Beverage Service:
Drinking is the cultural epicenter of all social groups on the planet and a yacht hostess must be extremely competent to serve all kinds of drinks. The skills that a flight attendant must possess are:
- Wine knowledge, wine pairing, wine storage and wine service.
- Champagne service.
- Port and Cognac service.
- Beer knowledge and beer service.
- Knowledge, preparation and decoration of cocktails.
- Knowledge of spirits.
- Hot drinks, tea and coffee service.
- Fine tea and coffee storage knowledge.
- Storage and service of soft drinks and other non-alcoholics.
In addition to the beverage service, a good hostess will also be educated about tobacco and cigar, cigarette, and pipe service.
Food service:
Generally speaking, there are five types of service that a hostess must competently master. These are as follows:
- Silver service.
- American service or plate service.
- English service.
- Buffet service.
- Russian service.
In addition to service styles, a yacht hostess must be well versed in table handling, table setting, courses, and order of service. These duties and the success of a beautiful dinner or a magnificent party fall mainly with the head chef and the head hostess.
Internal cleaning:
A superyacht is full of fine fabrics and expensive works of art, so a yacht hostess must be extremely competent to handle those pieces; or you may be required to work under the supervision of the Chief Stewardess until that level has been reached.
- Cleaning tasks will include cleaning the cabins.
- Cleaning of public areas on board.
- Cleaning of officers’ cabins.
- Clean up clutter from the crew and other crew areas.
The details of the cleaning will depend on the size of the boat and will be coordinated by the Chief of Hostess.
Garment Care:
The most common types of fabrics that a hostess should know how to wash correctly are:
- Cotton.
- Silk.
- Microfiber
- Wool.
- Lightning.
- Polyester.
- Leather.
- Linen.
The details and coordination of the wash will be explained by the head hostess, and must be executed by the hostess. This is an area where a lot of mistakes can occur, so more diligence is required here.
Flower arrangements and plant care:
Flower arranging and plant care are a fun part of the job. The reason every good hostess should know how to arrange flowers is that ‘yes … you are on a yacht’ and you may not have access or the budget to call a florist every time your flowers or plants need attention.
Personal appearance:
Yes, I’m sorry to say that appearance is important in this industry. It’s one of the things I found difficult to handle when I was told to hire ‘model’ as hostesses.
However, there is a light at the end of this (sometimes) shallow tunnel; and that is arrangement and presentation. Grooming, personal hygiene, and personal presentation are not difficult to handle. Knowing your colors, what hairstyle suits your face, and how to wear your uniform can have a huge impact on your overall presentation.
Professional etiquette and interpersonal communications:
Professional etiquette and personal communications, in my opinion, is one of the least valued assets of a flight attendant. These skills must be learned over a period of time; where a flight attendant will learn to speak and when to speak (a skill many struggle to master); how to walk in a boat and how to conduct yourself in front of very important people. Communication skills are not only limited to verbal communications, but also include non-verbal communications, such as a pretty smile or non-direct eye contact (depending on the culture of the guests). All these little things make a difference so that your guests have a truly relaxed and enjoyable experience on board.
STCW 95 and safety responsibilities:
Finally, a superyacht stewardess must fulfill her security role in an emergency. Your role will depend on your position, the size of the ship, and your qualifications. Your role will be assigned to you by the Captain or Chief Officer (again depending on the size of the vessel) and should be taken very seriously.