“We did it again – this time between Tahiti and Bora Bora on a workation sailing trip on the Teamspirit and on the Mediterranean Sea on the Crystal as a contrasting cruise. Once again, we had two completely different workation experiences.” Sylvie Konzack and Kai Böcking
It all began in Barcelona exactly one year ago (I have already reported on it). Teamspirit set sail on its circumnavigation of the globe and together with six adventurers, I boarded the catamaran for the very first week. The idea behind circumnavigating the globe was to seek a ‘temporary escape’ with different crews, working on individual or joint projects or simply enjoying a holiday.
We set sail in October 2024 on rough seas, at high speed and with nervous stomachs. This was followed by two amazing crew-days in Valencia and absolutely blissful sailing along the coast to Alicante, from where my plane took me back home. I only worked on my laptop intermittently during that week and enjoyed being able to rethink things differently and in a new way, surrounded by wind, waves and freedom. The Teamspirit then sailed, while switching crews, across the Atlantic to the Caribbean and through the Panama Canal to the South Seas – the final destination of Christoph, the skipper on his “once in a lifetime” adventure. Currently, he is back with his normal business in Germany.
Michael took over the captain’s hat in June 2025 to continue sailing in French Polynesia with changing staff. Ten years ago, he had already fulfilled his dream of sailing around the world with the Polaris, a Hanse 47. Even then, the made-for-the-ocean yacht was frequently used as his office, equipped with a satellite phone, VHF and Wi-Fi networks for exchange with his team-building company, Teamgeist AG, near Berlin. When he returned, full of inspiration, he and his wife Isabel built 360° by Teamgeist next to his sailing school. The lakeside resort offers apartments and space for offsite team meetings and multi-day strategy workshops – a supra-regional showpiece that has been open since summer 2024.
Michael is now sailing along the Society Islands for four months and has some of the 360° Resort team on board. “Set sail with us again,” he calls out to me. And at some point I said to myself, “Okay, you only live once,” and book a flight four weeks in advance for ten days in the South Seas. In October 2025, I fly from Munich via San Francisco to Papeete on Tahiti and then again with the island plane to Bora Bora, where I finally board the Teamspirit. Isabel and Tina from 360° are already on board working, spending their days at the table developing out-of-the-box annual strategies for the resort.
Tina also sends out offers and makes calls to customers at 5 a.m. or 10 p.m. respectively, due to the twelve-hour time difference. “It works well, but also requires a lot of discipline,” she says. The key is to focus on daily goals, she states, so that she can actually make decisions much faster with her boss on this workation than she could at home. “And the general ‘why’ of the two founders has become even clearer to me here,” she emphasises.
For Tina, the three-week sailing trip is more work than holiday, but for the two solo travellers and one couple on board, it’s all about holiday for four weeks. “I know everyone on board. Many are here for six weeks, some with their children. Some bring project ideas with them, which they can develop on board in peace. One artist painted and even learned to play the ukulele here,” says Michael. With the changing crews, there is always a different dynamic. And yes, sometimes worlds collide between those who have to work and those who just want to enjoy their holiday. I notice this on board too.
Everyone can do their own thing, but you also want to be considerate of each other. Togetherness on board remains, because we cook a lot together, laugh together, jump into the open blue sea during lunch breaks, and watch films on the big screen on deck in the evenings. The many excursions are also about having fun and being together, whether it’s diving, cycling around Bora Bora, hiking on Moorea, experiencing the waterfalls of Tahiti or visiting pearl museums, etc.. French Polynesia offers countless experiences in nature along with pearly-white beaches that are accessible almost everywhere.
The capital, Papeete, is particularly bustling, with thousands of mopeds and all the administrative buildings, from the university to the hospitals. Here, as on the many small islands, all with first-class infrastructure, the French lifestyle is omnipresent, with baguettes as a staple food and patisseries on every corner.
Formally, French Polynesia is not part of the EU, but its citizens are French nationals and therefore also EU citizens. On arrival at the airport, I was able to join the fast EU lane. Positively crazy! But of course, the Polynesian sunshine mentality with lots of music, thousands of colours and fragrant flowers everywhere is even more inspiring. Almost every woman, whether taxi driver or policewoman, wears flowers in her hair. At church, people dance in flip-flops and play music with shells. What a sight!
