The more the merrier can be the theme for your next vacation but it is not as easy as it sounds.   There are some vacation options that work better for a group such as cruises and all inclusive resorts but you can plan a group vacation just about anywhere.   Here are some of the pros and cons to traveling as a group.

PROS
1. You get to enjoy a vacation and you get to hang out with a lot of friends or family that you might not see very often.  Being on vacation together means you can really spend some quality time catching up and making new memories.  
2. Save money.   Most times you can score some nice group discounts for traveling together.   I highly recommend working with a travel agent, not just because I am one, because an agent will know the ins and out of a group rate so that you don't end up paying more.  I have worked with many groups over the years and it can sometimes get tricky making sure the group qualifications get met.  
3. You might do something you never would have done if it wasn't for the group deciding to do it.  There are also some things that might only be available to a group that you couldn't do if you were traveling on your own.  


CONS
1. It takes a lot more planning.  It can be hard to get a large group to decide on when and where to travel.  Getting everyone to find dates they can agree on is one step then you have to agree on where to go too.   Even once you are on vacation there might be more issues getting everyone to agree one what to do each day, like where to eat.   As long as you plan far enough in advance you can avoid some of these headaches. Again this is where a good travel agent comes in.  If you have one main contact person, like a travel agent, for the group that can help make sure no one feels like one family member is making all the decisions  or having to do all the work.
2. You might have to do something you do not want to because you get out voted by the group.  Sometimes in a group the majority rules so might end up going with the group to do something you don't want or it might take twice as long to do something because not everyone moves at the same speed.  One way to deal with this is by picking a vacation that might offer multiple options to do each day so the group can split up if not everyone wants to do the same thing all the time.  
3. More drama.   With more people all spending time together there is bound to be more drama than your normal vacation.   Let's face it spending a lot of time all together is just bound to end up in a disagreement or two.  Planning for some downtime and having options for everyone so that you are not all together all the time can help diffuse the drama. 

Some ideas for group trip can be family reunions, school reunions, milestone birthday or anniversary celebration, bachelor/bachelorette party,  shared hobby or interest, or just a bunch of people that want to get together and vacation together.  You can have a big group or a small group but either way the key to a successful group trip is planning.   

Celebrate your independence!  Solo traveling is becoming more and more popular as people realize the freedom to do your own thing on vacation is really nice.   I have traveled solo a few times and I will admit the first time I was really nervous but then I realized you are never really alone when traveling.

  There are a lot of pros and cons to traveling alone and here are a few that I ran into and how I dealt with them:
Pros

• 1. You get to pick where and when you will travel without having to compromise with anyone else.  It was nice not having to work with around else's schedule.
• 2. While on vacation you can choose what you want to do.   It is just nice to be able to decide I want to walk over here and look at this right now and not have to drag anyone else or have to skip it because the others don't want to see it.  
• 3.  You only have to keep track of your own things.  As a mom I loved not having pack for someone else or be responsible for carrying anyone else's stuff while exploring.  
• 4. Sometimes there is only room for one more.    There can be advantages especially while visiting a theme park solo where you can get in a shorter line as a solo.   You might also be able to score last minute tickets to a show or on an excursion because there was only one seat left.  
• 5. Meet new people.  You are more likely to talk to strangers when traveling alone just because you don't have anyone else to talk to.  

Cons

• 1. It can get a little lonely.  Sometimes you might just wish you had a certain someone with you to share in this special moment.  I was usually most lonely when it is bedtime and you are in a strange room alone.  I would usually call someone or just keep TV or Music on so that it wasn't too quiet.
  
• 2. It can sometimes cost more.  Certain suppliers might charge a single supplement which means you end up paying almost as much as being 2 people when you are just 1.   You can shop around to look for deals or options that do not charge a single supplement.  Many cruise lines now even offer studio rooms where they are designed for just one person.  Some tour suppliers might even offer to match you up with a roommate if you want to save money that way (personally I cannot see myself ever going for that option but some people don't mind).  
• 3. Eating alone can be awkward.   I admit I never like eating out alone and will do whatever I can to make myself look busy while eating.  If you are part of a tour group or on a cruise you are usually seated with others for meals so that can help.
• 4. You have to remember everything because there is no one else to remind you if you forget.   I am very good at forgetting things like how to get back to the hotel or where I parked so without someone to ask it can be a little challenging.  
• 5.  May not always get the best photos with you in them.  I stink at taking selfies and also really don't like asking strangers to take my photo so my solo trips just don't have as many photos with me in them.

