having second thoughts about the cruise

[alaska_planner]

this probably isn't the appropriate place for this, but i'm having second thoughts about the cruise i've booked.

 

It's not that i don't want to go on the cruise - i absolutely do.

but i'll be going with my mom (85) and now possibly my sister.

 

the reason this trip came up - my daughter and son in law are traveling to alaska this summer and i've been part of the planning process (the DIY land portion before the cruise and the cruise itself).

 

When my daughter told my mom about the trip, my mom said, "oh, i've always wanted to go to alaska and ride the glass dome train"...

I was surprised she even knew about the train.

 

Anyway, the thought got into my head of taking my mom on a trip to alaska - also with a precruise land trip and then on a cruise (the southbound princess voyage of the glaciers to be specific).

I already have a stateroom booked on the coral princess.

 

But the more and more i've thought about it, i've started to doubt whether the cruise is a good idea.

It will be terribly expensive for the 3 of us, so that's bound to upset my mom.

And i don't even know if they'll enjoy it. They're not cruisers.

And my mom never said she wanted to go on a cruise. She just wants to ride that train.

 

so i think i'm making a mistake making this big trip.

Maybe i should just fly to fairbanks with her. Do a few touristy things there.

Then take the train to denali, then to anchorage, then to seward, then back to anchorage and fly back home without getting on a ship.

 

 

i hate being the planner for people who i know are going to monday morning quarterback me every step of the way.

[goingsailing]

Uh-oh, sounds like you might be in for some disappointment any which way you go!

Too bad your mom and sister aren't cruisers, I have had some very fun times with my mom on our cruises together.

I think if I was in your position, I would just take my mom by air to Alaska and do the things she would like without involving a ship if she isn't into it. It is no fun being on a cruise with someone who doesn't like cruising and hates the feeling of being "confined". That is the reason my cruising does not involve my husband! Just my daughter and myself now. :)

Good luck, and tell us what you decide...

[NoobCruise]

Are you trying to surprise them? Maybe this would be a case where it would be better for everyone to be involved in the planning process from where to go to which vendors to book to ensure you're doing things everyone wants to do. Then if they complain later, they can't blame you because they were in on the planning.

[TallinnGirl]

If you are havings doubts in the first place, probably it is not a good idea to proceed with the booking...

[mapleleaves]

What do your sister and mother say? Lay out the itineraries and costs and have a family discussion.

For the land trip I recommend you fly into Anc and get a RT car rental. Much cheaper. You can easily drive to Fairbanks after Denali, it's only 2 hrs. My mother (80) really enjoyed the Fairbanks activities. Having a car around Denali will open up much better lodging choices than being stuck by the train depot. For the train experience take the train to Seward; much more scenic ... waterfalls, glaciers, mountains, rivers. And you don't need a car in Seward.

Good luck !

[karatemom2]

When you say they aren't cruisers do you mean they dislike cruising or that they have never cruised? If it is just that they have never cruised there is a good chance they might love it, especially in a place as lovely as Alaska. I will say having traveled on a cruise once with our elderly in-laws it was a nice means of travel with an older person. I don't know how spry your Mom is, but my in-laws are not and there is a good deal of accommodation for those with limited mobility on a cruise ship. I think you should probably just sit down and have a open conversation about the pros and cons for your group. Perhaps share some of the information you have gleaned from this board and then see what they say.

[bonvoyagie]

I am traveling with my 76yr old MIL who loves to travel - by car and bus. She has never cruised, but has listened to us talk about it as well as other friends of hers and expressed an interest - so we are taking her on an AK adventure on a cruise ship. She lived in AK - Fairbanks and has seen enough of the interior so a RT out of SEA will suit her just fine. We also decided to go in style and got a suite on the NCL Pearl - nothing like spoiling her on her first cruise :)

 

She is also internet savvy so I have sent her links to CC and other web sites so she can prepare.

[alaska_planner]

thanks for the responses!!!

lots of food for thought there!!

 

Uh-oh, sounds like you might be in for some disappointment any which way you go!

Too bad your mom and sister aren't cruisers, I have had some very fun times with my mom on our cruises together.

I think if I was in your position, I would just take my mom by air to Alaska and do the things she would like without involving a ship if she isn't into it. It is no fun being on a cruise with someone who doesn't like cruising and hates the feeling of being "confined". That is the reason my cruising does not involve my husband! Just my daughter and myself now. :)

Good luck, and tell us what you decide...

