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Living the Could Life

Living the Could Life

Written by: Robert and Theresa
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 Life becomes different for those who experience later-in-life challenges. Living The Could LIfe offers tips adjusting your life so that you can still travel and do all the things that you love. No toxic positivity here, just lived experiences from hosts and guests.© 2026 Living the Could Life Hygiene & Healthy Living Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary
Episodes
  • Review of the Great Lakes Cruise on Victory I

    Review of the Great Lakes Cruise on Victory I
    May 6 2026
    Part I - The Itinerary In this episode, we share our opinions of Victory I as she plies the Great Lakes. We pay particular attention to accessibility. Living The Could Life contains affiliate links. They don’t cost you anything, but we may earn a small commission if you use them. We may have been hosted on a trip, excursion or other travel-related event. We may have received or experienced a product for review. Any opinion is our own. Transcript Click Here for Transcript Hi, welcome to living the good life. I'm Theresa and I'm Robert. We are sadly on the last day of our Victory One cruise along the great lakes. We started in Toronto where Victory includes the first night at a hotel, which makes a lot of sense because many people travel, a lot of our fellow cruisers are from California and areas far away areas that aren't on the great lakes. Robert: Although there are a few of us from the Midwest, we landed in Toronto and we want to focus a little bit on the accessibility needs or if there were any problems along the way. And we found navigating the Toronto airport was fairly easy. A bit of walking to finally get to the Uber pickup. Theresa: There was a lot of construction in Toronto. The Gardiner Highway was close, so it took us a little longer, but we did research the Westin Harbourfront Castle, which is where we stayed. It was a great location. We did find an accessible entrance. It's around if you're facing the front and you are on the street because it's a very strange entrance, like you go into a parking garage and there's an entrance. But if you're on the street facing the parking, you just head to the right. And there is a sign there. But unfortunately, they want you to have a room key. If you don't just hit the intercom button and somebody will let you in. Robert: The main entrance to the hotel was actually two stories up from the street level. So you had to drive up a reasonably steep driveway, I guess, up to the front doors. And that was easy enough to do. And that's where you would also pick up your Ubers or taxis or any other transportation if you needed to get down to the street level on the inside, you could take an elevator down two levels and then come out again, the accessibility door that's on the, as Theresa said, on the right side, and it takes you right out to the street. Theresa: And we had looked for it and had a little problem. It looks like a door for the staff or unaccessible, you know, do not go beyond here. So just look when you get off the elevator. You turn left and then it will be on your right. It's like double doors. It is not Walmart. Nothing says accessible. Robert: Once we got outside and the sidewalks were pretty clear, there were curb cuts at all of the intersections and all the crosswalks. The one thing is you really have to watch out for the bicyclists, because when you're going across a crosswalk, there are bicycle lanes that are also going perpendicular to the crosswalk. So you have to look both ways because the bicyclists come in both directions. And there were enough e-bikes that were moving along at a good clip. Theresa: Right. So that all worked out. There was a registration desk with some people representing Victory who gave us the plan. And there were some changes. One thing about cruising anytime is be aware that flexibility is key. And I will say on this particular sailing, and this is the first one of the year, that's always a good time for better rates. But the weather may not be perfect. I have to say that the staff has been amazing. I would say maybe 25 to 30 percent of our fellow cruisers use some kind of mobility aid and they are well accommodated. Many of them said they are living the good life. They've had hip surgery, knee surgery, health issues, and they've adapted. So that they can continue to travel. Robert: The crews provided umbrellas when we needed them, when the weather was bad. The getting onto the ship and getting off the ship required a gangway. Sometimes it was just a flat ramp. Other times it was a stairway that was adjustable to the level of the ship down to the dock. And so and there were often an additional step or something at the bottom. The crew was extremely alert to anyone who was who had some difficulty getting on and off the ship. And we even saw wheelchairs being carried down the ramp. So it was it was just amazing how helpful they were. Theresa: Yes. And there's even wheelchairs on board the ship for your use. But it is very nice. They have this. But never assume that you will have the same experience as we did. I mean, crews change, fellow passengers change, and fellow passengers were very helpful as well. But always remember, it's up to you to research. Come with the right equipment. One woman we spoke with said she usually travels with a regular rolling wheeler, the rectangular shape for traveling on a ship. She has a foldable triangular that has a little place for her to put her things and she can fold it. So ...
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    31 mins
  • Toronto to Chicago, Cruising on Victory

