I need help -- which cruise to do

I want to surprise my wife with a cruise for her 60th birthday (she's not happy about that number). Her birthday is April. I have been able to get off of work for all of memorial day week (a month later), so I can squeeze in a 1 week or so cruise, but not sure I can get any more time off. So, on her birthday I'll say "Surprise, next month we're cruising to ___."

We have loved our 3 Celebrity cruises, never been on another line. We've liked sea days, being on the ship. We love the food and feel of Celebrity, but to be fair, do not know how it compares to Princess or HAL, both of which have good sailings for the week I can get off. We don't need party or nightclub atmospheres, nor a ship with bumper cars or pools with water slides. We like ports that have physical beauty or interesting geology, or where we can get to know an interesting culture, but sea days are fine too. We've already planned to do Celebrity Infinity to South America in 2016 and Antartica in 2017, and she has said she wants to see Alaska some time. Here are my options:

5/24 sailing to Bermuda on Celebrity Summit. PRO - we like Celebrity, can rack up Celebrity "Captain's Club" points, we'll like the sea days, she'll think Bermuda is pretty, easy flight for us to go from Missouri to New York. CON - not sure how much she wants another island/beach experience. Caribbean was OK but did not love it (except Puerto Rico).

5/22 saling on Celebrity Solstice Seattle round trip to Alaska. PRO - We still like Celebrity (same as above). She can see Alaska, cheaper option. CON - Will be hard for me to get off work to make that date - tight squeeze. Does not get us up to Denali. A bit longer air travel.

5/22 sailing on Celebrity Millennium from Vancouver to Seward. PRO - We still like Celebrity (Same as above). She can see Alaska. Can see Denali. CON - hard for me to get off 5/22. More expensive cruise and air travel, also long air travel coming home. A bit longer air travel.

5/23 and 5/24 Alaska sailings on Princess and HAL (various options). PRO - She sees Alaska. Dates work out well. Some less expensive options. CON - never sailed HAL, Princess (will we like?), won't get CC points, depending on option may still not get up to Denali. Longer air travel.

5/23 HAL sailing to Canada/NE. PRO - She loved Boston and Bar Harbor on a special trip we did when we were young(er). I think she would really like Montreal and Quebec City. CON - never been on HAL (will we like?), won't add CC points, I think she might think of this as more of a trip that I've wanted to do (I mentioned once and she said something like "sure, that'd be fine").

Europe sailing options on HAL and Princess sounds like more than I want to bite off logistically and financially for a week at this time (but, what d'ya think?).

So, in short, if we go to Alaska (which I think she might prefer), it'd likely not be Celebrity and would be either HAL or Princess (and which should it be?). Else it's NE/Canada on HAL or Bermuda on Celebrity Summit, unless we splurge time/money/logistics on a Europe option. I'm leading to a HAL or Princess Alaska option probably over a Celebrity Summit to Bermuda. She'll like any option, truly, but I am vacillating and conflicted.

Help advise me, folks.

- Joel

Encourage your wife to celebrate that number, it means she is still on the right side of the grass. :)

As to the cruise, I'm not a help to you because I would say stick to Celebrity since you both "know it and like it".

Wherever it turns out to be, enjoy!! :)

personally I would suggest you do a Carnival brand cruise (Princess or Holland America) as you can't fairly compare what you like without sailing on the various available lines. Whichever you choose, enjoy.

Hi CL.CLINK,

Wow, what a dilemma ;)

Here are my thoughts (note I have not sailed any of these Itineraries)

BERMUDA - Mr Sloop LOVES Bermuda, he & I have not been there together... He longs to show it to me (we currently are booked in for next Spring on The Summit). Based on what he has told me, and the research I have done so far, I can tell you with confidence that Bermuda is not just another Caribbean Destination... Infact technically she lies well outside of the Caribbean. More Colonial British outpost than Beachy Caribbean Island. So I don't think you could go wrong with this choice, a nice mix of Sea & Land Days (not your regular cruise in that you spend overnights here). And BONUS it is a lot cheaper to cruise to Bermuda than go there for an equal vacation with Air & Hotel, Food & Entertainment

