Crew

A full crew is what lets a ship actually take advantage of all its features. Crew come in several types, each requiring seperate quarters for each five sailors. Sailors, cannoneers, lift magi, assault magi, speed magi and defense magi are all up for hire. Permanently removing a crew member has a small negative effect on morale. Crew members can have special abilities. The good special abilities are Rebuilder, Loyalist, Negotiater, and Trainer. Rebuilders give a bonus to ship repair attempts. Loylists will presumably boost morale, or possibly negate morale penalties. Negotiaters will presumably help curtail mutinies. Trainers are more important than any other ability, each trainer raises the maximum level of their crew type by 1, to a maximum of level 7 if you have three trainers. There are also rebels, destroyers, and amateur negotiaters, which cost less to hire and have the opposite effect of specials. Why do they exist when they are so rare? Unknown.

Sailors

Fundamental crew, sailors give your ship water speed. They have a base price of 1500 gold for a level 1 sailor, +1000 per level at hire time. Rebels cost 1000 less, rebuilders cost 7500 more, and trainers cost 50000 more. The base promotion price is 1500 gold per level up to 4, and 3000 gold to promote level 4 to five.

Speed Magi

Speed magi give you the bulk of your ship's air speed, and also help a tiny bit with water speed. Speed magi are 3500 gold for a level 1, +1500 per level over that. Rebuilders are 7500 gold more. Base promotion cost is 2000 gold.

Defense Magi

Defense magic add a protective shield to your ship, of a strength depending on their total levels versus the size of the ship. This shield protects from damage, excepting ramming damage. Level 1 costs 5250 gold, +2250 gold per level over that. Loyalists and negotiaters add 5000 to the base price. The base promotion cost is 2750 gold.

Assault Magi

Unknown, but it's implied these will laungh magical attacks rather than making cannons work better. Level 1 assault magi is 4000 gold, +2000 gold per level over that. Loyalists cost an extra 5000 gold.

Cannoneers

Will give ships what will probably be their primary attacks. Unknown if they require you actually buy seperate cannons too. Level 3 cannoneer is 10000 gold, level 4 destroyer is same cost.

Lift Magi

Give the ship the power to fly. You need speed magi to really move very fast while in air, but you can eke out some overland movement without any. Lift magi have NO effect over water, and are very hampered over swamp. Level 1 lift magi is 3000 gold, plus 1500 gold per level ovr that. Base promotion cost is 2000 gold per level up to 4, 4000 from four to five. Rebels are 1500 gold off the normal price, loyalists cost 500 more. Trainers cost 50000 more.