Ep. 357 - Girls Power Hour: Two DCL Experts Share Their Favorite Disney Cruise Line Shore Excursions

00:00.00 dclduo Hello and welcome back to the now let me start that again like that hello and welcome to another bonus episode of the dcl duo podcast brought to you by my path unwinding travel I am your host. Today Sam as you can tell because I did the intro for the show. Brian is not joining me today but that's all right because this is going to be a girls show I've got 2 lovely ladies joining me today. They are I'm going to call them Disney experts and I say that because they both used to work for. Disney Vacation Club and we're dvc guides on Disney Cruise line and both still work in the industry although not for Disney any longer. But I'm going to welcome Danny and british to the show. Welcome ladies. 00:48.17 Dani Metzger Hello. It's a girl's day. 00:50.20 British Hill Um, can allow him now. Yeah girls' power who runs the world girls. 00:53.47 dclduo That's right, that's right, that's right that who run the world. That's right that's right I love it. Well for those of you who have listened to our show for a while now you have already met Danny because she was on our show not too long ago. 00:54.38 Dani Metzger Um, the girl power. 01:11.11 dclduo Ah, talking about her journey into becoming a dvc guide and of course what she's up to today at the dvc rental store. Um, but we've also got british joining us british is friends with Danny from the time they spent together working for a dvc and sailing on Disney Cruise line as guides. But british let's um, let's start with you and and talk about sort of your background where your career started because I think that's actually quite interesting. Um, before even joining dvc and sort of your journey through dvc and and where you're at now because as I mentioned. You are still with the industry. 01:46.98 British Hill yeah yeah I kind of you know was not in the industry got in the as in travel and Disney industry got in it left and came back so it's it's very interesting but it's all tied together. 01:56.77 dclduo Yeah. 02:02.19 British Hill But first of all, thank you so much for allowing me to to be a part of this show I'm very excited to share with your audience and of course anytime I get a chance to hang out with my girl whether it's in person or virtually Danny Dan as I call her baby Dan that we have nicknames reach out it. Um, it's exact. 02:16.32 dclduo I Love it and ah baby D we're in a call I'm gonna call her baby D and Queen be yeah. 02:16.71 Dani Metzger Um, if the. 02:19.40 Dani Metzger And Queen bee. 02:21.55 British Hill Baby d be queenie. We got a lot of them. But anytime I get to hang out with her virtually or in person. It's always a treat. So thank you for having me and having us. Um, yeah so I mean I we can go way back in time but with me but we're not going to do that. Um I'll just start with my journey from Chicago to Florida. Because it was really when I relocated to Florida in the early two thousand that's when you know a whole new career began for me I'm initially from Chicago um, and I relocated here in around 2000 gosh 4001 by way of a really great um job opportunity at the time and it was to work on air as the title was called a show host for hsn. Previously known as home shopping network yes qvc the whole shopping channel thing and I'd always had a background of public speaking presentations always worked in some facet of customer facing type sales. 03:17.50 dclduo Love it. 03:29.30 British Hill And so it was an opportunity that really kind of combined all of that was referred to it from some previous clients hey you'd be great at this and it was kind of like out of nowhere went through interview process process probably it seemed like over about a year to get that role and it was pivotal. When I got it because again it was it was just you know girl from the city of Chicago working in corporate to oh wow I'm on national television selling everything from you know, microwaves to pots and pants to vautums to face. 03:55.77 dclduo Yeah. 04:02.39 Dani Metzger British I Never I actually never asked you This did you get recognized like in public because I mean I've been on a few podcasts. 04:06.84 British Hill What up. 04:10.42 dclduo Um, oh I bet. 04:13.80 Dani Metzger And people recognize me already so I can't even imagine being on National Tv I'm sure you probably got recognized right. 04:16.12 British Hill Yeah, yeah, actually I did um believe it or not in like airports and things like that or when I would just wait like random cities because again, there's these shopping Channel you know. 04:31.18 dclduo So yeah. 04:31.99 British Hill Fanatics right? like this is what they do and this is the Tv that they watch and so every now and again some with hi british and I be what who hello and you know because I'm not a celebrity I would oftentimes just say hey I'm a salesperson I just sell stuff on tv that's. 04:32.51 Dani Metzger Fans? yeah. 04:42.13 Dani Metzger And some core. 04:51.50 British Hill Difference? Um, but yeah I would get recognized very different than today because of course this was pre social media. You know real bona fide internet and all that kind of stuff but anyway nonetheless. Yes. 04:59.88 Dani Metzger That's true. 05:06.52 British Hill Um, but it was great. I had a lot of fun doing that and lots of people worked with. You know, worked with some celebrities who would come on with their products and did that for many years ah after probably. About 11 years or so I relocated my husband and I to Orlando um, because I was gonna stay with them but I just wanted to change my type of work. Um I had been on tv for a long time I had worked every single hour around the clock. 05:30.75 dclduo Here. 05:39.61 British Hill 2 a m shows two p m shows five p m shows five a m shows I was burnt out to be honest and it was time for change. But I kept one foot in the hsn pool but I went on as a contract guest. Maybe every couple of months for a couple hours and it was. When I relocated to Orlando with my husband because this is his hometown where he's from. We lived in Tampa we used to drive her all the time I loved Orlando um I said well since I'm in Orlando my next dream job something I've always wanted to do was to work for the mouse. 06:11.54 dclduo Right? You got to work I mean if you live in Orlando you love Disney who else you're going to work for right right. 06:17.65 British Hill You got to have at least a stent with it right? like you. We always say it's like you either you live in Orlando Orlando area you either work for Disney have worked for Disney before or know someone that worked for Disney like we I think that's across the board. So that dream was fulfilled. 06:30.99 Dani Metzger And he. 06:37.49 British Hill Started from the ground up with Disney um I was still kind of playing a little bit at hsn. But I said well I can't seem to get in here at a higher level. What do I I just got to get in where I can fit in but I thought well this will be an opportunity for me to learn all things Disney so I started in reservations um learning. 06:54.15 dclduo Oh wow. 06:57.46 British Hill Yeah, like and but now I will give you a look at a little little peace. This was at a time in our history as a nation really as a world and and where there was a major economic downturn going on thus so you can get that 23010 um and. 07:10.46 Dani Metzger He. 07:15.84 British Hill Seriously a lot of people at all different levels of of their career were out of work and the interesting thing is that um I was in ah my training class with people that honestly had owned their own companies that had been directors and. You know vps it come like seriously we were it leveled us out so it was like I'm just trying to get into Disney wherever I can and then move to where I want to be once I'm in there which is not unusual for disney you know as they say that that you know, um. 07:43.89 dclduo Yep, Yeah, absolutely. 07:51.70 British Hill The cream rises to the top I mean you can get in there be willing to take a step back or 2 or 3 whatever learn the the industry learn the craft do what you have to do and then if you want to move around and get back into more of what fits you, you usually can. 08:03.86 dclduo Um, yeah. 08:06.10 British Hill Um, so I did that for a couple of years not long I went into sales and service leadership had a team but my goal was to get back into sort of individual contributor type sales. But for Disney Dbc that was the opportunity did that. 08:21.90 Dani Metzger Where we met. 08:23.73 dclduo Yeah, yeah, and that's ah, a perfect opportunity right? It's a perfect transfer of your skills from doing I mean you're doing Tv sales then you're changing to doing more in-person sales telephone as well. Obviously as dvc guides have to do. 08:24.62 British Hill Loved it. Yeah, that. 08:34.90 British Hill Um, yeah. 08:40.14 dclduo Some of that but you also get to do some videos and things like that as a guide I Imagine if you're someone who's a good On-air talent. They will utilize you in that way. I mean we've seen videos for.. For example, the new Disneyland Hotel Tower and things like that. So. Um, you know there I'm sure you were I'm guessing you were in videos. It would not surprise me whatsoever. 09:00.22 British Hill I Did some videos they the way that they used my skill set was in that regard was live Presentations group presentations. Yes. 09:07.75 Dani Metzger Yeah, so we worked on the cruise ship together and we got to do presentations several times throughout the cruise and those were always so much fun because when we were cruise guides. There was a team of how many people do you think we're on our team at the time. 09:16.28 British Hill Yeah. 09:25.54 British Hill Um, at that time. Oh gosh yeah 15 or so. 09:26.93 Dani Metzger It was a designated cruise team. So now like I think the way that they do it is if you're a Dbc guide you work on land you work on cruise you work over the phone and for us we worked on land a little bit but it was mostly on the cruise and so I think there was only like 15 of us. 09:42.15 British Hill Maybe 12 to 15 it was. It was a very exclusive group and it was special to to get on that team. It was a big deal. Not everybody wasnt you literally I had to be invited or recommended to interview kind of thing. So. 09:43.91 dclduo Oh wow. Yeah yeah. 09:45.57 Dani Metzger Yeah, something like that. Yeah it was It was. 09:55.78 Dani Metzger Yeah, everybody wanted to be on the cruise team and so we would sail with you know, different people on our team but you had like a work wife or like a work husband and British was my workwife and we got to sail together quite often. We still sailed with other people. 