PYA GUEST Courses: Levels, Units and 2026 Costs
PYA GUEST courses: the short answer
GUEST (Guidelines for Unified Excellence in Service Training) is the interior crew training programme the PYA created in 2011. It is now the IAMI GUEST Program, governed by the International Association of Maritime Institutions and taught by accredited schools. It isn't legally required to get a job, but it gives you a real leg up on crew who don't have it. New stews usually start with four Introduction units, taught as one five-day course.
What the PYA does for crew
The Professional Yachting Association (PYA) is a non-profit association based in Antibes, registered in France under the law of 1 July 1901, and it has been around since 1991. It represents yacht crew in policy discussions with maritime authorities such as the UK MCA. Its most practical role for working crew is verifying sea service: the PYA is authorised by the MCA and Transport Malta to check yacht sea service testimonials, the paperwork you need later for a Notice of Eligibility or a Certificate of Competency.
Most crew deal with the PYA through one of three things:
- Sea service verification. It is free on Full membership. Non-members pay €50 per testimonial, with a minimum of two on the first submission, and verification can take up to 25 working days.
- Deck paperwork. The PYA issues the Yacht Rating Certificate on behalf of the MCA, which some yachts need for safe manning. It also supplies the OOW 3000 Deck Training Record Book, which you need for the Officer of the Watch (Yachts) ticket. If you're on deck, our junior deckhand guide explains where those fit.
- Advice and support. It offers career advice on NoE, CoC, revalidation and conversion, plus a confidential Member Assistance Service for members having problems at work.
Membership tiers, as listed on pya.org/plans (checked 21 October 2026):
| Plan | Price | Main differences |
|---|---|---|
| New to Yachting | €35/year | Career advice, welfare support, events, discounts. Does not include sea service verification or the PYA Service Record |
| Associate | €85/year | Adds online document storage, NoE/revalidation support, document certification and the OOW 3000 record book (€20 extra on New to Yachting) |
| Full | €185/year | Everything above plus the MCA-approved PYA Service Record and sea service testimonial verification |
PYA membership isn't a legal requirement to work on a yacht. Their own FAQ says the essentials for entry-level crew are STCW Basic Training, Security Awareness and a valid seafarer medical such as the ENG1. Joining early is still an easy win: the €35 tier gets you career advice and support from your first season, and Full membership is the natural step once you have sea service to log.
Where GUEST fits: the PYA built it, IAMI runs it
According to the PYA's own history page, the PYA created the GUEST Program in 2011. It is now the IAMI GUEST Program, governed by the International Association of Maritime Institutions (IAMI), and the courses are delivered by accredited training schools around the world.
In practice, that means:
- Your certificate says IAMI GUEST. Older certificates and some school pages still say "PYA GUEST". Both refer to the same programme.
- The PYA lists GUEST on its partners page rather than running the courses itself. For anything about accreditation, the contact is IAMI's GUEST team ([email protected], guest-program.com).
- Each completed unit earns an IAMI GUEST certificate. The full hospitality path leads to an IAMI Yacht Hospitality Certificate of Competency (CoC).
GUEST interior levels and units
GUEST is built from short, numbered units grouped into programmes. The current progression chart (version V41, 2022, published by Bluewater) sets out the interior route like this:
| Level | Who it's for | Units | Leads to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction Hospitality | Entry-level interior crew | 23 Introduction to Yachting & Yachting Life; 32 Basic Housekeeping & Laundry; 02 Basic Food & Beverage; 03 Basic Wine, Bartending & Mixology. Also requires STCW Basic Training, Security Awareness and Level 2 Food Safety | GUEST Junior Stew CoC |
| Advanced Hospitality | 2nd stew, career progression | 34 Yacht Interior Administration; 05 Advanced Food & Beverage; 07 Advanced Laundry; 08 Advanced Housekeeping; 09 Advanced Valet. Also requires the GUEST Interior Training Record Book, Powerboat Level 2 or similar, and Medical First Aid | GUEST Senior Stew CoC |
| Management Hospitality | Chief stew / head of department | 36 Destination, Event & Interior Management; 30 HR & Crew Wellbeing; 21 Accounting, Bookkeeping & Budgeting; 17 Foundation Leadership. Also requires ISM, Level 3 Food Safety, Medical Care, Advanced Fire Fighting and PSC&RB or Advanced Sea Survival | GUEST Chief Stew CoC |
The earlier version of the chart (V37) also spells out the sea time between levels. Introduction needs no sea service. Advanced needs 12 months' yacht service plus 60 days of guest service, logged in the Interior Training Record Book. Management needs another 12 months plus 60 guest days, served as a senior stew. The 2022 chart doesn't repeat those figures, so check the current requirement with your school or IAMI before you plan around them.
