Adventure Travels Group, Charlotte, NC (2026)

10/17/2026

DAY 1️⃣6️⃣ ITALY 🇮🇹 SARDINIA - CAGLIARI - Our final port of the trip!

After more than two weeks exploring Greece and the Mediterranean, we had reached our last stop aboard Crystal Serenity. And since this trip has been all about spending as much time on the water as possible, we decided one more catamaran excursion was in order.

This time, we were in Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia.

Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean, surpassed only by Sicily, which we had visited the day before. Although both islands are part of Italy, they have very different histories, cultures and traditions. Sardinia in particular has a strong regional identity, its own language, distinctive cuisine and archaeological sites dating back thousands of years.

After taking the shuttle from Crystal Serenity we walked over to Portus Karalis, the marina in the center of Cagliari, where we met our captain and boarded a beautiful catamaran for a three hour excursion along the southern coastline.

The boat was named Alma, after its owner, who was also aboard with us.

I love that her and her husband built a business around living their dream…spending their days out on the Mediterranean sharing this beautiful stretch of coastline with visitors.

As we left the marina, we had a wonderful view back toward Cagliari, with the colorful buildings climbing the hills above the harbor and the old Castello district rising over the city. We passed a giant black super yacht belonging to a Ukrainian oligarch worth a cool 500 million!

From there, we sailed east along the coastline toward one of Cagliari’s most recognizable natural landmarks, the Sella del Diavolo, or Devil’s Saddle.

And yes, there is a story behind that name.

According to local legend, angels and demons once battled over the beautiful Gulf of Cagliari. The demons wanted to claim the area for themselves, but the angels drove them away. During the battle, Lucifer was thrown from his horse, and his saddle fell into the sea, turning to stone and forming the distinctive ridge that still rises above the coastline today.

The gulf became known as the Golfo degli Angeli, or Gulf of Angels, while the rocky promontory retained the name Devil’s Saddle.

Personally, I appreciate a good origin story, and this one certainly beats simply naming it after the shape of the rock.

The coastline here is gorgeous, with pale limestone cliffs dropping into water that shifts between deep blue and bright turquoise depending on the depth and the sunlight.

We passed Calamosca Beach, a sheltered little bay beneath Capo Sant’Elia, where old military installations are reminders of Sardinia’s strategic importance in the Mediterranean.

Farther along was Cala Fighera, a small cove surrounded by steep limestone cliffs. This section of coastline is rugged and largely undeveloped, with some beaches and inlets accessible only by boat or by rather challenging paths down the cliffs.

We also passed the Grotta dei Colombi, or Cave of the Pigeons, a cavern tucked into the limestone cliffs.

Naturally, this cave has its own legend too.

According to local folklore, an unpopular and cruel nobleman sought refuge in the cave and eventually died there. There are different versions of the story, but apparently the people of Cagliari were not particularly inclined to give him a happy ending.

As we continued along the coast, the views just kept getting better.

This was a very different boating experience from our adventure in Malta. The weather was beautiful, the sea was cooperative, and nobody was suggesting we sail directly toward an approaching thunderstorm.

Already a considerable improvement.

Eventually, we anchored near the Sella del Diavolo for some swimming and snorkeling.

And the water!

Absolutely incredible.

It was that wonderfully clear Mediterranean water where you can see straight down beneath you, with the sunlight illuminating the rocks and seabed below. We had snorkeling masks and floats available, so we could spend our time swimming, exploring and enjoying the gorgeous coast one more time.

We had spent much of this trip exploring some of the most beautiful islands and coastlines in the Mediterranean, and I cannot think of a better way to spend our final port day than getting back into that gorgeous blue water one more time.

Before heading back to port, we enjoyed a little toast with prosecco. A fitting way to finish our last excursion.

We sailed back into Cagliari feeling pretty pleased with our choice for the day.

But before returning to the ship, we had two more important orders of business.

First: purchase a magnet.

You know me and my magnets! This was an easy task as just about every shop had them and for a steal at just €1 each!

Second: PIZZA.

We had been traveling through Italy for days, and I was not about to leave without having some actual Italian pizza.

Sardinia has plenty of wonderful local specialties of its own, including pecorino sardo cheese, pane carasau, a thin, and culurgiones, a type of stuffed pasta traditionally filled with potatoes, cheese and mint.

But I wanted pizza.

We found the perfect little spot and enjoyed two pizzas and a limoncello spritz.

I was one happy traveler!

After lunch, we made our way back to Crystal Serenity, where we had another experience I had been wanting to enjoy before the cruise ended.

