Turning 50 has made me stop and think about just how lucky I am.

It really is a privilege to age. To have another year, another chapter and another chance to make memories, see more of the world and say yes to things I might once have put off.

And what better way to celebrate than with travel?

I’ve decided that during my 50th year, I’m going to try to have 50 travel experiences.

And I’ve already crossed the first one off the list: celebrating my 50th birthday at sea. 

I’ve written more about that adventure here in TravelTalk: Fifty and Forever Young at Sea.

But 50 experiences doesn’t mean 50 big, expensive holidays.

That’s not what I’m looking for.

Some might be huge bucket-list adventures. Others could be as simple as finding a beautiful new place for lunch, watching a sunrise somewhere I’ve never seen one before or taking a spontaneous little getaway.

Because after 50 years, I’ve realised that travel memories aren’t necessarily about how much something cost or how far you travelled, but the unexpected moments that stay with you.

Of course, there are still plenty of big dreams on my list.

 - An African safari.

 - Seeing the Northern Lights.

 - France. France. France

 - Cruising the Nile 

 - Uluru

And yes, there will definitely be more cruising. I’d love to cruise somewhere I’ve never been before, try a completely different type of cruise or simply choose an itinerary because it looks fascinating.

After all, cruising has been such a huge part of my life that I can’t imagine celebrating 50 without a ship or two involved.

But I want to leave room for the unexpected.

Maybe I’ll say yes to something I’d normally say no to, or take a trip without planning every minute.

Maybe travel somewhere close to home that I’ve somehow never visited or revisit somewhere that holds a beautiful memory.

The thing is, I don’t want to come up with all 50 experiences myself.

I want you to help me. What should I do?

Give me your big bucket-list ideas.

Give me the little things that cost almost nothing. 

Tell me about the places you think I need to see, the journeys worth taking, the food I have to try and those experiences that have stayed with you long after you came home.

It could be as simple as having coffee somewhere with an incredible view. Near or far, big or small, luxury or completely free.

I want my 50th year to be about collecting stories, experiences and memories, not just stamps in a passport.

So, Cruising With Honey is putting the question out there:

If you could choose ONE travel experience for me to have during my 50th year, what would it be?

I’m listening. And who knows, your suggestion might just become number 50. 

I Wasn’t Invited to CLIA360: What Happened?

I’m going to share an update I genuinely never expected to be sharing after more than a decade covering and supporting the cruise industry.

I wasn’t invited to CLIA360.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve bumped into industry colleagues who have said, “I’ll see you at CLIA,” only to look surprised when I told them I wouldn’t be there.

Naturally, I started wondering what had changed.

A decade supporting the cruise industry

I’ve had a long-standing relationship with CLIA Australasia and have attended and been invited to countless CLIA events over the years.

I’ve also regularly checked in with CLIA when doing media interviews, particularly when discussing cruise industry issues, to make sure I was getting the messaging right and giving CLIA the opportunity to have its say.

I’ve spent more than a decade promoting cruising, sharing cruise news and experiences, interviewing cruise industry leaders and helping Australian cruisers make informed decisions.

I’ve always aimed to keep my coverage balanced, fair and, most importantly, useful to cruisers.

So, when this year’s CLIA360 invitation didn’t arrive, I decided that rather than speculate about why, I would simply ask.

But why wasn’t I invited to CLIA360?

I was reassured that the decision was not personal.

I was told that CLIA has to be selective about the additional industry and media invitations it can accommodate, with the aim of broadening the range of coverage and voices represented at the event.

I appreciate the explanation, but it still left me scratching my head.

After all, I’m only one person. And I don’t take up that much room.

More seriously, from a marketing perspective, it does make me wonder about the value of having established Australian cruise media and cruise content creators in the room.

Wouldn’t you want the most-read and most-followed cruise blogger, with a large and diverse Australian cruising audience, there to experience the event, hear directly from cruise industry leaders and report back to cruisers?

That’s the part I find difficult to understand.

What Australian cruisers will miss

Cruise360 Australasia is described by CLIA as the biggest and most important annual cruise industry event in the Southern Hemisphere.

It brings together cruise industry professionals including travel advisors, agency owners, cruise line representatives, ports and destinations, travel industry suppliers and other CLIA supporters for a broad look at the future of cruising.

It is also an important opportunity for the media to hear what is happening across the Australian and international cruise industry.

And this year, I won’t be there to report back to you.

I won’t be sitting in the sessions hearing directly from cruise line executives and industry leaders.

I won’t be bringing you the latest cruise industry insights.

I won’t be sharing what’s happening behind the scenes at one of the biggest cruise industry events in Australia.

And I won’t be asking the questions that I know many of you want answered.

That’s something I’ve always enjoyed doing.

Because while CLIA360 is an industry event, the information shared there ultimately matters to the people who book cruises, choose cruise lines, plan their holidays and want to know where the cruise industry is heading.

This isn’t about being entitled to an invitation

I want to make one thing very clear.

I have never believed I am entitled to an invitation to CLIA360.

Organisations have every right to decide who attends their events.

But after more than 10 years of covering cruising, and developing an audience of Australian cruisers and consistently supporting the cruise industry, I think it is fair to ask questions about how decisions around media attendance are made.

Especially when the stated objective is to broaden coverage and voices.

I’ve spent years talking to cruisers, interviewing industry leaders, attending cruise events, travelling on ships, visiting destinations and reporting on everything from cruise trends and new ships to the issues affecting Australian cruisers.

I’ve never expected special treatment, but I do believe there is value in having independent cruise media in the room.

So, what happens next?

I’ll keep doing what I’ve always done.

I’ll keep talking to the cruise industry.

I’ll keep asking questions.

I’ll keep reporting on the issues that matter to Australian cruisers.

And I’ll keep bringing you cruise news, cruise reviews, cruise trends and insights from the people shaping the industry.

I just won’t be doing it from inside CLIA360 this year.

And perhaps that’s the most disappointing part.

Because after a decade of supporting the cruise industry, I would have loved to be there.

But don’t worry, cruisers, I’ll still be watching and asking questions.

Because that’s what I do.