I Won $1,180, Cody Met LOTR Legends… and Our ICON Series Begins Today!

We’re officially home from the Comic-Con cruise, and I’m writing this from my (Noelle’s) perspective while the suitcases are still half-unpacked and my brain is still running on ship time. You know that feeling where you’re back in your house… but mentally you’re still walking a promenade deck looking for snacks? That’s me right now. This sailing was equal parts fan-girl magic, cruise chaos, and “wait… we actually got so much done,” and it left us feeling super grateful and honestly really energized for what we’re building next.

First, I have to talk about the moment that will live in my head forever: I won $1,180 in the casino. 🥳 I’m not saying I’m suddenly a casino expert—because I’m absolutely not—but I am saying it was one of those random cruise moments where you’re laughing and shocked and trying to act normal while internally screaming. It made the whole trip feel even more fun, and it’s already become one of those stories we keep replaying like, “Wait… that actually happened.” If you’ve ever had a cruise win like that, you know it’s not just the money—it’s the pure adrenaline and the ridiculous joy of it.

And then there’s my current reigning champion of ships: Disney Fantasy. Right now—today—this minute—Fantasy is officially my favorite ship of all time. I know, I know… that title can change depending on the itinerary, the vibes, and what kind of trip we’re on (and I fully admit it). But something about Fantasy just hit perfectly for me. The atmosphere felt classic Disney in the best way, the ship is beautiful without feeling overwhelming, and everything about it felt like it flowed easily. It was one of those sailings where you can tell Disney has the rhythm down: you’re entertained, you’re relaxed, you’re well-fed… and you still somehow end up saying, “How is it already the end of the trip?”

Now let’s talk about the Comic-Con side of the cruise, because Cody basically had his own dream sequence playing out in real life. He met Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan on the Comic-Con cruise. If you’re a Lord of the Rings fan, you understand the emotional weight of that. Watching Cody try to be cool while clearly having a full internal meltdown was one of my favorite moments of the whole trip. It’s one thing to enjoy the theme and the events—it’s another thing to have that “I’m actually standing here meeting them” moment that you’ll remember forever.

And yes… we also have an ongoing tattoo storyline because apparently we can’t do anything halfway. 😅 The tattoo will be complete soon, and the final touch is going to be: “my precious.” We’ll share the finished result when it’s done, but just know it’s one of those ideas that started as a “should we?” and very quickly became a “we’re doing it.” It feels like a hilarious little stamp on this whole season of life where we’re saying yes to big adventures and leaning hard into the things we love.

But here’s the big thing—and the real reason this blog post exists: the cruise stories are fun, but the purpose of all of it is the content we’re creating for you. Our brand-new vlog series is starting now: ICON OF THE SEAS. And Icon of the Seas Episode 1 is premiering today. This isn’t just “another vlog”—this is the kickoff of a full series we’ve been excited to build, because Icon is the kind of ship that deserves a real, full, from-the-beginning experience.

Episode 1 is that perfect “first day” energy: travel + embarkation day, the kind of day that’s both exhausting and exciting because you’re running on airport adrenaline and cruise anticipation at the same time. It’s the start of the story—getting there, stepping onto the ship, that first wave of “this place is huge,” and the feeling of everything about to happen. If you love cruise vlogs that feel like you’re actually there with us—this is the one to start with, because it sets the tone for the entire Icon series.

And because we’re trying to be more intentional with how we show up consistently, we’re in a rhythm that we’re genuinely proud of. Vlogs premiere every Friday at 4pm MST, and today’s premiere is the official beginning of our Icon journey. If you’ve been following along for a while, you know we’ve been building toward this kind of structured, consistent channel flow—and it feels so good to finally be here. The schedule is starting to feel like a real “home base” for our community, and we want you to feel like you always know when the next adventure is coming.

On top of that, we also launched something brand-new that we’ve wanted to do forever: our weekly live show. We go live every Wednesday at 4pm MST for Cruise Talk: Unfiltered—and it’s exactly what the name implies. It’s real opinions, cruise debates, spicy takes (but respectful), and a ton of interaction with chat. The best part is that it’s not scripted—so it feels like you’re sitting in the room with us, talking cruises like friends do. If you love cruising and you love hearing the honest “what we actually think,” that live show is going to be your weekly hangout.

And because we’re absolute chaos goblins who love a full content calendar, we also have our more structured series: Wander with Wonder. That show is all about cruise tips, reviews, and helping you decide what’s truly worth it before you book. New episodes drop Saturdays at 4pm MST, and tomorrow’s episode is part of the ongoing plan to give you both sides of our channel: the adventure/family vlog experience and the practical “here’s what you need to know” cruise content.

💜Noelle