Getting Hired
Mediterranean vs Caribbean Yacht Season for New Crew
In short
Big yachts spend the European summer in the Mediterranean and the winter in the Caribbean. For a first-timer the Mediterranean spring (March to May) is the traditional best window to find work, with Antibes and Palma as the hubs, while autumn is the way in for the Caribbean via Fort Lauderdale. Work backwards from your target month to plan your certificates.
Superyachts follow the sun. They spend the European summer in the Mediterranean and the European winter in the Caribbean, which is why there's crew work year-round. For a first-timer, the Mediterranean spring (roughly March to May) is the traditional best window to find your first job, while the Caribbean winter season is the alternative if you're ready in autumn.
That's the short version. Below we cover the dates, the hiring windows, which ports matter, what the two seasons feel like to work, and how to plan backwards from either one if you're starting out in New Zealand or Australia. For day-to-day dock tactics, our dockwalking guide covers what to say and how to behave once you're there.
The two seasons at a glance
Sources vary by a month or so at each end, because the shoulders of each season are fuzzy and depend on the yacht. Here is the range from three reputable crew-industry sources:
| Mediterranean | Caribbean | |
|---|---|---|
| Season | About May to September (UKSA); about April or May to October (Seas The Day) | About November to April (UKSA); about December to March (Seas The Day) |
| Yachts arrive | February to May, returning from the Caribbean (Flying Fish) | From autumn, as yachts reposition for winter |
| Hubs for new crew | Antibes (larger motor yachts) and Palma (sailing and motor yachts) | Antigua, St Maarten and Fort Lauderdale |
| Feel of the work | "Busy and bustling", with formal service and high energy | More relaxed, with guests who "melt into" island life |
Sources: UKSA Yachting Season Ultimate Guide 2026; Seas The Day via Superyacht Content (19 September 2024); Flying Fish. Hubs also from our dockwalking guide. Checked 1 October 2026.
One extra wrinkle: some yachts stay in the Mediterranean over winter for scheduled maintenance and surveys, which Flying Fish calls a "yard period". That keeps some work going on the Med docks even when the charter season is quiet.
When the hiring actually happens
Flying Fish puts it plainly: traditionally, crew start looking for work between February and May, when most yachts are returning from the Caribbean. The same article notes that the employment window is getting wider, with new crew finding work in the middle of the summer season too.
Putting that together with the timing in our own dockwalking guide, a first-timer's year looks like this:
| Months | What's happening | For a new crew member |
|---|---|---|
| March to May | Mediterranean ramp-up; Antibes and Palma fill with boats fitting out | Best window for first-timers; day work leads to first jobs |
| June to August | Mid-season, boats out with guests | Fewer permanent openings, but gaps appear suddenly |
| September to November | Yachts reposition to the Caribbean and hire delivery crew | Saying yes to a crossing is a classic way in |
| December to February | Caribbean season | Antigua, St Maarten and Fort Lauderdale are the dockwalking hubs |
Source: our dockwalking guide, plus Flying Fish.
Which one to aim for
The Mediterranean spring is the classic first season. It lines up with a New Zealand or Australian calendar (finish your STCW and ENG1 over summer, fly as European spring begins), and fit-out needs the day workers that first jobs come from. If your certificates are done by late summer instead, the autumn crossing and Fort Lauderdale route is open now. Either way, the role matters as much as the season, so see our deckhand guide and stewardess guide.
Not sure yet if this is the right move for you?
Book a free discovery call
“It never felt like a course or a programme — it felt like having someone in your corner who genuinely cared about where you ended up. Nick showed me I already had more to offer than I thought. Six months later I was a deckhand. I’ve sailed to Fiji. I’m 19.” — Freddie MHospitality → Deckhand · sailed to Fiji · age 19
Planning backwards from New Zealand or Australia
Pick your target arrival month, then work backwards. These are suggested orders, not rules.
| Target | Do the ENG1 and STCW | Arrive |
|---|---|---|
| Mediterranean spring (March to May) | October to January | March |
| Caribbean / Fort Lauderdale autumn | By August, so you're ready to fly in September | September to October |
The STCW course is the one with the booking constraint: our STCW and ENG1 guide says to book 4 to 8 weeks ahead in spring because courses fill before the Med season. The medical is covered in detail in our ENG1 medical NZ guide, and the certificate lasts normally two years, so you can do it early. Our First Season Checklist pulls the whole list into one place.
Entering Europe on a New Zealand passport
New Zealanders can stay in the Schengen area for 90 days within 180 without a visa. The French embassy in NZ also explains that NZ nationals can stay up to 180 days in total by taking 90 days in Schengen states and then a further 90 days in metropolitan France under a bilateral agreement. The order matters: the embassy says to do the Schengen 90 days first and France second, and to identify yourself as a New Zealander when you cross the French border.
Those are rules about how long you can stay as a visitor. The embassy page doesn't say anything about working, so check your own situation on official sources before you go. Our source here is the French embassy's page, checked 1 October 2026, and rules do change.
Season planning checklist
- Decide your target: Mediterranean spring or Caribbean autumn.
- Work backwards: book your ENG1 medical first, then STCW (4 to 8 weeks ahead).
- Check entry rules for your passport and your plan on official sites.
- Budget for flights and a few weeks in a crew house. Our salary guide has the costs and what you can expect to earn.
- Pack light. See what to actually pack.
- Have printed CVs ready and a simple log for every boat you speak to.
Mediterranean vs Caribbean season FAQs
When is the best time to start looking for a first yacht job?
Traditionally between February and May, when most yachts return to the Mediterranean from the Caribbean. Our dockwalking guide calls March to May the best window of the year for first-timers.
When does the Mediterranean yacht season start and end?
Sources differ slightly: UKSA says roughly May to September, while Seas The Day says roughly April or May to October.
When is the Caribbean yacht season?
Roughly November to April according to UKSA, or December to March according to Seas The Day.
Can I start mid-season?
Yes, though there are fewer permanent openings. Flying Fish notes the employment window is widening, with new crew finding work in the middle of summer, and our dockwalking guide says gaps do appear suddenly mid-season.
Do yachts stay in the Mediterranean in winter?
Some do, for scheduled maintenance and surveys known as a yard period, but many large yachts head to the Caribbean or the USA.
Sources: UKSA, Flying Fish, Seas The Day / Superyacht Content, French Embassy in NZ. All checked 1 October 2026.
Thinking about a career on superyachts?
If you want to talk through your options, no pressure, just an honest conversation about what's possible, get in touch.
Book a discovery call →Prefer email? Get in touch directly.
“He wanted to make the most of his gap year — not the ordinary version of it. Three months later he’s working on multi-million dollar yachts in the Med, watching the sun set over the Balearic Sea, living a life most people only dream about.” — Antoni MHigh school → full-time in Palma · age 19
Nick studied at university in Dunedin before finding his way onto superyachts with zero prior experience and sailing around the world. He's worked in recruitment and education, watched good candidates get overlooked for doing the wrong training in the wrong ports, and now coaches young Kiwis through the same journey: honest, one-on-one and industry-backed.