All roles/Interior/Third Steward / Third Stewardess
Interior
Third Steward / Third Stewardess
The third steward keeps guest cabins, laundry and service running to standard on larger yachts, rotating between housekeeping and table service so the interior team never drops a detail.
- Department
- Interior
- Reports to
- Chief Steward / Chief Stewardess
- Yacht size
- 50m to 100m+
- Contract
- Seasonal or permanent
- Starting pay
- €3,000 per month
What the job is
The third steward is a working member of a larger interior team, usually on yachts of 50m and up with four or more interior crew. You split your time between housekeeping, laundry and guest service, rotating through each as the chief steward sets the rota. You are no longer the newest in the department, so you are trusted with guest cabins, table service at lunch and dinner, and keeping standards steady when the second steward is busy elsewhere.
On charter the work is split into shifts. A morning stew sets up breakfast, a housekeeping stew turns the guest cabins while guests are ashore or on the water, and a laundry stew keeps linen and guest clothing moving. You may do all three in one week. Evenings mean dinner service, turndowns and a late bar shift that can run past midnight. Between charters you deep clean, polish interior brightwork, count stores and help put away provisions.
Captains and chief stews hire third stews for reliability and attention to detail. They want someone with at least one season behind them, who folds and presses to a set standard, knows silver service and basic wine and cocktails, and stays pleasant at the end of a 16 hour day. Sharing a cabin with the same people for months is part of the job. Do this role well for a season or two and the step to second steward follows.
What makes a good one
- Cabin housekeeping to detail
- Laundry, stain care and pressing
- Silver and plated service
- Wine and cocktail basics
- Calm under long hours
A day in the life
- 06:30Set up breakfast on the aft deck. Lay the table, press juice, warm the coffee machine and check the pantry before guests wake.
- 07:30Serve breakfast with the second steward as guests come up in ones and twos, clearing and resetting between them.
- 09:30Guests take the tender to the beach, so you turn the cabins. Strip and make beds, clean bathrooms, refold towels and reset every cabin to the agreed photos.
- 12:30Quick crew lunch, then lunch service on the sundeck. Keep drinks topped up and the table cleared without being noticed.
- 14:30Laundry shift. Guest clothing is washed, pressed and returned within hours, and table linen is ironed for dinner.
- 17:00An hour off in your cabin. Shower, eat something and rest your feet.
- 18:30Set the dinner table to the theme agreed with the chief steward. Polish glassware and silver and fold napkins.
- 20:00Dinner service, plated or silver service, with wine top ups. A colleague slips away to do turndowns while guests eat.
- 23:00Run the bar until guests turn in, then clean the pantry and write a handover note for the morning crew.
Pay by country
Monthly salary for a third steward on a 50m to 100m yacht, usually paid in EUR or USD whatever the flag. Charter yachts add tips, typically 10 to 20% of the charter fee shared across the crew, which can add several thousand a month in a busy season.
- France and Monaco
- €3,000 – 3,800
- Spain
- €3,000 – 3,800
- Italy
- €3,000 – 3,800
- United Kingdom
- £2,550 – 3,250
- USA (Florida)
- US$3,300 – 4,200
- Caribbean
- US$3,300 – 4,200
- UAE
- AED 12,100 – 15,300
- Australia
- A$4,950 – 6,300
- New Zealand
- NZ$5,400 – 6,850
Required
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- PDSD
- Food Safety Level 2
Recommended
- PYA GUEST interior courses
- WSET Level 2 Award in Wines
- RYA Powerboat Level 2
- Medical First Aid
- Barista training
Visas
- Schengen visa (non EU crew)
- US B1/B2 or C1/D
- Australian MCV for yachts cruising Australia
Where it leads
Third Steward / Third Stewardess jobs open now
Questions crew ask
How is a third steward different from a second steward?
The second steward runs shifts, trains junior crew and steps in for the chief steward. The third steward does the hands on work across housekeeping, laundry and service, with less responsibility for planning and people.
Can I get a third steward job with no yacht experience?
It is rare. Most third stews have at least one season as a junior or fourth steward, or strong five star hotel or restaurant experience that shows they can work to a high standard.
How much can I make in tips?
On a busy charter yacht, tips are usually shared equally across the crew and can match or exceed your salary over a summer. Private yachts with few or no charters pay little or nothing in tips.