    Toronto to Chicago, Cruising on Victory
    Apr 29 2026
    Alternatives to Ocean Cruising. In this episode we focus on a voyage that visits all five Great Lakes. For some the idea is curious and unusual. Others understand the draw of these great lakes. Living The Could Life contains affiliate links. They don’t cost you anything, but we may earn a small commission if you use them. We may have been hosted on a trip, excursion or other travel-related event. We may have received or experienced a product for review. Any opinion is our own. Transcript Click Here for Transcript Theresa: We are currently in Toronto and about ready or getting ready to board the Victory One. Robert: We're on Ward's Island on a dock that's actually facing the Victory One, the ship that we're going to be on. It's docked next to the Viking Octantis. Theresa: And I don't know if you can hear in the background, there are a lot of birds. And I don't know if this is on any flyway. I do know that, well, I guess south of here is Rochester, New York, but when you go west in Ontario, there is a flyway that I believe goes across Pelee Island and then to the south shore of Lake Erie, where there is a very large birding and migratory area. They have a big birding event every year near, well, it's not Fort Clinton, but it's very close to one of Ohio's nice state parks with lodges called the Maumee Bay State Park. Robert: I remember coming here during the 1960s when we would come up for the summers to visit relatives in Toronto. And we're standing on the dock that we often visited and we'll be going back, back into the center part of Ward's Island to the cafe, the Island Cafe. Theresa: Which supposedly now sells beer, which wasn't allowed before. There's Ward's Center and those two connect. And Hanlan's Point. And then Hanlan's Point. We took a ferry right from near the Weston Harbourfront Castle, where we stayed last night. And on Victory, your cruise starts the night before. And that makes a lot of sense, especially if you're flying in, because we know how flights work. And we talked to a few fellow guests at registration. It seems some have come from Central California and they're surprised at how cold it is here. I think it's 50 today and we're thinking that is warm. Robert: It's a nice blue sky. Yeah, nice blue sky, 50 degrees, a very light breeze. Theresa: We've seen one of my favorite birds, but didn't hear it. That is the common loon. And maybe mallard duck, but I don't own my birds so well, especially my ducks. Looks to be that this part of the island is a wetland. So I think if you were a birder, this might be, or a ducker, I don't know. But I think this could be good for birding. Are there a lot of cottages here? Robert: And they've been here for a very long time. I remember when I was 8, 9, 10 years old, we'd come here. This was always a high point of our summer vacation when we visited relatives to come to the islands and the cottages were always there. Robert: We're on Ward's Island on a dock that's actually facing the Victory 1, the ship that we're going to be on. It's docked next to the Viking Octantis. Theresa: And I don't know if you can hear in the background, there are a lot of birds. And I don't know if this is on any flyway. I do know that, well, I guess south of here is Rochester, New York, but when you go west in Ontario, there is a flyway that I believe goes across Pelee Island and then to the south shore of Lake Erie, where there is a very large birding and migratory area. They have a big birding event every year near, well, it's not Port Clinton, but it's very close to one of Ohio's nice state parks with lodges called the Maumee Bay State Park. Robert: I remember coming here during the 1960s when we would come up for the summers to visit relatives in Toronto. And we're standing on the dock that we often visited. And we'll be going back, back into the center part of Ward's Island to the cafe, the Island Cafe. Theresa: Which supposedly now sells beer, which wasn't allowed before. There's Ward's Center and those two connect. And Hanlan's Point. And then Hanlan's Point. We took a ferry right from near the Westin Harbourfront Castle, where we stayed last night. And on Victory, your cruise starts the night before. And that makes a lot of sense, especially if you're flying in because we know how flights work. And we talked to a few fellow guests at registration. It seems some have come from Central California, and they're surprised at how cold it is here. I think it's 50 today, and we are thinking that is warm. Robert: It's a nice blue sky. Yeah, nice blue sky, 50 degrees, a very light breeze. Theresa: We've seen one of my favorite birds, but didn't hear it. That is the common loon. And maybe mallard duck, but I don't own my birds so well, especially my ducks. Looks to be that this part of the island is a wetland. So I think if you were a birder, this might be a, or a ducker, I don't know. But I think this could be good for birding. Are there a lot of cottages here? Robert: And ...
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    11 mins
  • Cruising The Great Lakes