 

my sister was on a cruise with her family and i know they hated it...

she complained that they had to wait in line for everything...

now that may be true, but even waiting in line is ok if you have the right attitude....we loved our disney cruises and rest assured there was plenty of standing in line....but i don't really remember it....it didn't bother me at the time either....we were all together and laughing and having a good time....lines are part of the disney experience......no big deal...

but i have no idea if it's just my sister's nature to not like it or if the cruise she was on (RCCL out of miami) was really horrible....maybe it was...

but i'm nervous she'll complain about this....no matter the cruise, there is a good chance you'll encounter lines at some point, and perhaps often...

i've never been on princess, so i haven't a clue as to how good or bad they are at crowd management.....but whatever it is, it is....you can alway not enjoy yourself....or you can always enjoy yourself...whatever the situation...

 

Are you trying to surprise them? Maybe this would be a case where it would be better for everyone to be involved in the planning process from where to go to which vendors to book to ensure you're doing things everyone wants to do. Then if they complain later, they can't blame you because they were in on the planning.

 

no it's not a surprise...but initially it was only my mom and me....my sister joining in was a recent addition (it was my idea to invite her along)....

 

If you are havings doubts in the first place, probably it is not a good idea to proceed with the booking...

 

you may be right!

[alaska_planner]

What do your sister and mother say? Lay out the itineraries and costs and have a family discussion.

For the land trip I recommend you fly into Anc and get a RT car rental. Much cheaper. You can easily drive to Fairbanks after Denali, it's only 2 hrs. My mother (80) really enjoyed the Fairbanks activities. Having a car around Denali will open up much better lodging choices than being stuck by the train depot. For the train experience take the train to Seward; much more scenic ... waterfalls, glaciers, mountains, rivers. And you don't need a car in Seward.

Good luck !

 

that's a wonderful suggestion!! i'm sure my mom would enjoy the fairbanks stuff......and she doesn't mind a long drive....my mom and dad used to do that wherever they went on business...they'd rent a car after they were done with meetings and go for a drive to whatever the place was famous for..

so she'd definitely enjoy the drive from anchorage to fairbanks and back...

and the the train to seward and back would give her the glass dome she's been dreaming about :)

 

When you say they aren't cruisers do you mean they dislike cruising or that they have never cruised? If it is just that they have never cruised there is a good chance they might love it, especially in a place as lovely as Alaska. I will say having traveled on a cruise once with our elderly in-laws it was a nice means of travel with an older person. I don't know how spry your Mom is, but my in-laws are not and there is a good deal of accommodation for those with limited mobility on a cruise ship. I think you should probably just sit down and have a open conversation about the pros and cons for your group. Perhaps share some of the information you have gleaned from this board and then see what they say.

 

my sister cruised once...i wrote about her experience in the post before this one..

my mom has never been and i actually think she would enjoy it....

especially since from what i understand, princess has lectures about the area...she really enjoys things like that....

 

I am traveling with my 76yr old MIL who loves to travel - by car and bus. She has never cruised, but has listened to us talk about it as well as other friends of hers and expressed an interest - so we are taking her on an AK adventure on a cruise ship. She lived in AK - Fairbanks and has seen enough of the interior so a RT out of SEA will suit her just fine. We also decided to go in style and got a suite on the NCL Pearl - nothing like spoiling her on her first cruise :)

 

She is also internet savvy so I have sent her links to CC and other web sites so she can prepare.

 

sounds like a wonderful MIL!!!

i also have us booked in a suite....if it were two of us, i'd go for a simple balcony....but with the 3 of us, the price is much higher (given what's currently available)...but i'm worried about that as well....3 women in one room, albeit a suite, is possibly a recipe for disaster.. :eek:

[poolwife]

Sounds wonderful to share this experience with your mom. I sure wish I had been into cruising when my mom was and wish I had gone with her on some. Now I love cruising and she is gone.

 

Sounds great and lots of room being you have a suite. You will all love being pampered a suite.

 

Why don't you try having a talk with your sister and put it out on the table that you all just need to have a good time and if there is a line; then there is a line and it is just a small thing you have to put up. All the other many good things will most certainly outweigh having to put up with a few lines. It is her sacrifice for getting to enjoy a great experience with her mom and yourself. What a nice family trip to go on.

