Do yachties get days off

Yeah, we get days off. But it's nothing like a regular job, honestly. The Maritime Labour Convention lays down the law on rest hours. There's no "weekend" to speak of. Instead, crew get at least 10 hours of rest every 24 hours, and 77 hours total across any 7-day stretch. That rest gets broken into chunks—short shifts, off-watch periods. You're rarely getting a full day completely away from the boat.

How many days off do yacht crew actually get?

Depends. On the yacht's schedule, your role, what the owner's doing. Private yacht? You might grind for weeks during a busy charter season, then get a few days in a row when you're just transiting or sitting in port. Charter yachts are more intense—work 10 to 14 days straight during a charter, then get maybe 2 to 4 days off before the next one hits. They call that a "swing" schedule.

Is there a legal minimum for days off on a yacht?

Legally, yeah. MLC says you get 10 hours rest in every 24, and 77 hours in every 7 days. They can split that rest into two periods max, with one chunk being at least 6 hours. That's not exactly "days off" though—it's more about making sure you don't totally burn out. Some yachts have a "day off" policy as a nice extra, but it's not legally required like it is on land.

Do yachties get weekends off?

No way. Weekends don't exist on a yacht. The boat runs 24/7, crew are on shifts. But when you're in port and no guests are around, you often get "shore leave" or "free time" that feels like a weekend. Maybe a full day or two off, but it's not happening every Saturday and Sunday. Honestly, a lot of crew prefer working a few weeks straight and then getting a solid block of days off—lets you actually travel or see family.

What about holidays and vacation time?

Holidays are a gamble. You'll probably work on public holidays, especially during the busy seasons like Christmas and New Year. The trade-off? Extra pay or compensatory time off later. Vacation time usually runs 30-60 days a year, depends on your contract. Senior crew tend to get more, junior crew less. Read the fine print—some yachts offer rotation schedules like 6 weeks on/6 weeks off, others do 2 weeks on/2 weeks off.

Checklist: What to ask about days off before signing a yacht contract

• Rest hours policy: Ask for the exact MLC-compliant rest hours schedule.
• Days off per month: Clarify how many full days off you get each month.
• Vacation time: Confirm paid vacation days per year.
• Holiday policy: Ask if you get extra pay or time off for working on public holidays.
• Shore leave: Find out if you can leave the yacht during port days.
• Rotation schedule: Ask if the contract offers a rotation (e.g., 6 weeks on/6 weeks off).
• Sick leave & emergency leave: Understand the policy for unexpected time off.

Frequently Asked Questions