Our Iconic Adventure Part 1
Join us as we recap our family’s Icon of the Seas cruise! We cover embarkation in Miami, cabin storage hacks, allergy-friendly dining, family activities and the little surprises that made this Royal Caribbean sailing unforgettable.
It’s been almost two weeks since our multi-generational family spent seven adventure packed days aboard Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas ship. It’s taken me a little time to reflect, process and recover from all of the activities, the food (!!!!) and the experiences that we enjoyed (and sometimes endured). If you’re ready, here’s our recap.
To be sure we didn’t miss boarding, we flew into Miami a few days early to enjoy the city. The morning we checked out of our hotel and headed to the port was gray, rainy and a little depressing.
Our dreary view on the way to the port of Miami
When we arrived, porters efficiently collected our checked luggage and routed us through security. Since we travel with medical equipment, I had contacted the Royal Caribbean Access Department ahead of time. Many standard electrical equipment (like irons, steamers and extension cords) are confiscated before boarding and I wanted to make sure my son’s airway clearance Vest machine and nebulizer would be allowed. We were given clearance and even provided with an approved extension cord.
Our requisite “boarding the boat” photo was taken and we were officially on board!
Walking onto the Icon was pretty amazing and overwhelming. We’d optimistically packed swimsuits in our carry-ons, but the gloomy weather steered us to the main buffet restaurant, the Windjammer (nicknamed the Jindwammer by our family) for lunch.
The Windjammer had something for almost anyone — burgers and fries, pastries, soups, salads, Indian and Asian foods along with gluten free and vegetarian options. Because my older son has a soy protein allergy, I asked to meet with a manager helped us make a list of safe foods for my son to consume.
Despite hundreds of choices, my younger son was perfectly content with his “iconic” meal of fries, ketchup, grilled cheese, cheese pizza and an occasional ice cream cone.
After filling up, we decided to check out our balcony cabins. My husband and boys bunked together, my sister shared an adjacent cabin with her two sons and my mom and I were down the hall. I took photos before unpacking and was pleasantly surprised by the amount of functional storage and relative spaciousness of the room. I especially loved the wire baskets in the closet — perfect for swimsuits, jammies and the daily shuffle of kids’ stuff.
The rest of our first day was spent exploring the ship and familiarizing ourselves with the layout before dinner in the main dining room. This time, the head waiter came to our table and spoke with us about Jack’s allergy and identified which menu items were safe for him to eat. He also allowed Jack to pre-order his food for the following evening. I felt very confident that his meals were safe.
After a busy first day, we all agreed to get some rest and headed back to our cabins. Typically, just making eye contact with a boat, makes me queasy, but I hardly felt any movement on the Icon and the little rocking I did feel helped lull me to sleep.
We woke up the next morning to this sapphire view!
Since we had a few back to back sea days, our crew decided to split up and check out the various activities that appealed most to them. The adults felt comfortable giving everyone autonomy to roam the ship, with instructions that the two youngest had to stay with another person at all times. Since we’d purchased Wow Bands, everyone had anytime access their cabins and to make purchases (this was optional).
Also, as a family, we decided to opt everyone except my sister out of the cost prohibitive internet plan. The adults sent out a quick note to family, friends and neighbors back home, instructing them to contact Christy in case of emergencies. (It was a good idea because there was record flooding in our hometown during the cruise and we were able to check on the status of our basements.) Also, the Royal Caribbean app allowed us to text each other using their app without any fees and that turned out to be entirely sufficient for our communication needs.
Here’s a handful of the activities that we investigated.
My nephew, Will, suggested an art class held in the Adventure Ocean kids’ club and because this is right up my alley, the two of us forced convinced a few others to join us. Walking into the room was like being gobbled up by a box of jewel toned crayons and I loved it. (I also accidentally coordinated my outfit perfectly with the decor!) Our group found seats and the instructor helped us draw a picture of an owl using only letter and number shapes.
My sister, Christy, and I realized pretty quickly that the cruise was going to be as fun as we allowed it to be and so we decided to jump in with both feet.
Do you want to play charades? YES
How about a scavenger hunt? YES
Wanna watch a live Family Feud game? YES
What about Harry Potter trivia? YOU BET
Charades was one of our first activities. Here’s Scott, our valiant charades leader, and Matthew convincingly acting out a scene from Jurassic Park. As a family, we like to play charades at home, but this was next level and turned out to be one of our favorite activities. It also gave us a chance to meet other cruisers.