​My favorite travel options for going solo are a tour group, cruise, and theme parks.   In a tour group there will usually be a bunch of people and not everyone will know each other but you will all be going to the same locations throughout your vacation. Tour guides are usually very good at making the group all feel like they know each other really well after the first day and you will never feel alone.  On a cruise you won't get as personal with all your shipmates as on a tour group, but there is always plenty to do and others doing the same things that you feel like part of a group.   In theme parks there is just so much to do where you are always on the move so being solo is actually super easy.  

If you have ever thought about traveling solo go for it - you won't regret it!

  Last week I wrote about the idea of flying carry on only.   I have done carry on only for short visits to see family but never for an actual vacation.   No matter where or why I am flying I do always have a carry on and I have certain things I never fly without.  Some of these never get unpacked from my carry on so that no matter what I know they are already packed and I know exactly where to find them.  Depending on my trip I will always have my personal carry on bag which is always some type of Vera Bradley bag since I just love all the pockets they have to help keep me organized.   If I am also taking a bag to put in the overhead I opt for a rolling bag so that I am not having to carry it.   Here are the things that I just have to have with me when I fly:

#1 - At least one complete change of clothes.   My luggage has been lost in the past and I was so thankful that I had that change of clothes in my carry on.  Now I never travel without a complete change of clothes that I know will be with me when I get off the plane.
  
#2 - Lotion.   Planes are always dry so it is very important to me to keep my skin moisturized.  My current favorite choice is Avalon Organics Nourishing Lavender.  I was shopping for a few things for a trip and grabbed it because it was TSA approved size.  I loved the smell so much that I bought bigger bottles and now I just refill the little one so that I always have it when I travel.  The lavender scent is perfect to help relax on a flight so I take a deep breath as I rub it on my face.   On long flights I will reapply a few times.

#3 - Lip balm.   This one should be tied with #2 as they pretty much go together and are equally important to me as I cannot stand when my lips get dry.  I like the EOS balls because their shape makes them so much easier to find in my bag.  

#4 - Candy.  I have a crazy sweet tooth and never travel without some candy.   You never know if you will even get a snack on some shorter flights and many times I don't care for the snack they do give so I always have something sweet in my bag.   I also like cookies but I find they do not travel as well as candy.

#5 - Something to read.  I used to say a book as I am a big fan of real paper books but I recently gave in and agreed that for longer trips where packing space is more limited I don't really need to be lugging around a heavy book so I opted for a kindle.  I would still prefer a real book but I have realized that they do take up a good chunk of carry on real estate and also weigh my bag down more than I would like so I limit real books to shorter flights where I am not packing as much in my carry on.  

#6 - Fuzzy socks.   I always like to take my shoes off once the plane takes off.  Even though I only travel wearing shoes with socks with I always put on another pair to keep my feet warmer.  Plus I figure it is just nicer for the person next to me that I cover up my sweaty socks that just came out of my shoes.   Nothing is worse than being stuck next to someone that flies barefoot - trust me I was stuck next to a large fellow that took off his shoes and was barefoot for the whole 8 hour flight.

#7 - Earbuds/Headphones.   I almost always watch movies on long flights so headphones are important.  On shorter flights I don't always use them but I always have them just in case.   I recently upgraded to the larger over the ear ones that offer noise cancellation and they have come in handy for sure (one of things living in Orlando means your fligths almost always have lots of kids).  

#8 - Laptop.   I admit that no matter where I am traveling or why I am always going to have my laptop with me.  I rarely use it on the plane but it just one of those things I do not leave home without and would never put it in a checked bag.  

#9 - Back up battery power/charger.  You never know how long your flight might really end up being so I always have back  up power in my carry on in case of delays or long connections.  

#10 - Blanket.   I am always cold and even though I dress in layers for my flights I cannot get really comfy without a blanket.   On our recent flight to Europe I took along a "big one" blanket I picked up at Kohls and it turned out to be the best one I have taken with me yet!   It wasn't heavy but it was super soft and the perfect size for getting all wrapped up to take a nap.  Normally I would have ranked this higher up but I realize that if it is short flight and packing space it limited I might not bring it (but I will wish that I had).  

Do you have anything that you always take with you on a plane?

   For those that know me you would agree that I am pretty low maintenance.  I don't use much make up, or other devices for my hair, so that saves a lot of space.  I am not a shoe person so rarely travel with more than one pair.   I also tend to put on my rose colored glasses when it comes to the weather forecast for where I am traveling and I just want to believe that it will be perfect weather and I won't need any rain gear or stuff like that.   So why is it that I do not travel carry on  only?

Are you up for the challenge of traveling carry on only?   There are certainly some advantages but of course also some disadvantages as well.   
First up the PROS:
#1 - Less waiting.  You do not have to get in line to check your bag or have to wait for your bag to show up on the carousel.  
#2 - No lost luggage.  You know where your bag is so you are the only one that can lose it.
#3 - Save money on bag fees (although that might not be true on all airlines)
#4 - Easy access.  Everything you are traveling with will be just above you so you can get it at anytime during your flight.
#5 - Less weight to lug around from one place to the next.

Now the CONS:
#1 - Limited space.   You will have to narrow down what you take along with you.  
#2 - Prohibited items.  Some things cannot be carried on so you will have to really think about those liquids and other items that cannot be carried onto a plane.
#3 - Extra work.  You might have to do laundry while on vacation since you cannot pack as many clothes.
#4 - No Overhead Left - Sometimes it seems like everyone is doing carry on only and that overhead bin space fills up for your get on and then you end up having to check in anyway.  
#5 - Lifting - you have to be able to lift that bag up into the overhead and get it out.  

Before taking the leap to carry only traveling it is smart to do some pre-planning.  You will want to be sure you choose the right bag.   Since you are going to squeeze everything you need into this bag be sure it is something that makes it a little easier.   While some people might prefer a backpack for their carry on I definitely prefer the rolling bag.   I have heard some amazing things about Away   I think it will be my next purchase to try out.  (if you use that link to buy one we both save $20).   

Dad's love gadgets and with Father's Day this Sunday I thought this would be a good time to list some of my favorite travel tech.  I am a huge Amazon fan and thanks to prime shipping if you forgot to get dad something or you see something on this list you know dad would love there might still be enough time to get it before Father's Day.  These gadgets are not just for dad though so you might find something that you just have to have for your next vacation too!

My don't leave home without it travel technology is my Skyroam.   It does only work internationally but I also take on cruises and as long as we are close enough to land we will usually get wi-fi.   

For the traveler that wants to be well prepared but not carry a bulky tool this gadget it pretty cool!   Victorinox Swisscard Lite Pocket Tool - but it is important to remember that even though it is very compact it cannot be carried onto the plane with you.  My husband has already either paid to ship his  Swiss army knife home from the airport or at least once he just donated it to TSA.  I can see that this one is even easier to forget that you have it in your wallet or carry on so be sure to double check before going through security.​​

​What good is a gadget on the go if you run out of power?  Having a back-up power source is always a good idea.  There are lots of great options for portable power banks - Here is Amazon's Top 50  but who has more gadets than Tony Stark?   Dads are super hero why not get him the power supply with super style!

Noise cancelling headphones are a must have on any flight!   Besides helping deal with all the noise on a plane, they come in handy for watching an in flight movie or just listening to some music or audio book.   I used to just use my ear buds until I learned how much more comfortable the bigger over the ear styles are.

There never seems to be enough outlets when you travel, especially on cruises, so bringing a charging station helps make sure all our gadgets are ready to go all vacation long.   My husband always makes sure our charging station is packed in the carry on because he likes to be prepared for anything.  

If you are traveling with all these gadgets you need a way to keep all these cords and small things organized.   I like this travel organizer since it rolls up nice and compact.   I also like the mesh pockets so you can see what is in there easily.

