Ever wonder how other Chief Stews master the art of creating schedules/rotas? Or how does scheduling change based on vessel size and crew skills? If so, this guide has you covered!
The truth is, whether you’re managing an interior on a smaller yacht or coordinating a larger team on a superyacht, creating the perfect schedule requires careful thought and planning. To get it right, there are 10 essential factors you need to consider. Let’s dive in!
Crew Skills- Understanding your interior crew's strengths and weaknesses is crucial for creating an effective schedule. And let’s not forget—you’re part of the team too! This means setting aside your ego and being honest about your strengths and areas for improvement. Your skills, like your crew's, can enhance or hinder team performance.
To better understand your strengths and gain the confidence you need to lead others effectively, consider joining my Leadership Course for Stewardesses. It’s designed to help you grow as a leader and easily empower your team. Join here!
Team Size- The size of your team will vary depending on the vessel's length, and this directly impacts how you assign roles and responsibilities.
For smaller teams of 2–5 stews, a full rotation across all interior duties—especially among the senior members—is often the best approach. This allows everyone to experience every aspect of the job, ensuring flexibility and cross-training within the team.
However, on larger vessels (60m+), dividing the interior crew into three specialized groups—service, housekeeping, and laundry/crew areas—tends to be more efficient. This structure allows each member to focus on their strengths, ensures smoother operations, and maintains consistently high standards throughout the vessel.
Training- Understanding the skills each team member needs to develop is crucial to creating an effective schedule. This is where the support and expertise of your senior crew become invaluable. As the HOD/Chief Stew, you likely won’t have the time to train everyone yourself—especially with a larger team—but your senior crew members can help bridge that gap.
Pairing green crew members with senior staff for tasks is a simple and effective way to provide on-the-job training, even during busy periods. Take the time to discuss with your junior crew the areas they’re interested in growing and with your senior crew where they feel they can offer support.
Be proactive and use your expertise to identify training opportunities. Sometimes, team members may not realize where they need help, but as a leader, you can observe their struggles and guide them in the right direction. Supporting their growth not only strengthens the individual but also elevates the entire team’s performance.
Clarify Roles- Clear roles and responsibilities are the foundation of an effective work schedule. When everyone knows their duties, tasks are completed efficiently, accountability is improved, and team morale stays high.
Defining roles ensures better resource allocation, helps identify skill gaps, and maintains consistency across operations—essential for meeting high standards on yachts.
By taking the time to clarify roles and responsibilities upfront, you’ll create a schedule that fosters productivity, teamwork, and a harmonious work environment. It’s a small step that makes a huge difference in achieving operational excellence.
Owner's Needs- The owner's specific preferences and expectations will significantly impact your team's roles and schedules. For instance, on one yacht I worked on, the owner required me to remain stationed in the dining room during service—no exceptions. I couldn’t move to fetch wine, clear plates, or assist elsewhere, and instead had to rely on my team via radio for all tasks.
Because of this, I couldn’t rotate between service and housekeeping like the other team members. I had to design the schedule and rotation with this in mind to ensure fairness and efficiency. When creating your schedule, consider how the owner's unique needs might affect rotations and structure them carefully to avoid resentment or the feeling that some team members are left to pick up the slack.
Know Your Priorities- Defining the interior department priorities is crucial when setting a schedule, and it’s important to recognize that goals can shift depending on the situation. For example, your charter schedule will differ from your off-charter schedule because the priorities and skill sets needed change.
When assigning roles and tasks, prioritize strengths over seniority to ensure the team’s goals are met effectively. Consider these key questions to guide your decisions:
- What matters most to the captain, owners, and guests?
- What is the immediate goal?
- What are we trying to achieve, and how can I ensure the best outcomes?
- How can I achieve this without overworking or burning out my team?
- Am I using my resources and team individual strengths wisely?
- How can I maximize the potential of underperforming team members?
By keeping these factors in mind, you can create a schedule that aligns with the interior department goals, optimizes team performance, and ensures a balanced, productive workflow.
Leading Service- Many Chief Stews feel that being the Head of Department means they must lead service every time. While service should absolutely be one of your strengths, it doesn’t mean you have to take the lead on every occasion.
