If you’re an aspiring yacht purser, newly qualified yacht officer, chief stewardess or a busy captain looking to gain valuable yacht administration skills to give your career a boost, you probably already know that you need to complete a yacht purser course.
why do you need a yacht purser course?
You want to progress to a purser role, but you don’t feel confident in your own abilities and strengths, yet. It is difficult to get purser experience until you are actually a purser. You’re feeling frustrated, unsure, or confused about your own abilities and strengths. With your extensive industry experience, it makes sense to progress to a purser role now.
At The Yacht Purser, we understand the importance of effective vessel administration and logistics management. Our IAMI GUEST accredited purser course has been designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills required to excel in this role. Through our virtual setting, we offer the flexibility to learn at your own pace, while still receiving expert guidance and support from our experienced instructor.
The course is not just about the theory, we provide practical assignments that allow students to gain actual yacht purser experience, which makes the world of difference to our graduates. The Yacht Purser Students step into purser roles role with confidence, starting your purser career on the right foot.
Delivery of Course
Become a highly sought-after yacht purser with The Ultimate Yacht Purser Course. Our online platform includes videos that delve deeper into important topics to give you a competitive edge in the industry. Whether you choose to complete the course on your own or as part of a group, you will have access to our expert instructor who is there to help you reach your full potential.
The course content consists of the following:
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Over 500 pages of course notes
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Over 30 hours of video content and group calls
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7 written assignments
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30-minute 1:1 video calls with your instructor
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1.5 hour final oral examination
Requirements
These are set to ensure you have the requisite experience and necessary skills to apply for Purser roles following the course successfully. Basic Excel, MS Office, mathematical ability, and common sense are the essential skills needed to perform a Purser function on board. If you are not computer literate, taking an Excel course before commencing this training is recommended.
We recommend that potential students have AT LEAST the following:
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Two years working as a head of house, head of service, second stew, plus four years of yachting experience; OR
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One year working as chief stewardess on a 50m+ combined with four years of yachting experience; AND
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One year experience working onboard yachts over 60m; OR
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One year of experience working on cruise ships as a purser
Because there are no 'one-size-fits-all' criteria, we conduct extensive interviews with potential students to ensure that the course is a good fit and will meet your training needs.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ONLY UNDER EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES WILL WE ACCEPT STUDENTS WITH NO PRIOR YACHTING EXPERIENCE. HAVING A DEGREE IN FINANCE, ACCOUNTING, LAW OR ANOTHER COMMERCE DEGREE WILL NOT BE SUFFICIENT.
Gemma Blackman
“I loved the course. I think that it got better towards the end as it is ever-evolving. There is so much to learn about how to be a purser and it is taught in such a way that you can practice and retain it. I had a good understanding of the from friends and colleagues but never really saw the information so in-depth until this course.
My favourite part about the course was the time and attention Sandra has given to the course content and structure and the wealth of knowledge she has and is happy to share with her students. The course is structured to allow you time to study and prepare for group Zoom calls where you can have questions ready "
HELENE DU Plessis
"The Ultimate Yacht Purser Course is an amazing course that has been fantastically put together. I really enjoyed the fact that it was so much more than what I thought it would be. It is always refreshing to get more for your money than what you bargained for! It is an amazing stepping stone for either becoming a Purser or wanting to be a better Chief Stew. The information is applicable to both roles and gives you an edge that will boost your confidence, broaden your knowledge of all departments and simplify the way you would do the admin side of your job. I would definitely recommend this course to any chief stew wanting to be more."
Natalia Stroh
“It is a beneficial course in terms of learning what being a Purser entails; you actually do the things you would typically do in the role of a Purser. It is set up in a way that is comprehendible and lets you work at your own pace, which was very helpful - especially if you're still working full time while doing it. What I appreciated most about The Ultimate Yacht Purser Course is the fact that it combines group study as well as individual calls. Sandra dedicates substantial amounts of time and her expertise to every single student, which shows she genuinely cares about the program she has developed and wants to see her students succeed.”
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Course Dates
We pride quality over quantity and there will always be a maximum of 7 students per class to ensure you get the most out of the course.
2025 Dates
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27 Jan - 6 Feb 2025 | Monday - Thursday 14:00-17:00 SAST
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5 May - 15 May 2025 | Monday - Thursday 12:00-15:00 SAST
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2 June - 12 June 2025 | Monday - Thursday 12:00-15:00 SAST
Each course runs over two weeks with four calls per week (eight total).
Please note that you can join any live group calls within 1 year of your course. You will receive seven 1:1 calls over and above the group calls.
