Why I Changed My Mind and Booked a Cruisetour

I'm posting this for anyone out there who is still in the planning stages of their Alaska vacation.

A little background: I've been planning on taking my mom to Alaska for years, and she's been dreaming of it even larger. Jump forward to last August 2016 when we really started talking openly about it and decided to look into going in 2017. Bought several books and discovered cruise critic and began researching like a maniac. Became overwhelmed by options, took a break and waited for 2017 fares to come out. December 2017, fares started coming out, so we discussed the options. Mom chose a Princess southbound cruise from Anchorage (Whittier) to Vancouver. Booked it and "gave" it to her as Christmas gift.

After that: Even more planning, reading, researching...SO MUCH RESEARCH!:eek: And then I started booking excursions for cruise portion and pounding out a DIY land tour.

Now: It's May and FINALLY just a year away from our departure date (give or take a week). But we've changed our minds.

The more I thought about our travel style, the more the cruisetour appealed to me. However, that meant I had to compromise and give up some of the activities I'd been planning on for months. More thinking and thinking and thinking and weighing the options. Finally, I had my mom (who the trip is for in the first place) weigh the pros and cons of a cruisetour vs. DIY+Cruise.

If this helps, I'll list a few of them here:

PROS of DIY

• More flexibility
  
• Lower cost
  

CONS of DIY

• See less landscape variations (this will not be a con for most, but we had planned due to personal reasons that we would keep to Anchorage and surrounding areas plus Kenai peninsula)
  
• Driving ourselves (posters say driving in AK is easy, but it's still driving in a place I've never been, and that makes me nervous. Add moose to the mix and I'm just this side of high anxiety).
  
• No one to help schlep luggage
  
• Idea of having something happen on road where no cell service freaks me out
  

PROS of Cruisetour

• More structure
  
• More help
  
• More security
  
• Narration and information on buses/trains (Mom really likes this)
  
• Will see more landscape variations (adding in Fairbanks and Denali allows us to see more physical area than we are willing to do on our own)
  
• Not having to drive:)
  

CONS of Cruisetour

• Less flexibility
  
• Earlier mornings in many circumstances
  
• Traveling with large group of people
  
• LONG hours on bus/train probable
  

This is our list, and I'm sure any person/group traveling would have to think of their own likes/dislikes to make their own list. Mom picked the cruisetour and eventually decided on the MB7 Off the Beaten Path Princess cruisetour starting May 20,2017.

The reason I'm posting this is because it does sometimes seem like cruisetours are poo-pooed on this board, but there are can be legitimate reasons when someone picks that plan, and it really is what's best for them. I also want to encourage anyone considering a cruisetour to post questions on the cruise line boards. The Princess board was very helpful answering my questions and helping me understand a little more of what was involved/included in a cruisetour.

Also, I wanted to state that it is true that you really must know what you are getting and what you are giving up when you pick the cruisetour vs. DIY land tour. You also must be honest about your needs and travel habits. A person who hates being told what to do or where to be and really just wants to do what they want on vacation should NEVER book a cruisetour in my opinion. For me and my mom, there is a peace of mind that comes with someone else being in charge of the logistics, and I'm willing to give up some of the fun parts of planning my own days to get that peace of mind. Plus, with someone else driving, we will be able to enjoy each other's company more, and that's a MAJOR importance to me.

I know exactly what I'm giving up...what I won't get to see or do and what I'm getting in return (things I'm getting to see/do because of a different itinerary) because I have researched this trip like crazy. For Alaska, research is your best friend, followed closely by the acceptance that unless you are a VERY wealthy person with unlimited resources and time, you WILL have to give up or miss something you thought looked "awesome."

Only you can pick and choose what you want to do. The boards here are a great resource but ultimately you will be the one who will be taking your trip, so you will need to decide what compromises you can live with.

So, to any person who has felt intimidated by the process of picking their trip, I want to encourage you to stay the course and do the research. There are a ton of great options, but only you can figure out your travel style, budget, likes/dislikes, etc. And for anyone who deep down feels perhaps they want to do a cruisetour but is convinced after reading the posts here that a DIY is the ONLY way to go, do not be discouraged from doing what you want.

Alaska is HUGE, and there is room for all of us and all of our travel styles. :)

Gee, it's too bad you're just 2 days too early for the shuttle to Eielson. Oh well, enjoy anyway.

Gee, it's too bad you're just 2 days too early for the shuttle to Eielson. Oh well, enjoy anyway.

One of the trade offs I mentioned. Changing dates to later would increase price. We will be seeing DNP this way, and it wasn't even on the schedule before, so for me, it's a positive.

Gee, it's too bad you're just 2 days too early for the shuttle to Eielson. Oh well, enjoy anyway.

I've been planning on taking my mom to Alaska for years,

I always said I wanted to take my mom to Alaska. By the time I was in a position to be able to do that it was too late for her to make such a trip. Your plans made me smile and I hope you enjoy every minute with her.

