Love Cruising -Hate Alaska

[bwaz]

Believe it or not, you can snorkel in Alaska- people on Trip Advisor rave about it. Not cold - great sea life - Snorkel Alaska is one provider out of Ketchikan.

[Alaskanb]

Some books to consider:

Has a great map to follow along on the cruise. http://www.amazon.com/Alaska-Cruise-Handbook-Mile---Mile/dp/0979491576/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1434499204&sr=8-4&keywords=Alaska+books

Anything by Pierre Berton http://www.amazon.com/Klondike-Last-Great-Gold-1896-1899/dp/0385658443/ref=pd_sim_14_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=1B93K85191ZERBY8V6RS

Great story! http://www.amazon.com/The-Floor-Heaven-Frontier-Yukon/dp/0307461734/ref=pd_sim_14_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=1B93K85191ZERBY8V6RS

At the moment I'm reading about the women and children of the Alaskan gold rush.

Lots of wonderful books about Alaska that add context to the trip.

Highly recommend a train excursion in Skagway to the Yukon. It's fascinating if you have read the back story.

Next year we will do a float plane excursion in Ketchikan -- never been in one before-- but I have been reading Dana Stabenow's novels (with pilot and Alaskan Trooper characters) and want to see Alaska from the air. We have also planned for a day in Anchorage to visit their museums. The intriguing Juneau museum is reopening in 2106.

Hope you have a marvelous time.

Edited June 17, 2015 by Alaskanb

[LEtue]

 

I'm serious when I say - stay home. Stay home and let her take her BFF, sister or SIL - because your attitude is a downer and will only ruin it for her. There are many different islands with white sand beaches and I've been on many of them - there is only 1 Alaska. :D

 

I totally agree. Alaska is too wonderful to not enjoy it with someone that really wants to be there.....

[glorialagos]

I admit I haven't read all of the replies but just wanted to say if you search this forum for "clueless" you will find a similar post I wrote not too long ago. I got some interesting, kind replies.

 

I found a cruise, we booked, and now I am working on excursions. I am actually starting to get excited for parts of it, not the weather, not the chilliness or cold or rain or whatever we might have.

 

So, I suggest you play a role in the planning - maybe take one port and choose what you would like to do there. It has helped me get a little more excited about it. But, I certainly would rather go someplace warm!!

 

Good luck!

[Lerin]

Everyone I have talked with that has been has liked Alaska, but they also were looking forward to going. I have yet to meet someone like myself that went and came back ready to go again. I'm sure they exist, I just haven't seen one.

 

 

Please re-read my earlier post as this describes us exactly.

Our first cruise to Alaska was because we wanted to see some old friends who lived in Alaska and by pure coincidence some family were taking a cruise. We looked at it as a way to visit family and a mode of transportation to see our friends. Anything else was extra.

 

It started quite bad in fact (1 family member got sick in Washington and had to cancel at the last second, we got to the pier and found out our cabin had been changed, a member of our party lost some luggage...)

Long story short, we went again a year later and we are currently eyeing another trip for a few years from now.

 

We still have little interest in whales, dogsledding, helicopter tours of glaciers...But we have a good time. We have each other and besides it's a vacation!

Edited June 17, 2015 by Lerin

[trident one]

After 27 plus cruises to Bermuda, the Caribbean, the Mexican Riviera, and others, I swore that I woud not go to Alaska - too cold - too wet - yada yada yada.

 

Well, in 8 short weeks we will pursure Alaska on the Radiance of the Seas and a 4 day land tour with a vengence. I have reams of information from friends, relatives, internet sites, etc. My sister just returned from Alaska and said it was their best trip EVER.

 

So, I am excited and looking forward to a new experience. I know that there will not be warm sunny beaches and days lounging around the pool. And I hope to God that I do not see one Diamonds International!

 

Keep an open mind and you might be surprised. I have yet to talk to ANYONE who did not love their trip/cruise to Alaska.

 

Keep your eyes closed when you disembark in Juneau. If I recall correctly its (DI) diagonally across from the Red Dog Saloon.

[clc6p]

To keep my bride of 40 years happy, I have signed us up for a cruise in Alaska next August. We will be going with two other couples our same age (60). My problem is that while I love cruising (been on 9 so far) I have absolutely no desire to go to Alaska. I have read all the stories of people here about having fun but that's assuming that they all had an interest in it before going. I don't. I love the beach scene and warm weather. I'm more of a Jimmy Buffet guy than a Johnny Horton one.

