Traveling alone takes more courage than you’d think
January 8-9, 2026 – At sea
Woke up in a good mood. It’s incredible how many people I meet who recognize me… Apparently, there are about 600 cruisers who experienced the 2025 cruise, which is impressive. However, no Asians in sight… probably because we’re ending this trip far from Asia. My first daily report was slipped under the door.
Remember: this document announces the day’s activities. Inside, an invitation was tucked away: a meeting at 10:00 AM concerning all excursions for the first part of the trip. For me, it’s only natural to attend. On the way, I run into the captain, Mr. Pietro Sarcinella. He hasn’t changed: still the same warm smile. I extend my hand, he offers his cheek. Touched that he recognized me, I happily tell him that the book I was writing during the first cruise has now been published. I brought two signed copies on board. But where to put them… we no longer have a library on board.
He suggests I leave one at the Book Lending corner on the 7th floor, and another on the 14th, in the Club lounge, for him. A sweet feeling of coming full circle washes over me. I’m happy to meet my friend Michel for lunch. I recognize him immediately and can’t help but tease him that exercise would do him a world of good… He laughs and confirms: at least ten kilos to lose. “I’m counting on you,” he jokes, before handing me a gift to celebrate our reunion.
A short nap, then back to the gym. Twice a day… 45 minutes on the treadmill and 45 minutes on the bike. As I settle onto the bike, a charming white-haired gentleman takes the one next to me. He barely has time to say hello before his wife immediately sits down, her mat at his feet, even though the floor gym is on the other side… Oh, women… as if I was going to jump on her husband! I do have some decorum… laughs.
The day unfolds gently, almost peacefully, until the presentation of the new command team and officers of the Magnifica, in the amphitheater. Michel offers to accompany me; I gladly accept. It’s a real pleasure to see some familiar faces again. First, there’s the captain, Mr. Pietro Sarcinella, then Giovanni Caso, the F&B Director, Ciro D’Agostino, the Head Chef, Salvatore Spompanato, the Restaurant Operations Director, Nicoletta Yamicole, the Housekeeping Manager, Antonino Mastellone, the Chief Engineer, Michele Schettino, the Staff Captain, Sonia Costero, the Cruise Director, Joel Velasquez, the Guest Relations Director… And the newcomers: Guglielmo Gargiulo, the Hotel Director, as well as Michele Schettino, the Second Captain. I am particularly impressed by the captain, who can express himself in all languages with an almost fascinating ease.
Then comes the fateful moment. The one I dreaded most when embarking on this cruise: dinner. I am invited to table 589. Michel tries to reassure me, inviting me for a drink at the bar next to the restaurant. A delicate, almost protective gesture… but what I feared eventually happened. When the hotel manager introduces me to the table, I discover the guests: three French couples, already seated. From the mere expression on their faces, I immediately understand the situation. I was the intruder. Just like on the 2025 world cruise. So Michel, a perfect gentleman, agrees not to join his own table. He asks for a table for two, and we dine quietly, apart. In the end, things worked out for the best… A year without seeing each other: we had so much to talk about.
On this misty morning of January 9, I made sure to set my watch back an hour before heading to breakfast, where, by chance, I ran into the restaurant director. I took the opportunity to inform him of my incident at dinner the previous evening. Immediately, with a smile, he assured me that the problem would be resolved that very evening. I also confirmed that I intended to stay for the 6:30 PM service, which is better for digestion. You cannot imagine what it feels like to be alone and have to integrate into an already formed table; it’s a silent ordeal. When you arrive alone, facing established groups, couples who already know each other, you have to find your place without disturbing, smile without overdoing it, exist without imposing yourself. You become the one who arrives “in addition,” the one who disrupts an already established balance. The glances, sometimes embarrassed, sometimes closed off, speak before words. And you understand, in a few seconds, that integration will be complicated, if not impossible. I so wished my friend Lyrie were here. Her presence would have changed everything.
With her, there would have been no apprehension, no feeling of being in the way. As a pair, you don’t endure the table: you share it. But alone, every meal becomes a small challenge.
A moment where you have to prepare yourself internally, gather your courage, just to sit down… and pretend everything is fine. And yet, everything went well. I met two absolutely charming Canadian couples. The first, older, Claire and Bob, was already on their fourth world cruise. The second, younger, Al and Kenzia, was experiencing their first time at sea.
This first dinner unfolded in a gentle and respectful atmosphere. Everyone was finding their footing, without intrusive curiosity, without superfluous questions. The exchanges were simple, natural… and above all, pleasant. I had finally found a table that accepted me, even alone. And that changed everything. I had hope. Carried by this beautiful energy, I then went to the amphitheater to attend an exceptional moment: the opera “O Sole Mio”. What a joy to find the famous tenor Alessandro Dimassi again, whom I had already enjoyed so much in 2025. To hear him again, here, on a ship, felt almost unreal. This performance was a first, a moment suspended between sky and sea, where the voice of the opera embraced the roll of the waves. A true waking dream. A little tired but light-hearted, I returned to my cabin, a smile on my face, profoundly happy to have found my place. And there, a new surprise awaited me: books in French placed on my bed. A delicate and touching gesture from the MSC staff. I was overjoyed.
January 10, 2026 – Funchal – Madeira
After a light breakfast, with a smile and ticket in hand, I went to the amphitheater for my excursion. One of those moments where you feel the day is going to matter. At 8:45 AM, settled in bus 25, I listened attentively to the explanations of our Portuguese guide, determined to make this discovery a success. Very quickly, Madeira revealed itself before my eyes as a vertical garden, spectacular and untamed. A mountainous, steep, intensely green island. Here, humidity hovers around 80%… how can nature fall asleep? Madeira remains green all year round, vibrant, almost wild. A rugged land where everything goes up, everything climbs… and do you know what? No cable car to cheat the effort. Despite the endless climbs, I held strong… and even resisted the Pastéis de Nata, an achievement in itself. And then, as a soccer fan, it was impossible not to notice: Cristiano Ronaldo is everywhere. A building, a shop, a museum… his benevolent shadow accompanies every step. Impossible to ignore him.
Arriving at Cabo Girão, one of the highest cliffs in Europe and the second in the world, the spectacle is breathtaking. Here, the green plunges abruptly into the blue. The void is dizzying, the silence impressive. Below, the terraces shaped by man tell centuries of courage and ingenuity. The vines cling to the mountain, defying the slope, time… and sometimes even gravity. And then there are those unexpected moments that make you smile. As I was quietly filming myself, a woman, convinced that I was the companion of the man always by my side, absolutely insisted on immortalizing a photo of “the two of us.” Madeira creates connections… even imaginary ones. Funchal is also the call of the deep ocean. Where the mythical black scabbardfish is caught with a line. A fish from the abyss, served as a fillet… accompanied by bananas. A surprising, disorienting, yet delicious combination. It’s not an island you visit. It’s an island you feel. The evening passed pleasantly with a convivial dinner featuring Portuguese dishes and a jazz concert… and again a lovely surprise in the room: a bathrobe… I had dreamed of one in 2025… it was there… Thank you, MSC.
