If you are serious about travel then get trained and crewed on a yacht. I met a lot of refugees from the 99-00 dotbomb. People that were college educated, unemployed, and worn out from the long hours. This was a welcome refuge for them. The hours were great and so were the locations. And the money was totally tax-free.
And, as a guy, 90% of their female colleagues were drop dead gorgeous. I really considered calling in work and resigning so I could join a crew on the next boat looking to hire.
Sounds like a nice way to spend my summer before I start work. Does anyone have any personal experience with this? Any resources or tips on how to go about this would be appreciated.
The biggest part is probably location. They aren't going to fly you in for an interview so you have to be in an area that has a yacht industry. This will be Ft. Lauderdale (your best bet), Miami, Palm Beach, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and parts of California.
Go to the docks and pound the pavement. I was walking around taking pictures for my job when I inquired about availabilities crews were giving me all sorts of advice. The stories were so fascinating I was ready to call my office and drop everything. You'll find agencies in these areas that will probably want your CV and a passport photo. Appearance is big component of the job. Captains like their crew looking like the cast of a movie.
If you're looking for a summer only thing there are boats looking for crew. They don't pay you, you'll pay for part of the voyage to cover food, landing, and docking fees. Depending on the boat be prepared to work hard. But the payoff is better ports of call.
And, as a guy, 90% of their female colleagues were drop dead gorgeous. I really considered calling in work and resigning so I could join a crew on the next boat looking to hire.