Over the last year, I’ve taken a step back from the yachting industry. Recently, I’ve been thinking about dipping my toe back in, but every job that’s been sent my way has left me asking the same question:

What has happened to our salaries?

Not only have they failed to keep up with inflation, but in many cases they’ve actually gone backwards.

I genuinely want someone to explain why.

The yachting industry asks for an extraordinary level of commitment from its crew. We dedicate our lives to people who are, in most cases, complete strangers. Our job is to make every moment of their holiday effortless, luxurious and unforgettable. We anticipate their needs before they’ve even thought of them. We are on call from the moment we wake up until the moment we finally collapse into bed.

So why doesn’t that level of dedication seem to be reflected in our pay?

One of the arguments I’ve heard over the years is that accommodation and food are included. But let’s be honest, that isn’t the luxury perk people outside the industry imagine it to be.

Most crew aren’t living in spacious cabins. We’re living in tiny shared quarters with beds that can feel barely bigger than a coffin, often sharing with another crew member, and sometimes more depending on the vessel. Privacy barely exists.

And while meals are technically provided, how often do we actually get to sit down and enjoy them? During busy charters, skipped meals become normal. Cold food becomes normal. Eating in five minutes between jobs becomes normal.

Then there are the hours.

Nineteen-hour days are not unusual. Your “break” often consists of passing out from exhaustion while your radio is still crackling beside you. It’s hardly rest when you’re mentally preparing for the next call.

We don’t work Monday to Friday.

We don’t get guaranteed weekends.

We miss birthdays.

We miss Christmas.

We miss weddings.

We miss funerals.

We miss watching our nieces and nephews grow up.

We put our own lives on hold so that somebody else’s holiday can be perfect.

Some liveaboard yachts have crew working for months without a proper day off. That level of commitment would be extraordinary in almost any other profession, yet somehow it has become accepted as normal in ours.

So why am I seeing salaries advertised at around $3,000 a month? Why are experienced professionals being offered $100 day rates?

I don’t believe that reflects the skill, sacrifice or professionalism this industry demands.

This isn’t just about chefs. It’s about every department, interior, deck, engineers and bridge crew. Every single person on board contributes to creating an experience that owners and charter guests are paying hundreds of thousands, sometimes millions, to enjoy.

So where is the value being placed on the people delivering it?

I’d genuinely love to hear from recruiters, captains, management companies and yacht owners.

Has the market changed?

Is there an oversupply of crew?

Have budgets tightened?

Or have we simply reached a point where the people keeping this industry running are expected to accept less while giving more?

Because from where I’m standing, something doesn’t add up.

The yachting industry has given me incredible experiences, lifelong friendships and opportunities I will always be grateful for. This isn’t about attacking an industry I love.

It’s about asking whether the people who dedicate years of their lives to it are finally being valued fairly.

So, I’ll ask again:

Why are yacht crew salaries going backwards?

Instagram: @cheftzarina