We recommend to stay in the city center of Athens, close to Monastiraki Square. That’s where you’ll find most hotels and it will be easier to meet up with each other before the cruise.

If you’re looking for a beautiful, centrally located hostel in Athens we recommend to spend your nights in one of the dorms of private rooms of City Circus. If you book through their website, you’ll get free breakfast. Alternatively you can find the more upmarket Attolos Hotel nearby if you prefer to have more privacy.

If you would like to share your accommodation you’re more than welcome to team up with other participants in our Facebook group.

For all of you who want to hang out after the cruise in Dubai for a few days, we arranged a pretty sweet deal with Hotel “Rove Downtown”. Located right across the road from the city’s most happening neighbourhood, Rove Downtown hotel is a short stroll to the iconic Burj Khalifa and the world’s largest shopping and entertainment destination, The Dubai Mall. 

The hotel is equipped with a 24h gym, outdoor pool and even a cinema we can use.

Check all hotel details here.

Here’s the deal, including breakfast, Wifi, and taxes (except 10 AED Tourism Dirham per day):

SINGLE Occupancy: 413 AED (€100)

DOUBLE Occupancy: 458 AED (€112)

Book one or more nights here.

If this deal is not for you, we recommend to stay in a hotel or AirBnB close by.

In Bangkok we suggest to stay close to the very centrally located Sukhumvit Soi 11, an area with buzzing nightlife and good public transport connections. Citrus Sukhumvit 11 is a stylishly designed hotel we can wholeheartedly recommend for your stay before heading to Ko Tao.

When in Ko Tao, make sure to stay at Sairee beach. There are various options right on the beachfront. If you’re looking for a hostel, Savage Koh Tao is the place to be with an amazing rooftop pool and super stylish rooms. If you prefer a hotel, take a look at hotel Thalassa or grab your friends and check out what Airbnb has to offer, as most of us will be staying on the island for a while.

After arriving in Dubai we will spend a few days there taking in the splendour of this vibrant city and then we’ll be packing our bags to go to Bangkok! From Bangkok, we’ll make our way to Ko Tao to spend Christmas and New Years Eve together! How does that sound?

Join us for our very first meetup in Bangkok on December 20th. Explore this wild and wonderful city with us and then take in the sights of Bangkok’s skyline when we meet up at an awesome rooftop bar in the city.

After the hustle and bustle of Dubai and Bangkok, come unwind and relax with us in Ko Tao. This will be the spot where we spend X-mas and NYE. With its idyllic beaches and beautiful landscape, this island is perfect for chilling! If you’re a watersports junkie you won’t find a better place than Ko Tao, which has been called the Number 1 destination for diving globally. Not a diver? Well then join a snorkelling trip or do some SUPing or just catch a tan on the beach. The choice is yours!

If you’re looking for a special event at a special place, join the Check yourself before you wreck yourself event, organized by our beloved cruiser Curtin. On  16-17 December in Amman, Jordan you’ll learn habits that’ll help you understand yourself and others while working in groups and individually to identify your limiting beliefs and help manifest your intentions. If you’ve always wondered what it would be like to spend a few minutes in Curtin’s brain, get in touch with him at curtin@americarex.com.

It’s become a Nomad Cruise tradition to organize an Opening Night the night before departure. It’s a great opportunity to meet the first nomads so we highly recommend you to join. The opening night will happen on NOV 27  from 8 pm at Blue Bear (Themistokleous 80, Athina 106 81).

Meet your fellow cruisers and the entire Nomad Cruise Team, and let’s say our goodbyes to the beautiful city of Athens.

Two nights before departure (on the 26th November) we are organizing an exclusive dinner for speakers and workshop leaders. This special event is a great opportunity to get to know each other already before we set sail, and to engage in exciting conversations with fellow speakers.

Please book your flights accordingly – we can’t wait to see you there!

We also launched the official trip-related Facebook group! Join here and connect with the other participants.

We are running a special promotion for all the friends you invite and who book Nomad Cruise 9 or X. To be more precise, when you invite a friend on either cruise and your buddy makes a booking you get paid €200 for every booking AND your friend gets €200 discount on the official price.

Here are your next steps:

1. Spread the word by sharing your experience with Nomad Cruise on social media or send a personal message to the people you’ve already mentioned the cruise to. Also, share this link [https://my.nomadcruise.com/nomad-cruise-you-are-invited//], so your friends see all the details themselves. After application, we will send the booking link to your friend within 24h.
2. When your friends fill out the application we will ask them who told them about the program. Make sure they mention your name :) 
3. Get paid €200 for every friend who books. We will contact you after the cruise and ask for your banking details so we can transfer your commission. You will get it within 30 days of the cruise.

