Horse Illustrated Magazine

Do you dream of escaping the winter doldrums each year for a brief visit to a warm, sunshiny location? Does the idea of having to interact with a bunch of non-equestrians on a typical vacation make you want to just stay home? There’s a solution for you and it’s coming in 2018.

Earlier this month, the Horse Radio Network announced the Horselovers Cruise 2018. And it’s exactly what it sounds like: A cruise where your fellow vacationers are horse lovers like you. The four-night cruise will depart Miami on February 12, 2018 on the MS Enchantment of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean. This isn’t a riding vacation, but it is a chance to meet like-minded people while on a relaxing getaway from the stresses of everyday life. That means that you can strike up a conversation with the person next to you on the pool deck and they probably won’t get tired of hearing and sharing horse stories.

This cruise is designed for horse lovers, but with a nod to the non-equestrian family members of horse lovers, too. Significant others may appreciate a vacation that doesn’t revolve around a horse show or trail riding destination. There’s even a “Horse Husbands Meetup” on the schedule; presumably non-horsey wives of equestrians would be welcome to commiserate at that event, too.

The cruise will depart from Miami and stop in Nassau, Bahamas on day two. Limited spots for trail riding from Happy Trails Stables will be available that day for cruise participants. On day three, a stop in CocoCay, Bahamas will give vacationers some time for water recreation or lounging on the beach. Day four brings a visit to Key West, Florida before the ship heads back to arrive in Miami on the morning of the fifth day. The abbreviated schedule is by design, since participants most likely have to get back to their horses.

Find out more about the cruise at HorseLoversCruise.com, and don’t forget to pack your sunscreen.

Leslie Potter is a writer and photographer based in Lexington, Kentucky. www.lesliepotterphoto.com