Role of the Yacht Purser
On completion of these two modules, students will understand:
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the yacht purser's role in managing crew and vessel logistics
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how the purser fits into the yacht's hierarchy, as well as reporting structures
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how the purser supports each department on board
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how the purser supports shore-based management, suppliers, agents and other stakeholders
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crew and guests familiarisations
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purser muster duties
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scribe/narrative duties
Foundational Leadership
On completion of these two modules, students will understand:
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what motivates people and teams
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how to set SMART goals
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effective communication
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leadership styles
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how to identify and manage stress and fatigue
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salary expectations of a new purser
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personality profiling
Yachting Legal & Regulatory Environment
On completion of this module, students will understand:
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international and maritime/admiralty law
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sources of law on board
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the role of the ILO and IMO
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the Four Pillars of maritime law
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Flag States
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the role of the Classification Society
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maritime treaties, conventions and codes
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Port State Control
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private vs commercial registration
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industry associations and bodies to support crew
Crew Management
On completion of this module, students will understand:
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crew embarkation and disembarkation procedures
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crew onboarding and management
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crew certificate management
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Certificates of Competencies
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Flag State Endorsements and CECs
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crew leave and training tracking
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payroll processing
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crew insurance
Port Clearances
On completion of this module, students will understand:
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the role of the yacht agent
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maintaining the crew list
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the FAL convention
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customs procedures
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importation of the vessel
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immigration procedures
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agricultural and health requirements
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customs inspections
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certificates versus declarations
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shore leave
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USA cruising
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Mediterranean cruising
Charter Management
On completion of this module, students will understand:
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yacht ownership vs charters
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the different roles of charter brokers
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factors for charter success
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charter marketing
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charter associations and agreements
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charter costs
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MYBA charter contract
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VAT and charter
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preference sheets
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APA Accounting
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guest management and reporting
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daily duties on charter
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crew gratuity calculation
Destination Management
On completion of this module, students will understand:
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destination research
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itinerary creation
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guest activity tracking and management
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weather considerations
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legalities, taxes and import considerations for world cruising
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visas and vaccinations for crew and guests
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shipping logistics for ship stores in transit
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planning for an expedition
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managing a trip
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software used to manage trips
Budgeting and Accounting
On completion of this module, students will understand:
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accounting definitions
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accounting practices
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purchase order system
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book-keeping and double-entry practices
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petty cash and multiple currency management
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credit and debit card procedures
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managing budgets and variances
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cost code allocation
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invoice and supplier management
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audits
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VAT and the vessel
Software
On completion of this module, students will understand:
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how to effectively use MS Office to streamline admin on board the yacht
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MS Word
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MS Excel
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MS PowerPoint
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MS Outlook
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how to manage folders on the server
Voly Yacht Accounting Software
On completion of this module, students will understand:
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how to use Voly Yacht Accounting to manage budgets, purchase orders, suppliers, HODs, trips, APA accounting on board
Deep Blue Soft
On completion of this module, students will understand:
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how to effectively use Deep Blue Soft to streamline admin on board the yacht
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Core
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HRM
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PMS
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Finance
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Charter
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Fleet
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Inventory
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EU VAT and Customs, Importation
On completion of this module, students will understand:
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what is VAT and how does it work
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who pays VAT
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VAT on goods and services
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VAT on hull
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VAT on sale or purchase
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VAT and importation
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VAT and chartering
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VAT reporting
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fiscal representative vs agent
Assignments
Assignments have been created for each module that simulate the day-to-day duties a Purser completes onboard. This provides you with the confidence to walk into your first Purser role knowing exactly what is expected of you (and the ability to make mistakes 'in the classroom' first and learn from them).
Certificate
All assignments and assessments must be completed and passed as well as on oral examination passed via Zoom for a certificate to be issued by The Yacht Purser. Once you have met all the requirements for certifications, you will also receive the internationally accredited IAMI GUEST Purser Certificate.
Meet your instructor
Sandra Jordaan
Yacht Purser, Mentor, Trainer, Coach
Sandra's yachting experience spans over ten years, during which she travelled extensively to over 60 countries and all seven continents while working as a chief stewardess and purser onboard private, charter, and explorer yachts up to 91m in length.
Sandra edited a financial magazine called Enterprise Risk on preventing, mitigating, and insuring business risk and facilitated large conferences and events. Sandra holds the following professional qualifications:
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Executive Business Consultant and Strategist (CPD That Strategy Co)
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Strategic Intervention Coach (Core 100 Life Coaching through Robbins-Madanes Training) with Tony Robbins as a teacher
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Superyacht Management Diploma (MTA, UK)
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Postgraduate Diploma in Management, Tourism (UCT, South Africa)
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Bachelor of Business Science, Accounting, Law and Economics (UCT, South Africa)
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Masters Level Project Management Course (UCT, South Africa)
maxine robert
“The course was 10/10. I loved all the knowledge that you have given us, especially the Port Clearance and all the things the captain usually does, it is so great that we now have that knoweldge too. Plus you gave us all the basic templates and checklists and notes, it's like a starting platform for the purser role. I recommend that most chief stews should do this course especially those who want to have more of an understanding of what actually goes on, regardless of whether they want to be a purser or not."
Nadine Kirkton
“The course has been wonderful, the amount of work that has gone into it and the detail. It is incredible and so well put together. I am so happy that there is somebody out there like The Yacht Purser because where else would you go to get properly trained? The content was brilliant. I could not ask for anything more comprehensive. This course gave me the foundations to expand my yachting career into unfamiliar but utterly rewarding territory. I am incredibly thankful to Sandra for taking a genuine interest in her students wellbeing and pushing them to be their best. "
Megan Rademeyer
“The course notes were very detailed and easy to read. The amount of effort put into the course is to be admired. The teaching environment is very comfortable. Sandra puts in the extra time and effort to ensure each student understands the course notes fully. Sandra has an impressive amount of knowledge of all the subjects covered in the course. I was pleased with our interactions and Sandra offered a great deal of support to myself and all other students in the course. I enjoyed the practical assignments.”