Ready or not, my world is about to start turning again after two-and-a half + years, as I land in New York City to begin a 46-day cruise adventure. Planning this journey for over a year has been almost make believe, yet here I am.

Astonishingly, my flights, luggage, and hotel transports all occur flawlessly, unheard of in today’s travel world. I take it as a good sign.

My hotel is perfectly located in the heart of midtown Manhattan. It even has an expansive (for New York) terrace on the 21st floor overlooking bustling 57th Street, next door to the famed Russian Tea Room and Carnegie Hall. I arrive with a day to spare before boarding the ship, which is always my policy to cover the unpredictable. 

West 57th Street, NYC

Carnegie Hall

West 57th Street, NYC

One World Trade Center, NYC

Statue of Liberty, New York Harbor

This is my first big solo travel experiment and I feel like I have jumped in with both feet, except my previous cruising friends with whom I have been Zooming during the pandemic will all be along for the ride…three couples and me.

It is a whirlwind visit in New York, but I manage to have dinner at two lovely nearby restaurants, get in plenty of walking, go to the bustling Museum of Modern Art, stroll through Columbus Circle, and enjoy The City That Never Sleeps from my hotel balcony, with voyeuristic views overlooking multi-million dollar penthouse apartments on Billionaire’s Row.

Andy Warhol

MOMA, New York

Jackson Pollock

Monet’s Water Lilies

Monet’s Water Lilies, Detail

Pablo Picasso

I passed my mandatory Covid test for embarkation, packed up my bags, and am ready to board the ship Insignia, bound for New York to New York, taking the long way around.

So long New York…see you in September!

Itinerary