Farewell

Full Transcript

INTRO

Hello and welcome aboard the TSJ CruisePod - your journey beyond the waves.

I’m Thomas Sebastian Jensen, and this is the official podcast of the TSJ CruiseBlog.

Whether you’re listening from home, on the road, or maybe even from a balcony cabin somewhere at sea - I’m really glad you’re here.

Today is a special episode.

Not because we’re visiting another destination.

But because we’ve reached the final chapter of our World Cruise 2025 aboard the MSC Magnifica.

Over the past sixteen episodes, we’ve traveled across oceans, explored fascinating cities, visited remote islands, crossed the Equator, rounded Cape Horn, and experienced cultures from every corner of the world.

But a world cruise is about more than ports of call.

It’s also about life between those destinations.

The days at sea.

The routines.

The friendships.

And the unique floating community that develops over four unforgettable months.

So in this final episode, I’d like to take you behind the scenes of life on board the MSC Magnifica and reflect on what made this journey so special.

PART 1 - THE MAGIC OF DAYS AT SEA

When people think about cruises, they often focus on destinations.

But on a world cruise, the days at sea become just as important.

Sometimes even more so.

After all, a ship like the MSC Magnifica travels at a maximum speed of around twenty-three knots.

That’s roughly forty-three kilometers per hour.

When you’re crossing oceans, that means many days without land in sight.

And surprisingly…

Those often became some of the most enjoyable days of the entire journey.

Every evening, a new daily program arrived in our cabin.

A simple newspaper-like booklet that outlined everything happening the next day.

And on sea days…

The schedule was packed.

Fitness classes.

Language lessons.

Dance workshops.

Arts and crafts.

Sports tournaments.

Games.

Quizzes.

Theater shows.

And so much more.

From sunrise stretching in the morning to late-night disco parties, there was always something happening somewhere on board.

What made it special was the freedom.

You could fill every minute of your day.

Or do absolutely nothing.

And both choices felt perfectly right.

One event became a regular highlight whenever we had several consecutive sea days.

The World Trivia competition.

Every afternoon, teams gathered in the theater to answer ten questions.

Simple in theory.

Not always simple in practice.

What made it unique was its international nature.

Questions were presented in multiple languages, and participants came from all over the world.

Our team included German, French, and Swedish participants.

And compared to our first world cruise in 2023…

We actually did pretty well.

Several victories.

Several prizes.

And plenty of laughter along the way.

More importantly, it brought people together.

People who otherwise might never have met.

And that’s one of the hidden strengths of a world cruise.

PART 2 - LEARNING AND CREATIVITY

One thing I particularly enjoyed about this voyage was the opportunity to learn new things.

Not because I had to.

But because I wanted to.

In the final part of the cruise, a calligraphy course was offered.

This time, we even worked with traditional dip pens.

At first, it felt surprisingly difficult.

But after some practice, you could actually see improvements in your handwriting.

It was one of those activities that forced you to slow down.

To focus.

And to enjoy the process rather than the result.

Creativity was everywhere on board.

There were workshops for decorating plates, designing fabric bags, and creating decorative items.

My mother even built her own clock.

Many workshops had limited capacity, so getting a spot wasn’t always easy.

But whenever we managed to participate, it was worth it.

The finished creations were displayed on board before eventually traveling home with us as unique souvenirs.

Since MSC is an Italian cruise line, it felt appropriate to learn at least a little Italian.

Together with Luigi, one of the instructors, we learned basic words and phrases.

Nothing advanced.

But enough to better appreciate the Italian influence throughout the journey.

And it was a fun way to keep the mind active during long days at sea.

PART 3 - GAMES, TEAMS AND COMMUNITY

At the beginning of the cruise, every guest was assigned to one of four teams:

Air.

Earth.

Fire.

Or Water.

This time, we belonged to Team Water.

And throughout the voyage, various competitions took place during the World Games.