ALASKA - Clearly this is on your Bucket List as you have listed here 3 alternative sailings. We have not done Alaska, but it is on our Bucket List too. Here is what I have learned from Family (in their 80s) and Friends (in their 50s) who have done it. YES... IT IS A MUST SEE. But it is better seen / done when you are younger than older cause it can be better enjoyed as a more active person. It is also a Destination part of the world that could use a lot of time to really see (West Coast of Canada thru to Alaska is a VAST area) so no doubt why some Retirees with lots of time off spend WEEKS exploring the area... My Parents were gone in total 5 weeks... While those younger become so enthralled by the majestic beauty that they make numerous repeat visits. Stuff to consider

Timing wise... May will be quite cool / cold in Canada's North & Alaska... (Summer is a better time to visit). But then again it being Alaska, well the coldish weather don't matter so much... As you sort of expect it

As to ships & Itineraries... You might want to do a CC SEARCH to find past posts or Cruise Reviews / Trip Reports.

There is also a current topic discussing S-Class (Solstice) vs M-Class (Millienium & Infinity) for Alaska that I have been participating in... Keep an eye on it incase others add info there you might find useful

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2137592

NEW ENGLAND & CANADA - Now this is my home turf... Have not cruised here, but I have spent a lifetime exploring her great sights. This is a GLORIOUS Cruise Destination with all the many stops Enroute (assuming here HAL goes to places like Maine - Nova Scotia - PEI - Quebec City - and Montreal). Quebec City is a MUST SEE Destination IMO for all of us who live in USA & Canada... This truly is where it all began in regards to our shared history of this part of the world being permanently settled, and the French Explorers heading inland to follow the great waterways which led to the rest of our countries being settled (the St Lawrence River in all is MAGNIFICENCE really drives this idea home). Quebec City is a blending of it all... A wee bit of Europe here (very romantic)... Historic & New - Young & Old - French & English - Quebec & Canada.

Eastern USA & Canada is a knockout when it comes to scenery, culture, and friendly people. There are so many charming "back roads / inroads here in terms of culture" that I must say that this area is best done on a road trip vs a cruise tho... Sorry. Being a reachable part of Continental North America it is not that hard to get there. Add in timing... May, even late May is not the most ideal time to visit. Prime tourist season Maritimes thru Quebec City is mid-June thru mid-September because of the weather. Shoulder season is Spring & Fall... May & October can be quite cool (more so on the water). Both months are highly unpredictable... I have seen snow in both if them. Of the two Fall is better than Spring (cause of bug season)... And of course the Changing Leaves.

EUROPE - Ya whole other ball of wax. I don't think I'd want to go that far & back if I was going to spend just a week

--- --- ---

Whatever you plan, I am sure your wife will be thrilled (Great gift)

I hope my POV helps you in some way

Cheers!

DW and I have done 2 Alaska cruises on Celebrity. We are in our early 60's and enjoyed those trips more than the Caribbean cruises. We traveled in May and June. Both worked out beautifully.

Enjoy your trip. Jerry of Jerry and Lady Kathryn

Have you looked at Solstice May 1 Vancouver to Seattle via Alaska? You will not go up the inside passage between Vancouver and Vancouver Island but will sail west of Vancouver Island. Solstice is a lovely ship. For the remainder of the season she will sail out of Seattle. Millennium will, of course, do the one way trip you have mentioned from Vancouver through the inside passage btwn Vancouver and Vancouver Island. Infinity will be doing a return to Vancouver but not starting till some time in June.

I think you are wonderful to take on the planning of a trip like this for your wife's 60th. I'm sure she will enjoy whatever you choose.

Thanks, everyone!

Agree with Jeannie that whatever the number, we should celebrate it. Carpe drum.

To neverbeenhere, I see the point -- it's hard to know what something "is" until you know what it is not.

To Sloop-JohnB, what a nice long thoughtful reply. Especially appreciate hearing about the Canada places. I do think that the weather would be better at another time but I also do think I really want to visit.

