River and ocean cruising in your Prime Time with KATHY LETTE
Kathy Lette joins me to talk about travelling boldly through Europe on river and ocean cruises
Ad - Before we start — a big thanks to our podcast sponsor this week, Viking
Don’t miss out on free flight offers with Viking’s Explorer Sale*
At Viking, we bring the spirit of discovery to life with journeys that connect you to the people, history and stories behind every destination.
From Europe’s storied rivers to the Mediterranean and even the Arctic or Antarctica, our itineraries span five oceans, 21 rivers and all seven continents. Onboard, enjoy serene Scandinavian design, light-filled spaces and intuitive service. With everything you need included, you’re free to focus on the joy of exploration.
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River and ocean cruising in your Prime Time with KATHY LETTE
There are some guests who don’t just talk about living boldly in the second half of life - they embody it.
This week on Prime Time, I’m joined by the brilliant Kathy Lette, bestselling author, feminist, travel writer and unapologetic Prime Timer, to talk about something I think more of us need to give ourselves permission to do:
travel differently after 50.
Not the frantic, kid-focused, schlepping suitcases across train platforms kind of travel.
But travel on your own terms. With curiosity and comfort. With a little bit of decadence, a lot of history, culture and adventure. And ideally… no kids and no casinos.
Kathy shares how her approach to travel has evolved from backpacking in her twenties to river cruising and archaeological voyages in her sixties, and why she believes this stage of life is when adventure matters most.
Her latest book is called The Sisterhood Rules, and it’s also our pick for March for the Prime Time Book Club.
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE OF THE PODCAST HERE:
Highlights of the conversation:
“Adventure before dementia.” Kathy’s motto is simple: if not now, when? Time is finite. Experiences matter. And this may be the first stage of life where we finally put ourselves first.
Why women are travelling more boldly than ever: With economic independence and a strong sisterhood around us, women in midlife are no longer waiting for permission. From “grey backpackers” taking over youth hostels to girlfriends travelling together when partners prefer to stay home, this is a generation rewriting the rules.
The freedom of child-free travel: We laugh about family holidays and what Kathy misses least, and we talk about what it feels like to travel without putting everyone else’s needs first for the first time in decades.
River cruising: Europe’s greatest hits, minus the hassle: From Lisbon to Porto and along the Douro, Kathy describes river cruising as seeing Europe’s architectural and cultural gems without the airport chaos, luggage schlepping or constant logistics. You unpack once, and the world comes to you.
Ocean cruising as education in motion: Her archaeological voyage from Athens to Istanbul becomes more than a holiday - it’s a moving classroom. Ancient civilizations, expert guides, onboard lectures and layer upon layer of history.
The value equation: For Australians especially, getting to Europe is a big investment. We discuss why having food, excursions and experiences bundled upfront can make cruises feel less like constant spending and more like intentional immersion.
From Bec’s Desk
I toured a Viking ocean ship on Wednesday when it ported in Brisbane and I have to say, it’s a really beautiful ship. The timing was uncanny, (and completely unplanned), given this show goes live the day after the tour. After walking through it with travel agents and media, I feel like I understand a little more clearly why they say people keep going back to Viking once they’ve done their first cruise.
I also learnt a few insider things about how Viking operates, the kind of details frequent cruisers and travel agents might know but us everyday people don’t find out ‘til we’ve tried it. So, I thought it would be fun to share my ‘did you knows’ with you today...
Every one of their ships follows the same Nordic design, and it’s clearly well thought through. There are historically-relevant tapestries in the stairwells, Nordic patterns in the rugs and in the window treatments. It’s stylish, cohesive and elegant without feeling in any way overdone.
All the food and non-alcoholic beverages you want are included on board so you don’t get stung once you’re on there (breakfast, lunch and dinner on sea days and breakfast and dinner on excursion days… it sounds very inclusive of every meal you need.)
There’s a very affordable beverage package if you want to drink wines, beers and other beverages (I think they quoted it at AUD$41 per head) and they’re not bottom-shelf wines!
You can also bring your wines on board with you (say you’re cruising through Burgundy) and there’s no corkage - and no rules that say you can’t.
There’s free internet on all ships… again, not getting stung.
Higher cabin categories get earlier access to book special excursions and priority access to their premium dining experiences. There’s a cap on the two specialty restaurants on board and some of the premium excursions, so stepping up your cabin type does come with some perks.
Every room on an ocean ship has a balcony.
The Nordic spa rooms are available for all and include hot pool, snow room, sauna, lounges, (it’s stunning). And there's a HUGE and super-modern gym.
There’s only 998 passengers on the ocean ships. And 190 on their river cruises. (These seem like a nice uncrowded number given the spaciousness of the restaurants and sitting areas.)
Room service is at no extra cost.
They are the biggest river cruise operator in the World, and now the biggest cruise fleet in the world with 110 ships in their fleet.
And these are all things I learnt today while having a nice stickybeak into their rooms! I’ll put a few pictures on my Facebook and Instagram here, so you can see the inside view I saw too.
Have you cruised with Viking on a river or ocean cruise? Tell me about it in the comments.
We’re all here to make our Prime Time count. So if you’ve been dreaming about a cruise… maybe this is your sign.
Cheers, Bec
