All roles/Dual roles/Steward / Nanny
Dual roles
Steward / Nanny
A Steward / Nanny looks after the owner's or charter guests' children while also covering interior service and housekeeping, so families with young children get safe, consistent care without the yacht carrying an extra crew member.
- Department
- Dual roles
- Reports to
- Chief Steward / Chief Stewardess
- Yacht size
- 30m to 80m
- Contract
- Seasonal or permanent
- Starting pay
- €3,500 per month
What the job is
This is a dual role. When children are on board, they come first. You plan their days, supervise meals, naps, swimming and water toys, and keep them safe on a moving vessel with open decks, stairs and tenders. When the children are asleep, ashore with parents or not on board at all, you work as a normal stewardess: cabins, laundry, table service and detailing. Many private yachts with young families hire this way because a full time nanny would sit idle between trips.
Safety is the core of the job. A yacht is full of hazards a land nanny never meets: swim platforms, passerelles, anchor chains, hot galleys and tender transfers. You learn the yacht's safety rules, make sure life jackets fit each child, and agree with the parents and the captain where children may and may not go. You keep a written routine covering allergies, medication, bedtimes and screen rules, and you brief the chef and the rest of the interior team daily.
The best people in this role are trained nannies who have learnt yacht interior standards, or experienced stewardesses with genuine childcare qualifications and references. Discretion matters as much as it does for any interior crew member. You are with the family more closely than anyone else on board, often in private moments, and the parents need to trust you completely. Owners often keep a good Steward / Nanny for years and take them on land holidays too.
What makes a good one
- Safe childcare on a moving vessel
- Silver service and table setting
- Laundry and cabin housekeeping
- Calm, discreet manner with families
- Planning age appropriate activities
A day in the life
- 06:45Start in the crew mess, check the day's plan with the Chief Stewardess and note which guests are up early. Lay out the children's clothes, sun cream and swimwear.
- 07:30Take over from the parents when the children wake. Supervise breakfast in the main saloon and check with the chef that the nut free menu is followed.
- 09:00Run a morning activity on the sundeck in the shade: drawing, a short reading session and a game. Keep the children clear of the deck crew washing down the bow.
- 11:00Supervise swimming off the swim platform with a deckhand on watch, life jackets on. Hand the children back to their parents for a family tender trip to the beach.
- 12:00Switch to stewardess duties. Turn the children's cabins, sort their laundry and help set the aft deck table for lunch.
- 14:30Children return for a nap. Sit with the youngest, then fold laundry in the cabin next door with the baby monitor on.
- 16:30Afternoon water toys session with the bosun, then showers and a quiet film. Write up meals, naps and anything the parents should know.
- 18:30Children's supper, bath and bedtime stories. Stay on the guest deck with the monitor while the parents have dinner.
- 21:30Help the interior team with turndown and clearing after dinner if needed, then brief the night stewardess on the children before going off duty.
Pay by country
Monthly salary for crew on a 30m to 80m yacht. Pay is higher with a recognised childcare qualification, strong references or a second language. Charter tips are shared with the crew on charter yachts, but most Steward / Nanny roles are on private family yachts with fewer tips.
- France and Monaco
- €3,500 – 4,800
- Spain
- €3,400 – 4,600
- Italy
- €3,400 – 4,600
- United Kingdom
- £3,000 – 4,100
- USA (Florida)
- US$3,800 – 5,200
- Caribbean
- US$3,800 – 5,200
- UAE
- AED 14,000 – 19,000
- Australia
- A$5,800 – 8,000
- New Zealand
- NZ$6,400 – 8,800
Required
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- Paediatric First Aid
- Enhanced DBS or equivalent background check
- Professional childcare references
Recommended
- Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education
- PYA GUEST Introduction to Yacht Interior
- Food Safety Level 2
- PDSD
- RLSS National Pool Lifeguard Qualification
- Second language
Visas
- Schengen
- US B1/B2 or C1/D
- Australian MCV
Where it leads
Steward / Nanny jobs open now
Questions crew ask
Do I need a childcare qualification or is experience enough?
Most owners ask for a recognised childcare qualification or several years of professional nanny work with checkable references. A Paediatric First Aid certificate and a clean background check are expected either way.
How much of the job is childcare and how much is interior work?
It depends on the trip. With young children on board you may spend most of the day on childcare, while on trips without children you work as a full stewardess.
Will I have time off when the family is on board?
Time off is limited during family trips because you are often on call for night wakings. Good yachts agree set breaks when parents take over and give extra rest once the family leaves.