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Where do yachts go in winter? | Winter Yacht Season Explained

yacht crew sat with their backs to the camera

Traditionally, the yacht season is imagined in the Mediterranean, calm seas and blazing sun. But what happens to yachts and their workers when the weather turns and the Med cools over?

What To Do Between Yacht Contracts?

One way ‘yachties’ spend their time during the winter season, is on land. Spending time with family, friends, and pursuing hobbies that were neglected during the working months.

Docking up is also a perfect opportunity to focus on personal and professional development. Renewing STCW and other seafaring qualifications at maritime training centres like the Maritime Skills Academy or working on interests outside of the maritime industry.

If you are planning to spend the next few months away from the water, discover insightful tips on how best to spend your time in our recent blog.

Mediterranean Winter Yacht Contracts

Yacht season in the Mediterranean peaks from April to October. The months when the sun is at its warmest and the seas are at their steadiest.

As unlikely as it may seem, Mediterranean contracts can extend into the winter months. It can be a common occurrence for yachts to keep their summer crew under contract while the yacht is docked and undergoing winter maintenance. Duties may change and accommodation may be rearranged but the general upkeep of the yacht will fall to the crew.

Some yacht owners may choose to continue voyaging well into the winter months. Requiring a well equipped and prepared crew, to deal with more intense weather conditions. Typically, yachting the Med in winter is a quieter and more relaxed experience because the weather has mellowed and most yachts are turned down for the season.

Caribbean Winter Yacht Contracts

Once the Med has chilled over and yacht contracts have come to an end, the majority of yacht owners and crew migrate to the Caribbean for the winter months. Peak season in the Caribbean is November to April, so joining a yacht crew in that area for the winter months is an ideal way to continue working in the industry in the off-season.

How To Get a Winter Yacht Contract

The best way to land a contract on board during the winter months, whether that be in the Mediterranean or the Caribbean, is to keep your details and documents updated, submitting thorough and high-quality applications for roles that you have relevant experience in.

image of yachts in marina with palm trees

If you are struggling with creating an up -to- date and well written CV, browse through our yacht CV guide, Or read suggestions from our yacht recruitment team for standing out as a yacht candidate.

By signing up to the Viking Crew website, you will have access to all your personal details, documents and CV in one place. This is the best way to submit high -quality applications quickly.

Winter Yacht Jobs

Are you looking for a yacht job over the winter season? Search for our current vacancies and submit an application.

Alternatively, contact our team to see which positions may suit you.

What to do now that the yachting season is over? 

Now that the summer yachting season has finished and you’re on your way back home, you might be wondering what to do for the winter? You could be looking forward to a break before heading back for your next contract in the spring, but there’s plenty to do, so don’t get too comfortable! 

How long is the Yachting season? 

The yachting calendar is divided into two halves, with the summer season running from May to October, typically stationed in the Med, and the Winter season from November to April, which ventures further towards the Western Hemisphere to exotic destinations such as the Caribbean. 

If you’re fortunate enough to have a summer and winter contract to look forward to, then you won’t have much downtime. But if you’ve just finished your summer contract with a free calendar for the next five to six months, you might be stuck for what to do.

What to do on the yacht off-season?

Life onboard can be fast paced with little downtime as your priorities are looking after your guests and maintaining the vessel. So, suddenly slowing down can be a shock to the system.

Image of yachts in harbour with blue sky

To keep your momentum up and get you through the colder months as you reminisce about the long summers sailing around Greek islands, we’ve detailed some helpful tips on what to do now that the yachting season is over.

Refresh your training

It’s a good start to begin with some admin and review your certificates. Does your STCW Training need updating before you go back to sea? Or perhaps you’d like to expand your skills in your time off, in which case you’ll need to find a training centre that can offer what you’re looking for.

Keep old hobbies and make new ones

To help you settle back into the routine of being on land, keep up any good habits you formed while away. This could take the form of journaling, meditation, or regular exercise. Alternatively, if you have been wanting to learn how to knit a scarf, bake a recipe you saved, or learn a new language, now’s the perfect time!

Find a seasonal or temporary role

The downtime might be tempting for five months, but accepting a temp role during this time will help you keep a steady income and help you stay disciplined with the routine of working.

