It's kind of interesting that you won't find such a nice looking sign welcoming you to the U.S. through Mexico.
On the 21st day of our Miami to Alaska family road trip we disembarked the Disney Wonder cruise ship refreshed and recharged to commence the second and final half of our national road trip with several days in our favorite state Oregon.
Microsoft Headquarters
On our way to Oregon we were invited for lunch and a tour of Microsoft’s (more…)
As we spend our final day aboard the Disney Wonder, it’s funny to note how many similarities there are between the classic TV show “The Love Boat” and our cruise experience. Yes, I was a casual Saturday night watcher of “The Love Boat” (Gopher was my favorite character) and as life would have it 12 years ago during a marketing gig I even had the pleasure to meet Capt. Stubing (Gavin MacLeod) in person. Capt. Stubing looked exactly as I had last seen him in TV Land and was also very personable.
Triton's and Animator's Palate were our super favorites. This photo is from Triton's.
In any case, I digress. The similarities between the show and our real cruise come to mind because one of the things that ALWAYS happened on the show was that passengers and crew were like family by the end of the trip.
Alas, this is the case with us as we prepare to bid adieu to the Disney Wonder and the many folks that behind the scene made it so special for us. (more…)
On the 19th day of our family road trip across the U.S.A. our Disney Wonder cruise to Alaska made its last port of call in the tiny town of Ketchikan, Alaska, home to a national lumberjack school, capital of salmon fishing and headquarters to the world’s largest collection of Native American totem poles.
Saxman Native Village Totem Pole Park
We started our day with a short bus ride to the Saxman Native Village Totem Pole Park. (more…)
A day after our historic walk atop an Alaskan glacier our Disney Wonder cruise pit stopped in the surprisingly small state capital Juneau (population 31,262) where we disembarked for a special excursion aboard a nostalgic floatplane and went in search of elusive bears.
Floatplanes Are the Way to Fly
In Juneau, the only state capital that must be accessed by floatplane or boat, seaplanes are not a luxury but a necessity. Yes, you read right, in Juneau (and in much of Alaska) floatplanes are like cars and if you live there and you don’t own one to get around chances are you can probably hitch a ride with somebody who does. (more…)
Majestic. God-inspired awesome. Breath-taking.
Neither pictures nor words can fully describe the unfathomable beauty of what our family beheld in Skagway, Alaska during the 17th day of our epic journey from Miami to Alaska.
A Helicopter Ride for the Ages
The seeds for a great day took root last night when we learned at the last moment that a slot had miraculously opened up for us to board a helicopter in Skagway for an extraordinary excursion that involved flying to and landing on a remote gorgeous glacier.
Briani sat next to me for our flight to the Meade Glacier.
The third day on our special boat trip to Alaska marks the beginning of four consecutive days of what my wife and I call the Natural Geographic experience aboard the Disney Wonder cruise to Alaska. These are the meaty adventures that lured us here and if today is any barometer for what’s to come this ocean voyage part of our 40-day Miami to Alaska vacation is only going to be more spectacular.
Character Breakfast
We began our favorite day on the ship so far with the much anticipated character breakfast at the Parrot Cay restaurant. Every passenger gets this priviledge so you want to be sure that when you go on your Disney cruise you don’t miss breakfast on that day. Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Chip n Dale and our daugthers’ favorite Goofy all came by (more…)
The Golden Mickey's was a major highlight of our second day aboard the Disney Wonder. Broadway quality revues with Disney characters makes this cruise uniquely suited for families like ours.
You would think my wife and I are cruise ship experts.
We love to travel and live in Miami, cruise ship capital of the world. We’ve been to nearly every state in the nation, trekked thru chunks of Europe and seen most of Latin America. My wife and I have even been to Rwanda and the Congo in hard to reach central Africa.
Despite our extensive travel history, we don’t have anything to show for cruise ships. Our Disney Wonder voyage to Alaska is my wife’s first cruise and only my second.
On this second day of our great journey to Alaska, (more…)
You’ve seen this part of the movie a million times. A ship full of sea weary men spots a beach and as they come ashore they throw themselves atop the sand, thrilled to be on land again.
On Day 14 of our family vacation that is the exact opposite picture of what we felt when we finally, mercifully boarded the Disney Wonder in Vancouver, British Columbia. After all the trials and tribulations of the past week our cruise aboard the Disney Wonder represents rest, recovery and new adventures.
Exhausted but looking forward to rest and fun aboard the Disney Wonder.
Welcome Aboard, Disney-style!
First impressions are so important and that’s why you’ve got to hand it to Disney: they “get” this principle in spades. (more…)
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