Afternoon tea in the Palm Court.

Afternoon tea is one of Crystal’s longstanding traditions, and the Palm Court is the perfect setting for it. Located high on the ship with panoramic windows overlooking the sea, it is one of the prettiest public spaces aboard Crystal Serenity.

The room has an elegant, classic feel, with comfortable seating, live music on select afternoons and those wonderful views that make it easy to forget how much time has passed.

Tea is served with the traditional assortment of finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones, pastries and sweets, presented by the ship’s attentive staff.

Of course, I had just eaten pizza, but that was hardly a reason to miss afternoon tea.

I am perfectly capable of making room for a bit of scone and macaron.

It was a lovely way to spend part of our last afternoon aboard the ship, and another example of the traditional touches that make Crystal feel a little different from many other cruise lines.

That evening, we had dinner with our friends Mary and Kerry.

Over the course of this trip, we had enjoyed some wonderful meals, met some fantastic people and had the opportunity to spend time with friends who share our enthusiasm for travel. It’s always fun to share these experiences with people who love travel as much as we do, and the friendships we’ve made through this industry are something I genuinely treasure.

And what an incredible couple of weeks it had been! From island hopping through Greece to exploring Turkey, Malta, Sicily and Sardinia, we packed an awful lot into this adventure. Beautiful beaches, ancient ruins, wonderful food, more boat excursions than I can count and even a rather memorable encounter with a Mediterranean thunderstorm!

Beyond the memories, I also came home with a wealth of firsthand knowledge to share with my clients. In fact, just this week I helped another family put down their deposit on a Greece vacation I planned for them for next summer, and I’m so excited for what they have ahead!

There’s nothing quite like experiencing a destination yourself to understand what makes it special, which experiences are worth prioritizing and how to put together an itinerary that really works.

So if Greece or the Mediterranean is on your travel wish list, I’d love to help you plan your own adventure. It’s certainly worth seeing for yourself! 🫶🏻🌍

10/14/2026

DAY 1️⃣5️⃣ ITALY 🇮🇹 SICILY 🍋 ERICE - After our unexpected adventure with the weather in Malta, I was perfectly happy to spend our next port entirely on dry land. Preferably somewhere with good food, interesting history and a few shops to poke around in.

Sicily delivered on all three.

Our next stop aboard Crystal Serenity brought us to the western coast of Sicily, where we had booked an excursion to the medieval hilltop town of Erice.

Sicily is one of those places where you could spend weeks exploring and still barely scratch the surface. It is the largest island in the Mediterranean, and its location between Europe and North Africa made it a particularly desirable piece of real estate for just about every major civilization that passed through the region.

The Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans and Spanish all ruled here at various points, leaving behind an interesting mix of architecture, traditions and, perhaps most importantly, food.

Erice itself is a remarkably well preserved small medieval town perched approximately 2,460 feet above sea level on Mount Erice, overlooking Trapani and the western Sicilian coastline.

With narrow cobblestone streets, stone buildings, old churches and fortified walls it seems almost frozen in time. Cars are restricted in much of the historic center, so exploring means walking, which is really the only sensible way to see a place like this anyway.

And the streets are not exactly designed for speed. The stone paving is uneven, the lanes are narrow, and practically every corner seems to lead to another little courtyard, church or shop worth investigating.

The town’s history actually goes back much further than the Middle Ages.

Long before the Normans built their fortress here, Erice was an important religious center dedicated to a goddess associated with love and fertility. The Greeks identified her with Aphrodite, and the Romans later worshipped her as Venus Erycina.

According to mythology, Erice was founded by Eryx, a son of Aphrodite and the Argonaut Butes, although other versions of the legend give him Poseidon as his father. Either way, the mythology is considerably more interesting than most municipal origin stories.

The Norman Castle of Venus was eventually built on the site of the ancient sanctuary, and its position high above the coast made it an excellent defensive stronghold.

Erice also has an extraordinary collection of churches for such a small town. In fact, it was once known as the City of a Hundred Churches. There are not actually a hundred standing today, but there are enough that you would have to work pretty hard to visit them all.

Among the most notable is the Chiesa Madre, the town’s main cathedral, built in the fourteenth century under Frederick III of Aragon. Its Gothic architecture, imposing bell tower and decorative stonework are a reminder of just how much wealth and influence passed through this little mountain town.

We spent our time wandering through the historic center, browsing shops and generally seeing where the streets took us.

And then we stumbled upon something we had not expected.

