Alfonso Ribeiro got a surprise when he went on a unique cruise this summer!
At the beginning of August, Dancing with the stars host, 52, embarked on an intimate, eight-day cruise on the Rhine River by Adventures by Disney with nine members of his family for a multigenerational vacation. The group included Alfonso, his wife Angela Unkrich, his youngest three children — sons Alfonso “AJ” Lincoln, 10, and Anders Reyn, 9, and daughter Ava Sue, 5 — his parents and in-laws.
When the excursion was agreed to, which stops in Strasbourg, France; Rüdesheim, Germany; Amsterdam and more, Alfonso tells PEOPLE in an exclusive interview that it took some convincing.
“Everybody was on board, and I said, ‘Okay, I guess if you all want to do it, I’ll do it.’ And then in the end I really enjoyed it,” he admits.
Alfonso Ribeiro and his family on a Disney Rhine River Adventure Cruise.
Courtesy of Disney
The The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alum divided, “[I] I didn’t think I would enjoy it as much as I did. It was a kind of shock. But I really enjoyed it. It was a really fun time. The kids really liked it [ and] my wife loved it.” The cruise even got the seal of approval from his mother, who told him, “This was really one of the best vacations I’ve ever been on.”
Unlike Disney’s large ocean cruises, Alfonso’s trip was on a smaller ship that accommodates only about 150 guests, allowing the crew to offer a more personalized service.
Alfonso described his time on board as “really intimate, really comfortable,” noting, “It’s just like a normal river cruise, except Disney elevates it a lot.”
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Alfonso Ribeiro and his daughter Ava on Disney’s Rhine River Cruise Adventures.
Courtesy of Disney
Speaking of adventure guides and experts on board, America’s Funniest Home Videos The host said that they organized almost every part of his vacation. “So you don’t have to do anything. They have all the trips planned,” he explained.
His favorite stop was in Strasburg, a small town in northeastern Germany. The itinerary for this part of the Rhine River Cruise includes a city tour on the Batorama Canal Boat.
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Alfonso Ribeiro and family on Disney’s Rhine River Adventure Cruise.
Courtesy of Disney
The actor also enjoyed sightseeing in the city, during which the guests gathered on the upper deck of the ship and watched like “50 castles along the river”. He said: “By this point you’ve made friends, other parents or other families hanging out. So everyone’s on the top deck, there was wine and cheese. It was just beautiful.”
Other adventures offered on the trip, according to Adventures by Disney, include riding a roller coaster and learning to make wooden pipes, visiting a medieval village, exploring a wine cave and going on a coffee and hot chocolate tour.
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Despite his apprehension, Alfonso says he came away from his river cruise with true faith and said it was actually “for everyone.”
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Source: HIS Education