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Starboard Card: The brand-new financial tool for yacht crew

If you’ve been in the industry long enough, you might remember the days when the captain counted cash out of an envelope as the chef headed off provisioning at the morning market or for stews stocking up on bottles of chilled rosé for guests before lunch. Or patting down your pockets, desperate to find that receipt you thought you’d so carefully tucked away, hoping you hadn’t thrown it out by accident.

Granted, credit cards are nothing new in the industry (nor are stories about misplaced boat cards), but products and systems in the digital payment space that can make running a superyacht easy are. And at this month’s Monaco Yacht Show at the BOAT International Captains’ Club , you’ll have the opportunity to try out Starboard , a built-for-yachting banking service that is set to shake up the way yacht finances are managed.

Starboard is built around a trio of common pain points in yacht finance: accountability, flexibility and control. And the solution this product brings to market is secure and easy, harnessing the latest in financial technology.

Version one is set to launch this November, with Version two ready in time for the 2023 Mediterranean yacht season. Here’s what to expect from this innovative new product.

Card, desktop and app service

With their Starboard Visa debit card, crew members on yachts of all sizes have access to the funds they need, while the account holder keeps visibility and control over spending at their fingertips. This multi-currency solution provides accounts in GBP, EUR and USD as well as access to all major banking networks, including SWIFT, SEPA and Faster Payment. Account holders can also tap into competitive foreign currency exchange rates.

Used in conjunction with the card, Starboard is available as a desktop website and an app. Here, a user can find real-time accounting functionalities, such as money transfers, virtual cards, and quote approval — all broken down into separate APAs or other accounting criteria. And, with an added function allowing you to upload receipts, the days of handing over dog-eared receipts to the captain are gone!

The app also has built-in security features that allow you to lock or deactivate lost or stolen cards and instantly query any suspicious transactions. You can also continue to update your files even when offline as transactions and approvals automatically sync when you return to the network range.

Behind-the-scenes support

An APA Management System compiles reports and budget outlines instantly, whether it's an end-of-charter reconciliation or an overview of costs for an upcoming refit or new build project. The data can also be exported and shared in a variety of formats.

And no matter when or where you have a question, or how complex the requirement is, there’s a global Starboard support team that can be reached around the clock, every day of the year.

Built by yachties, for yachties

Such a system can only have been built by people who understand the industry, although, like most successful innovations, the idea came about by a chance encounter. When Starboard Founder and CEO Dan Lane accepted a spontaneous invitation to a party at Cowes Week several years ago, little did the British entrepreneur know that the experience he’d enjoy there would lead him in a whole new business direction some years later.

Bitten by the sailing bug that week, Dan has gone on to race boats across the globe. As he immersed himself in the sailing world, he spotted an opportunity in the market for a dedicated yacht financial services platform. Cue Starboard…

Along with his role at Starboard, Dan is also Chairman of the Andrew Cassell Foundation, which enables those with physical disabilities or impairments to sail competitively, in an inclusive and equal environment, against able-bodied sailors.

See it for yourself…

At Monaco this September, and Fort Lauderdale and METStrade later in the year, the Starboard team will be running a prototype version. “We intend to use the platform to gauge the market's response to ensure we've created a system that is of genuine benefit to captains, owners and crew,” says Starboard’s founder and CEO, Dan Lane.

For events where a demonstration of the product isn't feasible, Lane adds that more relaxed market testing through candid conversations with captains will allow for greater collaboration with prospective customers. “We hope to create a "community-built" feel for Starboard which will mean a superior product in the long run.”

For more information, or to arrange a visit to the team during an upcoming yacht show, contact Starboard directly here.

Sponsored Content created for Starboard

Setting Up A Bank Account

The Seafarer Account has a low minimum balance and no minimum income requirement. Combined with an optional Visa debit card and secure 24/7 internet banking, the Seafarer Account puts you in control wherever you are in the world. Once you gain employment on a yacht, setting up a bank account should be the first thing you do.

Travelling all over the world and having a standard UK (or elsewhere) bank account is not an ideal situation - the charges can often be astronomical, access can be problematic and you could have currency issues.

As a crew member, you are offered multi-currency accounts, international debit cards and full internet and phone banking services. The take on process is simplified to set up the account quickly. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask and we'll do our best to help.

• Available in Sterling, US Dollar, Euro and Australian Dollar
• Low minimum balance requirement on your main currency account only
• Optional Visa debit card to pay for goods and services online and access your cash at ATM's worldwide*
• Free electronic payments*
• No account maintenance fee if the minimum balance is maintained*
• 24/7 Internet and Mobile banking facilities

Yachting Financial Solutions

Helping Superyacht crew achieve their maximum financial and life potential

“Your life goals will determine your financial plan, not the other way round.”

We’ve been serving yacht crew successfully for decades.

We started off as a financial services company dedicated to superyacht crew, but have grown into something much more important.

We always looked at the Big Picture and encouraged our clients to make a financial plan to fund their future dream life.

In early 2020, we took that a step further. We now offer the only integrated life and financial mentoring programme dedicated to superyacht crew. It’s called The YFSOL Partnership and is designed to keep you on track, during the easy times and the hard times, to get you to your ultimate goal: your dream life.

Life on YOUR terms

“If you want to be financially independent today, start investing 15 years ago. If you want to be financially independent in 15 years’ time, start investing today.”

When you leave yachting, do you want your time to belong to you or to someone else?

Imagine being able to do exactly what you want. No boss, no superyacht owner—just your own goals and passions to pursue. That’s what we help you achieve.

During a 10- to 20-year career in yachting, you can build the financial platform you need to live the rest of your life entirely on your terms. That means: your house bought and paid for, and enough money to pay your day-to-day bills.

That’s an opportunity most people don’t get. Instead of 10 to 20 years, it takes most people with a shore-based job 40+ years to do that.

You’ll need some help to get there. That’s where we fit in. We’ve dedicated our lives to helping superyacht crew succeed in building the wealth they need to fund their ideal, dream lives.

Our life goal is to help you achieve your life goals

“Investment without purpose is meaningless. Investment without commitment is fruitless.”

We offer a bespoke boutique service that puts you and your dreams at the heart of everything. Together, we’ll create a life plan that will allow you to live your ideal independent life. Your life plan is the anchor for everything we’ll do together.

You’ll need financial vehicles to drive the plan. We’ll make recommendations about the investments you’ll need. We have a wide variety of offshore investment vehicles tailored to the needs of superyacht crew. You’re in control, you choose what vehicles are a good fit. We’re here to guide, advise and support you on your journey to financial freedom.

And because investing is a long-term commitment, we will work in long-term partnership with you to motivate and mentor you all the way to your goal. Personal meetings, life coaching, access to fund managers, video updates, quarterly briefings, webinars, e-books… We will be there, every step of the way. That’s our unique commitment to you.

We believe no other financial planners for superyacht crew provide the depth of support and access to information that we do.

What your colleagues say

Our decades of experience is at your disposal.

Are you ready to start your journey towards your independent dream life?

Book a free 30-minute slot with one of us to talk about:

• Where you want to go in life
• Why you want to go there
• How committed you are to getting there
• Whether we’re the right people to help you

Banking & Financial Solutions For Yacht Crew

Offshore Banking, Investments, Tax & Accounting Services

Traveling between countries with multiple currencies has resulted in a growing need for offshore multi-currency accounts. In addition to this, specific tax and accounting needs have arisen due to large periods of time spent working abroad outside of the country of a crew members tax residency.

Open a Yacht Crew Offshore Bank Account Today!

Multi-currency offshore bank divisions (& alternative modern day multi-currency money accounts) provide yacht crew with options that are flexible and easy to set up. Extensive travelling onboard superyachts, as well as the unpredictability of which currency payments will be received in, have resulted in these flexible accounts becoming the most popular option for yacht crew around the world.

The accounts offered by the institutions listed on My Crew Kit have created bespoke account types, specifically for seafarers. This gives yacht crew the freedom to both and pay and receive payments in multiples destinations around the world.

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Yacht crew tax & financial information - your ultimate guide.

Image source: https://pixabay.com/photos/euro-banknotes-hand-holding-money-867410/

Whether you’ve worked in yachting only a few months or many years, it’s guaranteed you’ll have questions surrounding finances, tax obligations and personal concerns to get the most from your off shore income.

Whilst many in the yachting industry find themselves in the unique position of having a high income and low expense lifestyle, a career in yachting can often be fruitful but short.

This makes it all the more important to begin arranging your affairs to maximise the benefit of this income now.

By taking a few simple steps, you can ensure you feel the long-term benefit of the unique position and secure a better future.

In the following chapters, we outline 7 key considerations whilst being employed on a ship.

Simply click on the links below to be taken straight to the chapter that interests you, or read the whole “ultimate guide” to be as fully informed as possible:

Yacht Crew Salaries

Living expenses, bank accounts, savings & investments, social security, tax obligations.

Roles within the yachting industry often come with a generous salary.

Whilst a deckhand cannot realistically expect to earn as much as the captain, it’s usually said everyone on board will do pretty well for themselves.

Your salary will be dependent on a number of factors including:

• type of vessel
• past experience
• qualifications
• end of season bonuses
• performance based incentives
• the vessel’s route
• your relationship with the owner
• guest & charter tips

It’s not uncommon for crew to be offered an end of season bonus, which many put aside into savings or choose to invest.

SY Ranger for example, famously had one of the best retention packages in the industry, where crew received an additional months pay for every year of service.

The following infographic below gives a fairly good measure of the salary ranges expected by various jobs on board a super yacht:

On top of your salary, you can often expect your living expenses to be covered whilst on board.

The fact that your employer covers food, accommodation and other essentials, often leaves crew with a large disposable income.

Again, there are dependent factors, but it’s not uncommon for experienced crew members to have travel expenses to and from the yacht reimbursed as well!

For those taking their firsts steps into yachting, having the right type of bank account to be paid a salary into should be a top priority.

Being paid wages into a domestic, single currency bank account can often be a huge mistake.

Retail banks at home will generally not accept multiple currency deposits and you may find you lose money to the bank through poor exchange rates or high conversion fees.

For this reason, the savviest employees open an offshore multi-currency account with a provider such as the following:

• Standard Bank

These accounts are designed to hold multiple currencies and are great for paying salaries into.

However, you’re advised to learn more about why leaving your hard-earned cash in one for an extended period is not advised, by reading our article about International Account Myth Busters .

Image source: https://pixabay.com/photos/piggy-bank-money-cow-dollar-bill-3297061/

You’ll find most employers provide medical & health insurance to cover costs for injury or sickness, which are vital whilst overseas.

