Travel Blog

When I go on a cruise I love to switch off. I never want to tell anyone I am a travel agent – for a number of reasons.

If I did that the first question would no doubt be “oh so do you get a deal when you book a cruise?”.

So I boarded my cruise with one mission: no one can know I’m a travel agent.

The moment people find out, they start asking me things about travel. I do that for a living. When I am on vacation I want peace. I want anonymity. I want to drink a piña colada without explaining the difference between port and starboard.

So I crafted a backstory. A fake job. A whole new identity. I was ready.

Then came the first casual conversation.

A woman in the elevator smiled and said, “So, what do you do?”

I panicked. My brain short‑circuited. I blurted out, “I… work in… insurance.”

Not entirely false. I always quote insurance for any trip ….. not such a stretch… and boring enough to avoid further questions.

It’s a weird kind of existence. I am not sure how those double agents did it.

By day three, I was basically a spy — sipping cocktails, dodging questions, and pretending I didn’t know the exact layout of every deck on this ship. I even nodded politely when someone said, “I think the buffet is open 24/7.” I let them learn the truth on their own.

Growth.

Did I help anyone? No.

Did I correct anyone? No.

Did I lie about my job at least six times? Absolutely.

But I consider it a successful holiday. I relaxed. I blended in. I protected my identity.

Next cruise, I might upgrade my cover story. Maybe I’ll be a beekeeper. Or a lighthouse inspector. Something no one wants follow‑up questions about.