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Sunny Skies, Smooth Seas Welcome Us to the Top of the World

Posted on July 10, 2025July 10, 2025 by Jo Johnston

Days 6-8, 2025 European Odyssey Friday-Sunday, July 4-6, 2025; Honningsvag, Hammerfest and Alta, Norway. Years ago some guys in a bar in Breckenridge, Colo., asked me where my condo was, and I said, “at the end of the circle.” They proceeded to argue that a circle has no end. I

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2025 European Odyssey
3 comments

Trondheim Guide Introduces Me to City’s History, Culture, Best Coffee

Posted on July 6, 2025July 6, 2025 by Jo Johnston

Days 4-5, 2025 European Odyssey Wednesday and Thursday, July 2-3, 2025; Trondheim, Norway, and Norwegian Sea. I was late to the game in signing up for a walking tour of Trondheim, Norway. A fellow cruiser on our Cruise Critic roll call (social media threads for each and every cruise) put

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2025 European Odyssey
7 comments

Stunning Mountain Scenery Peeps Through Fog on Famous Rail Trip

Posted on July 3, 2025July 3, 2025 by Jo Johnston

Day 3, 2025 European Odyssey Tuesday, July 1, 2025; Åndalsnes, Norway I’m gearing myself up for a marathon of cruise ports for the next few months. I’m used to long cruises with lots of sea days as we sail across oceans. This summer and fall will consist mainly of two-week

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2025 European Odyssey
15 comments

Not Just a New Adventure; It’s an Odyssey from Greenland to Egypt

Posted on June 28, 2025June 28, 2025 by Jo Johnston

Day -1, 2025 European Odyssey Saturday, June 28, 2025; Amsterdam, Netherlands I pondered what to call this journey. Previous cruises came with a name — Grand World Voyage, Ultimate Mediterranean, Majestic Japan, Voyage of the Vikings. This time I’m not embarking on a single cruise, but on 10 back-to-back cruises

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2025 European Odyssey
53 comments

Bittersweet Goodbye to Dear Friends After 124 Days Circling the Globe

Posted on May 10, 2025May 10, 2025 by Jo Johnston

Day 124 +2, 2025 Grand World Voyage Saturday, May 10, 2025; Plano, Texas. When I woke up last night, I tried to remember whether today would be a port day and, if so, what port. Sadly, I eventually realized I was in a Plano hotel room, not still at sea.

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2025 Grand World Voyage
16 comments

Final Port a Great Excuse to Party as World Voyage Nears End

Posted on May 8, 2025May 8, 2025 by Jo Johnston

Days 116-122, 2025 Grand World Voyage Wednesday to Tuesday, April 20-May 6, 2025; At Sea and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Our last port sunset of the cruise was a stunner, adding to the awe, beauty and even nostalgia of this 124-day cruise. As we leave San Juan, Puerto Rico, we

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2025 Grand World Voyage
7 comments

The Day the Lights Went Out in Lisbon; We Just Partied On

Posted on May 2, 2025May 2, 2025 by Jo Johnston

Days 114-115, 2025 Grand World Voyage Monday and Tuesday, April 28-29, 2025; Lisbon, Portugal, and Tangier, Morocco. We were so excited to meet up in Barcelona with the Volendam, on its own grand pole-to-pole voyage, that we didn’t notice that both ships would meet up again just a few days

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2025 Grand World Voyage
4 comments

Alicante’s Magical Spirit, Energy Makes For Entrancing Repeat Visit

Posted on April 30, 2025April 30, 2025 by Jo Johnston

Day 112, 2025 Grand World Voyage Saturday, April 26, 2025; Alicante, Spain. I stood – simply entranced — for half an hour, watching couples come together for a set of fast-paced swing to music from a portable sound box. Some obviously were couples, but others perhaps strangers drawn together by

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2025 Grand World Voyage
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Don’t Visit Barcelona without Deep Dive into Gaudí Architecture

Posted on April 29, 2025April 29, 2025 by Jo Johnston

Day 111, 2025 Grand World Voyage Friday, April 25, 2025; Barcelona, Spain. After all the partying and visiting yesterday between the passengers and crews of the Zuiderdam and Volendam, today we got around to actually seeing Barcelona. My sisters Eloise and Elaine, with friends Jett, Kelly and Jolanda from the

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2025 Grand World Voyage
5 comments

Grand Meetup Reunites Friends, Sisters for Barcelona Extravaganza

Posted on April 28, 2025April 28, 2025 by Jo Johnston

Day 110, 2025 Grand World Voyage Thursday, April 24, 2025; Barcelona, Spain. Holland America exceeded my expectations with an amazing party and drone show tonight in Barcelona. I admit that early on I had my doubts about the Grand Meetup 2025, when Holland America’s Zuiderdam and Volendam – each on

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2025 Grand World Voyage
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I’m a writer in love with the sea, sailing, travel and sketching.

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Recent Posts

  • Sunny Skies, Smooth Seas Welcome Us to the Top of the World
  • Trondheim Guide Introduces Me to City’s History, Culture, Best Coffee
  • Stunning Mountain Scenery Peeps Through Fog on Famous Rail Trip
  • Not Just a New Adventure; It’s an Odyssey from Greenland to Egypt
  • Bittersweet Goodbye to Dear Friends After 124 Days Circling the Globe

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