    Cruising The Great Lakes
    Apr 21 2026
    Freshwater Adventures In this episode we focus on cruising the large inland lakes of the US - the Great Lakes. The ports are fascinating and the ships are smaller and ideal for those whose bodies have been disrupted. You may be surprised by what there is to discover while Cruising the Great Lakes! Living The Could Life contains affiliate links. They don’t cost you anything, but we may earn a small commission if you use them. We may have been hosted on a trip, excursion or other travel-related event. We may have received or experienced a product for review. Any opinion is our own. Transcript Click Here for Transcript Theresa: Welcome back to Living the Good Life, where we explore real world travel for real bodies. Adventures that are meaningful, doable, and full of wonder. Today, we're heading somewhere unexpected, the Great Lakes. Not the ocean, not the Caribbean, but a freshwater cruising region that's older than the pyramids and bigger than many countries. Robert: And if you're thinking, wait, cruises? On the Great Lakes? Oh yes, not only do they exist, they've been around for over a century and now they're having a major renaissance. Theresa: And I have always lived in a state with the Great Lakes, so we're fairly familiar with them and have visited all five. So today, we're diving into the history, the ships, the cruise lines, the ports, and the surprising magic of these inland seas. Robert: Let's start with the basics. The Great Lakes, Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. They hold 20% of the world's fresh surface water. That's wild. Theresa: And when I was in school, to remember the names of them, we remembered the word homes. Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior. So we could get them all. And some people are really surprised when they see the Great Lakes, but we'll go into that a bit later. And they are enormous. Lake Superior is the size of Austria. Lake Michigan is bigger than Croatia. These are not ponds. You can look at them and think you're on the ocean. The lakes, these are inland seas with their own weather systems. And we can tell you up in our part of Michigan all about lake effect weather. They have their own weather systems, their own tides, even their own maritime culture. Robert: And their own shipwrecks, thousands of them. The lakes have been major shipping routes since the 1800s, and storms here can be brutal. The most famous wreck is the Edmund Fitzgerald, lost in 1975 on Lake Superior. Theresa: Which is why lighthouses in this area are such a big part of the Great Lakes identity. In fact, Michigan, and this may be surprising to some people, it has more lighthouses than any other state. Robert: And that sense of maritime history is part of what makes Great Lakes cruising so different. You're not just island hopping, you're time traveling. Theresa: Right, and there are so many interesting maritime museums along the coast of the lakes. Most of them have a different focus. Some focus on shipwrecks, others focus on trade, some on sports, and some on cargo, ferries, car ferries, moving railroads, etc. Cruising the Great Lakes actually goes back to the late 1800s when steamships carried wealthy travelers between Chicago, Mackinac Island, and Canadian ports. Robert: By the early 1900s, the lakes had full-on floating hotels. Think chandeliers, ballrooms, and multi-day itineraries. Theresa: Then came the decline because highways, air travel, and even railways ended the big steamship era. For decades, Great Lakes cruising was mostly ferries and day boats. Robert: But around 2015, everything changed. Expedition cruise lines realized the lakes were perfect for small ship, high-touch travel, and suddenly the region exploded. Theresa: I will say that it was the Germans, Popeye Bloyd, who have been cruising the Great Lakes for 30 years. The Germans are still intrigued by these lakes. Today, the Great Lakes are one of the fastest-growing cruise regions in North America. Robert: Let's talk cruise lines because this surprises people. Theresa: And right now, there are several players here. Viking has expedition-style ships, the Octantis and the Viking Polaris. Pearl Sea's cruises, they've been coming here a long time. We often see the Pearl Miss dock in Mackinac Island. Victory Cruise Lines, they are a small ship classic cruising company. Of course, Popeye Bloyd, the German cruise ship, still comes, and we have seen that in port several times. Also new to the Great Lakes is American Cruise Line, which we have sailed with them before and totally enjoyed it. We did a Cape Cod cruise and that was fascinating, lots of history, water, sand, so some similarities, really, to the Great Lakes. And we are looking forward to sailing with them in the future, as well as with Victory, so we can do a comparison because each cruise line is different, and the itineraries are also different. And there are some that don't cruise here regularly, but do make appearances. Robert: These are not megaships. ...
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    26 mins
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