When is the best time to come to the Mediterranean to look for a job on a superyacht? The Med season starts from May – June and usual finishes at the end of October. The best time to come down to either Antibes or Palma to start looking for a job is between March and June. Finding work at the end of the season can be difficult but not impossible however if you are new to the industry I wouldn’t recommend this period.

Do I need to know how to speak another language to get a job on a superyacht? It is important and helpful to speak another language especially when working in the Med. like French, Italian, Spanish or Russian. However with most boats run with international crews English is the most commonly spoken language between crews as well as owners and crews.

Are visible tattoos going to make it difficult for me to find a job on a superyacht? The superyacht industry is a luxury industry for the wealthy.  It would depend on the position you are apply for, the size of the vessel, type and attitude of the owner. In general visible tattoos do make it more difficult for crew to find jobs on boats but not impossible finding a job is all about attitude and determination.

Do I need a B1B2 visa to get a job on a superyacht? A B1B2 visa is an American working visa and is only required if the vessel is located or planning a trip to America. If you have a job on board a yacht it isn’t difficult to apply for a visa and most yacht agents organise the paperwork for crews. If you are in the Med looking for a job this will not be a necessary visa for a work on foreign flag vessels.

What local phone network should I get in France? Orange provides one of the best rewards systems for charging phone as well as good reception they would be my pick. To get a local number you’ll require a passport and an address. If you are staying in a crew house or on a boat just state the port office in the local area.  A prepaid SIM card should cost you about 30euros with a 5-10euros of credit already installed. To avoid burning credit quickly make sure to turn off data transfers (for downloading emails and surfing the net) and roaming unless necessary. For long distance phone calls find a good Wi-Fi hotspot and use Skype.

What should I bring with me?

I know that it sounds simple and something that most of us have done many times before. However I can’t count how many times I’ve seen crew turning up ill prepared for life on board a yacht.

DO NOT BRING HARD CASES as storage on yachts is limited and they don’t collapse. I would recommend a wheelie bag that collapses instead of the traditional back pack due to the fact you will be moving around a lot until you find your first yacht and it may be temporary to start with.

Pack only what is important since most yachts will provide you will uniforms and toiletries.

• 4-5 days of clothes that you don’t mind throwing away afterwards for day working
• 2 or 3 nice outfits for going out and for interviews.
• An unlocked mobile phone
• A laptop, IPad or eBook reader. (Don't bring books or magazine too heavy)
• Shoes I would limit to two or three pairs plus flip flops
• A couple of jumpers since it does get cold during the night sometimes
• A spray jacket, nothing too heavy just something to keep the wind and rain off