Can You Take Days Off Without Pto?

Yes, by Using Holidays, Weekends and Unpaid Time for Vacation

By Robert Schrader | Published on April 19, 2024

For those who prioritize adventure in their lives, no amount of exploration is enough. As the year progresses, travel-lovers might wish they had more paid time off while asking themselves, "Can you take days off without PTO?" For some, this is a key question because of the sheer number of items they hope to check off their bucket lists. Others want to be able to hit the road — or the open sea — without depleting days they need for family holidays such as Thanksgiving. Read on for strategies to maximize your travel experiences without depleting your vacation time.

If the Great Wall of China is on your bucket list, you may be able to get there without using up all of your vacation time.

How Much Unpaid Time Off Can I Take?

How much time you can take off work depends not only on your company and the terms of your employment but also on the needs of your team and the demands of your job. If you're an accountant, taking unpaid time off might be a taller order in March than it is after tax day has passed. Likewise, if you work on a small team and have a colleague out on leave, you might not be able to take unpaid time off at all. Some jobs may also let you work on a company holiday and use that time off on another date that fits better into your vacation plans.

When you ask, "Can you take days off without PTO?" the answer isn't always a clear-cut "yes" or "no." It could be that your unpaid time off is conditional. Perhaps you'll need to finish a project before you go, make yourself available for a virtual presentation or be willing to answer client emails if the volume becomes too much for your co-workers. Finally, your supervisor will probably consider how much time you've had off before granting your request. If you've been absent a lot (whether due to an illness, childcare responsibilities or for bereavement), it might be more difficult to get time off.

Anxious to get your toes in the sand? You may need to time your vacation around work deadlines.

Book Now

Ready to book? Check out these exciting cruise itineraries.

couple sitting in beach chairs on hold hands in front of a sunrise. The Caribbean.

A palapa in the sun feels like a reward for figuring out how to book a trip without using much PTO.

Leverage Long Weekends And Holidays

One of the best travel tips, regardless of whether you take paid or unpaid time off, is to always leverage weekends and holidays. For example, let's say your job gives you Good Friday and the Monday after Easter off. By adding a day or two on either side of this window (whether paid or unpaid), you can give yourself a vacation of up to a week in length, even though you're only taking off a few days. This can be valuable if there's a limit to the number of days you can take off at any one time.

If you cannot take unpaid time off, you might still be able to take a short trip. There are plenty of places within the United States (as well as in Canada and Mexico) where you can jet off on a Thursday or Friday and get back in time for work on Monday or Tuesday morning. Depending on your ability to overcome jet lag and what flights depart from the city you live in, you might even be able to swing a weekend trip to Europe.

You can also choose to take a cruise if you only have a long weekend or holiday weekend available. There are many cruises (especially to the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and Pacific Coast of Mexico) that last three or four days. Whether over a holiday weekend, such as Memorial Day or Labor Day, or because of a "summer Friday," this can be plenty of time to get away.

At the end of the day, enjoying a vacation without taking time off is not as insurmountable a challenge as it may seem, particularly if you can strike a balance between relaxation and productivity. Again, there's also the possibility of leveraging flexible work arrangements in order to convince your boss to agree to one of your proposals. That said, it's advisable to set clear boundaries about what work you will and won't do during your vacation.

One of the best travel tips, regardless of whether you take paid or unpaid time off, is to always leverage weekends and holidays.

The guilt of pulling a child out of school for a family vacation can be drowned in fish tacos.

Don't Forget About School And Other Jobs

If you're a solo traveler, planning your next trip can be simple. If you manage to get time off, whether paid or unpaid, you can make your trip happen. If you're traveling with a partner, however, or with school-age children, you'll need to do more preparation.

Can you take days off without PTO? This is a relatively easy question when referring to a job, but not always when you need to factor in children's school schedules. It usually makes sense to first plan trips around school holidays before you try to schedule your own time off from work. Some schools have stricter absence policies than others, so you'll want to check the regulations before you book flights and a sailing. It's easier to take a preschooler out of school than it is to yank a high school student away from their academics and activities (especially one with sports or other commitments), so take any kids' ages and responsibilities into consideration.

Combining work and pleasure may help you take more trips.

Make A Short Trip Feel Long

Even if you won't be able to cruise for many days, there are ways to make your vacation feel longer. One great travel tip to improve relaxation is to fully disconnect. While you might decide to purchase an onboard Wi-Fi package in case of emergencies, turning off notifications (especially for emails and text-based services) will remove connections to many obligations from your life, allowing you to live more fully in the present moment.

You can also use the days of your cruise as an opportunity to enhance daily routines you need to stay focused and healthy at home. For example, while you might continue to wake up early on your cruise to exercise or meditate, you can also indulge in daytime naps whenever you feel like it, or have a cocktail — or two! — by the pool. Small indulgences taken steadily throughout your trip can make the travel experience feel like more of a break from the ordinary.

Choosing your destination carefully is also a travel tip that can help your vacation feel more relaxing. Picking an itinerary with more chill time and less sightseeing makes a big difference. Spending a few days on a beachy, island paradise — especially if you call on Perfect Day at CocoCay® and book an overwater cabana, where anything can be delivered to your lounge chair the moment you want it — can make you feel like you're halfway around the globe in the South Pacific instead of right off the coast of the mainland United States. In turn, booking a European cruise — with plenty of sightseeing and historical sites to explore — might make you feel accomplished but not any more refreshed than when you left home.

Even if you only end up having a few days at sea, that's plenty of time to find amazing adventures. From modifying routines and getting yourself into cruise mode to silencing distractions (especially those related to work) and being strategic about the destination you choose, the will to travel is often more important for an unforgettable experience than the particulars of the trip.

Your Next Getaway Is Closer Than You Think

As you browse cruise options, you might ask yourself "can you take days off without PTO?" Another travel tip to consider is taking partial days off or working during business hours on your cruise and having evenings free to dine, connect and celebrate with your partner or loved ones. Some jobs might even allow you to shift your hours when you're traveling, getting up early or working late in order to take advantage of time in cruise ports with your family or friends. This can be especially beneficial when you're working around school vacations and taking your own job requirements into consideration.

As a result, the answer to the question is "yes" in most cases. The key, no matter your circumstances, is being strategic — both in terms of using weekends and holidays to your advantage, as well as using your time wisely as you travel. Your next trip doesn't have to wait until next year.

Finally off the clock? Indulge in cocktails by the pool.

Written By
ROBERT SCHRADER

Robert Schrader is a writer, photographer and one of the web's original travel bloggers. In 2009 he launched his blog Leave Your Daily Hell, which has taken him to nearly 100 countries, and has since spun off niche sites focused on Japan, Thailand, Taiwan and Italy. Robert seeks to inform, inspire, entertain and empower travelers through his work, which has been featured in in-flight magazines and digital media outlets around the world. He's excited about travel's post-pandemic rebirth, and in particular the cruise industry's comeback!

Get Royal Deals, Sign Up Today

First Name

Missing First Name

Last Name

Missing Last Name

Email Address

mail_outline

Missing Email Address Invalid Email Address

Sign Up

There was an error processing your request. Please try again.

Thank you for signing up!

Sign up to receive information about our special offers and deals. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more details about how we use your information, view our Privacy Policy.