 

Before you say it, I spent 21 years in the military, I've been in cold places many times, and I didn't care for it then either. I know it could be 95 degrees when we are there, but for every one person to tell me how hot it was on their Alaska cruise, two would show me photos of their party on deck with parkas on.

 

I don't care for the mountains much. I don't fish, so that's not an option. I can go fifteen minutes from where I'm sitting right now and see bald eagles, so it isn't a big deal to watch them in Alaska. Whales don't interest me either.

 

I suppose the most I can hope for is that the ship has a good sauna where I can stay warm and sweaty while listening to Inner Circle on my mp3 player.

 

Lest you think I'm just being the grumpy old man, I'm not. I don't plan on going there to make everyone around me miserable (I'm really outgoing and the life of the party in our groups), but I have tried, and I can't work up any enthusiasm for this trip.

 

Maybe someone can shed some light on my situation, or at least commiserate with me over this situation I have found myself in.

 

I LOOOVE Alaska, but honestly if you want warmer weather go in May or June. August is popular, but starts to be their rainier season which means cold. Just my 2 cents after going 4 times! Also, you don't have to go outside and wear a parka on glacier viewing day. You can sit in a chair in the warm solarium while your wife is outside in her parka! :)

Edited June 17, 2015 by clc6p

[Putterdude]

Hey, some people don't like ice cream and I can kind of identify to a degree with what the OP has said. He has pretty much hit on the hot buttons of why he is not enthused about going to Alaska and while I don't necessarily agree with him I think he has been pretty articulate about why he isn't fussy about going. I really don't think that I can turn his head on the topic.

[sweetsleep]

For the OP,

I never really envisioned taking an Alaska trip myself but have a very dear friend who had this on her bucket list-she has worked and lived all over the world often as part of charity medical mission work.

So, i agreed to go with her.

I decided to read some books in advance of the trip and this totally opened my eyes to Alaska and the Yukon Gold Rush. The same friend never read up on this!!

After reading "Klondike" by Pierre Berton and "The Floor of Heaven" I could not wait to visit Skagway in particular. It was like reliving the history to see the Trail of 98 on the White Pass Railroad. And seeing infamous Skagway knowing the incredible history of the city was just amazing.

I don't know if you have any dogs as pets, but just being exposed to the wonderful world of dog sleds and "mushing" was another education in itself. So, if you happen to embrace life long learning at all, you will not be disappointed!! you will learn so much about plants,geology,animals,culture that I had no idea about before I took this trip. Plus the beautiful vistas and crystal clean air also helped.

I am personally really tired of the Caribbean( I have been there way too many times)-dirty and old tourist towns-I will never visit any of those areas again.If i want to visit a warm weather place it will be in a hotel or condo in a nice upscale area. Not a cruise.

Please let all of us know what you thought of the trip. And also find a personal passion you already have and expand or translate it to a similar experience in Alaska. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

[fleckle]

Quite frankly, if I had no interest in the scenery, terrain, and wildlife of Alaska, I would not go. My husband has no interest in cruising or travel, and is quite happy at home, so I leave him there, and travel with my mom and/or sister. Life is too short, and money in too limited a supply, to squander either on experiences that we don't want and can avoid.

Bingo! We have a winner!

 

Middle-aged mom has provided the most logical and sensible reply yet.

 

No good reason why people should need to waste their precious vacation time doing things they don't enjoy.

 

It is only common sense for a couple to do the things together that both enjoy, but to do the things that one enjoys but the other doesn't separately,

or with others who share the same interests.

 

 

It would be selfish and cruel to insist that your spouse (or anyone else) has to participate in every activity that interests you.

 

 

 

To keep my bride of 40 years happy, I have signed us up for a cruise in Alaska next August. We will be going with two other couples our same age (60). My problem is that while I love cruising (been on 9 so far) I have absolutely no desire to go to Alaska........

Pointyhead, if you enjoy football games and your spouse doesn't, do you really think it would be right to selfishly insist that she must go to football games with you just to keep you happy?

 

If you enjoy playing the trumpet and she doesn't, would you insist that she must also play the trumpet because it is something that you enjoy doing?

 

 

If she wants to take a cruise to Alaska and you don't, it would be so much more sensible and logical for her to go with a family member or friend who also wants to take a cruise to Alaska.

 

After all, the two of you can always take a cruise together someplace else that both would really enjoy.

