I am a former flight attendant with a passion for travel. My motto in life has always been to experience, learn and then grow. When I heard about a round-the-world cruise taking in 135 countries and docking at 375 destinations, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to live my values. I was the first person to sign up.
That may sound like a surprising decision, but I’ve never been one for a nine-to-five life. I retired in 1989, and since then have spent my days travelling. I’ve been on long trips before: I spent two and half months journeying from Mongolia to Jordan. But this will be the longest by far. It doesn’t faze me – once I embark on a trip, I could go on for ever. Despite spending decades in airports around the world, I don’t like them. Life onboard cruise ships, like Life at Sea’s MV Gemini, offers an opportunity to see the world without the threat of flight cancellations and long queues.
We’ll be stopping in Singapore, Shanghai, Seychelles, the Maldives, Mexico and the Caribbean. Our stay in Alaska is quite extensive. We’ll visit Guam, Indonesia and South Korea, too. I’ve already seen about 50% of the places on our itinerary, but Life at Sea will give me an opportunity to visit all those places that I would never be able to get to myself – a tiny island off the coast of Colombia, for example, that I never knew existed.
I’m looking forward to seeing Namibia. I have been to other African countries, but never there. In 1989, I was in Seychelles. The island I stayed on doesn’t exist any more. I’m looking forward to going back to see how the region has changed, and talking to the people about their experiences. I was in Bali in 1973, another region that has experienced tremendous change over a period of decades. But I’m also looking forward to discovering new places, such as Singapore.
Most cruises dock at port at 6pm, and leave at the same time the following evening – just long enough to go round the shops, but not to truly see a place. Live-onboard cruises allow you to immerse yourself in the backstreets, and take time to get to know a place and see how people live, because they dock for days rather than hours.
Meeting new people is a huge draw for me, on land and onboard. My fellow travellers come from all walks of life – people in their 30s to their 80s. Some have travelled before, but for others this is their first big trip. Many will be able to make use of the onboard facilities to work from their new floating home. For these people, the price is appealing. Cabins start at $32,998 (£26,600) a year – that’s cheaper than some rents in big cities. In Manhattan, at least, some could be living in smaller spaces. Bravo to them for grabbing life by the horns. By the end of this, we’re all going to be family.
For me, it won’t be an inexpensive trip because I’ve chosen a seventh-floor cabin with a balcony. The total spend for my cabin is $562,000, over three years. I’m young at heart, but I’m a mature adult and I need the extra comfort. I invested well over my life, and have the money to spend. As I approach my vintage years, I certainly can’t take the money with me and I have no dependents, so why not spend it doing something I love – travelling and meeting new people?
My friends and family couldn’t be more thrilled for me. “Only you could do something like this,” they say. Some are looking forward to meeting me in farflung places. I already have friends joining me onboard in Shanghai, Alaska and Singapore. I don’t know that I’m going to have much time to myself with this schedule.
How do you pack for a three-year trip? Life at Sea sends each traveller a small pod to fill with possessions, which is then transported to our cabins. I’m an ocean diver and snorkeller, so my fins and mask are already packed. I’ve been living in rented accommodation for six months after I sold my home in southern Florida, and I have been steadily selling most of my things. It’s a great feeling to not be encumbered by things and there’s a certain freedom to it. Before I leave, I’ll sell my car and put a few treasured possessions in storage. When we set sail from Miami, it will be the beginning of a new life.
In three years’ time, I’ll have a clean slate for the next adventure. I’m already thinking about what that might be. But there’s no telling who I might meet along the way.
As told to Lucy Pasha-Robinson. Meredith Shay is a retired flight attendant who will embark on Life at Sea’s three-year cruise in November
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