Beci Mahnken is Chief Magic Maker at MEI-Travel & Mouse Fan Travel. With more than 23 years in the travel biz, she is a frequent guest on many travel and Disney community podcasts including WDW Radio, and partners with other great travel creators like LaughingPlace.com, AllEars.net and RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com. She was recognized by Travel + Leisure magazine as the Super A-List Agent for Disney travel and serves on their Earmarked Advisory Board. Beci has long worked with the Disney fan community to help support fan efforts and create high-profile events and has a passion for supporting deserving charities with a special emphasis on animal welfare efforts. She has a love for exploring history, ocean cruising, and river cruising and served on advisory boards for the prestigious GTM event and TravelAge West Magazine. Beci's dedicated to her craft of sharing the magic of travel with anyone who will listen.
Please pardon the pixie dust as I was a bit distracted by my day job the past 2 weeks, but its time to sit down and type out the final few days of this amazing river cruise. Day 6 found us on the journey back towards Paris. (ugh — is really almost over??) Today we made a stop in Conflans which→
We returned from the Normandy Beaches the night before and was treated to a wonderful Normandy inspired dinner. (More in the food later…. I promise) As we indulged in the meal the Tapestry2 began sailing east towards the city of Rouen. We docked approx 11pm and woke up the next morning ready for an exciting day. Every cruise seems to feature→
The journey from Arromanches to our next destination was a bout 20 minutes or so. I had heard of the landing beaches of Omaha and Utah, but must admit I wasn’t fully aware of the importance that Pointe du Huc, just west of Omaha beach, and the Army Rangers played in Operation Overloard… ie the Battle of Normandy. Pointe du Hoc is a→
Personally, I am captivated by the opportunity to actually touch history. Its one thing to read the stories in history class or sit in a theater watching a Hollywood interpretation of what happened at a place, at a time on the calendar. This is why I travel. Travel requires you to get out from behind the screen or the printed page and→
Today we wake up in Caudebec in Normandy on the right bank of the river Seine. Walk down the ships gangway and you step right into a picturesque village with outdoor cafes and even a pharmacie (drugstore) just across the way if you need to buy sunscreen, toiletries, etc. Even their 14th century prison is welcoming. At the center of town is→
As if the relaxed atmosphere, laid-back pace and brilliantly designed staterooms weren’t enough to like about a river cruise with Avalon Waterways, there is something I really appreciate… many of the shore excursion options are included in the cruise price. There are some that can be arranged for an additional price, however for our 8 day adventure all of our→
Ok.. Ill admit it, I like balconies. I like the breeze and the sounds of the water. I like relaxing and watching the world sail by while I hang out in jammies. No shoes or makeup required to get a great view cause you just roll out of bed and step out on your balcony. Or do you have to→
Yup.. Im addicted to cruising. There is something about the open water, the sea breezes, the fact you can ice skate at sea in some cases…. and not to mention the fact you unpack once and your hotel travels with you. These draw me to this mode of travel. I have become rather comfortable with some of the things about→
I will admit, for almost 20 years now I have been a cruise junkie. Small ships, large ships, floating cities… you name it, Ill try it. (ok.. maybe not the whole cargo ship idea…) Anyway – I was really excited at the opportunity of doing a river cruise. This flavor of voyage has been on my radar for awhile and→
Hi… I’m Beci and I’m addicted to travel… among other things like Disney, photography, music, pyrotechnics, animals, philanthropy, theme parks, Marvel, Thor, Star Wars, Thor, and much more (not necessarily in that order and a story for another blog). I am very lucky to have the day job I do, making magical vacations for people, working with the best→