This provision is assumed to be fairly standard throughout the industry, but it’s not always the case and is worth taken into account before you accept any role.

If you fall ill or become injured whilst away and are not covered by your employer’s insurance policy, you may find overseas medical bills very expensive.

Even if you’re covered by your employer’s health & medical policy, there’s other forms of insurance you may need to consider.

For example, long-term absences due to sickness or injury are unlikely to be covered by sickness pay.

In order to guard against this, you should consider a payment protection insurance plan, which covers you for loss of earnings during your time off.

Various people take differing approaches to how they save and invest their money whilst employed in the yachting industry.

For example, there’s a great number who take advantage of the well paid lifestyle by investing large sums in stocks & shares, property or many other options as early as possible, to enable them to leave the industry quickly.

There are others however, who choose to leave thousands of pounds worth of currency sitting in offshore accounts, gaining zero interest!

Remember - leaving money in an account accruing 0% interest for an extended period of time actually means the value of the savings will decrease due to rises in inflation.

If this is a situation you find yourself in, you are advised to act quickly.

Read our article to learn 5 ways to make your end of season savings work and avoid currency depreciations.

For social security matters, each jurisdiction has different parameters regarding your obligations to pay and the benefits you receive in return.

Some countries like France, insist that you must contribute if you spend more than 181 days on a vessel in French territory, whilst others give you the option to make voluntary contributions if you wish to.

Depending on the jurisdiction, your contributions can cover a number of benefits, which could include the following:

• State pension
• Payments to support you when out of work through sickness etc.
• Widows/Widowers benefits
• Maternity/Paternity payments

Due to recent changes in the French system, social security is a hot topic of conversation amongst yacht crew and yacht owners.

As a consequence, many have avoided French territories for this precise reason.

Under the new system, you’re obliged to make payments if you qualify under either of the following tests:

You will be obliged to contribute if you or your vessels spend more than 181 days in France or French waters in any calendar year.

You will be obliged to make contributions if you qualify as a French resident for tax purposes.

As it stands, it is the responsibility of the captain or vessel owner to ensure all crew are compliant with French social security laws.

So you should be notified if you’re liable, and may find contributions are taken by your employer at source.

If you think this applies to you, you can read more around the subject of common French social security questions in our recent blog post.

Image source: https://pixabay.com/photos/money-bills-calculator-save-256312/

For many years, crew all over the world have been being paid into offshore accounts, with tax authorities being none the wiser.

Unfortunately, this is no longer the case.

With the introduction of the Automatic Exchange of Information and Common Reporting Standard in 2014 , any participating tax authority can now request your bank gives them full details of all your holdings, both onshore and offshore.

For this reason, it has become all the more important that you have a strong understanding of your residency position, which will dictate your obligations in declaring income.

If you are ruled to be tax resident of any country, you are obliged to declare your income from any source worldwide, which of course includes your yachting salary.

If you become the subject of an investigation and are found to have failed to declare income whilst being a tax resident under the laws of a relevant jurisdiction, most authorities will expect payment of penalties and fines or interest for late payment.

The only sensible course of action is to fully assess your residency position and voluntarily disclose your income from work and investments, before any authorities ask.

By doing so, you’re demonstrating that you’ve made every effort to remain tax transparent and to fulfil your obligations.

Most authorities will take a much kinder view on those that do, than those that don’t!

Each jurisdiction has different tax laws, with some being more forgiving than others when it comes to taxation placed on your income from yachting.

Below we summarise the differences for each including the UK, USA, New Zealand and Australia:

UK Yacht Crew Tax

The UK system is one of, if not the most forgiving in terms of tax on income from yachting, and as such is one of the most appealing tax residencies.

Through the HMRC’s Seafarers Earnings Deduction (SED), UK yacht crew can declare their income from yachting with a 100% exemption from tax.

To gain 100% tax exemption, you must qualify as a UK tax resident (or EEA resident with no other tax residency) under the Statutory Residency Test, with the special circumstances of seafarers accounted for in the legislation.

Whilst there’s other parameters you must adhere to, the most important one to observe in order to qualify is the limit of 183 days spent onshore in the UK in any rolling 365-day period.

For more information, read our detailed article covering all aspects of the Seafarers Earnings Deduction tax exemption.

US Yacht Crew Tax

The US tax system offers a tax-free amount, which can be earned by US tax residents through the IRS’ Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE).

This is adjusted annually with earnings up to $104,100 qualifying for the 2018 tax year.

In order to qualify under the FEIE, you need to work and live outside the US and pass one of two tests:

a) Bona Fide Residency Test

You can qualify as a bona fide resident of a foreign country if you reside there for a period, which covers one whole tax year.

The US tax year runs from 1st January – 31st December.

Leaving the country for vacations will not affect your qualification however, you must not submit paperwork notifying them of your presence as non-resident.

b) Physical Presence Test

To qualify for FEIE under this test, you must be present in a foreign country for at least 330 days in any period of 12 consecutive months.

Any declared days spent overseas must cover the entire 24-hour period of said days, so departure and arrival days for example don’t count.

It’s also important to remember that under FEIE, a day spent in international waters also counts as a US day.

Australian Yacht Crew Tax

Australian crew are in the unfortunate position of suffering some of the harshest and most outdated residency laws you’ll find anywhere in the world.

You’ll be subject to the 3 statutory residency tests below:

a) The Domicile Test

You're considered an Australian resident if you’re domicile (the place that is your permanent home or place of your fathers’ birth) is in Australia.

To overcome this test, you must set up a permanent home overseas.

b) The 183 Day Test

If present in Australia for more than half the income year, whether continuously or with breaks, you are said to have a constructive residence in Australia.

To overcome this rule, you need to establish that your usual place of residence is outside Australia and you have no intention of taking up residence back home.

Under this rule, a traveller could feasibly be ruled tax resident unless they can evidence that they have a home elsewhere and have no intention to return to Australia to live.

c) The Superannuation Test

You’re considered a resident of Australia if you are still contributing to a superannuation scheme.

For more information, read part one of a two-part series on Australia’s tax laws and yachting .

New Zealand Yacht Crew Tax

New Zealand residency tax laws are simple and easy to work with.

If you wish to establish a position of non-residency and not have to pay tax on your earnings, you’ll need to qualify via the following tests:

a) 325-Day Rule

You must first establish an initial qualifying period for non-residency of 325 days outside the country in any 365-day period.

These days do not have to be consecutive, so you’re welcome to visit home at any point.

But it’s important that you keep good records of your whereabouts and movement including flight stubs, train tickets and even receipts as evidence of your time spent overseas.

b) 183-Day Rule

Once you’ve established your initial qualifying period of 325 days outside New Zealand, you can then maintain your qualification by not spending any more than 183 days in the country in any 365-day period.

If you break the 183-day threshold, you will need to re-qualify by spending 325 days overseas in any 365-day period.

c) Permanent Place of Abode (PPA)

If you wish to establish non-residency of New Zealand, you must not have a home which is permanently available to you to live in the country.

Under this rule you may still be ruled resident, even if you have spent the necessary time overseas.

A room, which can be used on a temporary basis at a friend or family members’ house, will not be considered a PPA, nor will an investment property in which you don’t spend time.

Speak to Us or Comment!

As you can see, tax residency laws vary across numerous territories, so it's important to know your position early on and what your obligations are.

We'd love to know your thoughts on this article or any questions you might have.

Just leave a comment in the section below or alternatively, contact us if you need professional advice on your yachting income tax obligations.

Any advice in this publication is not intended or written by Marine Accounts to be used by a client or entity for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties that may be imposed on any taxpayer or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party matters herein.

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All guides , Deckhand , Stewardess , Yacht Jobs

How to become a yachtie.

• November 1, 2023

“Ahoy there, future yachties! Are you ready to embark on an exciting and luxurious career on the high seas?” If the idea of working on a yacht, traveling to exotic locations, and catering to the needs of the rich and famous sounds like a dream come true, then you’re in the right place. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the ins and outs of the yachting industry, from the essential skills and certifications needed to make a splash, to tips on building a strong resume and making valuable connections in the yachting world. We’ll also discuss the various career paths available, from starting out as a deckhand to eventually taking the helm as a captain. Finally, we’ll delve into the yachtie lifestyle, and how to strike the perfect balance between work and play while living and working on the world’s most luxurious vessels. So grab your deck shoes and let’s set sail on this exciting journey to becoming a yachtie!

1. Discovering the Yachting Industry: Opportunities and Requirements

The yachting industry offers a wide range of career opportunities for those who are passionate about the sea and luxury vessels. From deckhands and engineers to chefs and stewardesses, there is a position for every skill set and interest. To begin your journey in this exciting field, it is essential to understand the requirements and qualifications needed for each role. This will help you determine which path is best suited for your skills and aspirations.

Before diving into the world of yachting, it is crucial to familiarize yourself with the certifications and training necessary for your desired position. For example, aspiring deckhands should obtain their STCW (Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping) certification, while engineers may need to complete an MCA (Maritime and Coastguard Agency) approved course. Additionally, it is essential to have a valid passport, a seafarer’s medical certificate, and potentially a visa, depending on the country you plan to work in.

Once you have acquired the necessary qualifications, it is time to start networking and job hunting . Many yachties find their first job through word-of-mouth or by connecting with others in the industry. Attending boat shows, yachting events, and joining online forums can help you make valuable connections and learn about job openings. Furthermore, registering with a reputable yacht crew agency can increase your chances of finding the perfect position. Remember to create a professional CV and be prepared for interviews, as competition in the yachting industry can be fierce.

2. Essential Skills and Certifications for Aspiring Yachties

Entering the world of yachting requires a unique set of skills and qualifications, which are essential for ensuring a successful career. Obtaining the necessary certifications is a crucial step in becoming a yachtie, as these credentials demonstrate your competence and commitment to the industry. Some of the most important certifications include the STCW (Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping) Basic Safety Training, which covers essential safety and survival skills, and the ENG1 Medical Certificate, which confirms your fitness to work at sea.

Aside from certifications, aspiring yachties should also focus on developing their soft skills and practical abilities . Excellent communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills are highly valued in the yachting industry, as crew members must work closely together to ensure smooth operations and guest satisfaction. Additionally, proficiency in various tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and maintenance is crucial, as yachties are often expected to perform a wide range of duties on board. By honing these skills and obtaining the necessary certifications, you will be well on your way to a rewarding career as a yachtie.

