Five Reasons to Take a Europe River Cruise

There are many advantages in taking a river cruise.

1. River cruising offers an ever-changing scenery.
2. No sea-sickness!
3. The average number of passengers on a river cruise is only 150.
4. Complimentary wine, beer and sodas are included.
5. Shore excursions are included in the price.

The top three river cruise destinations are centered around historic cities and landmarks along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers, plus the scenic waterways  of The Netherlands.

Let me help you choose the best cruise ship and destination and at the best price.
Email me at becki@CruiseTogether.com

Last Reason for Taking Alaska Cruise

#5. To see Totem poles and learn about the culture.
  The best place to see totem poles is in Ketchikan. There are over 80 you can see by taking a tour or just by walking around town.

 These are all original Native American totem poles which show the symbols of the clan they belong to. These are NOT religious symbols but rather they tell stories and honor their heritage.
I saw many from the Tlingit tribe.
Stop by the Saxman Native Village or Totem Bight State Park. Do not miss learning about their culture!
It is very interesting.

For help planning your Alaska vacation call me at 336-922-1837 or email becki@cruisetogether.com. I will be glad to help you plan the best cruise for you! NOW is the time to plan that summer cruise.

Reasons #3 and #4

3. To eat fresh salmon. 
  It doesn't get any better than this!

 
Of course you don't have to fish for your own as it is easy to find salmon in any restaurant in Alaska. And it is SO good and fresh!

In August when the salmon are spawning you will see the bears having a feast getting ready for their winter hibernation.

How about some grilled salmon?

4.  To take a train ride through the mountains. Most cruise ships stop in Skagway where you can take the tour through the mountains and hear about Soapy Smith as well as see his grave.
       

You can also take this tour in a van. The road is across the valley from the train tracks but takes a similar route. The downside to this is that it can get foggy as you are traveling up the mountain. This happened to us and our van had to turn around as we could not see through the fog to see the road.

Another train ride that is fun is to take it from Seward to Anchorage or vice versa. It should be about a 4 hr. ride however they run on Alaska time so it could be longer.
We got on the train at 6pm in June when they have 20 hrs of daylight and we saw people grilling on their deck at midnight in broad daylight when we arrived in Anchorage.

 Be ready to stop for a moose on the track. Some can get lazy and decide to lay down on the tracks and you just have to wait for it to move.           

Stay tuned for my 5th reason to take an Alaska cruise. You may contact me at becki@cruisetogether.com with any questions or more information on cruising Alaska.

More reasons for taking an Alaska Cruise

2. To see whales...eagles...bears.....moose! Yes there is so much wildlife to see.

 You will be able to see orca whales and humpback whales from your ship but to get really up close take a whale watching trip out of Juneau. It is an awesome experience! You might even be lucky enough to see the humpbacks bubble net. And the cooler the day the better since they are not as active on warm days.

 

You will see eagles flying around or sitting on a light pole. Just watch for them. 

Add on a visit to Denali National Park before your cruise to see lots of wildlife.
Contact me to help you plan your Alaska cruise for next summer. Call 336-922-1837.

5 Reasons to Take An Alaska Cruise

1. To see glaciers.
  Glaciers were formed on land over many years, often centuries. They have carved out valleys and sculpted mountains.  Glacial ice is very dense and blue.

 Your ship will get up close to the glaciers in Glacier Bay National Park or Tracy Arm most likely. You might  see Hubbard Glacier (depending on your itinerary)  which is the largest tidewater glacier in N. America at 76 miles long and 7 miles wide.

When your ship gets close to the glaciers go out on your balcony or on the upper deck and be very quiet. If you listen you will hear them crack and break off. This is called "calving".    
                                    

 
  Your ship will have a stop in Juneau. Hop on a bus and take the 10 minute ride to Mendenhall Glacier. It is worth seeing. There is a park ranger on duty to answer your questions.

  If you want to actually walk on a glacier take a helicopter ride which will land on a glacier. It's a thrilling experience! 
  I will be glad to help you plan your Alaska cruise and tours for next summer. I will find you the best ship and best cabin at the best price.  Give me a call at 336-922-1837.
                           

10 Tips for Traveling with Luggage

More of us are traveling with less luggage now that the airlines charge for each bag. If you are going for an extended time and cannot get by with a carry-on  then I have

                10 Tips to Help Your Luggage Arrive On Time and in Good Condition

1. Put your printed itinerary with your contact information inside your luggage where it will be easily seen if opened.

2. Remove all tags and travel stickers from previous trips as the scanner may read the wrong one.

3.Take a photo of the contents of your suitcase and keep in a safe place.

                                     

4.Do not pack anything valuable such as jewelry, electronics, important documents or medicines.

5. Take off any straps that can cause a bag to get caught on a conveyer belt.

6. Instead of putting your home address on your luggage tag, put the address of where you will be staying. You don't want to announce that your house will be empty.

7. Avoid using very expensive looking bags. Thieves will think it holds expensive items.

8. To protect checked bags from damage and theft use one of the luggage wrapping services found at many airports. For  about $10 you can wrap your bag in what looks like Saran Wrap and if the TSA unwraps it they will rewrap it for free.     
                                                                    

9.  Shortly after arriving at your destination check your items to make sure it is all there. If not submit a claim with the airline as soon as possible.

10.Most importantly buy travel insurance when you make your reservation. Besides covering you for cancellation due to illness or death in the family it will also cover your luggage up to a certain amount should it get lost.

For travel advice to anywhere call Birds of a Feather at 336-922-1837.

More Educational Fun at Disney World

Before leaving Epcot stop at Innovations behind Spaceship Earth and play the Great Piggy Bank Adventure game. It teaches kids (and adults) about setting smart financial goals, saving and spending wisely, inflation, asset allocation and diversification.

As you can see Epcot has a lot of opportunities for learning and having fun at the same time.


Now let's head over to Animal Kingdom which offers many more opportunities for learning. This is a 500 acre park/zoo anchored in the middle by The Tree of Life. This huge tree has 325 carvings on its trunk. Both art and science can be experienced here by studying these beautiful carvings.

There are many trails taking you by different animals. Have your child determine if each animal they see is a mammal, reptile, amphibian, bird or fish. And don't miss the Kilimanjaro Safaris which take you out on a 100 acre African savannah looking for animals. You never know what animals you will see.

If you are lucky enough to stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge get a room overlooking the savannah and watch the animals as they go about their daily life.

Take the Wildlife Express Train to the Conservation Station to see how the animals are cared for and you might even see an animal surgery in progress on the monitor in the hospital.

In Dinoland the younger ones will enjoy the larger than life audio -animatronic dinosaurs and they can dig for bones at the Boneyards Dig Site.

There are many environmental exhibits and as you wander down the paths also notice the many kinds of plants and try to identify them. (botany)

In both the Asia and Africa areas there are cultural experiences and performances. You can beat on a drum in Africa or eat a spring roll in Asia.


In the Magic Kingdom the Hall of Presidents has very realistic moving wax replicas of all the presidents telling the early history of our country.

Animation and history are also taught in Hollywood Studios at the Magic of Disney Animation. You see a film showing how animated characters are made. At the Animation Station you can experience  what it's like to be a Disney animator.

You can probably find more educational things to do in Disney World but this gives you many ideas. 
I will be glad to help you plan your next Disney trip! Give me a call at 336-922-1837.