As a young girl, Michelle Wighton would sit infront of her family television and watch The Love Boat.
It was a ritual that sparked her fascination with cruise ships.
"I'd think, 'one day I'm going to go on a cruise'," she told NITV.
Now, the Yamatji woman is an avid cruiser - she's holidayed on cruise ships regularly since 2002.
"Cruising is one of my passions," she said.
"I just tried a small one then I started taking other family members and husband, children, friends, and it continued onto something that just grew and grew."
On Monday, Michelle boarded the the Carnival Splendour with her husband, Wiradjuri man Darren Wighton, and 70 of their family and closest friends.
"We're going for a nine-night cruise with Carnival Splendour. We're going to Airlie Beach, Cairns and then Moreton Island."
Michelle Wighton is setting sail with 72 mob on a 9-night cruise that’s become a tradition for many families sharing stories, laughter and culture while travelling together. Source: Supplied
"It's a year out or something that we [plan] this, we pay a deposit, we pay it off. We get T-shirts done," she said.
"Everybody is encouraging, we've got chats going, everyone was getting their costumes together for theme nights."
While it's a time to relax, Michelle said it's also a chance to come together and have fun after hard times.
"This cruise is a bit of a renewal for our family, for the Johnson/Kirby family. We lost our Aunty earlier this year," she said.
"We're always getting together for Sorry Business. So we needed to change the narrative, we needed to get together for good times, glad times over sad times."
The family boarded with a packed schedule.
"There's so much to do and a really good thing about going with a big mob is there's always somebody to do something with," Michelle laughed.
"So you've got your trivia buffs, and you've got the ones that like to go to karaoke, and then you've got bingo. There's a casino on board, there's bars, shuffleboard, art and all the different restaurants.
"And if you don't want to do anything, you can just lay by the pool or be on top deck reading a book ... There's something for everybody. It's like a mini city."
Many of the family have made their own T-shirts for the nine day cruise. Source: Supplied / Michelle Wighton
"They can make their own choices, and they start to pay it off. It just empowers them. And it really brings that independence.
"Our mob, they've worked hard, they've saved, they've sacrificed, and when they arrive on the day and they see the ship, especially kids, and the smile on their faces brings joy to my heart."
For years, Michelle thought that cruises were for "rich, white people". But now she says otherwise.
"You see more and more of our mob going which is just exciting," she said.
"I love when somebody says, 'Michelle, I'm going on a cruise'. I love knowing that I've been able to help people in that. I've had old people say to me, 'I started cruising with you, and now I take my children and my grandchildren', and that just brings joy to my heart.
"When you're sailing out of Sydney, standing on the top deck, you feel like a million bucks. You're overlooking the water, feeling so excited and doing something that you'd never thought you'd do. I've seen that in my Elders and in my children."
Cruising is a passion that will last a lifetime for Michelle. And it's one she hopes to inspire others to get onboard.
"I'd encourage people to think about it, and then don't think about it and just do it," she laughed.
"Find somebody to go with, take your family, book a small one.
"I started that way, and now I'm up to 23 and I won't stop yet!"
