Vancouver!

For our Disney Alaskan Cruise, the port of embarkation was in Vancouver, Canada. I arrived a few days before our cruise departure to enjoy a weekend in Vancouver, as I had never been to the city or Canada before. Early wake-up calls are not my thing, but luckily, I was tired all week from going to bed late and not taking my lunch power naps. I was able to go to bed with no problem at 9 pm. So we were up stupidly early, arriving at Newark International Airport at 5 am. Being my first time at the airport, the experience was quick and easy. When we arrived at the Air Canada terminal, it only took about 30 minutes to hand off our luggage and get through the security. I discovered a Shake Shack by our gate after not listening to Danny and insisting on getting a mediocre breakfast sandwich before walking toward the gate. Sometimes, you have to listen to the boyfriend. They may be right. LOL.

Alaska: Ketchikan!

Enjoy these photos of Ketchikan! Unfortunately, our nature excursion was canceled due to the machining failure of the boat we were supposed to travel on. We only spent an hour or so exploring the town before spending the rest of our day on the Wonder.

 

Alaska: Juneau!

Our agenda for Juneau included visiting Mendenhall Glacier, whale watching, and a Salmon bake! Our excursion was supposed to last about 6 hours, so it was a whole-day event. The day was rainy, with temperatures in the high 40s and low 50s. I was finally able to wear my yellow raincoat! Juneau is known for its high precipitation levels due to its maritime climate. More often than not, there is some form of precipitation in Juneau, whether rain, snow or a mix of both. I learned that, on average, Juneau sees about 130 days of sunshine annually. It seems like it’s not a place for people susceptible to seasonal depression.

Alaska: Skagway!

The morning started in the low 60s with beautiful, clear, sunny skies and minimal wind. This was perfect weather for our Skagway excursion, a dog sledding and glacier flightseeing helicopter tour! I saw Adults in Disney do this on their Alaskan cruise in 2022, which was the catalyst for my booking this trip. Many people will tell you to avoid getting attached to your booked excursions for Alaska as there is a real chance they may be canceled, mainly due to bad weather. However, we were fortunate! I prayed to the Alaskan nature gods that this excursion would go as planned, and I cannot tell you how grateful I am to have had this experience. 

Alaska: Glacier Day!

Waking up on Glacier Day was like Christmas morning—I could hardly contain my excitement! I was awake bright and early for Mickey’s first meet and greet of the day. We were going on our glacier explorer excursion at noon, so I wanted my coveted photo with fisherman Mickey beforehand. I had spent thousands of dollars to take this photo, and I wouldn’t miss the opportunity for anything. The beloved Fab 5 - Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck, Daisy, and Goofy - have meet-and-greets on the top deck in their adorable Alaskan outfits during Glacier Day. After my magical photo with Mickey, we were off to Cabanas for breakfast before we explored the fjord.

Alaska!

Alaska has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. Not being fond or interested in cruising, I always said that if I were to go on one, it’d be an Alaskan cruise. I wasn’t very knowledgeable about the Disney Cruise Line up until recently as I was only ever interested in going to the Disney Parks. In 2020, I saw a photo of fisherman Mickey in his cute Alaskan outfit on Instagram, and I about died. Suddenly, a DISNEY Alaskan cruise was on my travel bucket list. I didn’t know then that I was manifesting this trip. It wasn’t on my radar of places to go until the summer of 2022. I blame Adults in Disney. I watched their entire series of IG stories documenting their Alaskan cruise aboard the Disney Wonder and immediately had a sudden urge to go to Alaska. What put me over the edge was their dog sledding excursion in Skagway. 

One Year Ago: Alaska!

Top TV Shows of 2023

Top Movies of 2023

Music in Review 2023

Last Call for Christmas!

 

Early Morning Xmas Stroll through Rockefeller Center! ❤️💚

Frosty the Snowman! ☃️

NYSE Christmas Tree & Seaport District!

Holiday Nostalgia Train Rides & Christmas Stroll! 🎅🏻🎄

Christmas Brunch at Lillie’s! 🎅🏻🎄

I’ve been scheming since last year in my efforts to dine at Christmas-themed restaurants each Holiday season. For the last Christmas, Danny and I visited Papillon Bistro & Bar, and the decorations were out of this world. This year I choose to dine at Lillie’s Victorian Establishment! My first visit to Lillie’s was for the Halloween season, in which the restaurant is adorned in skeletons galore and other frightful delights. As you can imagine, I was just as excited to see the restaurant covered head to toe in Christmas decorations.

Pinkmas

Gruß vom Krampus

Autumn in New York 🍁