3. Building a Strong Resume: Tips for Landing Your First Yacht Job

As a newcomer to the yachting industry, it’s essential to create a compelling resume that showcases your skills, experience, and passion for the job. Start by highlighting any relevant experience you may have, such as working in hospitality, customer service, or a related field. If you have any certifications or licenses, be sure to include them as well. When crafting your resume, consider the following tips:

• Keep it concise: Aim for a one-page resume that’s easy to read and understand.
• Use a professional format: Choose a clean, modern design that highlights your most relevant information.
• Include a personal statement: Write a brief introduction that explains your interest in the yachting industry and what makes you a great candidate for the job.

Networking is a crucial aspect of landing your first yacht job, so attend industry events and connect with professionals in the field. This can help you learn about job opportunities, gain valuable insights, and make a lasting impression on potential employers. Additionally, consider joining online forums and social media groups dedicated to yachting to expand your network and stay informed about the latest industry news.

Finally, be persistent and proactive in your job search. Apply to multiple positions, even if they’re not your ideal role, as this can help you gain experience and make connections within the industry. Don’t be discouraged by rejection – it’s a natural part of the job search process. Instead, use it as an opportunity to learn and improve your resume and interview skills. With determination and a strong resume, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a successful yachtie.

4. Networking in the Yachting World: Making Connections that Matter

Establishing a strong network is crucial for success in the yachting industry. Building relationships with fellow yachties, captains, and industry professionals can open doors to new opportunities and help you advance in your career. Attend industry events, such as boat shows and yacht crew meetups, to meet like-minded individuals and expand your network. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself and engage in conversations, as this can lead to valuable connections and potential job offers.

Utilizing social media platforms is another effective way to network in the yachting world. Join Facebook groups, follow industry influencers on Instagram, and connect with professionals on LinkedIn to stay informed about the latest news and job openings. Be active in these online communities by sharing your experiences, asking questions, and offering advice. This will not only help you learn from others but also showcase your expertise and passion for the industry.

Finally, consider creating a checklist to track your networking efforts and ensure you’re making the most of every opportunity. This can include goals such as attending a certain number of events per month, connecting with a specific number of professionals online, or following up with contacts you’ve made. By setting measurable objectives and regularly reviewing your progress, you’ll be well on your way to building a powerful network in the yachting world.

5. Climbing the Yachtie Career Ladder: From Deckhand to Captain

Embarking on a career in the yachting industry can be both rewarding and challenging. One of the key aspects to success is understanding the various roles on a yacht and how to progress from one position to another. Starting as a deckhand , you will gain valuable experience and skills that will serve as the foundation for your future growth in the industry. As you continue to learn and develop your abilities, you will have the opportunity to advance to higher positions, such as mate, engineer, or even captain.

One of the most important factors in climbing the yachtie career ladder is gaining relevant qualifications and certifications . For example, obtaining your STCW (Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping) certificate is essential for working on any yacht. Additionally, pursuing specialized training in areas such as navigation, engineering, or hospitality can significantly increase your chances of securing a higher position on a yacht. It is also crucial to network within the industry, as many job opportunities are found through personal connections and recommendations.

Lastly, developing a strong work ethic and demonstrating professionalism at all times will set you apart from other crew members. This includes being punctual, maintaining a positive attitude, and taking pride in your work. As you continue to excel in your role and gain the trust of your captain and fellow crew members, you will be well on your way to climbing the yachtie career ladder and achieving your ultimate goal of becoming a captain.

6. Living the Yachtie Lifestyle: Balancing Work and Play on the High Seas

Embracing the yachtie lifestyle requires a delicate balance between hard work and enjoying the perks of the job. While the days can be long and demanding, the rewards are often worth the effort. To maintain this equilibrium, it’s essential to develop a routine that allows you to excel in your duties while still finding time for relaxation and personal growth. A checklist can be a helpful tool to ensure you’re staying on track with your responsibilities and making the most of your downtime.

One of the key aspects of living the yachtie lifestyle is learning how to adapt to the unique challenges of working on a yacht. This includes mastering the art of multitasking, being prepared for unexpected situations, and maintaining a positive attitude even when the going gets tough. By staying organized and focused, you’ll be able to enjoy the incredible experiences that come with working on a luxury yacht, such as exploring exotic destinations, meeting new people, and indulging in world-class cuisine. Remember, the key to success in this industry is finding the right balance between work and play, so make sure to take advantage of the opportunities that come your way.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. what are the different roles available on a yacht, 2. how long does it take to become a qualified yachtie, 3. can i work on a yacht without prior experience in the industry, 4. what is the salary range for yacht crew members, 5. what are the typical working hours and conditions for yacht crew members.

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• How to become a Yachtie

So you’re thinking about becoming a Yachtie?

You may have a friend or relative who already works in the industry, or you have watched TV programmes like Below Deck , you know working on a yacht is the right for you, but where do you start? 

With the potential to earn great money, travel, and work with loads of like-minded people, it’s not surprising this job ticks a lot of boxes for many people. 

Becoming a Yachtie and getting paid to work on luxury yachts may seem like a job and industry that only the elite can have access to, or it just seems too confusing to start. 

However, with an understanding of the requirements, certification, and having some expectations of what job role you should be looking for, starting work as a Yachtie will not seem so daunting.

What is a Yachtie?

Before we go any further, let’s make sure we are all singing off the same hymn sheet. 

A Yachtie is a broad term used to describe anyone who works on a yacht. More specifically, it has become the term for people working as yacht crew on superyachts. 

A superyacht is a very large boat that is extremely luxurious and often owned by multi millionaires and billionaires.

These Yachties who work on superyachts hold a number of different positions. Most Yachties will start their superyacht career working as a Deckhand or Stewardess. With more experience and responsibilities, your role will change as you progress up the career ladder. 

It’s worth noting there are other types of yachting and Yachties. The other kind of ‘Yachtie’ could describe those who hold their Yachtmaster qualification and have jobs like skipper charter boats. 

Job roles for new Yachties

Yachties new to the industry (also known as ‘Green’ Yachties) will traditionally apply for entry levels roles, which are Yacht Deckhands or Yacht Stewardesses. 

These are both very different jobs, so you need to be sure which one you want to do and start training for that career path.

Yacht Stewardess (Stew)

A Stewardess, or Steward , looks after the interior of the yacht. This means anything that happens inside the boat, you will be responsible for it. 

Think of any job in the hospitality industry and then combine it into one role on a yacht, that is what you will be doing.

From making beds, doing the laundry, cleaning, serving food, and hosting dinner, you will do it all to a 5-star standard. Anything less than perfect, and your guests won’t be satisfied.

It’s the small things that make the difference between high standards and exceptional standards. You must have a great eye for detail and be able to make sure no stone is left unturned. Everything on board the ship must be 100% perfect at all times.

You will be reporting to Chief Stew, who will be your manager and give you your task list. After a good few seasons as a green Stewardess, you will have enough experience and confidence to apply for Chief Stewardess roles.

Yacht Deckhand

In contrast to the Stewardess role, Deckhands look after the exterior of the boat. 

Predominantly a male role, Deckhands will do everything from general maintenance to cleaning the teak deck, looking after the toys (Jet Skis, etc.), and even driving the tenders.

Deckhands should know how a yacht operates, the basic terminology used onboard, how to tie knots, and loads and loads of enthusiasm. 

Deckhands may also dip in and out of helping the Stewardesses, and it isn’t uncommon for Deckhands to give a hand during busy evening meal preparation and service.

5 steps to Becoming a Yachtie

With an understanding of the job roles available, you can now decide which one best suits you. With the right attitude, qualifications, and knowing where to look for work, becoming a Yachtie is achievable for anyone who wants it. 

• Have the right attitude
• Pass an ENG1 medical
• Complete STCW Basic Safety Training
• Gain experience
• Go to a superyacht marina

1. Have the right attitude

Along with gaining the correct qualifications to prove your competence, to become a Yachtie, you must have certain characteristics to thrive in this industry.

Yachties have to be well presented, articulate, know how to take orders, and be able to work hard, all with a smile and enthusiasm. You have to be able to work incredibly long hours, sometimes under stressful conditions, without losing your patience.

Having a job on a superyacht may sound glamorous, but if it’s your 10th day working in a row and you’ve got your head stuck down a toilet trying to clean it, you may want to think again. To become a Yachtie, you have to be happy with spending a lot of time away from home without seeing your friends and family. This may all seem obvious, but this situation does not suit everyone, and without careful consideration of the negatives, you will leave this industry quicker than when you arrived.

2. Pass ENG1 Medical

The first actionable step you need to take to become a Yachtie is gaining an ENG1 medical certificate. The ENG1 medical is an examination by an approved MCA (Maritime and Coastguard Agency) Doctor to make sure you are fit and able to work at sea.

Every single person working at sea must have an ENG1 medical certificate , without this, you are not able to start working on superyachts. The examination will take around 45 minutes, during which the doctor will go through a checklist to make sure you have no underlying health conditions that may impact the safety of you or anyone else on board the ship.

The most common reason new yachties fail the ENG1 is colour blindness. Surprisingly many people can go through their whole life without knowing they are colour blind. However, on board a ship, this can have huge implications. If you cannot identify signals and lights correctly, it will be impossible for you to help navigate the ship in an emergency. Unfortunately, this means you cannot start work as a Yachtie.

3. Complete STCW Basic Safety Training

Another requirement for working at sea is completing STCW Basic Safety Training . Similar to the ENG1 you can only get a job on a yacht if you have the STCW certificate. 

STCW stands for ‘Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping’. It is to make sure that all Seafarers have an understanding of what to do in an emergency and are aware of the procedures required. 

STCW Courses are action-packed and quite a bit of fun. From fire fighting to sea survival, you will get stuck in learning, and learn loads of new skills.

4. Gain experience 

If you are lucky enough to have a job offer on a superyacht, then having your ENG1 and STCW certificates will be enough.

Don’t worry if you haven’t already got a job offer, it’s quite normal to go through all these steps and not have a job lined up yet. If this is the case, gaining more experience and qualifications is a good idea to give you a competitive advantage over anyone else applying for the same job role. 

This is achieved through signing up to a Deckhand or Stewardess Course. On these courses, you will get your standard STCW certificate and a list of extra qualifications demonstrating your competence, ability, and commitment to the industry. 

Deckhands will learn how to drive a small yacht, engine maintenance, general yacht repair, and how to clean teak properly. Stewardesses will understand wine and how to serve it, the art of flower arranging, and how to drive a powerboat. 

5. Go to a superyacht marina

After you have completed your superyacht training, now is the time to head out to France and look for work. Along with signing up to yacht crew recruitment agencies, going to one of the main superyacht marinas and handing out your CV to Captains is a great way to find work. This is known as dockwalking.

