CRUISING EUROPE

In just about two weeks we will be heading to Europe with a group of other wine lovers for our 2007 Vino 100 wine cruise. Vino 100, owned by Dick and Trudy Meyer, is one of the finest wine stores in Omaha. Dick and Trudy have partnered with us to offer their customers a great wine experience in some of the finest wine growing areas of the world. For more information on Vino 100, visit this link: http://www.vino100-omaha.com/. We will leave Omaha October 10 and fly to Barcelona, Spain where we will spend two nights at the Hotel Diagonal - Barcelona (http://www.hoteles-silken.com/barcelona_diagonal_presentation_2/presentation.php/19/0/0/0/2/). While in Barcelona we will visit a small cava winery outside Barcelona for a private tour by the resident winemaker and enjoy a cava and wine tasting in his cellar.

On Sunday October 13th, we'll board Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas for a 7 night cruise which will take us to Rome, Naples, and Florence in Italy and Nice and Marseilles in France before returning to Barcelona. Adding to our wine experience will be winery tours in Pompeii and Tuscany as well as a wine tasting at the Palace of Popes in Avignon, France.

We'll be reporting on this trip as we travel so check back for more information and pictures later on.

ALASKA – THE REAL FINAL FRONTIER

Alaska! It’s name means the “Great One” and its almost impossible adventures and the call of the wild make this an irresistible destination. Around virtually every corner of the state, you’ll find a national park that offers extraordinary fjords, breathtaking ocean coasts, rushing rivers, green temperate rainforests, majestic mountains, glorious glaciers, abundant wildlife and colorful people. An Alaskan cruise and cruise tour is the best way to experience nature at its most pristine and is the surest way to come away with unforgettable images and memories.

Departing from either Seattle or Vancouver, Alaska’s beauty is within your reach. You will cruise up the famed Inside Passage, known for its rugged terrain with few roads, and trace the route of the old time Gold Rush. You will stand in awe of Glacier Bay, a 5-mile bay of walls of active glaciers, where ancient, massive mounds of ice calve into the ocean making an incredible sound known to the locals as “white thunder”. The bay is filled with icebergs of all shapes and sizes, but underneath the waters surface is an amazing, living laboratory made up of a diverse and incredible environment that most people never get the chance to see. The naturalist in you will relish in the sight of the harbor seals using the ice flows as birthing beds, and the Hump-back whales breaching and playing in the cool bay waters.

Continuing on your journey, you may visit Alaska’s first city, Ketchikan, known as the “Salmon Capital of the World,” which is built on steep hillsides along the water. It features a colorful and bustling port along with being the ancestral home of the Tlingit Indian Tribe and the Saxman Native Totem Village, featuring the world’s largest collection of totem poles.

Nestled between snowy mountains and the Pacific Ocean, sits one of the most beautiful seaside towns in Alaska, Sitka. Sitka is a unique blend of Russian history and Tlingit culture with an onion-domed Russian cathedral that graces Castle Hill in this once-Czarist Russian empire.

Your next adventure awaits you in Juneau, where Alaska’s capital city boasts Mendenhall Glacier, a meandering river of compressed blue ice that is 1.5 miles wide and hundreds of feet thick which is the largest ice formation accessible by road. It is fed by a 1,500-square-mile ice field located outside of Juneau. Juneau was once part of the Alaska Gold Rush, and you may partake in an afternoon hike through the wild frontier or enjoy a quick ride up Mt. Roberts for spectacular views.

Skagway is one of the few one-time boomtowns which retains the flavor of the gold rush days. This “Gateway to the Klondike” is preserved as a National Historic Park and features one of the oldest narrow gauge railroads in existence. Sit back and enjoy the colorful saloons, dance-hall revues and shops.

With so much to see and do in Alaska, your vacation wouldn’t be complete without a special land tour of the Heart of Alaska, the Last Frontier - the Interior Region. The interior region of Alaska is a landscape of lush forests and fertile valleys, remote alpine tundra and majestic snow-capped peaks. Denali National Part & Reserve is a park the size of Massachusetts and serves as the center of attraction for hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Here’s where most visitors hope to see the Big 5 of wildlife – the wolf, grizzly bear, moose, caribou and the Dall sheep. Denali is synonymous with adventurous spirit and is a popular destination for explorers who push the limits of human endurance. Home of Mt. McKinley, the largest mountain on the continent, every turn brings a new wonder as you journey miles into this astounding wilderness preserve. See soaring eagles, grizzlies crossing winding streams, Dall sheep traversing rugged cliffs and so many awesome sights that will stay with you forever.

