How Much Time Off Does The Below Deck Cast Get During A Season?

Spending weeks on end on a luxury yacht might sound like a dream to some, but all that time together it can be rough seas for the cast of Below Deck. There's always some sort of drama happening, both above and below deck, that the crew is constantly a part of. And since they seemingly spend every waking hour with each other, it's no wonder that they sometimes (well, let's face it, all the time) seem to get on each other's nerves. But if you're wondering if bosuns, stews, and deckhands ever get a break, here's how much time the Below Deck cast gets during a season.

If it seems like the Below Deck cast is together a lot, well, they are. They work together, they live together, eat their meals together, and (ahem) often get drunk together (via New York Times). Work and play seemingly mesh with each new season and cast of characters. But to understand how much time off the cast has, you first have to understand how long a charter season actually is. Unlike other reality shows that might film over many months, though, Below Deck only takes a few weeks to film (via Bravo TV).

Why? That's how long a charter season typically lasts for (via Bustle). With each charter lasting up to three days, the season is jam-packed with new guests looking to enjoy the luxe life of a mega yacht. So while the turnover time might be tight from one charter to the next, it would seem that the crew doesn't ever get any downtime, but not so. According to Men's Health, the cast gets a whopping three days off per season.

So what do they do during those precious days off? Do they travel and actually get to enjoy the locations that they're in, like St. Martin, Tahiti, or Phi Phi Islands? (via The Cinemaholic). Possibly, but if they are, they aren't doing it together. When they do get some down time during those three days off, the cast stays at a hotel (not the yacht!), and are instructed to not communicate with each other. The reason: if there's any interaction (read: drama), the production crew of Below Deck wants to make sure to capture it all on camera.

And there you have it. While the Below Deck crew might get a slight breather between charters, they only get three actual days off during a typical charter season, which might last up to six weeks straight. It might make you rethink your own vacation days.