ACREW Awards

The ACREW Awards are the superyacht industry's leading recognition programme for crew excellence, celebrating the captains, engineers, stewardesses, chefs, and deckhands who define the standard of service on the world's finest yachts.

Background

Born out of ACREW — the platform connecting superyacht professionals — the Awards were created to address a long-standing gap in the industry: while yacht design, build quality, and owner experiences receive constant attention, the people who actually deliver the onboard experience rarely receive formal recognition.

ACREW was founded by Abi McGrath and has grown to serve over 50,000 captains and crew and more than 1,000 onshore specialists over 15 years. The Awards programme is a natural extension of ACREW's mission to elevate and professionalise yacht crew.

The Awards

The ACREW Awards recognise excellence across multiple categories, celebrating individuals and teams who go above and beyond in their roles. Categories span the full range of onboard positions, from deck and engineering to interior and galley, as well as leadership and mentorship awards.

Nominations come from within the industry — peers, captains, management companies, and owners — ensuring the awards reflect genuine respect earned on the water rather than self-promotion.

Why It Matters

In an industry where crew turnover remains a persistent challenge, recognition matters. The ACREW Awards provide:

Public acknowledgment of professional excellence

Career validation for crew building long-term careers in yachting

A benchmark for standards across the fleet

Visibility for the human side of an industry often defined by hardware

ACREW & YATCO

ACREW's founder Abi McGrath now serves as COO of YATCO, the yachting industry's leading technology platform. This connection strengthens both organisations — bringing ACREW's crew-focused expertise into YATCO's broader ecosystem and ensuring the Awards programme continues to grow with institutional support behind it.

The ACREW Awards have become a fixture of the yachting calendar, with ceremonies held during key industry events and coverage across yachting media worldwide.