This couple is on lockdown at work, which happens to be a luxury superyacht off the coast of Monaco. Here's a look into their suite life on deck.

Chrissie McClatchieMay 14, 2020, 18:42 IST

Bianca and Joe have been on lockdown aboard a superyacht in Monaco.Courtesy photo

Joe and Bianca are a British-South African couple who work on a private luxury yacht that splits its time between the Greek Islands and the Mediterranean Sea.
Summer events and travel bookings hit an abrupt pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the couple found themselves on lockdown aboard the yacht along with three other crew members.
The crew has been keeping busy with baking, reading, and Zoom trivia nights — and Joe and Bianca were also recently able to go ashore for a socially-distanced hike.
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Yacht crew in ports around the world have found themselves confined to the luxury vessels that are both their places of employment and their home.

In Monaco, Joe and Bianca are a British-South African couple who have spent the last three years working onboard a 196-foot private yacht that typically spends winter in the wealthy Mediterranean principality and cruises the Greek Islands in summer.

Normally, the yacht would be preparing to welcome its first guests of 2020 for the Cannes Film Festival. The red carpet event was scheduled to start on May 12 but has instead been adapted for an online format in June.

With travel still on hold in most European countries, the duo — like everyone in the yachting industry — face an uncertain summer season that most agree won't start until July at the earliest, if it gets underway at all.

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The couple are excited to get back to the 'simpler things' as lockdown restrictions begin to lift.

The couple were finally able to go for a hike above Monaco this weekend. Courtesy photo

As lockdown restrictions are lifted in the principality, a hike in the hills behind Monaco was the couple's first afternoon away from the yacht. What Bianca is looking most forward to, however, is seeing her family in South Africa. "But realistically that's not going to be until next year now — as long as things are better by then."

As lockdown restrictions are lifted in the principality, a hike in the hills behind Monaco was the couple's first afternoon away from the yacht. What Bianca is looking most forward to, however, is seeing her family in South Africa. But realistically that's not going to be until next year now — as long as things are better by then.

The crew also hosted a Zoom trivia night from the sundeck.

Zoom trivia on deck. Courtesy photo

Now that warmer evenings have arrived in Europe, the couple is spending more and more of their downtime outside on deck. The dress code for one of their recent trivia nights was "sunglasses and shorts," and they dialed in from the sundeck.

Now that warmer evenings have arrived in Europe, the couple is spending more and more of their downtime outside on deck. The dress code for one of their recent trivia nights was sunglasses and shorts, and they dialed in from the sundeck.

Calls with friends and family have become an important part of the lockdown routine.

Zoom call in the crew mess hall. Courtesy photo

Fiber optic internet was recently installed on the yacht, and has been a blessing to the crew during this time. Their usual routine has been slightly modified to reflect the current situation: Everyone is starting work at 8:30 a.m. and finishing by 3 p.m. Outside of work hours, they're spending their time baking, reading, watching TV, and exercising. A Zoom quiz involving all 12 crew members and Joe's family back in England has quickly become a Saturday evening highlight. Each week has a dress-up theme, such as fancy dress and pajamas — "but that's all we wear in quarantine anyway," laughs Bianca.

Fiber optic internet was recently installed on the yacht, and has been a blessing to the crew during this time. Their usual routine has been slightly modified to reflect the current situation: Everyone is starting work at 8:30 a.m. and finishing by 3 p.m. Outside of work hours, they're spending their time baking, reading, watching TV, and exercising. A Zoom quiz involving all 12 crew members and Joe's family back in England has quickly become a Saturday evening highlight. Each week has a dress-up theme, such as fancy dress and pajamas — but that's all we wear in quarantine anyway, laughs Bianca.

It's always been part of their job to spend weeks, sometimes months, at sea.

For Bianca, coloring books have been a way to relax. Courtesy photo

Bianca thinks that this makes yacht crew more suited to handling these strict confinement measures. The couple explains that, onboard, they're all looking out for each other's mental health. "We've been quite fortunate — the general mood on the boat is happy, and there have been no conflicts," Joe explained.

