After spending a couple of nights in downtown Hanoi, we decided to head back onto the water for a 2-day luxury cruise through the spectacular Ha Long Bay. The only problem is that the company that booked our voyage has completely ghosted us and missed our morning pickup. So we've scrambled to rebook with another provider just hours prior to embarking. We have just 3.5 hours to arrive at the dock and a 3-hour taxi ride to get there.

To ring in the 2022 new year, we decided to squeeze in an impromptu Disney cruise as a surprise for our kids. Although covid is still very much a consideration, the world’s favorite brand has deemed it safe to relaunch its fleet with enhanced safety protocols, so we’re taking them up on the opportunity to sail from Galveston, Texas to Cozumel, Mexico. But will this voyage still deliver on that famous Disney magic—or has the pandemic turned Disney cruising into a ghost town that’s dead in the water?

For our latest jaunt, Erin and I ditched the kids and jumped the pond for a weeklong river cruise through the rolling countryside and sprawling vineyards of Provence and Burgundy, France.