Shore leave Shore leave was time spent at liberty from a military vessel . In many ways a synonym for the civilian terms vacation and holiday , it referred to a period of time that officers and crewmen could spend off - ship at a given port - of - call . During such time , participants were relieved from their normal duties , but could be recalled at any time by emergency or the will of their commanding officer s . Like the United Earth Starfleet before it , the Federation Starfleet took an enlightened view of shore leave , as it offered as much opportunity for its crews to explore new cultures as " official " contact made in the line of duty . However , as Federation vessels evolved , they were designed with an increasing number of civilian comforts and holodeck s , mitigating the medical necessity of frequent shore leave . Nevertheless , shore leave could be compelled upon an officer , at the judgment of the Chief Medical Officer or the commanding officer . ( ; ; ; ) Though most recorded instances of shore leave have involved the military institutions of Earth and the Federation , other cultures ' militaries also employed shore leaves . United Earth Starfleet . The benefits of shore leave were discussed by the command hierarchy of the first warp 5 starship within its initial year of service . The earliest recorded mention of a shore leave in the history of Starfleet came within weeks of the launch of the " Enterprise " NX - 01 . Archer suggested that an away mission to an apparently idyllic world could be " a little bit of both " shore leave and work . ( ) However , the first genuine shore leave in the history of the NX Program was suggested by a Vulcan . Noting a 3 % drop in efficiency among the mostly Human crew of the NX - 01 , first officer T ' Pol suggested a remedy . She advanced the theory that a period of shore leave , during which the crew might find sexual release , would be an appropriate solution to Starfleet regulations forbidding fraternization among officers in the same chain of command . Archer and Tucker agreed with the assessment and made several attempts to visit the leisure planet Risa . Eventually , the NX - 01 became the first Earth vessel to reach the resort world . ( ) A few years later , an extended shore leave was granted to the crew after their return from the Delphic Expanse in 2154 . ( ) As with other shore leaves throughout history , this one was as much a necessity as a reward . Heavy repairs to " Enterprise " forced the evacuation of the vessel . In late 2154 , some of the crew of " Enterprise " was granted shore leave while the ship was in Earth orbit for the launch of . However , all crewmen were recalled so the ship could pursue a carrying a kidnapped Doctor Phlox . ( ) Federation Starfleet . 23rd century . Doctor Philip Boyce urged Captain Christopher Pike to take his rest leave but Pike considered leaving the ship instead . ( ) The crew of the took a shore leave on a planet in the Omicron Delta region in 2267 . During their leave , they encountered various representations of their thoughts and desires , manufactured by the ancient machinery of the planet . The crew returned to this " shore leave planet " two years later . ( ; ) Also this year , while mimicking James T . Kirk ' s voice , Anan 7 tried to convince Montgomery Scott to send the crew of the " Enterprise " to the surface of Eminiar VII , ostensibly for shore leave . In reality , it was a ruse to summon the crew to their already recorded death s . ( ) In 2268 the crew of the " Enterprise " had a brief shore leave on Deep Space Station K - 7 . ( ) In the same year , the " Enterprise " was " en route " to Starbase 6 for shore leave , which was postponed when the crew was ordered to the Gamma 7A system to investigate the disappearance of the . ( ) In 2269 , Leonard McCoy referred to Kirk and Spock ' s time travel ling jaunt to Orion as a vacation . ( ) Kirk , Spock , McCoy , Sulu , and Chekov were on shore leave in North America when it was interrupted when Sybok took hostages on Nimbus III . ( ) 24th century . In 2364 the crew was awaiting a shore leave on Pacifica , when the ship was diverted by a code 47 emergency message from Captain Walker Keel . ( ) Captain Jean - Luc Picard was notorious , at least to the medical staff that oversaw his well - being , for not taking shore leave . He was practically , but not quite , ordered by Beverly Crusher to take shore leave in his third year of commanding the . He was only convinced to take leave on Risa by the concerted efforts of his senior staff , and the warning that Lwaxana Troi was due for a visit to the " Enterprise " - D . ( ) In the aftermath of the Battle of Wolf 359 , Picard – along with most of the crew of his ship – were given shore leave . As with the earthbound leave Archer enjoyed in 2154 , this shore leave was consequent to major repairs on the " Enterprise " . Picard used the opportunity to visit La Barre , France , his hometown . ( ) Even with these excursions , by the time of the Ba ' ku incident , Picard was owed a staggering amount of shore leave : 318 day s , to be exact . ( ) After conducting a survey of the Amargosa Diaspora and experimentation by solanogen - based lifeform s , the crew of the USS " Enterprise " - D was in need of some shore leave , according to Geordi La Forge . ( ) In 2370 cadet Wesley Crusher came on board the " Enterprise " - D , during his vacation from the Starfleet Academy . ( ) Casperia Prime was considered the vacation capital of the Horvian Cluster . ( ) Klingon Empire . The visited Deep Space K - 7 in 2268 for shore leave . ( ; ) After his Klingon task force arrived at Deep Space 9 in early 2372 , General Martok asked Benjamin Sisko if his troops could take shore leave on the station , to which Sisko agreed . ( ) Romulan Star Empire . Senator Kimara Cretak had the crews of the Romulan warbird s " Dividices " and " Genorex " put their shore leave on Deep Space 9 on hold until several Klingon starships had left the station . ( ) Cardassian Empire . When Damar voiced his idea of an orbital assault against Gowron ' s command center on Ty ' Gokor , Odo told him to ask Dukat for shore leave , as he had " been in space too long " . ( ) Ferengi Aliance . Retired from his occupation as Grand Nagus , Zek thought about visiting Risa or Balosnee VI for vacation in 2369 . ( )