"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor." (Mark Twain)
Wanderlust Ice & Ink: Life On Board as a Pair Figure Skater and Performer on a Cruise Ship. (c) Sarah B.
Mark Twain once said:
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor." As I mentioned in the first article of my Wanderlust Chronicles, I’ve always been someone who thrives on multitasking, driven by curiosity and a desire to explore—new cultures, new people, new passions. I’ve never been drawn to traditional paths or to being labeled as just one thing or another. As both a journalist and a performer, I’ve often been asked: “How is it possible to do both?” Well, we only get one life, so why not go for everything we love? In the end, from my humble point of view, that’s what truly matters.
Growing up in Saint-Nazaire, a city known for its shipyards, I was fascinated by grand ocean liners and discovered that some cruise ships had something truly unique: ice rinks at sea. My skating journey didn’t start out of glamour or competition, but for health. I was an asthmatic child, frequently sick, and skating was a way to grow stronger. Over time, that necessity became a passion. I eventually specialized in pair skating, and the idea of performing on a ship became a quiet dream I carried with me. Over the last decade, my career has taken me to 29 countries across five continents. Each destination has shaped my understanding of the world and deepened my appreciation for cultural differences. Then came the pandemic, which, like for many artists, brought everything to a halt. But instead of seeing it as a setback, I used that time to grow. I trained as an aerial skater under two circus coaches, a completely new discipline that pushed me physically and mentally. It blended the danger and thrill of aerial work with the grace of skating. Which is also exactly what I absolutely love in pair skating and that bring me the exact same feeling, flying. That intense training period, spanning five years, was deeply transformative and led me to perform as an aerialist on ice in Germany, an experience that merged two worlds I love. And few months later, I was given the chance to join cruise ships as a pair skating performer. It brought me full circle, back to the dream I had as a child.
Joining ships now marks the result of 28 years on the ice, including a decade in professional shows. It means holding high standards, working with some of the best skaters, dancers, artists, and seafarers, people dedicated to creating memorable experiences for thousands of guests. Life on a cruise ship moves fast. Each day brings new destinations, fresh challenges, and the constant drive to improve. As crew, our role extends beyond performing: we take part in guest service, safety drills, and overall security awareness across the ship. Performance-wise, the job demands more than what’s seen on stage. Our days involve warm-ups, rehearsals, off-ice and on-ice training, and physical conditioning. Skating on board might seem like a dream job, and it is, but it also comes with risk, discipline, and endless preparation. Behind the elegance lies a commitment to precision, safety, teamwork, and the ability to push through exhaustion with trust and focus. What looks effortless is anything but. It’s hours of hard work, technical fine-tuning, and most of all, a deep love for what we do, not just as performers, but as people.
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor." As I mentioned in the first article of my Wanderlust Chronicles, I’ve always been someone who thrives on multitasking, driven by curiosity and a desire to explore—new cultures, new people, new passions. I’ve never been drawn to traditional paths or to being labeled as just one thing or another. As both a journalist and a performer, I’ve often been asked: “How is it possible to do both?” Well, we only get one life, so why not go for everything we love? In the end, from my humble point of view, that’s what truly matters.
Growing up in Saint-Nazaire, a city known for its shipyards, I was fascinated by grand ocean liners and discovered that some cruise ships had something truly unique: ice rinks at sea. My skating journey didn’t start out of glamour or competition, but for health. I was an asthmatic child, frequently sick, and skating was a way to grow stronger. Over time, that necessity became a passion. I eventually specialized in pair skating, and the idea of performing on a ship became a quiet dream I carried with me. Over the last decade, my career has taken me to 29 countries across five continents. Each destination has shaped my understanding of the world and deepened my appreciation for cultural differences. Then came the pandemic, which, like for many artists, brought everything to a halt. But instead of seeing it as a setback, I used that time to grow. I trained as an aerial skater under two circus coaches, a completely new discipline that pushed me physically and mentally. It blended the danger and thrill of aerial work with the grace of skating. Which is also exactly what I absolutely love in pair skating and that bring me the exact same feeling, flying. That intense training period, spanning five years, was deeply transformative and led me to perform as an aerialist on ice in Germany, an experience that merged two worlds I love. And few months later, I was given the chance to join cruise ships as a pair skating performer. It brought me full circle, back to the dream I had as a child.
Joining ships now marks the result of 28 years on the ice, including a decade in professional shows. It means holding high standards, working with some of the best skaters, dancers, artists, and seafarers, people dedicated to creating memorable experiences for thousands of guests. Life on a cruise ship moves fast. Each day brings new destinations, fresh challenges, and the constant drive to improve. As crew, our role extends beyond performing: we take part in guest service, safety drills, and overall security awareness across the ship. Performance-wise, the job demands more than what’s seen on stage. Our days involve warm-ups, rehearsals, off-ice and on-ice training, and physical conditioning. Skating on board might seem like a dream job, and it is, but it also comes with risk, discipline, and endless preparation. Behind the elegance lies a commitment to precision, safety, teamwork, and the ability to push through exhaustion with trust and focus. What looks effortless is anything but. It’s hours of hard work, technical fine-tuning, and most of all, a deep love for what we do, not just as performers, but as people.
