The two seasons
Mediterranean
Runs roughly May to September, centred on the French and Italian Rivieras, the Balearics, Croatia and Greece. Hiring happens March to May. The main crew-up hubs are Antibes and Palma de Mallorca.
Caribbean
Runs December to April, across the Leewards, the Virgin Islands and the Bahamas, with Florida as the shoulder base. Hiring happens October to November, and Fort Lauderdale and Antigua are where crew gather.
The single most important thing on this page: yachts crew up before the season, not during it. Arriving in July to look for Med work means competing for the roles nobody took in April.
How the work differs
Mediterranean
Shorter passages, more port time, more marinas, and more guests coming and going. Charter weeks are intense and back-to-back through July and August. Crew tend to see more of shore life, and there are more people around — which matters if you are new and looking for day work.
Caribbean
Longer passages between islands, more time at anchor, fewer marinas. The pace can be calmer, but you are further from spares, provisioning and replacement crew. It suits people who are self-sufficient and comfortable being genuinely remote.
Dual season
Many yachts run both — Med summer, Atlantic crossing, Caribbean winter. For crew this means near year-round work and, usually, an ocean crossing on your CV, which is worth having.
It also means very little downtime and a punishing yard period somewhere in between. Dual-season programmes are where burnout shows up most, and where rotation is most likely to be offered.
Where to be, and when
- Antibes — the centre of Med crew hiring. Crew houses, agencies and dock walking all concentrated. Arrive March or April.
- Palma de Mallorca — the other Med hub, strong for refit and yard-period work. Similar timing.
- Fort Lauderdale — the Caribbean and US base. Arrive October. A B1/B2 visa is essential here; see the visa guide.
- Antigua — busy in the run-up to the Caribbean season, especially around the yacht shows.
Which should you choose first?
For a first season, the Mediterranean is usually the more practical choice. There are more boats in a smaller area, more crew around to hear about work from, and no visa hurdle for most nationalities. Day work is easier to find, and day work is how most first jobs actually happen.
The Caribbean rewards people who already have a season behind them and can arrive with references.
Budget for the gap
Plan for four to eight weeks of accommodation and living costs before you are earning. Crew houses in Antibes and Palma are the standard option, and they are also where you hear about jobs first.
Read the no-experience guide for what the first season is really like, or see what is live now.