CV and mad panic behaviour

[LP]

Used to love travelling interstate by train when they had sleepers (Melb to Sydney)... ah, the Southern Aurora... now that was a train! I bet there're few here who remember her.

Agree about the big ships, there is probably only one to have a crack at as you mention, although I've had a friend do Antartica on a research vessel and said he do it again in a heartbeat. I've had some friends who did some No-Casino cruises around Alaska and Acrtic Circle they said they were worth doing again.

Some serious train holidays are available, my dream retirement holiday would be to book a private car and set our own schedule on something like this. Cape Town to Dar Es Salaam on the Rovos, 1st Class. I've been on a number of special train journeys, mostly steam trains in single or double header configuration. https://www.rovos.com/gallery/train-suites

Great Southern also do a private Carriage, sleeps about 6 or 8 people.
https://journeybeyondrail.com.au/guest-i...-carriage/

There are some serious small ships/boats doing the Ring of Fire region or Greek Isles. Many under 50 passengers, pool, spa and bar with serious tucker and wine lists. Any bigger and they can't really get to the areas you want to go into! The best I've been on have been converted luggers and clippers in a luxury configuration less than 20 passengers and crew. The Greek Isles is a bit desolate at the moment, economy has crashed and left it decimated.

The trick for all these seems to be to get a group together a book the whole boat or carriage, then the price comes right down, but you need people who get on together as you know from your navy days.