This is especially important in smaller teams where you’re likely working with green stews who need training in all areas. Allowing them to step up and lead service—with your support—can be a game-changer for their growth and confidence. It helps them develop their skills while fostering trust within the team.
In my view, a great Chief Stew trains by example and empowers their team to take ownership, all while maintaining a big-picture overview of the interior department. I see every team member as a potential future Chief Stew, and part of my role is to give them opportunities to experience all aspects of the job. This approach doesn’t just build their skills; it strengthens the entire team dynamic.
Rotations- In my 14+ years in yachting, I’ve seen every type of interior rotation imaginable—daily, weekly, and even per-trip rotations. Personally, my favorite is **daily rotations**! Why? Because they give everyone a chance to experience all aspects of the job while keeping things fresh. Plus, it provides a much-needed breather—sometimes, you just want to iron and stay out of guest-facing duties. Daily rotations also allow the guests to interact with all the interior crew, letting each team member’s unique charm and personality shine.
The type of rotation you choose depends on your team’s skills and the level of service required. If your crew is equally skilled across all duties, it’s much easier to rotate them seamlessly. However, if skill levels vary, rotations can be adjusted to play to individual strengths while still benefiting the team and the vessel.
For example, on my first Chief Stew role aboard a 55m yacht, we had a team of five. One stew preferred to stay away from guest-facing roles, but luckily, she was an exceptional laundress. She became our go-to laundry stew, handling it 24/7 (and let’s be real, laundry is *always* busy!). When she took breaks, one of us would step in, while the rest of the team rotated between service, housekeeping, and the crew mess.
The 2nd Stew and I alternated between leading service and housekeeping, with one green stew always shadowing us to learn both roles. Over time, we began rotating equally, ensuring everyone was cross-trained. Even as Chief Stew, I made a point to pop into service or housekeeping whenever I wasn’t scheduled just to lend a hand and ensure everything was running smoothly.
As a Chief, you must find the balance between holding space for your team and ensuring everything is done to the highest standard—without falling into micromanaging. Trusting your team and knowing when to step back is an art you must master.
I’m a huge advocate for rotations because they help your entire team learn all aspects of the job. This ensures the vessel continues to operate at a high standard, even if you’re sick or away on vacation. Rotations are not just practical—they’re essential for creating a strong, adaptable team.
Vessel Registration- Your schedule must adhere to specific regulations depending on the vessel's registration. I encourage you to learn about the state flag regulations regarding scheduling, especially hours of rest. If you are on a commercial vessel, you must adhere to MLC + Flag state regulations. Usually, all seafarers can only work 14-hour shifts; this translates to about 11-12 work hours + 2-3 hours break. I know this information is challenging to find and understand; that's why I created an entire Seafarer Rights section inside the MKSB, so you have all this information at your fingertips. Grab my Free Seafarer Rights Guide here.
Recognizing and Support Your Team's Menstrual Cycles- Energy levels, mood, and work performance can be significantly affected during the pre-menstrual or bleeding phases. As a leader, flexibility and consideration of your team members’ menstrual cycles are essential if you want to maintain optimal productivity and morale.
When possible, I adjust schedules to ensure that team members in the early days of their bleeding phase are either given a day off or assigned lighter tasks, such as working in the laundry, paired with extended breaks.
By acknowledging and supporting the body's natural rhythms, you empower your team to perform at their best while fostering a healthier, more compassionate work environment. As part of the MKSB, you’ll gain access to my Productivity Training to help you seamlessly integrate menstrual rest and cyclical living into your onboard operations. Get the training here.
Creating the perfect interior schedule and rotations starts with understanding your crew’s strengths and skills, having clear goals and role definitions, and ensuring compliance with vessel regulations. Once you’ve established these foundations, the next step is implementing your plan in a digital format for efficiency and adaptability.
Inside the Mermaids Kick-Starter Bible, you’ll find customizable digital interior templates designed to work seamlessly for any vessel size and interior team dynamic, making schedule creation easier than ever Download the MKSB here!
