We couldn’t be more thrilled to be sailing the seas once again. After months of anticipation, the feeling of stepping onto a ship, hearing the faint hum of the engines, and seeing the endless blue horizon fills us with a familiar joy that never gets old. The gentle roll of the ocean feels like home, a rhythm we’ve grown to love after years of traveling the world, always seeking that perfect balance between adventure and serenity.
Still, the boarding process was trickier than we’d hoped. I pride myself on being organized with travel documents, but even the most seasoned travelers have their hiccups. Somehow, I made an error when completing our Namibian e-visa applications, and it wasn’t discovered until check-in. My heart sank when the agent pointed it out with a polite but firm smile. We’ll have to redo them in the next few days before arriving in Namibia. Thankfully, there’s time, and as frustrating as it was, it’s all part of the unpredictable nature of travel. These are the moments that remind me that patience and flexibility are as essential as a passport when living this life.
Once we were on board, the mood lightened immediately. The familiar scent of the sea and the sound of cheerful greetings from the crew washed away the minor stress of boarding. The ship, though a bit older than some of the newer Royal Caribbean vessels, has a charm all its own: warm, inviting, and comfortable. After unpacking and settling into our cabin, we decided to get our WiFi working so we could stay connected to the world, post updates, and check emails. That’s when the next little hurdle began.
We’d prepaid for the VOOM internet, Royal Caribbean’s Starlink, expecting it to be as seamless as on past cruises. Previously, it was as simple as entering an access code and connecting. But this time, the process was anything but simple. There were multiple instructions depending on the device, confusing login pages, and no clear way to activate our prepaid plan. We each tried our phones and laptops, only to end up in a loop of sign-ins that went nowhere.
After thirty minutes of fiddling, we finally gave in and stood in line at the tech help desk. The line moved slowly, filled with other puzzled passengers holding their phones aloft, hoping for that magical moment when “Connected” would appear on the screen. Usually, we can figure out these things on our own, but this time it was simply too convoluted. Eventually, a patient crew member guided us through the new system. Within minutes, we were online, relief washing over us like the sea breeze outside.
It’s funny how dependent we’ve all become on connectivity, even when sailing across the ocean, far from the routines of everyday life. For us, it’s not just about posting photos or browsing the news. It’s how we manage our travels, communicate with family, and continue writing about our journey for all of our dear readers. Once the connection was stable, we could finally exhale.
As evening approached, we wandered to the deck to watch the sunset, the horizon glowing in shades of gold and pink. The minor frustrations of the day faded as the ship glided smoothly over the calm sea. Below us, the wake shimmered like a trail of silver, a reminder that each day at sea brings both challenges and beauty. Tomorrow, the ship will be farther from shore, and we’ll settle into the rhythm of cruising life, meals, walks on deck, conversation with fellow travelers, which has already been such fun, and the gentle lull of the ocean, reminding us how lucky we are to be here once again.
Even after all these years, there’s nothing quite like the freedom of being at sea.
Be well.
Photo from ten years ago today, October 28, 2015:
