Final Boarding Call: Flight OOO

So we’ve talked about what to experience in Saipan. We’ve talked about what I wish I knew before I went. But what is it actually like to be there? After spending two weeks in Saipan, this is the episode about all the things that are harder to explain in a packing list or travel guide—the things I noticed about everyday life, the culture, the history, the tourism, the people, and what it feels like...

I did a lot of Googling before I left for Saipan. And there were still SO many things I didn't understand until I was actually there. In this episode of Final Boarding Call: Flight OOO , I'm talking about the things I genuinely wish I'd known before traveling to Saipan and the Northern Mariana Islands—the practical details, little surprises, and travel realities that don't always s...

Tinian may be a tiny island, but there is a LOT packed into it. After sharing 10 of my favorite experiences on Saipan, we're hopping over to neighboring Tinian—an island where incredible beaches, powerful World War II history, ancient Chamorro culture, and some truly unexpected adventures can all somehow fit into the same day. In this episode of Final Boarding Call: Flight OOO , I'm sharin...

Saipan wasn't a trip I originally planned—and somehow I came home with a list of places and experiences I couldn't stop talking about. So after sharing the story of why I was in Saipan in the first place, this episode is about what I experienced while I was there. I'm sharing 10 things I'd tell you to experience in Saipan—from swimming in the unbelievably blue water of the Blue Gro...

This trip was a little different. I recently spent two weeks in Saipan deploying with Child Life Disaster Relief (CLDR) following Typhoon Sinalaku—not as a tourist, but as part of a team providing play-based support for children and families after a disaster. In this episode of Final Boarding Call: Flight OOO, I’m taking you behind the scenes of what a CLDR deployment actually looks like: why I we...

Disney Cruise Line or Virgin Voyages? On the surface, they couldn't seem more different: one is built around Disney storytelling and family experiences, while the other is adults-only and designed to completely rethink the traditional cruise experience. But after sailing both, we think the comparison is a lot more interesting than “kids vs. no kids.” In this episode of Final Boarding Call: Fli...

Cruise line private destinations all promise the same thing: the perfect beach day. But after visiting Disney's Castaway Cay, Disney's Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, and Virgin Voyages' Beach Club at Bimini, I can confidently say they're three completely different experiences. In this episode of Final Boarding Call: Flight OOO, Greg and I compare all three destinations—from the b...

Disney cruises aren’t exactly known for budget-friendly cocktails—but sometimes the drink is about so much more than what’s in the glass. In this episode, I’m sharing the five drinks on the Disney Destiny that were absolutely worth the splurge, not just because they tasted great, but because of the atmosphere, the moment, and the memories that came with them. We’ll talk about where to find each on...

A cruise cocktail is rarely just a cocktail. Somehow the drink you order during sail away, by the pool, on a private island, before dinner, or while listening to live music in a beautifully themed lounge just tastes... better. In this episode of Final Boarding Call: Flight OOO, we're talking about the drink culture aboard the Disney Destiny and why the atmosphere often matters just as much as...

Cruise food conversations can get... dramatic. Some people expect Michelin stars. Others expect cafeteria food. The truth is, cruise dining lands somewhere in the middle—and your expectations have a lot to do with whether you leave impressed. In this episode of Final Boarding Call: Flight OOO, we're level-setting what you should actually expect from food on a Disney cruise before diving into o...

After spending the last episode hearing what my Virgin Voyages-loving husband thought of the Disney Destiny, it's finally my turn. After dozens of Disney cruises, I went into the Destiny with plenty of expectations—and after hearing months of internet discourse about everything from the theme to the layout, I wanted to separate what actually mattered from what was just noise. In this episode,...

Before this cruise, my husband had concerns. Not about cruising—we got past that after Virgin Voyages converted him a few years ago. About Disney. Would there be too many kids? Would it feel overly Disney? Would it be relaxing? And was the Disney Destiny actually worth all the hype? In this episode of Final Boarding Call: Flight OOO, we're revisiting the concerns, expectations, and assumptions...

Everyone prepares you for the obvious cruise stuff. What to pack. How embarkation works. Whether you'll get seasick. But nobody prepares you for the weird stuff. Like the fact that time suddenly becomes a social construct. Ship time, port time, phone time... good luck. Or the strange psychology of trying to book activities, dining, and entertainment alongside thousands of other people who all...

My husband used to be completely anti-cruise… until I convinced him to try Virgin Voyages. Now he’s fully converted. So naturally, I decided our next cruise should be Disney. In this episode of Final Boarding Call: Flight OOO, I sit down with my very hesitant husband before our upcoming Disney Destiny sailing to talk about: why he originally didn’t want to cruise what changed after Virgin Voyages...

Packing for a cruise starts innocently… and then suddenly you’re preparing for weather changes, theme nights, excursions, dinners, sea days, port days, over-air-conditioned restaurants, and at least three completely different versions of yourself. In this episode of Final Boarding Call: Flight OOO, we’re talking about why cruise packing gets so out of hand, the difference between being prepared an...

People have a lot of opinions about the Disney Destiny… and some of them are getting a little unhinged. In this episode of Final Boarding Call: Flight OOO, I’m reacting to some of the wildest Disney Destiny review takes floating around the internet — from “fake marble” complaints to hyper-specific cruise criticisms that make you stop and ask… are we okay? As someone who has sailed Disney Cruise Li...

Most people don’t have a travel problem—they have a decision-making problem. In this first episode of Final Boarding Call: Flight OOO, I’m breaking down how I actually plan trips—from Disney and cruises to international travel—and why the order you make decisions matters more than you think. We’re talking about what to prioritize, what people get wrong, and how to plan better trips without overcom...