Comic Susan Calman on the beauty of Arran, taking a different kind of honeymoon and cruising through a hurricane.
When did you catch the cruising bug?
The first cruise I ever did was a Strictly Come Dancing cruise so I had been on a cruise before getting the Cruising With… job on Channel 5. It was a Southampton to the Mediterranean cruise and I just loved it. As someone who doesn’t particularly enjoy flying, I just find it such a relaxing way to go on holiday because once you get on the ship, you unpack and that’s you. People always ask me if I would go on a cruise holiday if I wasn’t doing the show. And the answer is absolutely I would.
Best place you’ve sailed to?
I thought Dubrovnik was out of this world. Budapest is both beautiful and friendly with that grandeur of Eastern Europe but it’s still very accessible.
You river cruise in this series too. How did you find that?
I enjoy it because river cruises will often stop in tiny little places that you wouldn’t normally go to. So you’ll hit the big destinations like Frankfurt and Amsterdam, but you’ll also stop in smaller towns and villages that you wouldn’t normally see. In that way, you get to see a little bit more of what the country is really like.
Ever felt scared at sea?
I’ve never had a situation where I’ve been even remotely concerned about the ship and we were, quite literally, sailing on the edge of a hurricane in the first series. We were circling Boston as Hurricane Fiona was progressing up north, but it felt fine. I’m fortunate that I’ve never suffered from seasickness.
Closer to home, do you have a favourite place in Scotland?
The Isle of Arran, just off the west coast of Scotland, where I spent every summer of my childhood. It’s called Scotland in miniature because there’s every part of the scenery of Scotland in there. It’s probably the most beautiful place on the planet.
Do you collect a souvenir from your travels?
I always buy a fridge magnet from everywhere I go. So my fridge is covered in magnets I’ve collected. I love them. It’s a constant reminder of my travels.
And what’s left on your cruise bucket list?
The absolute dream has always been Egypt. I’m a huge fan of Agatha Christie, I went on my honeymoon on the Orient Express because I loved her novel Murder On The Orient Express so much. I know, how romantic of me to force my wife to go on the Orient Express in case someone got murdered. And, for me, that cruise down the Nile is the ultimate cruise.
Cruising With Susan Calman continues on C5 this Fri at 9pm. Catch-up on My5
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