Ask the Expert
In each edition of ONBOARD Magazine, we talk to four experts in their fields about common issues on board superyachts and how their products and services can deliver the required solutions.
What’s been the biggest change in Owner/Guest requests for wine over the past 5 years?
The biggest change in the last five year is the demand for Tequila. Once associated mainly with shots and casual parties, it has now earned its place alongside champagne and fine wines on board superyachts.
Owners and guests are stocking high-end, designer tequilas that pair perfectly with the relaxed yet refined atmosphere of life at sea. Its versatility makes it a favorite for both elegant cocktails on deck and sipping neat at sunset. Sleek packaging and celebrity-backed labels add to its allure, making it a status symbol .Consumers are drawn to rare expressions like extra añejo and limited-edition releases, treating tequila with the same reverence once reserved for fine whiskey or cognac. With premium labels offering smooth, complex flavors, tequila embodies sophistication while still carrying a vibrant, celebratory spirit. In yachting circles, it has become more than just a drink.
What’s been the biggest change in Owner/Guest requests for wine over the past 5 years?
Over the past five years, yacht owner and guest requests have shifted towards more personalised, luxury-driven wine and spirits selections. Champagne remains king, with a marked surge in demand for prestige cuvées, alongside a boom in premium tequilas and rosé.
Burgundy continues to hold its place at the top, as do Super Tuscans and other iconic labels, with big-name brands still highly sought after. While clients are more adventurous than before, exploring niche producers, the emphasis is still on quality, provenance, and prestige. We’ve also seen guests planning cellar choices around itineraries, ensuring the perfect match between destination and bottle. Spirits lists have grown more sophisticated, with curated tequila selections and craft cocktails becoming a staple onboard. This evolution reflects a desire for both status and experience with the cellar remaining a core part of the yacht’s identity.
What’s been the biggest change in Owner/Guest requests for wine over the past 5 years?
When GWS started supplying wines and spirits to yachts five years ago, we were a small start-up serving a handful of boats in the South of France. Today, with bases in France, London, and Miami, we deliver an international portfolio to clients worldwide.
One big change is that owners are now far more hands-on with their wine choices. While we still work closely with chief stews, pursers, and captains, we increasingly create wine lists and cellars directly with owners to match their personal tastes. The last-minute nature of the business hasn’t eased, if anything, charters and orders are more time-sensitive than ever. Our strength lies in global logistics, ensuring we deliver the right wines, in the right place, on time. Client tastes are also more international, and that excites me. From Assyrtiko in Santorini to Vermentino in Sardinia, because wine, at its best, reflects the place and moment in which it’s enjoyed.
What’s been the biggest change in Owner/Guest requests for wine over the past 5 years?
Over the past 5 years, we have noticed a fairly significant change in the ordering process and how these are handled by Superyacht crews. I note that the expertise and professionalism of crews is less and less highlighted, sometimes to the benefit of management companies, which favour simplified and therefore less precise communication with their clients to the detriment of the quality of service.
The professionalism of the crews has improved significantly over the years, so it is important that each head of service, whether the head chef or the head stewardess, is valued and consulted to guarantee excellence continuity of service. Additionally we have felt the global geopolitical movements have encouraged a massive return of American customers, and recently South American ones, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, etc. This is very exciting, and we are happy to adapt to this new clientele, this is the beauty of the world of yachting. It is exciting and diverse and it is ever changing.
What have you seen as the biggest change in recruitment over the past 5 years?
Over the past five years, the most significant shift has been increased leave for crew and in conjunction with that increased crew expectations. There’s a growing demand for more than just good pay – crew want more leave, supportive environments, career progression, and a healthier work-life balance.
Mental wellbeing has become a major consideration, and yachts that fail to adapt are struggling to attract and retain top talent. Crew are significantly less likely to accept poor working conditions / poor treatment, and the advent of various websites and Facebook pages has given them an opportunity to air their grievances. HR is undoubtedly a growing part of a Captain’s day-to-day role. Conversely, the quality of crew entering the industry has decreased which makes it harder to recruit, ultimately impacting the owner experience negatively. At the same time, Captains are requesting additional budget to retain these same crew.
What have you seen as the biggest change in recruitment over the past 5 years?
One of the most significant changes in yacht crew recruitment over the past five years is the unprecedented influx of newcomers to the industry, largely driven by the popularity of TV shows like Below Deck and encouraged by a plethora of training schools worldwide.
While increased visibility has made yachting more aspirational, many candidates enter the market ill-prepared, lacking both maritime and hospitality skills and maturity , and often with unrealistic expectations. This has created a greater need for education and guidance at entry level. At the same time, geopolitical events — particularly sanctions affecting Russian yacht owners — have removed a sizable portion of our client base. As a result, there’s now an oversupply of highly qualified senior crew such as captains and chief officers competing for fewer positions. The industry is facing a dual challenge: managing the volume and quality of new entrants while also addressing the highly sought-after opportunities at the very top.