All roles/Specialist crew/Fitness Instructor
Specialist crew
Fitness Instructor
You run the gym, classes and outdoor sessions for guests and crew, so owners stay fit on board and crew stay healthy through long seasons.
- Department
- Specialist crew
- Reports to
- Spa Manager
- Yacht size
- 70m to 150m+
- Contract
- Seasonal or permanent
- Starting pay
- €3,500 per month
What the job is
On a large yacht the gym is often as well equipped as a good hotel club, with a rower, bike, cable machine, free weights and sometimes a Pilates reformer. Your job is to make guests want to use it. You run one to one sessions, small group classes and outdoor workouts on the sundeck or the beach. You plan around the charter itinerary, the weather and what each guest asks for on the preference sheet.
You are also a crew member first. When guests are off or the yacht is in a yard, you help the interior team with service, housekeeping or laundry, and you keep the gym clean, stocked and safe. You log equipment checks, wipe down after every session and report faults to the engineers. Kit has to be secured before every passage, because a loose kettlebell in a swell is a real hazard.
Many owners also want the crew kept fit. You may run early circuits for deck and engineering, advise the chef on guest nutrition requests, and support guests during watersports, hikes and paddleboard trips. The best instructors read people well. Some guests want a hard session at 07:00, others want a gentle stretch and a quiet chat. Discretion matters as much as programming, because you spend close, personal time with owners and their families.
What makes a good one
- Programming for all ages and abilities
- Teaching group and outdoor classes
- Reading guests and keeping discretion
- Gym maintenance and safety
- Supporting interior service
A day in the life
- 06:30Open the gym, check the equipment log, wipe down machines and set the air conditioning before the first guest arrives.
- 07:00One to one strength session with the principal guest, built around the knee injury noted on the preference sheet.
- 08:30Sunrise yoga and mobility class on the sundeck for three guests, mats and towels laid out with the interior team.
- 10:00Crew breakfast, then a quick brief with the Spa Manager and Chief Stewardess on the day's guest plans and timings.
- 11:00Join the tender run to the beach and lead a guest paddleboard and swim session while the deck crew run the water toys.
- 13:30Help the interior team with lunch service on the aft deck, then clear and reset the gym.
- 16:00Two short guest sessions: a HIIT circuit for the teenagers and a stretching session for a guest recovering from a flight.
- 18:00Run a 30 minute circuit for off watch crew on the foredeck, then update session notes for each guest.
- 19:30Secure loose kit ahead of the evening repositioning, then help with turndown before finishing for the night.
Pay by country
Monthly, tax free for most crew, on yachts of 70m to 150m+. Food, accommodation, uniform and flights usually included. Charter tips are shared with crew and can add a full month's pay or more over a busy season.
- France and Monaco
- €3,500 – 5,000
- Spain
- €3,400 – 4,800
- Italy
- €3,400 – 4,800
- United Kingdom
- £3,000 – 4,200
- 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 – 9,000
Required
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- PDSD
- Level 3 Personal Trainer qualification or equivalent
- Recognised fitness instructing qualification
Recommended
- Yoga or Pilates teaching qualification
- Level 3 Sports Massage
- PYA GUEST interior courses
- RYA Powerboat Level 2
- PADI Open Water or Advanced
- Food Safety Level 2
Visas
- Schengen
- US B1/B2 or C1/D
- Australian MCV
Where it leads
Fitness Instructor jobs open now
Questions crew ask
Will I only work in the gym?
Rarely. Most yachts expect you to help the interior team with service, housekeeping or laundry when guests are not training, so interior skills make you far easier to hire.
Do I need yacht experience to get hired?
Not always, but you need strong shoreside credentials, ideally with high net worth or hotel clients. Many instructors start in a combined Steward / Personal Trainer role and move to a dedicated position on a larger yacht.
Are there jobs year round?
Large private yachts often hire permanent fitness crew, while charter yachts may take you for the Mediterranean or Caribbean season. Permanent roles usually come with leave and better long term pay.