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

I have traveled extensively all over the world, lived in Germany for 3 years, been in a war, got shot at, gotten lost at least once in most major cities of the world. (The Air Force is a great travel agency! :D). I'm pretty much ready to go anywhere, anytime, but Alaska has never been on my bucket list. But, I subscribe to the ancient truth-Happy wife, Happy Life, so I'm going. :cool:

 

 

We did the Alaska thing last summer on Oceania. Having spent the bulk of my adult life in Northern California (including a decade of winters in the Tahoe basin and the last twenty years on the coast), I really didn't need to see mountains, snow, bears, whales, pristine forests and historic mining towns or eat salmon and Dungeness crab.

 

BUT, I did need to see (and hear) the Hubbard Glacier calving and make a high country water landing in a Dehavilland float plane (before they're all gone). Also needed to spend a few days getting to know Vancouver and revisiting Seattle. And Regatta's excellent food and service rounded out a great vacation.

 

Worth going - IMO, absolutely.

 

Will we go again? It's doubtful. So many other new and interesting places to experience.

.

Edited June 17, 2015 by Flatbush Flyer

[agabbymama]

My husband and I have been together for 54 years. He used to go hunting 2 o3 times a year (without me), we went on camping/fishing trips, until I had enough of outdoors.

 

He had no interest in traveling. I went to England/Wales & Scotland without him, then on to Holland/Belgium/Luxembourg without him. And yet another trip to Hungary, without him.

 

I got him to agree to a cruise to Alaska (he wasn't overly impressed). He did like visiting with all the folks on the ship and the endless food. But he is very frugal, so no expensive flight seeing or fishing excursions. NO EXCURSIONS AT ALL as a matter of fact. We just walked around the ports. I absolutely loved SITKA and Glacier Bay.

 

Fast forward a few years, and I decided to do an Alaska Cruisetour as I wanted to see the Yukon as well. We did a 3 day cruise + 8 days on land. He hated the land portion, I loved it. Dawson City Yukon and Denali were truly amazing.

 

I started planning a third trip to Alaska on a HAL 14 day cruise (to lots of the smaller ports). Unfortunately he suffered a stroke and couldn't make the cruise, so we had to cancel. Now his memory & stamina aren't what they used to be, so no big trips (cruises or otherwise) as I don't think he could handle the stress of airports, luggage, etc. And I'd be afraid he would forget where he was supposed to be.

 

If you really don't want to go, talk to your wife, be sure she knows how you feel. Separate vacations aren't a bad thing. On the other hand, none of us know how much time we have, you could bite your tongue and pretend you are having a good time just to please her and spend time with her. You may have many opportunities but you may not! Good Luck!

[geoherb]

When we took our most recent cruise to Alaska, it was a Princess cruise tour--five nights on land before our cruise. A lot of things were included that I did not anticipate enjoying, but they were part of the package. But we tried them and discovered that they were fun.

 

Since the OP and his wife are traveling with others, he can stay on the ship and let her go off on her own or with them. There's no rule that you have to do everything together.

[Pointyhead]

Well, I just booked the cruise. In August of next year, we will be sailing on the NCL Pearl for 7 days. I now have 14 months to warm up to the idea. (Pun intended). We are not guaranteed our next breath, so any time I can spend with the missus goes in the plus column. I'm sure I'll be happy with whatever we do, even if it's not my "dream vacation". Thanks for all your inputs. -PH :D

[5waldos]

My only thought was that you should probably not tell yourself you HATE Alaska. You aren't interested in for sure but since you haven't been there, you really don't hate it, or even actively dislike it. Not being interested in it allows for the possibility that something (Soapy Smith for example) might peak your interest.

 

And for what it is worth- I feel that way about Antarctica. Everyone tells me how wonderful it is but I cannot get up any enthusiasm for it. And since the cruises there are soooo expensive it makes it hard to even consider going. Now point me to some isolated tiny island in the middle of nowhere in the Pacific and I am ready to go.

[micruiser12]

My husband felt similar to you several years ago. We live in a northern state and he enjoys going someplace warm. We take turns choosing places from our "bucket list" of places we would like to visit. Alaska was on mine, but not his, mostly because of the idea of a "cold" place. He reluctantly agreed to go because it still is a cruise and still a vacation so he trusted that part would still be fun.

 

I booked excursions based on what I liked and on what he told me he was interested in. I always gave him the option to veto his participation in an excursion, but encouraged him to go.

