Rubbing shoulders with the wealthy, travelling to the world’s most unique places and residing free of charge on luxurious vessels – working aboard a superyacht may sound like a dream job.
However life under deck has its challenges, in keeping with Abbi Robertson, a superyacht chef who has spent seven years cruising the excessive seas.
Beneath the glamorous floor, the seasoned yachtie reveals there are months spent away from household and 16-hour working days – and that there isn’t any privateness.
The 31-year-old, from Buckinghamshire, spoke to MailOnline Journey in regards to the highs and lows of the job. ‘I would not change my experiences for something, however it’s a must to settle for this way of life comes with drawbacks,’ she stated.
Abbi started her superyacht journey in 2017, shortly after giving up a gentle job as a challenge supervisor for a bifold door firm. She had no plans aside from to ‘perhaps go and journey for a bit’ and fell into the approach to life by probability.
Abbi Robertson, a seasoned yachtie who’s spent seven years at sea, spoke to MailOnline Journey in regards to the highs and lows of the job. She’s pictured above in Antigua – up the mast
The superyacht chef claimed there are ‘drawbacks’ to the job, together with 16-hour work days and having no privateness
These photographs present Abbi’s sleeping quarters – in a cabin that she’s going to often be sharing with another person
She accomplished a obligatory coaching course in Antibes, France. And, inside days, she was on a 50-metre motoryacht in St Tropez. After working as a crew member for a yr, Abbi saved up her tip cash to pay for a culinary course at Ashburton Chef Academy and transitioned into working within the galley.
Abbi presently works on a mid-sized superyacht and serves a most of eight company and 5 crew members.
She works on a rotation, spending 10 weeks at sea and 10 weeks on land. Earlier than that, she labored full-time spending most of her time on board with solely six weeks vacation a yr.
A typical day begins at 6:30am, prepping and serving breakfast and planning meals for the day. After that, she’ll serve lunch, which varies between a three-course fine-dining menu or sharing platters ‘relying on what the company desire’.
Abbi started engaged on superyachts as a crew member and saved her tricks to full a culinary course. Pictured is a swinging ‘gimbal’ range within the galley, which retains the pots and pans degree at sea
Abbi presently works on a mid-sized superyacht serving eight company and 5 crew members. She begins her days within the kitchen at 6:30am
Abbi beforehand labored full-time on superyachts however now spends 10 weeks on board and 10 weeks at residence in Buckinghamshire. Abbi snapped the above picture of Mo’orea, a South Pacific Island, from a viewing level in Tahiti
Abbi will take a fast break after lunch, earlier than getting ready a ‘candy deal with’ or afternoon tea at 3pm and canapes for cocktail hour at 6:00pm. At 7:00pm, she’ll serve dinner and ‘deal with the mountain of washing up within the galley’.
Following dessert prep and drafting a menu for the subsequent day, she’ll lastly relaxation at 11:00pm. Able to do it over again.
One factor that stunned Abbi about engaged on a superyacht is how powerful the work is.
She stated: ‘It is a simple assumption to make that we’re on a “everlasting vacation” and as quickly because the company depart, we hang around on the yacht and stay it up. However in actuality, the work on a ship is rarely completed.
Abbi is proven above negotiating passage by way of Patagonia, the southernmost area of South America
LEFT: Abbi on a windy passage from Brazil to Uruguay. RIGHT: Scuba diving in Fakarava, an atoll within the Tuamotu Islands of French Polynesia
Abbi stated residing on a superyacht isn’t a ‘everlasting vacation’ and takes a number of ‘exhausting work’. This picture exhibits Abbi admiring a phenomenal view in Tahiti
‘A superyacht has to work completely and look model new each time the company come onboard. That takes a hell of a number of work and a number of late nights to realize.’
And loads of difficulties include spending lengthy durations of time at sea.
From discovering it inconceivable to prepare dinner whereas the ‘boat is bouncing alongside’ to the dearth of labor/life steadiness and routine, Abbi stated the approach to life isn’t ‘suited to everybody’.
She stated: ‘The plain downsides are being removed from household, having no privateness or any form of work/life steadiness – exhausting while you stay at work – however the factor I’ve discovered hardest as I’ve received older is the dearth of routine or consistency. You construct up a gaggle of mates in a single port and get used to your life there, however any minute you could possibly get advised by the captain that you just’re crusing to the opposite facet of the world and it’s a must to begin over again.’
However for Abbi, engaged on a superyacht is ‘value it’.
The highs, she stated, embody visiting ‘some unbelievable nations that I’ve by no means even heard of earlier than’, with standouts that embody ‘crusing by way of the Magellan Straits in Patagonia, spending a full yr in Tahiti and visiting the islands of Vanuatu’.
An in depth second to journey is the ‘superb folks’ she’s met alongside the way in which. ‘When you might have a very good crew round you, it barely even appears like working,’ she stated.
Abbi added: ‘You usually must waft and roll with the punches. If you are able to do that, then you possibly can take pleasure in a tremendous way of life and expertise once-in-a-lifetime locations.’
For extra from Abbi, go to her on TikTok at www.tiktok.com/@abbicooks.uk (beforehand www.tiktok.com/@abbicooks) or Instagram right here – www.instagram.com/abbicooks/.
