Towards the end of last year, it looked like I was going to be spending Christmas alone – and I was not bearing the news with much grace.
But just when I had almost resigned myself to an orphan Christmas, eating toast for Christmas dinner, and giving myself a lump of coal just so I could feel especially sorry for myself – lo and behold! – a Christmas cruise came my way. On board a fancy-pants cruise ship. Sailing through New Caledonia and Fiji. Insert shocked emoticon face here.
That’s how my younger sister and I ended up spending nine days sailing the high seas on board the Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas: eating delectable three-course meals for dinner every night in a dining room that resembled something out of The Beauty and the Beast (sans singing cutlery); drinking cocktails by the pool every day; and visiting two amazing countries, which we had never been to before.
To be honest, I was a little hesitant about what life on board a cruise ship might be like. I was expecting the clientele to be like those on board the Titanic (er, the 1997 version – not the real life version), and was certain that my sister and I wouldn’t fit in among the other guests, who I pictured dripping with jewels and wearing corsets and top hats. Never mind that the fashions have changed significantly since 1912.
In fact, everyone on board was completely lovely and welcoming. The staff onboard the ship were friendly and attentive (our Assistant Waitress Jenny was always happy to crack a joke and would sometimes perform spontaneous renditions of J Lo songs).
So for anyone who – like me – really has no idea about what life on a cruise ship is like, I’m going to break it down for you. Here’s what you can expect.