Help Me Plan My Next Cruise

Ok, that's misleading. My next cruise is in April, so I mean help me plan the one after that.

I'm looking at 2015 and it's going to be either Hawaii, Alaska or Europe (probably the Western Med, but I'm not sure).

We'll leave the kids home for that one, so just hubby and me.

Here's where I stand:

Hawaii: I've been there (actually, on Pride of Aloha when it existed) and I adored it. DH has not been there. It's the most expensive of the three, and even the airfare isn't cheap, but I adore Hawaii and dream of going back.

Alaska: Haven't been there and I definitely want to go, but I always plan warm-ish weather vacations. I only get so much vacation time and I'm wondering if I'd kick myself planning something that could potentially be cold and rainy the whole time. Then again, it's stunningly beautiful. The airfare would be cheapest, the cruise isn't that bad, but the excursions are outrageous.

Europe: I've never been. My husband lived in Norway for a few years but never left Norway, so it would be new for us both. The cruise itself isn't expensive, but airfare from Atlanta to Rome or Barcelona or Venice is more than the cruise itself. I'd really love to go, but DH seems lukewarm on the idea. In the end, he'll do whatever I want, but his first choice when I asked him about these three was Alaska.

About us: Early 40s. I love to travel, he's ok with it. Again, we'll be leaving the kids home. We need to plan early because his time off work is quite limited (which would put Alaska in the lead because we wouldn't schedule extra time in Seattle or Vancouver before or after).

So...what do you think?

Oh...one more thing.....as of right now, the ships doing the Med for NCL are Epic, Jade, and a couple on Spirit. I've been on Epic soon-to-be twice, Spirit and, I think, Jade when she was in Hawaii. I'm not a huge fan of repeating ships, although I likely would be in Alaska (been on Jewel and Pearl, but not Star). Maybe I should <<gulp>> look at other cruise lines? I don't really want to, especially since I can book with my FCC, but....recommendations would be appreciated, if anyone has any.

I would add one more to you list if you can get a two week vacation at once ( not one week at a time). By 2015, the second Panama Canal will be open. It takes two weeks from Miami to LA or the reverse. I have done it once in each direction and am starting to plan another LA-Miami for the fall of 2014 (hopefully shortly after the second canal is open). August 2014 is the 100th Anniversary of the opening of the original Canal.

I've done Hawaii (land and cruise), Alaska (cruise), and areas in Europe (land and cruise).

Go for Alaska.

I'm like you, I like warm weather in general, and the thought of me choosing Alaska was unbelievable, but my hubby wanted to go.

It was amazing! Yes, I was cold, but it was worth it to see the beautiful scenery and wildlife.

Tough one...I think you can't go wrong.

I guess if it were me, I would think Alaska would be easier for you all to do down the road as a family (less travel, cheaper flights). I also see Alaska as being perfect for a family vacation with children because of the excursions and wildlife...so maybe alaska could be put off and reserved for a family cruise in the future (maybe the next cruise after the next cruise :)).

So, since you have been to Hawaii, I would vote for Europe-you can go when the weather is nice, see some sites (or not and just relax on the ship!) and I guess I just think everyone should go to Europe at some point in their lives if they can afford to time wise and money wise.

Good luck!

Ok, that's misleading. My next cruise is in April, so I mean help me plan the one after that.

 

I'm looking at 2015 and it's going to be either Hawaii, Alaska or Europe (probably the Western Med, but I'm not sure).

 

We'll leave the kids home for that one, so just hubby and me.

 

Here's where I stand:

 

Hawaii: I've been there (actually, on Pride of Aloha when it existed) and I adored it. DH has not been there. It's the most expensive of the three, and even the airfare isn't cheap, but I adore Hawaii and dream of going back.

 

Alaska: Haven't been there and I definitely want to go, but I always plan warm-ish weather vacations. I only get so much vacation time and I'm wondering if I'd kick myself planning something that could potentially be cold and rainy the whole time. Then again, it's stunningly beautiful. The airfare would be cheapest, the cruise isn't that bad, but the excursions are outrageous.

 

Europe: I've never been. My husband lived in Norway for a few years but never left Norway, so it would be new for us both. The cruise itself isn't expensive, but airfare from Atlanta to Rome or Barcelona or Venice is more than the cruise itself. I'd really love to go, but DH seems lukewarm on the idea. In the end, he'll do whatever I want, but his first choice when I asked him about these three was Alaska.