 

Well two years ago we went and are going again this summer. He loved it! Of course I had also done a lot of reading about Alaska and knew more about the history and scenery (this helps!). However you will learn some of the history as you take part in some of the experiences onboard and on excursions. Alaska truly is a unique amazing place.

 

BUT, if nothing else be excited you will be with family and friends on a CRUISE! If Alaska grabs hold of you all the better. When you return, let us know how you felt about Alaska after being there.

[barbeyg]

Well, I just booked the cruise. In August of next year, we will be sailing on the NCL Pearl for 7 days. I now have 14 months to warm up to the idea. (Pun intended). We are not guaranteed our next breath, so any time I can spend with the missus goes in the plus column. I'm sure I'll be happy with whatever we do, even if it's not my "dream vacation". Thanks for all your inputs. -PH :D

 

 

Good for you! [emoji4] I too see any time spent with my husband as a plus. I got to pick the AK cruise, and he picked the one after in the eastern Caribbean. Even though I hate the heat, I look forward to making sweet memories with him. I'm sure you will with your sweetheart too. [emoji4]

[Giantfan13]

I have traveled extensively all over the world, lived in Germany for 3 years, been in a war, got shot at, gotten lost at least once in most major cities of the world. (The Air Force is a great travel agency! :D). I'm pretty much ready to go anywhere, anytime, but Alaska has never been on my bucket list. But, I subscribe to the ancient truth-Happy wife, Happy Life, so I'm going. :cool:

 

PH

 

We have a lot in common. I also was in the AF stationed in Germany for 3 years. We also have traveled around a lot and we also are seniors. (I wasn't a lifer though, just 8 years) and also did a short tour in Nam.

 

Now that is out of the way, life is short and life is an adventure. You really need to look at this in a completely different light. We all have our comfort zones and it pains many of us to venture out of them, but we all crave some sort of newness in our lives. Especially when we do reach that certain age when years ahead are much fewer than the ones behind. It's not like you are going to be stationed there, it is only a week so think of it as an adventure to a far away port. You really sound as if you would rather visit the dentist than go on this cruise. :D:D:D:D

In the years we have left, we really need to try and experience as much as possible to really see if we like it or not. Make believe the AF is sending you on a TDY assignment for one week and you will earn many. many brownie points with the missus for it.

 

Do hope you change some of the thinking and do look at this as an adventure to a different part of the world. If you know you won't enjoy it, you won't, but hopefully you will see what this special place is all about. the way the world is changing, it may not be like this for much longer.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[varoo]

...Now that is out of the way, life is short and life is an adventure. You really need to look at this in a completely different light.

Indeed! Life is too precious and short to waste a week of it going somewhere you dislike when there are so many other, more appealing places where you could be spending your vacation time instead of trying to talk yourself into going somewhere you really don't want to go, or letting someone else talk you into it.

 

There are enough times in life for all of us when we must go somewhere or do something we dislike out of necessity or duty, because our job or country or other circumstances, require it.

 

But this is not one of them.

When it comes to one's vacation destination, that is supposed to be a place you find appealing and enjoyable, a place where you are eager to spend your time.

 

It would be foolish to voluntarily waste a week of one's life going somewhere that the person admits he hates, so much so that he would even start a thread to complain about it.

 

 

Edited June 18, 2015 by varoo

[5waldos]

Indeed! Life is too precious and short to waste a week of it going somewhere you dislike when there are so many other, more appealing places where you could be spending your vacation time instead of trying to talk yourself into going somewhere you really don't want to go, or letting someone else talk you into it.

 

There are enough times in life for all of us when we must go somewhere or do something we dislike out of necessity or duty, because our job or country or other circumstances, require it.

 

But this is not one of them.

When it comes to one's vacation destination, that is supposed to be a place you find appealing and enjoyable, a place where you are eager to spend your time.

 

It would be foolish to voluntarily waste a week of one's life going somewhere that the person admits he hates, so much so that he would even start a thread to complain about it.

 

 

 

He has said that his wife really wants to go. I suggest that it would be foolish to deny her the opportunity to go when it is only a week or so, and he anticipates at least some of it being enjoyable. And he will have the pleasure of pleasing her- not such a bad thing.

[varoo]

He has said that his wife really wants to go. I suggest that it would be foolish to deny her the opportunity to go when it is only a week or so, and he anticipates at least some of it being enjoyable. And he will have the pleasure of pleasing her- not such a bad thing.

:confused: :confused:

Where has anybody here ever claimed that he should deny his wife the opportunity to go?