If you complete your Superyacht Course with us, you will have the option of signing up to our recruitment day in Antibes, France. We head out to France as a group, talk you through the process and offer you our industry contacts.

This is a great way to start your journey, and all our students find work in no time.

How much do Yachties make?

So you’ve heard you can make a good amount of money working on superyachts? Along with the travel, the great salary is why many people decide to become a Yachtie.

Like a job within any industry, salary varies. A Superyacht will agree on a crew salary budget with the owner of the yacht.

If you are just starting out, you can expect a salary of around €2,200 – €3,200 per month. However, the industry standard is €2,500 per month. Once you gain more experience and qualifications, your salary will increase. 

When you look at the salary at face value, it looks great but not incredible, however when you are at sea, you have zero outgoings. Working on a yacht means you don’t have to pay rent, bills, or buy food which will save you heaps of money compared with working at home.

If you want to see the salaries of all yacht crew, check out our Salary Guide.

Do Yachties pay taxes?

Another reason why the salary is so appealing is that in most cases Yachties don’t have to pay tax. 

This is a government scheme called the Seafarers Earning Deduction , and providing you are eligible, Yachties can keep 100% of their earnings.

To be able to apply for Seafarers Earning Deduction, you must be working on a ship outside of UK waters for a period of 365 days. This doesn’t mean you have to spend a whole year at once away from home, rather you can only apply once all the days you work on a yacht adds up to 365.

Being able to understand this tax scheme will be hugely beneficial before you start working on a Superyacht. 

Download our free Guide

Want to know more about working on a Superyacht, please download our free guide .

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Yacht Crew Financial Advice

Unique Advice for your Unique Situation

Yacht Crew Financial Advice for International Yachties

UK Mortgages for Yacht Crew

You would think with your significant, tax-free income and few real outgoings that getting a mortgage would be easy. Unfortunately, for the last 2-years lenders have kept away from Foreign Currency Lending to Dollar and Euro earners wishing to borrow in the UK.

Fortunately, all is not lost. We have considerable expertise in Yacht Crew Financial Advice and a near perfect success rate in getting Residential and Buy-to-Let Mortgages for Yacht Crew, plus interest rates are at an all time low. We are currently completing around 5 mortgages every month. Speak with us before doing anything else as you may be surprised at the result.

Flexible Savings for Yacht Crew

Imagine a time when you no longer wish to work on the Yachts, difficult to picture I know, but the time will come. Now picture how you are going to live a good lifestyle when you are not earning a tax free income. You pay no tax, so makes sense to save the tax equivalent amount instead so you do not arrive on dry land with a financial bump?

Avoid Contractual Savings Plans, where the high charges will lower your returns. We only advise on non-contractual, flexible (start-stop when you need to without penalty), no fixed term plans. To make sense of all of the investment options open to you, specialist Yacht Crew Financial Advice is the way forward. We can advise the right plan for your exact circumstances.

Investing for Growth or Income

Whether you need to invest for long-term capital growth, an income from your investment or both, the issues are complicated. Do you consider tax-efficiency first, or is it more important to look for better investment growth? Where do you invest given your unique tax position?

A full review of your current investments and building a long-term plan for income without depleting your capital is crucial to your financial future. Risk management, tax and costs of investment all play their part.

Qualified, Independent Yacht Crew Financial Advice is crucial to ensure all of the factors are taken into account.

Pensions & Pension Transfers

You spent years building up your pension possibly in the UK, but now you are on the Yachts. What can you do to ensure you can still build up a fund to provide income in retirement? Can you still contribute to your pension or do you need to consider something else given your unique circumstances.

Pensions are a complex subject, even more so when you have cross-border tax implications and currency fluctuations to consider. A “Holistic” overview of your situation with Qualified, Independent Yacht Crew Financial Advice in mind should be the first course of action.

Existing World-Wide Assets

Structured Notes, ISA’s, National Savings, Property, Bank Accounts, Offshore Investments and so on. All probably wise decisions at the time, and some very tax-efficient. But what is your tax position as Yacht Crew and how does that determine how you should be holding your assets now?

If you have existing investments around the world it makes sense to conduct a full review of how they are held to avoid a nasty tax shock. New investments also need to be considered carefully. Haven Financial Advisers are expert in advising International Yacht Crew.

Our Trusted Partners

Sometimes the advice you need falls outside of our areas of expertise. For these eventualities we have carefully selected a range of trusted experts from the legal, accounting, mortgage and currency exchange professions to make sure things run smoothly.

For example, we often find the Yacht Crew are paying very high charges to their bank for currency transfers when a good Foreign Exchange Broker could save them a lot of money on fees.

We work with them personally so you can be confident in working with them too.

Discover More

Who are Haven Financial Advisers?

With more than 24 years experience advising both corporate and individual clients in the UK and also world-wide Expats and Yacht Crew, we are ideally placed to help you plan for the future. Unusually for Spain, we offer Fee-based Yacht Crew Financial Advice which sets us apart from the “commission hungry salespeople” you may have encountered in the past.

Meet the Team

Sandy Paterson DipFA, CeMAP, MLIBF Principal

With more than 24-years experience advising clients both in the UK and here in Spain, Sandy is well placed to run Haven. He is  UK Diploma qualified and UK CeMAP qualified for mortgages. Sandy has a reputation amongst Yacht Crew as the “go-to” person for Yacht Crew Mortgages, Savings and Investments & is well regarded in Expat circles also. Haven Financial Advisers are unusual in being “fee-only financial advisers in Mallorca” which makes a significant difference in the delivery of advice to clients.

+44 (0) 7794 404836

[email protected]

Lesley Higdon Practice Manager

With 10-years running Financial Management and Wealth Management offices in the UK and Spain. Lesley knows what it means to be available for our clients to respond effectively and efficiently to enquiries. The “best outcome” for our clients starts with your first contact with Lesley and you will have complete confidence from day one.

+34 971 42 59 86

[email protected]

Marc Rees Independent Financial Adviser – ACSI

Marc provides Independent Financial Advice in Mallorca. You are likely to find him at various networking meetings, business conferences and Expat groups around Mallorca or in the Marinas. He could well be your first point of contact with us and will provide you with qualified, fee only Financial Advice to help secure your financial future.

Marc is fully qualified to give International Financial advice via the Level 3 International Certificate in Wealth & Investment Management (ACSI).

Marc is very well known in Yacht Crew circles in Palma and can be found discussing financial matters with Yachties most days. Look him up and discover the Haven difference today.

+34 619 08 47 56

[email protected]

Contact Information

Get in touch with us today to experience the difference a Haven Financial Adviser can make to your future.

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• Digital Dockwalk

Everything Superyacht Crew Need to Know about the B1/B2 Visa

Lauren Beck is the former editor of Dockwalk and was with the publication from 2006 to 2023. At 13, she left South Africa aboard a 34-foot sailing boat with her family and ended up in St. Maarten for six years. Before college, she worked as crew for a year, and then cut her journalistic teeth at Better Homes and Gardens and Ladies’ Home Journal online. She loves traveling, reading, tennis, and rooting for the Boston Red Sox.

The B1/B2 visa remains the best option for non-U.S. crew wishing to enter American waters on a superyacht. The rules and regulations surrounding the visa can seem complex, but here we take you through the basics of the B1/B2 visa, how to apply, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected processing times.

What is a B1/B2 visa?

The B1/B2 visa is the primary visa that all non-U.S. yacht crew will need when they’re traveling to the U.S. Specifically, it’s a non-immigrant visa that allows the holder to temporarily enter the U.S. either for business (B1) or tourism (B2). Yacht crew generally will receive a combination B1/B2 visa that allows you to do both and the visa could be valid for a period of five to 10 years.

While there have been attempts over the years to create a special “Superyacht Crew” visa, the U.S. State Department has expressed the opinion that the B1/B2 is currently the best option for yacht crew. The superyacht industry is considered a private industry unlike its commercial cousins, cruise ships. The C-1/D visa is also technically a visa for commercial crewmembers, but it’s targeted for airline personnel or cruise ship staff to enter the U.S. temporarily while working, and it only allows those personnel to remain up to 29 days in the country. It is not the best visa for yacht crew.

The B1/B2 visa will allow non-U.S. crew to work on board vessels in U.S. waters. But if you get a job on a boat and you’ve been stamped in on the B2 portion of your visa, you would need to leave the country and come back in on the B1 portion. While non-U.S. crew did not use to be able to work aboard U.S.-flagged vessels, there have been some updates to the B1/B2 policies.

As Scott Hershenson, Senior Attorney at Polatsek, Counsellors-at-Law in Fort Lauderdale , says, one of those tweaks occurred almost when COVID began. “It used to be that B1 private crew could not work on a U.S.-flagged vessel; it had to be a foreign-flagged vessel. But that has changed in the Foreign Affairs Manual,” he says.

Crew have to understand, too, that even if you do everything right, you may still be denied a visa.

The Foreign Affairs Manual reads: “Yacht crew who will provides services on board a recreational vessel who are able to establish that they have a residence abroad which they do not intend to abandon, regardless of the nationality of the yacht are classifiable B-1.”

Hershenson stresses that foreign crew still cannot be paid by a U.S. entity and cannot be on a U.S. payroll, but they now can work aboard a U.S.-flagged yacht. This is still pretty new, he says, and he advises foreign crew to ask about this process during the interview process to make sure they would be in compliance on a U.S. vessel. “I usually advise to work it out with yacht management,” Hershenson says. “Most of them have a yacht management company located outside the U.S. or [they have] an affiliate. Or the owner of the vessel has a foreign company. They usually figure it out one of those two ways.” 

How do you apply for the B1/B2?

Yacht crew can apply for a visa through their own embassy or consulate. Key to note when you’re applying for the B1/B2 visa is to emphasize your ties to your home country by highlighting your foreign residence, bank accounts, and connections to your home country.

To apply for the visa, you will need to:

1. Complete the online visa application: Form DS-160 . Complete the online form and print the application to bring to your interview.

2. Schedule an interview at the embassy or consulate in the country you live.

3. Pay the visa fee.

4. Collect all relevant documents:

• A passport that must be valid for at least six months beyond your stay in the U.S.
• Printed visa application form
• Application fee receipt
• Photo (this will be uploaded during your application, but bring one along to your interview in case)

If more documentation is required — and that’s a possibility as yacht crew — the U.S. State Department recommends you have all documentation proving the purpose of your trip, your intentions of departing the U.S., plus proof that you can afford to cover all your expenses for the duration of your stay.

