The Human Face of Seven Star Hospitality

Back in April during the MYBA Charter Show in Barcelona, 70m motor yacht JOY won the Table Decor category of the Superyacht Chefs’ Competition with a standout tablescape.

Opting for an elegant design that prioritized thoughtfulness over lavishness it caught the eye of the judges as a perfect example of the essence of Seven Star Hospitality. 

What set their tablescape apart was the highly personalized design, emphasizing significant moments from MYBA’s past, key people in the organization and MYBA’s creed.

Stealing the Show with Thoughtfulness

A thoughtful and caring approach was at the heart of the crew’s attitude to the guest experience, “Being thoughtful and intuitive to the guests’ unique preferences makes all the difference.” says Tabitha Lewtas, chief stewardess on MY JOY. “Moving away from grandeur and opulence and focusing more on how to make their time onboard incomparable and unique.”

This sentiment is echoed by MYBA President, Gaye Joyeau-Bourgeois, who says “Clients would consider the ‘best’ service one that evokes a warm, heartfelt emotion. An outstanding crew’s sine qua non will be a genuinely caring attitude. That’s the key to truly remarkable service.”

MYBA's creed, a centre piece on the tablescape by MY Joy

Sarah Sebastian, charter broker and coordinator of the MYBA Superyacht Chefs’ Competition also highlights the crucial element of teamwork in delivering the superyacht experience, commenting, “The yacht is only as good as its crew and the way they work together in harmony to create a stimulating yet relaxed atmosphere for their charter guests in an environment of safety, privacy and security.” 

Teamwork was clearly a pivotal factor in the creation of MY JOY’s winning tablescape bringing all departments together. “Each stewardess was given an element within the theme to create themselves. The girls came to each other to draw new inspiration and expand on their own unique ideas, allowing them the freedom to conjure up some original ideas. I learnt a great deal about the strengths within our team and was presented with some really inventive and well-designed elements to be brought to the table.” 

Speaking with Chief Stewardess Tabitha during the MYBA Charter Show 2018

Working alongside head chef Paul Hamilton, Tabitha says, “We came together to have the tone of the table setting reflect the sensations he wanted to evoke. Our deck crew and engineers were involved with the idea to construct a trellis over the dining table which we could hang flowers from. All of this, of course, is made possible by having strong leadership starting from the top, a captain who values crew dynamic and recruits not only on qualifications but also on personality.” 

Creating the Wow Factor Through Teamwork

When crew come together in this way and the leadership allows everybody’s strengths to shine, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Peter Vogel, a member of the MYBA Chefs’ Competition Jury and hospitality expert believes that such collaboration involving all departments is the only way to create a true WOW factor.

“In the end it's the drive to please and deliver an exceptional experience onboard through a thoughtful approach where a team cares deeply about producing nothing short of excellence, which can truly be felt by the guests onboard.” said Peter.

Chief Stewardess Tabitha Lewtas onboard MY JOY

Yachts themselves have always been excellent, but consensus on the importance of crew in delivering the human experience is finally catching up. As Tabitha so aptly put it, “Our approach to hospitality is to decipher and cater specifically to what gives our guests joy. Each charter presents us with a unique opportunity to have a positive impact on our guests’ experience and provide them with unforgettable memories. When working with this calibre of clientele, where everything they could want they can have, the new challenge is to find for them the experience they didn’t know they were after.”

When an owner or charter client commits to yachting they expect to enjoy the very best that money can buy. As ever it’s the detail that makes the difference and when it’s done with care and thought we take the whole experience to another level.