It was Alaska that started it all. I’d gone there chasing another state for my 50 States Challenge, but I came home with something I hadn’t expected: a genuine love of cruising. Watching glaciers drift past from my cabin balcony, sailing quietly through fjords that felt untouched by time, I realised travel didn’t have to mean packing and unpacking in a different hotel every night.
Since then, cruising has opened up an entirely new side of travel for me. There’s something truly special about waking up to a new view each morning, one day a lively port buzzing with energy, the next a quiet island surrounded by turquoise water. It’s a different kind of adventure, yet it still captures that same spirit of discovery that keeps me chasing my 50 States goal.
I’ve definitely caught the cruising bug. Eight cruises in, and I’m already dreaming about the next one. There’s something magical about falling asleep as the ship glides through the night and waking up somewhere completely new. Even the sea days feel special: slow breakfasts, endless ocean horizons, and time to just unwind between destinations.
⚓ My Cruises So Far
Every cruise has taken me somewhere different, and each one has left its own mark:
Norway, more than once. I’ve sailed the Norwegian fjords multiple times now, and I still haven’t grown tired of them. There’s something about the scale of the landscape, sheer cliffs dropping straight into still, dark water, small fishing villages tucked into impossible corners of the coastline, that pulls me back for more. No two trips have looked quite the same, depending on the season and the route.
Canada to Florida. One of my favourite itineraries so far was a repositioning-style cruise down the eastern side of North America, starting in Canada and finishing in Florida, with a string of stops along the way. Watching the scenery shift gradually from cool northern coastline to warm southern ports over the course of the sailing gave the whole trip a real sense of journeying, rather than just hopping between destinations.
The Caribbean. Turquoise water, white sand, and island-hopping at a relaxed pace, the Caribbean was everything a first-time cruiser to the region hopes for. It’s easy to see why so many people fall in love with cruising here first.
Central America. A newer addition to my cruising list, and one that offered a completely different flavour: dense jungle coastlines, historic ports, and a real sense of stepping somewhere less typically “cruise-crowded” for a few of the stops.
Eight cruises in, and each region has taught me something different about what I want from a trip at sea, whether that’s dramatic scenery, slow island time, or the thrill of a new coastline I’ve never explored before.
Each region has taught me something different about what I want from a trip at sea, whether that’s dramatic scenery, slow island time, or the thrill of a new coastline I’ve never explored before.
🗺️ Tracking My Travels
These maps are a snapshot of my cruising travels so far, each dot represents a memory, a story, and a moment I don’t want to forget. I hope they inspire you to celebrate your own adventures, revisit your favourite places, or dream about the ones you’ve yet to explore. Join me as I continue to map out new journeys, one memory at a time.
The Journey Continues
Whether I’m exploring a new coastline by ship or discovering somewhere entirely on land, the adventure never really stops. Cruising has become one of my favourite ways to explore — new ports, new cultures, new views, one voyage at a time.