While others may turn their noses up at a cruise tour, you have clearly done the research and made a choice that is appropriate for you and your mom. You are to be commended. Don't let the naysayers of cruise tours get you down. You will have a great time.

Gee, it's too bad you're just 2 days too early for the shuttle to Eielson. Oh well, enjoy anyway.

While a lot of people like to go to Eielson, a lot don't. It seems to me that the OP has made a wise choice. We will be there this coming July and are not going to Eielson, we have no desire to go that far into the park nor spend that much time on the buses.

I was you - 10 years ago! :D In the fall of 2005 - I seriously started planning my first Alaska cruise and land trip with my husband for the summer of 2007. By the late spring of 2006, I had booked our northbound Princess cruise. However, after spending a lot of time on the Cruise Critic Alaska forum - I was one of those poo-pooers of cruisetours! I was obsessed with the planning of our 9-night DIY land trip, and I spent a LOT of time working out our land itinerary - which didn't include Denali or Fairbanks. I loved our Alaska cruise and land trip so much that I planned another cruise plus DIY land trip for the following summer with 2 friends. (We did go to Denali then!)

Fast forward to 2014. Following a Sydney to Auckland cruise - I toured the South Island of NZ for 10 days and Tasmania for 5 days with two backpacker-style tour companies. It was great to have someone else do the driving and the guiding, although I still obsessed over which tour companies to choose! That summer I went on a Baltic cruise, followed by another guided tour - this time around Ireland for 8 days with a more upscale (than camping and hostels) tour company. Another great tour experience. Before our South America cruise this past February, I spent a week on my own in Argentina before joining a 15-day tour of (mostly) Patagonia. Once again - I obsessed over which itinerary and tour company to choose. It was a great relief to have someone else take care of the many details, and I was very pleased with my tour choice. I am now a big fan of guided tours - as long as the itinerary, tour style, and price match my priorities.

I commend you for doing your homework and choosing what works best for you and your mother. My only suggestion would be to consider upgrading your Denali Natural History Tour to the Tundra Wilderness Tour - as that goes considerably farther into Denali National Park. Enjoy your Princess cruisetour! :)

I commend you for doing your homework and choosing what works best for you and your mother. My only suggestion would be to consider upgrading your Denali Natural History Tour to the Tundra Wilderness Tour - as that goes considerably farther into Denali National Park. Enjoy your Princess cruisetour! :)

I definitely want to upgrade to the Tundra Wilderness tour, but my mom is not as certain. Our travel agent discouraged it based largely on the buses, but I was able to find pictures of the interior of the buses, and I think I can convince her that they will be ok with the stops every 90 minutes.

I know I could upgrade even if she decides not to, but I prefer to stay on same tour if possible...more shared memories. I also know I could just take Tolkat shuttle, but we like the narration on the tours so will stick with one of those.

I did find the Denlali National Park website extremely helpful for explaining the different shuttles, tours, and routes.

While others may turn their noses up at a cruise tour, you have clearly done the research and made a choice that is appropriate for you and your mom. You are to be commended. Don't let the naysayers of cruise tours get you down. You will have a great time.

Thank you!

I find I feel much lighter since making the decision for the cruisetour, but I'll admit that I still think about Alaska WAY too much.:D

glad you wrote about this. I have read about Alaska for years and the information can be over whelming with things to do and ways to do it. We ended up with cruise tour because I have spent my life planning everything..........and being involved in every thing. We had 3 sons and I was a coach for all sporting and academic endeavors. Volunteer at schools, hospital, parenting classes, etc........... Finally decided, I wanted a break on this trip. I am tired and wanted a vacation from planning. I felt guilty for booking cruise tour over DYI, but am happy with our decision. Our land and sea with Princess begins Aug. 2nd and we could not be more excited. Now we just have to decide what to pack...........lots more reading on these boards. Thanks for sharing;) Hope your mom and you have a memorable time together.

I definitely want to upgrade to the Tundra Wilderness tour, but my mom is not as certain. Our travel agent discouraged it based largely on the buses, but I was able to find pictures of the interior of the buses, and I think I can convince her that they will be ok with the stops every 90 minutes.

 

I know I could upgrade even if she decides not to, but I prefer to stay on same tour if possible...more shared memories. I also know I could just take Tolkat shuttle, but we like the narration on the tours so will stick with one of those.

 

I did find the Denlali National Park website extremely helpful for explaining the different shuttles, tours, and routes.

I'm heading to Alaska this June prior to a hip replacement in July so I understand your Mom's concerns about the buses. For years I have traveled on airlines with an inflatable Thermarest seat cushion and lumbar support http://www.amazon.com/Therm-a-Rest-Camp-Seat-Nautical-Blue/dp/B00AWQL5WY/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1463420478&sr=8-10&keywords=inflatable+seat+cushion

They roll up and easily fit in a day pack or tote. I will be using mine a lot on buses and trains on this trip :)

We really enjoyed our Off the Beaten Path Princess cruisetour that we did in July 2015. I knew neither of us wanted to be doing the driving for the same reasons that you outlined. Our cruise was northbound, so our land tour was afterward. If you're interested in seeing wildlife, I would definitely recommend an upgrade to the Tundra Wilderness Tour. If you want to read about our cruisetour, the link is in my signature below but you have to scroll through the part about Vancouver and the cruise to get to the land tour part of it.

