Australian Yacht Etiquette

According to a 2006 Guardian News article, former Royal butler, Paul Burrell, told of a Prince who made a memorable faux pas: “If you're faced with a regiment of cutlery and an army of glasses and you're unsure what to do, watch your host to see what they do. I was once on the Royal Yacht Britannia in the South Pacific and the Queen was hosting a dinner for a local Prince. Dessert was served. The Prince forgot to watch what the Queen did - instead, he popped the grapes into his finger bowl, then some cherries, then when the cream and sugar came out, he poured them in too, making a kind of fruit soup. I was standing behind the Queen looking horrified. He was about to raise the bowl to his lips to drink it when he looked at the Queen and realised he had made a terrible mistake. Not wanting to make him feel awkward, she picked up her finger bowl and took a sip. Now that's class.”

Summer is here in Australia, and so are the holidays.  When we think December holidays we think of lounging beside the cool water, swimming and boats.  For some, chartering a yacht is just the perfect time to reflect and unwind.  To make your yachting experience that much easier, these are the captain’s top tips:

 

Safety - It’s essential to listen to the safety briefing.  It really does save lives.  Give your captain and crew your attention at the bringing of your trip.
 
‘No Shoe’ Rule - When you board and cross the passerelle or gangway, there will be a basket for your shoes. The yacht’s beautiful teak wood boards are laid and highly polished.  Wearing anything other than shipshape, approved soft-soled deck shoes, can colour and scuff that beautiful wood. Heels will leave indentations and shoes generally will bring in dirt, dust, gum and even tar from roads and sidewalks.  This is your chance for your pedicures to shine, so don’t be afraid to show them off.
 
Service Staff - If you have boarded an American yacht, then the service staff have been trained to interact with clients.  European service staff will more likely give you the service you need and require, however they will keep more invisible and quiet. 
 
Planning Ahead - The company you have booked through will provide a chance for you to fill in a preference sheet.  This will list your likes and dislikes and what you plan to do while on-board.

For many years, Etiquipedia contributor, Elizabeth Soos, has had a keen interest in cultural customs. With her European background and extensive travel, Soos developed an interest in the many forms of respect and cultural expectations in the countries she has visited. With her 20 years’ experience in customer service within private international companies based in Australia, and her lifetime interest in manners and research, she decided to branch out into the field of etiquette and deportment. Through her self-directed studies and by completing the Train-The-Trainer’s course offered by Emma Dupont’s School of Etiquette in London and by Guillaume Rue de Bernadac at Academie de Bernadac based in Paris and Shanghai, she founded Auersmont School of Etiquette.

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia