CELEBRATION, Fla. (Sept. 11, 2009) – For the first time ever, Disney Cruise Line will offer Alaskan cruises during a four-month season of seven-night sailings aboard the Disney Wonder in summer 2011. Combining the natural wonder and adventurous spirit of Alaska with the unparalleled, family-friendly experience provided by Disney Cruise Line, the Disney Wonder will depart out of Vancouver, B.C., calling on popular ports such as Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway.

Before and after the 2011 summer season in Alaska, the Disney Wonder will sail seven-night Mexican Riviera cruises from the Port of Los Angeles to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta.

In response to guest demand, the Disney Magic will once again return to the Mediterranean in 2011 with 10- and 11-night cruises sailing out of Barcelona.  In addition to popular ports in Italy, France and Spain, the Disney Magic will visit Tunis in northern Africa and the island nation of Malta.

“We’re excited to offer this incredible choice of itineraries for 2011, with cruise vacation options for every family – whether that’s outdoor adventure in Alaska, the beauty and culture of Europe, folklore and pageantry of Mexico or tropical fun in the Caribbean,” said Disney Cruise Line President Karl Holz.  “The unique advantage of Disney Cruise Line is that we offer a customized ship experience that brings families together, while still catering to the personalized vacation needs of every guest who sails with us.”

Disney Cruise Line also will offer a number of repositioning cruises and special sailings in 2011, including a 15-night Panama Canal crossing, two 14-night transatlantic voyages, a five- and six-night cruise from Los Angeles to Vancouver, and Vancouver to Los Angeles, with first-ever stops in San Francisco and Victoria, B.C., and 10- and 11-night holiday sailings to the Mexican Riviera and the eastern Caribbean.

Guests will be able to book Disney Wonder and Disney Magic itineraries for the 2011 season beginning Sept. 28, 2009.

You can sail with popular Disney Channel stars this summer aboard the Disney Wonder® Cruise Ship during the first-ever “Disney Channel Summer at Sea,” presented by Kodak.

Popular stars from Disney Channel shows like “Hannah Montana,” “Sonny With a Chance,” “JONAS,” “The Suite Life on Deck,” “Camp Rock,” “High School Musical” and “Hatching Pete” will join Guests on 3- and 4-night cruises beginning July 9 through Aug. 2, 2009.

All eight sailings are available to book now with special fan activities included in the prevailing cruise rate.

During the voyages, Disney Channel stars will help pump up the volume during onboard deck parties and join Guests for Q&A and autograph sessions as well as preview screenings of Disney Channel programming.

The onboard fun culminates with a “Party with the Stars” event, an evening in which Guests are invited to join the stars for a special musical performance by a Disney recording artist.

Each cruise will include multiple Disney Channel stars. Among those scheduled, with more to be announced shortly, are:

3-Night Disney Channel Summer At Sea Cruise
Sail Dates and Appearance Schedule*

July 9 to 12, 2009 – Tiffany Thornton (Sonny with a Chance) and Nicole Anderson (JONAS)
July 16 to 19, 2009 – Jason Earles (Hannah Montana)
July 23 to 26, 2009 – Jason Dolley (Hatching Pete)
July 30 to August 2, 2009 – Debby Ryan (The Suite Life on Deck)

4-Night Disney Channel Summer at Sea Cruise
Sail Dates and Appearance Schedule*

July 12 to 16, 2009 – Tiffany Thornton (Sonny with a Chance) and Nicole Anderson (JONAS)
July 19 to 23, 2009 – Musical Act Mitchel Musso and Jason Earles (Hanna Montana)
July 26 to 30, 2009 – Jason Dolley (Hatching Pete)
August 2 to 6, 2009 – Alyson Stoner (Camp Rock)

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THEIR OWN PRIVATE ISLAND FOR THE DAY: Jeff (left) and Sarah Acoba (right) smile as they arrive via a Disney character-lined red carpet on Disney Cruise Line’s Castaway Cay island in the Bahamas Feb. 12, 2008. The Acobas, from Port Orchard, Wash., are followed by Disney Cruise Line island guide Clayton Lyndsey (back left) and Zach Schafer (back right), Sarah Acoba’s brother. The Acobas were selected by “Good Morning America” viewers to win their own private island for the day as part of Disney Parks’ “Year of a Million Dreams” celebration. Today, the party of four (family friend Mike Rauch joined them as well) have the island all to themselves with all of the Disney amenities, recreation, dining and shore excursions included. Tonight, they will spend the night on an 88-foot yacht. The Acobas’ private island stay will be featured Feb. 13, 2008 on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” (Diana Zalucky, photographer)

(DEC. 27, 2007): Actor Blair Underwood gets behind the camera to shoot some vacation videos aboard the Disney Cruise Line cruise ship “Wonder” Dec. 27, 2007 as his children Blake (left), Brielle (middle) and Paris (right) meet Mickey Mouse on deck. Underwood, one of the stars of the hit ABC drama series “Dirty Sexy Money,” is taking a vacation cruise with his family aboard the Disney luxury liner. In 2008, Underwood will co-star with Julia Louis-Dreyfus in the CBS comedy “The New Adventures of Old Christine” and with Gabriel Byrne in the new HBO drama series “In Treatment.” (Matt Stroshane, photographer)

Well our last day is a day at sea. Time to sleep in, rest from the weeks busy excursions, review pictures and reflect on an awesome vacation!

Maybe catch a movie in the Buena Vista theater, catch some rays up on deck,catch up on the blog or find a quiet place for a cocktail.

It really has been a lovely cruise. We have had great weather, no rain, flat seas just ideal cruising conditions.

Our stateroom and dining room staff were fantastic and helped make it an enjoyable cruise.

We had great food, great wine and great times as a family, what more could you ask for?

Tomorrow is Saturday, and we’ll wake up in Barcelona and begin the long flight home with a few extra pounds, a couple of gigabites of pictures and a lifetime of memories.

I’ll never forget the Italian and French coast, it left a lasting impression on Leslie and me. I know one day we’ll return here.

For now though, thoughts are returning to home, but we’ve already started planning our next cruise with Disney to Mexico in ‘08 and we’ll be on the Wonder for a 3 night in November ‘07.

So that’s it, hope you have enjoyed this trip blog. When we get back home we’ll post more pics and some video, the slow internet has made it tough to post more than a few pics a day.

Thanks for following along!

Rick

Today we are in Villefranche, France, our final and most beautiful port before docking in Barcelona on Saturday for the trip home.

Ville franche has an abousolutely beautiful coastline, we just loved it. It’s the gateway to Monaco, Monte Carlo and Nice. It’s also our second tender port as you will see in the pictures below, and it was beautiful to see the Magic at anchor in the bay from shore.

Legend says that Hercules opened his arms and Villefranche was born. This lovely seaside village is much more laid-back that other Cote d’Azur resort towns, sitting on a big lue bay that looks like a gigantic bowl. Villefranche-sur-mer is an old town that dates back to the 14 century, voking a romantic, historic feel.

Once popular with such writers as Katherine Mansfield and Aldous Huxley, its still heaven for artists, many of whom take over the little houses, reached b narrow alleyways, which climb the hillide.

This port puts you at the very doorstep of Monaco, Cannes and Nice, where you can savor the elegance and opulent lifestyle of those who call the French Riviera home.

From the traditional “pointu” fishing boats that ply the waters off this Mediterranean coast, to countless treasures of antiquity, to the electric pace and vibrations of the grand casino, here you’ll discover why this idyllic port is so popular. Enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of this extraordinary resort, and create your own fame.
Perfume has always been a big part of the French culture. That’s why my mom and I took an excursion to the Fragonard perfume factory. There, we got to create our own perfume. It was really cool because we learned about how the “noses” create their own formula so they know how many milliliters of rose oil and how much base perfume to put in. Noses are the people why create the perfume. They have to go to school for about 7-10 years. There are only two schools in the world; one in Paris, France, and the other in Grasse, France. They have to be able to name 500 different smells every day. Noses live a very strict life, but they do get paid very well. For example, they are not allowed to smoke or consume alcohol. Once my perfume was done, I smelt it and let’s just say that it smelt like Pinsol. I will probably use it on my curtains or my pillow cases in my room. When everyone was done with their perfumes, we went over to their laboratory to see where they make the soaps, lotions, and perfumes. After, we went to the store where we had an opportunity to smell the different perfumes they make and purchase them. They all smelt so amazing! Finally, we took the bus over to small village to go shopping and try some of the local food. I know you’re asking: How do they determine what’s a village, town, or city? Well, since you asked, a village is a population of 3,000 people or less. This was sadly the last port of the cruise. We are now on our way back to Barcelona, Spain to make our way back home. Home sweet home! It was definitely an amazing cruise and we had an amazing time. Until my next trip, thanks for sightseeing with Sarah!

Marseilles
The Phocaean City

Today we say Arrivederci to Italy and Bonjour to France.

This is also the first morning since the sea day after Barcelona that we can sleep in. Our excursion is not till the afternoon, and it’s just for Leslie and I. Oh don’t feel bad for the kids, they are looking forward to a relaxing day aboard the ship without the site seeing marathon type days we have been doing.

Our excursion today is not only an afternoon one but also a very relaxing one. We met our group at 12:45 for a trip to a local Winery for a wine tasting. We had a drive thru the French countryside to Domaine De Souviou. Not only is this an estate with vineyards, but also they produce olive oil. The estate is about 125 acres of vineyards and olive trees. Five of the over 4600 olive trees are over one thousand years old, while most are around five to six hundred years old.

After a short tour around the vineyard and some history of the estate, we went inside for our tasting. First we tried a white from 2006. Next was a Rosé. Finally we tried a red from 2002, it was very good. Next we sampled two kinds of olive oils with bread. The first was made from a combination of 9 different varieties of olives, there are over 150 varieties produced in this region. Next we tried one made from the olives of the 1,000 year old tree. Both were quite good!

After our visit to Domaine De Souviou, we drove up a mountain side to visit a medieval village called Le Castellet. With only 300 residents, this is a quaint village surrounded by the walls constructed hundreds of years  ago to protect the inhabitants from enemies. There are two gates to enter, South and East, and from the village you have a panoramic view of the towns and vineyards below. There are many places to shop and eat here, and the local history is wonderful to experience and imagine.

After a tour and some free time in Le Castellet we headed back to our ship. We saw many of the sites of Marseilles. Today Marseilles is a busy and crowded cit, the second largest in France next to Paris, with  over 1.6 million inhabitants.

We traveled through Le Vieux Port (Old Port) where the Greeks landed in France over 2,600 years ago. Here we saw classic French cafes and restaurants ornamented with the masts of small boats and yachts.

From the Disney Brochure:

The flavor of Marseilles is antiquity, seaport seafood, museums and history, all offered in one delightful destination where ocean and sun invite you to idle along its shores. Marseilles is centered on the 26-century-old port, with a dynamic downtown, big parks and a medieval, village-style neighborhood. In the time of the French colonies, this charming city was the gateway to the Mediterranean, and today it is the main city of the “Bouches-du-Rhone” region.

Marseilles is located in the region of Provence, one of he most scenic areas of all France. Marseilles is the capital of this beautiful region and is the second largest city in France. It’s rugged, rocky countryside, interspersed with vineyards ad fields of laveder, has inspired many well-known artists.

