Official duties

I get ridiculously excited whenever I receive an email from Ponant announcing a new “Discovery Session” is coming to Sydney.

I love their Discovery Sessions! What’s not to like about sipping bubbles and slurping oysters while hearing from expedition leaders about their travels and experiences?

So I was thrilled to get a “Dear Alana” message in May telling me there was a bonus session coming up, unveiling new close-to-home experiences across the Philippines, Melanesia, Japan and beyond.

The email added: “We are also revealing some of the Indian Ocean’s best-kept secrets, from South Africa and the Seychelles to Madagascar. Discover what’s new through to 2028 and combine your existing PONANT Yacht Club benefits with exclusive event-only offers designed to maximise your booking value on your next escape.”

Yes please! I want to go to ALL those places.

That said, I can’t actually book any more cruises because my travel calendar is full until late 2029. But a girl/middle-aged woman can dream.

The event was held last night and there were special prizes up for grabs, including a mystery cruise. Be still my beating heart!

DD and I also put our hands up to be Ambassadors again.

This involves wearing badges outlining our previous cruise destinations and being available for potential cruisers to chat to throughout the evening. 

Chatting about cruises is my superpower!

Fortunately, I have the eldest staying with me at the moment. That meant I could work in the city yesterday and go straight to the hotel where the event was being held.

This allowed a few minutes beforehand to catch up with my travel agent in the bar. She’s just as obsessed with cruising as me and is off to the North Pole later this year.

We briefly discussed my cruise objectives for 2027 before I headed off to be briefed on my ambassadorial duties.

Post briefing, I grabbed a glass of Moet and a party pie before the presentations, which were lots of fun. My favourite expedition leader Ryo discussed some very appealing Asia Pacific options.

Ryo created Ponant’s Japan itineraries and we were lucky enough to sail with him to the Japanese sub-tropical islands. But he spends most of every year in the polar regions.

I caught up with him later in the evening to daydream about whether I should visit Antarctica or the Arctic first. He said Antarctica, so I need to work on winning the lottery for that.

But for now, it’s back to the real world.

Song of the day: The Go Gos “Vacation”