A MEDIEVAL VILLAGE!

As it turns out, our visit coincided with Erice’s annual Festa FedEricina, a historical celebration commemorating Frederick III of Sicily.

For several days, the town essentially revisits its medieval past, with costumed participants, artisans, historical demonstrations and reenactments. The festival also includes musicians, flag throwers and falconry exhibitions, along with a procession celebrating the arrival of the king and Queen Eleanor of Anjou.

The timing could not have been better.

Erice already looks like it belongs in another century, so finding people in actual medieval costumes among its old stone buildings was a fun surprise. This was not something we had planned around or even realized would be happening when we booked the excursion.

I love stumbling onto local events like this. They are the kind of thing you would never know to look for if you were just reading the standard excursion description.

Of course, we also had some shopping to do.

If you have been following our travels for any length of time, you know I collect magnets from the places we visit. Not just any magnet, either. I am always looking for something that feels specific to the destination rather than the same generic souvenir with a different city name slapped on it.

Well, Erice may have produced one of my favorite finds EVER.

We came across a magnet decorated in the traditional Sicilian ceramic style, with those colorful, intricate patterns you see throughout the island.

And somehow, the colors and design matched our outfits EXACTLY.

I mean, what are the odds?

It was so ridiculously perfect that there was absolutely no question it was coming home with us. I have collected a LOT of magnets over the years, and this one immediately earned a place among my favorites.

Our shopping also resulted in two bottles of cream limoncello coming home with us. We stopped in a shop that offered us a sample, and one taste was all it took. We were sold! One bottle was purchased as a gift, while the other is destined for our freezer at home.

Limoncello has always brought back memories of our honeymoon and the many times Brian’s parents have shared theirs with us over the years. It is one of those flavors that immediately takes me back to those moments. This Sicilian cream version was a little different from the traditional limoncello we have enjoyed before. It was richer and sweeter, which happens to be much more to my palate.

Naturally, we also needed to investigate the local food.

First up was an arancina al ragù, one of Sicily’s most recognizable specialties.

If you have never had one, imagine a ball of seasoned rice filled with a savory meat ragù, coated in breadcrumbs and fried until the outside is golden and crispy. The rice surrounds the filling, and when done properly, you get that combination of crunchy exterior, soft rice and rich meat sauce.

In western Sicily, particularly around Palermo and Trapani, the feminine word arancina is commonly used. Travel farther east toward Catania and you are more likely to hear arancino. Sicilians have strong opinions about which is correct, and I have no intention of getting involved in that argument.

I am happy to eat either one.

Erice is also famous for its pastries, and this was another area where some research was clearly required. Purely for educational purposes, of course.

The town has a long tradition of pastry making that developed in its convents, where cloistered nuns created elaborate sweets using almonds, sugar, citrus and other local ingredients.

One of the most famous is the genovese ericina, a delicate shortcrust pastry filled with rich pastry cream and dusted with powdered sugar. They are traditionally served warm, which makes the filling even better.

Erice is particularly associated with the pastry chef Maria Grammatico, who learned the art of making these traditional sweets while growing up in the San Carlo convent. She later opened her own pastry shop and helped preserve recipes that might otherwise have disappeared as the convents closed.

You cannot come to Sicily and NOT have cannoli so of course we had to share one of those as well.

The classic Sicilian version has a crisp, fried pastry shell filled with sweetened ricotta, sometimes finished with pistachios, candied fruit or chocolate. The best ones are filled shortly before serving so the shell stays crunchy rather than absorbing moisture from the filling.

Between the arancina, pastries and cannoli, we were doing a pretty thorough job of experiencing Sicilian cuisine in the limited time available.

Eventually, it was time to make our way back through town to meet our coach for the return trip to the ship.

Once back aboard Crystal Serenity, we decided to take advantage of a little downtime.

First stop was the pool.

After a morning of walking around Erice, spending some time lounging by the water sounded like a pretty good plan. One of the things I have appreciated about Crystal Serenity is how easy it is to find a comfortable spot to relax without feeling like you are competing with half the ship for a lounge chair.

From there, we headed to the Aurōra Spa to enjoy the sauna and steam rooms.

Crystal’s spa has separate sauna and steam facilities within the men’s and women’s changing areas, and while the facilities themselves are lovely, I do have one complaint.

I really wish they were located in a shared thermal suite so Brian and I could have enjoyed them together.

Still, a little sauna and steam time was a very pleasant way to spend the afternoon.

That evening, we had another Opulence event to look forward to.