What to do after yachting 

Not everyone returns to sea after their charter has ended. If you’ve decided it’s time to leave the sea and journey back to work on land, then perhaps a career in recruitment is your answer. With your knowledge and expertise of how the roles onboard work, and the desired skills by captains and chiefs of staff, you could help others find their feet in the industry by joining a recruitment agency.

No matter what you decide to do with your new-found freedom, it’s essential that you take measures to have some well-deserved rest and relaxation before returning to work. Make sure to spend time with family and loved ones, as well as catch up with friends you won’t have seen in months.

To find more helpful blogs and advice about working at sea, check out our other articles here.

Maritime Training and Consultancy

In the maritime industry, adhering to compliance and best practice is essential to the functioning of vessels, companies and crew. At Viking Crew, we offer consultancy solutions that will ensure your operations are compliant and efficient. Alongside the Maritime Skills Academy, part of Viking Maritime Group, we are able to offer a combination of consultancy and training services to fully equip your crew for a prosperous seafaring career.

What is Maritime Consultancy?

Maritime Consultancy can include a number of services, all of which are covered by Viking Crew:

Compliance, HR and Administration

At Viking Crew, compliance services are offered as HR and Administration, where crew are kept on file with the necessary documentation. Our expert team will monitor their STCW certifications, conduct background checks, plan efficient and compliant rotations and enforce emergency response programs. Viking Crew are also able to offer legal support such as MLC Compliance, Contract Management and Dispute Resolution. If you are interested in Viking Crew becoming your compliance partner, contact our crewing team today!

Maritime Employment and Crew Payroll Management

Payroll can be a minefield, especially when dealing with large numbers of crew on multiple vessels. At Viking Crew, we are committed to providing a professional, cost-effective and personalised employment and payroll service. Using our industry specific tools, CrewMate and Brightwell, we are able to safely and accurately send payment to crew globally.

Yacht and Cruise Recruitment

Viking Crew specialise in yacht and cruise recruitment, hiring the best people for a vessel that suits them. From officers to pursers, engineers to chefs, Viking Crew can crew any passenger vessel. With over 35 years of experience in maritime recruitment and over 525 clients, Viking Crew is the most trusted recruiter in the industry. Find out more here.

Crew Management

If you are looking for a solution to more than one aspect of Maritime Consultancy, a Crew Management package might be the best option for you.

Ultimately, a maritime consultant is an industry expert who can provide well-educated advice on maritime topics.

Do I need Maritime Consultancy Services?

Our Maritime Consultancy Services at Viking Crew can be for anyone in the maritime industry. From crew training and recruitment to employment and payroll. Outsourcing administrative tasks like these will relinquish responsibility to an external company and remove any risk of breaching maritime and employment laws. Saving you time, stress and excess spending.

Where to get Maritime Training

The Maritime Skills Academy offers maritime training solutions for the entire maritime industry including Basic Safety Training, Simulator Training and First Aid Training! MSA also offers non-maritime courses for local businesses in Dover and Portsmouth, specifically First Aid Training in Dover and Paediatric First Aid Training in Dover.

Maritime Specific Training	Bespoke Training
STCW Basic Safety Training	First Aid Training
Proficiency in Survival Crafts and Rescue Boats	Firefighting and Fire Prevention Training
Fast Rescue Boat Training	Security Awareness
STCW Refresher Training Packages	Ofqual Qualification Training
Marine Evacuation Systems	Damage Control Training
STCW Advanced Training	Teaching Qualifications
Deck Simulator Training	Medical Training
Engine Simulator Training	Marlins
Polar Code Training	Team Building
Alternative Fuels Training	High Voltage Training
Enclosed Space Training	Safeguarding Training

Bespoke/ tailored courses can be arranged for all of the above.

Why do my crew need Maritime Training?

Maritime Training is an essential part of any seafarer’s life. With STCW refreshers being due every five years as a minimum, a trained and resourceful crew significantly improves onboard safety and crew confidence.

Whether you are a yacht master, HR officer at a major cruise line or a crew manager, the responsibility for adhering to training standards is a shared responsibility. At the Maritime Skills Academy, the main focus of training is to set new standards together, this is because thorough training is beneficial for crew, officers, owners and passengers alike.

Contact our team today if you are interested in any of the training and consultancy services we offer at Viking Crew or the Maritime Skills Academy.

Don’t forget, if you sign up to Viking Crew, you can get 20% off selected courses at the Maritime Skills Academy for life!

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