I think that we can all agree that the single worst decision that a sentient being can make is to accompany the Doctor on a vacation. Things only get worse if the vacation is on a cruise ship in space.

IDW’s current run of Doctor Who features the eleventh Doctor and the Ponds as they gallivant across the galaxy. (ed. Been waiting a while to say that?) (You have no idea) In this issue the Doctor whisks the Ponds off for a relaxing vacation on a cruise ship. In space.

The story, by Andy Diggle, is pretty traditional by Doctor Who standards. The bad guys are bad, the ethically grey guys are interesting, and the good guys are funny. There is danger. There is mystery. There are jokes. There are short waiters. Honestly, the best thing about the story is that it feels like Doctor Who.

The art by Josh Adams, with inks by Marc Deering and colors by Charlie Kirchoff, is good. The alien worlds and creatures are marvelous. The setting is relatively banal, but it is filled with bizarre creatures. You know exactly what everything is, because all hotel rooms look alike and all hotel pools are the same. You just have fishmen swimming in this pool.

This is a great issue to jump into, as it is part one of a two-part story that doesn’t rely on any previous issue. There are some characters from the Doctor’s past, but there is enough information to pick up what’s going on if you aren’t a regular viewer. If you are, then this is definitely one that you should get.

Four and a Half Totally Safe Cruise Lines out of Five