Getting a good night's sleep on vacation is important but sometimes can be hard with all the strange noises that come along with sleeping somewhere other than your own bedroom.   My husband picked up this little sound machine a couple years ago and we take it everywhere we go.  It also doubles as a nice Bluetooth speaker so we can listen to our favorite tunes while in our hotel room or out on our cruise ship balcony.

Sorry I am a few days behind on my blog but visiting Disneyland Paris didn't leave much time for writing.    You can also check out more of my photos on my facebook albums 
  Our Avalon package officially ended and we checked out of the Paris Marriott.   Most people were headed home and I have to admit after 10 days of an Active vacation I think they might have the right idea but there is no way I could go to Paris and not visit Disneyland Paris.  Adding on a visit to the parks was one of other main reasons I chose this itinerary.   I looked up the different transportation options but the train is by far the cheapest and seemed like it would be very easy.    We rolled our luggage about 2 blocks from our hotel to the main station where we easily bought our ticket (7 euro each) that would take us right to Disney Village.   There were 15 stops along the way but the nice thing is Disneyland Paris is very last stop so you can't miss your stop.  When they say the train stops right at Disney Village they really do mean it.   You could walk just a few steps and be headed into one of the parks.   Right now though we are headed to our Disney Hotel.   
There are 7 hotels that are considered Disney property.  One of which, the Hotel New York is under a complete refurbishment to made made over to be the Art of Marvel Hotel due to open June 2020.  From the looks of things I think it will be pretty amazing when it is finished and also the second closest to the parks.   The closest to the parks is the Disneyland Hotel, which you cannot get any closer since it is technically inside the Disneyland Paris gates and looks right up Main Street.  That wasn't quite in my budget this time though so we chose the Newport Bay Club (if you have been to Disney World it is pretty much a copy of the Yacht Club resort except painted yellow outside).   Newport Bay would be considered a Deluxe resort like the Yacht Club and you can easily walk to the parks or if you preferred take the Disney bus.  We planned to use that bus that runs from Disney Village to the resorts when we came out of the train station.   I admit we had a pretty laughable experience trying to find our bus because in typical French style the directions were not very clear.   After a bit of wrong choices we found our bus and were on the way to the resort.  We were surprised to find when getting off the bus our luggage needed to be put through security before we could go into the hotel.  Check in was like any Disney resort and as we were too early for our room to be ready we stowed our bags with bell services and headed over to the parks.   In case you are wondering the other 4 resorts are - Sequoia Lodge (think Wilderness Lodge in FL), Hotel Santa Fe and Hotel Cheyenne (these are a bit further of a walk and might be considered a Value to Moderate type resort), lastly is Davy Crockett Ranch (think cabins at Fort Wilderness in WDW).    

 
  There are 2 parks to choose from Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney Studios Park.   As the name suggests Disneyland Paris is a pretty close copy of Disneyland in CA.  The castle is Sleeping Beauty's and I did like it much better than CA as they put a lot more detail into it, including a dragon that lives under the castle that you can visit.   For the most part the attractions here are almost the same as we have in CA and FL.   One exception was Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril.  This is an outdoor roller coaster and personally I didn't like it mainly because it is a rough ride where my head bounced around in the safety harness too much.  Luckily we didn't have to wait to ride it so that helped.   We also pretty much walked onto Hyperspace Mountain (like Disneyland has done they overlayed the original Space Mountain with a Star Wars theme).   This turned out to be my favorite.    Outside of Space Mountain there is a Nautilus from 20,000 leagues under the sea in the water but it is just a walk though attraction not a ride.  We did a lot of walking as Disneyland Paris has a lot more dead ends and walk through type attractions like Adventure Isle (think Tom Sawyer that you don't need to take a raft to get to).   There is also Alice's Curious Labyrinth, which as you would guess is a hedge maze.  I admit it was really hard for me to feel like I needed to use the park map since I am so used to knowing where everything is in a Disney park. Frontierland was the most crowded and we guessed that this is what most Europeans must think America is all about.   Big Thunder had the longest line so we skipped that for now.   Disneyland Paris does still have the old school fastpass where you have to go to the attraction and put your ticket in to get a fastpass return time ticket.  Phantom Manor(aka Haunted mansion) just came out of a refurbishment and looked great.  I think it is my favorite of the 3 Haunter Mansions I have done (although I do really like the Nightmare Before Christmas version of Disneyland CA).  The night ends with a showing of Fantasmic which is very similar to CA.