(Before charades started, the room was being used for a Latin dance class, which looked fun. Next time, I’m going to say yes to a dance class too!)
And I know you’re wondering about the pools. We did check out most of the pools and I’m happy to say that despite what I’d read beforehand, we were always able to find a seat on the pool deck. Sometimes it wasn’t our first choice location, but we always managed to find a place to park ourselves.
The boys agreed that the waterslides were fun, but you needed to hit them up before 10 am or after dinner otherwise the lines were too long. (As a side note, the theming and decor of the pool deck areas was bright and perfectly tropical and along with the rest of the ship spotlessly clean. One night, I saw employees power washing the decking area of the pool and wiping down everything in sight.)
Meanwhile, our teens generally spent their time finding other options. Catching photos (or even sightings of them outside dinner meals) was harder than performing wildlife photography. Thank goodness they sometimes responded to texts sent via the Royal Caribbean app.
Because two of our cabins were adjacent, the steward opened the connecting door between the balconies and they hung out here a lot.
They found a surprisingly fun soccer table that let you score goals with your feet
And I think James was the first to spot the soft serve ice cream machines
They did more relaxing and ice creaming
Prior to sailing, we’d paid to book a space themed escape room. The escape room activity wasn’t offered daily and we were lucky to grab a spot before it was sold out.
I hate suspense combined with stress and opted out, but apparently it was terrific and they solved the puzzle in record time. One thing to note, depending on your party size, you may end up paired with other cruisers, which was the case for this activity.
Each day was filled with a rotating combination of meals, activities, snacks, relaxing and hitting up the soft serve ice cream machines dotted liberally around the boat. Often at least one member of our group ended up taking a cat nap sometime during the day.
Beforehand, my biggest worry about cruising on the Icon of the Seas was that it’d be too crowded, too many people, too many lines, but that wasn’t our experience. Wherever we went, there was a place to sit and rest or eat. So many little tucked away niches or cozy corners made it feel welcoming and comfortable — hence the napping!
And there’s a lot more like I’d like to tell you about our cruise, especially about the excursions and cool innovations on board the ship, but I’ll save that for Part 2 so please stay tuned!
![Keeping Your [Meds] Cool](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/686fd8219c2a1a46047ee574/004c023a-3831-470d-b9de-65a31faf8f77/WTA_border.jpeg)
Keeping Your [Meds] Cool
Traveling with refrigerated medication can be tricky, especially when your itinerary involves planes, rental cars and border crossings. On one memorable day between Croatia and Slovenia, I learned the hard way just how easy it is to leave an important med behind. From that late night rescue mission to simple packing hacks, here’s what we’ve learned about keeping temperature-sensitive medication safe, cold, and ready to use—no matter where your travels take you.
Twice a day, my younger son inhales a nebulized medication that requires refrigeration. Over the years, packing (and remembering) this medication has singlehandedly created more chaos and mayhem than an Allstate commercial.
The most infamous? A travel day between Croatia and neighboring Slovenia.
Our group of 9 had rented 2 cars for that trip, and loading suitcases, leftover groceries, medical gear and meds was hectic. Eventually, we crammed it all in and jauntily drove 2 hours to Ljubljana, Slovenia.
My son doing his daily “nebs” AKA nebulizer treatments
The chaos that preceded our departure from Croatia — looking back I see the signs…
We spent a lovely day exploring this jewel box of a city. In my opinion, Slovenia is one of the most under appreciated countries in Europe.
Mom enjoying a peaceful moment before the med crisis along the Ljubljanica River
Then came 7 pm.
While unpacking in the hotel, I discovered with a wave of dread that the refrigerated medication was still in the fridge…. in Croatia! I called the Croatian Airbnb host, who thankfully had found it and agreed to hold it until we returned.
Fueled with Coca-Cola Zero and gummy candy, Christy and I jumped in the car and made the 4 hour roundtrip back to Croatia to retrieve it.
So glad to have my paws on this!
The Croatian border we crossed twice that day
What we learned
Have a packing plan - especially for refrigerated meds. Create a system and a specific time to pack them. A written checklist or phone alarm can be a lifesaver.
Know your med’s limits. Talk with your pharmacist about your med’s temperature guidelines. Can it be frozen? How long can it sit at room temperature? In our case, the pharmacist unfolded the map-sized insert to show us my son’s med can sit at room temperature for up to 10 hours.
