Yacht Crew Welfare, Mental Health & Harassment in Yachting | Estelle Viriot, SEANERGY Yachting | Yachting USA

In this episode of Yachting USA, host Rick Thomas speaks with Estelle Viriot, former superyacht chef and founder of SEANERGY Yachting, about the realities of yacht crew welfare, mental health, burnout and reporting culture across the global superyacht industry.

This is an operational, experience-driven conversation about what life onboard really looks like for professional yacht crew and why current systems around leadership, references, NDAs and management structures often leave crew without safe pathways for support.

Drawing directly from her own onboard experience, Estelle explains what led her to step away from active crew life and build a digital platform designed to support crew before entering the industry, throughout their careers and after they step ashore.

The discussion explores the real impact of long charter seasons, extended working hours, fatigue, alcohol culture, power imbalance and the difficulty of reporting harassment and misconduct onboard. It also looks at why rotational roles, leadership accountability and practical wellbeing support are essential for the future of safe and sustainable yacht operations.

This episode is essential listening for yacht owners, captains, managers, recruiters and crew seeking realistic, experience-based insight into crew wellbeing, retention, safety culture and professional standards within the superyacht industry.

Topics covered in this episode include:

• Yacht crew welfare and mental health onboard superyachts
• Burnout, fatigue and long working hours in yachting
• Harassment, fear culture and barriers to reporting at sea
• NDAs, references and crew vulnerability
• Alcohol use, leadership responsibility and onboard safety
• Rotational crew positions and sustainable yacht operations
• Why change must be informed by lived crew experience

• How SEANERGY Yachting supports crew across their full career journey

Prefer to read? Head to Yachting News on the website.

 
🎙️ Show: Yachting USA
 🎧 Host: Rick Thomas
 👤 Guest: Estelle Viriot, Founder, SEANERGY Yachting

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 SUPPORTED BY
 ATPI Travel
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 ATPI Travel supports the global yachting and maritime industry with specialist travel solutions for complex crew logistics and operational mobility.
 🌐 ATPI.com