Rebekah Sayle
Second Stewardess – M.Y. Northern Escape
Morris Nautical
My role as second stewardess is a key part of the team ensuring high end service, guest interactions, and interior maintenance during charters.
When we’re off-charter, I help with general maintenance of the vessel’s interior and often cook for the crew. On-charter I spend a full 14 hours a day attending to guests’ needs, serving meals, bar service, as well as housekeeping and laundry.
Being able to travel and see more of the world was a very appealing element to the job. I also enjoy the day-to-day challenges of this line of work which can be very rewarding. One of the most interesting elements of this line of work is the guests. They’re often quite interesting people: sometimes international and well-known.
As a crew, we have many stories from previous trips in the Mediterranean from party groups to large families. My favourite memory would have to be watching the Grand Prix in Monaco while working. This was a trip for (Morris Group Founder) Chris Morris which our crew always adore over any other. It was a truly wonderful experience.
I suppose the hardest part is working long hours while maintaining a warm and friendly persona to everyone on board. The best way to combat this is by having an understanding that all your crew are in the same position, so we push through together as a team.
I think, to be a good stewardess you need to be outstanding in all aspects of the work: from knowledge of wine and cuisine, to knowing how to treat stains on plush materials. You need exceptional attention to detail and have to prioritise tasks to be a successful interior team.