The first sign that things were different on board the giant cruise ship was that several of its passengers greeted one another by bringing their fingers together to form a heart. I had never been on a cruise before, but I could tell that the man buns and tattooed 30-somethings running around crying, “I need a hotspot!” meant this was not your grandmother’s — or even mother’s — floating holiday.
I was on a Nomad Cruise, one of 300 digital nomads piggybacking on a regular Holland America Line ship with 1,600 of its usual, silver-haired devotees. My 13-day, trans-Pacific voyage on board the M.S.S. Noordam, from Canada to Japan via Alaska, cost approximately $3,000 for a well-appointed private cabin with a balcony, food, and most beverages. We had access to all the ship’s offerings: restaurants, spa, gym, pools, bars, casino, and Starlink satellite internet, a key consideration for digital workers on “the world’s largest workation.”
This is not an overpromise. Daily workshops on online marketing, social media, A.I., taxes for digital nomads, co-living spaces, etc., were exclusive to the nomads, as were discussions, panels, presentations, and even “Piranha Tank,” a “Shark Tank”-styled competition for start-up hopefuls on board.
For the vacation part, land excursions in Alaska and Japan were plenty, and during the long (and sometimes rough) Pacific crossing, there were dance parties, meet-ups, and exercise classes, including acroyoga, a type of yoga for circus performers. Ages ranged from 20-somethings to septuagenarians of all nationalities. You found your tribe en route and then traveled together in Japan, sightseeing and working, before summiting in the Philippines.
Nomad Cruise is a smart concept, founded 10 years ago by Johannes Voelkner, a German who wanted the freedom to work from anywhere while building connections and a community, often elusive to the nomadic set. Two or three voyages are offered yearly, ranging from Europe to South America to Southeast Asia and Antartica.
Fingers are together, forming a heart.