Appreciate the Alaska comments from Jerry and TeaBag.

- Joel

Sorry I didn't hit you with my Hogan joke.;)

We've been lucky enough to have been to all of the itineraries on your wish list. We've also sailed on all three lines you noted and hands down Celebrity beat HAL and Princess.

Now your conundrum given your time frame. It's not too early for Alaska but the weather will not be optimum. It will still be on the chilly side and I'd wager there will be areas with snow on the ground - perhaps not at sea level but you would most likely have snow above Skagway and Juneau. If whale watching is high on your list it will be cold viewing.

The New England cruises are wonderful but do note that it will not be hot, which may be a plus. Also there is a possibility that winds will keep you from docking in some ports. While this is always a possibility no matter where you sail it can be a problem even in Halifax.

We were just in Bermuda and there was little evidence of the two hurricanes that hit in October.

HAL seems to attract older cruisers. They have quite a reputation for their Alaska and New England itineraries however.

Princess is closer to Celebrity and I'd recommend it over HAL.

I know I haven't helped a lot but your wife will find joy in her 60's with such a great start.

sorry i didn't hit you with my hogan joke.;)

lol!

We've been lucky enough to have been to all of the itineraries on your wish list. We've also sailed on all three lines you noted and hands down Celebrity beat HAL and Princess.

Now your conundrum given your time frame. It's not too early for Alaska but the weather will not be optimum. It will still be on the chilly side and I'd wager there will be areas with snow on the ground - perhaps not at sea level but you would most likely have snow above Skagway and Juneau. If whale watching is high on your list it will be cold viewing.

The New England cruises are wonderful but do note that it will not be hot, which may be a plus. Also there is a possibility that winds will keep you from docking in some ports. While this is always a possibility no matter where you sail it can be a problem even in Halifax.

We were just in Bermuda and there was little evidence of the two hurricanes that hit in October.

HAL seems to attract older cruisers. They have quite a reputation for their Alaska and New England itineraries however.

Princess is closer to Celebrity and I'd recommend it over HAL.

I know I haven't helped a lot but your wife will find joy in her 60's with such a great start.

Thanks for your input. I still want to do all of it now!

In what ways do you favor Celebrity over Princess, and Princess over HAL?

- Joel

I am 10 months older than your wife but have a husband who thinks buying a remaindered book from a basket at the supermarket is a nice surprise present!

So, first, I think that whatever your gift, your wife will be thrilled. [The book was great and thoughtfully chosen from the half-a-dozen choices on offer.]

You know your wife better than most people and probably have the information needed to make the choice of cruise for her. You say that she wants to see Alaska. Does that mean you are guaranteed to do an Alaskan cruise one day? Will your wife want to do a lot of planning for that special cruise? Are there special things she would like to do in Alaska that require planning, special timing or anything else? If any of these apply, perhaps a surprise trip to Alaska without time for a lot of planning would not be the best idea. If, however, your circumstances mean that this is likely to be the only opportunity to go to Alaska, perhaps that should be the choice.

If what I have said means that you drop the Alaska idea, I would take the option that would be the least stressful. That is, the one you wife already has the right clothes for. The one where she can just relax and enjoy the cruise. This may well be the cruise that causes YOU less stress. Only you can know if that is the case.

As for cruise line: what is you wife's attitude to this? You say you both like Celebrity. Has she wondered often what other cruise lines would be like [in a good way or a bad way]? If you have no clues in that area, perhaps not HAL. [i have never been on HAL or Princess but have read that HAL tends to have an older demographic. If you select HAL, your wife may just think you are suggesting that she is getting old!]

Good luck with you selection. Your wife is a lucky person.

We very much enjoyed our celebrity cruise last year--but we have enjoyed each cruise we have taken, without a doubt.

My folks r 70. Celebrity is their fav followed closely by RCI & Princess, with NCL a distant 4th--they would cruise any of these lines again.

I say take the Alaskan cruise ( as often as u listed it, it is clearly top choice), and choose the one that most closely fits your dates &

destination desires. We have found that lines r more alike than different. I am partial to Princess, tho:)

Congratulations on your wifes milestone birthday.