 

What a shame to not take your mom on the cruise (Princess includes going to Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier on their southbound trips so that would really be nice) just because of your sister's previous complaining about lines. Standing in lines is sometimes just a part of life. We must be patient and wait our turn sometimes. It is just the way it is.

 

Alaska is so beautiful. I hope you all get to go. That route from Anchorage to Seward is just beautiful. I have driven it many times and am now looking forward to riding the glass dome car myself this June on that route.

 

Princess sails out of Whittier so you would need to get a transfer from either the cruiseline to get to Whittier or make your own independent arrangements and ride the train to Whittier from Anchorage.

 

Keep us all posted as to how it works out.

[mapleleaves]

Fairbanks seemed to have a lot of kitchy touristy type activities available. She LOVED the gold mine tour and the Riverboat cruise! Stopped at the pipeline exhibit on the way. The Pioneer Park exhibits and 'town' were very interesting and provided a nice little walk. We were going to drive out to Chena Hot Springs to look for moose but we saw a few before we got to Fairbanks so no need.

The drive from Anc to Denali is only 6 hrs. If you arrive in Anc by mid afternoon, you can break up the drive by going to Talkeetna the first day; it's about halfway. We had an RV for 2 weeks so we did lots of driving, but I enjoy scenic driving. (we were 3 women travellers as well)

[WendyG]

I would uninvite the sister and just go with your mom. :D That way you won't hear any complaints! I have two sisters and love them to death, but if they were going to spoil a vacation for me, they'd be out in a heartbeat!

 

I can't see how anyone could hate a cruise!

 

You won't be disappointed with princess, it's wonderful!

[TheCalicoCat]

so i think i'm making a mistake making this big trip.

Maybe i should just fly to fairbanks with her. Do a few touristy things there.

Then take the train to denali, then to anchorage, then to seward, then back to anchorage and fly back home without getting on a ship.

.

 

Do you have the option of taking them to the airport (headed home) & then to the cruise?

[poolwife]

Sounds like a good suggestion. If your sister wants to join you on the land portion and not really on the cruise, drop her off at Anchorage airport and you and your mom go have a great cruise.

 

Sure hope you are still cruising. You will both love it!

[Teacher_91]

Does your sister know you are planning to cruise? If so, then surely she WANTS to go - whether there is a possiblity of lines or not.

Hopefully she'll choose to go with Y'all. I would love to do a 'Girl Trip' with my sister and mom. I think it would be a wonderful memory making opportunity for you all! :)

Good luck!

[Oceans&Rivers]

I can't see how anyone could hate a cruise!

 

I know plenty of people who have either cruised and hated it (even Crystal) or won't take a cruise because their interests lie elsewhere. Different people like different things.

 

As for standing in lines, if someone has difficulty standing on their feet for long periods of time, it can be agony to stand in line. For them (and me) if they want to cruise, they should factor that in and consider cruise companies where it is uncommon to have lines.

[gymjudge55]

We had all the same misgivings booking our cruisetour this summer. My husband doesn't like cruising (so he says, but he was only on one 15 and it was a cheapy, inside cabin with 4 people), and the couple we are going with have never cruised. We started out 8 days on land and 4 day cruise and changed when we realized the Yukon portion was very touristy (this was with HAL). Our TA convinced us to try Celebrity and I hope this will be a good experience for all as I really would love to cruise more!

[agabbymama]

We had all the same misgivings booking our cruisetour this summer. My husband doesn't like cruising (so he says, but he was only on one 15 and it was a cheapy, inside cabin with 4 people), and the couple we are going with have never cruised. We started out 8 days on land and 4 day cruise and changed when we realized the Yukon portion was very touristy (this was with HAL). Our TA convinced us to try Celebrity and I hope this will be a good experience for all as I really would love to cruise more!

 

Oh you will missed a great cruisetour. I did the reverse with HAL, we cruised from Vancouver to Skagway then took the 8 days on land. We absolutely loved Whitehorse and Dawson City Yukon. Dawson City stil has dirt roads, wooden boardwalks (sidewalks), it's a lot like Skagway, but not so built up and "touristy". And the small towns of Eagle, Chicken and Tok Alaska really let you see how Alaskans live. Blink and you will miss them.

 

I don't think Celebrity can touch HAL for a cruisetour of Alaska! JMHO.