09:55.83 dclduo Um, yeah. 10:08.88 British Hill Um. 10:15.10 Dani Metzger But whenever we would look at our schedule and we would see you know each other on our schedules. It was always so exciting because our presentations like were so much fun. We got the audience involved like we just had a blast together and then not to mention we. 10:25.91 British Hill Yes. 10:27.00 dclduo I Love that. 10:33.36 Dani Metzger You know had fun outside of the presentations as well. We did a lot of things. 10:35.60 dclduo Yeah I love that I love that well before we get to the the topic I want to talk about which is some of your favorite excursions while at sea you know at on land obviously excursions. But while you're sailing on Disney Cruise line 10:36.87 British Hill We didn't. 10:52.86 dclduo Um, british why don't you tell folks where you are right now in your career because I think that's also super interesting I've of course mentioned that Danny is with dvc rental store and and we've talked about that and we'll talk about that a little bit more I think at the end of the show. But I'd love for folks to hear where your career has brought you now. Post dvc. 11:13.11 British Hill Yeah, yeah, so you're talking about full circle you just never know where life will take you and so right right? literally before covid right? before everything just crashed um and and I'd left Dvc and ah. 11:16.23 dclduo Yeah. 11:28.70 British Hill Use my real estate license to work for ah builders. So I was selling homes in the new construction industry right before the the right before everybody got laid off at at Disney self you know was tough but that timing I went. From that industry into selling homes which we all know was like a booming industry at the time and so it was crazy where'd that come from. But um, my in the last maybe just six or seven months it has not been long. Ah, my a good friend of mine Danny included um Marissa. 11:48.46 dclduo Um, yeah. 11:56.93 Dani Metzger Um, I get charge of the. 12:01.18 British Hill Carrie came to me and said bridge just an opportunity. We don't know what you're doing now. But there's an opportunity that we think you'd be great at back in the disney bubble not back at Disney but joining us at the world of Dbc. So I honestly I was just like oh. Okay, world of Dvc Nick Cotton like oh I remember like he left dvc 6 7 eight years ago what's going on with that now at the time my vision of world of dvc I knew I didn't even know it was called world of Dbc I knew it was. Dvc resale market Nick Hotton my that my I envisioned it Nick maybe 1 other sales rep they were doing their thing from like seven years ago like that was the last time I knew about it was when Nick went off on his own. 12:43.20 dclduo And well now it's because now it's a huge well now it's like a huge can gomerate because you've got the resale market. You've got the rental store. You've got be our guest travel. It's it's It's a it's now it's a. 12:53.43 British Hill The. 12:57.98 dclduo I Don't know there's a multitude of services that are now under that world of Dvc you know Umbrella yeah. 13:00.78 Dani Metzger And it and it happened fast too. You know so there was like a little talk about dvc resale market and then all of a sudden it was world of Dvc and you know we kind of play and so I actually work for the resale market but I do a lot with rental. 13:10.97 dclduo Right here like. 13:11.48 British Hill Right. 13:18.82 dclduo Um, oh I keep saying rental store. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 13:20.66 Dani Metzger No no because we do. We do you know? I'm part of the unlocked magic team and we do. We talk a lot about the rental store and the swap program. But we're all like 1 big happy family and so we do you know a lot in in all the different realms of. 13:22.36 British Hill So many? yeah. 13:33.90 dclduo Right. 13:39.35 Dani Metzger World of Dbc but I remember we we got together me Carrie and Marissa and were like okay, how do we get british to come over to work for the company like we like brainstormed how to get her over. We're like there's nobody else that could do this role. 13:47.84 dclduo Yeah, to come over here. 13:56.88 dclduo I think. 13:58.60 Dani Metzger Like this is a very specific role and she is just going to be incredible over there and we got her. 14:06.47 dclduo I Love it. 14:06.57 British Hill It was it was on the start it seriously because I I had not admit it to be honest, had been had not been keeping up with it and what was going on with Nick and his business and wrote it like I said I thought it was sort of just him being incredibly successful with his just sort of 1 man show I had no idea was all of this. 14:13.55 dclduo A. 14:21.49 dclduo Sure. 14:25.84 British Hill Um, and so it was on truly the strength of my trust in these ladies. How much I love them follow them to the end of the earth and you know our relationship. No one else I don't think I would have talked to I just I you know I had some other things going on but it was like okay if there. Talking to me about this and I need to pay attention and um and so anyway, fast forward I was delighted and took on the opportunity and so where I am now is part of that conglomerate part of the world of dvc umbrella but under. What's called be our guest vacations and that's the actually one of the most recent businesses that have been added to the table of businesses that all is is all encompassing travel program that that Nick and others put together but nonetheless it's it's the more traditional. Travel agency so you know for those folks that you know are not dvc members. Um or maybe are not don't have enough points to cruise or even you know trade out or anything like that which I know Danny will talk about swap or anything. Or maybe they have friends and family that would just love to have exceptional service with planning their Disney vacations their royal caribbean their virgin voyage voyages and beyond so no points you know involved unless you're swapping but nonetheless, there's a space for a traditional travel agency. 15:55.47 British Hill But what makes us so great is that um you know these are ah the epitome of experts when it comes to planning all things Disney I've never like I worked for Disney for almost seven years and I thought I knew a whole lot. Seriously. 16:03.51 dclduo Yeah. 16:10.59 British Hill These girls I'm like I don't know whatever you say it's okay like tell me I don't know which ride should we go on like they're amazing. What they do. 16:16.20 dclduo Yeah I I feel you british because people um email or message me all the time asking me like Disney world in particular questions like very specific like travel planning questions and. 16:25.92 British Hill Yeah. 16:33.22 dclduo I am often referring them to somebody else because people assume because I am a and I'm ah air put air quotes here quote unquote expert on Disney Cruise line and I say that because there's things I'm learning new every day even about the cruise line but just because you know one area of the. 16:41.65 British Hill Yeah, a day. 16:52.23 dclduo Disney business and for me I've never worked for Disney living of course in the pacific northwest that's not really an option for us. Ah, but yeah I mean there is. There's so many facets of the Disney business and so many facets of Disney travel in particular. That being an expert in one area does not necessarily mean you're an expert in another area and so it's wonderful that this community um of disney experts frankly exists like ah this this disney community is so. Um, interrelated and there's so many relationships that sort of cross over between different companies and different. Um even locations and different social media influencers and podcasters and I love that because I feel like the community is so welcoming and helpful. 17:33.91 British Hill Yeah. 17:39.60 dclduo Even when you are at different you know, different places perhaps in your career. Um, but there are so many experts out there and like I said I try to refer I Refer people to other experts all the time when they ask those travel questions because. 17:49.88 British Hill Um, oh yeah. 17:54.79 dclduo There's so much to know particularly I always say on the Disney World side it's the most complicated vacation you will ever plan in your own life. 18:00.74 Dani Metzger And and that's what I think is so special about travel agents these days. It's like even if you are an expert even if you know everything about Disney. It's a lot of work to plan a Disney vacation even if you know everything and sometimes like you just don't want to do the work and they'll do it for you for free. 18:07.00 dclduo Here here. 18:18.68 British Hill Yeah, yeah, right right. 18:18.92 dclduo And. 18:20.70 Dani Metzger Like they do everything for you for free. So why? not you know it's not like you're just booking a quip quick like week and getaway like a Disney trip is very involved. 18:28.54 dclduo Totally oh yeah, and and. 18:34.13 British Hill It's it to stay the least I mean it's super duper involved and you know again to you guys points I mean it's the it's having that expert advice these when this team of experts are not. You know, just like oh let me look and see what's available. Oh okay, so this is what's going on like you can go to Walt Disney world you can go to the website and just book a vacation. You can do that but to Danny's point what you're doing is you're speaking to people that have firsthand experience. 18:53.75 Dani Metzger Right. 18:54.48 dclduo Yeah. 19:05.20 British Hill Like these are not just like order takers. Our be our guest vacation team have so much pride in what they do and they literally only recommend things like that they've done and it's easy for them to recommend and guide because amongst the team they've done everything. 