In this episode I talk to Alice Baker and Courtney Te Whiu - two great Kiwi mates who worked their way into the world of boat crew and luxury superyachts having the time of their life in dream destinations. With 12+ years of combined experience, and all the what to-do’s and what not-to do’s, they founded the New Zealand Superyacht Academy with internationally recognised courses to kick-start graduate’s superyacht careers. Listen in to get all the goss on what it takes to find work onboard, perks of the job, what a captain’s looking for in crew, and how much it’s really like ‘Below Deck’. Travel, fun, money and a whole lot of hard work – find out how it started for these two, and what you’ll get from joining the superyacht academy. If you’re keen to link in with a network of incredible supportive boaties exploring the world on superyachts – get in contact with Alice and Courtney Connect via Instagram @nzsuperyachtacademy and visit New Zealand Superyacht Academy Connect with Saltwater Journal @saltwater_journal Website: ⁠Saltwater Journal EPISODE NOTES | New Zealand Superyacht Academy 1:10 Early days 2:35 Starting out as crew 5:41 Dockwalking 7:40 The allure of boating 9:30 Surprises of the industry 13:20 Guest & owner experiences 16:40 Prepared for any scenario 17:15 Crew culture 17:50 Below Deck 18:56 Personality & skills 21:00 Perks of the job 23:50 Opportunities 24:11 Age & career 27:15 Roles onboard 27:08 The Academy  31:00 Community support 32:23 Internationally recognised courses 33:30 Specialist industry leaders 36:44 STCW 38:41 Student success 41:00 Caviar 43:21 Wealth management 46:32 Yachting & parenthood 48:51 Where to sign up