Some encounters change the course of your life.
Mine began on a quiet evening in Florence, when I met a woman whose vision reshaped the way I see the world: Viktoria, the founder of Victoria Cruises Line.
A Night in Florence
It was an intimate event near Palazzo Vecchio, where travel and art blended together in the most effortless way. Viktoria spoke about how we can choose not just to see the world, but to live it. There was something about her voice — calm, grounded, passionate — that stayed with me long after the evening ended.
Maybe because I had spent my life doing the same: chasing not just destinations, but moments.
Searching for places that feel like home, even when you’ve just arrived.
We talked for hours about time, freedom, and what true luxury really means.
Not gold or glamour — but space and time. The luxury of slowing down, of truly being present.
A Friendship Beyond Borders
Over the years, we kept in touch — from her sunny mornings in Italy to my busy New York days.
Our friendship grew naturally, built on the same love for beauty, freedom, and the ocean.
When Viktoria first told me about her dream — a residential ship where people could live full-time, exploring the world without ever leaving home — I knew instantly it was something extraordinary.
It wasn’t just another cruise. It was a way of life.
One Month in Europe
This fall, I’ve given myself a gift: a full month in Europe.
I’m traveling through the ports where the Victoria Cruises Residential Ship will soon set sail — Savona, Marseille, Naples, Livorno — rediscovering what it means to move slowly, to wander without hurry.
Between two journeys, I’m spending time with Viktoria and her family.
Their kindness, their warmth, their easy laughter have reminded me what dolce far niente truly means — the sweet art of doing nothing, yet feeling fully alive.
Every morning begins with the scent of olive trees and Italian coffee, every evening ends with a view of the sea.
And I can’t help but feel grateful — not only for their hospitality, but for the chance to write about these places for Wonders of the World, the very ports where our ship will one day dock.
A Season of Gratitude and Renewal
At sixty, people often ask me why I don’t slow down. I tell them: I have slowed down — I just go deeper now.
The sea has taught me to listen. Even in stillness, there’s movement; even in waiting, there’s life.
The ship is still being completed, but my heart is already on board. Because sometimes, home isn’t a place — it’s a feeling. And when you finally follow its call, you realize:
the world has never felt more like home. 🌊✨
by Olivia Bennett