I don’t spend much time with anyone over 50, besides my parents.

As someone in my early 30s, I find myself interacting primarily with people in a similar stage of life: completing graduate degrees, building careers, and discovering adulthood.

I also usually take my trips alone and connect with other travelers my age while exploring. This all changed in January, when I embarked on a 12-day expedition cruise to Antarctica with about 200 other guests.

I knew there would be some older travelers on board, but at the end of my first full day on the ship, I discovered I was the third youngest. I was also the only one my age traveling alone.

When I realized that most of my fellow cruise passengers were retirees, in their 60s and 70s, and traveling in couples or groups, I prepared for 12 days of isolation.

Luckily, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Being young and alone on an expedition cruise made me visible in a way I hadn’t anticipated.

I thought my age (and solo traveler status) might isolate me, but instead, they made me stand out. The first night, a nearby couple saw me sitting alone having a drink. They smiled and invited me to join them.

The same thing happened at dinner, then throughout the activities program upstairs, where groups began including me on their trivia teams and including me in karaoke.

When we went on wildlife excursions, I received so many dinner invitations that I had to start writing them down. I thought I would spend the nights eating alone, with a journal in hand, but I ended up barely writing anything.

It was nice to be included, but what surprised me most was the interest people had in my life. I am curious by nature and love to ask questions, but guests would try to redirect the conversation towards me and my life. One afternoon in the hot tub, a large group traveling together put aside their own conversations to ask about me.

I figured the conversations could remain surface level, but I’ve shared my views on life, love, and global politics more times than I can count. In most of my previous interactions with people from older generations, I was the one listening, and I assumed it would be the same here.

I hadn’t considered that the other cruise passengers might be as curious about my view of the world as I was about theirs.

I received some invaluable professional advice.

One night over drinks, a fellow guest praised the way I had behaved on the boat. Another cruise passenger chimed in with kinder words. This exchange turned into questions and curiosity about my life and passions, and even offers to help me in my career.

Over the course of 12 days, I met retired professionals in industries ranging from aviation to medicine and technology, who were eager to learn about my work and offer valuable advice and support.

One person gave me advice on how to use my reputation as a journalist to bolster my communications consulting. Another offered guidance on pricing strategies for customers once we got off the ship. The information gleaned from these conversations helped me land a new client just weeks after arriving home.

I was grateful to hear from people who have lived long enough to offer me fresh and thoughtful insight. People would have paid for this kind of wisdom and mentorship, and my new friends’ willingness to offer it freely over a cocktail party was the most significant part.

I would definitely take a trip like this again.

Antarctica was without a doubt the best trip I have ever taken. Sure, I got to see penguins and whales in their natural habitat, but I learned as much on and off the boat.

Those 12 days gave me a clearer idea of ​​what I want my professional future to be like. I left ship with a better vision for my consulting and a renewed sense of confidence.

It also gave me unexpected friendships: I’ve kept in touch with many of my fellow cruisers through social media and email. A guest lives near me in London and I recently went to her 70th birthday party.

Getting out of my comfort zone and connecting with people from different generations created some of the most satisfying conversations I’ve ever had.

I was initially afraid of having such a large age gap between me and my travel companions, but now it’s something I would intentionally look for when planning a trip.