19:17.46 dclduo Um. 19:18.65 Dani Metzger Because I've done everything. 19:24.10 British Hill So it's it's legitimate. Um, and so yeah, it's just it's it's great to have that kind of expertise and it's except except exceptional service as well and and people that have a lot of pride in what they do So that's what makes I think the Arc guest vacation. So unique I mean out listen if I wasn't working for them and with them. 19:34.25 dclduo I Love that. 19:43.41 British Hill I'd be using them so forever. 19:44.76 dclduo Ah I love it? well well I'm going to take I'm going to take advantage of this opportunity because I have two experts with me I will say on Disney Cruise line not just myself obviously the 2 of you having spent so much time as do we see guides. On the ships. Um, a you know it's their various locations in the caribbean the Bahamas in Alaska in Europe um, I know neither of you got done the sailings to Australia New Zealand because they haven't happened yet but soon to soon to be happening. Ah um I think. I have to take advantage for my audience and and find out from you all some of your favorite excursions from when you did sail on Disney Cruise line and I know british that you still sail on Disney Cruise line as a guest and so I know you have even recent experience from an Alaska Cruise but let's dive in there and talk about some of your. You know, favorite excursions whether you say you got to do them together or separately let's start with maybe like Caribbean Bahamas though let's let's leave ah Alaska's the crown jewel so I kind of want to. I kind of want to save that for last. So let's talk Caribbean Bahamas and then we can talk a little bit of Europe and then we'll hit Alaska as I said the crown jewel so Danny any um ah any a caribbean or bahamian excursions that you did while either as a passenger or as a guide. 20:53.87 British Hill Ah, store. 21:09.47 dclduo That you just really enjoy and would recommend to to our audience and the Disney cruising community. 21:15.27 Dani Metzger Oh my goodness. There's so many it's like so hard to pick but I would say my favorite So I love to Scuba dive to either of you I know British You don't yeah but but. 21:23.61 British Hill Um, yeah I you know I know that but I know I'm not. 21:28.61 dclduo I I do not Scuba dive I Love to Snorkel I have never done Scuba diving I kind of want to but I'm also kind of terrified of it. So I I have not I have not di if put into it. Let me put it that way. 21:37.33 Dani Metzger No, you definitely should do it honestly. So I'm not very good at like meditating or sitting still or anything like that. But I could tell you I am in my most meditative state when I am scuba diving. It is my favorite thing on the planet. If you want to get certified. You can do it really cheaply in Cosmo Mexico small little plug. Um spirl I would say I love scuba diving in the different locations because it's just the water is crystal clear over there. Um, and then I really loved. 21:59.85 dclduo So I love that? No, that's great. That's great. 22:02.58 British Hill Um. 22:16.22 Dani Metzger Swimming with the sting rays as well Grand Cayman so I've done it a few times I've done it and Cayman I've also done it in was it aruba. 22:18.52 dclduo The ah the one it cast away or or at 1 of the other locations. Oh grand keman. Okay. 22:23.93 British Hill Um, under that. 22:32.92 dclduo Somewhere somewhere in the Southern Caribbean ok who 22:33.29 Dani Metzger I don't know one of the other islands I can't remember I can't maybe Belize I think it was bulllize I did it as well. But the one in came in these stingrays are I don't know what they are eating but they are they'll cover your whole entire body and like. 22:46.20 British Hill Wow. 22:52.00 Dani Metzger You get kind of get to like I don't really like to like touch the the sea life because I just don't think that you really yeah, but like I mean some people do and they literally like cover your whole entire body. It's insane. So I would say that would be my favorite in the caribbean. 22:54.75 dclduo Fish. Yeah I don't like to either. 23:07.18 dclduo Oh my goodness. Well that freaks me out I'm not letting sting Rays lay on top of me, but it sounds great for somebody who would like to do that. But I I it sounds like I need to try some scuba diving. What about you british. 23:18.78 Dani Metzger I Think you should okay. 23:22.51 dclduo what what would what would give us like your 1 or 2 top favorite. You know excursions in Bahamas Caribbean 23:29.42 British Hill Yeah, so number 1 no not going scuba diving sorry read that to Dadty I'm just too scared. He's scaredy cat. Um, now if you don't mind I'm going to take a little bit of an angle. Um ah a different angle around. 23:37.60 dclduo That's that's all right. 23:45.12 British Hill What to do in the caribbean um, if it's okay, but I think it might be whoever like your audience who's listening who might appreciate the alternative and that is I you know St Luci's great zip line there. It was amazing. 23:47.30 dclduo Um, sure. Yeah. 23:58.11 dclduo Oh yeah. 24:00.95 British Hill Ah, one of the things that I used to love to do the most with like when I'd go to certain eyelids in the cri because we'd go back so often is that's my tide love to stay on the ship I love like when we went to the Bahamas and I think jamaica doesn't mean those aren't great. Places. The port adventure options are phenomenal look into them if you've never been off. You know the the ship and on you know in those places definitely enjoy. But for I'm gonna talk to the folks that might be listening or watching that say yeah you know I've done ah quite a few caribbean cruises I want to be able to. What can I do if you're someone that says I'd love to know what it's like to almost feel like the ship was mine and I just wanted scale or I want most of the people to be gone and I want to get maybe some good deals at spa stay on the ship. 24:44.82 Dani Metzger That's true. 24:47.73 dclduo Yeah, yeah. 24:53.74 Dani Metzger Yeah. 24:55.85 British Hill I'm going I'm not telling everybody to stay on the ship. You know who you are I'm talking to you who think have been there what else? Ah, it's a treat treat treat because I think a lot of people feel like every time you go to it ports you just must get off. Yeah, you must get off if you've never gone to that place before. 25:06.28 dclduo This is. Right. 25:14.15 British Hill But if you've gone there before let that be your relaxation in chill time. So that's what I would do a lot in the Caribbean because we used to go all the time. Yeah yes, you do yes you. 25:20.55 dclduo So often. Yeah, that is a really good point I love a massage and I am happy to do it whether it's a c day or a port day and with your Dvc membership if you are an owner. 25:21.36 Dani Metzger And you do get great discounts at the spa on porties. 25:32.35 British Hill Yes. 25:40.48 dclduo You get 20% off a spa treatment only on port days. So that's you know and then of course the spa also runs some specific port day discounts. Um, and so that's a ah great tip british I love that? um. 25:43.49 Dani Metzger A. 25:46.16 British Hill Um, and go. 25:54.93 Dani Metzger Do the rain forest room as well. 25:59.70 dclduo Oh yeah, the rainforest room is is another fabulous place I'm going to give a plug for parissaling and at Castaway I just got to go parasaling for all'll cut my first and second time parasaling because we did a back to act cruise on the wish so we had 2 stops at Castaway between the two cruises. 26:16.65 British Hill Ah, that. 26:17.80 dclduo And I had never done parasilling before Brian has done it several times he pretty much signs up for parasoling every cruise. Um, that goes to castaway and he's only gotten to do it a handful of times because it gets canceled quite a bit for yeah for the wind conditions that wind has to be not too windy and not. 26:27.65 Dani Metzger It gets canceled a lot. Yeah. 26:36.29 dclduo Too calm and there's just like that sweet spot. It's basically like fireworks at Disneyland it's like touch and go you never know until like a minute before whether or not it's going to actually happen. So yeah I got to do parasoling and. 26:46.32 British Hill Um, yeah. 26:50.91 dclduo And Danny what you mentioned about scuba diving really rang for me because the scuba diving where you're talking about sort of a peaceful and your mind can kind of be still. That's how I felt parasaling. It was so quiet. Ah. 27:03.16 Dani Metzger You will love Scuba diving then you can't tell me that you're going to go flying up in the air but you won't try Scuba diving. 27:09.95 dclduo Ah I know I was listen I was terrified to go parasaling for the first time I'm so glad I did it no regrets and so I think you're right I'm going to have to I'm going to have to try Scuba I Just don't I don't know where yet I'll have to scout that out a little bit on. 27:10.44 British Hill But. 27:27.16 dclduo For the next couple of cruises that we're taking and figure out a way to do it. 27:28.46 Dani Metzger Well, you tell me when you're going on your next cruise give me your itinerary I'll tell you the best port to go Scoopba diving because I think I've dove every single port you could possibly do perfect. 27:36.55 British Hill Danny will know. Yeah. 27:39.85 dclduo Yeah, listen as we're recording. We're going. We're sailing in just over a week. So of course. Ah yes, we are going out of Miami ah we are I think we're just hitting Nasa and Castaway though. 27:44.24 British Hill Oh right. 27:47.15 Dani Metzger Where are you going. 27:53.19 Dani Metzger Okay, so little tip doing they have these like fun dives. Okay, where you could try it like try it before you buy it. Do not do that. 27:54.92 dclduo So maybe Nasa I'll have to look to see if there's anything available there but I don't know if there is. Yeah. 28:09.49 Dani Metzger Whatever you do do not do a fun dive as your first dive and I'll tell you why so that like peaceful feeling that I get when I dive there's no way you are going to get that on your very first dive they throw you right into the ocean and they're just like. 28:09.95 British Hill Um. 28:15.78 dclduo You. 28:28.90 Dani Metzger I Mean they do like a little course I did so I actually did a full patty's open water certification and then I wanted to feel even more comfortable because I was like if I'm gonna do this I Want to feel. 28:37.18 dclduo Yep. 28:42.23 dclduo Right. 