Crew have to understand, too, that even if you do everything right, you may still be denied a visa. If that happens, it can be tricky to re-apply and too many denials doesn’t look good on your record. Unfortunately, there may not be anything you can do if a denial happens, but it might be best to consult a U.S. immigration lawyer for help in that case.

It’s also important to understand that receiving a visa does not automatically guarantee you entry into the U.S. — immigration officials at ports of entry have the authority to deny entry to anyone, the State Department says.

Got your visa? Now what?

Once you have your B1/B2 visa in hand, you should be able to enter the U.S. to join your boat on the B1 portion of your visa. It’s commonly understood in the industry that entering the U.S. through Miami and Fort Lauderdale is likely your best option as immigration officers in those areas are more familiar with the yachting industry and yacht crew.

Make sure you have all relevant paperwork when you come in — boat papers, letter of employment, yacht itinerary, etc. Again, it’s on you to prove your intentions are not to remain in the United States. You can demonstrate your close ties to your home country by showing proof of your bank accounts, car papers, utility bills, mortgages, etc. It’s also essential to prove that your pay does not originate from a U.S. entity. The bottom line is you need to prove you do not intend to remain in the U.S. beyond the expiration date of your intended visit.

Generally, you should not be entering the U.S. to look for work, even on foreign-flagged vessels. If you do find a job, you would need to come into the U.S. on the B1 visa — if you’re already in the U.S. on your B2 visa, you will have to depart the country and re-enter under the B1.

The COVID-19 Effect

The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed global visa processing due to U.S. embassy closures, and delays are still projected so it might be challenging to get your visa processed quickly. Most U.S. crew agencies have noted that these difficulties have led to an increase in demand for U.S. crewmembers who are obviously able to travel in and out of the U.S. without issue.

Hershenson hoped that the November 4, 2021, easing of travel restrictions in the U.S. may have helped with the processing backlog, but he advises checking with your nearest embassy and allowing for extra processing time. Hershenson noted that visa renewals can generally be applied for within six months of the visa’s expiration, but application times can vary based on your nationality and your consulate. Even a year later, backlogs vary around the world. “They range from some consulates that are two days and then you see some that are 900 days or 700 days,” Hershenson says. “It’s crazy that it used to be, across the board, 10 days to a month.” 

Hershenson stresses that foreign crew still cannot be paid by a U.S. entity and cannot be on a U.S. payroll, but they now can work aboard a U.S.-flagged yacht.

You can try to expedite your appointment, Hershenson says, although it’s not necessarily guaranteed to work. He advises that you go ahead and book and pay for an appointment, regardless of the stated timeframe. After your appointment is scheduled, the consulate has the discretion to expedite it upon request. “In my experience, 8 out of 10 times, expedite appointments have been granted,” Hershenshon says.

If the expedited appointment is refused, you could try to make an appointment at other consulates and “hope that that other consulate is friendly and willing to help.”

“Every consulate normally has the discretion to assist a third country national, someone who is not a citizen or resident of that country, but it’s all up to the consulate’s discretion,” Hershenson says. “But some consulates are really concerned and really hesitant to assist the B1 or B2 application, because B1 crew, for example, have to show to the consulate to their satisfaction that the crewmember is going to actually leave the U.S. when their vessel is departing.”

“[Approval] certainly does happen, but it’s not as common as we would like it to be,” Hershenson says. You can check on consulate wait times here .

Also to note, as of May 12, 2023, non-citizen, non-immigrant visitors to the U.S. arriving by air, land, or sea are no longer required to show proof of COVID vaccination.

Once you arrive in the country, you will be stamped in and given a set time period — usually a maximum of six months — that you’re allowed to remain in the country. You can always check your length of admission by finding your electronic I-94 card online at: www.cbp.gov/I94 . Pay attention to the date and never overstay your visa. Bear in mind that your legal status is always your concern — do not rely on your captain or management company to alert you to expiration dates.

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The Money Dock: Investment contracts and yacht crew

Now that I’ve covered the basic concepts of financial management and demonstrated its practice with real clients, it’s time to pivot into the world of investing. And, as mentioned in my previous article, this month’s focus is on investment contracts. I know this is an important topic to cover having had multiple yachties message me requesting that I look over their current or potential contracts. 

Ok, let’s start at step one. Why might a yachtie even find themselves sitting before an investment contract? Well, it’s likely their intention is to build wealth. A huge component of financial success is implementing a system in which money makes money, aka investing.

Typically, this is outsourced to financial advisers or other finance professionals due to a perception that building wealth is too difficult, time-consuming or unattainable for the average yachtie. These misconceptions give the stage to financial advisers who show up on Google, your Facebook feed, local bar or even worse, your crew mess. 

Some finance companies use targeted advertising to prey on yachties as we are the perfect client: disposable income and very little time. Subsequently, yacht crew trust and commit huge amounts of money to such companies/advisers with the expectation of positive financial returns and transparency. More often than not, this is not the case. 

Now, this is not  to say yacht crew money is being illegally traded or stolen. What I mean is, that money isn’t being used to the best of its ability and is more about lining the pocket of the adviser than it is lining the pockets of yacht crew. 

It’s similar to buying a car from a private citizen versus a dealer. We know the dealer will charge more for their services, and we could probably find a better deal on our own with a bit of research. Buying a car from a dealer doesn’t guarantee it’s a better car, much like hiring a financial adviser doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll do a better job than we can. 

I interviewed an old client of mine and he described his experience with financial advisers and contracts this way. 

Having left school to join yachting, he suddenly found himself earning more than he knew what to do with. His parents suggested he look into investing his money and capitalizing on his new earning power. So, like any millennial would, he Googled “yacht crew investments” and went down the list until he found what he thought was the best fit. 

He contacted a particular company and was almost immediately set up with a phone call. From there, they inquired about his salary, goals, how much he was willing to invest and what his investing timeline was. Due to his lack of investing knowledge, he entrusted his money with this adviser. You see, he was too afraid to ask questions at the risk of sounding uninformed or being “annoying”, so he just went along with it. As far as he was concerned, he could tick this box off his to-do list and not look into it any further. This is fantastic for the adviser, an easy catch. 

Fast forward 18 months to when his boat sold and he lost his job. He could no longer afford the $1,200 monthly contribution and consequently didn’t have enough savings to fall back on (another reason to have an emergency fund). He requested that his adviser withdraw his money on the assumption this would be easy and his balance would be more than his initial investment. 

Now, before I arrive at the obvious conclusion, you know how people never read the fine print? Yeah, exactly. Much to his surprise, his final balance was less than his investment due to “early withdrawal” fees and a multitude of other penalties. Depending on the contract, this first year can often be just paying all your set-up fees without even beginning to scratch the surface of real money investing. 

For those yachties who currently have an investment adviser, ask them for a full breakdown of fees and apply this to your money. You’ll quickly see how small fees, even 1.5%, can hugely eat into your profits. Remember, no one cares about your money as much as you do. 

A final note: Not all financial advisers/companies share the same methods or practices. Some are legitimate, helpful and trustworthy. And please, do not take this article as financial advice. This is simply a forum where I share my experiences. 

Bosun Alex Kempin has worked on yachts for more than three years and combines his passion for personal finance and his degree in psychology to share personal finance information for yacht crew at themoneydock.com or themoneydock on social media. Comments are welcome below.

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Offshore Banking

You’ve got all this money from working on a yacht…. Now what are you going to do? Open an offshore bank account of course!

Noooo…. not so you can hide money from the tax man (naughty!) – those days are over. All banks have to share your accounts to your home country if they request those details… 😉

You want an offshore bank account so you can get paid into an account that offers you varied currency and cheaper rates to change between currencies and less deposit fees…

Standard bank offshore offers seamen the following:

Standard Bank offer a bespoke current account designed specifically for yacht crew.

Seafarer account

• Available in Sterling, US dollar, Euro, and Australian dollar
• Minimum balance £2,500, US$3,500, €2,500 or AU$3,500, applicable on your main currency account only
• No maintenance fee whilst the minimum balance is maintained
• No minimum wealth requirement
• Instant access to funds held in the account
• Free electronic payments (corresponding bank charges may apply)
• Visa debit card available in GBP, USD, EUR and AUD
• 24/7 internet and mobile banking

contact us for the full information and the application form.

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More than 90 financial institutions surveyed by our team of experts.

More than 50 data points considered for each bank, credit union and banking technology firm (or neobank) to be eligible for our roundups. For this bank promotions roundup, more than a dozen data points were considered per offer.

Bank promotions generally consist of cash bonuses when you open a new checking or savings account. To qualify for this one-time perk, you’ll likely have to set up direct deposit with the bank and keep the account open for at least a few months. While there are many sign-up bonuses for new accounts out there, not all are worthwhile. We’ve rounded up the top promotions available, and the best bank bonuses for you will depend on your unique financial goals and situation. Check out the details on these offers to better determine what’s right for you.

Best checking account bonus offers

Bank of America Advantage Banking: $ bonus offer

Chase Private Client Checking℠: Up to $3,000 bonus offer

Chase Secure Banking℠: $ 100 bonus offer

Chase Total Checking®: $ 300 bonus offer

Citi checking with direct deposit: $300 bonus offer

TD Bank checking: $ 200 or $ 300 bonus offer (only available in select states/regions)

U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking: Up to $ 450 bonus offer (only available in select states/regions)

Wells Fargo Everyday Checking: $ 300 bonus offer

Best bank bonus for business checking

Chase business checking: $ 300 bonus offer

Best bank bonus for checking and savings

PNC Bank Virtual Wallet: Up to $400 bonus offer

PNC Bank Virtual Wallet Checking Pro: $ 200 bonus offer

SoFi Checking and Savings: Up to $ 300 bonus offer

Best bank bonuses for savings

Alliant Credit Union The Ultimate Opportunity Savings: $ 100 bonus offer

Discover® Online Savings Account: $ 200 bonus offer

TD Bank savings: $ 200 bonus offer (only available in select states/regions)

Best Bank Bonuses and Promotions

Our pick for

Checking and Savings Account Bonus Offers

SoFi Checking and Savings

at SoFi Bank, N.A., Member FDIC

With $0 min. balance for APY

Earn up to $300 with direct deposit. Terms apply.

Why We Like It

This offer is our top pick for a sign-up bonus for a combined checking and savings account.

If you’re looking for a combination checking-and-savings account, this bonus is a standout. It offers a couple different tiers to earn a cash bonus of either $50 or $300 (the bonus amount differs based on the amount you direct deposit). In addition to a solid cash bonus offering, the savings account pays a competitive interest rate — much higher than what’s offered by other savings accounts on our list — when you meet requirements.