By staying in a Disney resort we do get to take advantage of an extra hour in the park each morning.  Since Walt Disney Studios has a lot of rides we do not have here in FL we knew we wanted to make sure and hit that with the early hour.   Walt Disney Studios is broken into 4 sections -  Front Lot, Backlot, Production Courtyard, and Toon Studio.   I already knew I wanted to head straight to Toon Studio for Crush's Coaster since this one doesn't offer fastpass and is a very popular one.  While they let us line up they didn't let us into the attraction right away so we lost a bit of our early hour.   However we found out later it was good that we rode it when we did because it seemed to be down a lot the rest of that day.  It was worth the wait as it was a fun coaster ride where you got to feel what it might be like riding the EAC.  I would love it if they brought this over to the US!   Next stop was Ratatouille, which will be opening here in Epcot soon.   This one is going to be very popular here as it is really a great ride for the whole family.   You really get to feel like what it would be like to be a rat in the movie.  Chez Remy is a sit down restaurant that looks totally adorable and I hope they bring that to Epcot as well even if we didn't eat there.  After that we headed to the Toy Story section of Toon Studios.  Sorry FL but I prefer the Paris version of Toy Storyland.    We rode RC Racer, which looks the half circle from a matchbox car track and RC from Toy Story is riding it back and forth.  Even though it is a quick ride with no surprises it is a lot of fun.  We were heading to Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop but at that time it was stuck in the up position with guests on it so we decided maybe we didn't want to do that one.  A couple attractions were closed for refurbishment in this section so we missed out on Slinky Dog Zigzag spin and then also Cars Quatre Rouse Rallye.  Next up was Production Courtyard where we found the classic backlot tour - Studio Tram Tour Behind the Magic.   Like we used to have here in FL you board the tram which takes you by some large movie props and cars before heading into Catastrophe Canyon.  I do miss this even if it is a bit cheesy.   There isn't a working Studio here so that part of the tram tour isn't here but there was another movie set replica we drove through before the end.  Tower of Terror is also in this section so we grabbed fastpass for that to come back later.   We walked over to the Backlot section where you can find all your favorite Marvel characters doing different shows throughout the day as part of the Marvel Summer of Super Heroes event.   We watched a little and then headed to Rockin Rollar Coaster.   it was pretty similar to what we have here in FL but without the limo theme and you are not riding through the CA streets.  Honestly I am not really sure what the theme was supposed to be except that it was a roller coaster with music.  This section also has another attraction that used to be here in FL but didn't last too long - Moteurs...Action (or as we called it Lights, Motors, Action).   We headed back to Tower of Terror for our fastpass return time.   Even though it was pretty much the same as here in FL the cast members here were excellent and really made the experience so much better than any other attraction.  That was pretty much everything so as you can see even if all attractions where open you could most likely do this all in a day, especially with the early hour to help.  I guess that is why this park closed at 7 pm each night while Disneyland stayed open until 11 pm each night we were here.  