Confirm fridge access ahead of time. We found that not all hotels have mini fridges. When in doubt, email the hotel ahead of time and see if they can store it in their kitchen fridge.
Pair your meds with something unforgettable. We stash our car keys in the fridge because we can’t leave without those!
Always carry meds on the plane. Pack temperature sensitive meds in your carry on, ideally in its own cooler.
Keep original packaging and label everything. It helps TSA, hotel staff, Airbnb hosts, etc. know that it’s a prescription and important. I like the write our name, room number and phone number in a sharpie in case it’s misplaced.
Bring documentation. We always travel with a printed list of medications, diagnoses and doctor and pharmacy numbers. If you’re a MyChart user, you can usually print this information. Sometimes I even get fancy and laminate it!
Traveling with refrigerated med can feel overwhelming, but with a little planning you can avoid the chaos of late night border crossings. We’ve learned the key is preparation, flexibility and a sense of humor when things go sideways. At the end of the day, it’s all about the adventure and your family’s health is definitely worth the extra miles.
An Ode to Ketchup
Traveling through Europe with picky eaters? Learn how French fries and a bottle of ketchup saved our family dinners from Slovenia to Italy!
An Ode to Ketchup
Oh ketchup, red treasure, beloved and bold,
Why in Europe are you measured like gold?
We order our fries, our boys beam with delight,
Then groan at one packet? That can’t be right!
We’ve begged and we’ve paid, we’ve smiled and we’ve sighed.
But ketchup, dear ketchup, you can’t be denied.
So now in our daypack, you proudly reside,
Right next to the tissues and water inside.
To every cafe, you travel with flair,
Our trusty red hero, always prepared.
Dear Europe, you’re charming, but let’s make a deal:
Free the ketchup. Let us dip how we feel!
Traveling through Europe with kids means plenty of fun, new experiences—and, let’s be honest, a fair share of picky eating. Our kids aren’t the most adventurous eaters, but thankfully, pommes frites (a.k.a. French fries) are served everywhere. From Germany to Slovenia, France to Croatia, fries were the one menu item we could count on to keep everyone under the age of 15 happy.
Fries honestly saved us more times than we could count. The only hiccup? The ketchup situation.
In most places, a serving of fries comes with exactly one packet of ketchup and one packet of mayonnaise! That’s it. And while our kids were thrilled to see fries on the plate, the tiny packet of ketchup was often gone in two dips (and the mayo was regarded with disdain). Sometimes, you could ask for more, but not always for free. More than once, we paid a few extra Euros per packet just to avoid a fry related crisis.
So we relied on an old favorite — Aldi and bought our own bottle. Admittedly, we felt a little ridiculous pulling out a full-sized bottle from our bag at lunch, but it worked and avoided a lot of dinnertime drama.
Here’s a Croatian option — Ketch Up!
On later trips, we got even smart and ordered a bag of ketchup packets from Amazon and tucking a few into our bags each day became part of our routine, right along with sunscreen and hand sanitizer. Problem solved.
Did you know this was an option?
One of our favorite ketchup moments came in Austria. We were sitting at a beautiful outdoor café in a park with the most amazing natural playground with wooden climbing areas, a kid powered raft and plenty of room for the kids to run wild while we waited for food. As we sat down, the waiter walked over, took one look at us, and, with a grin and a wink, said, “You’re going to want this.” He placed an entire bottle of ketchup on our table. He was totally right, and we couldn’t stop laughing.
All fueled up with fries and plenty of ketchup! By the way, this is a very typical kids playground and one of the many reasons we recommend multi-generational travel in Tirol.
So yes, if your family travels with picky eaters, rest assured that fries are on the menu just about everywhere in Europe. Just don’t count on getting enough ketchup without a plan. Whether it’s a bottle from Aldi or some pre-packed packets from home, having a little stash in your bag might just save the day.
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase. We only share products we actually use and love, like the ketchup that saved our sanity across Europe.
Why Aldi (and Hofer!) Is a Hidden Gem for European Travelers
It all begins with an idea.
Wait! Is this an Aldi in disguise?
When we plan our travels across Europe, there’s one stop we always get excited about and it’s not a castle or a cathedral. It’s Aldi. Yep, Aldi—the no-frills grocery store many of us love and know from home. And when you’re in Austria or Slovenia? It’s called Hofer, but it’s essentially the same awesome store.
