THE REAL BELOW DECKS

When people ask what I do for a living, I always respond with one word: travel. And invariably, they ask the same question. “But how do you get paid to travel?” The answer is simple: I serve owners and clean aboard megayachts that cruise the world. I like to think of myself as one-part Cinderella, one-part Little Mermaid.

Is this life of traveling the world at sea and working for some of the most powerful people on the planet something I had always envisioned myself doing? Nope. Younger Melissa dreamed about becoming a teacher or nurse. You know—a “normal” job, the kind everyone tells you about when you’re growing up.

So, how did I get into the yachting industry? Let’s rewind back to the ’90s on the north shore of Long Island. Every weekend in the summer was centered around boating. My family and I would often take overnight and weekend trips to Connecticut, Block Island, Mattituck, Port Jefferson, and