How to spread the word:

Share your favorite Nomad Cruise experiences and pictures on social media and let your friends know that you can get them on board quick and easy. If you’re looking for the right picture: You can find a lot of pictures from previous trips here.

For example: 

I am going on Nomad Cruise again at the end of November because I made so many great friends and special memories.  This time we’ll be travelling with 250+ digital nomads and entrepreneurs from Athens to Dubai. If you’re interested, check their promotion page and apply, you will get the booking link within 24h. https://my.nomadcruise.com/nomad-cruise-you-are-invited//

Right after your booking you received a confirmation e-mail including your order details and a link to pay the outstanding amount. Please review these details.

In case you can’t find the confirmation e-mail please check your promotions/spam folders before asking us to resend it to you.

We offer you 3 options to pay the outstanding balance:

1.Bank transfer – transaction fee within the EU is 0%

Please make sure that you refer to your order number in your transfer.
NAME: WebWorkTravel Gmbh
BANK: Kreissparkasse Halle
IBAN: DE60 4805 1580 0000 0606 24
BIC: WELADED1HAW

2.Transferwise – transaction fee is 1%

Please make sure that you refer to your order number in your transfer.

BUSINESS E-MAIL: info@nomadcruise.com
BUSINESS NAME: WebWorkTravel Gmbh
ADDRESS: Am Laibach 17c, 33790 Halle, , Germany
BANK: Kreissparkasse Halle
IBAN: DE60 4805 1580 0000 0606 24
BIC: WELADED1HAW

3.Credit card – transaction fee is 2-3%

If you would like to pay by credit card and you can’t find the payment link in your booking confirmation, simply send us an e-mail to info@nomadcruise.com and we will resend it to you.

The speaker application is now open – if you feel like you have something to share with the community, let us know in this survey. 

We will read through your proposal thoroughly, with the needs and main interests of our participants in mind. We unfortunately can’t accept every application, but if you’re a good match, we will get in touch with you over the next weeks.

Our journey starts on the 28th November. The ship will leave at 8pm, check-in will be between 12:00pm and 6pm. The check-in process can take a while, so make sure you arrive early if you only make your way to Athens on the day of departure. If you check in, you can have free lunch on board.

​This is the location of the port:

Akti Miaouli 10 , 185 38, Piraeus, Terminal A : gate E11 ; Terminal B & C : gate E12
Piraeus Cruise Terminal
Piraeus, Athens, Greece
 

The easiest way to access the port from the city center is by taxi. The journey takes about 25 minutes.
A more economical and still easy way is to take the periodically run public bus line X80, that connects many of Athens’ main sights to the port. The trip takes about 30 mins and costs ~€4.50. 
In case bus X80 is out of service, take the Green Line metro from Monastiraki station. A single ticket costs ~€2.50 and the journey lasts for about 15 minutes, followed by a 25-minute walk.
Alternatively you can hop on bus 049 and ride it for about 50 minutes to get to the port. 

We recommend having a printed version of your boarding documents on hand, as you might be asked to show them when entering the port territory.

Make sure you check the current visa requirements in effect with your country of origin. Nomad Cruise cannot be held liable for insufficient visas. You must research if with your nationality you need a visa to enter the territory of the Schengen area, Jordan and Dubai.

Cruisers from all countries are allowed to make a visa-free day visit to Oman. In Jordan, everybody who enters must have a visa – either get it on arrival or in advance from a Jordanian consulate. Cruise ship passengers are granted the visa free of charge upon arrival to Aqaba port, unless their nationality is on the list of restricted nationalities in which case they have to obtain the visa in advance.  If your nationality happens to be on the list and the visa arrangements would take too much of your time and/or money, don’t worry – you can still embark the ship in Athens, and stay on board during our stop in Jordan.

To research visa requirements we recommend VisaHQ.

All passports must be valid for at least 6 months after arrival.

Nomad Cruise does not provide insurance with your ticket. You are obliged to insure that you have sufficient health, travel and accident insurance coverage. We mean it – medical assistance on board costs a fortune otherwise.

Nomad Cruise cannot be held liable for vaccines. Please research the necessary vaccinations according to your travel itinerary, for example here.

Cases of MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) have been identified in multiple countries in the Arabian Peninsula, including Jordan, Oman and UAE. Make sure you practice general hygiene measures, including regular hand-washing before and after touching animals, and avoid contact with sick animals.

We will send you your e-ticket 3 weeks before departure, which will include the link to the online check-in. Although Pullmantur implied that tickets on smartphones should be sufficient, we still recommend printing your tickets. It may also help when accessing the port territory.

If you check in online, you can book additional services like the Wifi in advance, and you might even be able to cut the line on the real check-in day.

Please note that the tour operator closes the online check-in 6 days before departure. If you missed it, don’t worry – you can book all the extra services at the reception on board as well.

