Top Vacations for the Newly Unemployed

Sail Off Into the Sunset

Spend a budget winter on the sea, chasing the sun on a luxury yacht, and let the folks on Wall Street wonder what happened to you.

Where: If you’ve just been given the pink slip, your foremost worry probably isn’t how to make sure your yacht makes it from the Canary Islands to Ibiza without a scratch. But even in this economy, someone else is worrying about just that. Make their worries go away by volunteering to work with a yacht delivery crew. Find opportunities around the world through the classifieds on Crew File, a free Web resource that links yacht crews with sailing opportunities around the world. You don’t need sailing skills or experience. Captains will often accept novices, if they have the right attitude, and teach them everything they need to know to be a competent deckhand and day skipper.

Price: Some boats accept “donations” from volunteers, but you might even get paid if you find the right gig. Registration is free.