Traveling to Alaska and Canada | Vacation Creation

Bailey Rae and I traveled to beautiful Alaska to film for a tv show, Vacation Creation, that features families that need to simply smile and be free from the problems of the world. We traveled by airplane on Delta Airlines to the beautiful, Alaska! The mountains and ocean views were breathtaking.  The chill in the air was refreshing and gave us such peace.

We traveled with our friends, Karen and Dharma. It was a Mommy and Me adventure for all of us! The best part about the trip for Bailey Rae and I was the opportunity for her to have one on one time with just Mommy. She enjoyed the quality time with having my full attention and not have to share with her older brother and sister. Bailey loved it!   

After the trip, I decided that my hubby and I will incorporate more one on one time with all three of our children. The individual time seemed to be the best way to connect more in-depth with all three of our children. Vacations always enable time for you to reflect on better ways to live and parent.

Alaska Cruise Days on Star Princess

The ship, Star Princess, was remarkable.  Bailey Rae and I could not believe the massive size of the ship! It was our first cruise so we didn’t really know what to expect other than making sure I had my motion sickness medicine, bonafide! I was not sure if I would need motion sickness medicine but shortly after we began to float, I knew I needed an intervention immediately.  The Bonafide truly made the 4 days on the ship doable and it was my miracle worker the entire cruise.

What does it look like inside the Star Princess?

The entryway of the ship was magnificent and Bailey noticed the Norman Love candy shop immediately.  Norman Love Confections has been featured in major magazines and he is inducted into the Chocolatier Hall of Fame. Bailey gives Norman Loves Confections two thumbs up!

The massive, luxurious staircase in the entryway tells you all about the Star Princess Cruise Line experience. The ship had designer stores and top of the line jewelry. Also, it has a Las Vegas-style Casino! My mommy friend, Karen and I managed to squeeze in some Casino time! We loved it!    

We didn’t win so it didn’t take long before we decided maybe we should go try some other activities.  The ship has so many activities there is no time to be bored. You can watch a movie on the jumbo screen or go learn how to do salsa.  

We resided in an over 950 square feet luxurious Stateroom suite on the Star Princess. At times, Bailey and I  forgot we were on a ship! The spacious suite had a sofa bed and a separate seating area. The bed was so comfy and I prayed for late call times to film just enjoy the relaxation in our suite. The bed was a Princess Luxury Bed. The mattress was definitely the optimum sleep experience! The 2’ inch pillow top mattress topper and two layers of foam made every night of sleep perfect for Bailey and me.

We loved the balcony, but I never took Bailey out on it! I guess that Mom thing just did not want to be out there with her! So we opened the door and looked from afar. We listened to the ocean and let the chill refresh us!  

Star Princess Good Times for Children

The ship had a daycare for children of all ages and it allowed me to have quiet time in between filming.  Bailey Rae loved going to the kids club and was not happy when it was time to go! She loved the daycare providers! She wanted to take the Day Care providers home with us! She loved them and expressed how kind they were to her. The activities that had for her to do were painting, puzzles, reading, and many hands-on activities! The electronics were very limited and I appreciated that a lot! They had movies and Wii game console but the best part was the activities that enabled Bailey and Dharma to make new friends from all over the world. In addition, the cruise line has a mascot, Stanley the Bear! Bailey loved the mascot, Stanley the Bear! Bailey Rae enjoyed spending time and dancing with Stanley.  

Tooth Fairy on Star Princess

During our Alaska vacation, Bailey Rae lost two teeth.  The fairy had to board the ship twice to drop off $5.00 in exchange for Bailey’s teeth! It was not easy to pull off the fairy arrival in between filming and the ship housekeeper cleaning the room! The tooth was missing so I just had to tell the Alaskan Tooth Fairy to make a fast delivery! Fortunately, the tooth fairy delivered and we filmed with Bailey missing teeth from one shot to the next! It was hilarious to see her have teeth in one scene and later, where did your teeth go, Bailey Rae! The joy she felt telling the production crew and Mr. Tommy about her missing teeth.  Tommy taught her how to do Sammy Davis impression, she loved that!

The ship has fun and educational experiences for children. The Glacier Bay moments Bailey will cherish for a lifetime.  She loved learning about sea otters, whales, and other Alaskan wildlife. I highly recommend Star Princess Cruise for families with children of all ages. The ship has accommodations that are suited for big or small families.  

Little Food Critic and the Princess Cruise Food Galore

Princess Star had food and options in major abundance! Bailey explored all the food and really enjoyed the pasta and dessert choices! The buffets on the cruise were filled with choices and my jeans were much tighter by the time we returned home!

The yummy, multi-course gourmet meals were amazing. The ship had so many choices! From seafood to steaks, it was a foodie’s dream come true. We went to the Sabatini’s, an Italian Trattoria, on the ship that was dressy casual and the food was superb! The pasta was light and traditional Italian.

I highly recommend losing a few pounds before you go on your cruise! If you are like me, you need some room to gain a bit because the food is too good to resist. Don’t bother with your normal diet while on the cruise, just enjoy the food and try something new! Even though I was out of bounce with my normal eating, I exercised in the Star Princess gym daily. The ocean view from the windows in the gym made exercising easy, after all, it gets dark in Alaska only for about 3 hours and sunsets were incredible.

What to Take on a Trip to Alaska (with kids of course!)

  • Passport
  • North Face Jacket Layered
  • Waterproof Shoes with Multi-weather purpose
  • Socks
  • PJs
  • Sweaters
  • Beanies
  • Gloves
  • Long Johns
  • Short Sleeve Shirts
  • Fancy Dress/Suit (if you want to go to some restaurants or outings)
  • Bonafide Motion Sickness Meds
  • Sunscreen
  • Sneakers
  • Favorite Toy/Stuffed Animal
  • Tablet/Ipad
  • Binoculars
  • Airport Approved Containers
  • Earmuffs
  • Energy & an Appetite

Watch some clips here!

Watch “Exclusive Preview of Happy and Hopeful in Alaska!” on YouTube

Much love and sunshine,

2 Comments

    • / 12:30 am

      It was amazing! Alaska is beautiful! Check out the show, Vacation Creations on ABC to see the full episode of our amazing adventure of Alaska!

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