‘It’s the journey, not the destination…’

Over the years this iconic phrase has been attributed to a wide variety of sources, with its origins debatable given conflicting reports and opinion.

T.S. Elliot – ‘The journey, not the destination matters…’

Ralph Waldo Emerson – It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.’

Lynn. H. Hough – ‘Life is a journey and not a destination’

Most evidence suggests that the phrase dates back prior to 1920 and it has since been widely used to refer to such things as life, education and religion as a journey. Yet when it comes to travel, is the destination perhaps more important than the journey…?

I guess this would be true when considering package holidays or city breaks with low cost airlines, where we tend to find ourselves anxious to arrive and explore our chosen destination as quickly as possible. However, when it comes to long-haul flights for example, we find that nowadays an increasing number of people are considering the more luxurious travel options to be much more favourable to the standard economy class. So it seems that, the longer the journey may be, the more focus on the importance of the journey, as well as the destination.

Of course cruising offers an entirely different ‘journey’ experience, as when cruising between the ports of call on your chosen sailing, you have the benefit of enjoying the journey with access to a wide range of on board facilities to enhance the journey-enjoyment, arriving in comfort at each new destination on your itinerary…. and it would be true to say that among cruisers there is definitely a distinction between those that choose their cruise based on the ports of call offered by a particular sailing, and those who make their selection based upon the ship making the journey.

In actual fact when it comes to cruising and travel, there are indeed those who value the journey as much as the destination, and these are the people who tend to find themselves weighing the pros and cons of ports of call vs vessels, cabin types, sailings and flight options, in an effort to find the ideal journey/destination balance.

I guess I would put myself in the latter group, hence finding myself in the role of a specialist consultant; which gives me the pleasure of helping each of my clients create the holiday that is perfectly balanced to their preferences.

In my opinion, there is one very special travel option which undoubtedly combines journey with destination in perhaps the most wonderful way, and for me that is the iconic transatlantic voyage from Southampton to New York aboard Cunard’s Queen Mary 2. Cunard have hosted such greats as Frank Sinatra, Audrey Hepburn and Clark Gable on their iconic crossings spanning almost 180 years, offering timeless elegance and impeccable service on their voyages to New York, and this unique combination of journey and destination certainly features prominently on my must-experience list!

What is your personal take on the journey / destination balance…? I invite your comments on what matters most to you when it comes to travel; whether that may be the journey, the destination or simply the opportunity to journey to new destinations? & please feel free to share your favourite journeys, destinations and travel experiences in the comments.