Yacht Crew Jobs: Where to Go for Daywork (Antibes, Palma, Fort Lauderdale)

7 Jun 2026

You can't get a yacht job from your sofa

Yachting hires face-to-face. Captains and chief stews bring on green crew they've met on the dock, heard about in a crew house kitchen, or had a daywork gig vouch for. Almost none of that happens while you're at home refreshing job sites.

So the first real step toward a yacht crew job isn't a certificate or a CV — it's a plane ticket. You move to a major yachting hub during a peak hiring window, when boats are prepping for guest seasons, finishing refits, and taking on temporary dayworkers by the dozen. Then you make yourself impossible to miss.

Here's where to go for superyacht daywork, when the hiring peaks, what you'll earn, and where to sleep while you hunt. (If you're still earlier than this — building your kit and your CV — start with our guide to breaking into the industry as green crew.)

The two seasons that run the whole industry

The fleet migrates on a loop: the Mediterranean season in the European summer, and the Caribbean/American season in the northern winter. Green crew chase that loop back and forth to stay working year-round. Three hubs anchor it.

Rates climb once you've got a few boats vouching for you — lunch is often thrown in, but not always. Now, the three hubs.

Antibes, France — the heart of European yachting

On the French Riviera between Nice and Cannes, Antibes is the historic centre of the Mediterranean industry, and the single most common place green crew land their first job. Port Vauban is Europe's largest marina, and its "Billionaires' Quay" hosts some of the biggest mega-yachts afloat.

Expect high competition and a highly professional, very social scene. The upside of the crowd is information: in Antibes, word of which boat needs hands tomorrow travels fast — if you're plugged in.

• Target marinas: Port Vauban, Port de Cannes, and nearby Monaco.
• Where to sleep: Crew houses like The Crew Grapevine and Crew Lighthouse are shared, hostel-style residences exclusively for yacht crew. Budget roughly €60 a night or €215+ a week for a bunk.

Those crew houses are goldmines. Many run WhatsApp groups that get pinged directly by boats looking for daywork — so you often hear about a gig from the kitchen table before it reaches the dock. (For more on standing out once you're in, see our 5 tips to get hired on daywork.)

Palma de Mallorca, Spain — the shipyard hub

Palma, in the Spanish Balearics, is the Med's main maintenance, refit and shipyard town. Because so many boats winter and spring here under the spanners, daywork is abundant — especially for deckhands who want hands-on refit skills: sanding, varnishing, teak work, the unglamorous stuff that actually builds your CV. (Here's what a deckhand's daywork day actually looks like.)

The vibe is a touch more laid-back than Antibes, with a heavy lean toward sailing yachts and large deck refits.

• Target marinas: Club de Mar, STP Shipyard, and Marina Palma Cuarentena.
• Where to sleep: Look around the Santa Catalina and Paseo Marítimo districts. A bed in a crew house or a shared flat found through local crew Facebook groups is your best bet.

Fort Lauderdale, USA — the yachting capital of the world

When the European winter closes in, the global fleet crosses the Atlantic to Fort Lauderdale — the launching pad for the Caribbean, Bahamas and US charter seasons. It's fast-paced and strictly business.

One serious caveat: the visa situation is non-negotiable. Non-US crew generally need a valid B1/B2 visa to work aboard yachts in US waters, and even then you cannot be paid by a US entity or sit on a US payroll. Sort this out before you fly, not after — immigration takes it seriously. Dockwalk's B1/B2 guide is a sensible starting point.

• Target marinas: Bahia Mar Yachting Center, Lauderdale Marine Center (LMC), and Pier Sixty-Six.
• Where to sleep: Fort Lauderdale has the most developed crew-house network anywhere — shared rooms, communal kitchens and transport runs, typically $180–$250 per week.

Dockwalking still works — but it's harder than it was

Pounding the docks in the heat, CV in hand, is still part of the job. But be realistic: marina security in both Europe and the US has tightened a lot, and captains are flat-out during peak season. Getting physically in front of the right person is harder than the old stories make it sound.

This is where being in the hub pays off twice. Because you're already living in Antibes, Palma or Fort Lauderdale, a tool like Radius Marine connects your active profile and certifications to vessels in your immediate area that need hands now. Instead of refreshing a dozen Facebook groups, you list your availability once and let nearby boats find you — so you turn up at the passerelle with a confirmed gig instead of a hopeful smile.

Being in the right place is non-negotiable. Being findable once you're there is the part most green crew get wrong.

Before you book the ticket: a checklist

1. Build a financial buffer. Have at least 4–6 weeks of living expenses saved before you move. Daywork pays well, but it can take a week or two to find your rhythm and land your first consistent gigs.

2. Pre-book your crew house, 2–3 weeks out. The best ones sell out months ahead of the April and October peaks. Do not show up without a confirmed bed.

3. Get your digital profile ready, a week out. Have your STCW Basic Training, ENG1 medical and a clean yacht crew CV uploaded so a local captain can see you're ready to work the second you land.

Pick your hub, time your arrival to the season, and go get your hands dirty. The first yacht crew job goes to whoever's standing on the right dock when a boat needs a hand — make sure that's you. The fleet is waiting.