🚢 The Accidental Mediterranean Cruise That Changed Everything

Before I was a travel agent… before Waves of Fun ever existed…
I was just someone who loved Carnival cruises, stacking casino perks, and taking every chance I could to get back on a ship.

At the time, I was working in the oil & gas field — stressed out, mid-pre-merger, trying to survive whatever corporate chaos was next. I had no idea I was about to be laid off.

One day, I was in my office casually chatting with my coworker Monica — Power BI wizard and Disney-obsessed travel expert — while we were both untangling what can only be described as a dashboard dumpster fire.

She tossed out:

“Cruising’s not really my thing… unless it was something cool, like a Mediterranean cruise.”

I didn’t say much at the time, but that line stuck with me.

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Later that day, alone, my curiosity kicked in.
I didn’t even really know what a Mediterranean cruise was.
Where did it go? What made it special?

So I did what I do — I spiraled down a rabbit hole.

I looked it up… and there it was: London → Spain → Portugal → France.
On Carnival.

And with my casino perks? Practically free.

So I reached out to Monica and said:

“Hey… I know cruising’s not really your thing, but what if we actually did this?”

She was in.
We booked it that week.

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I still didn’t know then that I was about to lose my job.
But I did remember something Monica had said to me more than once:

“Cristi, people would love to hear the stuff you know — the perks, the workarounds, the way you cruise. You should be sharing this.”

And I’d always laugh it off.
“Monica, don’t be silly.”

But after the layoff… that voice came back.
Maybe she was right.
Maybe people DO want to hear it.

So I didn’t cancel the trip.
I became a travel agent.
And I started Waves of Fun.

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Now? I’m sailing the Mediterranean next month — for free.

All because of a conversation I didn’t think twice about,
a cruise I didn’t know existed,
and a friend who saw something in me before I saw it in myself.

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📣 Follow Along — This Is Just the Beginning

This cruise was the spark.
But since then, I’ve booked a long list of incredible cruises — casino comps, elite sailings, group getaways, and everything in between.

And I plan to share it all — real, unfiltered, behind-the-scenes, and full of the tips I wish I knew sooner.

If you love cruising, Carnival, casino perks, or just want to see how one impulsive search can change everything…

If you enjoyed this story, subscribe to my blog for more travel tales and tips!

This is me — cruising the chaos, collecting perks, and apparently making friends with lizards in hats.
I didn’t plan for any of this… but I’m having the time of my life.