on board is handled as carefully as the food and service.
- Department
- Specialist crew
- Reports to
- Spa Manager
- Yacht size
- 70m+
- Contract
- Seasonal, permanent or trip by trip
- Starting pay
- €3,500 per month
What the job is
On a large yacht, the yoga instructor runs movement and breathwork for the owner, guests and sometimes crew. Sessions happen on the sundeck at sunrise, in the gym when the sea is up, or on paddleboards in a calm anchorage. You tailor each class to whoever turns up: a principal with a bad back, a teenager who has never tried it, a guest stiff from a long flight. Most work is one to one or small groups, so you plan around people rather than a fixed timetable.
Dedicated yoga instructors are mostly found on yachts over 70m with a wellness or spa department, usually reporting to the Spa Manager. On smaller yachts the job is combined with interior work as a Steward / Yoga Instructor, so you turn cabins and serve lunch between classes. Some owners hire instructors trip by trip, flying them in for a charter or a family holiday. Either way you live as crew, follow the rota and help wherever you are needed.
The guests set the rhythm. One week may mean two or three sessions a day for a wellness charter group. The next may mean almost nothing because the owner wants to fish. In quiet spells you help in the spa, keep the gym and kit clean and stowed, and may run optional classes for crew. Discretion matters as much as teaching. You see guests at their most relaxed and private, and you keep what you see to yourself.
What makes a good one
- Tailoring classes to all abilities
- Teaching safely on a moving deck
- Discretion with private guests
- Flexible, guest-led scheduling
- Helping in spa and interior
A day in the life
- 06:00Set up mats, blocks and towels on the sundeck, check the wind and swell, and confirm with the bridge that no anchor work is planned.
- 06:45Lead a sunrise vinyasa class for four guests. Adjust poses for one guest with a knee injury noted on the preference sheet.
- 08:30Crew breakfast, then a quick catch up with the Spa Manager and Chief Stewardess on the day's guest programme and treatment bookings.
- 10:00Private session with the principal in the gym, focused on mobility for the lower back. Log what worked for the next session.
- 11:30Help the spa team prepare treatment rooms and restock linen. Clean and air the yoga kit.
- 13:00Crew lunch and a short break in the mess.
- 15:00Paddleboard yoga in the bay with two guests. The deck team runs a tender alongside for safety and to bring water.
- 18:30Restorative stretch and guided breathing on the foredeck at sunset for the whole guest party, children included.
- 20:30Rinse salt off the paddleboards with the deckhands, stow mats, update session notes and plan tomorrow around the dinner ashore.
Pay by country
Monthly crew salary for a dedicated or dual-role yoga instructor on yachts of 70m+, paid in EUR or USD with food and cabin included. Charter tips are shared with the crew and can add a month's pay or more over a busy season. Trip by trip freelancers are usually paid a daily rate.
- 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 – 8,400
- New Zealand
- NZ$6,300 – 9,100
Required
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- 200-hour yoga teacher training (Yoga Alliance RYT 200 or equivalent)
Recommended
- 500-hour yoga teacher training
- Pilates mat certification
- Massage qualification (ITEC or VTCT)
- PYA GUEST interior courses
- PDSD
- Food Safety Level 2
Visas
- Schengen visa
- US B1/B2 or C1/D
- Australian MCV
Where it leads
- Steward / Stewardess
- Steward / Yoga Instructor
- Yoga Instructor
- Spa Manager
Yoga Instructor jobs open now
Questions crew ask
Do I need yacht experience to get hired as a yoga instructor?
Not always, but it helps a lot. Most first jobs are dual roles such as Steward / Yoga Instructor, where interior experience or a PYA GUEST course makes you far more hireable than teaching alone.
Is it a full-time job or only while guests are on board?
Permanent crew stay on board year round and help in the spa, gym and interior when guests are away. Some owners only hire for specific trips, paying a daily rate plus flights.
Will I only teach yoga?
Rarely. Guests often want Pilates, stretching, meditation or paddleboard sessions too, and a second qualification such as Pilates or massage makes you much more useful on board.