If you’ve ever shopped at Aldi in the U.S., you already know the basics: bring a quarter (or a €1 coin), pack your own bags, and expect great prices. The beauty of traveling in Europe is that the Aldi experience is basically the same—just with a local twist and a lot of similar, but slightly different foods. It’s one of those rare moments while traveling where you feel like you just might know what’s going on.
Looks just like home, right?
🛒 Familiar Setup, Local Flavor
We’ve visited Aldi (and Hofer) stores in Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, and Slovenia and every single one felt like walking into a version of home… with better cheese. The layout is similar, the checkout process is just as efficient and it’s easy to navigate even if you don’t speak the language. If you’re new to Aldi, you can even “practice” at home before your trip—learn how the carts work, how to bag quickly and what to expect in terms of store flow. It really does make the whole experience less stressful abroad.
🌍 Where You’ll Find Aldi and Hofer
Aldi is in: Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Slovenia, Hungary, Switzerland, the UK, and more.
Hofer (Aldi’s Austrian name) is in: Austria and Slovenia (though some Slovenian stores are now called Aldi, too).
We’ve even made it a little tradition: first stop after landing = find the nearest Aldi!
Here’s an Aldi in The Netherlands
🥨 Cheap, Fresh, and Local
We’ve stocked up on €0.49 pretzels in Germany, got bakery baguettes in France, and grabbed ice cream in Switzerland. It's the perfect place to grab breakfast on the go, snacks for a hike, or a picnic lunch without draining your travel budget.
When traveling with kids, Aldi is a lifesaver. They can pick out fun local treats (like stroopwafels in the Netherlands!) or grab fruit, yogurt, and even frozen pizza(!) on nights when you’re too tired to eat out. Another favorite quick and easy dinner is a charcuterie board! Plus, it’s not just groceries—sometimes the aisle of mystery treasures has things like art supplies, pool floats, or sandals for a few euros.
Checkout this Aldi sweatshirt I found at the Aldi in Offenburg, Germany
🎁 Surprisingly Awesome Souvenirs
One of our favorite tips? Aldi is a great place for inexpensive, unique souvenirs. On our recent trip:
We picked up adorable Dutch sprinkles (called hagelslag) in the Netherlands that made it home safely in our carry-on.
Found official Olympics T-shirts in France from the summer games—€5 for something we actually wanted to wear!
Bought regional chocolates and cookies that our friends back home loved (and they cost a fraction of the airport prices).
❤️ Little Wins on the Road
Travel can be unpredictable, but finding an Aldi or Hofer on the map feels like a win. It's clean, efficient, affordable, and stocked with treasures that make daily life on the road a bit easier. For us, it’s not just about saving money—it’s about feeling prepared, even in a country where we barely speak the language.
If you're planning a trip and feeling overwhelmed by food costs or unfamiliar routines, put Aldi or Hofer on your radar. Your wallet (and your stomach) will thank you.
Bonus tip: After you load your groceries into the car—don’t forget to close the trunk before you drive off. Not that that's ever happened to us, of course. But if it did… we might have chased a runaway watermelon down an Austrian road. Just sayin’.
So long, Aldi — until next time!
Why We Travel Anyway
What started with one magical Disney trip and a surprise timeshare purchase turned into a lifetime of unforgettable family adventures. From sailing the Virgin Islands to ziplining in the Alps, our journeys—sometimes chaotic, always meaningful have taken us across 14 countries and through some of life’s hardest moments. We Travel Anyway was born from this legacy of choosing joy, even when the road gets bumpy.
In 2010, my parents and I took, Jack, my 18 month old son to Florida for a family reunion. During this trip, we spent an incredible day at the Magic Kingdom, watching my toddler take it all in with wide eyes. The next day happened to be my birthday and we had reservations at a restaurant at Disney’s Beach Club Resort.
Because we were staying at a very inexpensive and extremely noisy chain hotel in Orlando, we had to drive to the Disney property. When we arrived, dad dropped us off and went to park our rental car. To reach the restaurant he had to walk through the hotel and somewhere along the way, he got turned around. So he did what he always did — he struck up a conversation with someone nearby who happened to be the woman working the Disney Vacation Club sales booth in the lobby. Eventually, after a lengthy discussion, he followed her advice and met us at the restaurant.
Upon arriving at our table, he announced, “I think I’m going to buy a Disney timeshare” while my mom and I scraped ourselves off the floor.