On a working yacht the interior is the guest experience: flowers, glassware and service set up before anyone comes aboard. Photo: Marionsebel, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Alongside the three levels there is a Specialised Hospitality strand you can take at any stage. It covers cigar service (06), floristry (10), barista (11), wine appreciation 1 and 2 (12, 13) and advanced bartending 1 and 2 (14, 15). The older chart lists WSET Levels 1 and 2 as recognised equivalents for the two wine appreciation units.
What you do on a GUEST Introduction course
Most schools combine the four Introduction units into one five-day block. Unit 23 explains how yachts work: crew hierarchy, terminology, contracts and life on board. The rest is hands-on: cabin detailing, laundry and stain treatment, table settings, plated and silver service, and the basics of wine and bar service. Some schools run the practical sessions on a real yacht.
Laying a formal setting like this, cutlery in order of use and glasses for each wine, is the kind of drill a food-service course runs until it is automatic. Photo: Hopefulromntic21, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The honest version: none of this is hard, but chief stews hire people who've done it before. If you have never ironed a shirt collar to a standard or laid a formal table, a course is the fastest way to stop looking green on your first trial day.
GUEST for new crew, chefs and pursers
The programme isn't only for stews. The 2022 chart also includes:
- New Crew Program (entry-level deck, engineering, chef): Unit 23 only, alongside STCW and Security Awareness.
- Chef Program: Units 23 and 24 (Introduction to Galley Operations) for qualified chefs entering yachting, leading to a GUEST Yacht Chef CoC.
- Purser, Spa and Leadership programmes, plus an Owner's Representative programme for new-build projects.
Deck crew don't have a full GUEST track. Your progression runs through MCA deck certification, which is where the PYA's Yacht Rating Certificate and OOW record book come in.
GUEST course costs and duration in 2026
These prices come from the schools' own pages, checked on 21 October 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you book.
| Course | Provider | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interior Hospitality Yacht Training Level 1 (Units 23, 32, 02, 03) | MaritimeMT, Malta-based | 5 days | €1,300 excl. tax |
| IAMI GUEST Introduction to Superyachts & Yachting Life (Unit 23) | Seas The Day Training, listed on Bluewater | Online | £199 |
| Superyacht Hospitality & Interiors – IAMI GUEST Certified Introduction | MPT, Fort Lauderdale | 5–6 days (includes Food Safety at Sea Level 2) | Not published |
Expect to budget roughly the same as your STCW for a full Introduction week, plus your accommodation. Ask the school whether the IAMI certificates are included in the price.
How to find an IAMI GUEST accredited school
IAMI doesn't publish a public provider directory. To find a school:
- Look for "IAMI GUEST" and a unit number in the course title. A generic "stewardess course" may not issue GUEST certificates.
- Ask the school which units the course covers and whether the IAMI certificates are included in the price.
- If you're unsure, email IAMI's GUEST team ([email protected]) to confirm the school is accredited.
In Antibes, the interior courses are run by the same schools that teach STCW. See our guide to STCW courses in Antibes if you want to book both in one trip.
GUEST vs STCW and ENG1
These aren't alternatives. STCW Basic Training and an ENG1 medical (or an accepted equivalent) are the legal minimum to work on board. GUEST is the department-specific training you add on top. It isn't required by law, but it's what turns a candidate with the basics into one a chief stew wants to hire. Get those two first, then add GUEST.
Do captains and chief stews actually ask for GUEST?
No flag state requires it, so it isn't a legal box you have to tick. But it is the interior training standard the industry recognises, and having it on your CV gives you a clear leg up on crew without it. A DockWalk poll from 2015 found about 45% of stews had taken GUEST, which means more than half of the candidates you're up against may not have it.
Knowing which glass goes with which pour is part of the wine and bar side of interior training. Photo: James Harris, public domain.
Where it helps: you have no hospitality background and need something interior-specific on your CV. You want to show a chief stew you know silver service and laundry before your trial day. Or you're stepping up to 2nd stew or chief stew and want the management units.
Even with hospitality experience: hotel, restaurant or bar work gets you part of the way, and GUEST turns it into the yacht-specific standards chief stews look for. For a dayworker interior role, attitude and availability come first, and a GUEST certificate on your CV still sets you apart. For the wider picture of breaking in, start with how to become a yacht stewardess.
FAQ
Do I need to be a PYA member to do GUEST courses?
None of the pages we checked mention a membership requirement. You book directly with an accredited school.
How much does a GUEST Introduction course cost?
In October 2026, one school listed a five-day Level 1 course at €1,300 excl. tax, and the online Unit 23 costs £199. Prices vary by school.
Does GUEST count as sea service?
No. The courses are shore-based training. Sea service comes from time on board, and the PYA can verify it for you.
If you're job-hunting, you can check in for free on Radius. Captains and recruiters there can see crew whose ENG1 and STCW have been verified and who have uploaded a CV. For more routes into the industry, see our yacht jobs guide.