Each day earned points.

Each victory mattered.

And by the end of the world cruise…

Team Water had accumulated the most points.

Our reward?

A celebration.

Cake.

Small gifts.

And, of course, bragging rights.

For a while, at least.

PART 4 - THE DAILY VOICE OF THE BRIDGE

Every day at noon, another tradition took place.

The Captain’s announcement.

A small ritual that many guests looked forward to.

Captain Pietro Sarchinella would provide updates on our position, speed, weather conditions, and route.

But over time, these announcements became much more than simple information.

They became part of daily life.

And there were certain phrases that everyone recognized immediately.

The Captain always ended with:

“My little pretty ship.”

Meanwhile, the German version delivered by Vadim became famous for its own unique style.

His cheerful greetings and humorous wording turned a routine announcement into daily entertainment.

It’s funny how small traditions become important when you’re living on board for four months.

PART 5 - EVENING ENTERTAINMENT

The entertainment on board was remarkably varied.

Every evening offered something different.

The theater shows were performed twice to give everyone a chance to attend.

Guest artists.

The MSC production cast.

Musicians.

Acrobats.

Singers.

There was always something happening.

One highlight was Musica in Maschera, where classical musicians brought famous operas to life in a format that was both educational and entertaining.

Another favorite was PAzz — a creative combination of photography, art, and live jazz music.

Guests submitted photographs.

The best images were displayed on the theater screen.

And one winning photo would eventually become part of the ship’s permanent collection.

A wonderful reminder that even guests can leave a lasting mark on a voyage.

PART 6 - LOOKING BACK

And then…

Slowly…

The end approached.

Suitcases appeared.

Photos were organized.

Files were backed up.

And conversations increasingly began with the words:

“Do you remember when…”

Because after four months, the MSC Magnifica wasn’t just a cruise ship anymore.

It had become home.

A floating city.

A community.

A place filled with routines, friendships, and memories.

THE WORLD CRUISE IN NUMBERS

Before we say goodbye, I’d like to share a few remarkable figures from this journey.

Because they reveal the incredible scale of what happens behind the scenes.

During the World Cruise 2025:

• We traveled 34,920 nautical miles, or 64,672 kilometers.
• The propellers completed more than 36 million revolutions.
• Nearly 258,000 cruise card scans were recorded.
• The ship was operated by 960 crew members from 85 nations.
• Guests participated in more than 48,000 excursions.
• Over 244,000 beds were made.
• Almost 490,000 kilograms of laundry were washed.
• More than one million dinner plates were served.
• The bakery produced 2.6 million bread rolls and over half a million croissants.
• And the entertainment team delivered 112 theater performances, earning 131 standing ovations.

Those numbers are impressive.

But they don’t tell the whole story.

Because numbers can’t capture friendships.

Conversations.

Sunsets.

Or the feeling of watching a new coastline appear on the horizon.

FAREWELL

And so…

We’ve reached the end of Season 3.

If you’ve listened to all seventeen episodes, thank you.

Thank you for joining me on this incredible journey around the world.

Thank you for sharing these memories, destinations, and experiences.

This podcast was never intended to be a travel guide.

It was always meant to be a personal account.

A collection of moments.

Encounters.

Stories.

And impressions gathered across four unforgettable months.

To the crew of the MSC Magnifica:

Thank you for making the ship feel like home.

To my parents:

Thank you for sharing this adventure with me.

And to all the fellow travelers we met along the way:

Thank you for the conversations, laughter, and memories.

You helped make this journey truly special.

FINAL OUTRO

From Genoa to Cape Horn.

From Easter Island to Sydney.

From Cape Town to the Canary Islands.

And finally…

Back home.

This has been TSJ CruisePod - your journey beyond the waves.

Thank you for joining me on the World Cruise 2025 aboard the MSC Magnifica.

Until our next adventure:

Thanks for listening, fair winds, and I’ll see you beyond the waves.