You may bring as much luggage on board as your flight company allows you to. You can’t bring your pet, your car or your bike. You will check your luggage in during check-in. It will then be dropped in front of your cabin door.

You’ve been on one of our cruises before, so this is just a quick recap of things you shouldn’t forget to take along. 

For the Conference

• Bring your own pens and paper. Yes, we’re all super digital and stuff, but honestly, taking notes on paper sometimes is just more convenient.
• Bring your own power adapters (Type B and Type C)
• Bring a multi-socket.
• Bring all the material you may need for a meetup or mastermind session. We will provide the material for speakers of the curated program.

For Cruise Life

• Bring jackets, wraps or thin scarves for the beginning of the trip and for the evening jam sessions on board.
  You can wear what you wish to wear, however after 7 pm they don’t allow flip flops or bathing shorts in the restaurant. There will be at least one Captain’s Dinner, where many of the general passengers will dress up more or less glamorously. You choose whether or not you want to go all suit and tie or cocktail dress.
• There have been themed nights before. ‘All white’, ‘Tropical’, ‘Pirates’, ‘Rock’n’Roll’, ’70ies’ and so on. We usually don’t stick to the rules more than necessary, but if you really care: prepare for this.
• Bring one or two swimsuits. With all the networking and socializing and conference going on, you will enjoy some downtime at the pool.
• Bring sunscreen.
• Bring your own meds. We are not allowed to give out any medication. We recommend a carry-on pharmacy with band aids, cold-meds, Ibuprofen, Voltaren, motion sickness meds, and the like. Bring hand sanitizer. Pullmantur puts up dispensers as well, and we highly encourage using it. In a narrow space like a boat, germs spread quickly, and it’s on you to do what you can to stay healthy. For the female members of the group, we recommend bringing tampons. Everything you have to buy on board will be ridiculously expensive. And parents: bring enough diapers.
• Bring books, music, small board games.

For Athens

• Don’t forget to print your ticket for entering the port and for check-in.
• The November temperatures in Athens peak around 18 °C during the day and cool down to 12 °C at night. Make sure you pack something warm.
• The currency in Greece is Euros.

For Middle East

• Already at our first stop in Egypt the daily max temperature can reach 24 °C and it will only get warmer as we keep sailing to the south. We’re talking 31 °C during the day and 20 °C at night, but it’s still important to bring clothes that cover your legs and shoulders for cultural reasons (see the ‘Safety Info’ section at the bottom of the page).
• The currency in Egypt is the Egyptian pound. ATMs are widely available. There is a severe shortage of small change, which is invaluable for tips, taxi fares and more. Withdraw odd amounts from ATMs to avoid a stack of unwieldy notes. Credit cards are increasingly widely accepted.
• In Jordan the currency is the Jordanian dinar. ATMs are available throughout the country and credit cards are widely used, although commissions of up to 5% may be added to the bill, so it may be better to get some cash.  
• The currency in Oman is the Omani rial. ATMs are widespread and credit cards are widely accepted. The most popular credit card in Oman is Visa, but MasterCard is also widely accepted. American Express is not accepted in many shops, and you may incur a fee of 5% for using it in some restaurants.

For Dubai

• In December, temperatures are in the low 30°Cs and attractions, festivals and beaches are in full swing.
• The currency in the UAE is Dirham. ATMs are widely available in Dubai. Visa, MasterCard and American Express are widely accepted and almost everything can be paid for by plastic. If you’re asked whether you want to pay in dirhams or your home currency, always choose dirhams, as dynamic currency conversion charges added by merchants or their banks can be as high as 18%.

We launched our preliminary program with the first set of amazing speakers. Check it out here.

Keynotes
30-45 minutes, open to everyone
Keynotes are usually short but packed full of valuable info for all of us. So we’re talking motivational speeches and stories, general business thoughts and ideas as well as guidance around personal development and so on. Keynotes are held by experienced speakers only.

Workshops
180 minutes, 30-50 people
This is our longest format, providing the skilled and passionate facilitators with enough time to teach their topic thoroughly. You will work, get involved, and practice on the spot.

Specials
90 minutes, up to 200 people
Specials are shared experiences, activities that are practised by many of us all at once. Think of meditation sessions or ecstatic dancing, taught by experienced teachers.

We will break all previous records with the number of stops during this trip. We’ll visit Crete in Greece, the Suez Canal, Aqaba in Jordan, and Salalah, Muscat and Khor Al Fakkan in Oman. At each location, we will have a program suggestion and a recommended venue to meet-up on shore. We will announce all details about this a few weeks before departure.

