The week I spent at sea

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I never thought I’d be the type of person to go on a cruise. I had an abstract idea of the type of person who went on a cruise, and while I couldn’t exactly define it, I knew it definitely wasn’t me. I was even a little embarrassed to float the idea of a cruise to my boyfriend when we were starting to think about what we wanted to do. We were both desperate for a holiday, and I was ready to go almost anywhere, as long as there was a pool, cocktails and lots of relaxing involved.

Holiday requirements

When I looked at the requirements, going on a cruise was the clear winner. Not only did it meet all of the aforementioned criteria, but it was also cheaper than any of the other options we had come up with and we got to spend a bit of time exploring a place we never would have been to otherwise.

It turns out, there isn’t a cruise type. There were so many people on board from all walks of life that my notions of the type of person who goes on a cruise were completely shattered. Is there a certain type of person who works on a cruise, definitely, but for those of us who don’t spend six to eight months at a time at sea, there is no shortage of normal ways to spend seven nights at sea.

Getting into the carnival spirit

We chose a Carnival cruise from Sydney to Noumea, Isle of Pines and back. We spent the four sea days on the Spirit, one of two ships permanently based in Australia, doing almost nothing, with lots of time by the pool, taking advantage of the unlimited food and iced tea and picking and choosing the activities and entertainment that we wanted to do. The two excursion days were filled with snorkelling and learning about the history of French colonisation in the area. We spent the final day onboard looking up other cruises that we want to do.

The best part for me was the effort that goes into creating an atmosphere and environment that all passengers will enjoy. From families with young kids to those with teenagers, groups of friends, young couples, older couples and whatever else in between you can think of, there was something to interest everyone. You could call it an all or nothing approach, and where we took the close to nothing approach, there was no shortage of activities to keep everyone occupied.

The main lobby was decorated for Halloween and the continued the theme throughout the week with a costume night and the legend of Patch the Pumpkin Pirate. While we chose the buffet most nights for dinner, the main dining room was a chance to meet your fellow passengers and participate in the Cruise Elegant, Caribbean and Halloween costume nights. We thoroughly enjoyed the comedy shows and the movies on the deck by the pool were a great way to relax in the evening.

On to the next

Whatever I thought about cruises before I went on one, I’m forever a cruise convert. We met a couple who were on their 51st cruise, and while I can’t imagine hitting that number any time soon, it’s comforting to know that we’re in good company.

A few cruise snaps

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