Bianca thinks that this makes yacht crew more suited to handling these strict confinement measures. The couple explains that, onboard, they're all looking out for each other's mental health. We've been quite fortunate — the general mood on the boat is happy, and there have been no conflicts, Joe explained.

Extra hygiene measures have been put in place for when they leave and return to the boat.

A strict cleaning protocol greets those returning from ashore. Courtesy photo

"We have gloves for when you take out the trash or go shopping. When you return there is a sanitizer and a high alcohol concentrate spray that we made ourselves to spray your shoes," Bianca explained. Before Monaco's lockdown measures eased on May 4, she had only been leaving the yacht to visit a nearby supermarket.

We have gloves for when you take out the trash or go shopping. When you return there is a sanitizer and a high alcohol concentrate spray that we made ourselves to spray your shoes, Bianca explained. Before Monaco's lockdown measures eased on May 4, she had only been leaving the yacht to visit a nearby supermarket.

The yacht's owner has also made it very clear that their health and safety comes first.

Safe practice reminders pinned up in crew areas. Courtesy photo

"They want us to be safe, to stay inside, and to not worry about anything else," she said. If one of the crew were to fall ill with the virus, one of the guest staterooms at the aft (rear) of the yacht would become a sickbay to isolate them.

They want us to be safe, to stay inside, and to not worry about anything else, she said. If one of the crew were to fall ill with the virus, one of the guest staterooms at the aft (rear) of the yacht would become a sickbay to isolate them.

At 8 p.m. every evening, the vessel, like many others around the Mediterranean, sounds its horn as a sign of gratitude towards frontline workers.

The yacht's hot tub while docked in Monaco. Courtesy photo

Under lockdown rules, yachts have not been able to leave or arrive into a harbor unless granted express permission by port authorities.

Both Bianca and Joe are aware of — and appreciate — their privileged position in this crisis and are thankful to have jobs when others in the industry are losing theirs. "Our owner has assured us that there will be no redundancies or pay cuts," Bianca said.

Under lockdown rules, yachts have not been able to leave or arrive into a harbor unless granted express permission by port authorities.

Both Bianca and Joe are aware of — and appreciate — their privileged position in this crisis and are thankful to have jobs when others in the industry are losing theirs. Our owner has assured us that there will be no redundancies or pay cuts, Bianca said.

The superyacht, which can accommodate 10 guests in five staterooms, has been locked down with only five of its usual 12 crew members on board.

The crew are maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Courtesy photo

"We each have a crew cabin to ourselves," said Bianca, adding that they all appreciate the extra space. Joe, the second engineer, says the atmosphere is more like being at home than at work. As the only engineer currently on board, his workload has been reduced. "There's obviously only a certain amount I can do on my own, so I'm doing what I can to keep the boat ticking over. It's not stressful," he said.

We each have a crew cabin to ourselves, said Bianca, adding that they all appreciate the extra space. Joe, the second engineer, says the atmosphere is more like being at home than at work. As the only engineer currently on board, his workload has been reduced. There's obviously only a certain amount I can do on my own, so I'm doing what I can to keep the boat ticking over. It's not stressful, he said.

The couple met in 2018 when Joe joined the yacht crew six months after Bianca.

Bianca and Joe in Monaco. Courtesy photo

Bianca and Joe were just a few days out from departing on vacation back to visit Bianca's family in South Africa. In anticipation of Monaco's lockdown, which started on March 17, the captain asked them to cancel their trip to guarantee safe manning of the vessel. Bianca, the yacht's second stewardess, is philosophical about how the situation has worked out. "I think it would have been strange to go home," she told Business Insider.

Bianca and Joe were just a few days out from departing on vacation back to visit Bianca's family in South Africa. In anticipation of Monaco's lockdown, which started on March 17, the captain asked them to cancel their trip to guarantee safe manning of the vessel. Bianca, the yacht's second stewardess, is philosophical about how the situation has worked out. I think it would have been strange to go home, she told Business Insider.

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