28:43.10 Dani Metzger Very safe I want to know exactly what to do in case of an emergency. So I actually went on and got my advance certification. So an additional like week long class. So I did like two full weeks of learning everything. There is to know about diving. 28:57.30 British Hill Wow. 28:59.13 Dani Metzger And now I can feel totally comfortable I cannot even imagine if they would have just thrown me my first dive ever was in a pool and I almost had a panic attack in the pool. So I can only imagine if I was out in the deep blue sea I would freak out. 29:01.73 dclduo Oh jump just dumped in right. 29:14.50 dclduo Um, yeah, yeah. 29:14.61 British Hill Um, open saying. 29:17.69 Dani Metzger So yeah, if you're going to learn how to dive I think anyone that I've ever talked to that hates Scuba diving. It's because they did one of those fun dives and not the the actual certification. So I would say do that for. 29:23.73 dclduo Yeah. 29:27.32 British Hill Good advice. 29:28.84 dclduo Yeah I love that all right? Well, let's move on to Europe now Europe of course is a very large place so you know if you've got maybe a favorite excursion in the med. Maybe a favorite excursion in sort of the. British Isles if you did one of those sailings and maybe a favorite excursion in Northern Europe or if you just got you know 2 it doesn't really matter what category but let's let's get you know 2 or 3 favorite excursions from Europe and and don't feel limited to you know geography because obviously there's a lot to see. Over in those cruises and I know you all would have sailed with the on the magic to Europe and now the dream is in you know in Europe so it's ah obviously a slightly different experience but I'm sure the excursions are are very similar now. British let's start with you. 30:07.84 Dani Metzger Yes. 30:08.16 British Hill Um, yes. 30:19.22 British Hill so I was goodnna yeah so I was gonna I was kind of looking at Danny like Danny what excursions did we do because all right so couple quick things. So every time I've gone on the was 1 whole summer I think we went twice but it's always been with with danny. 30:35.46 Dani Metzger Here. 30:35.86 dclduo Oh nice. 30:37.53 British Hill And I will tell you the reason why I kind of defer to her on this is because um Danny was my tour guide quite quickly when we went on. Yeah. 30:44.61 dclduo Yeah I love that? yeah. 30:46.78 Dani Metzger If it were up to British we would be in the rainforest not the actual rap reports. The reapers were. We'd be at this Ra We'd be going shopping and I'm like get your strap your boots on. 30:54.15 British Hill Europe though. No no, no if it were that that. 30:54.36 dclduo Ah, well right right. 31:04.76 dclduo Right? right? Get your water bottle. Get your backpack. We're going out because I mean let let's be honest. Danny is an adventurer she is right as we're talking she is in rome italy like on video with us. 31:05.63 Dani Metzger We're doing something crazy today. 31:07.84 British Hill Um, it was definitely that. 31:12.80 British Hill Yes. 31:19.66 British Hill Pause. 31:21.41 dclduo Um, it's like seven o'clock at night for her actually almost eight o'clock at night for her. It's almost eleven o'clock in the morning here for me, it's ah you know it's it's almost three o'clock in the afternoon for british as a recording so we're all over the place right now. But Danny is the adventure all right? Well Danny tell us some of the some of the. 31:22.40 Dani Metzger A. 31:33.18 British Hill Um, yeah, we're all of yeah. 31:40.73 dclduo Best excursions you all took over in Europe. 31:45.29 Dani Metzger Okay, so my favorite one and we're actually going there next weekend I believe um was a boat. So a boat ride to chinkatare. So. 31:52.65 dclduo Ooh I. 32:01.31 Dani Metzger We got to see the little towns and it's It's really cool to actually go into the towns but to see it from the water was just magnificent and I'm the type of person when I travel somewhere I like to go to places that like nobody goes and so when I saw you know. 32:16.64 British Hill Yeah. 32:20.84 Dani Metzger The Shore excursion for Chincore I was like oh but everybody goes there you know, maybe maybe I'll try something different and then um I actually had some members that were on the crews that were doing that excursion and we just had so much fun together and they're like you have to come on it so I was like ah. 32:27.37 British Hill Um, yeah. 32:36.23 British Hill Yeah, announced. 32:39.90 Dani Metzger Dragged the group and um I will say it was one of those times I was like okay I get why everybody comes here because it was just breathtaking I loved that area and then when we did the Amalfi Coast and we you know we're drinking lemon cello. 32:49.95 dclduo I now. 32:54.34 British Hill Yes. 32:59.41 Dani Metzger And just going shopping and also where was it was it. Monte Carla Monaco was it Monte Carlo or yeah that we went to we were wearing the big hats and and just like we were. 33:04.93 British Hill What was it Monte Carlo monaco wait you went to Monte Carlo too yeah 33:16.78 Dani Metzger They had like the all these fancy cars and they let us just like jump in all the cars. Um, oh my goodness. There's just so many like what else did we do in Europe. 33:19.65 British Hill Um, yeah, yeah. 33:19.74 dclduo Um, oh yeah. 33:27.20 British Hill So we were in. Oh so yeah because a lot of what we did was um, like walking tours I'd see walking and going into the Vatican like around the Vatican was amazing. 33:34.14 dclduo Is here. 33:34.80 Dani Metzger Yeah, we did a lot of those the vatican. 33:44.39 British Hill Ah, justistine chapel did we walk through that together was that when because I so one of the Mediterranean ah itineraries that we did. We went back twice in the summer and one of them. Do you remember my husband Shelby joined for the second leg because it happened to fall during my birthday and so. 33:44.41 dclduo Yeah. 33:44.54 Dani Metzger Yeah me here. 33:56.54 Dani Metzger Yes. 34:00.59 dclduo Oh how fun. 34:03.89 British Hill He flew danny and I and the whole team we were already out there Shelby joined us for the second leg at looks we had to turn around and do it again from Barcelona and yeah, yeah, and so um, we went into sistine chapel which. 34:11.63 dclduo Right? right? The reverse Itinerary Essentially yeah. 34:22.21 British Hill You know when you go to Europe like for me I'm a major history buff I love like old world architecture. That's when I go nuts. So definitely not staying in for loud I'm you know I'm bad in the caribbean where I'm looking for ways to relax on the ship but when you go to places like that I'm like gone from sunup to sundown. 34:29.49 dclduo Yeah. 34:39.29 dclduo Oh yeah. 34:42.70 British Hill Um, and so I will say for the time that maybe you in your life. It was a milestone birthday I think for me my husband was coming to Europe for the very first time so we did a little bit of a once-in a lifetime type splurge where we did a private tour. 34:56.24 dclduo Oh Wow yeah. 34:58.47 British Hill So that is an opportunity as well and I think it was even offered through poor adventures where you can book a private car. Yeah I'm not saying go all out like that for every time but I mean you're not most people aren't going to the med all the time anyway for their Disney crews. But if it's that bucket list special occasion once in lifetime you want to do something different. 35:05.38 dclduo Um, if he. 35:09.88 dclduo Right? right. 35:18.47 British Hill Ah, ask about any kind of private tours because we did that and it I can't remember what part maybe it was in a malfi coast but we actually went to a wine um went on a wine tour and went to a wine seller that was about two hundred and fifty years old um 35:33.63 dclduo Oh Wow! fantastic. 35:37.87 British Hill And had wine and cheese and and it was incredible and that was a part of that private tour. So I definitely recommend that as well. 35:43.28 dclduo Awesome! What about? um, some of that. Let's talk a little northern europe like British Isles ah Iceland Norway did you guys get to do any of those itineraries and if so yeah. 35:54.13 British Hill I did not Danny may have though she stayed on the cruise a team another year I believe after I'd left so kind of broke up the band there but she probably you made her. 36:03.92 dclduo All british she loved you but she returned listen she divorced you but then she came back to you. You know exactly she couldn't live without you Danny she couldn't that's right, that's right? yeah. 36:04.94 Dani Metzger Yeah, she left me she divorced me she came running back. Ah. 36:14.75 British Hill I did I did never to let go again apart. 36:20.91 Dani Metzger It's like a Disney movie. Um, yes oh gosh. yes yes, yes um Iceland is one of my favorite places on the entire planet. It's. 36:23.89 dclduo No no because none ah hopefully no none of the parents die in this movie. So you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah. 36:27.12 British Hill It's true. True. 36:34.97 British Hill Wow. 36:37.70 Dani Metzger Like going to another planet I love iceland um, okay so iceland my favorite I don't even eat. There's no way to pick a favorite thing to do in Iceland ah I would say if I was going to recommend someone who's going to be in Iceland for the day I think we actually did an overnight when I went. 36:37.99 dclduo 80 36:46.42 dclduo No. 36:55.78 dclduo Oh in Rekjavik yeah. 36:57.70 Dani Metzger Um, and rightovbek and the first day we did the gold gold coast I think it's called um, tour where you just it's like the second the ship docks to yeah, the second you kind of get need to get back on board. Um, and then the the next day we did the south I think it's called the South Coast or the south um and went around and saw all the waterfalls and we went to the blue lagoon which was incredible. 37:23.40 dclduo It is. 37:28.69 British Hill Home one. Also. 37:30.60 dclduo Ah, amazing. 