Star Wars

Star Wars at Sea: Mingle with Darth and Chewie

Published January 20, 2016 | By Clark Norton

The Disney Fantasy, on earth — well, at sea.

While it’s certainly true that subsequent generations have discovered Star Wars, baby boomers were among the first to take the interstellar journey to a galaxy far, far away back in 1977, albeit in the comfort of their local cinema.

Now that Disney has taken over the franchise with the ultra-successful Episode VII (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), the same boomers — and yes, subsequent generations — can awaken to a special “Star Wars Day at Sea” aboard a Disney cruise ship. (Disney cruises, by the way, are geared to adults as well as kids.)

Eight sailings of the appropriately named Disney Fantasy will transport Star Wars fans of any age to a sea far, far away — well, not that far away, but at least out of the… Continue reading →

Posted in Baby boomer travel, Beaches, Boat travel, Caribbean, Cruises, Family travel, Film Locations, Islands | Tagged Castaway Cay, Chewbacca, Cozumel, Darth Vader, Disney Fantasy, Grand Cayman, Star Wars, Star Wars Day at Sea, Star Wars theme cruise, Stormtroopers, The Bahamas, theme cruises | Leave a comment

The Force Awakens Island to Star Wars Fans

Published December 28, 2015 | By Clark Norton

Skellig Michael is home to ancient stone structures and unforgettable vistas.

Watching the new Star Wars movie — The Force Awakens — the other night, I was startled, and pleased, to see one of my favorite places in the world as the setting for the dramatic last scene.

(I won’t spoil the ending for those who haven’t see the film, but I can recommend the movie to any baby boomers who liked the initial trilogy, called Episodes IV to VI. Several of the old stars have returned, and the plot, characters, and general feel are much like a combination of the first three in the series.)

The place setting for the last scene is the spectacularly beautiful rocky island Skellig Michael (also known as Great Skellig), which lies about seven miles off the coast of southwest Ireland.

I visited there about 12 years ago on a… Continue reading →

Posted in Baby boomer travel, Boat travel, Countries, cultural travel, Film Locations, Hiking, Islands | Tagged County Kerry, film locations, Ireland, islands, Iveragh Peninsula, Portmagee, Skellig Michael, Star Wars, The Force Awakens | 12 Comments

According to government and private surveys:

Leading-edge baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1955) and seniors account for four out of every five dollars spent on luxury travel today.
Roughly half the consumer spending money in the U.S.--more than $2 trillion--is in the hands of leading-edge baby boomers and seniors.
Baby boomers (born 1946-1964) travel more than any other age group.
When asked what they would most like to spend their money on, baby boomers answered “travel” more than any other category, including improving their health or finances.