Joyce Joens was born and raised in Northern Germany: “Known for its cold weather, beer, sausages, and inhabitants who wear sandals with socks,” she jokes. From a very young age, Joyce had a keen interest in people from different countries, cultures and beliefs. Her father and brothers often travelled internationally due to work and before she was a teenager, her parents decided to purchase a holiday home in Spain. During one of the very long drives from Germany to Spain, Joyce and her family stopped in Antibes at the IYCA one evening – bright lights and luxury! At that moment, Joyce knew she wanted to work on one of those yachts one day – and that’s where it all began.
Life before yachting
After finishing school, Joyce left for Greenwich, CT (USA) to learn English. She then returned to Antibes one year later to search for her first job on a yacht. “The land of doughnuts and fast food had miraculously made my hips expand, and gifted me with an American accent!” Armed with her new accent, a suitcase and not the greatest level of self-confidence, Joyce managed to get her first job on a beautiful 62m yacht after 6 weeks of dock walking. “I had made it!” she enthuses.
“… first job on a beautiful 62m yacht after 6 weeks of dock walking.”
Although her first role was far from spectacular, Joyce was grateful for the opportunity. She started out helping the chefs in the galley and later transferred to housekeeping. “I loved working on board. The crew was multinational, the owners were from Saudi Arabia and always travelled with security staff and entourage. I was truly fascinated and grateful to have worked with such a nice captain & crew. They made me feel very much at home and taught me a few yacht basics,” Joyce explains.
Favourite yachts
Joyce tells me her most recent favourite is definitely M/Y HERE COMES THE SUN. “The crew is unique; such kind, professional and fun people. We had a very intense schedule, and it was a challenge I was very happy and confident to take on,” she tells me.
Another favourite was M/Y MOONSTONE where Joyce set up the interior during the build. “Once again I was fortunate to work alongside highly skilled, experienced and truly professional people. It was a great achievement for us all,” she fondly remembers. “A special thanks to Captain Iwan Rees, Captain Andrew Freeman and Captain Jonathan Adeline – you have all been great mentors to me – thank you!”
Most enjoyable / challenging things about working on board
Joyce tells me how she loves the very unusual environment she works in and the people she is surrounded by. The mixture of nationalities, personalities and life stories fascinates her. For someone like Joyce though, who needs solitude to recharge, being around people constantly can sometimes be a challenge, but she tells me, “I always listen to my body and take time to recharge whenever possible. I close the privacy curtain and rest. After all – ‘health is wealth’!” Whilst at work, Joyce makes a conscious effort to create a fun environment and be a good manager, staying true to her ethos of being both professional and fun.
“… I close the privacy curtain and rest. After all – ‘health is wealth’
Strategies for creating the best experiences
Joyce believes it is essential to learn what is important to the owners/guests. She likes to think ‘outside of the box’, be creative, show that she cares, and be observant. Remembering some of her best experiences, Joyce tells me about a surprise 30’s birthday party she and the crew had to arrange: “We were at anchor in a remote location. A jazz band was performing on board, and we had beautiful purple flower balls hanging from the ceiling, and a large ice sculpture. The owner thoroughly enjoyed his evening surrounded by surprise guests and family. The logistics were a challenge, but it was a huge success.”
You snooze, you lose!
Joyce tells me her pet hates -both on and off board- are for people who are not punctual. “If you can’t be on time; you are not reliable. If you are not reliable; this won’t work. The same applies to stews who don’t check their checklists!” No messing with this Chief Stew!
Talking of snoozing, Joyce recalls one owner she worked for who was gifted with a great sense of humour. “He came to the breakfast table later than usual one day with messy hair and wearing a bright red silk robe – there was a slight Hugh Heffner resemblance. I looked at my watch and said, “you must have had a good rest and feel like a million dollars”. His response was “…more like a couple of hundred million!” We both laughed – it wasn’t too far from the truth…”
Pearls of wisdom for newbies
I ask Joyce if she has any advice for people wanting to start in this industry. She believes it is important to: “Stay focused! Assess yourself and your strategies. Do you have transferrable skills? Invest time and surround yourself with good people in order to support each other in challenging times. Build a network – it’s vital! Work on your mindset. Don’t feel like a failure if you don’t succeed the first time around. Believe in yourself and your abilities, and build self-confidence.” Wise words indeed!
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