37:34.66 Dani Metzger Um, it's just as cool as it looks in the pictures by the way the blue lagoon and I dream about that silica mask that they give you because your skin will never be so soft. Um, and then actually I loved Iceland so much on the cruise that I went back in the winter time. 37:35.57 dclduo Yeah. 37:43.52 British Hill Wow. 37:52.38 dclduo Oh Wow yeah. 37:54.60 Dani Metzger Not on the cruise and that was really cool to see iceland in the summer and the winter because it's totally different. So I have photos in front of some of the waterfalls and in the summertime it's all green and lush and then in the wintertime it's frozen. 38:05.44 dclduo Right? Oh wow. 38:10.24 Dani Metzger Like completely frozen over the exact same photo so that was really cool and um I don't I did this in Iceland but my favorite time that I did it was actually in Alaska. British so I'm not going to spoil this because I feel like we're getting to Alaska yeah, but ah, the glaciers are really cool in Iceland too and then in Norway um, my favorite thing to do is actually the hike pulpit rock. 38:24.65 dclduo All right? Yes, we're getting to. We're going to be right there in a second. 38:41.16 dclduo Yes, that's what I was going to say Danny that was so we did Norway last September and it's the only european cruise that I have done on on Disney. It's actually the only european crews I've done. Um. Soon I will have a river cruise in my in my repertoire this this December but um, yeah, that hike to Pulpit Rock was incredible also terrifying um and then. 38:58.99 Dani Metzger Nice. Did you do it on a rainy day. 39:07.89 dclduo It it did rain ah most of when we were going down so when we got up topic sort of started raining and then going down. Thankfully it wasn't hard hard raining. It was more drizzly but it definitely made that the hike down quite. Gary because it was you know there was a few times where I almost ate it thankfully I didn't but yeah, it is um, it's it's a and it's a tough hike to be fair, it's not um, you know it is it is. It's not you don't need to be an expert hiker I'm not an expert hiker and I did do it in sneakers. 39:30.85 Dani Metzger It is. 39:41.70 dclduo Um, but you need to be in decent shape. It's it is not for somebody who is who does not go out and walk um and does not do any exercise whatsoever. It is yes. 39:47.75 British Hill For. 39:49.36 Dani Metzger Well, you have a few obstacles right? You have to do the hike in time to get back to the ship so it doesn't leave you so that's the first thing and then you have to check the weather because I would say if you do it when it's. 39:56.77 dclduo Right? Right. Yes. 40:07.93 Dani Metzger Sunny and bright I would say it's probably like a a 7 or an 8 right? and then if it's raining. It's like a twenty like difficult because you're you're you're walking up or downhill. Basically. 40:11.80 dclduo Um, probably yeah, yeah, it's yup, right? yeah and the steps and it's sort of like. 40:15.83 British Hill Wow. 40:25.19 Dani Metzger On like an ice skating rink. It's so slippery. So. 40:30.31 dclduo The the rocks make these sort of natural steps and so that's what most of the hike is and you're going up and down and up and down. But of course always going up more and more um, but the the steps are quite big. We're not talking about like step of a regular staircase. That's I don't know maybe like I don't know 6 or eight inches or something. These are like twenty inches tall at times and so you are making these very big steps and actually going down. It's like scarier than going up because you're the pounding on your on your legs. But anyway I thought that was a fantastic um excursion as well. We did that. 40:57.36 Dani Metzger Yeah. 40:59.39 British Hill Honestly. 41:07.42 dclduo Um, and then another one that I loved was the the helicopter ride ah to see the glaciers. We did not get to land on a glacier we were just um, this is Norway in the fjoords um going and and seeing the glaciers. Yeah, but I have not done Alaska yet. 41:19.16 Dani Metzger Oh that's awesome. 41:23.90 dclduo Which is where I feel like we need to go as I mentioned Alaska sort of the the crown jewel you I think people ask the most about excursions in Alaska and um, of course people rave about the excursions in Alaska I will give 1 caveat in saying the excursions in Alaska are like. 41:27.36 Dani Metzger Yes. 41:42.30 dclduo Twice or sometimes 3 times as expensive as excursions in other locations but it's because of the types of excursions you're doing things like dog sledding helicopter rides you know, glacier visits. Um all that kind of stuff that's the kind of you're doing all this outdoorsy. 41:42.92 British Hill Trip. 41:59.27 dclduo Stuff where you need expert guides with you and sometimes equipment and things like that. So with that caveat um that you will spend as much on your excursions as you will on your the cruise itself in Alaska right? If not more um, let's talk about favorite excursion. 42:07.89 Dani Metzger If not more. Yeah. 42:15.85 dclduo In Alaska Danny let's start with you this time. 42:18.64 Dani Metzger Okay, so my advice to anyone who's listening to this who's never been to Alaska is you know all those cruises that british was telling you to stay on the ship. Do that save up all your money. Never go on another excursion again on any other cruise and save it for Alaska. 42:33.49 dclduo Ah. 42:36.22 dclduo Yeah, so. 42:37.80 British Hill Um, you know. 42:38.50 Dani Metzger Because it is bucket list. It will be ingrained in your memory for the rest of your life. It will be the most amazing cruise you've ever done still to like it gives me chills that I love this place. Um. Okay, so my favorite excursion that I have ever done was with British Queen be I still can't believe I actually convinced her to do this with me I don't know if you know which one because there was there was two that I convinced her to do I think you're actually gonna say the other one as your favorite. 43:03.16 British Hill Um I know. Okay. 43:14.98 British Hill Um, okay, all right. We'll see you know. 43:15.86 Dani Metzger My my favorite was when we kayaked to Menden Hall Glacier and then and I think Sam I think I told you this on the last hot podcast. We put the crampons on our shoes and we walked on top of. 43:30.85 dclduo Um, yes, yes, yes, yes. 43:33.77 Dani Metzger Glacier but we also got to go into the glacier ice caves which I actually just found out are closed now because they have caved yep and so nobody's allowed to go in them now. So I'm so grateful that. 43:43.12 dclduo Oh because the cave and melt and ah. 43:43.48 British Hill Yeah yep, that. 43:51.55 Dani Metzger We got to do it. It's extremely sad to think about. But um I'm so thankful that we got to do it and and I actually did do that in Iceland as well. So if you can't do it in Alaska you can still do it in Iceland and it's pretty epic. Um. 43:53.40 dclduo Right. 44:03.19 dclduo Right? And you can probably still do the kayaking part and you might be able to do some of the cramping on the glaciers just not into the caves just I'm sure they have something similar even if it's not exactly the same now. 44:09.79 Dani Metzger Yes, yep. Yeah, So there's like different and don't worry if you're not like a huge adventure or like you're not a big risk taker like we were jumping over crevasses like I don't know we lost our mind. 44:26.39 British Hill Yes. 44:30.29 Dani Metzger Um, but if you're not crazy like that. There's different levels that you could do. There's seriously something for everyone I mean just as long as you like nature if you like being in nature in the most beautiful place you've ever seen in the most with the most gorgeous weather. Um, well I say gorgeous. 44:48.15 British Hill Just. 44:49.11 Dani Metzger From Florida and I like it called but ah then you will love Alaska and there's something for everybody to do so that was my favorite 1 44:49.75 dclduo I Love it. 44:58.78 dclduo I love it all right? British what's the I know you've got 2 different favorites. Ah 1 with Danny and it's probably the one that Danny hasn't mentioned but so alluded to and then I know you've got one from a recent cruise to Alaska as a passenger on Disney Cruise line so let's 45:05.66 British Hill Um, that. 45:16.40 dclduo Let's first do the what was the 1 you did with Danny that was you know a favorite of yours. 45:19.44 British Hill So funny enough surprise surprise Danny it was absolutely the men and hall experience the Menden Hall menden the zip line yeah no zip line was awesome. Don't get me wrong because that was the first time I had ziblined in my life. 45:25.88 Dani Metzger Was it I thought you were goingnna say that I thought you were gonna see that. That's what I thought you were going to say. 45:26.53 dclduo I Ah love it I Love it. 45:34.91 Dani Metzger Yeah, and she was scared to death. 45:35.64 dclduo Yeah. 45:37.66 British Hill And I remember and this I've never been alive before Danny was like nope let's go and I'm like oh a girl really seriously she's like yes I'm like okay I'm gonna do it I'm going with her to do it and we've got autos to prove it and yeah. 45:50.11 dclduo I Love it I Love it. 45:55.96 British Hill I put it like this danny made me feel like I was at least 20 years younger than when I was going. They don't give me I'm not trying to age myself or anything like that or date myself. But I am saying that she had me doing some things and I'm like oh but like should not be like 19 doing this. Do you think? but. 46:06.91 dclduo Um, ah her. 46:12.21 dclduo Listen I I was also terrified to Zipline I have no ziplined in 2 different places I've done that long tall zip line in St Martin and I've also done one of the zip line canopy or this sort of multiple zip lines I think it was in st kits on a like on a sugar plantation which was. 46:21.61 British Hill Yeah I heard. 46:29.70 British Hill Yeah, yeah. 46:32.17 dclduo Ah, phenomenal as well. But I think for zip lining you need if you are like me and you are chicken. You need an adventurous partner with you be be that a best friend be that a romantic partner. 