My cruising story begins just after my 20th birthday, on a charming 600 passenger Italian ship called the Costa Allegra.

My cozy suburban adolescence produced in me a deep longing to see the world. And so, see it I did!

On a whim I decided to send a resume to a Cruise Boutique concessions company & within 3 weeks I was on a plane to Genova to start my new job as an onboard Shopgirl!

Cruise Ship Boutique staff or “Shoppies” as they are known, have probably got the best hours of anyone on board! With all that time in port I was free to explore & adventure in places I had

only ever dreamed of seeing.

The Costa VictoriaThe Costa VictoriaMy Home for over a year

Madeira, PortugalMadeira, Portugal

Madeira, PortugalMadeira, Portugal

Mykonos, GreeceMykonos, Greece

La Valetta, MaltaLa Valetta, Malta

Pompeii, ItalyPompeii, Italy

Pompeii, ItalyPompeii, Italy

Port after port I became increasingly enamored with ship life. Maybe it’s the Aquarius in me, but I just had to be at Sea!

The adventures were endless, the misadventures hilarious and the pictures and memories are simply unforgettable!

Palma Mallorca, SpainPalma Mallorca, Spain

Grand Prix Track, Monte CarloGrand Prix Track, Monte Carlo

San Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan, Puerto Ricowith mom!

AntiguaAntigua

Cadiz, SpainCadiz, Spain

My 2 years as a My 2 years as a Shoppie Shoppie brought brought me to over 100 different cities, me to over 100 different cities,

many of which began to feel like many of which began to feel like home. I picked up one foreign home. I picked up one foreign

language, improved upon language, improved upon another and perfected two another and perfected two

more.more.

I came back to Toronto a cultured I came back to Toronto a cultured and grown woman with the and grown woman with the precious memories and invaluable precious memories and invaluable experiences that educated me far experiences that educated me far more than any institution ever more than any institution ever could have.could have.

And so, after originally promising my family and friends that I would only be away for 8 months, I decided to begin a new chapter at sea…

This time as a Social Hostess aboard a luxury World Cruise liner sailing on Grand Voyages!

Bora BoraBora Bora New CaledoniaNew Caledonia

My time on board was sweet and very cherished. To me a Cruise is not only a superb holiday, it’s representative of a way of life for many worldly citizens. Those of us for whom the ends of the world are vast but reachable and your friends, loved ones and your Home exist without borders.

My Cruising Accomplishments

Equator Crossings

Transatlantic Voyages

Transpacific Voyages

Panama Canal Crossings

International Dateline Crossings

Grand Voyage Mediterranean

Grand Voyage South Pacific & Australasia

The Americas

CanadaMexico United StatesCosta RicaPanamaSan Blas IslandArgentinaBrazilColombiaUruguayVenezuela

The Caribbean & Atlantic Ocean Islands

AnguillaAntiguaAruba

BahamasBarbadosBarbudaBermuda

Cayman IslandsDominica

Dominican RepublicMartiniquePuerto Rico

San Andres & ProvidenciaSt. Barts

St. Kitts & NevisSt. Lucia

St. MaartenSt. Martin

Turks & Caicos IslandsVirgin Islands; U.S. (St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas)

Virgin Islands; British (Tortola, etc.)

Azores IslandsCanary Islands

Cape Verde Islands Madeira

The Caribbean & Atlantic Ocean Islands

The Mediterranean

Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Minorca, Ibiza)

CorsicaCrete

CyprusFranceMalta

MonacoPortugalSardinia

SicilyGreece

Ionian Islands (Corfu, etc.)Dodecanese Is. (Rhodes)

ItalySpain

Vatican City

North Africa, The Maghreb & The Middle East

Algeria

Gibraltar

Morocco

Senegal

Cape Verde

Tunisia

Turkey

South Pacific & Australasia

Australia

Cook Islands

French Polynesia

(Tahiti: Morea, Bora Bora)

Hawaiian Islands

Midway Island

New Caldedonia

Pitcairn Island

Solomon Islands

Tonga (Nukualofa)