Eurotrip 2024: Leg 2 — From NYC to the High Seas

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to fly business class for the first time, attempt to nap in an airport capsule, survive an EasyJet flight, and finally board a cruise ship all in the same journey—well, same. Buckle up, because this leg of our Eurotrip was a doozy.

My First Time in Delta One — I’m Fancy Now

Our trip kicked off in style at JFK, where I got to experience Delta One for the very first time. Business class on Delta? Game-changer. The seats were basically space pods, and the service? Chef’s kiss. But what really blew me away was the Delta One Lounge. I grabbed a shower (yes, like a spa day in an airport) and then grazed my way through fancy bites, cocktails, and even more cocktails. Definitely a high point—10/10 would lounge again.

Recharging in a Gatwick Capsule Hotel

After crossing the Atlantic, we landed in London’s Gatwick Airport with an 8-hour layover to kill. Instead of wandering around like zombies, we booked a capsule hotel inside the terminal—and wow, what a lifesaver. It was like crawling into a futuristic nap pod. Not the most luxurious, but after an overnight flight? Absolute heaven.

EasyJet: Not Exactly Easy

Our journey continued with EasyJet, a budget airline known for… well, being a budget airline. Let’s just say the experience left a lot to be desired. The chaotic boarding process felt like a Black Friday sale, and their luggage limitations were confusing at best, infuriating at worst. But hey, we made it on the plane with (most of) our stuff intact.

Late-Night Landing in Venice

We finally landed in Venice late at night, and luckily, customs was a breeze. Our hotel was nearby, and after dropping off our bags, we wandered over to a local pizzeria. And friends—simple Italian pizza hits different. Even the most basic margherita was like, transcendently good. Italy was already winning.

Planes, Trains, and a Taxi Before the Cruise

The next morning started very early with a taxi ride to the train station, followed by a 2–3 hour ride through the Italian countryside. Our destination? Ravenna, the port city where our cruise was set to begin. But of course, because nothing is ever direct, we then had to hop on a 45-minute bus to get from the train station to the actual cruise terminal. Phew.

Boarding the Royal Caribbean: Smooth Sailing So Far

Now, I had zero expectations for Royal Caribbean going into this. Like, I’d watched a few YouTube vids and thought “okay, looks fun.” But I was pleasantly surprised by how organized the boarding process was—and holy ship, the boat was huge. We spent our first few hours getting settled in, exploring the ship, and low-key trying not to get lost.

First Ship Impressions: Dining Room Delights

That night, we had dinner in the ship’s main dining room, and wow, it really set the tone. The service was warm, the food was surprisingly delicious, and it felt like we were officially entering vacation mode. Safe to say, the vibes were immaculate.

Next stop? Port hopping, excursions, and more gelato than any human should probably consume. But more on that in the next post. 😉