ADMITTEDLY, I HAVEN’T CRUISED MUCH. But after reading through the articles in this month’s issue, our first-ever Cruising Issue, that’s a fact I know I need to change. There truly is something for everyone in the world of cruising, a theme we tried to highlight on the following pages. From large-ship cruises, which Richard Newton delves into further on page 40, and sailing cruises like Katarina Line, reviewed on page 19, to river cruises — check out Uniworld’s recent transformation on page 82 — and smaller, luxury cruises (for example, on Silversea Cruises, page 36), whatever type of cruiser you deem yourself, there’s an option for you.

My first cruise was in 1999/2000, when I was 16 years old. My parents planned Christmas with family in Clearwater, Florida, before embarking on a New Year’s cruise to celebrate the millennium. Of course, at that age, I thought it was horrible my parents were keeping me from my friends on the holiday, but I ended up having the time of my life. I made tons of new friends, I was never bored with the endless activity options available, and I thoroughly enjoyed my first time snorkeling in Grand Cayman. There was a bit of magic in the air as the bell chimed midnight on Y2K and I was surrounded by the darkened expanse of the ocean, the twinkling stars overhead and the celebratory cheers from our fellow passengers.

I spared you the awkward teenage photos from that first cruise, but in a nod to the many different types of cruising available around the globe, opted for this one from Alcatraz Cruises. On a windy San Francisco day, my friend and I braved the breeze to explore the infamous prison. You never know what worldwide excursion or tour is going to send you adrift.

Fittingly, almost 20 years later, I will ring in the upcoming New Year on a cruise — just one of a different ilk. I embark on my first river cruise Dec. 27, with U by Uniworld. We’ll first visit the famous Christmas markets in Regensburg and Passau before anchoring in Vienna, where we’ll welcome 2019, and then hit up Melk, Bratislava and Budapest for more holiday fun. A different kind of cruising experience, but I’m sure it will yield equally fond memories.

It’s now time to set sail with this issue, with ports of call in Montréal, Lisbon, Fort Lauderdale, New Orleans, Venice, Cochin, the Caribbean and Cozumel. We even make a trans-Atlantic crossing aboard Cunard’s iconic Queen Mary 2 on page 70.

Join us next month as we announce the 2018 winners of the GT Tested Reader Survey awards and celebrate the 15th anniversary of the survey! Until then, ahoy, mateys!