First season: what I wish someone had said

Your first season is not a photoshoot. It is laundry, early mornings, a galley you share with a chef who is already hot, and a guest who will notice the water spot on a glass at 11pm.

Say yes to daywork. Antibes in April, Palma in May, the yards. You learn the rhythm of a passerelle, how to carry without looking like you are carrying, how a crew mess works. You also get names. Names get you a season.

On board: be early, be clean, be quiet in the corridors. Learn names on day one — guests and crew. Write the preferences down the same night. Do not wait for someone to hand you a beautiful book. Start the book.

You will cry once. Maybe in the laundry. That is fine. Do not cry in the salon. Do not gossip about the guests, even when they deserve it. The boat is small. Everything returns.

If the chief is sharp with you, it is usually because the table is in forty minutes. Take the note, fix the thing, move. After the season she may write you the reference that gets you the next boat. That is the job.