If I might make a suggestion.

I think it might be better off that you surprise her with this at Christmas for her 60th birthday. As her birthday falls well within 90 days of departure, if something unexpected should come up before her birthday you will be able to get your deposit back.

I am planning on surprising my wife on Christmas with a cruise for our anniversary in September and am giving ourselves a buffer should something come up.

If work is a concern then I would do Bermuda. No need stressing out before you get on the ship.

Congratulations on your wifes milestone birthday.

 

If I might make a suggestion.

 

I think it might be better off that you surprise her with this at Christmas for her 60th birthday. As her birthday falls well within 90 days of departure, if something unexpected should come up before her birthday you will be able to get your deposit back.

 

I am planning on surprising my wife on Christmas with a cruise for our anniversary in September and am giving ourselves a buffer should something come up.

 

If work is a concern then I would do Bermuda. No need stressing out before you get on the ship.

Ooooo I LIKE this suggestion (Christmas Announcement... Or even New Year's as 2015 is dawning)

Cause let's face it most women seem to like to plan & organize details etc... Gives her waaay more lead time to do so than a mere month

Also means you will get to take advantage of the incredible 123Go All Inclusive Offers that are now running (Oceanview & above... Best ones are Concierge & Up)

Cheers!

We have done Alaska twice on Princess(a total of 11, i think), taken one HAL cruise, and 4 on X. This is over about 14 years. I am mid 50s, DH late 50s. Here is our two cents.

1) I would be happy with the present, where ever it is. This is very thoughtful of you. We are going to Australia (cruise on X) next winter for DH's 60th bday. He has always wanted to go there and is very excited.

2) Our favorites are Princess and X. HAL was just a bit too sedate for us, although it was a very nice cruise with wonderful service. IMHO (Shared by DH) Princess generally has a bit more activity than X. X has slightly better food, service and is just a bit nicer. We are now booking on Princess and X, with a lean toward X.

3) Alaska was a really nice cruise. We had a great time. It is beautiful, there are great activities available. It was a bit older, demographically, than most Caribbean cruises. It is a cruise that everyone who likes cruising should try at least once. Whale watching, glaciers, the naturalists were very interesting, hikes, etc.

4) Canada/NE. We have done this one and think it was absolutely fabulous. We went once in summer (Princess) and once in October (X). The one in October was colder, but the cities are really interesting. Quebec City is one of the most fascinating places we have been. We would go back in a second. Admittedly, we are biased and go to Canada every chance we get. Nature hikes, history, Baddeck, if you go to Boston the Freedom Trail, Longfellow's house in Portland, history tour in Quebec City, hockey, great.

5) We have not done Bermuda because it has too many sea days for us. After we retire, and vacation days are not such a premium, we will probably try this one.

You can't go wrong. No matter what you choose, she will love it.

Ohiodoglover

Alaska will be one of those cruises/places unlike any other, and one you will remember above all others.

The only thing you may want to consider is that the excursions in Alaska are MUCH pricier than most other itineraries.

The one excursion you MUST do, should you decide to do Alaska, is the helicopter ride to the glacier, and the walk on the glacier.

That was the highlight of our cruise.

What a wonderful husband you are! From the "wife" perspective, I'm voting for Bermuda or Canada/NE.

Personally, I would LOVE to do any of these itineraries and Alaska is definitely in our future. But as Sloop-JohnB points out, Alaska requires a lot of research and planning. Does your wife enjoy researching the trips? For me it is half the fun. Also, for such a long, expensive plane ride, I think it would be better saved for a time when you can get more than a week off work.

Bermuda sounds really intriguing, and sounds like it has a lot of culture. You could stay with X and really get a chance to know the place in depth.

But of course I don't see how you could possibly go wrong with Canada/NE. You say you fear she'll think that it's more of a gift for you, but I don't think so. If she loves some of the sights, and you two enjoy ports with history, culture, etc, you're just picking something you both will enjoy! If you're out in port every day you'll be tired in the evenings anyway. So maybe the sedate nature of HAL won't matter.

