Ryan’s trip home from Portugal should have been simple: Porto to JFK, a long connection, then on to Rochester. Instead, one canceled flight became a very long series of planes, trains, and automobiles — with a few mistakes of his own mixed in.

Stephanie gets the full story: the wrong airport check-in line, a missed cancellation alert, another wrong line, no available rental cars in New York, three trains, a fallen tree, a power line on the tracks, heavy rain and a rental-car reservation that almost wasn’t honored.

It is funny now. It was not very funny in the moment.

More importantly, Ryan and Stephanie pull six useful lessons from the mess: check every flight segment, read your alerts, confirm last-minute rental cars directly, build extra time around important events, save records and receipts, and know when it is safer to stop for the night.

Plus, Ryan reviews Forno d’Oro in Lisbon and explains why it earned an 8 out of 8 on the One Slice scale.

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Adults can tell you whether the stateroom is comfortable or whether dinner was good.

But what does a kid actually think about Disney Destiny?

Stephanie recently sailed Disney Destiny with her 9-year-old daughter Eva, so this week we're giving Eva the biggest slice of the conversation.

And she has opinions.

Eva shares what stood out the moment she walked onto the ship, why the bunk bed became her favorite sleeping spot, what she thought of Disney's Oceaneer Club, and why Marvel Super Hero Academy became one of her favorite places onboard.

We also talk about Hercules, Pride Lands, Worlds of Marvel, IncrediGames, family drawing activities, the silent DJ party, Haunted Mansion Happy Haunts, character meet-and-greets, food, and the things children can do when their family doesn't have anything planned.

Stephanie shares the parent side too, including what she learned about busy character lines, arriving early for popular shows, using the Disney Cruise Line app, ordering room service, and taking a Disney cruise as one parent traveling with one child.

And then things get serious.

Eva takes control of the Crusty Review and rates Daisy's Pizza Pies against Via Napoli.

Ryan and Stephanie may never recover.

If you're thinking about Disney Destiny with kids, this episode gives you something most ship reviews don't: the opinion of the person you're actually trying to keep happy.

Planning a Disney Cruise?

Stephanie and Ryan help families choose the right Disney ship, sailing, stateroom, and trip plan without charging a planning fee.

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Ryan just returned from Portugal, and his review is simple: 10 out of 10—but he has notes.

Before boarding his river cruise, Ryan spent five days working from Lisbon and Porto. His routine involved hotel breakfasts, plenty of travel-agent work, afternoon cappuccinos, and an impressive amount of Portuguese pizza.

Then he boarded the AmaSintra for seven nights on the Douro River.

That's where things got interesting.

If you've previously cruised rivers such as the Rhine or Danube, the Douro may feel surprisingly different. Instead of waking up each morning already docked in the middle of a city, Ryan spent many mornings watching Portugal's vineyard-covered hills pass by while the ship sailed through the valley.

The result?

A much slower and more social style of river cruising.

Ryan explains the locks, low bridges, afternoon excursions, wine focus, visits to smaller towns, and a full-day trip to Salamanca, Spain. He also talks about why this itinerary may be especially good for groups of friends who want sightseeing without giving up time to relax together.

But there are a few things he would make sure every client understands before booking.

We also get serious about pizza during this week's Crusty Review, when Ryan tells Stephanie about Oldman Pizza Studios in Porto and one of his favorite pizza experiences anywhere.

If you're considering Portugal, AmaWaterways, or your first European river cruise, this episode will help you decide whether the Douro fits the way you actually like to travel.

Want help planning your river cruise?

Stephanie and Ryan work with several major river-cruise companies and can help with itineraries, dates, cabins, extensions, airfare, current offers, and the small details that make a major difference once you're there.

Email us at Bookings@OneSlicePod to start planning.

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AmaWaterways describes its current Douro options as seven-night sailings through Portugal and Spain, with experiences that may include Porto, vineyards, wine estates and Salamanca.

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