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Hello, passionate cruisers! This is Paul. I am delighted to welcome this week on The Joy of Cruising Podcast, Belencia Wallace, creator of Ladybug Travel of Facebook, Instagram, and with its 55k following on TikTok, which is where I met her. I was amazed to learn Belencia decided last year to leave her professional career to embark on a full year at sea. Belencia sails on a variety of Royal Caribbean ships and estimates her one-year journey to cost approximately $100k. When Belencia’s The Joy of Cruising Podcast episode airs, she will have completed more than half of her yearlong journey. We not only want to hear all about what the adventure has been like but—inquiring minds want to know—what’s next after her one-year adventure is over!


Ladybug is a passionate traveler and former healthcare administration professional who has embarked on an extraordinary one-year sabbatical to explore the world by sea. Starting her journey in October 2024, she meticulously planned every detail of her grand adventure without the assistance of a travel agency, showcasing her organizational skills and love for exploration. Over the course of this year, Ladybug will cruise along the East Coast, the enchanting Caribbean islands, and the rich cultures of Europe and the Middle East. Her voyages encompass popular destinations and hidden gems alike, allowing her to indulge in diverse experiences while connecting with fellow travelers.


Ladybug brings a unique perspective to her travels. Her dedication to service and attention to detail enhance her journey, as she navigates new environments with a keen eye for culture and community. Follow Ladybugon her continuous cruising adventure as she shares insights, stories, and breathtaking photographs from around the globe, inspiring others to pursue their own travel dreams.
Find Ladybug Travel online:
YouTube: @officialladybugtravel 
TikTok:  @ladybugtravel 
Instagram: @officialladybugtravel   
Facebook: @ladybugtravel 
Email:  [email protected]


Listen at www.thejoyofcruisingpodcast.com or Home

Relying on ship wifi is slow, unsecure, sometimes not available & at foreign ports travelers don’t want to pay their carriers’ high fees. Save $ with GigSky! Get a data package usable on the ship & in ports. Link to GigSky:  https://gigsky.pxf.io/nloxor. For a 10% discount use code: joyofcruising
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Hello, passionate cruisers! This is Paul and this week on The Joy of Cruising Podcast I am delighted to welcome Racquel and Vincent, two cruisers who have never been on a cruise ship. Yes, you heard that right. All of you, well the vast majority of you—I know we have listeners who aspire to take their first cruise—the vast majority of you have been on cruise ships, yet unlike most of you Racquel and Vincent have cruised around the world. Confused?


Well, with respect to mainstream cruising, it is true that Racquel and Vincent have never been on a cruise ship, however, people who live a lifestyle similar to theirs, i.e., sailing around the world, are also called cruisers, hence the confusion. 


For background, Raquel had a nomadic upbringing and has always been passionate about authentic living and marching to the beat of her own drum. Little did she know that her life journey would lead to living on a boat and circumnavigating the globe. After working as a therapist in London in 2021, Racquel found herself in a challenging position when the clinic she was working at lost funding. This setback pushed her to start her own private practice online, and move back to her native home of Mallorca, Spain. Not long after, she met her partner, Vincent, who had been living on his boat for the past several years. She made a bold decision to join him and try digital nomadism at sea. Racquel began working remotely while living aboard a sailboat. 


Since then, Raquel and Vincent’s life has been a whirlwind of adventure. They spent one summer sailing the Balearics, then a winter surfing in Portugal. They then bought a larger boat, completed a full refit over the course of a year in the Canary Islands, and in November 2024, she and Vincent crossed the Atlantic Ocean and are now traveling through the Caribbean as part of a circumnavigation journey. Their experiences combine remotely maintaining professional careers—Raquel as a therapist and Vincent as a software engineer—with the realities of full-time cruising, including adapting to different cultures and managing life at sea. Now, they’re in Martinique, exploring the Caribbean, and plan to spend the next two years discovering the islands before heading into the Pacific Ocean. Raquel and Vincent are slowly travelling, enjoying learning new cuisines, cultures and individuals as they go. 
Find Raquel and Vincent Online
YouTube: SailingMenyr
Instagram: @sailingmenyr


