Purser - Flexible

The Crew Academy’s IAMI and GUEST-accredited Flexible Purser Course allows students to study at their own pace in order to gain the essential knowledge and skills needed to excel in leadership and administrative roles onboard.

Whether you’re looking to progress towards the Purser role, or you already occupy the position and would like to formalise your existing experience, our GUEST-accredited Purser Program is for you.

Our Purser Program was the first of its kind when we created it 15 years ago, and it continues to lead the industry with more than 700 graduates having passed through the courses. 

The program provides an understanding of a vast range of practical skills that may be required of pursers in their role on board including yacht operations, destination management, VAT, accounting, crew management, HR and more. 

With our Flexible Purser Program, students can fit their study around them, joining online from whichever time zone and country they find themselves in. Join any of our live online programs throughout the year and have up to 12 months to complete your studies.

For further inquiries contact info@yachtcrew.uk.

To find out more about our Purser course read our Purser brochure.

• Unlimited access to our schedule of live lectures at various times throughout the year.

• Self-study at your leisure through our state-of-the-art 4th generation Virtual Learning Environment

• 3 written assessments

• Online format allows students to join from any time-zone and location

You will leave the course with all the knowledge and tools to launch or progress your career as a Purser.

After completing the course, you will officially be part of our Alumni community and will have free access to our Mental Health courses for free as well as discounts on other courses such as Management & Leadership for Crew.

If you would like to obtain your GUEST Purser Certificate of Competence, we recommend also taking our Advanced Leadership Program to fulfill the IAMI GUEST requirements for this certification.

1. The Role of the Purser

• Administration

• Port Bookings

• Port Agents

• Yacht and Crew File Management

• Software Systems

• Introduction to Checklists/Templates

2. Destination Management

• Research & Reconnaissance

• Itinerary Planning

• Event Planning

• Safety & Security considerations

• Guest logistics

3. Maritime Organisations

• MARPOL

• STCW

• MLC 2006

• SOLAS: ISPS & ISM

• Crew: POEA, Visas, Discharge Books

• Medical

4. Port Clearances

• Certificates/Documentation

• Immigration & Customs

• Sanitation

• Port State Control

5. Charter & VAT

• Types of Charter Contracts

• Responsibilities of owner and client

• APA Management

• European VAT legislation

6. Legal Framework

• United Nations

• IMO

• ILO

• Flag States

• Port States

7. Muster duties & Ops

• Destinations (Culture, Safety, Provisions)

• Muster Duties

• Guest Safety Inductions

• Pre-Departure Checks

• PWC Operations

• Diving Operations

8. Accounting & Budgeting

• Terminology

• Management/Owner Expectations

• Bookkeeping & Payroll

• Purchase Procedure Systems

• CC, Cash, Float and Receipt Management

"This is a fabulous course for those wishing to step up from being a Chief Stewardess - it gives you the tools, knowledge and insights needed to become a Purser; the confidence to transition into that role with ease. I would highly recommend Julia as the instructor - she made virtual learning a breeze with a lot of interaction and engagement throughout despite the endless pages of compendiums!"

- Chloe, 2022 Purser Graduate 

" If you want to take your job seriously, and be seen as a professional, even if you don't want to become a Purser, I would recommend this course. You'll understand all of the factors that go into making the decision making onboard from your HODs and Captain. And you will understand your rights and the questions to ask when looking for a new job."

- Laura, 2022 Purser Graduate

" I already have recommended the course, I couldn't praise Julia enough, she really is a credit to The Crew Academy!"

- Stephanie, 2022 Purser Graduate

" If you want to step up into a Purser role with more confidence and knowledge about the position and what would be expected of you, I highly recommend you do the course to gain that knowledge." 

- Liezl, 2022 Purser Graduate

" The Crew Academy is the best company to do it through. I have already recommended to a friend who is thinking of doing the course. "

- Georgina, 2022 Purser Graduate

" Doing the purser ticket was a real milestone for me. In all my yachting courses I am always the happiest and most impressed doing them with TCA and I would go do all their courses if I could :) "

- Lisa, 2022 Purser Graduate