 

About us: Early 40s. I love to travel, he's ok with it. Again, we'll be leaving the kids home. We need to plan early because his time off work is quite limited (which would put Alaska in the lead because we wouldn't schedule extra time in Seattle or Vancouver before or after).

 

So...what do you think?

 

Oh...one more thing.....as of right now, the ships doing the Med for NCL are Epic, Jade, and a couple on Spirit. I've been on Epic soon-to-be twice, Spirit and, I think, Jade when she was in Hawaii. I'm not a huge fan of repeating ships, although I likely would be in Alaska (been on Jewel and Pearl, but not Star). Maybe I should <<gulp>> look at other cruise lines? I don't really want to, especially since I can book with my FCC, but....recommendations would be appreciated, if anyone has any.

Weve done all three of those, loved each one! My favorite was Hawaii, My wifes was Alaska.

NCL is the way to go!

We've done Hawaii (love it, if you can't tell by my screen name). The POA was a fabulous cruise. We're doing an Alaska cruise in May - Vancouver to Whittier, and I'm sure it will be wonderful. Haven't done Europe yet, but it's on the bucket list. We're also in our 40's and love to see new places and new things. The military took me to some great (and not so great) places and it has been fun to go back to see them as a tourist and not a soldier. I spent two weeks in Alaska once, and have been dying to take my wife back for twenty years, so finally it is time to go.

Anyway, Hawaii was so fabulous, but the cruise is so expensive and the airfare is a killer as well. We could take two Alaska cruises for the price of a Hawaii cruise.

Another cruise to consider - especially since you're not taking your kids is Bermuda. We LOVED Bermuda. It was so pretty, safe, sophisticated, friendly, and easy to get around. There's a lot to and see, both natural beauty of beaches and caves, and historical things to see. If you're adventurous, you could rent scooters and drive yourself all over the islands, otherwise the ferry system is fabulous. We combined it with a NYC trip and stayed a couple of days and went to see Wicked.

Anyway, you can't go wrong wherever you go. Have fun planning - that's half the journey - at least for me :)

Weve done all three of those, loved each one! My favorite was Hawaii, My wifes was Alaska.

 

NCL is the way to go!

Well...that's not helpful! :D I adore Hawaii. I got a tattoo before leaving Kona because I wanted so badly to take a piece of the place with me. Alaska is calling to me, though....

We've done Hawaii (love it, if you can't tell by my screen name). The POA was a fabulous cruise. We're doing an Alaska cruise in May - Vancouver to Whittier, and I'm sure it will be wonderful. Haven't done Europe yet, but it's on the bucket list. We're also in our 40's and love to see new places and new things. The military took me to some great (and not so great) places and it has been fun to go back to see them as a tourist and not a soldier. I spent two weeks in Alaska once, and have been dying to take my wife back for twenty years, so finally it is time to go.

 

Anyway, Hawaii was so fabulous, but the cruise is so expensive and the airfare is a killer as well. We could take two Alaska cruises for the price of a Hawaii cruise.

 

Another cruise to consider - especially since you're not taking your kids is Bermuda. We LOVED Bermuda. It was so pretty, safe, sophisticated, friendly, and easy to get around. There's a lot to and see, both natural beauty of beaches and caves, and historical things to see. If you're adventurous, you could rent scooters and drive yourself all over the islands, otherwise the ferry system is fabulous. We combined it with a NYC trip and stayed a couple of days and went to see Wicked.

 

Anyway, you can't go wrong wherever you go. Have fun planning - that's half the journey - at least for me :)

I also did POA in Hawaii (not sure if you saw that) and fell completely in love! I did consider Bermuda, but that one will be with the kids. The reason is because they are dying to see New York city, and I kind of hate it there (probably because I go there too much for work). Anyway, I figure I could kill two birds with one stone by taking a Bermuda cruise that leaves from Hawaii. I do want to get there, just not this trip.

Tough one...I think you can't go wrong.

 

I guess if it were me, I would think Alaska would be easier for you all to do down the road as a family (less travel, cheaper flights). I also see Alaska as being perfect for a family vacation with children because of the excursions and wildlife...so maybe alaska could be put off and reserved for a family cruise in the future (maybe the next cruise after the next cruise :)).

 

 

So, since you have been to Hawaii, I would vote for Europe-you can go when the weather is nice, see some sites (or not and just relax on the ship!) and I guess I just think everyone should go to Europe at some point in their lives if they can afford to time wise and money wise.

 

Good luck!

I really want to do Europe, and without the kids. I was just looking at Princess and they have a great British Isles itinerary that's appealing to me, too, but.....I absolutely don't want to pack for dressy dinners and such. What's a girl to do?