[HKM]

Only you can decide if this trip (whether as a cruise or going on your own) is too expensive. Have you actually priced plane tickets, hotels, transportation and food and then compared those prices to a cruise price? How is your Mom's health and how is her mobility? One thing that stood out to me is your concern about being in charge of everything and feeling responsible for everyone else. If that's most important to you, a cruise is the way to go. There's something for everyone and once you're onboard, each person can choose to do anything she wants. You'll also have staff and medical support so you don't have to worry about that. A cruise is a wonderful way to spend time with family members of different generations. It sounds like you may be trying to surprise your Mom; I'd put together the trip the way that appeals to you and then present it in a positive light to her and your sister. It may turn out that you're fulfilling one of your Mom's life-long dreams. Good luck, and have a great time if you decide to go!

[alaska_planner]

i was asked for an update, so here it is....such as it is..

 

i've pretty much cancelled the trip in the original format...

 

and for now, planning is on hold...

 

what i think is going to happen in the end - my mom and i are going to take a 'spontaneous' trip to alaska...

just the two of us, and possibly just the inland part...

 

if i manage to find a cruise at the last minute, then we may jump on board that as well...

 

it won't be at the time i scheduled it (to accommodate my sister's schedule)..

instead, if it happens, it will be in June...

 

both my mom and i are very good at last minute trips...

 

and if you're flexible with time, you can usually manage to find something at the last minute...

 

i'll update again, if something comes of all this!! :)

[poolwife]

Thanks for writing. I'm sure you and your mom will have a great trip and hope you do get a last minute cruise also. Although, I thought I remembered you wanted a suite. Hope there is one left at the last minute.

 

We are touring just the Kenai Peninsula this June before our cruise so if you haven't done that before it certainly is beautiful and worth doing. It would also be easy for the two of you to navigate.

 

Keep us all posted...............

[alaska_planner]

Thanks for writing. I'm sure you and your mom will have a great trip and hope you do get a last minute cruise also. Although, I thought I remembered you wanted a suite. Hope there is one left at the last minute.

 

We are touring just the Kenai Peninsula this June before our cruise so if you haven't done that before it certainly is beautiful and worth doing. It would also be easy for the two of you to navigate.

 

Keep us all posted...............

 

if it's just the two of us, we will be fine in just a balcony cabin - but i would want a port side room, which won't be easy to get at the last minute...

we shall see....

as we get closer to the final payment dates, people may drop out and rooms become available...

 

my sister won't mind missing it - when she heard how cold and wet it can be, she was not interested (understatement)...

 

and as a consolation prize, i'm planning a short cruise out of florida for the 3 of us - my sister loves sun, so that makes her a lot happier than the thought of a cold rain forest :rolleyes:

[poolwife]

Great you came up with the idea of the 3 day trip for the 3 of you out of Florida.

 

Yes, a port side cabin will be hard to find last minute. Our final payment for our 6/22 cruise is due the beginning of April. So you could start checking all of the southbound cruises to see if anything opens up. I was told by my travel agent that sometimes they can see rooms that are available that we cannot see on the internet sites. So you might also try checking with your travel agent if you don't see a port side room available. I saw an aqua class room port side available on our sailing a few days ago but needed two rooms cause our friends and us have rooms next to each other which will be nice. We are in Cat. C3.

 

Hope you find something cause I know your mom would love the cruise.

[oaktreerb]

We had all the same misgivings booking our cruisetour this summer. My husband doesn't like cruising (so he says, but he was only on one 15 and it was a cheapy, inside cabin with 4 people), and the couple we are going with have never cruised. We started out 8 days on land and 4 day cruise and changed when we realized the Yukon portion was very touristy (this was with HAL). Our TA convinced us to try Celebrity and I hope this will be a good experience for all as I really would love to cruise more!

 

Can't imagine who told you the Yukon part was touristy. It is the least touristy of the cruisetours that I have taken. The tours that go to Dawson City are anything but touristy! The outhouses are real as are the people that you meet along the way!

[Teacher_91]

I'm so glad you updated us. I had wondered what you decided. I'm also glad you that you, your mom, and your sister will have a chance to cruise together and make those HAPPY memories that may or may not have been possible had you gone to Alaska. My BFF can't imagine WHY the Mr. & I want to cruise to Alaska. Give her Florida ANY DAY. I guess different strokes for different folks! :)