I know you’re all eager to hear about the places I went on my epic roundtrip transatlantic journey. I can’t wait to share all the amazing ports and destinations I visited in upcoming posts. But first, let’s talk about my favorite part, my first transatlantic crossing.
Why I Chose My First Transatlantic Crossing
I chose to go on my first transatlantic crossing for several reasons, but crossing the ocean on a ship was the original dream. Like so many things I’ve now done, it felt absolutely impossible as a child. I didn’t even know cruise lines offered transatlantic itineraries until well into adulthood, and as a child, even a standard cruise sounded more like a fairy tale than a vacation within my grasp.
I chose a transatlantic cruise because it checked off this bucket list item surprisingly affordably. In my mind, crossing the ocean was the main event. Everything else was just extra, and oh, were there so many great extras! But the highlight of the trip did indeed remain the highlight of the trip.
How I Planned to Spend 8 Days at Sea
I went on this epic journey with a set budget, and I didn't plan on spending money on drinking. I knew I would have the Drinks on Us Everywhere! drink package during the middle cruise so I figured that I would just party one or two nights of the first cruise and make good healthy adult decisions the rest of the time.
I also figured that I would be pretty bored with all those sea days. I bought a folding bluetooth keyboard so I could write on my phone. I printed out copies of my lyrics, poetry, and the work-in-progress novel to work on. I purchased a mini photo printer for all the travel journaling I intended to do along the way. I figured I'd play music, write, and maybe even work out most days, likely spending large swathes of time by myself.
When the upgrade fairy called and offered a balcony room for an extra $500, I jumped at it. I thought there was a good chance I'd spend a lot of time in my room since I wouldn't know anyone.
How I Actually Spent 9 Days at Sea
The piano bar on a Carnival cruise is usually a highlight for me. On night one, I decided to go there to use the free drink credit I got for my loyalty status. Within less than an hour, I had connected with four widows and a group of women who ended up being great travel companions throughout the entire 6 week B2B2B (back to back to back) cruise. Of the many new friends I made, several had drink packages and offered to pass me the drinks they didn't want. I never even ended up using my voucher that night.
My First Transatlantic Crossing Sea Day Routine
On any given sea day of my first transatlantic crossing, I was waking up early for brunch or breakfast in the Main Dining Room, sometimes alone, often with newfound friends. One morning, I was already awake because I watched the sunrise.
Then, I usually took a nap unless something really exciting was going on. I'd be back up and out in time to catch the first round of solo musical acts or head to the early piano bar set. I planned dinner around who was playing and whether or not I wanted to catch the evening show in the theater which was different every night.
Evenings ended one of two ways. I either went straight to the piano bar and closed it down or I went to a late-night musical set, had drinks with some friends, and then headed to the piano bar to close it down. (Check out my post on the piano bar.)
Either way, I ended the night heading up to the late night buffet with a group of people for a little caprese salad and some kind of crunch roll to soak up the alcohol.
Having my own balcony meant I could go out before bed and sing to the ocean, the stars, and the whales, wherever they were. This was well worth the upgrade even though I didn't spend much time in my room.
For more than a week straight, I ate, drank, sang, danced, and listened to good music with so many new friends.
Our first port was cancelled due to bad weather leading to an extra day at sea before reaching land. Some people were bummed, but I reveled in spending so long on the ocean. We were losing an hour most nights with time changes, and it was the longest many of the crew members had been on a vessel without seeing land. It was a long enough time that we all started to lose track of days, and frankly, that was one of the coolest parts of the whole thing.
Fine Dining and Newfound Friends
I opted for My Time dining which allows you to check in at any time during the main dining room's dinner schedule rather than always going at a set time. I figured I'd eat by myself every night, but I was still excited to experience the elevated menus on the first two cruises which were Sailings Exclusively for Adults (SEA) cruises.
In reality, I almost always had dinner companions. I think having all of the sea days at the frontend was really conducive to developing new friendships.
Seeing Land After 9 Days at Sea
When the morning came that we were going to see land for the first time in 9 days, I knew I couldn't miss it. This was what I travelled for! I stayed up all night in order to see it because I knew I'd sleep through it if I went to bed.
I walked up to the upper deck after grabbing a quick breakfast full of anticipation. The wind blasted my face and whipped my clothes around my body. I walked to the edge of the ship and looked forward towards the rising sun.
And there was Morrocco.
There was Africa.
There was the other side of the ocean.
The other side of the world.
It felt as magical as I anticipated. I knew it was nothing like the crossings of antiquity, but still, it felt like I had done something profoundly human.
And I suppose, for me, something I just had to do.
Surrounded by my fellow cruisers, I battled the wind for good photos and offered to take a few photos for several small groups.
I recognized many faces in the crowd, just like I would recognize faces miles from the ship in every port city we would visit. 9 days at sea with strangers will do that to you. I started my first transatlantic crossing as a solo traveler, but by the time we reached Europe, I didn't feel alone.
The next day, we would be in our first port, Cartagena, Spain. It was an addition to the itinerary to make up for the fact that we missed the Azores and Madeira, Portugal due to high seas.
Oh yeah, to answer your most pressing question: did I shout, "land, ho!"?
Yes, yes I did. That no one else couldn't help themselves is either a testament to my own immaturity or the general lack of whimsy left in the world.
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Thank you so much for sharing this journey with me!
