Star on board: Tim Peake

I went to space then took a cruise holiday. When I was living in Houston, we took the opportunity for a family Disney cruise from Galveston to the Bahamas. It was our first holiday after returning from space and the perfect way to unwind and spend time together.

I’m looking forward to appearing on board Sky Princess. I think I’ll be in great company, there will be some tasty food on board and I love the calming effect of being on the ocean.

I'll be talking all about space on my onboard lectures. I want to explain what it's like to look down on earth, how we prepare for a mission, what it’s like to spacewalk and what the future holds for space exploration.

There are a lot of parallels between space and sea travel. Astronaut derives from the Greek words 'astron', meaning star, and 'nautes', meaning sailor. So yes, sailing through space has similarities to making a voyage across the ocean to new destinations.

My travel bucket-list has grown since seeing Earth from space! Some of the most remote areas of our planet are simply stunning when seen from above. I'd love to visit the volcanoes in Kamchatka, the ice fields of Southern Patagonia and the Cascade Mountains in North America.

We are already seeing tourists enjoying space travel. But, much like the early days of aviation, it’s not something that most people can afford. However, in 50-100 years’ time I think space travel will be as routine as taking a flight across the Atlantic. As with all travel, its growth needs to be managed carefully and sustainably.

The best thing about being an astronaut is spacewalking - I doubt anything will ever beat that experience. The worst is having to spend time away from my family.

I don't own my space suit. It is on display at the National Space Centre in Leicester and the Soyuz spacecraft that took me to space and back is permanently on display at the Science Museum in London.

Travelling shouldn’t be a hassle. You never need as much stuff as you think you do – so pack lightly and go with the flow.

I wish we could travel through wormholes. They could make getting around a whole lot easier!


You can join Tim, Anton Du Beke, Erin Boag and Russell Watson and on ‘A Star-Studded Voyage: Exclusive Canaries Sailcation’ on April 15, 2024, roundtrip for 12 nights on Sky Princess, sailing from Southampton. Prices start at £999 per person. See more at imaginecruising.co.uk