Alaska is your chance to get a chance to get a taste of what wild America used to be like. . .a piece of America that offers the pure call of the wild. Do you hear it calling you?

College Fjord, Alaska

Alaska Mountains

Alaska By Train

Alaska By Sea

Mendenhal Glacier, Juneau, Alaska

Ketchikan, Alaska

Alaska By Raft

Cruise Ship Midnight Buffet

Cruise Myth #1: I Will Get Seasick

Many people fear seasickness; however, today's cruise ships are very stable and seasickness is a rarity. For those prone to seasickness, there are many remedies available to travelers to alleviate the symptoms.

Cruise Myth #2: I Will Get a Stomach Virus Like Norwalk Virus

Noroviruses are a group of viruses that cause gastroenteritis. Getting a flu shot will not prevent contracting a norovirus. Noroviruses can be found almost anyplace with lots of people in close proximity, not just cruise ships. Schools and businesses are also norovirus hotbeds. You can decrease your chance of coming in contact with the Norwalk Virus or norovirus on a cruise ship by washing your hands frequently.

Cruise Myth # 3: Cruises Are All-Inclusive

Most cruises are not all-inclusive. In an effort to keep the basic price low, most mainstream cruise lines charge for everything that could be considered "extra", from wine to bottled water. As ships become more creative in their onboard activities, more things come at a price. However, the basic cruise fare still includes room, board, and the traditional cruise ship amenities such as a swimming pool and entertainment, so you can cruise and only have to pay for tips and drinks if your choose.

Cruise Myth #4: I Have to Dine at Assigned Times and with People I Might Not Like

Many cruise ships still feature traditional seating for dinner, with assigned times and tables. However, more and more cruise lines have open seating for dinner, which means you can dine when you like and at different tables. Since today's cruise ships also include alternative dining venues, you can vary your restaurant choices along with your table mates.

Cruise Myth #5: Cruise Ships Are Crowded

I have never been on a cruise ship where I could not find a quiet corner to read a book or be alone with my spouse. Although a cruise ship with over 3000 passengers can seem crowded at times, it is no more so than most hotels, restaurants, or resorts. Cruise ship managers understand crowd control much like they do at Disney World. Luxury cruise ships usually have plenty of space per passenger and many spacious common areas.

Cruise Myth #6: I Don't Like Beaches So I Won't Like Cruising

Since most cruises go to the Caribbean, many people associate cruising with this beautiful part of the world. However, a cruise is more than sitting in the sun by the pool, sandy beaches, or sparkling blue waters. Cruise ships visit every continent, and anyone who loves to travel should be able to find a cruise destination that appeals to them. And, you only have to unpack once!

Cruise Myth #7: Cruise Ships Are Packed With Old People

Many cruisers are senior citizens, but most of these seniors are active, and all of them have amazing stories to tell about their life experiences. I've met some amazing seniors on cruise ships, and now I am one myself! A good general rule is the longer and more expensive the cruise, the older the passenger. Sailing ships and those with water sports also seem to appeal more to a younger crowd.

Cruise Myth #8: Cruise Ships Are Packed With Party People

Most mainstream cruises are marketed to multi-generational families. Although you will find partiers on a cruise ship, you will also find teetotalers, passengers of all cultures, races, and ages. The one thing all cruisers have in common is a love of travel and having fun, which doesn't necessarily equal wild partying.

Cruise Myth #9:Cruise Ships Are Dangerous

Like flying, cruise ships seem to have gotten a bad rap about danger. They are actually very safe, and with over 11 million people cruising each year, the crime rate is very low. There are steps you can take to help ensure a safe cruise vacation.

Cruise Myth #10: Cruise Ships Are Boring

Although this is a common fear of non-cruisers, no one should be bored with cruising. You can be as active (or inactive) as you like. Cruise ship activities range from working out in a high-tech gym to sitting on the deck and reading a book. You can learn computer skills, a foreign language, how to play bridge, or how to dance. You can enjoy Las Vegas-style entertainment or a classical pianist. Many cruise ships spend all day in port, so you can explore all the fascinating parts of the world.