Most of us have encountered it. Sitting in a guest cabin, watching the chief stew pulling out the uniform from under the bed, only to find that the size you requested doesn't fit.
Read More
Bianca Meyjes, OnboardOnline's newest contributor and author of popular yachting blog The Swedish African, tells us about the challenges of having guinea pigs on board and the silliest thing she's ever heard on a boat.
Read More
Healthier products in cleaning caddies mean healthier stews and a healthier ocean, and it's naive to think that strong, chemically laden cleaning products will do a better job.
Read More
Wouldn't it be great if it didn't cost a fortune to create professional stowage. Doesn't everyone want a beautiful walk in china store to house the yacht's collection of plates, flatware, glassware and accessories?
Read More
Stews often fear or dislike cleaning suede. In her third Q-Tips and Toothpicks column, SYSA's Isobel Odendaal gives some advice about the care and cleaning of this difficult fabric.
Read More
I thought I knew a lot about yachting when I made the decision to join the hordes in Antibes. I suspected dockwalking was a thing to be feared and that I was immune to seasickness.
Read More
Most stews have had to look after those dreaded Phalaenopsis orchids. This month’s column is dedicated to tips for keeping them alive for longer than the guests’ arrival day.
Read More
To kick off the new '10 Things' series from OnboardOnline, Lauren Williams tells us 10 things she didn't know before joining yachting, starting with the wonder that is toilet paper origami.
Read More
Steward/esses, as a group, have a huge amount of knowledge when it comes to solving problems on board, but are often unable to take advantage of each other’s experience.
Read More
If someone had asked my teenage self where I expected to be living in my 30’s, it’s unlikely I would have said I was aiming for a bunk-bed situation.
Read More
Elise Ciappara joined yachting after a diverse career in finance and wedding planning. Now second stew on M/Y Titania, she tells OnboardOnline about the virtues of taking a risk to find a career you love.
Read More
Some people are sailing yacht people, others are motor yacht people, but rarely is someone both. In fact a (mostly) friendly rivalry runs through the water between these two worlds. Each has perceptions about the other; perception...
Read More
Chief stewardesses often get a bad wrap for nagging and over-reactions to trivialities. But, as Mrs Steele argues, sometimes you just have to stand your ground.
Read More
Charter guests and owners will use, touch and sleep in the linens on board. They will notice and appreciate luxurious softness, but will also remark on scratchy towels or bed linen. The interior of the cabins need to make a great ...
Read More
10 years ago, choice in yacht uniforms was limited. The fit mattered, but not how uniforms matched the yacht or the personality of the crew. Fortunately, as the industry evolves, suppliers are pushing the boundaries, with fashion...
Read More
Tired of serving the same old cocktails? Ever thought of garnishing a cocktail with a sprig of lavender and a macaron? Do sherbet, olive oil and pink peppercorns feature in your cocktail repertoire? In the first of his series fo...
Read More
Odd socks, whingeing crew and mugs left in the sink...it's clearly time for a mid-season hissy fit.Jo Morgan on what drives us batty when life in the crew mess gets messy.
Read More
In an industry where ‘attention to detail’ needs to be ‘obsession to detail’, it is perhaps no surprise that yacht crew have a bewildering array of ‘pet hates’ and phobias.
Read More
There's an excellent chance that you'll travel over water this month. The forecast is for blue skies, except for when it will be raining, or gloomy. Or nighttime.
Read More
Imagine if you found out that half the generous tip you gave to the waitress last night for outstanding service had been confiscated by her manager and was being held ransom for a year, in a bid to coerce the waitress into staying...
Read More
Better known among her peers as "German Anni", this 15-year veteran of the superyacht industry got into it by accident. It started when Anni Riedel moved from Germany to the Caribbean, where she worked on land for a while. But the...
Read More
OnboardOnline recently sat down with Lynne Edwards and asked her a few questions about herself, her career and what she's learned over the years about what it takes to be a great chief stew.
Read More
I'm frequently approached by Chief Stewardesses that wish to make the transition to Purser and need some tips to help them succeed in their first Purser position.
Read More