Alaska Day 2: July 4th

We sailed all day on the 2nd day making our way up the inner channel of South East Alaska. The kids woke up and after, "the best breakfast in the WORLD!" (coming from a surly 12 year old that means a lot) they scampered off to kid's club where we checked them in then headed up to the deck. 

There wasn't a single moment on this cruise where land wasn't visible. The entire 1900+ nautical miles were littered by scene after scene of completely unpopulated wilderness. There are no McMansions that overlook the water. No crowded beaches. Just unadulterated wilderness coastline with a handful of towns that don't even have roads that lead into them. The only access is by ship or by plane.

After a very windy and cold sojourn on deck (temps held in the mid 50s most days - but it's this wind from the ship that'll get you) we took refuge in the gym and then had a nice cappuccino in the the grown-ups only part of the ship. Then we remembered! Princesses! I managed to snag meeting times for 6 princesses in a row and just get that part of the cruise done. It's not my favorite. Well, it's not my favorite until I see how nervous and excited and serious my and 3 and 4 year old are about it. Then it sort of is my favorite.
Cece is 7 and when she was in line to say hi to Princesses Elsa and Anna I saw the moment of disillusionment. "Wait. Those are just people in costumes." Disappointment that they were actually live cartoons settled in. But, being the Positive-Ce that she is she brightened right up and concluded, "Well, I won't tell the little girls until they are older."

Then we headed up to the deck for a Fourth of July dance party. Live Americana music, icecream (no thankyou, I'm cold enough already), deck blankets, flag waving and the most beautiful views of America that I'd ever seen (until the next day).

Thomas climbing high to wave his flag.

After all the fun we watched The Frog Princess on deck. Well, they watched and I wandered around just loving the fact that I was actually there.

"Green mountain majesty."

At dinner, our server did magic when the kids started to get a little squirrely. On Disney our same servers follow you around to each of the restaurants each week so you really get to know them. This is Claudius. The Catholic Indian with a Roman name.

Another "little thing" that is a stinking big thing to me is that every bathroom has a child sized sink. A whole week of not having to lift up tiny people to help them wash hands. Simple but gamechanging.

And of course we started with a swan but we also had: monkey, dinosaur, turtle, bear, squid, hawk and more that I don't remember.