What you'll get: $50 or $ 300 .

Expiration: 12/31/2024 .

How to get it: Open a new SoFi Checking and Savings account on the offer page . Make at least one direct deposit in any amount before the promotion expiration date. Deposit $1,000 to $4,999.99 to earn a $50 bonus; deposit $5,000 or more to earn a $300 bonus.

Where to open: Online.

Who can qualify: Customers who open a new SoFi Checking and Savings account.

When you’ll get it: Within seven business days after the 25-day evaluation period following the receipt of the first qualifying direct deposit.

Monthly fee: $0.

PNC Virtual Wallet® Checking Pro - Spend

Requirements to qualify

This bonus offer allows you to earn a cash bonus with your choice of either a new combination checking-and-savings account or a new checking account only. Compared with other offers for similar accounts on our list, this one offers a good bonus amount for a lower minimum deposit.

What you'll get: $ 200 .

Expiration: 10/31/2024 .

How to get it: Open a new Virtual Wallet Checking Pro with a checking account only, or with both checking and savings on the offer page and receive a total of at least $2,000 in qualifying direct deposits within 60 days of opening the account.

Who can qualify: Anyone who does not currently have a PNC checking account, has not closed an account within the past 90 days or received a PNC promotional payment within the last 24 months. Availability varies by location; you can check your eligibility on the website.

When you'll get it: The bonus will be credited to your account, which must be open, within 60-90 days after you’ve met the requirements.

PNC Virtual Wallet - Spend

Waived with direct deposit or $500 minimum balance

This bonus stands out for rewarding you if you set up a direct deposit as low as $500 — a much lower deposit requirement than that of other offers on our list. Tiered bonuses are also available, so the more you deposit, the more you can earn — up to $400.

What you'll get: $ 100 , $200 or $400.

How to get it: Open a Virtual Wallet, Virtual Wallet with Performance Spend or Virtual Wallet with Performance Select account on the offer page or by bringing a coupon to a branch and receive a total of at least $500, $2,000 or $5,000 in qualifying direct deposits, respectively, within 60 days of opening the account. Opening a Virtual Wallet account and meeting the criteria will earn you $ 100 ; opening a Virtual Wallet with Performance Spend account and meeting the criteria will earn you $200; opening a Virtual Wallet with Performance Select account and meeting the criteria will earn you $400.

Who can qualify: Anyone who does not currently have a PNC checking account, and has not closed a PNC account within the past 90 days or received a PNC promotional payment within the last 24 months. Availability may vary by your location; you can check your eligibility on the website.

When you’ll get it: The bonus will be credited to your account, which must be open, within 60-90 days after you’ve met the requirements.

Monthly fee: Can be waived; see bank site for details.

Checking Account Bonus Offers

Chase Total Checking®

at Chase, Member FDIC

Waived with direct deposit or $1,500 minimum balance

This Chase offer is our top pick for checking account bonus because of how accessible it is: It doesn’t require a huge deposit and it allows up to three months to meet the direct deposit requirement.

The Total Checking bank bonus is one of the best available checking account bonus offers available. Compared with similar offers on our list, you’ll get a large bonus compared with the direct deposit requirement. You can earn the Total Checking account bonus by meeting a minimum direct deposit requirement within 90 days.

What you'll get: $ 300 .

Expiration: 10/16/2024 .

How to get it: Open a Chase Total Checking® account online or in person using a coupon emailed to you through the promotional page . You must make at least $500 in direct deposits into the account within 90 days of opening the account.

Where to open: The checking account can be opened online or at a Chase branch ( find a location near you ).

Who can qualify: New Chase checking account customers. You must not have had a Chase checking account within the last 90 days or had one closed with a negative balance within the last three years. In addition, you may receive only one new checking account opening bonus every two years from the last enrollment date, and you’re limited to one bonus per account.

When you’ll get it: The checking account bonus will be deposited into your account within 15 days after your first direct deposit.

» Learn more: Get more details about Chase checking account bonuses

U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking

at U.S. Bank, Member FDIC

Multiple ways to waive monthly fee

U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking is a streamlined checking account, and this bank bonus is a better than average reward for opening a new account and meeting the requirements.

What you'll get: Up to $ 450 .

Expiration: 09/26/2024 .

How to get it: Open a new U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking account at the promo page and complete qualifying activities. Earn bonus of up to $450 when you complete the following within 90 days of account opening: Enroll in online banking or the U.S. Bank Mobile App; and make two or more direct deposit(s) totaling $2,000 to $4,999.99 to earn $250, $5,000 to $7,999.99 to earn $350 or at least $8,000 to earn $450.

Where to open: Online, at a branch or by phone.

Who can qualify: U.S. Bank says: “Offer may not be available if you live outside of the U.S. Bank footprint or are not an existing client of U.S. Bank or State Farm."

When you’ll get it: Get the checking account bonus within 60 days of verification that you have met the requirements.

Monthly fee: Monthly fee can be waived; see bank site for details.

Chase Secure Banking℠

The bonus isn’t as big as some others on this list, but this bank promotion could be a good option if you don’t want to meet a direct deposit requirement to earn a cash reward. Unlike most bank bonus offers on this list, the Chase Secure Banking bonus doesn’t require direct deposit. Instead, you’ll need to meet a minimum number of qualifying transactions such as debit card purchases and Zelle transfers, but you’ll have 60 days to meet the requirement.

What you'll get: $ 100 .

How to get it: Open a Chase Secure Banking℠ account online or in person using a coupon emailed to you through the promotional page . You must complete 10 qualifying transactions within 60 days of opening the account.

Who can qualify: New Chase checking customers. You must not have had a Chase checking account within the last 90 days or had one closed with a negative balance in the last three years. In addition, you may receive only one new checking account opening bonus every two years from the last enrollment date, and you’re limited to one bonus per account.

When you’ll get it: The bonus will be deposited into your account within 15 days after the 10 qualifying transactions have posted.

Monthly fee: See bank site for details.

Bank of America Advantage Plus Banking®

at Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC

Learn about ways to waive the fee. Click 'Learn More'

This bonus offer is unique as it rewards you for opening (and direct depositing into) your choice of checking account at one of the largest banks in the U.S. You can choose to try and earn this bonus with one of three different accounts. This bank bonus is smaller and the bonus takes longer to be paid compared with other offers on our list, but requirements are straightforward.

What you'll get: $200.

Expiration: 09/30/2024 .

How to get it: Open a Bank of America Advantage Banking account through the Bank of America promotional page . Use the code TWT200CIS when enrolling. Meet deposit requirements, including receiving qualifying direct deposits totaling $2,000 or more within 90 days of opening the eligible account (note that Bank of America Advantage SafeBalance Banking® for Family Banking accounts are not eligible for the offer). Your checking account must be open and in good standing to receive the bonus. Additional terms and conditions apply. See offer page for more details.

Who can qualify: This is an online-only offer for new checking account customers only. Bank of America says: “You are not eligible for this offer if you were an owner or co-owner of a Bank of America personal checking account within the last twelve (12) months.”

When you’ll get it: Bank of America says: “Once all requirements are met, Bank of America will attempt to pay bonus within 60 days."

Chase Private Client Checking℠

$0 with qualifying activities

This checking account bonus offers the chance to earn thousands of dollars if you’re able to deposit a large amount of money. But note that if you are aiming for the largest bonus tier, you’ll have to deposit more than what standard federal insurance covers, so you’ll have to strategize to protect all of your money. What you'll get: $1,000, $2,000 or $3,000.

How to get it: Open a new Chase Private Client Checking℠ account (or upgrade your existing Chase personal checking account) using the offer code emailed to you from the promotional page . Then transfer at least $150,000 in new money or securities to eligible checking, savings and/or J.P. Morgan Wealth Management accounts within 45 days, and keep the money in the accounts for at least 90 days. Deposit at least $150,000 to earn $1,000, $250,000 to earn $2,000 or $500,000 to earn $3,000.

Where to open: At a branch or by phone.

Who can qualify: Customers who meet with a Private Client Banker to open or upgrade to a Chase Private Client Checking℠ account. You may receive only one new Chase Private Client Checking℠ new money bonus or savings promotional rate offer in the 12 months from the last offer enrollment date. You are only allowed to receive one bonus per account.

When you’ll get it: The bonus will be deposited into your new checking account within 40 days of completing all the requirements.

Citi® Regular Checking Account

This offer allows you to choose a checking account that works best for you — from basic (with no minimum balance requirement) to different levels of premium. You can earn cash by having direct deposits that meet a minimum requirement. Compared with similar offers that made our list, this checking account bonus is a good offer — other offers require a much higher total deposit that Zelle deposits don’t count toward.

Expiration: 10/08/2024 .

How to get it: Open a new eligible Citi checking account and enroll in the offer at the Citibank bonus page (or by contacting a bank representative in a branch). Then make a minimum of two Enhanced Direct Deposits, including Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments, deposits made using Zelle, and digital payments made using ACH via PayPal, Venmo or other payment service providers. The deposits must total at least $1,500 and be made within 90 days of opening the account.

Where to open: Open the new account online; enroll in the offer online or by contacting a bank representative in a branch.

Who can qualify: You must not have had a checking account with Citibank for the last 365 days to take advantage of the offer. You must also be at least 18 years old and provide a valid Form W-9 or Form W-8BEN. Your account must not be subject to backup withholding. ​​ When you’ll get it: You’ll receive the bonus within 30 days of meeting the requirements.

» Learn more: Get more details about Citi checking account bonuses

Wells Fargo Everyday Checking

This bonus offer is a good option if you want a checking account at one of the largest banks in the U.S. The checking account bonus is generous compared with the deposit requirement, especially when stacked against similar offers on our list.

Expiration: 09/25/2024 .

How to get it: Open a new Wells Fargo Everyday Checking account through the promotional page or in a branch with a bonus offer code emailed to you from that page. (The minimum deposit to open is $25.) Then receive at least $1,000 in qualifying direct deposits into the account within 90 days of opening it. Throughout this time, your account must remain open with a balance greater than $0.

Where to open: Online or in a branch.

Who can qualify: You must not currently have a Wells Fargo consumer checking account or have received a bonus for opening one within the last 12 months or you are a Wells Fargo employee.

When you'll get it: You'll receive your bonus within 30 days of completing the 90-day qualification period.

Savings Account Bonus Offers

Discover® Online Savings

at Discover® Bank, Member FDIC

Get a cash bonus for opening one of the best online savings accounts available. Choose the deposit amount that works for you and earn up to $200. Of the savings account offers on our list, Discover’s requires the biggest deposit amounts. But with its competitive 4.25% annual percentage yield, it’s not a bad idea to sock away what you can in this account.