Listen at www.thejoyofcruisingpodcast.com or Home

Relying on ship wifi is slow, unsecure, sometimes not available & at foreign ports travelers don’t want to pay their carriers’ high fees. Save $ with GigSky! Get a data package usable on the ship & in ports. Link to GigSky:  https://gigsky.pxf.io/nloxor. For a 10% discount use code: joyofcruising
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Hello, passionate cruisers! This is Paul and this week on The Joy of Cruising Podcast, I am delighted to welcome J.D. Harbor, author of the new seafaring novels, Emerald Tide, and Sapphire Seas. They are both set aboard a luxurious cruise ship and were inspired by J.D.’s own experience. You see, he met his wife onboard a singles cruise in 2014, and they have sailed together ever since. Man, that sounds fun! As JD notes, “Meeting my wife on that cruise is proof that the magic of the sea really can lead to unexpected connections!”
 
J.D. Harbor is an author and long-time cruise enthusiast. His own love story started onboard the Carnival Sunshine, and it’s been a huge inspiration in his writing. He says, “There’s something about being at sea that allows people to leave behind the stresses of life and open themselves up to adventure and possibility. That’s the energy I wanted to capture in my novels, pairing romance with personal growth against the dreamy backdrop of the open sea.” 
 
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JD’s debut novels, Emerald Tide and Sapphire Seas, are two interconnected stories following Aidan Murphy and Harper Brooks, who meet onboard the Elysian Serenade during a hosted group voyage for single sailors.

• Emerald Tide follows Aidan, a chef weighed down by family expectations. He boards the cruise in search of clarity and a break from his daily grind, only to discover that love and adventure might be just the thing to reignite his dreams.
• Sapphire Seas centers on Harper, a successful but burned-out marketing executive who desperately needs to reset. Her unexpected connection with Aidan challenges her to let go of control and rediscover what really makes her happy.

The two books explore themes of self-discovery, second chances, and how love can flourish when we allow ourselves to embrace change and vulnerability. Cruising provides such a unique and romantic backdrop—it’s a world where you can truly leave everything behind and focus on the moment. There’s a special kind of magic onboard a cruise ship that brings people together in ways they don’t expect, and JD tried to infuse that same feeling into these stories.
 
The books are the beginning of a series, RomantiSea Serenades, with each installment exploring new characters and love stories, all tied together by the romance and adventure found at sea. It’s a project JD is deeply passionate about. 
 
Find JD Harbor online
TikTok:  @jd.harbor
Instagram:  @jdharbor (send me a DM with the keyword “Joy” and I’ll send you a free sample)
Facebook: @jdharbor.author
Website: www.jdharbor.com
Email: [email protected]
Join the 2026 LoveLit Cruise www.lovelitcruise.com

Listen at www.thejoyofcruisingpodcast.com or Home

Relying on ship wifi is slow, unsecure, sometimes not available & at foreign ports travelers don’t want to pay their carriers’ high fees. Save $ with GigSky! Get a data package usable on the ship & in ports. Link to GigSky:  https://gigsky.pxf.io/nloxor. For a 10% discount use code: joyofcruising

Supportthejoyofcruisingpodcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/2113608/supporters/new
Support Me https://www.buymeacoffee.com/drpaulth
Contact Me https://www.thejoyofcruising.net/contact-me.html
Book Cruises http://www.thejoyofvacation.com/
US Orders (coupon code joyofcruisingpodcast)
The Joy of Cruising https://bit.ly/TheJoyOfCruising
Cruising Interrupted https://bit.ly/CruisingInterrupted
The Joy of Cruising Again https://bit.ly/TheJoyOfCruisingAgain

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