When Marc and I got together almost 20 years ago, he started talking about going on a cruise together. I told him point blank that would never happen – “You’ll never get me on a cruise ship!”
I explained that when I was a child, at age 9, I almost drowned, and that was the second time it almost happened. That last experience led to my extreme fear of water. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy water, but limited to hot tubs – in other words, smaller volumes of water. I wasn’t afraid of cruising; I was afraid of the water.
Additionally, I got seasick every time I was on a boat or a ferry, so this was completely out of the question. I did not relish the idea of being seasick for a full week.
We went through a rough two years with a family illness in 2017 and 2018. In August of 2018, we both realized how exhausted we were, and we were in desperate need of a vacation. It didn't help that our last vacation was in December of 2015. We were due. We talked about how we needed a vacation where we could just sit and relax and have things brought to us. Our typical travel style up to then was to fly to a city and explore every inch. No tours, no planning, just arrive and go. This time we needed to rest, not go on another sightseeing vacation. Then, words came out of my mouth that I never expected to say. I honestly don't know where they came from! I said, "Maybe we should go on a cruise." Marc seized the opportunity and booked one for us before I realized what I said!
Just kidding! He was quite surprised by my statement, but thrilled. We talked about it at length. He lovingly explained that cruising is perfectly safe, as modern cruise ships are designed to be incredibly stable and today's technology allows captains to avoid severe weather when needed. And with the stabilizers, I won’t feel seasick. Finally, I agreed to try it - BUT with a caveat. It HAD to be the LARGEST cruise ship in the world. Marc was thrilled to bits over that, as at the time, that was Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas. And that was the cruise line Marc liked the best from all of his years of research, hoping to cruise one day.
We booked the cruise in early August for a Caribbean sailing early January 2019. I had just five months to prepare myself. I watched ship tour videos of Oasis of the Seas. I read safety reviews and imagined myself walking around the ship. I kept telling myself over and over “I can do this.” I worked exceptionally hard to overcome my fears.
The day arrived. Embarkation Day. As we left the cruise terminal and walked onto the bridge to make our way to the Oasis of the Seas, I could feel my stomach rising to my chest, and my knees were getting weaker with every step. And then.... then I stepped off the bridge into the Royal Promenade. I was amazed! It was large, bright, colourful, and the staff were exceptionally welcoming. It wasn’t at all like I expected. As I stood there in awe, taking in the entire atmosphere, my fear quietly slipped away. It was replaced by excitement. I couldn’t wait to explore the entire ship and see everything it had to offer. Within two hours, something remarkable had happened. I wasn't thinking about the water anymore.
Eventually, the ship sailed, and I did not feel any wave action or any movement, for that matter. I felt very comfortable, and all my fears faded away. And I never got seasick once.
A few days into the cruise was Captain's night. He was going to be in the Royal Promenade, and guests could meet him and have their photo taken together. Marc wanted to meet the Captain, so we stood in line, waiting for our turn. Finally, we were standing next to the Captain. I turned to him, he extended his hand to me, and as I shook it, I said, "This is my first cruise. I'm terrified of the water, but I have to say I feel very comfortable on this boat." His eyebrows furrowed a little as he said, "Ma'am, this is not a boat". I think I instantly shrunk to about five inches tallas I turned and sheepishly walked away.
We had an amazing time. We got the rest we needed. On the ship, we ate scrumptious food and indulged in a variety of fun and delicious cocktails. We enjoyed world-class entertainment. We explored Caribbean islands, places we’d never been to before. We even attended a SpeakEasy event on board where we dressed up for the 20s and drank gin fizzes in teacups. It turned out to be the exact vacation we needed. We came home rested and more enriched for the experience.
Have I cruised since, you ask? Earlier this year, we sailed our 33rd cruise! So, yes, I have, and that led to us opening Gin & Tonic Travel a few years later. I am still terrified of water; I hardly get seasick (maybe I'll tell you about my experience on the Drake Passage one day), and my fear of water no longer holds me back.
Facing my fear of going on a cruise has taken me to places I never imagined I would visit (case in point – Antarctica!), introduced me to incredible people who are now friends, become one of my favourite ways to experience the world, and even inspired an entirely new career. Sometimes the greatest adventures begin just beyond our greatest fears.
Blog contributed by Angela Jeffreys of Gin & Tonic Travel.
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