Eighteen Days at Sea

October 23, 2024
I just disembarked from my first long cruise. Previously, I had cruised for a week at a time. Many of my nomad-traveler friends take advantage of the bargain rates on repositioning cruises, so I decided to give it a try.
Nearly a year ago, an acquaintance contacted me to see if I could housesit for her for two weeks in September…in Hawaii. It was an easy yes, and I decided to check off a couple of items from the Bucket List: Australia and New Zealand.
Thus began the search for the best cruise from Honolulu to Sydney. I chose Celebrity Edge for several reasons. I’ve always enjoyed the quality of the line, and Edge is in their newest class of ships. The dates fit well into my itinerary, too.

But 18 days at sea with only six port days? This would be a good test to see if I enjoyed the sea days.

First, the ship is gorgeous. I’d say it’s a little classier and more understated than other Celebrity and Royal Caribbean ships I had previously experienced. There are sections dedicated to art displays, and the main atrium is a few stories high rather than a dozen.

The veranda rooms have an infinite veranda, which makes the room feel larger because the veranda is an extension of the room. The outside wall consists of two windows, and the top one can be retracted to form a glass balcony.
Storage in the room is abundant and carefully designed to use every inch of possible space.
Instead of one large dining room, there are four themed restaurants. Initially, I received a late dining time of 8:15, but on the first night, the hostess switched me to freestyle dining. I could then eat at any restaurant anytime between 5:30 and 8:30. Some nights, I joined new friends for dinner but mostly settled into a 6:30ish dinner time at Tuscan, the Italian-themed restaurant. I connected with one waiter, who was in tune with my dietary needs as a person with Celiac disease. Most nights, I preordered for the next evening.
I ate breakfast and lunch in Oceanview Café, the ship’s buffet restaurant. The offerings were extensive, with some sections consistently offering the same foods and others offering specialized dishes. All the dishes were labeled for allergies so I could safely find abundant gluten-free items. There was also a vegan section, and the Indian food quickly became a lunchtime favorite.
The only disappointment was the gluten-free mini-cakes. They tended to be dry and hard. Other than that, I ate well!
As far as extras are concerned, I splurged on a spa pass for the duration of the journey. On sea days, I worked out in the mornings doing yoga, weights, and the elliptical trainer. Then, I enjoyed the salt room, infrared sauna, steam rooms, and therapeutic showers. It was a great way to start each day!

I had a view of these golden penguins from the sauna!

Entertainment on the ship was abundant and mostly of high quality. There were educational lectures every morning about the environment, the ship’s destinations, and math and science. Ongoing classes included ukelele and drawing. There were game shows, trivia, and a featured show each night. Throughout the ship, various musicians and singers performed in the bars and lounges.

The Eden Bar was filled with plants.

So, would I go on a repositioning cruise again? Yes! I have already booked a transatlantic cruise from Florida to Barcelona for next April. This time, I will be traveling with some fellow nomads. Looking forward to more fun on the high seas!