46:39.70 British Hill Yes. 46:46.66 dclduo Be that your work wife or work husband you just you need someone with you to encourage you and cheer you on and you should tell your guides that you're terrified because then they'll kind of distract you they will figure distract you and then they'll just send you flying which is what they did for me. 46:59.29 Dani Metzger Just and just wait I promise you by the end of it. You're gonna be going upside down. Oh yes. 47:06.51 dclduo Maybe not going up. Oh I Love that picture. Maybe not going upside down I'm going to put that out there I have not gone upside down but I was like who no his I'm goingnna try I'm going to try. 47:12.18 Dani Metzger You have it? Okay, promise me the next time you go, You're gonna go upside down. Get it get a picture of it. 47:15.71 British Hill Um, I've kind of I tried it in Saint and St Louis stuff. 47:23.43 dclduo Um, try I'll try. 47:24.20 British Hill So this is probably not like you're probably thinking Sam like we'll we'll get some pitches in there. But um, you guys Danny and I the zip line experience was incredible for sure. This is this like bad for me to put this on the screen like this Phil one can probably even see it. 47:35.87 dclduo Ah I love it. No, it's it's the I Yeah, that's great I Love it with the legs hanging out. It's awesome. It's awesome on the bridge I. 47:41.20 British Hill But is it. Okay for that Danny that's you and I on the bridge I think we had just finished but I've got so many photos from that time. So the zip lining was great, but my absolute. 47:53.36 dclduo I Love it. 47:59.72 British Hill Favorite life changing was the kayaking on the Menden Hall Lake I think it was called it is called to the actual glacier a little bit of hiking to the actual where we were able to go into the cave. 48:10.48 dclduo Um, yeah. 48:17.34 British Hill Ah, to to say the least it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life to say that I am inside of this blue ice glacier it top about once in Lifetime I'm just grateful to have had it I've got pictures of that as well. 48:25.99 Dani Metzger Yeah, it's a pinch me? yeah. 48:26.19 dclduo Um, that's so cool. Yeah yeah. 48:32.31 British Hill Um, and then we came from out and then we had we we were hiking on top of the glacier jumping over the what do they? What do they called? you guys the the crevasses and I even have like slow down footage of jumping over the cvas is just the. 48:39.11 dclduo That's amazing. 48:41.99 Dani Metzger Crevas. 48:44.56 dclduo Ah. 48:47.23 Dani Metzger I Watch those and I'm like why did we do that. 48:50.73 dclduo But you like crazy people I don't know who that was yeah but. 48:54.24 British Hill I were nuts. Yeah, my venture you know? ah an tannas were on a hundred at that point because you could have got me to do anything at that point I was like yeah, let's jump out of that plane right now like I would have done everything I was so excited. 49:02.33 dclduo Oh My goodness. Ah I Love it. 49:11.16 British Hill So yeah, that was definitely the highlight um of of Danny and I in our cruises and it was the reason honestly I fell in love with Alaska because again I'm ah I listen I am a self-proclaimed I'm a city girl. 49:18.79 dclduo Um, yeah. 49:24.81 dclduo Okay. 49:26.60 British Hill Okay, yes I've been living in Florida in the suburbs of Florida Orlando Tampa a long time but at heart what we'll never leave is I'm just a big city Chicago New York kind of girl that's what I tend to do and I was one that said. Okay, so. 49:39.70 dclduo Yep. 49:44.60 British Hill We're going. Um I'm going to Alaska it's cold in Alaska. Um. 49:48.99 dclduo Ah, you know it's cold in Chicago I'm sure you know what cold is like british I mean I grew up in New York I I know visiting Chicago it's colder in Chicago than it is in New York so yeah but 49:58.88 British Hill It's pretty. It. it's it's it's Antarcticatype that's a whole another conversation but nonetheless the reason I wasn't excited about going to place cold. You know I'm like now. Um and then I you know did the whole cliche sort of. Thing that well no I don't get me wrong I want to get to Alaska but up can I just get to like a certain ripe old age and then I'll go and return herment or some you know you guys never heard people talk about going to Alaska when they retire like just this it's nuts to be do not right. 50:22.99 dclduo That not cut. Yes, it's a thing they but they don't sail on Disney Cruise line they sail on Princess Cruise rural and America yeah, ah. 50:27.35 Dani Metzger Yep. 50:30.76 Dani Metzger On Holland or how in America I used to sell no. 50:38.26 British Hill Nothing's wrong with that. You go in retirement but don't wait if you can don't wait. So yeah. 50:38.55 dclduo So no nothing. No yeah, ah agreed now british you you loved Alaska so much that you decided to go as a passenger just recently with your husband on a Disney Cruise and you had mentioned before we started the show. That you had and ah a different excursion that you recently did in Alaska that you just loved and I want you to share with myself with Danny in our audience. What that one was. 51:07.49 British Hill Absolutely I almost feel like I wish I was doing some voiceover right now on top of you all seeing this experience that I had so yes, we sailed on the disney wonder one of the legacy ships which by the way is still one of my favorites with Disney Cruise line I just just 51:21.95 Dani Metzger Mine too. 51:23.23 dclduo So number one in my heart. 51:27.25 British Hill See it's just it's cozy. It's just I love it. felt like I felt like I was coming home because I had not been on the wonder since Danny and I were on the wonder year a few years back. But anyway so this time as a passenger as a customer so to speak working with be our guest vacations. My husband came along with. 51:31.19 dclduo Yep. 51:46.45 British Hill And um, this one was a five night I will say that was the 1 thing that was different. You guy oh you're okay, sorry. 51:51.80 Dani Metzger Um, I'm sorry I'm joking. 51:55.89 Dani Metzger I was like are we live? No no, no or no. 52:03.56 dclduo Ah, you're fine. Yeah, right. 52:06.97 British Hill Okay, we don't need to come over Kevin said but we all need to do that i. 52:10.27 Dani Metzger Um I was trying to take sick quietly. Okay. 52:14.83 British Hill Get you. We're down the wrong pipe as they say you're okay, you're okay. 52:16.73 dclduo Ah, so yeah, yeah. 52:19.82 Dani Metzger I was trying to be quiet and then I slowly swallowed. Okay, all right, you may proceed. 52:25.52 dclduo But that's all right? All Let's ah British start from when you said I with B R that you decided with to started sort of the top of that story there. Sorry. 52:26.70 British Hill Um, yeah. 52:36.62 British Hill Yeah, so yeah so um recent I fell in love with with Alaska as a destination with Danny over a course of an entire summer where I felt like we must have gone back to the times of the summer was sort of like our route if you will. We went back and forth fell in love. Ah, just about three weeks ago I had an opportunity to return to my my favorite cruise itinerary with Disney but this time with my husband with be our guest vacations but really from a consumer customer perspective. And it was amazing. It did not it did not fail the only difference was that it was a little different for me was that it was a five night because there are five night disney cruises to within Alaska but the difference is that it was just one port because it takes a couple of days to get there from Vancouver. 53:26.92 dclduo Right? right. 53:29.85 British Hill Couple of days to get back. So we did one um and it was in oh scat way I know we were not in scaadway we were not in skaway help me. Thank you, thank you? We were in catch a can which by the way I heard was one of the if not the rainiest place in North America or something like that. Um. 53:35.52 dclduo Oh nice. 53:37.13 Dani Metzger Catch a can. 53:49.23 British Hill Three weeks ago it was ° in sunny skies and catch just to let you know and so my husband whom I had prepared like he was a six year old now make sure you pack all your layers and make sure you put your wet coat and because I felt like I'm the you know Alaska expert on how to dress. 53:50.52 dclduo And beautiful. Yeah. 54:04.70 dclduo Right? right. 54:07.52 British Hill Learned all that from Danny so I made sure Shelby had everything and when we got there, he was sort of looking at me like I just could have get my could it doesn't wear the same clothes I'm wearing right now and ninety degree Orlando but it was I told him it was a treat that he would get this type of weather. 54:13.52 dclduo Are you kidding? What do I need all this stuff for. 54:14.23 Dani Metzger Is. 54:22.60 dclduo Um, oh my goodness. Yeah. 54:25.75 British Hill Um, so we. But anyway ah the the excursion one and we bring catch cam if you are an adventurer if you are someone who wants to go to Alaska and be in feel like you're in Alaska out in the wilderness doing rugged stuff I've got one for you. So. Name of the excurt the port adventure. It's not sexy, but it is what it is it describes it perfectly. It's called you tv boat ride and crab vest that is the name of the port adventure. Okay. It perfectly describe. It's now beautiful and faulous sounding and I'm like okay that's pretty simple tip that what's it all about well it starts out with a. 55:05.26 dclduo Yeah, doesn't sound sexy. You're right? ah. 55:18.91 British Hill Yout ride you drive. You are in a aircond conditioned van with a small group maybe 15 of us total a base camp was about a 40 minute drive up through the mountains of Catcha can the most scenic experience. 55:26.68 dclduo Um. 55:36.74 British Hill We have finally arrived at base camp where we get off of the the out of the van and we have a little bit of a training on how to ride this not Atv but it's a utv I don't know what the difference is except that this was what. 55:48.60 Dani Metzger I Think they're bigger. 55:51.68 British Hill Yeah, it was a super rugged wilderness bumpy ride and I felt like the tires needed to be straight up like utility type tires because they would just bust and break on any type of environment anyway. So we they had 2 seaters and 4 Seaters Shelby drove the 2 seatter drove vi our 2 seatter. 55:52.78 dclduo Yes. Yeah. 56:09.82 British Hill I must have laughed and screamed the whole entire time we were going at speeds I think we had gotten up to about forty miles or so for per hour but it felt like it was like eighty miles per hour 56:22.30 dclduo Right? because of the terrain. Yeah. 56:22.38 Dani Metzger And you're going through mud and stuff right. 