These multi-million dollar yachts need comprehensive crews to keep up with the maintenance, whether or not the yacht is on the high seas or wintering in port. Yacht crews are often divided into the engineering department, the interior department, and the deck department. The different roles required in each department can be combined, but a fully equipped crew can include 16 people or more, depending on the size of the luxury yacht.
The engineering department can use up to five personnel to care after the engines including a chief engineer, an electrician, another engineer, an ETO, and an assistant. The interior department requires a purser, a chief stew, a second stew, third and fourth stews, a head chef and a sous chef. The deck department includes the first officer, the second officer, the bosun, and the deckhand. Above all of the departments, there is the captain, who is in charge of the yacht’s operation and its safe travels to wherever the owner desires. The captain typically has his or her own separate quarters that are near the bridge – or wheelhouse – depending on how some refer to it. The bridge is the yacht’s brain – it’s where all controls and navigation equipment rest, and requires strong knowledge of all its parts in order to control and pilot the yacht properly.