Origin Story

Gayle: Let’s take the “Way Back Machine” to… 2017? This is the first time I remember Kara ever mentioning interest in a river cruise. Her rationale was to see “inner Europe”, where an ocean cruise couldn’t take us. In researching, I discovered most river cruisers are in their 60s+ and many are retired. Well, we definitely weren’t that! So the trip we were discussing back then ended up being our first Europe Disney Cruise, which was to the Med.

Over time we researched a number of different river cruises, and to be honest, I didn’t find many of interest. However, what we agreed as a point of negotiation would be an Amsterdam/Belgium “Tulip Time” - flowers for Kara and chocolate for me! FYI Tulip Time is only late March through early May - a nearly impossible time to be away if you work in traditional higher ed. So we put it on a “shelf” for the future.

Fast forward to Kara progressing through chemo in January 2024. I happened to be working from home and received the daily Travel Advisor email from Disney. When I opened it, all I thought was “What am I looking at?” Then I put all the pieces together. 

A Tulip Time river cruise with Amawaterways (the supplier we had already been considering because Disney contracts with them) would be offered for the first time, on a single sailing through Adventures by Disney®! In that moment, I knew we had to book this. It would be the beacon of inspiration as Kara continued and finished treatments. 

Here how the reveal went down:

Would this be our most expensive trip ever? Yes.

Would this be an Adventure instead of a (restful) vacation? Yes.

Was my boss flabbergasted I was asking for vacation more than a year in advance? Absolutely.

And am I incredibly grateful to now work for an institution and leader who value personal priorities and provide allowance to propose mutually agreeable solutions? Yes. In fact, my boss even allowed me to extend the trip longer than just the river cruise. Incredible.

So the saving and planning steadily began for what would become our two week European adventure!

Next up… The Journey to the Journey!

On that note… Disclaimer: I (Gayle) am a travel agent with Authorized Disney Travel Planner agency - Off to Neverland Travel. Contact me today for a no-obligation quote!

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