I was not experienced at cruise journeys before I got on the board of Silver Whisper this year. I had to admit I probably would never do it, if I didn’t divorced at the end of the last year. I was very depressed and all my friends were very worried about me. My boss (I’m a lawyer) even recommended me to go on a cruise journey trip to relax. I have always used the planes as a transport so far. I needed to be on the right place in the right time and I didn’t want to waist time by traveling. That’s why I had never had the opportunity to travel on a cruise ship. My boss was so worried about me, that he even booked me a ticket for Silver Whisper, the Mediterranean tour. As I didn’t know how to refuse and what to do with my life, I agreed. In fact I didn’t expect to live something very exciting, or to change my life at once, but this happened.
I took a plane to Istanbul, where the journey began, one day earlier to have time enough and not to have to hurry. The city impressed me by the combination of the traditional old buildings and the modern ones. The people were a colorful crowd of entirely different men, women and children. The city, on two continents, deserved to be seen. I haven’t regretted this my decision.
I had time even to try some local food and I found it very exotic and extremely delicious. The people were friendly and I felt safe.
The next day my journey on Silver Whisper began. The ship impressed me with its luxury. My cabin was a six-star luxury class. The bed, covered with finest satin sheets, was very comfortable. My cabin disposed of a TV and a video player, but I really couldn’t use them, because the journey was really entertaining and I met such new friends, that I didn’t have any minute to be alone or depressed. In the bathroom there was a marble bath, shampoos and body washes and everything to feel comfortable. There was also a very comfortable large-sized bathrobe. In the room there was also a sofa and four chairs, nightstands and a coffee table. My cabin steward told me I could invite guests while the ship was in port.
For the rest of the ship, I can only say that it was over I had expected. A very nice dining room, delicious food and the chef was French, as the staff told me. On the ship there was a public swimming pool with barbecue, which enabled me to stay on the sun and not to miss the lunch. Besides the pool, I often visited the gym. After the journey I found out I had lost weight and this made me feel happy.
The second day we saw the Athon monasteries, where it was still forbidden for women to go. The guide told us about the history of the site, as we moved through the sea. It was really interesting to get to know the history of an exotic place; very different from the world we have known so far. On the third day, we visited the Greek island Mykonos.
We had the opportunity to visit the lovely beaches and to try the local hospitality, as the local food. It was very similar to the Turkish food. The next day we traveled to Italy and I spent all my time on board, chatting with my new friends, staying in the sun and doing exercises in the gym. I really felt relaxed. The ship also offered an Internet connection, which was very good for me. I wrote to my boss and to my parents not to be worried about me anymore and I told them what a wonderful experience the journey was. The fifth day we entered Italy. First we stayed in Catania, the city was amazing.
Me and some friends from the ship went on a small excursion on the coast. We admired the beauty of Italy, we tried the local Frutti di Mare specialties, we felt really spoilt. We visited some traditional singing and dancing performances and we had time enough to see everything, without hurrying to go on board. The next day, when we arrived in Salerno, our group decided to go on a trip to the mount Etna. We caught the ferry and we visited the island of Capri with its small streets and the sea, surrounding the island. I haven’t seen such a beautiful place before! I made a promise to return one day.
The next day we entered Civitavecchia and then we caught a train and went to Rome for an hour. I didn’t appreciate Rome much, because I like smaller cities, but I didn’t miss to see the Coliseum, the Forum and The Vatican City. Our group found a very pretty traditional restaurant where we tried the famous pasta, pizza and the local wines. It was an unforgettable day.
The next day we arrived in Livorno and hired a van to Florence. The city deserves to be seen. We did some nice shopping of leather goods and saw Michelangelo’s David. The same night was our last night on board and the staff had organized a very nice party for us, with live music. We went to bed in the morning.
This trip meant a lot for me because it helped me to forget my problems and showed me the world of the cruise ship traveling. The journey helped me to reconsider my life and to insist on the positive thoughts. Immediately after I came back home, I started planning my next Christmas holiday. Guess what it will be like?