During my stay here, I spend more time observing the scenery than working on my laptop. It’s exciting to see how much routine Michael has brought into his life on board and how, even from here he is able to manage water damage at home in Germany. “Our Starlink flat rate makes it possible,” he laughs. There were probably moments when he didn’t want to go back, partly because life here is so far away from the small and big world news and puts so much into perspective. He has been back in Germany since November and is already making plans with Team Spirit New Zealand.
Kai Böcking: Crystal clear!
Just over a year ago, I became convinced that cruises can be cool and are suitable for remote work. I was on a new Italian ship with top-notch internet, great service, and peace and quiet for working. So, on to round two.
I’m sitting on the terrace of my cabin in the port of Palermo, Sicily. In front of me is my breakfast and open laptop. I glance across to the other side of the pier, where a huge wall looms: a cruise ship with, as I quickly research, 7,500 passengers. A monster! Countless cabins close together, topped off with a water park and a kind of roller coaster. Personally, not a great place for relaxed remote working.
The Crystal Symphony, which I have chosen this time instead, promises a beautiful, exciting, and work-intensive time with around 600 passengers on its way from Tunis to Barcelona. After being taken over by the A&K Travel Group in 2022, the Symphony and its sister ship Serenity were completely overhauled and gutted, with an additional enlargement of the cabins. The result: fewer cabins, fewer guests = more space. What remains is a manageable luxury retreat: 240 meters long with 310 cabins (almost 150 less than before). And most importantly for me: An included internet connection, like almost everything else on the ship – all-in at a relaxed level.
The otherwise popular onboard entertainment is kept to a minimum (own cinema, captain’s dinner, quiet music by the pool). My fellow travelers are just as uninterested in participating in games as I am, and the cabins offer 24-hour relaxation anyway, thanks to a private butler service. My Sapphire suite lies in the centre of the suite range in terms of size. Living room, bedroom, bathroom, dressing room, and veranda – bright, not overly designed and comfortable. There is an extra table for working, plug sockets in every room, and of course Wi-Fi, which also works on the veranda.
I make use of the room service for breakfast. It arrives on time, as does my frothy cappuccino. The same applies on the Symphony: cruises are the natural enemy of all diets – of course only if you want them to be. The restaurant network on the ship is tightly knit, and what usually keeps me away from cruises is only in administered in small doses on the Crystal – buffets.
Just in the Marketplace restaurant are you allowed/required to use serving cutlery from time to time. Otherwise, the focus lies on live cooking and à la carte restaurants. Particularly spectacular: the only restaurant at sea by Japanese food guru Nobu Matsuhisa, the Umi Uma. A total of ten restaurant options on board cater to every taste.
Conclusion:
The Crystal is a remarkable combination of cruise traditions such as afternoon tea with dancing, a waterfall in the lobby, a jewelry store, bus excursions, and modern amenities also for the next generation of guests. Anyone who wants to work on the ship can do so at any time. The internet works across the Mediterranean from Tunis to Barcelona. There are no “dead spots” in the Wi-Fi connection, neither at the pool nor in any of the many quiet lounges and cafés, which make it possible to concentrate on work and even make calls outside your own cabin.
Is cruising starting to become cool? At the very least, offers such as Crystal are sure to find many imitators in the future. My tip for anyone who really wants (or needs) to work on a cruise: smaller and more refined is always the better choice.
Kai Böcking & Sylvie Konzack …
… since their Work@Sea debut a little over a year ago, both have experienced another significant leap forward in technical areas such as Wi-Fi. As different as their workation experiences were, they are slowly becoming fans of their respective Work@Sea adventures.
info teamspirit
Since October 2024, the Teamspirit, a Lagoon 42 catamaran, has been sailing the world’s oceans for Teamgeist AG. After setting sail from Barcelona, it sailed to the Canary Islands, across the Atlantic to the Caribbean and through the Panama Canal to the South Seas, where it is currently undertaking further tours. The Cook Islands are planned for 2026 and New Zealand for 2027. The crew changes every three to six weeks. “We take people with us who value time, community, nature, freedom, and adventure,” they say. For information on sailing with us and our routes, visit go-for-teamspirit.com.
info crystal
Crystal Cruises currently operates two ships that sail various routes around the world – in summer, the focus lies on Northern and Southern Europe. The suites range in size from 20 to 87 square meters, most with their own veranda. Everything is included except for shore excursions, the spa, and some spirits. The 16 restaurants and bars offer everything from Italian fine dining to a English bar. Sports facilities range from paddle tennis to 24-hour workouts. Wi-Fi is available free of charge in all areas and also works at sea.
Photos: © Hentzelt, Konzack, Böcking, Crystal