 

There are so many other ways that he can have the pleasure of pleasing his wife without giving up a week of his life to go someplace that he admits he hates.

 

And there are so many other places where they can go together, places where both of them would want to go.

 

 

I say this as someone who loves Alaska myself, but just because I love it doesn't mean that everybody else has to love it too.

 

I would never be so selfish as to insist that a spouse or companion who does not like Alaska must accompany me there (or anywhere else) just because I want to go.

 

So much better to spend a shorter time together vacationing at a place that both love than a longer time together vacationing at a place that one of them hates.

 

 

If his wife has disabilities that require him to go along to provide assistance in order for her to be able to go, that would be a different matter entirely, but that does not appear to be the case here.

 

[5waldos]

For many couples saying to your spouse- You go and have fun- I don't want to- is simply not acceptable. They vacation together. And that is the way it is. And as I said above- he doesn't really "hate" Alaska. He has never been. He is not interested- a very different thing.

 

I just don't see the big deal here. He would rather not but is willing to go with her because it is important to her. Because of his low expectations he will probably have a much better time than is expecting to. And if not- he can be pleased because his wife is. I would be pretty sure that this kind of generousity of spirit is two directional- she has probably gone places that she would probably prefer not to go. And to quote him " We are not guaranteed our next breath, so any time I can spend with the missus goes in the plus column."

 

We are talking about a week for a guy who is what- 60? He has many many more years, almost certainly, ahead of him.

Edited June 18, 2015 by 5waldos

[Giantfan13]

:confused: :confused:

Where has anybody here ever claimed that he should deny his wife the opportunity to go?

 

There are so many other ways that he can have the pleasure of pleasing his wife without giving up a week of his life to go someplace that he admits he hates.

 

And there are so many other places where they can go together, places where both of them would want to go.

 

 

I say this as someone who loves Alaska myself, but just because I love it doesn't mean that everybody else has to love it too.

 

I would never be so selfish as to insist that a spouse or companion who does not like Alaska must accompany me there (or anywhere else) just because I want to go.

 

So much better to spend a shorter time together vacationing at a place that both love than a longer time together vacationing at a place that one of them hates.

 

 

If his wife has disabilities that require him to go along to provide assistance in order for her to be able to go, that would be a different matter entirely, but that does not appear to be the case here.

 

 

First of all the OP NEVER said he hated to go, so if you are going to rant on, at least get the facts straight.

 

Second, myself, have been married for 42 years and if my wife wanted to do something badly enough, and really wanted me to be there, why would I deny her that joy instead of being so selfish and say, you go ahead, I have better things to do.

 

Marriage is a compromise and during those years we do many things we may not want to do, just to make our spouses happy. If that is possible, then that brings joy to me.

 

Life is short, but not standing on ceremony and doing things to make your spouse happy, that is more important than not really enjoying the one week. And it is only one week.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[Pushka]

My partner is the same. Alaska is on my bucket list and I have booked next year for a 60th treat. He likes glaciers, and mountains, but isn't really into Alaska as such. He will just have to deal with it, but as his expectations are low I am sure he will be in for a real treat. On the other hand, I have assigned him a week in Hawaii on our way back to Australia.....

 

And there are plenty of places I have been to with him, and things we have done together that would not make my pick but we enjoyed them as a couple.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Pushka

[Pointyhead]

First of all the OP NEVER said he hated to go, so if you are going to rant on, at least get the facts straight.

 

Second, myself, have been married for 42 years and if my wife wanted to do something badly enough, and really wanted me to be there, why would I deny her that joy instead of being so selfish and say, you go ahead, I have better things to do.

 

Marriage is a compromise and during those years we do many things we may not want to do, just to make our spouses happy. If that is possible, then that brings joy to me.

 

Life is short, but not standing on ceremony and doing things to make your spouse happy, that is more important than not really enjoying the one week. And it is only one week.

 

Cheers

 

Len

 

Len, you are a wise man. We all do things that we don't necessarily like, but we do it to make the other happy. I clean the cat's litter box, not because I want to, but the wife hates to, so I make her happy by doing it. I hate balancing the checkbook, and she's a financial manager for the government, so she does that for me. Marriage is give and take.

 

As for the cruise, I am warming to the idea. We hope to see friends in Portland that we haven't seen in 25 years, or meet up with an old AF buddy that lives just north of Seattle. I like trains so the White Pass train tour looks promising. We'll make it work. I'm just not into the Alaska scene, mountains, ice, crab legs or whales and that was my original point.