In last year’s December issue of O, The Oprah Magazine, Oprah declared 2017 the “Year of Adventure.” These would be her 365 days to “see, taste, touch, experience, and explore the world.” And given the way 2016 turned out, who could blame her for wanting to flee? But Oprah would never abandon us. As part of her Year of Adventure, she partnered with Holland America Line to bring along 2,000 Oprah-loving men, women and children on a series of cruises throughout North America, packed with just the uplifting, Oprah-fied programming needed to feed your sense of adventure (or, more accurately, to distract you from 2017).
But if you weren’t one of the lucky devotees on the maiden voyage in July, New York magazine was there to witness the inspirational speakers, spiritual merch, and soul-nourishing food and cocktails you missed. Herein, a selection of highlights from writer Allison P. Davis’s week on the Oprah cruise:
The Oprah gift shop
“O-shop…sells a selection of Oprah’s Favorite Things (foot creams, snacks, jewelry, soap)…I bought a two-piece Chico set, my new Oprah, some foot cream, a plush blanket, and the gummy candies Oprah swears by.”
Exercises from Oprah’s Favorite SoulCycle Instructor
“Gayle moderate[d] a Q&A with Angela Davis, both Oprah’s favorite SoulCycle instructor and Beyoncé’s favorite SoulCycle instructor, and [who] force[d] the whole auditorium to do some exercises to Katy Perry’s ‘Firework.’”
Self-help-y yoga and meditation with Gayle
“I awake for at 7 a.m. for my first “Just Breathe” guided meditation, where I learn that perception is reality. I’ve yet to decide if I perceive Prison or Wonderland. After mediation, I have a light breakfast of just one waffle and a pastry, and make small talk with Gayle in the cafeteria. Captivity has its perks.”
Raunchy trivia with Gayle
“Gayle is leading a trivia game tonight, and in the course of a word-association challenge, I am asked to guess how Gayle would complete a sentence. The sentence is ‘Where should I hide the …’ My instincts say that the answer is salami, but I talk myself out of telling a dick joke. Later, Gayle tells me that she too thought salami, and I should have just been raunchy.”
Drinking
“Setting out to meet the people I’ll be spending the week with, I grab an O-specialty cocktail…”
…And more drinking
“We get a few hours to stand on various decks and look at a huge glacier and drink complimentary mulled wine.”
…And more drinking
“Shannon calls me over to a booth, and we chat for a bit. She got to go to the [private] dinner [with Oprah], and reports that Oprah made everyone take two rounds of shots. I am beyond jealous.”
So, if you book the next Year of Adventure trip, you too could have the opportunity to drink with Oprah on the high seas.
Main image: pinterest.com
