When it comes to travel stories, I’ve met some seasoned explorers — but few can rival my friend and guest, Alana Hoskinson, who’s cruised so often she’s lost count.
Alana calls herself a “cruise addict”, and after listening to her tales, I think she’s earned the title.
Alana loves long cruises — “the longer the better,” she told me, laughing. “As long as possible without having to come home in between.”
She’s travelled from Japan to Hong Kong, through the Panama Canal, around the South Pacific, and beyond. She’s been caught in cyclones, trapped during COVID lockdowns, and somehow manages to keep her sense of humour through it all.
Cruising through COVID
One of the most remarkable stories Alana shared was a cruise she took from Japan through the Asian ports — Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam and beyond.
What started as a leisurely voyage turned into a month-long adventure when the “flu” going around Hong Kong evolved into COVID-19.
“We ended up stuck on the ship for an extra two weeks,” she said. “So instead of a 15-night cruise, it became 29 nights — and then another two weeks in Howard Springs when we got back to Australia.”
The memory of those early pandemic days still makes her chuckle. “They gave people cigarettes, but not alcohol!” she said. “We could have anything we wanted on the ship, but back home in quarantine — no wine with dinner.”
Her friend Diana even started a petition, but it made no difference. “They still didn’t give it to us,” Alana said with a shrug. “We just had to laugh.”
Magic at the Panama Canal
Not every cruise was so dramatic. One of Alana’s most cherished voyages began in New York, when she and her son joined a world cruise to celebrate her sister’s 60th birthday.
They glided through the Caribbean and then down through the Panama Canal — an experience Alana believes everyone should have at least once. “It’s just amazing,” she told me. “At one point you look up and see Panama City, and it looks like a magic city in the clouds — all white and gleaming.”
After disembarking in Los Angeles, Alana and her son flew straight to Las Vegas for the Star Trek Convention.
“It was like being at Starfleet Academy,” she laughed. “People everywhere were dressed up — it was wonderful.”
From Cyclones to Earthquakes
Alana’s travel stories don’t end with calm seas. She’s weathered cyclones in New Zealand, heat waves in Papua New Guinea, and even the odd earthquake.
Once, while staying in Rotorua during a predicted cyclone, she watched the wind whip the rose bush outside her window and thought, this could get nasty.
But in the morning? The petals were still there. “Surely a cyclone would have blown the petals off a rose,” she mused.
And then there was the night she was woken by what she thought was a loud bang — “turns out it was an earthquake,” she said. “It woke me, which is saying something. I sleep like the dead!”
Her sense of humour never fails her. “They left me alone with all the duty-free,” she said, eyes twinkling. “That could have been dangerous.”
The Joy of Small Ships and Familiar Ports
Alana loves the smaller ships — like the Carnival Luminosa — “big enough to enjoy, but small enough not to get lost,” she said. She’s done countless Pacific cruises, often revisiting the same ports in Vanuatu, Noumea, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea.
When I said how much I love Noumea — especially after spending months there while sailing — she laughed. “Once you’ve been a few times, you’ve done it. We just get off for the duty-free!”
Fair enough.
A Love for Bali — and a Walking Stick Tip
One surprise for me was how much Alana adores Bali.
“Everybody says they wouldn’t go,” she told me, “but it’s just beautiful.
Even the most frantic people end up having naps in the afternoon. It’s relaxing and clean, and the Balinese are the most beautiful people.”
She remembers when it was a little rougher around the edges — open drains, scooters everywhere — but says now it’s transformed.
Then, she shared perhaps the best travel hack I’ve ever heard:
“Always carry a walking stick. You get great service everywhere — airports, train stations, even cruise terminals. They wave you straight through and carry your luggage!”
That’s experience talking.
Dreams Still to Come
For all her travels, there are still places Alana dreams of visiting — Africa tops the list.
“I’d love to see the animals in their natural habitat,” she said. “And if I ever win the lotto, I’ll do that train right up through Africa.”
She also dreams of staying on a coffee plantation in Panama, visiting her waiter friend’s family, and maybe even taking an Amazon or Nile cruise.
“You never know,” she smiled. “Might still happen.”
Cruising Ahead
As for what’s next, Alana’s already got her plans in motion: she’s heading to San Francisco next year, then doing a back-to-back cruise through Mexico and Alaska.
“I loved Alaska,” she said. “Seward absolutely took our breath away. It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.”
I couldn’t agree more — and something tells me this won’t be her last adventure.
Until Next Time
Talking with Alana reminded me that travel isn’t about ticking places off a list. It’s about the stories — the laughter over sundowners, the strangers who become friends, and the moments that make you pause and think, wow, I’m really here.
And Alana has plenty more of those stories yet to tell.
Would you like to share YOUR story?
Here is the link to my Podcast with Allana – If you would like to share some of your travel adventures with me – please leave a comment and I will contact you shortly to arrange a time.
Recording travel stories is as simple as taking a Zoom call – Easy Peazy!
