Indulgence on the high seas
FROM getting satellites moved in space so owners can get reception to watch a footy match while out at sea, to chartering flights to bring in meals from New York restaurants, Isabelle Wouters has seen it all working on luxury yachts.
“When you’re working with the richest 1 per cent of people in the world, you can’t say no,”
Wouters said.
However, she said seeing the level of wealth, like boats that cost
$400 million, every day made her sad.
“I come from humble beginnings, so I’m aware of social issues going on in the world. But a lot of the owners and guests on the yachts have been brought up with a silver spoon and they don’t know any better,” she said. “Which is sad for them.
“I’ve seen kids that are unable to dress themselves because they’ve always had a nanny do it.”
Wouters is originally from New Zealand but grew up in Sydney.
She has joined the cast of Bravo’s successful reality television show Below Deck, which films the lives of the people who work on some of the most luxurious yachts in the world.
Wouters says what you see on screen is similar to what life is like aboard one of these ships. “From dealing with crew, to the crazy requests, it’s a high-stress environment and a lot of drama comes from that,” she says.
Other bizarre requests include: • One owner requested that the entire crew dye their hair blonde because his new mistress had a preference for blondes.
• One owner paid his crew double to act like servants. No eye contact, kneeling in his presence, and he was only to be served from extended arms. Think medieval servants.
• One guest booby-trapped the entry to the yacht. It was a very rude awakening the next morning when Wouters opened the door to start her shift and had full rubbish bags, that he had stolen from the holding compartment, explode all over her. He didn’t even tip well.
• Some charter guests requested a winter wonderland on the sun deck, in the middle of summer, in Greece — snow and all. Suffice to say the winter wonderland turned into a winter flood within five minutes.
• The owner’s wife requested a specific pastry from a specific patisserie in the south of France. The yacht was in Sicily. A steward was sent on a private plane to collect said pastries. They were the wrong ones. She was fired. is available on Foxtel’s Arena.