Tonight’s theme was BLACK AND GOLD!

For those unfamiliar, Opulence is Outside Agent’s exclusive luxury travel program, bringing together advisors and suppliers who specialize in high end travel experiences. This sailing was part of our Opulence Symposium, which gave us the opportunity to experience Crystal firsthand while spending time with fellow luxury advisors and industry partners.

Black and gold are the signature Opulence colors, so naturally, we had a themed evening planned.

And I have to say, everyone understood the assignment.

It was fun seeing the group all dressed up in their black and gold outfits. Some went elegant, some added a little sparkle, and everyone looked fantastic.

We started with a cocktail party, which gave us another opportunity to catch up with advisors and industry friends before having another wonderful group dinner.

Between the medieval streets of Erice, an unexpected festival, some delicious Sicilian food, a particularly successful magnet purchase and an evening surrounded by people dressed in black and gold, we had managed to pack quite a bit into one wonderful day. Italy never disappoints!

10/09/2026

DAY 1️⃣4️⃣ MALTA 🇲🇹 VALLETTA –Well, Malta certainly made sure we would remember our visit. Not necessarily for all the reasons we had planned, but we will get to that.

Our next port aboard Crystal Serenity was Valletta, the capital of Malta, and a city with quite a history. Malta sits in the middle of the Mediterranean, just south of Sicily, and its location has made it strategically important for thousands of years. The Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Knights of St. John, French and British all left their mark here.

Valletta itself was founded in 1566 by the Knights of St. John, following their successful defense of Malta during the Great Siege of 1565. The city was built as a fortified capital, with enormous defensive walls, imposing bastions, churches and palaces. Much of that original architecture remains, and the entire city is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Even arriving by ship is impressive. The Grand Harbour is surrounded by massive limestone fortifications, with the old city rising above the waterfront. It is one of those ports where you really should be outside watching as the ship comes in.

But we were not spending our day exploring Valletta’s historic streets. We had other plans.

We were heading out on the water with friends to explore the lagoons and caves around Comino, the tiny island between Malta and Gozo.

Now, we had been on quite a few boats during this trip, and this was by far the smallest of the bunch. But that turned out to have a pretty significant advantage. We could maneuver into places the larger catamarans and excursion boats simply could not reach, including right inside some of the caves along Comino’s rocky coastline.

Our first stop was the Crystal Lagoon, and this place was spectacular.

Unlike the more famous Blue Lagoon, Crystal Lagoon is tucked into a sheltered inlet surrounded by towering limestone cliffs. There is no beach to speak of, and access is primarily by boat. The water is an incredible deep blue, and because the surrounding rock drops straight into the sea, the whole place feels like an enormous natural swimming pool carved into the island.

We anchored and spent our time swimming, exploring and cliff jumping. The water was beautifully clear, and the small size of our boat meant our captain could take us right up to the openings in the cliffs and into the caves themselves. Looking out from inside those rocky chambers toward the bright blue water was pretty incredible.

This was exactly the kind of experience we had hoped for.

Next came the Blue Lagoon, probably the most photographed stretch of water in Malta.

The Blue Lagoon sits between Comino and the even smaller island of Cominotto. Its shallow sandy seabed reflects the sunlight through the water, giving it that almost impossibly bright turquoise color. It is also one of Malta’s biggest tourist attractions, which means the shoreline can get absolutely packed with day trippers during the summer.

One of the advantages of visiting by private boat is being able to anchor offshore and enjoy the water without fighting for a spot along the crowded shore.

And for a while, that is exactly what we did.

Then things got interesting.

While we were swimming, we noticed that the sky in the distance had turned BLACK. Not a few harmless clouds rolling through. This was an unmistakable wall of weather moving toward us, and it did not look particularly friendly.

The lifeguards clearly agreed because they began ordering everyone out of the water.

So we swam back to our boat and told our captain that the lifeguards had cleared the lagoon.

He was completely unbothered.

In fact, he told us we could keep swimming.

Now, my daughter is a lifeguard, and we are well aware that lightning and open water are not a combination worth negotiating over. If the people responsible for water safety are ordering everyone out, I am inclined to take their advice.

So we got back on the boat. Everyone else in our group did too.

Our captain then started heading toward our next destination.

The problem?

He was driving DIRECTLY TOWARD THE STORM.

At this point, my friend and I looked at each other, looked at the sky, and decided that perhaps someone needed to intervene.

We told him we wanted to turn around and head away from the storm. Not through it. Not toward another swimming spot. AWAY.

