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This told essay is based on a conversation with 60-year-old Tony Fernandes. with the founder The CEO of San Francisco-based UEGroup shares his experience working remotely on a cruise ship. Edited for length and clarity.
My wife and I are in the post-baby, post-pet ownership stage. Our children went to college and we had a beloved dog and a pet rabbit who passed away. After they passed away, it really opened up the travel window for us – and we did – but extended travel is new to us.
In November, I led my company on a multi-week trip. from cruise ship with my wife. We ended up circumnavigating the globe on two different cruises and air travel. We departed from California and traveled through Europe, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan.
It was a great experience. However, we found that some discipline is required while working on board, especially on her 21-day cruise.
You have to make time for work and time for play.
Unbeknownst to us, when we upgraded our internet, our drink package was also upgraded. So it turns out you can get Moet & Chandon champagne for free.
We went out for lunch and dinner several times and enjoyed champagne, but we also found a rhythm in which we had time for work and time for play. It wasn’t strict. But there came a time when my wife, who works in finance at UEGroup, and I knew we had to get things done.
By working, you can differentiate yourself from those who are on vacation. That doesn’t mean you can’t wear a swimsuit to work or have a beer before you start work, but you’ll be in a slightly different position than other people on the cruise.
Expect internet service to be very slow
One thing I didn’t realize before the trip was that cruise ships only have one satellite connection shared by thousands of people. Internet was painfully slow at times.
I’m considering purchasing a data satellite phone for my next long trip so I can set up the antenna on my patio pointing in the right direction for the satellites. What we still need to understand is that communication is very important and yet we were unable to do so.
We are currently very distrustful of cruise lines’ statements regarding the quality of their internet. For example, we upgraded our internet, but it turns out that the cruise line’s definition of an upgrade is not increased speed or reliability, but the ability to use multiple devices. You need to read the fine print for the definition of upgrade.
It’s also a good idea to ask what download and upload speeds are expected.
Create a backup plan for meetings and other communication challenges
Internet access can be unpredictable, even with research and planning, so we had backup personnel in the office for important meetings. Even if we couldn’t come, someone had a slide deck ready. I can’t say there haven’t been some awkward moments from time to time, that’s one of the downsides, but you can plan as best as you can.
When my wife was doing business with her bank and needed to get a two-factor authentication code without using SMS, there wasn’t much she could do. So it was also a challenge.
At one point I had to go ashore and buy a SIM card to get local cell phone service, but this requires research. In some countries, you may only have one mobile phone service available there, or you may be able to get a SIM card brand that is available in a wider area.
Being offline can end up being a good thing
I know it’s hard to go offline, but the connection is so bad sometimes that I had to go offline. We were in the middle of nowhere and that wasn’t going to change. In a way, being offline was good because I could just tune out.
My wife and I plan on doing more cruises in the future and recently purchased a house near a cruise port in Portugal and plan to take cruises to work as much as possible.
When I did the math, the cruise from California to Portugal cost less than two business class tickets. Plus, there’s food, entertainment, and no jet lag. This seems like the ideal method.
If you live or work on a cruise ship and would like to share your story, please send us an email. mlogan@businessinsider.com.