56:26.67 British Hill We're going Danny we I again I wish you could see this but we're we're go. It was a super rocky ride on a very small road and we were caravaning with the other utvs in front and behind us and it was a little bit of some winding roll type action going on ladies. 56:31.61 dclduo Is a. 56:40.65 dclduo Um. 56:45.50 British Hill Um, and it was so trust and love your driver and make sure that they love you which because are big. Whatever you need to do which is why. 56:48.66 dclduo Yeah, right or be the driver if you're comfortable. Yeah I'll be the passenger I would I would definitely be the passenger because Brian he he's going to listen to this as he's editing this episode. 56:52.20 Dani Metzger Um, yes, that would be me. Okay. 57:05.21 dclduo Brian is a bit of a control freak and he's not going to let me try for you tv he's going to he is actually he's a very good driver and and dare I say he's probably a better driver than I am so I probably would just more driving than me. 57:06.48 British Hill And. 57:07.37 Dani Metzger Is he a good driver. 57:21.21 dclduo Especially for kids in the car and in the vehicle. Yeah. 57:22.84 British Hill Yeah, yeah, let him let him drive in and in that and and especially if it because that's I mean if it were probably would have been anyone other than my husband I probably wouldn have my control freak thing would have kicked in and I'm like no I'm driving you know, but I'd let him drive and we. 57:33.54 dclduo Um, yeah, yeah. 57:41.98 British Hill Had a ball five miles to the Lake five miles back but nonetheless once we we did the utv ride Then we arrived at this most incredible lake that I cannot think the name of but it was you felt like it was otherworld when you walked to that space. 57:56.71 dclduo Is is. 58:01.26 British Hill Natural undisturbed Lake um, and we spent probably 20 minutes there then there was over to the left this beautiful little alaskan boat waiting on us to get on and we all walked and wrote got onto the boat that then took us on another maybe 30 minute adventure ah 58:10.61 dclduo Oh cool. 58:20.44 British Hill Pass all these old cannon used to be fisheries and canneries. Um, and we ended up at ah this wonderful lodge called Georges Inlet do you know? Danny Georgian let course you did her. She does actually. 58:28.78 Dani Metzger The best of course I'm done every excursion in Alaska I I spent 10 years there 58:40.42 British Hill She knows for sure and georges and let we went inside and we had it like communal type lunch with the rest of the folks that were on this excursion with us. And all I can say is the are the the Alaskan crabs. Oh forget it I can't get to my picture. But oh they were crazy big and delicious. Yeah. 59:01.81 Dani Metzger The dungeon ah these four. It's all you can eat dungeon is crab and it is the sweetest you know because you're and you probably get great crab. 59:09.20 dclduo So good I we eat dungeon is crabb. Yeah, we get great dungeonous crab. It comes from Alaska but it comes down to the seattle area dungeon is crab is fantastic and so I can only imagine if. 59:18.30 British Hill Yes. 59:18.48 Dani Metzger Yeah. 59:27.62 dclduo You know if it's prepared well which is really just steaming it just to perfection. It doesn't need any seasoning or anything. It's not like Marilyn crabs where you put all that old bay on it. No, you can just eat it like plain and the meat is so delicious and sweet and fantastic, right? right. 59:31.69 British Hill Um, yeah, yeah. 59:36.29 Dani Metzger Oh yes, it's we don't have dungeon this crab over here. So I had had King yeah I had had king crab which if you're going to Alaska you have to go to Tracy's crab shack 59:44.56 British Hill Such that. 59:47.42 dclduo It's a west coast thing. Yeah. 59:54.38 dclduo Yeah, yes. 59:55.21 Dani Metzger It's huge now when I first started going to Tracy's crab shack. It was literally a shack. It was a tiny little shack like only like 1 or 2 people could fit in it now. It's huge, but their crab legs are like this big so I had had King Crab I had had stone crab. 59:58.84 British Hill Wow. 01:00:05.87 dclduo Oh yeah. 01:00:12.25 Dani Metzger And blue crab I had never had dungeon as crab and it is so sweet and that like was it Blueberry Brambleberry pie. 01:00:14.10 dclduo So good. Yeah. 01:00:15.52 British Hill It was yeah it was the blueberry. They had a blueberry did for this visit a cheesecake a blueberry cheesecake is how it ended It was great. 01:00:26.93 dclduo Ah, nice. Ah that sounds that sounds like a perfect way to end a day on a crazy u tvv in Alaska um, just say and so you guys you have had a million. 01:00:27.50 Dani Metzger This is so delicious. 01:00:41.36 dclduo Like different amazing experiences on the cruises I've got to ask what was your favorite destination or itinerary I feel like if I don't ask this question. You know people are going to probably you know, send me nasty emails because. You guys got to do so many amazing itineraries. But what would you say was a favorite. Um Danny let's start with you. 01:01:05.77 Dani Metzger So Alaska always has a very special place in my heart. Um, it's funny I so I cruised for 10 years I lived on the high seas for 10 years and I do remember there was a point in my life where I was like I don't want to do another Alaska Cruise I just want to be in the caribbean right now I want to be warm. Um, and I remember being like no, you need to just be in the moment because one day you're not going to be in Alaska every other week and you're going to wish you were there and I could tell you right now. I do some incredible travels still to this day but I always dream of Alaska it's just it's such a special place so I would say that's just like a really special itinerary that I think everybody should do bucket list. Um, but my favorite cruise. I would have to say probably the one you did the the Norway did you did you do iceland as well on that. 01:02:04.64 dclduo We the Norway we didn't do Iceland we just did Norway the fords we didn't get to do we. We did one that was a seven night itinerary we did not get to do the the itinerary that includes Iceland which is often a longer itinerary. Um, but I would love to do that's the. 01:02:17.86 Dani Metzger Okay. 01:02:24.44 dclduo That's the other european one that I'm dying to do yeah ten or eleven nights depending on the the year in the season. What about you british oh sorry. 01:02:25.64 Dani Metzger It's like an 11 Yeah yeah, and I I think that one sorry I was just gonna say I think that one also goes to Sweden as well. Which I really really loved I just. 01:02:35.12 dclduo Oh yeah. 01:02:41.10 Dani Metzger I Love that that part of the world. 01:02:41.51 dclduo Yeah, so sounds like you actually like the cold weather you know Danny the cold didn't bother you anyway. 01:02:45.71 British Hill I Think so. 01:02:45.86 Dani Metzger Oh I love I love the cold weather you know because I'm from Florida so I'm always in the heat exactly yep. 01:02:51.29 dclduo But right you you need an escape Yeah British What about you? What's ah what would you s stay as a favorite. 01:02:56.30 British Hill Yeah, I'm not goingnna absolutely I'm not going to beat it the the drum on on Alaska anymore because it seems like maybe our show should have been you know called the dc alaskan crew show today. 01:03:05.42 dclduo Um, yeah. 01:03:11.25 British Hill That where you got 2 big Alaska fans on here but that definitely will always have a special place in my heart and I will you know pay hopefully continue to go back year after like I will go for the rest of my life to Alaska I love that place. But other than that I would say my. 01:03:20.99 dclduo Yeah. 01:03:28.58 British Hill Favorite was honestly it was that on the magic it was the the the mediterranean crus. Oh listen. Um the being in the south of France the a mafi coast because I'm a big you know history buff I mean all of that old world. 01:03:31.87 Dani Metzger A. 01:03:32.35 dclduo Oh yeah. 01:03:41.92 dclduo Yeah, yeah. 01:03:46.62 British Hill It it brings to life the fact that the United States of America in the big scheme of things is just like a baby. It's so it's just are you kidding me that building is how old it's one hundred years old that's a baby. 01:03:51.26 dclduo Totally to right? right? right. 01:04:00.74 British Hill I'm having lunch and something that's been sitting here for you know 1000 years like that's the kind of stuff that makes me so excited. So a lot of that had to do with why I fell in love with the Mediterranean Crews beautiful scenic this kind of stuff you see in pictures. You get to walk down those streets cobblestones. 01:04:03.22 dclduo Yeah. 01:04:15.81 dclduo I Love it. 01:04:19.11 British Hill Fill the walls I'm I'm a nerd like that where I would touch you know certain you know structures in Rome and and just say oh my gosh you know who if these walls could talk you know, kind of thing. So yeah, yeah, yeah. 01:04:27.95 dclduo Totally can't imagine what they what they've seen and heard over the thousands of years it's amazing all right well before we wrap up the show Danny you were telling british and I about some fabulous swap opportunities that are available through world of Dvc. 01:04:33.86 Dani Metzger Um, absolutely. 01:04:47.92 dclduo And what I want to preview for our listeners is that people ask all the time you know to myself and to Brian and to other folks who were sort of dvc experts of ok I've got these points but I don't I'm not going to use them this year and I want to cruise. And they ask about converting those points and booking a Disney Cruise through dcl and I always always always tell them don't do it unless you have to because it's a dvc charter or dvc member cruise where they make you pay for somebody on points. Um, do not convert your points. 