The 2010 Disney trip that launched our travels
Now, to understand how wild this pronouncement was, you have to know a bit about my dad: his idea of a vacation usually involved speed and the possible risk of death — motorcycle racing, downhill skiing, mountain climbing, paragliding. Disney timeshares were not exactly his thing.
THIS was dad’s thing!
And this was too — circa 1979 in Colorado
But he did his research and followed through and that simple moment of connection with a kind Disney cast member kicked off a new chapter for our family. After buying the timeshare, we began vacationing at Disney regularly joined by my sister, Christy, and her son. Eventually, both Christy and I added another boy to the mix, and all eight of us began traveling together. We stayed everywhere from Saratoga Springs to the Grand Floridian, Bay Lake Tower, Animal Kingdom Lodge and even Disney’s Vero Beach Resort.
The boys enjoying Disney’s Beach Club resort, 2017
In 2018, with the PGA Tour coming to a nearby town, my dad decided to rent out their lake home for golf visitors. He made a deal with Christy and me — if you help me list my home on Airbnb, I’ll put whatever I earn into a vacation savings account. We did and he rented it to a group of USA Today photographers for a pretty penny.
What did we do with the money? We took the boys to Europe. No particular reason—just a hunch that it would be unforgettable and it was.
At O’Hare, headed on our first European adventure, 2018
Of course, traveling wasn’t new to us. As kids, we’d spent a month sailing the Virgin Islands, and we routinely visited grandparents in Florida and Newfoundland. When I was six, right around the time Princess Diana got married, we lived just outside London for the summer while my dad taught computer science at a Department of Defense school. Later, he did the same in Switzerland. As a professor at UW–Whitewater, Dad had summers off and our family leaned into those seasons with full hearts and open itineraries.
Some of the best memories came from when things went wildly off the rails, like the time we found ourselves stranded in a gondola on Mont Blanc and had to be rescued by helicopter. These misadventures became part of our family culture: laugh through the mishaps, treasure the detours, and chase the joy.
When my second son was born and diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, adventure felt like the furthest thing from our minds. But eventually, my husband, Scott Drummond, realized how badly we needed something to look forward to. Our first trip as a CF family was a road trip from our home in Wisconsin to Georgia for a cousin’s wedding. It was, in many ways, a complete disaster and Christy and I nearly turned around in northern Georgia (seriously). But it proved something important: with a little planning and a lot of flexibility, travel was still possible.
Dad and Will — one of the few photos we managed to take during our hectic Georgia road trip in 2013
Our family took two major trips to Europe, starting in 2018 with a 7-week journey through Austria, Croatia, and Switzerland. My dad was always game for anything and on the trip he played with his grandkids like he was the biggest kid in the group.
Travel was still hard — accommodating different interests, schedules and managing to pack extra medical gear was not for the faint hearted, but we did it. And it was better than we even hoped for!
In the summer of 2023, just after we returned from a trip to Newfoundland, my dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He faced chemo without complaint, stayed active with tennis and pickleball and still dreamed with me about “just one more trip.” Dad, Christy and I spent months planning our next big adventure — part therapy, part joy, all heart. With his oncologist’s blessing, we took the plunge and spent three weeks during the summer of 2024 exploring the Netherlands, Germany (my dad especially wanted to see the Rhine) and the French Alps.
Exploring Rüdesheim am Rhein, Germany 2024
We zip lined, rode mountain carts, and climbed mountains — all activities that probably would've horrified his doctor, but he kept up every step of the way. No naps, no slowing down. We laughed, made new memories, and even visited the same spot on Mont Blanc where we’d been stranded two decades earlier.
My sweet dad passed away in November 2024. He was the best of us—curious, kind, fearless and full of wonder. He was also a faithful Christian and his quiet strength, generosity, and sense of purpose were rooted in that faith. He believed in loving people well, living life fully and trusting God through every season.
Celebrating dad’s birthday in The Netherlands, 2024
Dad’s love of adventure lives on in us. It’s in every road trip playlist, every midnight laugh in a foreign hotel, every moment we choose joy even when things get hard.
That spirit is the foundation of We Travel Anyway. It’s what drives us to help other families, especially those navigating medical or accessibility challenges to find freedom and joy in the journey, no matter how messy or unpredictable it may be. Because the truth is, travel doesn’t have to be perfect to be unforgettable. Sometimes the detours are the best part.