Typically, the most widely known roles associated with yachts are the captain, stewardess, chief stew and deckhand. However, the purser is essential to the successful running of a superyacht and manages everything from interiors to accounts. Yachting Pages explores the role of a purser on board a superyacht and how to become one. Show
 What does a yacht purser do?A purser is a senior crew member who manages several areas of a superyacht. Its role ranges from crew recruitment and financial matters, to interior management and provisioning. The primary difference between a chief stewardess and a purser is that pursers will take on a lot of administrative work. On smaller vessels, a chief stewardess will typically manage the interiors, accounts etc. Responsibilities of a purser include:
As Julie Perry explains in The Insider's Guide to Becoming a Yacht Stewardess, the purser is an 'executive clerical assistant for the captain and each of the department heads', and so they carry a huge amount of responsibility on board. Working as a yacht purser requires incredible attention to detail in every task, from book keeping to anticipating the needs of every guest on board. A purser needs to maintain the highest standards for every aspect of their role; when it comes to managing the yacht's interior, pursers may even get involved in purchasing decisions to offer the crew's perspective. What is a land-based purser?A land-based purser is able to manage a yacht's administrative affairs without having to live and work on the superyacht at the same time. Shore-based pursers work on-land, but offer all the services of a purser. This ranges from general administration of finance and crew, to procurement, logistics, and guest services. There are a number of reasons why owners may choose a land-based purser. An owner may not have enough room on board to accommodate a full-time purser. The owner may have no need to employ a purser on board full time. They may even just need a purser who can be flexible with hours, whether it's five hours or fifty hours a week. How much is a purser paid?As a lead crew member on board overseeing finance, interiors and other crew, a purser can expect to receive a very generous salary. Pay for a purser can range from roughly €4,000 to upwards of €7,000 per month. As with all crew salaries, the amount can vary according to the size of the yacht. Websites and tools such as YPI Crew's Yachting Salaries, allow you to search a database of salaries submitted by yacht pursers. You can also read more about yacht salaries in our finance guide for crew. How do you become a yacht purser?It's important to have a strong working knowledge and experience of the yachting industry. A yacht purser will often have worked their way up from a junior stew role to chief stew before moving to purser. This is advantageous as stews who have worked their way up will already know about how seven-star customer service works. Due to the variety and nature of the work, an excellent administrative and/or accounting background is a must. Computer skills such as Microsoft Word and Excel are also essential in order to manage the financials of a superyacht. Accuracy, attention to detail and organisational skills are also no-brainers for managing the interior. In terms of qualifications, pursers will need the STCW Certificate and ENG1 Seafarer Medical Certificate or equivalent, which you can obtain through a crew training company. Some crew training companies will also offer specific courses to become a yacht purser. If you're interested in becoming a yacht purser, search for crew agents, or read more about marine finance. Education and Training Varies—see profile Salary Average—$30,514 per year Employment Outlook Poor Definition and Nature of the WorkAll passenger ships and some freighters and tankers employ pursers, who do the complicated paperwork that is necessary each time ships enter ports. They keep their ships' accounts and prepare and keep records of payroll. Pursers also assist passengers whenever necessary. One of the most important responsibilities of pursers is overseeing ships' documentation and customs declarations. They arrange for ship and document inspections by immigration officials and prepare passenger and crew lists for the appropriate governmental authorities. Ship pursers assist passengers in a number of ways: they arrange for room transfers; exchange currency; coordinate luggage transportation; and organize tours and sightseeing trips while ships are in port. They also answer questions and field complaints from passengers. In recent years, pursers have been trained as pharmacists' mates to improve health care onboard ships. They are in charge of the medicine chest and first-aid care and file injury reports. Passenger ships have fairly large purser departments; on cargo ships, fewer pursers are needed. Education and Training RequirementsMost pursers attend maritime training schools, which include the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, and state academies in California, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, and Texas. Other