Barb Thibert is the energetic administrator of The Ethel Gathering Group: OlyPen and Kitsap in Washington. She recently organized a trip of a lifetime for her fellow Ethels: a seven-day cruise through Alaska in late May. Some 36 Ethels went on the cruise, including 22 from Thibert's OlyPen and Kitsap group. The other 14 Ethels were from other states, including New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Missouri. We interviewed Thibert about how she pulled off such a fabulous excursion.
Q. How did the idea of organizing a cruise come to you?
A. A member of my group asked me to organize a group cruise after learning I had cruised extensively pre-pandemic.
Q. Where did the cruise go?
A. In Alaska, we went to Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Sitka and Ketchikan, and we also went to Victoria, Canada.
Q. What were the highlights of the trip?
A. The time spent on deck looking for whales or watching the glacier with Ethel friends. Also, the recognition our group got from other passengers, with so many women asking how they could join and participate. You’d hear the word "Ethel" drifting through the air as we were being talked about by others. The entire ship knew about the Ethels by the end of it. We would get stopped everywhere with questions. In addition, [I loved] how quickly and deeply the group connected through the commonality of being Ethels.
Q. What surprised you about the trip?
A. That so many people got sick during the week (seasick, cold, flu and a few COVID cases afterwards) and that so many ladies were enthralled by the on-ship jewelry store. I was surprised that so many women booked a solo cabin and that so many women signed up to come, especially from other parts of the country. Fourteen of the Ethels had never been on a cruise before, so this was a huge leap of faith that they would have fun. Four Ethels traveled here from other states solo, without knowing another single soul in the group of cruisers.
Q. What was the key to making the cruise a success?
I think one of the biggest things that helped our group connect with each other was the matching T-shirts and tote bags I had made, as well as the three colors of strands of beads with a ship charm to wear when we weren’t wearing a T-shirt. We immediately were able to spot each other even on a crowded ship.
Q. What did you do pre-cruise to ensure success?
A. I set up a "Cruising Ethels" Facebook page to facilitate the planning. I set up chats within the page for various aspects of the cruise (ports, finding a cabin mate, pre-cruise or post-cruise tours for those coming in from out of town, etc.). I created a cruise member directory with a listing of names, phone numbers, photos, email addresses, interests and their expectations for the cruise. This was a huge hit and helped ladies feel like they knew each other before they even met. I provided a list of names, cabin numbers and a layout of the ship, showing where each cabin was in relation to the others on the deck. I also created a grid with the types of activities on the ship, and let each lady indicate what they may be interested in doing, and I sent that around before the cruise. So if you wanted to play bingo, you could look at the grid and see who else likes to play bingo and have them go with you. I organized two pre-cruise meetups with local Ethels.
Q. And what did you do on the actual cruise to ensure that everyone had a good time?
A. Involvement was always optional. Two scooters, two wheelchairs and several canes accommodated mobility challenges. Everyone helped each other. I had Cruising Ethel and Alaska door magnets outside cabins to help the women identify each other while walking the halls. I had an all-member meetup on the first full day and on the last full day. We did a Cabin Crawl where we toured seven different cabin types to see the differences. I brought mini cutouts of Ethel as table centerpieces on the cruise. We had dinner at reserved tables every night — seven tables, but the ladies moved around and sat by different people each night.
And here are a few comments from the women who joined Thibert on the cruise.
"As a solo traveler, it was nice to have a 'posse' that I knew I could be with at dinner. I couldn't imagine if I were stuck at a table of seven family members or friends, and me being the odd person out."
"Thank you for the cruise! I would never have done this without you. If you hadn't done this one, I am not sure how or when I would have gone on my first cruise. I am hooked!"
"I just wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the time, energy and love you poured into organizing the cruise. You did an absolutely amazing job! You truly thought of everything, and it showed."
"The camaraderie, kindness and safe space you created made it easy for total strangers to connect and support each other. That kind of community doesn't happen by accident — it happens because of people like you who lead with the heart. Literally, everyone wanted to be a part of our group by the end of the trip!"
"It was so fun! I hope to cruise with the Ethels again. All in all, I had a fabulous time and can't imagine taking a cruise without the Ethels."
And the woman above is in luck. Thibert and others are already planning another cruise — a 12-day cruise out of San Diego to the Mexican Riviera that leaves on December 6, 2025. Ten Ethels signed up while on the Alaska cruise!
Meanwhile, Thibert's OlyPen & Kitsap Gathering Group has more than 1,100 members. The group enjoys between 40 and 60 events every month. Sometimes, there are five events in a single day.
"We have regular walks and talks, beach walks, hikes, Dairy Queen visits, crafts. We had an amazing Kentucky Derby party. We're doing a cowgirl roundup in August. We did a Galentine's Day party, a Cinco de Mayo party and a St. Patrick's Day party," Thibert said. "I think our group is the most active in the country. One reason for this: We have 800 women who live within 45 minutes of each other."
Thibert said women have found others with similar interests. She believes that you need to see someone at least five times a month in order to form a real friendship.
"I am also 100 percent opposed to going around the table and having everyone introduce themselves. You could have a woman who talks forever. I'm a proponent of icebreakers," she said. "I tell the ladies that they don't have to like everybody. That's not realistic. But real friendships have formed."
Who out there would LOVE to go on a trip with their fellow Ethels? Let us know in the comments below.