Corseted by a ring of hills, including the Calanques Massif, the city winds along the Mediterranean coast. The sunshine and the Mistral wind give it that special light that has inspired renowned painters, such as Cézanne, Braque, Dufy, Deraiand and Marquet. Here is your chance to remember your special moments in the creative light of Marseilles.

Things I love about cruising:

(this post should continue to grow this week)

I love that when dinner is over, a cup of coffee arrives without even asking for it.

I love that there are no prices on the menus, and no check at the end of the meal.

I love that our server and I have an agreement, she chooses the wine and I drink it.

I love visiting many different ports but sleeping in the same bed and not packing till the end of the cruise.

I love that the menu has a regional flair but our wait staff speaks the same language we do and rotates to each restaurant with us daily

And, I love irony. Today, I went for breakfast at Parrot Cay wearing a Hawaiin shirt. When I walked in a Jimmy Buffett song was playing in the restaurant followed by Bob Marley. So, I had biscuits and gravy for breakfast on a ship in Marseilles, France, listening to reggae in an island themed restaurant. Now that’s irony!
 

Today we arrived in La Spezia Italy! This is our first tendered port and it was quite nice to take the tender boat in as opposed to docking. Not quite as convenient at the end of your day, but it was a nice boat ride into the port.

La Spezia is a beautiful port city, streets lined with palms and sprinkled with parks. We did not have quite as early a morning today as yesterday in Rome, we met our excursion group at 8:15. After grouping and then the tender ride in, we boarded our bus for about an hour drive to Pisa, and a view of the most recognizable landmark in Italy, the leaning tower.

We arrived in Pisa and had a short walk over to the tower. We crossed thru the gates into the court area where the tower stands, and were immediately taken by beauty and magnificence of the buildings there. The first is the baptistery, the largest in the world. The next is St. Mary’s Cathedral, and finally the Leaning Tower of Pisa itself. It really is striking to stand so close to something so marvelous that you have seen in pictures all your life.

Today this was all we chose to do “officially” particularly after our LONG day in Rome yesterday, so we were headed back to the ship by 12:30.

After lunch, a short break, download pictures and catch up on some email, we were in need of something to do…. how about rest I thought, (did I mention our Rome day was long?) but Leslie knew there was shopping in La Spezia. She couldn’t convince Sarah to go, even though it was her birthday, she was too tired to shop!

So I was the closest victim Next thing I knew, I was on a tender heading for the shopping district. I must admit, it was a very nice respite walking thru the area and taking in all the local shops and  people. We have found the Italian people to be so friendly and helpful. Much different than last year in Paris. After a little shopping Leslie was ready for ice cream. We found a neat Gelateria here. Three scoops for 2 euro, the cheapest and by far the best yet, and the friendliest shopkeepers, or gelati scoopers, or whatever they call themselves. We shared a 3 scoop cup of Melone, something Italian Mango, and Strawberry, but it was in Italian too, but we recognized the picture. Much less creamy and more fruity than the others we’ve tried, and we are becoming authorities on Gelati.

Hey, find a niche and become an expert, it’s worked for me so far.

From the Disney Brochure:

From the Italian Renaissance to the Italian Riviera, the art of Masters to the art of Enzo Ferrari, this port of call offers a variety of experiences. Sandwiched between the hills and the sea, La Spezia historically offered a defensive advantage, reflected in the number of Genoese castles that stud the hills. And, although best known as a naval base, La Spezia is an elegant and surprisingly modern city. As well as museums and libraries housing works of art from 4,000 BC to the present day, here are contemporary buildings, including the new Kennedy shopping center on the edge of town.

The Public Gardens were created in the early 19th century and lead onto the Promenade, which offers a spectacular view across the Gulf, crowned by the sight of the Apuan Alps and the hills sweeping gracefully down the sea.

La Spezia lies at the doorstep of Florence, Pisa and Tuscany, and is famous for fine art, wines and a rich period of creativity and splendor. Feed your body, heart and soul in this very special part of Italy.