Sea ViewsFrom President and CEO, Adam Goldstein

This just came in from a guest. Material like this sure makes life easier for a blogger. Way to go Charlotte! You delivered the Wow to us. And thanks to your family for contacting us.

World Record Set by Royal Caribbean – Radiance of the Seas Passenger; Set In Alaska; by Local Woman

If Charlotte Fagen had been traveling down the highway, she likely would have gotten a speeding ticket, but she was not in a car on the highway, in fact she was not in a vehicle. Charlotte was riding the world’s longest zip line in Hoonah, Alaska.

Charlotte Fagen, launch

What makes this ride amazing is not that it is over one mile long, or that it reaches speeds up to 60-miles-per hour, or that the adventure drops over 1,300 feet in the Alaskan wilderness, what is so amazing is that Charlotte is 91 years old.

Today, Charlotte Fagen of Sigourney, Iowa, holds the title as the oldest woman to have ever run the ZipRider course at Icy Strait Point in Southeastern Alaska.

Even more amazing is the recent background that brings us to this remarkable joy ride. Just two years ago, she was gravely ill, on hospice care and battling to live. With the power of unwavering spiritual strength, undying support from family and modern medicine, Charlotte survived.

This challenging journey has renewed her powerful appetite for life. She will not sit back and watch when there is fun and adventure at hand.

To celebrate her miraculous recovery, the family decided to embark on a Royal Caribbean Cruise to Alaska. While onboard, the group was deciding which land excursions to take, when Charlotte overheard descriptions of the ZipRider she declared that she too would be going along for the ride.

Charlotte Fagen, mid flight

Some serious protests from concerns daughters ensued, but Charlotte would hear none of it. Her plain and simple, no arguments, no more discussions about what ifs came shining through, and she gave directions to her son Peter Fagen make the reservations.

Once the reservations had been made and her age disclosed, word spread all over the island like wild fire about the 91 year old lady that was going to ride the Zip Rider.

At the launch pad they were expecting her and treated her like royalty. It was an exciting and exhilarating ride. When she got to the landing zone there were people all over cheering and clapping. It looked like press row with all the cameras clicking. From then on, for the rest of the trip, everywhere she went on the island, people would stop her and say how great it was or how inspiring it was, or that when they grew up they wanted to be just like Charlotte. She got a Zip Rider tee shirt and the bartender at the Landing Zone restaurant offered her a free shot of whiskey which she refused. Instead they provided a round of sodas for the whole group and a bottle of water for Charlotte.

Charlotte Fagen, close to landing

The attention continued when she got back on board the ship with people congratulating her and telling her that she was the talk of the entire island and the ship. Which she was.

Another great story from Royal Caribbean’s Nation of Why Not.