Dear Ocean Nomads - OK Team,
You wanted constructive criticism, so here is my open and honest opinion.
I am happy to have been there; I have many beautiful memories. I met many lovely new people, I felt safe on board at all times (thanks Thomas!), and there was always a good, cooperative atmosphere and a lot of happy hours singing and chatting.
The trip was quite different from what one might expect for this price. It was purely a transfer trip, which was not advertised as such. (Promotion with Tour 2024, which was probably quite different)
Most important point: The route was far too long for the time available. So the stops were only adjusted according to the weather, with no room for anchoring, for intermediate stops, or other crew needs such as maneuver training (only 1 hour in three weeks and few maneuver on the trip), etc.
We, as non-'Ocean-Nomad-Inner-Circle' members (Thomas, Briana, Lucas, and Jonte), were asked for our opinion and needs, but in fact, we had no say in a single group decision. We were paying workers, without the possibility to withdraw or step out (except after the leg1).
The decisions made were, for the reasons described above, logically, but still very one-sidedly focused only on the sailing needs and the opinion of the captain. I also did not get the impression that other opinions, needs or criticism were seriously welcome. (and maybe would have been difficult in a group of ten persons!)
Under these circumstances, I found the discussion about nonviolent communication to be almost bordering on cynical, even though i find the topic itself very helpful and useful, but only if one actually wants to act on it afterwards.
Fortunately, the crew worked well together; there were no significant problems, which could have been different under these conditions! That was not just luck, but something Ocean Nomad as an organization with its culture can take credit for. Ocean Nomad attracts mindful, helpful, strong personalities, who want to experience something!
After the voyage, most probably, we all needed time to recover. (We were at sea 12 out of 21 nights!) Inconvenient if this was supposed to be a vacation squeezed between demanding work challenges. Good for those, being able to stay a few more days…. (It took me more than two weeks to return to a normal sleep rhythm.)
My suggestions for improvement:
- Better description of what to expect, e.g., how many nights at sea to anticipate, that the schedule may depend solely on the weather/wind, etc. (best an worst case scenarios)
- Costs of 900 euros/week per person under the conditions mentioned above are clearly too high. Even more so for just one leg! (over 1000 euros/day for boat and skipper)
- Talking about nonviolent communication only makes sense, if you are willing to seriously consider the articulated needs afterwards. For example, the physical capabilities of a 20-year-old and a 60-year-old participant may not always be the same (e.g., sleep requirements).
I would, however, gladly set sail again with anyone who was there and would be happy to join future trips as well. The journey has helped me grow personally. I gained a lot of insights about myself. It remains an unforgettable and beautiful memory. Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to experience it.
Warm regards, Cornelia