Physicists like Stephen Hawking spend much of their time peering into the tiniest corners of the universe. Their aim is to identify the building blocks of matter itself.

To date they have uncovered many such building blocks with names like quarks, leptons and bosons – often known more simply as fundamental particles.

All of which has got me thinking about holidays and wondering whether it’s possible that they too could be broken down into fundamental particles.

Nobel prize

There may not be a Nobel prize in it for me, but I believe holiday experiences can be deconstructed in a similar way and I’d like to propose a name for the basic particle of holidaying.

My suggestion would be to call it the ‘holidion’. It’s my feeling that all holidays are made up of a series of holidions, either positively or negatively charged, and we could learn a lot by taking a closer look at them.

So how do we go about detecting and studying these all important particles?

Research

Well, in the world of science, physicists use particle accelerators to aid their research. Perhaps the most famous of these is the Large Hadron Collider, a massive state-of-the-art laboratory which lies beneath the Franco Swiss border.

But where is the equivalent technology that will help us track down and analyse the holidion?

The answer is simple. All you need do is step aboard any modern cruise liner.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Cruise liners make perfect laboratories for this kind of research because they bring together so many different elements of the holiday experience. And if you’re looking to carry out your research in a state-of-the-art environment, then I know just the place.

Later this summer, the cruise ship, Epic, will enter service for the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL).

Details of this new addition to the NCL fleet are impressive. With a gross tonnage of 153,000 and an overall length of 1,080 feet, the ship can accommodate up to 4,200 guests and comes with numerous innovative features.

There’s no question that a ship like this is an ideal vantage point from which to study holidions and the science of holidays.

Something special

So what exactly is a holidion? I think it’s any element of a holiday that reminds us we’ve stepped out of our normal world into something special.

In cruising, it’s the ever-evolving backdrop against which your holiday unfolds. It’s the subtle changes in mood and atmosphere. It’s the buzz in the bars and restaurants.

It’s the heady sights and sounds of distant lands. The exotic fragrances of street bazaars. The experience of dining al fresco with an ocean view. The stress-free days and the vibrant nightlife. The romance and the entertainment.

And it’s a thousand other micro and macro experiences that will be forever burned into your consciousness.

Epic moments

A cruise ship such as the Epic is packed with special features to ensure you experience as many of these moments as possible. And with its philosophy of Freestyle Cruising everything is kept simple and relaxed.

It’s fair to say there’s something for every age group and interest, whether it’s the Kid’s Aqua Park, the Entourage Teen Centre or the adults-only Spice H20 beach club.

Let’s not forget too the casino, the spa and fitness centre, the marketplace, the Spider Web climbing cage, the double decker sports complex, the Epic Theatre, the 14 different restaurants and a whole wealth of musical and comedy entertainment.

And if you’re looking for a cool place to chill out, well there’s always the Ice Bar. Inspired by the original ice hotels in Scandinavia it’s the only one of its kind at sea. It’s got to be worth a visit given that the entire venue – walls, tables, stools and life-size sculptures – is made of ice.

Exclusive offer

Right now Virgin are doing an exclusive offer on the Epic. You can be part of this new chapter in cruising by booking a special fly, cruise and stay deal offering you seven nights in Orlando plus seven nights on a Caribbean Cruise.

Bruce Beckett

Posted in New Ships, Norwegian Epic