Wanderlust Chronicles Article 1.mp3 (7.42 Mo)
Wanderlust Ice & Ink – Life On Board as a Pair Figure Skater And Lifestyle Journalist Performing on a Cruise Ship
And that’s why I started this series. To document what it really means to live and work as a performer at sea, and to show how I can balance this with my journalism work. From daily life as a crew member to the reality behind the spotlight. I wanted to show not just my passion for skating or the travel moments that stand out, but the structure, discipline, and consistency that go into it all. As a performer and lifestyle journalist, I’ve always observed the world through a curious and analytical lens. I want to explore the contrasts, the effort, the teamwork, and the culture we create onboard. Wanderlust Ice & Ink is my way of connecting the dots between performance, travel, and journalism , to keep a record of it all, and hopefully offer something relatable, inspiring, row and real.
"Currently part of the ice cast on Royal Caribbean’s Voyager Class Ship"
I’m currently part of the ice cast on Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas, a Voyager-class ship with a rink floating in the middle of the ocean. Every night, I lace up my skates and step into the spotlight, performing alongside some of the most talented skaters I’ve ever had the chance to share the ice with.
But beyond the sparkle of the costumes and the echo of applause, everything is about the discipline it takes to skate when the floor beneath you doesn’t stay still. The precision to lift, to spin, to land, to be in sync with your partner and co worker during group numbers and the calm it takes to hold that trust when the ship tilts just slightly off balance. It’s staying sharp when you’re sore, tired, or stuck in the same section for the tenth time that day. It’s learning the understudy role you may never perform, and showing up like it’s opening night. It’s the silence backstage. The adrenaline before the cue. The in-between moments, dressing room routines, warmup laps, fast costume changes, port days that feel like blinks. It’s the quiet friendships built over deckside coffees and the late-night laughter that only the cast and other crew will understand. And then, there’s the crew side of it all. The morning drills, the all-skate sessions we monitor and manage, the quick pivots when the schedule shifts. The extra duties, spotlighting the theater cast, dressing singers and dancers mid-show, helping backstage. Because as performers, we’re also crew. And that means being ready for more than just the show. It means taking part in the machinery that keeps this floating city running, with discipline, adaptability, and no small dose of caffeine (for me!).
It’s a balance between athleticism and duty, between the spotlight and the teamwork that makes it shine. And that’s exactly why I’m telling my stories, because behind every performance is a world built on passion, preparation, and people who care deeply about what they do. What happens offstage is just as meaningful as what the audience sees, and it deserves to be shared.
But beyond the sparkle of the costumes and the echo of applause, everything is about the discipline it takes to skate when the floor beneath you doesn’t stay still. The precision to lift, to spin, to land, to be in sync with your partner and co worker during group numbers and the calm it takes to hold that trust when the ship tilts just slightly off balance. It’s staying sharp when you’re sore, tired, or stuck in the same section for the tenth time that day. It’s learning the understudy role you may never perform, and showing up like it’s opening night. It’s the silence backstage. The adrenaline before the cue. The in-between moments, dressing room routines, warmup laps, fast costume changes, port days that feel like blinks. It’s the quiet friendships built over deckside coffees and the late-night laughter that only the cast and other crew will understand. And then, there’s the crew side of it all. The morning drills, the all-skate sessions we monitor and manage, the quick pivots when the schedule shifts. The extra duties, spotlighting the theater cast, dressing singers and dancers mid-show, helping backstage. Because as performers, we’re also crew. And that means being ready for more than just the show. It means taking part in the machinery that keeps this floating city running, with discipline, adaptability, and no small dose of caffeine (for me!).
It’s a balance between athleticism and duty, between the spotlight and the teamwork that makes it shine. And that’s exactly why I’m telling my stories, because behind every performance is a world built on passion, preparation, and people who care deeply about what they do. What happens offstage is just as meaningful as what the audience sees, and it deserves to be shared.
What this series is:
Backstage.
– To share what it really means to be a pair skater at sea
– To keep a personal and professional trace of life onboard
– To show the balance between performance, discipline, and everyday life on board
– To talk about the crew reality, the moments we don’t always show
– Through reels, articles, and interviews I’ll publish along the way
From partner work to port days, understudy moments to show nights, this series is my way of capturing the in-between. The real part of the job. The days that shape us.
Why now?
Because skating on a ship is not just performing. It’s a full rhythm, made of metal, salt, ice, and teamwork. And because what happens off stage is just as meaningful as what happens under the spotlight.
🎥 First video now on YouTube
📰 Full article on the International Podcast Journal
📲 IG @sarahaerial.ice
– To share what it really means to be a pair skater at sea
– To keep a personal and professional trace of life onboard
– To show the balance between performance, discipline, and everyday life on board
– To talk about the crew reality, the moments we don’t always show
– Through reels, articles, and interviews I’ll publish along the way
From partner work to port days, understudy moments to show nights, this series is my way of capturing the in-between. The real part of the job. The days that shape us.
Why now?
Because skating on a ship is not just performing. It’s a full rhythm, made of metal, salt, ice, and teamwork. And because what happens off stage is just as meaningful as what happens under the spotlight.
🎥 First video now on YouTube
📰 Full article on the International Podcast Journal
📲 IG @sarahaerial.ice
Wanderlust Ice & Ink – Art Review: Comedy as Resistance, Comedy as Resistance, What the 22nd Monte-Carlo Film Festival Reveals About Our Time