This will be our itinerary for the days on land:

• Friday 29/Nov/19 Heraklion, Greece 9:00am – 5:00pm
• Sunday 01/Dec/19 Suez Canal 3:00am – 3:30pm 
• Tuesday 03/Dec/19 Aqaba, Jordan 8:00am – 8:00pm
• Monday 09/Dec/19 Salalah, Oman 7:00am – 3:30pm
• Wednesday 11/Dec/19 Muscat, Oman 11:00am – 9:00pm
• Thursday 12/Dec/19 Khor Al Fakkan, Oman 10:00am – 6:30pm

There are three main meals. Breakfast and lunch are served buffet style. There is a big variety of fruits, veggies, salads, meats, starchy sides and desserts. We dine in the à-la-carte restaurant. You can choose from a couple of different options for a three-course meal.

There is always at least one vegetarian option, and gluten and lactose free menus have also been implemented on board. In addition to the offers on this menu, the culinary team will be happy to adjust dishes from the daily regular menu to your dietary needs, always with a 24 hour in advance order to your Waiter/Maître.

If you are vegan, gluten and/or lactose intolerant, or have any allergies or special needs, please let us know beforehand so we can communicate this to the ship and order your meals separately.

All basic drinks on the cruise are included. However, you can enjoy high-end brands if you opt for the premium package that you can arrange to book during your online check-in once you received your ticket or on board at the reception. 

Let’s say that the Wifi quality is not exactly fiber optic. We faced a different situation on each trip, so it’s hard to make a general statement. During Nomad Cruise 6 and 3 it was quite steady. On Nomad Cruise 4 it was good most of the times, but wasn’t working at all for 3 days. We’ve become very cautious after the Wifi-connection completely collapsed on NC 2 – too many of us used it at the same time. We were in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean after all!

We recommend being prepared. Don’t expect anything – appreciate everything is pretty much the ideal strategy here.

While this sounds like a total downer, we were surprised to learn that a large number of participants used the cruise for a digital detox. They only ever logged in during island stops and other than that kept their devices off. They reported a positive change in their behavior, increased their level of relaxation, and many said that it felt like the first true vacation in years.

Satellite Internet doesn’t come cheap, which is why we recommend a digital detox-focused on making connections with those on board. All those who do, usually feel relaxed for the first time in a very long time and are really able to get stuff done, as they aren’t distracted by incessant emails or Facebook notifications.

For those who cannot live without it, you’re looking at about €50-€70 for 250 minutes. There is also an unlimited Wifi plan available, and you can get online for about €12-€15 per day. To get the unlimited pack, you will have to pay the €12-€15 per day for each day of the cruise from the first day you buy it until our arrival and can only access the Wifi with one device at a time. Prices are subject to change and examples out of our experience.

You can buy the unlimited pack in advance here or on board at the reception.

The ship does offer a laundry service, but it’s quite expensive. We suggest you wait for a special deal. Every couple of days Pullmantur offers a special for their participants. Calculate between €15-30 per medium load.

We will disembark the ship on the 14th December. 

This is the location of port:

Port Rashid, Cruise terminal 2
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

In general we can encourage you to stick around for about a week after the cruise. For more details on our plans after arrival, scroll down to the ‘Meet-up Plans’ section.

The disembarkation can be about as dragging as the embarkation. Since the process might take a while, we advice against booking early flights.

We will tell you all you need to know about the check-out process during our Closing Ceremony.

Although the Islamic world is not a homogeneous bloc, there are a few key traits that seem to be valid throughout the multitude of Arab Muslim cultures and world views spanning the globe.

• Expect attention, especially as a woman. If you get the wrong kind of attention (intimidating stares and comments), the best thing you can do is act confidently and try to ignore it. To reduce the risk, stay in groups.
• Don’t presume that every man who wants to strike up a conversation is out to get you. Arabic people tend to be gregarious, naturally hospitable and extremely open to talking to strangers. You’ll miss out on some great local interactions if you’re too scared to talk to them.
• Dress to the same standards as the locals. Cover up as much as they do. Girls – be sure to keep your knees and shoulders covered at all times. Bikinis and swimsuits are best left to the private beaches of hotels. On public beaches and in the desert hot springs wear a t-shirt and shorts over your swimsuit at the least. Guys – wearing shorts when exploring the city isn’t a problem, but sleeveless shirts are. 
• Visit mosques at appropriate times and in appropriate clothes. Don’t enter mosques during prayer. Fridays are particularly busy, though any time you hear the call to prayer from the minaret, there are likely to be people inside. It’s also worth noting that there are usually separate places within the mosque reserved for men and women. You must take off your shoes before entering mosques and dress conservatively inside them – men should wear long pants and women should have their heads covered in addition to the general dressing rules.
• Use the right hand to eat, touch and present gifts. As in much of Asia and the Middle East, the left is generally regarded as unclean.
• Try not to refuse when food is offered and you’re already full: offering food for Arabian people is a sign of hospitality.
• Don’t speak or laugh loudly in the street.
• Don’t drink alcohol, hold hands, kiss or hug in public.