One of the perks of my office based crew agency life means I’m privy to all the gossip onboard. When the summer season comes to a halt I love to ask all the crew out there on social media to tell me their best stories. As we all now know, life on a yacht can be as unpredictable as it is (according to Instagram) glamorous, especially for the crew who serve the high-profile guests. The close quarters and high-stakes environment often lead to some pretty memorable moments. Here are some of the best anecdotes and funny stories so far from this season.
Unusual Guest Requests
The Goldfish Emergency: One story involves a guest who couldn’t sleep without the presence of their pet goldfish. The problem? They forgot to bring the goldfish on board. The solution? The captain sent a crew member to find a pet store at the next port and secure a goldfish, along with a tank, just in time for the guest’s bedtime. It’s worth noting here this was not a child guest.
The Invisible Chief Stew: On another occasion, a guest requested that the stewardess team be invisible, which meant staying out of sight at all times but magically appearing when needed. This led to the Chief Stew developing almost ninja-like skills to cater to the guest’s whims, sneaking around corners and hiding in closets to avoid being seen. Let’s hope the tip was big.
All-White Everything: There was a guest who insisted that everything they touched be white. This included food, drinks, and even the crew uniforms. The chef had to get creative but in the most bland possible way, serving dishes like cauliflower puree, poached chicken breast, and vanilla ice cream, while the crew had to ensure no other colours were visible in their attire.
Themed Parties Gone Wild
The Pirate Invasion: Yacht parties are often extravagant, but one pirate-themed party took it to the next level. The interior crew are always proud of going the extra mile with their events but this one was pretty extra. The crew dressed up as pirates, complete with eye patches, fake parrots, and “yarrr” accents. The best bit of the night was a surprise mock attack by a rented pirate ship, complete with extras, water cannons and sword fights. The guests loved it, but the cleanup the next day was another story, as the crew had to deal with the remnants of water cannon battles and stray props scattered around the yacht. The deck crew were not impressed with the stews…
Mermaid Mayhem: Another memorable event was a mermaid-themed party where the guests dressed in elaborate mermaid costumes. One guest, however, took the theme too seriously and decided to jump into the sea in a full mermaid tail. The crew had to scramble to rescue the guest, who realised too late that swimming in a heavy costume wasn’t as easy as it looked in the movies.
High Seas High Jinks?
Pranking the Newbie: Initiation pranks on new crew members are a time-honoured tradition and continue. Lots of reports of the old favourite “radar test” before leaving port – this is where the poor greenie is covered head to toe in tin foil and made to walk up and down the dock whilst waving their arms, following instructions from the engineer on board… it’s amazing how many newbies fall for this one. But it’s highly entertaining for everyone watching!
The Disappearing Deckhand: One of the deckies was prone to taking power naps in the tender garage when he could… and totally thought he was getting away with it. One day out at anchor the crew had some fun, and hid. Literally all of them. Even the captain. They managed to stay hidden for a good 20 minutes before our little decky started to have a big old freak out. Too many end of the world movies my friend? He stopped napping after that.
Culinary Capers
The Banana Boat: A chef received a peculiar request for a dish that was “nothing but bananas.” Embracing the challenge, he created an entire multi-course meal featuring bananas in every form: banana soup, banana salad, banana sushi, banana curry, and even banana ice cream for dessert. The guest was delighted, and the story of the “banana boat” meal became a legendary tale among the crew for the rest of the season.
Midnight Cravings: Late-night snack requests can be quirky, but one guest’s craving for a specific brand of peanut butter led to a frantic middle-of-the-night search at various ports. The crew finally found the desired jar from another yacht’s galley after several hours, only for the guest to take one bite and declare they were no longer in the mood for peanut butter. The jar became a humorous keepsake in the galley, reminding everyone of the lengths they sometimes have to go to satisfy their guests.
All in a season’s work for our faithful yacht crew! Despite the occasional absurdity, the crew’s dedication to providing top-notch service shines through, ensuring that guests have an unforgettable experience on the high seas.