Such a nice problem to have. :)

I've done Hawaii (land and cruise), Alaska (cruise), and areas in Europe (land and cruise).

 

Go for Alaska.

 

I'm like you, I like warm weather in general, and the thought of me choosing Alaska was unbelievable, but my hubby wanted to go.

 

It was amazing! Yes, I was cold, but it was worth it to see the beautiful scenery and wildlife.

REALLY? You didn't kick yourself for choosing a cold-weather vacation? It does look incredible. Although someone did have a good point that it could be a good family trip. On the other hand (there are apparently 12 hands!), if I go with just DH we could do the excursions we really want to do rather than having to be so conscious of budget. Hmmmm.......

 

I also did POA in Hawaii (not sure if you saw that) and fell completely in love! I did consider Bermuda, but that one will be with the kids. The reason is because they are dying to see New York city, and I kind of hate it there (probably because I go there too much for work). Anyway, I figure I could kill two birds with one stone by taking a Bermuda cruise that leaves from Hawaii. I do want to get there, just not this trip.

That's cool. Your kids will have fun there. Although a cruise from Hawaii to Bermuda will be a little long ;) (I know what you meant - just teasin' ya).

We decided on Alaska for this year's cruise because of the amazing scenery and the remoteness. We're also concerned about the weather, but we bought waterproof jackets, waterproof shoes, and we'll hope for the best. One day we'll actually go on a Caribbean cruise!

I would add one more to you list if you can get a two week vacation at once ( not one week at a time). By 2015, the second Panama Canal will be open. It takes two weeks from Miami to LA or the reverse. I have done it once in each direction and am starting to plan another LA-Miami for the fall of 2014 (hopefully shortly after the second canal is open). August 2014 is the 100th Anniversary of the opening of the original Canal.

I'm not sure why, but this doesn't hold any appeal for me at all.

REALLY? You didn't kick yourself for choosing a cold-weather vacation? It does look incredible. Although someone did have a good point that it could be a good family trip. On the other hand (there are apparently 12 hands!), if I go with just DH we could do the excursions we really want to do rather than having to be so conscious of budget. Hmmmm.......

Strangely enough, I am actually thrilled that we did it. I've already told him that its a place I'd like to return to. Words just can't describe the sights. :) We did excursions, but not the ones that could break the bank.

Alaska and Hawaii are probably tied for #2 of my favorite cruises (Scandinavia/Baltics is #1). We'll go back to Alaska at some point...as soon as we visit some other cities that are on our bucket list.

Strangely enough, I am actually thrilled that we did it. I've already told him that its a place I'd like to return to. Words just can't describe the sights. :) We did excursions, but not the ones that could break the bank.

 

Alaska and Hawaii are probably tied for #2 of my favorite cruises (Scandinavia/Baltics is #1). We'll go back to Alaska at some point...as soon as we visit some other cities that are on our bucket list.

Gee, thanks....now you have me looking at Scandanavia/Baltics cruises! My step-son lives in Norway, so it would give us an excuse to see him and then hop a cruise. ;)

Here is my two cents as having done all three. Alaska in 1999 for my Mother's 80th birthday. Her bucket list trip. Hands down beautiful. Went through princess. With three of us as I took,my then 12 year, over 12,000 in cost. Me I froze the entire 16 days September. While the cruise was beautiful the real beauty was on the land tour part of Alaska, hence cost. But I looked at pearl for this summer and prices for sept right around 3400 for cruise only for two and no land tour added on. Husband wants to go as he was never there.

Was on Epic out of Barcelona 10/2011. Yes air fair was more than mini suite price. For two maybe 7500 all together including air, one night Barcelona, very expensive tours. My bucket list trip. Husband 60 birthday that week so we added four nights london at the end since lax flight home went through London. Would do again absolutely.

Personally I prefer water based activities (snorkel girl name gives you a hint) April 2012 for 25 th anniversary went 14 days princess which out the door including flight to San Juan and one night hotel and tours 8,000. A week in Hawaii generally runs me less than 2500 as I own timeshare. LA based princess 14 day balcony running bout 4000 for 14 days w/o flight this last week. Checked cause I,just wanted to compare cost to Alaska.

Me I want to go back to med. maybe when it is my 60th bd in three years.