01:05:16.35 Dani Metzger Yep. 01:05:25.26 dclduo To cruise through Disney Cruise line and because and the reason I tell them not to do that is because the conversion is is terrible. You essentially are getting pennies on the dollar. Um, you are better off going and renting your points out either privately or on dvc rental store and taking that cash and then paying for a cruise yourself. But Danny was telling me off-air about an amazing opportunity that now exists through world of dvc called a swap. Why don't you tell our listeners what that is and then give us it you I know you looked up a cruise to give us a great example of what the difference is in that conversion. If you're going to do it through dcl versus if you're going to do it through you guys that world of dvc. 01:06:06.76 Dani Metzger So I was obviously a dvc guide on the cruise ships for many years I met with thousands of families I actually have a lot of members that listen to this podcast so hey guys. Um, and so yeah, we would get that ask that question all the time and I always knew. 01:06:16.53 dclduo Yeah, love it. 01:06:24.39 Dani Metzger Obviously about renting out your points and I would always try to recommend that and look like if that's not for everyone. Also so some people do like using your points on the cruise and and if that works for you. That's fine If if you know you have those points. Anyway, you're not going to use them great. 01:06:43.35 British Hill No. 01:06:44.21 Dani Metzger You know it's you don't have to take any money out of pocket to go on a cruise. However, we just started this swap program a little over about a year ago and it is unbelievable. The point conversion. Okay, so I just looked up. So basically essentially what we're doing is we are renting out your points and you were taking that cash and using it to cover your cruise but I don't think a lot of people realize like how big of a savings it is. Like we know it's a savings we we kind of know you can do it but like how do you do it and what does that look like so I looked up a seven night very merry time cruise in November on the fantasy eastern caribbean a veranda. 01:07:35.85 dclduo Yeah, great itinerary by the way. Great itinerary I mean because it's a merry time because it's 7 nights and because it's eastern caribbean so good good on you for picking that itinerary danny I love it. Got. 01:07:36.90 Dani Metzger Family of 4 so 2 adults and 2 kids if you were yes. 01:07:45.39 Dani Metzger Yeah I had to pick the best because I didn't want anyone to be like okay but you pick the three night like Nas off you know I want the real deal here. So if you were to use your points and book direct with Dvc. 01:07:55.60 British Hill Um, yeah. 01:08:04.60 Dani Metzger It would be for this exact Cruise 814 to 910 points for a family of four plus a $95 transfer fee. 01:08:11.67 dclduo Wow. 01:08:13.68 British Hill Really. 01:08:17.35 dclduo Right? Transfer feeds not terrible but that's a lot of points I don't know that that and a lot of people don't have that number of points or don't necessarily have that number of points available at any given time. Yeah. 01:08:20.79 British Hill White. 01:08:21.40 Dani Metzger Yeah, yeah. 01:08:30.96 Dani Metzger Right? And you can use points in cash so you can do that you do have to have enough points to cover. Ah an entire person so I did have a lot of members that would do that they would use points for 1 person and pay cash for everybody else to kind of you know, lower the the. 01:08:37.83 dclduo Right. 01:08:41.65 British Hill Um, yeah on set. 01:08:47.68 Dani Metzger Financial burden if you were to do this exact same cruise with the swap program. It would be one hundred and ninety five points to 388 points 01:09:01.40 dclduo Cheese. Yeah, that's that's yeah, that's like half I mean that's yeah in the ballpark half or even less than half I mean on the high end. It's it's still less than half. 01:09:02.39 British Hill Wow, You're kind of blowing my mind right now. 01:09:05.12 Dani Metzger Right? So yeah I mean we're talking depends on the cruise depends on what your home resort is we're talking. About forty to eighty percent less than booking direct which is just insane so there and that's a seven night so if you're a family that has 150 points. 01:09:22.92 dclduo Yeah. 01:09:29.79 British Hill Um, my lord. Yeah. 01:09:37.50 Dani Metzger And you could have never dreamed of going on a Disney Cruise well guess what now you can you could do a 3 4 five night Disney Cruise for your whole family and make it work make you know, even if you want to do a a seven night with banking and borrowing you can make that happen now. 01:09:41.91 dclduo Absolutely. 01:09:54.48 British Hill Before. 01:09:56.70 Dani Metzger And so these swaps are not only for Disney cruises. These are for adventures by disney same type of savings for abd. Um, you can also do there's we're really branching out and there's you're going to see a lot more with the swap program but you could do like beach house rentals vacation homes. You know those houses in um. 01:10:04.99 British Hill Ah. 01:10:16.92 Dani Metzger Reunion Florida that are like 16 bedrooms and they're're all Disney themed and stuff you can rent those houses out through the swap program you can do like all inclusive resorts you know around the caribbean and and that kind of thing there are. 01:10:23.95 dclduo Oh cool. 01:10:34.89 Dani Metzger So many options in the swap program. So if you haven't explored it yet. Definitely do it because it is such a cool way to use your point I'm actually probably going to do a blog pretty soon or a vlog on abd over here in in italy. 01:10:50.74 British Hill Yeah. 01:10:52.67 Dani Metzger Um, using the swap program so that is just an incredible way. You know not everybody wants to do every single trip at Disney I mean Disney's amazing but yeah 01:10:54.71 dclduo Um, awesome. 01:11:00.83 British Hill Um, yeah, yeah. 01:11:02.10 dclduo Well sure I mean why wouldn't o you though? Ah well Danny Tell folks how they can connect with you and with world of dvc if they're interested in doing swap or if they're interested in the Resale market or the rental store. How can. How can folks connect with you to to do those kinds of things. 01:11:21.47 Dani Metzger Yeah, so the best way to connect with me is either. You could text me any day. My phone number is 9 5 4 2 5 7 2 4 2 5 that's actually my direct cell phone number. You have the direct line to me. Um, or you can email me at Danny D A N I at dvcresalemarke.com and you can just contact me I'll get you in touch with Ellie if you want to do a swap or I'll get you in touch with Paul if you want to write your points out and they can help you with that and then if you. Don't have enough points to do a swap or you don't have enough points to rent them out queen bee over here can also help you. 01:12:04.17 dclduo That's right, Yeah British Why don't you tell folks if they want to book their vacation with be our guest how they can get in touch with you or with the other agents at the agency and how they can sort of follow along on. 01:12:19.30 British Hill Yeah, absolutely we are full service at world of Dvc I Love it. So for that concierge a level experience. Let us take care of your vacations for you. You can First of all, go to our website which is be our guest vacations. 01:12:19.17 dclduo The adventures of be our guest. 01:12:37.89 British Hill Plural be our guestvacations dot com there. You can see all of the offerings of our agency. You can also write on the site click on where it says request a quote. Pick whatever destination you're looking for whether it's Walt Disney world Disney Land which by the way Disneyland you can now book for 2024 a lot of people have been asking about that. Um, yes, yeah, just today is actually the day um depending on when this era but it is open. 01:12:56.43 dclduo Yes, we've been waiting for those hotel rooms to open up. Thanks for telling us British come on I Love it. 01:13:00.84 Dani Metzger Smith. 01:13:08.86 British Hill Um, and ah adventures by Disney Disney cruises of course so you can select your destination and then tell us a little bit about what you're wanting to do and then that immediately will go to me and then I'll have one of our amazing advisors reach out to you too. Give you an idea of of the pricing and answer your questions so that's how you find it. 01:13:29.85 Dani Metzger And 1 thing I've been in the industry for a long time but I never realized that travel agents I don't know if they're all like this. But at least with b r guess they're free like they'll get you the same. 01:13:42.24 dclduo Um, yes, yes. 01:13:42.34 British Hill Um, yeah. 01:13:46.10 Dani Metzger Great that you're seeing if not a better rate for cruises. They'll get you onboard credits and they book it all for free and you don't do anything. It's like what have I been doing my whole life. Why was I not. 01:13:55.17 British Hill Um, yeah, there's some charge. 01:13:56.41 dclduo Yep, that and that yep I know I I. 01:14:01.21 Dani Metzger Using a travel agent like what in the world. 01:14:04.69 dclduo I hear you Danny I think there there is definitely I mean we try and educate people all the time about that it is it is standard for disney vacations and other cruise vacations. Any kind of sort of all-inclusive type vacations. It is standard in the travel industry that the um that the destination is essentially paying. The commission to the agents and so it's not coming out of what the consumer would pay the consumer pays the same if you pay it direct to Disney or if you pay it through a travel agent. You're paying the same amount and instead it's that Disney is giving a portion of the you know of what was booked to those travel agencies. 01:14:22.90 British Hill That's right. 01:14:24.80 Dani Metzger Back. 01:14:32.72 British Hill That's right. 01:14:41.78 dclduo In order to compensate them for their planning costs. So great benefit to the consumer. Um, you know why not give a small business money instead of Disney or at least give them a piece of Disney's money so that's that's where I stand on that issue. But. 01:14:46.37 Dani Metzger Arrow. 01:14:56.39 dclduo Thanks so much ladies for joining me today. Ah really appreciated. It's been super enlightening talking to you both you have a wealth of experience and we just really appreciate your expertise especially on these amazing Disney Cruise line excursions. Thanks again. 01:15:11.50 Dani Metzger It is always so fun to come on. So thank you so much for having us. 01:15:12.30 British Hill It's been our pleasure. Thanks for having us.