Cruising with Strangers

After her travel partner is sidelined Marlene embarks on a cruise of the Hawaiian Islands alone. An anxious introverted widow she has reservations about the solo trip but meets a number of interesting shipmates and soon finds herself embroiled in the lives of some with issues including gender dysphoria spousal abuse terminal illness depression and midlife-romance. She and her dinner mates share their lives their excursions and concerns for each other particularly when the ship stops in the middle of the night to search for a suspected overboard guest. Although memories of previous trips to Hawaii with her husband are often clouded with sadness Marlene disembarks the cruise with a new confidence and new friendships.