schools offer general seamanship training to a limited number of people with no experience at sea. Some pursers get their sea experience by serving in the U.S. Navy or U.S. Coast Guard. To enter the federal academies, applicants must be between seventeen and twenty-two years of age, single, high school graduates, U.S. citizens, and in good physical condition. Candidates for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy or the U.S. Naval Academy must be nominated by members of Congress. Admission to the other schools is competitive. To qualify for their jobs, pursers need U.S. Coast Guard licenses, which require examinations. Prospective pursers should take commercial courses in high school or in business school. Experience in typing and bookkeeping can be useful. Getting the JobOne of the most direct routes to becoming a purser is attending a marine academy. Most schools have job placement offices. Advancement Possibilities and Employment OutlookAssistant pursers may advance to jobs as tourist-class, cabin-class, and first-class pursers on passenger ships. With more experience, they can be promoted to pursers and executive pursers. The highest job in pursers departments is chief purser. Union training programs help candidates advance through the ranks. Employment in the merchant marine is expected to grow more slowly than the average for all occupations through 2014. More important, the number of graduates of maritime training schools may exceed the growth in demand. Openings may occur when experienced pursers retire or leave the field, but applicants may find stiff competition. Working ConditionsPursers work long hours and irregular shifts. They are on call twenty-four hours when ships are at sea. As with all merchant marine occupations, the work can be hazardous. The risk of falls, fire, collision, and sinking is always present. Pursers are away from home for long periods and rarely have a chance to explore the ports they visit. Earnings and BenefitsSalaries depend on the type and size of the ship, as well as pursers' experience and responsibility. In 2004 the average salary for pursers was $30,514 per year. Where to Go for More InformationNational Marine Engineers Beneficial Association444 N. Capitol St., Ste. 800Washington, DC 20001(202) 638-5355 http://www.d1meba.org
Due to the increasing size of superyachts and number of crew members on board, the Yacht Purser job role had seen significant growth in the past few years. The complexity of how these larger superyachts operate means they are using management strategies and employing crew members often associated with cruise ships and the Navy. A Yacht Purser may be a position you have only recently heard of, with most of the limelight for yacht crew jobs going towards Stewardesses, Deckhands or Captains. If you have experience in administration or finance then the Yacht Purser role could be a fantastic opportunity for you to carve out a career working on Superyachts. What does a Yacht Purser do?The Yacht Purser originated from a Naval Rank position, where this person was in charge of buying supplies for the crew including bedding, food and clothing. Now the Yacht Purser does a wide variety of jobs and could almost call themselves any number of titles including HR Manager, Finance Manager, Purchasing Manager, Travel Manager and General Administrator. Generally speaking, the Purser is in charge of the smooth running of the administration of the yacht. Tasks and responsibilities include:
The Yacht Pursers job is a demanding role that requires incredible administration, organisation and is an essential part of the management of the Superyacht. Without a Purser, a large Superyacht will never be able to effectively operate, nor will it be able to maintain the high standard of service for guests on board. Yacht Purser salaryLike any yacht crew salary, a Yacht Pursers salary will depend on the size of the boat and experience of the individual. The size of the yacht will be a big factor in determining wage, as this has a direct influence on the level of responsibility and tasks needed to manage the yacht effectively. The salary of a Yacht Purser will range from €4,000 – €8,000 per month. How to become a Yacht PurserBecoming a Yacht Purser will require getting a few years experience on board a yacht before applying for this role. This experience is invaluable as you will need to know the nuances of how a yacht functions, to be able to fully understand what customers want and how to deliver the impeccable service. Generally your career path will start with being a Yacht Stewardess, or you could progress up to Chef Stewardess before going for the Yacht Purser role. While there is no official Yacht Purser qualification, having a degree in business or a business related subject will help get your CV into the hands of the decision maker. Some skills recruiters and yacht captains look for in a Purser include:
Along with these skills, you will need to have your STCW Basic Safety Training certificate and your ENG1 Medical to become a Yacht Purser. |
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