A Nerds Adventure On The Open Seas

By Kevin Hoskinson
Entertainment Editor

When my wife and I first set sail on the Discovery Princess in 2022 for an Alaskan Cruise, we weren’t quite sure what to expect. We had both experienced short cruises when we were young adult but nothing like the massive seven-day trek we were about to embark on. As somebody who enjoys nature but also indulges in nerdy things every day of my life, I was afraid that there was going to be nothing for me on this adventure. We had our preconceived ideas about what a cruise was and who was on board, and none of that prepared us for how much fun we were going to have.

Needless to say, it was the experience of a lifetime. Without getting into specifics, the beauty of Alaska took my breath away, and it was a wonderful experience. While on board the ship, there was plenty to do in its massive promenade and event spaces throughout. Everything from Star Wars trivia to movies under the stars to making new friends kept us busy when we weren’t watching passing glaciers and visiting ports along the way. As soon as it ended, we realized we were hooked and instantly booked another one, this time one that explored the Caribbean.

Our vacation on The Caribbean Princess was another seven-day cruise that visited Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel, Mexico. It was going to be another trip of a lifetime, but even after our first time, I still had some concerns. On top of the usual things, my anxiety has seen a massive incline since 2022, and I was worried if it was going to be too much. Being on a massive ship with thousands of strangers didn’t seem like a great time, and I started to stress out a bit days before we got to Florida to embark on our adventure. Don’t get me wrong, I was very excited to go, but there are some things out of our control, as anybody with anxiety and ADHD will tell you.

Any worries I had before boarding quickly disappeared as soon as we embarked on our first day at sea. Flying in from Portland, we took the long flight to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, which was the most stressful part about getting there. Air travel is great, and props to the employees of the airlines that keep it going day in and day out, but it’s rarely a super fun experience. Everything else was as easy as it could be. We got on our beautiful ship, and it was time to let loose and leave your worries behind. I felt a sense of relief as soon as we got out of the crowds and onto the ship’s top deck, which offered a beautiful view of the city and dock port. We then went to our room with a balcony view and watched as we cruised into the massive Caribbean Sea.

It was the first night watching the open sea that I knew this was something special. Not only were my wife and I celebrating our thirteenth wedding anniversary, but we were traveling through history. Like many of us, I have been fascinated by pirate history and lore my whole life. Treasure Island is my favorite novel of all time, and Pirates Of The Caribbean is easily my favorite attraction at Disney Parks. While those are works of fiction, they inspired me to learn more about that world and time period. To be sailing on the same waters as such notorious pirates as Blackbeard, Anne Bonney, William Kidd, and Calico Jack was unreal. Hearing the water splash against the body of the ship in the quiet vastness of the ocean was soothing to the soul.

While we were at sea the first few days, there was plenty to do on the ship. We noticed that, as opposed to the Alaskan Cruise, this vacation focused more on being outside. The ship’s interior felt smaller, but there was more space on the deck to enjoy the pool areas and have some drinks and food. There were two main pools to enjoy; one that primarily played music and had a relaxing party vibe while the other was more family-oriented, featuring a giant screen playing movies all day. They played The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Top Gun: Maverick, Avatar: The Way Of Water, Fast X and so much more on our trip. One of my favorite parts about this was their Movies Under The Stars after the sun went down. They showed more mature fare during this time, and the movie we watched was Past Lives, which I had been dying to watch. It was a very cool way to unwind and enjoy a film. Not only will we always remember that wonderful film, but we will never forget how we experienced it.

If movies under the stars aren’t your thing, there were plenty of activities inside the ship. They offered a new stand-up comedian every night in The Laugh Lounge, fun game shows, and trivia hosted by the fantastic crew of the ship, and in the Princess Theater, they had incredible Broadway-style shows and performances. You don’t even have to do any of those and still be entertained. There were nights we just explored and found excellent drinks and delicious food. Certain restaurants were better than others, but we would always end up at Slice late at night. The pizza there is so good and always hit the spot no matter the time of day.

While the ship is your home for the week, the ports and excursions are the main attraction. I get that it’s possible to visit these places without getting on a boat, but traveling on a cruise ship offers something different at an affordable price point. It may seem like a lot of money at first, but when you start considering the fact that you are getting a room and food, it’s not so bad. It becomes priceless when you throw in the added benefit of stopping in places you never dreamed. I never thought I would ever visit Jamaica, check out the crystal caves (and pirate hideouts) of Grand Cayman, and explore Mayan ruins in Talum, Mexico. The latter two experiences were an additional cost, but visiting these places is included in the overall price of the cruise. When you break it down, it all makes sense.

If it hasn’t become shockingly apparent at this point, I highly recommend going on a cruise. Go travel the world and see places that inspire and leave you with a sense of wonder and awe. Learn about a new culture and make some friends. Eat your heart out and watch movies under the stars. It’s completely worth it, and no matter what you are into, you will find something to love.