Iona Arnott

My dedication and willingness to adapt and improve as a stewardess on Lady Marina meant I was fortunate enough to be selected by my Chief Stew to spend 3 months working in the Bahamas on the owner’s estate. My skills and knowledge were challenged further, and I had the opportunity to enhance my service skills in a different environment assisting the Chief Stew with dinners for up to 16 guests as well as at parties for over 100. In addition to service, I had housekeeping and wardrobe management duties and became independent in managing my time effectively and creating an efficient system that provided a yacht level standard to the owner’s quarters. Upon the arrival of the owner’s new 20M vessel it was my sole responsibility to detail the full interior, prepare all 3 cabins and stock all aspects of the boat ready for immediate use by guests. Thereafter, maintaining this high-level of cleanliness and presentation was a daily task and assisting with guest trips and lunches on the yacht meant preparation and efficiency was integral.

Rotating through all facets of the interior meant adapting quickly and thinking beyond what was required of each role. I have a strong ability to learn from constructive criticism and my primary goal was to learn and progress as a junior stewardess on board Lady Marina. Today, my promoted role as 3rd stewardess on board has meant my responsibilities have increased. These roles include: • Allocating crew uniform and maintaining an accurate inventory throughout the season. • Training and supervising the Junior stews, demonstrating a high level of work ethic and dedication. • Step up as relief for the 2nd stewardess, managing the interior, handling accounts and budgets for the month whilst maintaining a strong line of communication with the remote Chief Steward. The 25-year survey of Lady Marina meant a long shipyard period whereby wintering the boat thoroughly was of high importance to maintain the integrity of the delicate interior. Shipyard brought many logistical challenges for the interior and adapting to these situations to maintain smooth operations was essential. Communicating with contractors, managing multiple crew apartments and assisting with recruitment for the following seasons were all unique experiences that have developed my strong capability as a stewardess.

After graduating from University, I decided to take some time to travel and lived in Bali for 2 years whilst exploring the rest of Southeast Asia. I applied knowledge gained from my first-class honours degree and developed my skills in social media management. My services included copywriting, graphic design, video editing and website design. I established a successful remote freelance business helping start-ups and small businesses maximise their presence online and potential to sell products and services.