Eventually, he listened.

And thank goodness, because the weather deteriorated quickly.

The wind picked up, the seas became rough, and the temperature seemed to drop about twenty degrees in a matter of minutes. What had been a beautiful, warm Mediterranean afternoon suddenly felt like an entirely different season.

There we were, bouncing along in our little boat, trying to put as much distance between ourselves and that storm as possible.

Remember how I said the small boat had been such an advantage for getting into the caves?

Well, it was considerably less charming once the seas got rough.

We ultimately had to abandon our planned return point, and the captain dropped us off at a completely different location on Malta.

Not exactly how we had pictured the end of our excursion, but at that point we were just happy to be back on solid ground.

We called Ubers to get us back to Valletta, and while we were standing there waiting for our rides, the skies finally opened.

And I mean POURED.

We had managed to get off the water just in time.

From our unexpected drop off location, it was roughly a forty five minute drive back to the ship. We managed to squeeze in a little magnet shopping before deciding we had experienced quite enough of Malta for one day.

Back to Crystal Serenity we went.

Despite the weather drama, we really did have a blast with our friends. The lagoons were gorgeous, the caves were fascinating, and the swimming was fantastic. I could have done without the impromptu storm avoidance exercise, but I suppose that is part of what makes a travel story worth telling.

And fortunately, the day still had a very good evening ahead of it.

Tonight was White Night aboard Crystal Serenity!

White Night is one of Crystal’s signature onboard celebrations, when guests are encouraged to dress in white for an evening of music, dancing and festivities. It is a long standing tradition that brings everyone together for a party, with the ship’s entertainment team creating a lively atmosphere that feels quite different from the usual evening onboard.

We had packed accordingly, although first we had a very important dinner reservation.

Nobu!

More specifically, Umi Uma, Crystal’s Japanese and Peruvian specialty restaurant created in partnership with Chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, better known around the world as Nobu.

Crystal has a particularly special relationship with Nobu. Umi Uma brings his signature cuisine to sea, and it is the only Nobu restaurant experience available aboard a cruise ship. His style combines traditional Japanese techniques with Peruvian ingredients and influences, resulting in dishes that are quite different from what you would find at a conventional Japanese restaurant.

If you have ever eaten at a Nobu restaurant, you know that ordering just one appetizer and an entrée is not really the way to do it. The fun is in trying a variety of dishes, sharing them around the table and discovering combinations you might never have thought to order yourself.

And we took that assignment VERY seriously.

We ordered a LOT.

Sushi, seafood, beautifully prepared small plates and one dish after another kept arriving at our table. The flavors, the presentation and the service were all outstanding. It was the kind of meal where you keep insisting you cannot possibly eat another bite, and then something else arrives that you absolutely have to try.

What made the evening even more interesting was meeting another couple who had sailed with Crystal an astonishing SIXTY FIVE times.

Sixty five!

I thought we had been doing a pretty good job of getting to know the ship, but clearly we were amateurs.

They knew the restaurant and menu extremely well, and before long they were recommending dishes and even ordering a few things for us that they insisted we needed to experience.

Who were we to argue with that kind of expertise?

It was a wonderful evening of great food and conversation, and I loved hearing about their experiences with Crystal over the years. There is something pretty telling about a cruise line when you meet guests who have returned that many times.

By the time we finished dinner, we were absolutely stuffed.

We made our way to the White Night party to see what was happening, enjoyed some of the festivities and then decided that between swimming, cliff jumping, dodging a Mediterranean storm and eating what felt like half the menu at Umi Uma, we had earned an early night.

Malta had given us a little more excitement than we bargained for, but it certainly was not boring.

Next up, ITALY!

10/08/2026

DAY 1️⃣4️⃣ AT SEA 🚢 A LITTLE WORK, A LITTLE PLAY! - After nearly two weeks of exploring Greece and Turkey, we finally had a full day at sea aboard the Crystal Serenity. No alarms for early excursions, no transfers to coordinate, and no ancient ruins waiting to be climbed.

But before anyone gets the impression that this was a vacation day, let me remind you that we were aboard for the Opulence Symposium, and there was still plenty of work to be done!

Our morning was dedicated to meetings with our luxury travel supplier partners, and I have to say, this is one of my favorite parts of attending events like this.

The meetings were organized in a roundtable format. We stayed seated while representatives from the different travel companies rotated between our tables every ten minutes. It was essentially professional speed dating, except we were talking luxury hotels, cruise lines, destination experiences, and ways to better serve our clients.