Paris - Day 1
   Sadly our cruise ended this morning but the good news is our Avalon vacation isn't over yet.    We booked a package that included 2 nights in Paris after the cruise.   Since it is all one package we will have the wonderful Avalon service even while off the ship.   Last night we were told when to have our luggage ready and the color tags we needed to put on our bags.  After some breakfast in the dining room we boarded a shuttle to the train station while our bags were transported by car so they will take a bit longer but we won't have to lug them around so that is nice.    It was a quick ride to the train station where our Avalon cruise director, Barbara, is joining us and lead us to our train and we were all seated together for the 3 hour ride to Paris.   It went by pretty quick and we were met at the train station by our bus that took us to the Paris hotel that would be our home for the next 2 nights.   We were very close to the Paris Opera House which is a nice central location.   Our lunch and dinner are not included in this part of the package so while we were waiting for the official check in time of 3 pm we went off and found some lunch nearby.   We were able to get into our room after lunch so we took a short break before going out to explore Paris on our own.   We headed towards the river and walked around the outside of the Louvre and then headed up the river towards Notre Dame.  We couldn't resist walking across Pont de Arts, which used to be the love locks bridge but all the locks have been removed.   I think we heard there were over 13 tons of locks that removed so that was a lot of extra weight for a bridge that really seemed to be barely standing without all that.   It was a great spot to enjoy sunset though.  When we got to Notre Dame it was getting late and you cannot get close as it is all gated off and guarded.  
  Paris - Day 2 
 Breakfast is included with our stay so we started with that before meeting the group for our included city tour.   We are a small group of just 18 which is nice.   Our included tour was a bus tour around the city with a stop at the Pantheon.   At first I thought it was really odd that they would include the Pantheon on a Paris tour but when we got there I realized why.   We went all the way up to the roof of the Pantheon which gave us a spectacular 360 view of Paris.  Definitely worth a visit!   We also drove by all of the other main sights and our driver did a great job of going slow enough for us all to get the photos we wanted.   Our tour ended just before lunch.   Avalon also offered a Paris foodie tour that was an optional excursion.   Some of our group chose to do that so they were off on that as soon as we got back to the hotel.   Food is not my thing so we opted to find our own tour for the afternoon and went off to Versailles.  I chose a small group tour through Project Expedition so we were picked up directly from our hotel and went in van with just 6 other people and after dropped off right at our hotel.   Our driver was also our guide through Versailles and she was wonderful, even with how crowded the palace was inside.   She guided us through each room and pointed out a lot of interesting things.  After walking through inside we had some free time in the gardens.   I would have liked more time in the gardens and I could see why our guide said you really need 2 days to see Versailles.   I guess next time we will just go and explore the gardens which we also learned is free to do.  This was our last night stay in the city of Paris but we our vacation still isn't over yet as we head to Disneyland Paris in the morning.   How could I go all the way to Paris and not go to Disneyland!   

  When you think about a river cruise you might envision a small floating retirement home where everyone onboard is 80 years old and all you do is visit old churches.   I know a few years ago when we took our first river cruise and I told people what we were doing they laughed and said we would be the youngest by at least 40 years onboard.  Ok so a few years ago they were not too far off on that guess as most of the guests onboard our first river cruise were probably 70 and above but we still had a great time.  Everything about that first river cruise was just wonderful so I thought it was a shame that most younger people were not aware of what a great vacation it could be. 
Things are changing though and the river cruise lines have been doing a lot to try and attract a younger market. The main thing almost all the river lines did was to start offering shorter cruises.   They realized that younger people really do not have 2 weeks to take off so they started offering 7 night sailings and there are even a few shorter itineraries.  Shorter cruises also meant the pricing would be a bit lower which helps too.  They still needed to do a little more to shake the image of river cruises being boring.    It is true you won't find a lot of extras onboard a river cruise ship that you find on some of the ocean ships these days but a river cruise is more about the destination than the ship itself.  
  Avalon Waterways started offering Active and Discovery cruises where they are including some more adventurous options at some of the stops.   I had already sailed Avalon on a previous cruise so I knew I liked their ships and the service they provide so I was excited to try this new Active and Discovery.   We just got off the Avalon Poetry II that did an Active Discovery on the Rhone.  It was a 7 night cruise from Arles to Lyon and they did a great job of offering some fun active options like biking, hiking, and kayaking.   There were also some interesting Discovery options where you got to do some more in depth things like a foodie tour, wine blending, or make your own chocolate bar.  Since they were offering multiple included options each day our groups for each excursion were nice and small with some only having about a dozen people.  Since this was the first time they were doing these Active and Discovery things on this river there was a bit of a learning curve such as we didn't know the bike ride would be 20 miles or what Avalon called canoeing was actually kayaking but we still enjoyed it all.  I am sure once they tweak it a little and are able to set the right expectation ahead of time the guests will really love all the fun options available to them.   One thing I can say for sure was that I was never bored!  If you want to read more about our adventure I did a short blog each day you can check out. 
 Here is why I love river cruising on Avalon Waterways - 
 - You have a nice size ship with only about 110 guests (maybe more on other lines but Avalon stays around 110).
- 3 meals a day included onboard so even if you are picky eater like me you can visit foreign countries and not have to worry if you will be able to find something you like to eat.   Wine and Beer are included with meals on Avalon as well.   
- An excursion at each stop is included (most times you will have more than 1 to choose from) and Avalon even takes care of tipping all of your local guides and drivers for you.
- You get to visit multiple cities or maybe even multiple countries and only have to unpack once.  
- Most times you ship will be docked right in the heart of the town so you won't have far to go to explore the main sights.
- Avalon staterooms are a nice size and the balcony rooms offer a nice feature of a bed that faces the view instead of sideways.  Also the balcony is part of the room so you don't lose room space like you might on some of the other lines that have the typical balcony.
- Avalon will now let you go right to the ship at whatever time you arrive on embarkation day so you can get checked in and if the rooms are not ready yet you can grab a snack and store your belongings and go explore or hang out in the lounge until the rooms are ready.   The same goes for the end of the cruise if you have  later flight you will have to be out of your room but you can hang on the ship or at least store your belongings onboard until it is time to go to the airport.   I think this is one of the best bonuses!  
- Little things as well like free wi-fi onboard, 24 hour coffee and drink station offering juices and tea and cookies, and bottled water waiting for you to take out on each adventure everyday.  
 
