Inside Superyacht Savannah: A Blueprint for Lasting Crew Culture

The world’s most memorable yachts are not defined by length, price, or design. They are defined by the people who bring them to life. Superyacht Savannah, the 83.5-metre Feadship admired across the global fleet, stands as a rare example of what happens when culture is treated as a strategic asset rather than a by-product of operations.

For 13 years, Josephine De Luca had a front-row seat to that reality. A former chartered accountant with KPMG, she entered yachting expecting a short career break. Instead, she rose from stewardess to Executive Officer, partnering with the captain to help run Savannah as a high-performing business, a workplace, and a home.

"If owners invest in their crew, the return is exponential. Culture is not a cost. It is the multiplier."

Her journey reveals a truth the superyacht sector often overlooks. Yacht Crew Culture does not evolve organically. It is intentional, structured, and reinforced daily. And when done well, it becomes the vessel’s most valuable form of stability.

Savannah’s Yacht Crew Culture Advantage

Savannah’s culture began long before the vessel left the shipyard. The original owner believed that the most important outcome of any business was the wellbeing and development of its people. That philosophy translated directly to life at sea.

Crew were not transient labour. They were long-term partners in the experience, trusted to grow, contribute, challenge systems, and care for the family onboard.

That respect shaped expectations, communication, training, seasonal planning, and internal mobility. It also shaped loyalty.

"We never spoke about being a Savannah crew. We spoke about being a Savannah family."

The distinction mattered. It created belonging, accountability, and consistency across years, not seasons.

A Leadership Structure Built for People, Not Tradition

Savannah demonstrated that operational excellence extends beyond technical command. Josephine’s role evolved from purser to Financial Officer and ultimately Executive Officer, reflecting the true complexity of personnel management, administration, logistics, finance, HR, and long-term program strategy.

Rather than one leader carrying every responsibility, Savannah operated through partnership. Captains retained complete authority over safety and maritime decision-making, while leadership concerning crew, systems, planning, and development was shared.

The result was balanced, transparent, and sustainable.

It also acknowledged something the industry increasingly recognises. Leadership at sea requires emotional intelligence and people management, not only nautical expertise.

Retention Worth Studying

In an industry where many junior crew leave within 13 months, Savannah’s numbers are exceptional.

• 77 percent of Heads of Department remained onboard for 4 years or more

• Up to 13 crew had been with the vessel since launch

• Overall retention remained above 70 percent, even during the sale

These figures were not achieved through high salaries or glamour. They were achieved through structure, mentorship, development, clarity, support, and trust.

Crew did not stay because they had nowhere to go. They stayed because they wanted to grow where they were.

"We hired people who viewed yachting as a vocation. And we treated them accordingly."

Recruitment With Purpose, Not Urgency

Hiring on Savannah was never a numbers game. It was deliberate. Candidates often completed multiple interviews, psychometric assessments, and conversations with both senior and junior crew.

The aim was not perfection. It was alignment.

The team generally recruited individuals aged 25 and above, not due to age bias, but because maturity, self-awareness, communication, and purpose were cultural foundations.

This approach reduced conflict, protected morale, and set clear expectations long before anyone stepped onboard.

Why Owners Shape the Outcome More Than Anyone Else

Josephine’s perspective is clear. The most influential factor in a yacht program is not the captain, the management company, or the budget. It is the owner’s philosophy.

Budgets signal priorities. Expectations shape communication. Behaviour sets culture.

When owners see crew as an operating expense, turnover becomes inevitable. When they view crew as strategic human capital, loyalty becomes natural.

"Money is infinite in their world. Time is not. Crew protect your time."

For UHNW owners, that is not sentiment. It is risk management, asset protection, and continuity planning.

What Savannah Leaves the Industry

Savannah’s legacy is not only architectural or technological. It is cultural. It demonstrates that extraordinary outcomes at sea require more than experience and technical ability. They require belonging, mentorship, clarity, professionalism, emotional literacy, and leadership that prioritises people.

Culture is not what happens when no one is looking. Culture is what guides people when everyone is watching.

Yachting’s future will belong to programs that recognise this, invest in it, and design for it.

"Be the change you want to see in yachting. Culture does not arrive by accident. You build it."

With examples like Savannah, the standard has already been set.