I went on my very first cruise in August 2000 – it was the Carnival Destiny out of New York City up to Halifax, Nova Scotia.
On the cruise was my 15 month-old-daughter, my now ex-wife, and me all taking our first cruise and first time to Canada. We got an interior room (that was the most we could splurge on) and had a blast.
But this isn’t really about that cruise. It’s about a picture taken of me as we sailed out from New York City.
I don’t remember if it was planned or not, but the picture of me was right as we passed the World Trade Center. Even though I worked and lived in the area for many years, that is the only photo I have of me and the Twin Towers.
It’s wild to look back at the happy picture setting off on a new adventure. And then barely more than a year later I was working in the city on 9/11. The view that once excited me so much was all about pain after that.
I went on the same cruise in 2003 and 2004 (both times on the Carnival Victory), but I couldn’t look to the port side as we sailed off.
I will always have that amazing backdrop of those majestic towers from my first cruise and that makes me happy.