If all of this sounds good to you then you really should give river cruising a try!

Lyon
  Today is a full day in Lyon which is a pretty big city and also our last stop for the cruise.   We will overnight here and disembark tomorrow morning.   We chose the Active excursion which was an Urban Hike through the Traboules.  The traboules are the sort of tunnel like stairways in the old city that used to be part of the old silk work that Lyon was famous for. The tunnels helped the worked and merchants get the silk products easily to the river.   I am not sure I would call this a hike as it turned out to be more of a classic city walking tour than a hike but I guess all the stairs made it a little more active. Our guide was very informative and explained that the traboules are private and for awhile they were all locked so that the public couldn't use them anymore but in the 90s the city was able to convince about 10% to open back up so the public could explore.   Our guide said that families will come to visit on the weekends and go on a hunt to find which gates will open.  They are really just shortcuts through the city but I guess it is fun to see if you can find all the ones that will open.   The other options for today were a Discovery which was to be a French Chef for the day and learn to cook a Lyon specialty.   The Classic option was a foodie walking tour.  There were also a couple optional excursions that had an extra fee - a wine tasting at a private vineyard or a Rooftops of Lyon excursion.
It was sad that our river cruise had come to an end but it is not the end of our vacation yet!    We added 2 nights in Paris to our cruise package and after that we are headed to Disneyland Paris so stay tuned for more on our visit to France!    

Tain L'Hermitage / Tournon 
   Today was a short stop of only about 6 hours.  We arrive at 6 am and pulled out by noon.  I am thinking part of that was because it was Sunday and nothing in these small towns would be open (except the best shop anyway which is the Valrhona chocolate factory).   The river is pretty narrow here so on either side was Tain L'Hermitage or Tournon and it was easy to do both no matter which side of the river your ship docked.  
 It was raining a little when we got up but we were hopeful our excursion would still go.    We chose the Active excursion to rail bike along the Gorges du Doux.   The rail bike looked like a little car that you pedal along the train rails.   We got to the small train station about an hour from the boat only to find that the tour provider said it was too rainy to ride the rail bikes.   We were very disappointed since the rain was really only a drizzle.  We instead rode the train and honestly didn't see too much of anything.   The only good thing was that we got the bus to drop us off at the Valrhona shop.   There were a couple other excursion options for today and the Discovery one was to go to Valrhona and learn more about chocolate and make your own bar.  I almost chose that excursion but I really thought the rail bikes would be something you really don't get to do too often.   Of course being the only store open Valrhona was packed but it was just a 10 minute walk back to the boat which was nice.  There was another Active excursion which was a hike to a  vineyard.    The people that did that one said it was a pretty steep hike but worth it.   There was also a Classic option that was walk through Tournon which is one of France's oldest cities.
   We left port and started making our way to Lyon.  While sailing there was a cooking demonstration that was fun to watch and participate in.   We arrived in Lyon while we were having dinner and after dinner there was a bus ride around town so you could see the city at night.   This really is the first big city we have visited on the cruise.