So I guess my (incredibly uninformed!) vote would be ever so slightly in favor of Canada/NE.

What an awesome surprise:) I sail solo and so if someone was going to

give me a cruise? I would take any of the itineraries you are offering:D

I have been to Alaska 3 times and booked again for May:D...and I have

been to Bermuda as well......they are VERY different cruises but I love

both;)

Oh, I have heard wonderful things about the Canada/NE cruise and I want

to do that for sure! That itinerary is really amazing:)

PS you sound like a great hubby!:)

Congratulations to your wife on her milestone birthday and her choice of husband.

I actually surprised my DH with an Alaskan cruise for his 50th birthday. Since he is not the planner in the family and just asks what time to take off work and what to pack, he didn't find out where we were going or what we were doing until we landed in Vancouver and had to go through US customs to make our connection flight. (I had even packed for him so he had no clue! :))

We did this cruise in May 2004 with Princess and it was beyond description! I was actually not looking forward to it as I thought it would be cold, however, it was so warm that any Alaskan we met literally apologized due to the unseasonable weather! When we checked in with the kids at home, they were far colder than we were. So don't let weather be your determining factor as it will be unpredictable no matter where you go.

We both so thoroughly enjoyed this trip that we are planning to do Alaska again but extend it with a land trip so if you are planning to do Alaska only once, I would not suggest you do it this time as there is so much to see and do that 1 week is not enough.

Enjoy whichever cruise you choose!

I also turned 60 this year. I would go on the Solstice to Alaska. Just know the weather will be cool. Seattle is a great city to explore. They have several cruises that leave in early May.

All great options! The one piece of advice from me is to stick with Celebrity since you are familiar with the brand... You like it, your familiar with it~ If I were to explore cruise lines I would explore Luxury lines like Crystal or the like, not other lines in the Premium market (Celebrity is Premium) [also my advice for You, not everyone else]

If Luxury is not appealing or not defensible then keep in mind that you can always upgrade to a Suite Experience for a 60th! Suite start with the Sky Suites and the corner aft suites in my opinion have an appeal!

So for me consider what itinary you like, consider Celebrity and look at upgrading your room rather than changing the line... Just my thoughts...:cool:

~Steve

Throwing in my .02. If you do pick Alaska, pick an itinerary that goes to Glacier Bay. Keep in mind that not all cruise lines have access to Glacier Bay. In my opinion, it is the #1 must see on an Alaska cruise itinerary. Princess, HAL, NCL, I believe all have access to this National Park.

Must say, what a thoughtful surprise for your wife's birthday.

I really appreciate all these very thoughtful replies. Thanks, everyone.

I am the planner and she kind of goes with the flow a lot. In fact, we did our honeymoon in the 1980s this way. I let her plan the wedding and just tell me when to show up. I planned the honeymoon and made it a contest and a surprise -- neither she nor no one else knew where we were going, and all guests got to guess to compete for a prize. She found out on a plane ride to Chicago (where we stayed over night), and flew out the next day to Hawaii. Worked out great.

As for packing, we are one bag travelers (carry on only) and we both have packing lists that allow us to adjust and accommodate to a wide range of trip locations, so she really could go to any of these places. I'm going more for what will have the greatest umph-factor, make her feel special. I'm leaning to Alaska since it's the most "not in Kansas anymore" feeling place, and realizing that this will need to be one of several trips there to make sure we do it "right."

I think what I am learning is that I hope we live long healthy lives and go on lots of cruises to each of the places I'm thinking of.

- Joel

Though it was over 30 years ago, I was lucky enough to spend a summer in Quebec City studying French. Regretfully, I've never been back. If you and your DW like beautiful ports with history, and if San Juan was the port she liked in the Caribbean, I'm sure she (and you) will love it. It is the only walled city in North America and you can't help but think you're in Europe. Montreal also has historic areas, notably the appropriately named Old Montreal. I've been to Boston, which is also beautiful, but you already know that.