I Am Somewhere in the Middle of the Atlantic Ocean, and Loving It
Atlantic Ocean
I generally dislike huge cruise ships. Thousands of people. Long hikes to get from one part of the ship to another. Crowds. Constant sales promotions and upcharges.
So many people.
But sometimes they are practical. It was a great way to see Alaska. The whole family had fun on a Gulf of Mexico cruise for my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. And a weekend cruise from Miami to the Bahamas was a quick, fun getaway.
I had been wanting to try a longer cruise, so when I saw a 15-day transatlantic cruise with Holland America for the solo traveler price of $1,500, I jumped on it. That price for an outside cabin sounded excellent. Of course, there is always more.
$1,500 cruise
$ 180 airport parking
$ 236 onboard wifi package
$1,633 return flight from Amsterdam
$ 10 departure flight (with airline points) – Houston to Florida
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$3,559 total
Nine days of the 15 are scheduled to be at sea. A few people told me that sounded like torture. I don’t mind at all. Besides all the onboard activities – yoga, spa, pickleball, painting, rum tastings, bridge games, book clubs, etc. – I can do all the things I normally do at home. I like to read, write, work out, do word puzzles, work on my Spanish lessons, and watch movies. But most of all, I want to finish the book I’m writing. I’m glad there aren’t many port stops to distract me. Here’s the itinerary:
Apr 5 Leave Ft Lauderdale
Apr 6-7 At sea
Apr 8 Kings Wharf, Bermuda
Apr 9-15 At sea
Apr 17 Portland/Weymouth, England
Apr 18 Le Havre, France
Apr 19 Dover, England
Apr 20 Rotterdam, The Netherlands
So far, everything is working out even better than planned. I got a free upgrade to a balcony cabin. I’ve managed to avoid too much political talk at dinner. And I’ve been perfectly content with my days.
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Tips & Recommendations
Take precautions if you tend toward motion sickness. We’ve had calm seas, but I definitely feel the movement of the ship. They recommend a midship cabin for the smoothest ride.
I meant to bring a refillable water bottle. I didn’t, and I miss it.
The wifi package has been excellent. I wanted it because I would be doing a lot of writing, but it’s also been great for texting and email. I was even able to watch the season finale of The White Lotus, which was surprising since I didn’t order streaming rates.
Phone calls are not working. I couldn’t connect inside my cabin even before we left the dock in Ft Lauderdale. I had to step out on the balcony. Since then, I’ve kept the phone on airplane mode and I stick to texts using wifi.
Choose a cruise line that suits your personality. Holland America skews toward older clientele, especially in April before school is out. I love not dodging kids in the buffet line. I feel like the youngster around here. I think everyone I’ve talked to has traveled extensively, including sequential cruises. For many of them, this is two weeks out of a three-month itinerary.