What you'll get: $150 or $ 200 .

Expiration: 09/12/2024 .

How to get it: Open your first Online Savings Account and use offer code NW624 when applying. Earn a $150 bonus by depositing at least $15,000 or earn a $200 bonus by depositing at least $25,000. Make your deposit within 45 days of account open date. Your account must be open to receive the bonus.

Where to open: Online, by phone or in the Discover app.

Who can qualify: Customers who are opening their first Discover® Online Savings Accounts. People who have a savings account or previously had a savings account, including co-branded or affinity accounts provided by Discover, are not eligible.

When you’ll get it: The bonus will be credited to your account within 60 days of meeting the requirements.

Details on bonus from Discover: "To qualify for Bonus: Apply for your first Discover Online Savings Account, enter Offer Code NW624 at application, deposit into your Account a total of at least $15,000 to earn a $150 Bonus or deposit a total of at least $25,000 to earn a $ 200 Bonus. Qualifying deposit(s) may consist of multiple deposits and must post to Account within 45 days of account open date. Maximum bonus eligibility is $200.

What to know: Offer not valid for existing or prior Discover savings customers, including co-branded, or affinity accounts. Eligibility is based on primary account owner. Account must be open when bonus is credited. Bonus will be credited to the account within 60 days of the account qualifying for the bonus. Bonus is subject to tax reporting. Offer ends 09/12/2024 , 11:59 PM ET. Offer may be modified or withdrawn without notice. Due to new customer funding limits, you may wish to initiate fund transfers at your other institution. For information on funding your Account, see FAQs on DiscoverBank.com."

Alliant Credit Union Ultimate Opportunity Savings Account

With $100 min. balance for APY

This new account sign-up bonus is our top pick for the savings category because it encourages building the good habit of saving on a regular basis.

This bonus rewards you for building a savings habit; the savings account offers a strong interest rate and the credit union is easy to join. Compared with other offers on our list, this offer requires a long commitment to increasing your balance, but the bonus amount is decent and the habit-building practice of saving every month might be even more valuable.

How to get it: Open a new The Ultimate Opportunity Savings account online at the promotional page , or by phone at 800-328-1935 and mention Suze Orman’s The Ultimate Opportunity Savings Account promotion. Then transfer or deposit the first $100 within 30 days, make transfers or deposits totaling at least $100 or more each month for the next 11 consecutive months, and keep an average daily balance of at least $100. To receive the bonus, at the end of the 12-month period your account must be open with a balance of at least $1,200.

Where to open: Online or by phone.

Who can qualify: New Alliant Credit Union members only. People who have closed an Alliant savings account within 180 days, existing members and joint owners on Alliant savings accounts are not eligible.

When you’ll get it: The bonus will be credited to your account within four weeks of meeting the requirements.

Monthly fee: Can be waived; see credit union site for details.

Business Checking Account Bonus Offers

Chase Business Complete Banking®

Waived with $2,000 minimum balance

No minimum opening deposit.

Unlimited fee-free electronic transactions.

Integrated credit card processing.

No overdraft fee unless account is overdrawn by more than $50; 24-hour grace period applies to overdrafts beyond that amount.

24/7 customer support.

No fees at 16,000 Chase ATMs and access to around 4,700 branches.

$15 monthly fee.

Monthly limit on fee-free cash deposits ($5,000) and physical transactions (20).

Fee for using out-of-network ATMs.

This bonus is a good option if you need to open a business checking account at a major bank and can meet the minimum deposit and balance requirements, plus complete a handful of transactions. This is the only business account on our list, and it’s a standout because it consistently offers a bonus and comes from one of the largest banks. To compare, see our list of the best business account promotions .

Expiration: 10/17/2024 .

How to get it: Open a new Business Complete Checking℠ account online or at a branch, using the offer code emailed to you from the promotional page . Then within 30 days, deposit at least $2,000 in new money to earn $300 or $15,000 in new money to earn $500, and maintain a $2,000 balance for 60 days and complete five qualifying transactions — such as debit card purchases, QuickAccept℠ deposits, QuickDeposits℠ and ACH or wire transfers — within 90 days.

Where to open: Online or in person at a Chase branch ( location near you ).

Who can qualify: Anyone who has not received a bonus related to a new Chase business checking account opening in the last two years. Only one bonus is allowed per account. Other restrictions apply.

When you’ll get it: The bonus will be deposited into your new account within 15 days of completing all the requirements.

More about bank bonuses: checking account bonuses, bank sign-up bonuses and more

What does the fed rate announcement mean for bank account bonuses.

In July, the Federal Reserve announced it would not raise the federal funds rate (the rate which commercial banks use to borrow and lend money to one another). The Fed last increased the rate in July 2023. Before these latest pauses, the Fed had increased the rate 11 times in two years. While changes (or no changes) don’t directly affect bank bonuses, it could still be a good time to open a new bank account because previous Fed rate increases have resulted in higher savings account interest rates. So you could take advantage of both a bank bonus and higher APYs in a new savings account.

» MORE: See what the Fed rate means for savings accounts

Are bank account bonuses worth it?

Bank promotions can be worth the effort of opening a new account and adding money if the reward is substantial enough and the requirements aren't too difficult to meet. Before signing up for a new account to earn a bank bonus, understand the details including what fees might be incurred and how long you might have to wait for the bonus to be paid. If earning a bank sign-up bonus requires depositing more than $250,000 (which is the standard amount that’s insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. ), you’ll need to employ certain strategies to make sure that all your money — including funds over $250,000 — is protected.

Our Nerds say:

"A cash bonus is appealing, but many checking accounts don’t earn interest, so you could miss out on thousands of dollars (much more than the maximum bonus) — which you could earn by putting that money in a high-yield savings account instead.

"Earning the highest bonus amount offered on this list requires at least $500,000. Depositing more than $250,000 would put you over Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. coverage limits, so you’d need to consider a strategy to protect all your money."

- Ruth Sarreal, NerdWallet banking writer

Check out more things to look out for when considering a bank sign-up bonus .

» Prefer an account that offers rewards beyond a sign-up bonus? Check out our favorite rewards checking accounts

What do the best bank bonuses have in common?

The best bank promotions offer the opportunity to earn a significant cash bonus for signing up for a new account with no fees or fees that are easy to get waived. The best bank bonuses for you are ones that have requirements you're comfortable with, including the amount of time you'll have to keep your money in the account to earn the bonus.

Are bank bonuses taxable?

If you’ve earned a cash bonus for opening a new bank account, it's usually taxable. You are responsible for covering any tax liability. Learn more about taxes on bank bonuses .

» Churning through accounts to get bonuses? Find out whether closing a bank account hurts your credit

Should I have more than one checking or savings account?

It can be helpful to have multiple bank accounts — as long as you can meet the requirements and minimums in order to avoid fees.

The number of checking and/or savings accounts you should have depends on your individual situation. Married or partnered people, for example, might each want to have their own accounts in addition to one or more shared accounts. You might want to consider having accounts at different financial institutions for different purposes — such as having an account with a bank that works well for international travel if you’re frequently abroad, or with the bank that handles your mortgage or other loans for more seamless payment transfers. (Learn the pros and cons of keeping multiple bank accounts at different banks .)

» Looking for the right place to keep your savings? Check out NerdWallet's picks for the best savings accounts

Frequently asked questions about bank promotions and sign-up bonuses

Keep reading to find out answers to commonly asked questions about checking account bonuses and other bank promotions.

What bank gives you a bonus for opening an account?

Various banks and credit unions offer cash sign-up bonuses for opening a new account. You can find the best opportunities available by checking out our list of the best bank bonuses and promotions, updated monthly.

What bank gives you money for opening a checking account?

Banks that offer a checking account bonus to new account holders include Bank of America, Chase, Citibank, PNC Bank, SoFi Bank, TD Bank, U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo. See this page each month to find the best checking account promotions available.

What banks are paying $500 to open an account?

Currently, this is the best bank bonus that pays $500 or more:

Chase Private Client checking account bonus .

How can you get $200 from Chase?

A previous bonus offered new checking customers the opportunity to earn a $200 Chase checking account bonus by opening a Chase Total Checking® account and meeting requirements. The bank now offers a Chase Total Checking® bonus of $300.

What is the $3,000 bonus at Chase Bank?

Chase Private Client Checking offers a bonus of up to $3,000 for opening a new account. Read the promotion details above to understand all the rules and requirements to earn the checking account bonus, including a super steep minimum transfer amount that may not be worthwhile.

The information related to Citi checking accounts has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.

Last updated on August 29, 2024

Methodology

We took a close look at over 90 financial institutions and financial service providers, including the largest U.S. banks based on assets, internet search traffic and other factors; the nation’s largest credit unions, based on assets and membership; and other notable and/or emerging players in the industry. We rated them on criteria including annual percentage yields, minimum balances, fees, digital experience and more.

Financial institutions and providers surveyed are: Affirm , All America Bank , Alliant Credit Union , Ally Bank , Amalgamated Bank , America First Credit Union , American Express National Bank , Andrews Federal Credit Union , Associated Bank , Axos Bank , Bank of America , Bank5 Connect , Barclays , Bask Bank , Bethpage Federal Credit Union , BMO , BMO Alto , Boeing Employees Credit Union , Bread Savings , BrioDirect , Capital One , Carver Federal Savings Bank , CFG Bank , Charles Schwab Bank , Chase , Chime , CIBC U.S. , CIT Bank , Citibank , Citizens , Citizens Bank , City First Bank , Climate First Bank , Commerce Bank , Community First Credit Union of Florida , ConnectOne Bank , Connexus Credit Union , Consumers Credit Union , Current , Customers Bank , Delta Community Credit Union , Discover® Bank , E*TRADE , EverBank (formerly TIAA Bank) , Fifth Third Bank , First Foundation , First Internet Bank , First National Bank , First Tech Federal Credit Union , Flagstar Bank , FNBO Direct , Forbright Bank , Global Credit Union , GO2bank , Golden 1 Credit Union , Greenwood , Hope Credit Union , Huntington Bank , Industrial Bank , Ivy Bank , Jenius Bank , KeyBank , Lake Michigan Credit Union , Laurel Road Bank , LendingClub Bank , Liberty Bank , Live Oak Bank , M&T Bank , Marcus by Goldman Sachs , My Banking Direct , NASA Federal Credit Union , Navy Federal Credit Union , NBKC , One , OneUnited Bank , Pentagon Federal Credit Union , PNC , Poppy Bank , Popular Direct , Quontic Bank , Regions Bank , Revolut , Salem Five Direct , Sallie Mae Bank , Santander Bank , SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union , Security Service Federal Credit Union , Securityplus Federal Credit Union , Self-Help Credit Union , Service Credit Union , SoFi , State Employees’ Credit Union of North Carolina , Suncoast Credit Union , Synchrony Bank , TAB Bank , TD Bank , Truist Bank , U.S. Bank , UFB Direct , Upgrade , USAA Bank , Varo , Vio Bank , Wells Fargo , Western Alliance Bank and Zynlo Bank .

How we rate banks and credit unions

To recap our selections...

NerdWallet's Best Bank Bonuses and Promotions of September 2024

• SoFi Checking and Savings : Best for Checking and Savings Account Bonus Offers
• Chase Total Checking® : Best for Checking Account Bonus Offers
• U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking : Best for Checking Account Bonus Offers
• Discover® Online Savings : Best for Savings Account Bonus Offers
• Chase Secure Banking℠ : Best for Checking Account Bonus Offers
• Bank of America Advantage Plus Banking® : Best for Checking Account Bonus Offers
• Chase Business Complete Banking® : Best for Business Checking Account Bonus Offers
• Alliant Credit Union Ultimate Opportunity Savings Account : Best for Savings Account Bonus Offers
• Chase Private Client Checking℠ : Best for Checking Account Bonus Offers
• Citi® Regular Checking Account : Best for Checking Account Bonus Offers
• Wells Fargo Everyday Checking : Best for Checking Account Bonus Offers
• PNC Virtual Wallet® Checking Pro - Spend : Best for Checking and Savings Account Bonus Offers
• PNC Virtual Wallet - Spend : Best for Checking and Savings Account Bonus Offers

The 10 Worst Stews in the Below Deck Franchise, Ranked

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Being a stew on a superyacht is not for the faint of heart. Some stews just can’t handle the pressure. This list celebrates some of the biggest nightmares on Below Deck on the interior team. Whether it's because they were not able to do their job or because they just caused immense chaos below deck, these stews are remembered for all the wrong reasons.

Below Deck is the hit Bravo juggernaut that follows the lives of yachties living and working on some of the world's most luxurious superyachts. Showcasing the drama, hookups, and pressure of setting sail on the beautiful seas around the globe, Below Deck has proudly launched four spin-off series. Like any good reality show, disaster casting is sometimes just so juicy you can't look away.

10 Sierra Storm

'below deck', season 4.

Sierra Storm truly meant while during her time on the fourth season of Below Deck . The problem for her was her fellow crew just didn't like her. Perhaps unfairly so. Additionally, Sierra engages in a romantic entanglement with deckhand Kyle Dixon , which caused tension on board. When it came to the job at hand, Sierra couldn't handle the demands of the charter guests.

Sierra gets a bad rap as well as she was compared to the much superior work prowess of 2nd Stew , Emily Warburton-Adams . Maybe if Sierra was brought in with a different dynamic, her time on Below Deck would have resulted in a net positive.

Watch On Peacock

9 Jennifer Howell

'below deck', season 5.

She was just a mother who wanted to provide for her child. Jennifer Howell was a single mom who worked two jobs: stew and reality star. The latter she was much more proficient at. A good working interior team truly relies on the dynamics of the individuals that make up the team. Jennifer Howell, unfortunately, had a personality clash with Chief Stew Kate Chastain . They just did not see eye-to-eye, and it showed.

Jennifer had quite the polarizing presence during her time on Season 5. With the pool tainted against her, many other crew members were at odds with her. Sadly, Jennifer's work was not up to par, and Chastain would make comments at her expense. Howell had an engaging story to tell as a mother longing to provide a better life for her daughter, but being aboard megayacht Valor was a bit of a struggle.

8 Laura Betancourt

'below deck', season 6.

Laura Betancourt came into the season to save the day following Caroline Bedol 's quitting. Unfortunately for Betancourt, she came in hot, thinking she was better than her 3rd Stew position. She constantly undermined the rest of her team, trying to prove that she should be the one in charge.

By questioning Chief Stew Kate Chastain 's authority, she was already at odds. But she didn't improve her placement on the crew when she engaged in a boatmance with deckhand Ashton Pienaar . Laura was good at her job, she just didn't always have the best attitude. Sadly, that's the reputation she left with.

7 Magda Ziomek

'below deck down under', season 1.

Long-distance relationships are hard. Especially when you're virtually cut off from the world. Below Deck Down Under third stew Magda Ziomek missed her boyfriend so much that she got fired for it. Magda spent the season arguing on the phone with her boyfriend, to the point where she overused the data on the boat.

After Chief Stew Aesha Scott found Magda napping, it was finally time to cut the chord and fire Magda.

With a distraction preventing her from excelling at her job, even Captain Jason Chambers was infuriated by her work ethic. She also got friendly with enemy number one, Chef Ryan McKeown . After Chief Stew Aesha Scott found Magda napping, it was finally time to cut the chord and fire Magda. She showed potential, but without her willingness to do the job she was hired for at the best of her abilities, she had to go.

Watch On Apple TV

6 Laura Bileskaline

'below deck down under', season 2.

Sexual assault and sexual harassment are not OK in any workplace, even if hookups are commonplace onboard. Laura Bileskaline was all play and little work. She wanted to spend her time on motoryacht Northern Sun with the boys. As an employee during Season 2 of Below Deck Down Under , Laura was just selfish. She was constantly at odds, testing Chief Stew Aesha Scott .

When the charter guests left and the yachties went to play, Laura decided it was time to hookup with her crush, Boson Luke Jones , who was crushing on 3rd stew Margot Sisson . Due to a very unfortunate event, Luke was fired for sexually harassing Margot. And yet, Laura took his side, feigning any sympathy for her coworker's experience. It was also revealed that she was allegedly inappropriate with deckhand Adam Kodra when Luke denied her advances. It was a messy situation for everyone involved, but Captain Jason Chambers handled the situation exceptionally well .

5 Caroline Bedol

The yachting industry is not for the faint of heart. Caroline Bedol learned that the hard way. Throughout her time on Below Deck , she found herself having setback after setback. Caroline was another one who had a personality clash with Chief Stew Kate Chastain . When Caroline had some work-related injuries, she gained no sympathy from Kate, causing them to continue to be at odds.

Caroline simply couldn't handle the pressure and gave her two-day notice to Captain Lee Rosbach . But two days of the alleged torment onboard was just too much. So she cut it short. Caroline dramatically quit. She gave her notice and then just decided it was time to bounce. On her way out, she was famously taunted by Chief Stew Kate Chastain and 2nd Stew Josiah Carter , who celebrated by turning up the music to full blast under her door.

4 Natalya Scudder

'below deck mediterranean', seasons 7 and 8.

Before we begin, Natalya Scudder should be praised as an exceptional stew who was brilliant at her job. Perhaps a little too brilliant. The biggest drawback for Natalya was her facade. She was not as sweet and innocent as everyone thought she was. She was a master manipulator and was eager to tear anyone down in order to get ahead. During her first season, Natalya was part of the dream team with Chief Stew Tasha Webb and co-second stew Kyle Viljeon . But as the charter season went on, Natalya's closeness with both her coworkers would be something that would linger on when she stepped in to save the day at the start of Season 8.

Due to some quarantining issues that left Chief Stew Tumi Mhlongo and her bestie Kyle Viljeon out of the first charter, Captain Sandy Yawn tapped Natalya to be the temporary Chief Stew. The power certainly went to her head and when she was dropped down to 3rd Stew when the team officially assembled, she undermined Tumi's direction while creating a massive rivalry with Kyle. The brutal shift in personal and work dynamics caused the lowkey villain to resign.

Below Deck Mediterranean

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3 Camille Lamb

'below deck', season 10.

Sometimes, having a resume that exclaims you are well versed in various positions on a yacht, you might be brought on to be the versatile hire. Camille Lamb was hired as a deck/stew, a position that Below Deck usually doesn't show. Camille wanted to be out in the sun and work with the exterior team, but she was needed much more in the interior. And she showed just how annoyed she was having to work with fellow stew Alissa Humber .

Since Alissa had stronger bonds with Chief Stew Fraser Olender and Chef Rachel Hargrove , she often found no one taking her side. So she complained. Who did she complain to? Her new boatmance, Ben Willoughby . Between her combative attitude and drinking on the job, Fraser had enough. In the end, Camille was fired, but she was still a major presence during the season. She kept in close contact with Ben throughout the season and made a surprise return when she learned that her rival, Alissa, was fired later that season.

2 Lexi Wilson

'below deck mediterranean', season 6.

Below Deck is a show that blends reality with reality television. Some yachties are there to do their job and know they just so happen to have cameras following their every move. Others, well, they are just ripe for television. Such was the case for Below Deck Mediterranean 's Lexi Wilson . When Lexi first arrived during Season 6, she shared her personal story with viewers and her new coworker Courtney Veale .

As Courtney was dealing with her father having Alzheimer's, Lexi revealed she had lost her father three months prior to joining the crew of Lady Michelle. Lexi was a very opinionated person, and after a crew night out, a dark side of Lexi was revealed. She became quite mouthy with Chief Stew Katie Flood and Boson Malia White . She then got into a physical altercation with deckhand Mzi Dempers . After getting in a huge fight with Chef Matthew Shea , she was finally dismissed from her position. The crew was thrilled to see her go as Lexi solidified herself as a villain in the world of Below Deck .

1 Rocky Dakota

'below deck', season 3.

Raquel "Rocky" Dakota is a legend in the history of Below Deck . As one of the most colorful characters the show has ever known, there has never been anyone like Rocky. While it seems like a trend if you work under Chief Stew Kate Chastain , her interior team always has a punching bag. That person was Rocky. But some fans would claim that Rocky did that to herself. To start the season off, she created a very close bond with the super sweet deckhand Emile Kotze . He fell for her but she friendzoned him.

That didn't sit well with many of her coworkers, especially when she was engaged in a secret boatmance with Boson Eddie Lucas , who had a girlfriend back home. On top of all that, Rocky had a close bond with the controversial Chef Leon Walker . When he was fired, she lashed out at Kate for his dismissal, and she even tried to get herself fired by jumping off the boat and venturing to another yacht nearby. Already being down some crewmembers, they had to keep her around. Rocky had a big personality. Many onboard found it off-putting. Rocky made for excellent television, but perhaps not the best coworker. And if she ever serves you oysters, just ask if there's any grenadine on top.

KEEP READING: An Update on Season 3 of 'Below Deck Down Under'