I've been to Hawaii, but not on a cruise - we cruised Glacier Bay last June on the Pearl and loved it so much we are planning a "land" trip back this June (anchorage, Fairbanks, Denali, Coldfoot)

I'm from South Texas and while it was cold, it wasn't unbearable - I can't handle the cold and I hadn't even seen snow until I was 40 years old. It didn't rain once while we were there. We caught a $15 bus to the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau and splurged and took the Deadliest Catch excursion in Ketchikan (loved it). Alaska is just so BIG - I can't describe it. Glacier Bay was amazing - we sat on the balcony drinking hot chocolate. We saw black wolves and bald eagles.

I think you'll enjoy whatever cruise you take. We are thinking about the Baltic Capitals in summer of 2014.

Gee, thanks....now you have me looking at Scandanavia/Baltics cruises! My step-son lives in Norway, so it would give us an excuse to see him and then hop a cruise. ;)

LOL. Sorry about that. I won't mention another itinerary, I swear. ;)

I also vote Alaska (especially if you've been to Hawaii before). With those stunning views you won't be thinking about the weather! You never know with the weather though, the week my family and I went it didn't rain once and it reached about 82 degrees every day. That's warm enough for me!

I'm not sure how much vacation time you have but if you could swing it, I recommend doing a north-bound or south-bound itinerary. Do the week cruise and then tour Alaska before/after. While the ports on the cruise are stunning, you get to see a different part of Alaska as you move inland. We went to Anchorage, drove through Denali National Park, and then made our way to Fairbanks. I can't pinpoint one favorite moment. I've been to many countries on cruise and land-based vacations and I proudly rank Alaska as my #1.

As for Europe. It is obviously stunning in its own way but I think because the airfare costs are so high, it's worth making the trip over there for more than just a week long cruise. I loved my Jade cruise through the Greek Isles but the flights over are long, tiring, and expensive that I don't think it would have been worth it (and this is just my opinion) if I didn't spend some time in Venice and London too.

Ok, that's misleading. My next cruise is in April, so I mean help me plan the one after that.

 

I'm looking at 2015 and it's going to be either Hawaii, Alaska or Europe (probably the Western Med, but I'm not sure).

 

We'll leave the kids home for that one, so just hubby and me.

 

Here's where I stand:

 

Hawaii: I've been there (actually, on Pride of Aloha when it existed) and I adored it. DH has not been there. It's the most expensive of the three, and even the airfare isn't cheap, but I adore Hawaii and dream of going back.

 

Alaska: Haven't been there and I definitely want to go, but I always plan warm-ish weather vacations. I only get so much vacation time and I'm wondering if I'd kick myself planning something that could potentially be cold and rainy the whole time. Then again, it's stunningly beautiful. The airfare would be cheapest, the cruise isn't that bad, but the excursions are outrageous.

 

Europe: I've never been. My husband lived in Norway for a few years but never left Norway, so it would be new for us both. The cruise itself isn't expensive, but airfare from Atlanta to Rome or Barcelona or Venice is more than the cruise itself. I'd really love to go, but DH seems lukewarm on the idea. In the end, he'll do whatever I want, but his first choice when I asked him about these three was Alaska.

 

About us: Early 40s. I love to travel, he's ok with it. Again, we'll be leaving the kids home. We need to plan early because his time off work is quite limited (which would put Alaska in the lead because we wouldn't schedule extra time in Seattle or Vancouver before or after).

 

So...what do you think?

 

Oh...one more thing.....as of right now, the ships doing the Med for NCL are Epic, Jade, and a couple on Spirit. I've been on Epic soon-to-be twice, Spirit and, I think, Jade when she was in Hawaii. I'm not a huge fan of repeating ships, although I likely would be in Alaska (been on Jewel and Pearl, but not Star). Maybe I should <<gulp>> look at other cruise lines? I don't really want to, especially since I can book with my FCC, but....recommendations would be appreciated, if anyone has any.

Alaska will definately be colder than Hawaii - but can be comfortable in the "summer" - mid-July & Aug. Will always be COLD near the glaciers, but pictures that you see & Nat Geo programs are NOT like seeing it in person. I'd do Inside Passage to Alaska myself .......... in fact we're starting to plan that trip for 2014 now :)

Anyway, I figure I could kill two birds with one stone by taking a Bermuda cruise that leaves from Hawaii.

That would be a nice cruise!;)

I have been to Europe but not with a cruise. Not been to Hawaii but live at the ocean in South Florida. I did cruise Alaska. Was actually my first cruise. Was spectacular. I am a warm weather person so I went in July. If you can, book the helicopter/ glacier excursion. Incredible.

Europe any day of the week! Been to Alaska twice. I am just not an Alaska person. Prefer warm weather like yourself. Been to Hawaii five or six times. It is always great and never changes.