By Rebecca Whitlocke
Since Below Deck premiered in 2013, everyone seems to have something to say about the reality TV franchise that goes behind-the-scenes with yacht crew. What is it about this show that draws in viewers?
Below Deck is part of pop culture because it provides micro-narratives that viewers use to understand the world of yachting. It’s created an entire ecosystem of social media communities, creators and viral content that anchors Below Deck to budding careers and fuels dreams to work on superyachts.
Rebecca Whitlocke
Future-Proofing Superyacht Careers with Seascope France
Seascope France, an MCA approved and RYA endorsed superyacht crew training school in Antibes, France invited Rebecca Whitlocke, Yachting Writer for Relentless Magazine, to sample life aboard a superyacht that took centre stage in two seasons of the show. Seascope takes no shortcuts with crew training; they’ve developed and refined comprehensive programs that instil confidence in aspiring crew members and assist with career development.
One notable benefit of Seascope’s yacht interior courses is adopting a hospitality-led approach that gives students a clear advantage in the world of luxury service and helps them navigate the fundamentals. Guiding students to polish their skills in real-life situations, some of the training is conducted directly onboard yachts where they have the chance to carry out a live lunch service on the last day of the course.
Overseen by ex-Chief Stewardess and Seascope G.U.E.S.T Program Trainer Faith Gibbie, the live lunch lets students dive into the daily running of the vessel by demonstrating their attitude, communication skills, dining etiquette, and service proficiency. The immersive training has the power to build confidence, competence and self-esteem, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, which is vital in the dynamic and customer-oriented yachting sector. As well, Seascope’s honest feedback and role-specific solutions means crew can address areas for improvement, and make necessary changes.
Sophie Sevier, Director at Seascope France, emphasised the importance of equipping students with a comprehensive training program that enables them to excel as yacht stewardesses or stewards: “Our school’s training course is highly effective in preparing students for successful careers in the yachting industry, providing a comprehensive education and hands-on experience that is likely to be greatly valued by both employers and clients. During the live lunch, students are required to welcome guests onboard and serve food and beverages, practising the skills and knowledge they acquired during the week.”
The live lunch was seamless; evidence that Seascope’s courses aim to nurture the future pool of superyacht crew members with foundation training for luxury service levels that will far exceed their principals and guests overall expectations.
However, their purpose is not to convince crew to buy a training course, but to buy into something. Professional crew training isn’t just transactional, but a journey into preparing for the cultural, emotional, social and psychological conditions of working in a fast-paced environment at sea. And there’s no reality TV franchise that can guarantee that success.
For more info, visit https://www.yachtcrewtraining.com
Photo credits: Antibes Yachting, Lidija Jakovljevic