What I especially appreciate about the professionals who participate in Opulence events is that they understand who they are speaking to. These are not introductory presentations where someone spends half the meeting explaining what their company does or reading through information we could easily find on a website.

They know they are sitting down with experienced travel advisors who already sell luxury travel and have established relationships with many of these brands.

So the conversations start at a different level.

Instead of reviewing the basics, we can get into the details that actually matter. What is new? What has changed? Which experiences are worth recommending to a particular type of client? What are the differences between properties that might look similar on paper? Where are they seeing opportunities that we should be paying attention to?

And just as importantly, we get to ask the questions that come from actually working with clients and planning complicated trips.

I have always believed that the best professional development should build on what you already know rather than simply repeat it. I do not need to leave a meeting with another brochure’s worth of information. I want to leave knowing something I did not know when I walked in, something that will make me better at my job.

That is what makes these conversations worthwhile.

The ten minute rotations also kept things moving. There was no time for lengthy introductions or presentations that wandered off into the weeds. Everyone had to get to the point, which I appreciated. Of course, the downside is that ten minutes goes by awfully quickly when you get into a really good conversation.

Fortunately, we had the entire afternoon to pick up where we left off.

And this is where holding a professional conference aboard a luxury cruise ship has some very distinct advantages!

A good portion of our afternoon was spent around the pool and hot tub, continuing conversations with the suppliers and fellow advisors we had met with that morning.

I know. Tough working conditions.

But there is something to be said for having the opportunity to spend meaningful time with the people you do business with outside of a formal meeting room.

During a ten minute appointment, you can cover a lot of ground, but you are still watching the clock. Sitting around the pool, those conversations have room to develop. You can dig further into a destination, discuss a client situation, exchange ideas with another advisor, or learn something about a supplier partner that never would have come up during a scheduled presentation.

And the relationships are just as important as the product knowledge.

When you are planning luxury travel, having the right contacts matters. There is a tremendous difference between knowing a company offers a particular service and personally knowing the people who can help you navigate a complicated request, find the right fit for a client, or solve a problem when something does not go according to plan.

Those relationships are built over time, and experiences like this are a big part of how that happens.

So yes, we spent a rather substantial portion of the afternoon talking business while enjoying the Mediterranean sunshine and making good use of the pool and hot tub.

I have certainly had worse offices.

Of course, we also managed to squeeze in some more pickleball! It was substantially harder with the ship sailing and wind blowing!

I am a firm believer that you can take your work seriously without taking yourself too seriously, and our afternoon was a pretty good example of that.

By evening, it was time to trade our pool attire for something a little more presentable and head to dinner.

Tonight’s restaurant was Osteria d’Ovidio, Crystal’s Italian specialty restaurant, named in honor of the Roman poet Ovid.

The restaurant takes its inspiration from the traditions of Italian dining, with a menu that emphasizes regional ingredients, handmade pasta, and thoughtfully prepared dishes rather than the oversized portions and heavy sauces that Americans sometimes associate with Italian food.

It is a more contemporary interpretation of an Italian osteria, with the polished service and attention to detail you would expect aboard a luxury ship.

Once again I ordered all of the desserts on the menu. For research purposes of course. And once again, no regrets!

After dinner, we headed to the theater for an R&B performance, followed by a comedy show. But as entertaining as the professional performers were, they were NOT the highlight of the evening.

Because after the comedy show, we made our way to Pulse Nightclub for karaoke.

And THAT, my friends, was where things got interesting.

There is something uniquely entertaining about watching a room full of accomplished travel professionals, people who spend their days managing complicated itineraries, negotiating with luxury brands, and solving problems for demanding clients, suddenly decide they are ready for their big musical debut.

Our fellow travel advisors and supplier partners took turns at the microphone, and let me tell you, there was no shortage of enthusiasm!

Talent levels may have varied, but confidence was certainly not in short supply.

And really, isn’t that what makes karaoke so much fun?

You have people who can genuinely sing, people who THINK they can genuinely sing, and people who have absolutely no business being anywhere near a microphone (like me!) but are having the time of their lives anyway.

I will leave everyone to wonder who falls into which category. 😉

Whoa, baby. We were AMUSED!

So that was our day at sea. A morning of genuinely valuable professional development, an afternoon of conversations and connections around the pool, a little pickleball, a lovely Italian dinner, and an evening filled with entertainment and plenty of laughs. Even after all these years in the travel industry, there is always more to learn, new relationships to build, and plenty of fun to be had along the way.

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