I've done a cruise tour and a DIY with a car. Each trip was wonderful and I'm so happy that we have done both.

I think the people who don't like cruise tours, primarily object to being on someone else's schedule.

glad you wrote about this. I have read about Alaska for years and the information can be over whelming with things to do and ways to do it. We ended up with cruise tour because I have spent my life planning everything..........and being involved in every thing. We had 3 sons and I was a coach for all sporting and academic endeavors. Volunteer at schools, hospital, parenting classes, etc........... Finally decided, I wanted a break on this trip. I am tired and wanted a vacation from planning. I felt guilty for booking cruise tour over DYI, but am happy with our decision. Our land and sea with Princess begins Aug. 2nd and we could not be more excited. Now we just have to decide what to pack...........lots more reading on these boards. Thanks for sharing;) Hope your mom and you have a memorable time together.

Thank you so much for the kind wishes.

I completely understand what you are saying about wanting a vacation from planning. I also agree that the information can be overwhelming.

I too look forward to lots more reading on the boards and hope one of the things I get to read is a report about how much you loved your trip. You are only a few months away now...so exciting!:)

I'm heading to Alaska this June prior to a hip replacement in July so I understand your Mom's concerns about the buses. For years I have traveled on airlines with an inflatable Thermarest seat cushion and lumbar support http://www.amazon.com/Therm-a-Rest-Camp-Seat-Nautical-Blue/dp/B00AWQL5WY/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1463420478&sr=8-10&keywords=inflatable+seat+cushion

They roll up and easily fit in a day pack or tote. I will be using mine a lot on buses and trains on this trip :)

I appreciate the link and will definitely look into that as it would be much easier to pack than a pillow which we had discussed. I hope you have a fantastic trip and get a chance to post some pictures as well as any advice you would give to those of us traveling later. Best wishes for the surgery. Mom had knee replacement a few years ago, and the first few weeks were hard but worth it. That knee has never given her a moment's worry since (except at the airport;)).

I always said I wanted to take my mom to Alaska. By the time I was in a position to be able to do that it was too late for her to make such a trip. Your plans made me smile and I hope you enjoy every minute with her.

There are days when it seems too far away or too hard financially, and reading encouragement like this really helps. Thank you for reminding me what I knew all along...Mom is worth skipping a haircut or pinching my pennies until you can hear that tiny Abe Lincoln scream. She sure did sacrifice for me as a kid, and she's earned even more than I could ever hope to give her back.

I'm heading to Alaska this June prior to a hip replacement in July so I understand your Mom's concerns about the buses. For years I have traveled on airlines with an inflatable Thermarest seat cushion and lumbar support http://www.amazon.com/Therm-a-Rest-Camp-Seat-Nautical-Blue/dp/B00AWQL5WY/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1463420478&sr=8-10&keywords=inflatable+seat+cushion

 

They roll up and easily fit in a day pack or tote. I will be using mine a lot on buses and trains on this trip :)

I have their lumbar pillow and it never occurred to me to let the air out-- DUH!!

I originally booked a princess connoisseur cruisetour-- but through discovering how many excursions I would STILL need to purchase, I looked elsewhere. I found a Globus tour (10 days) that begins in Anchorage the day I disembark in Seward. For the same price, I added a few extra days and have A LOT more included. Don't assume you HAVE to do Princess.

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I appreciate the link and will definitely look into that as it would be much easier to pack than a pillow which we had discussed. I hope you have a fantastic trip and get a chance to post some pictures as well as any advice you would give to those of us traveling later. Best wishes for the surgery. Mom had knee replacement a few years ago, and the first few weeks were hard but worth it. That knee has never given her a moment's worry since (except at the airport;)).

I will definitely report on the details of our tour especially as we have done a DIY also.

My wife and I chose a cruisetour for largely similar reasons.

You forgot one factor: if something goes awry it's not your fault... :D

Enjoy your time with your mom! We took my mom with us to Alaska in 2013. She didn't join us for our DIY tour, but she did fly in 2 days before our cruise so she got to enjoy the train ride to Seward, a Kenai Fjords tour and a Behind the Scenes tour at the Alaska Sea Life Center. I did all the planning for us and we ranged in age from 13-76! Mom still talks about everything we did and I'm so glad she was able to join us. Next up for us (me, my 2 boys and mom)? HAWAII in 2018!

My wife and I chose a cruisetour for largely similar reasons.

 

You forgot one factor: if something goes awry it's not your fault... :D

SO TRUE!!! There was an immense pressure to get it just right when it is costing so very very much. I know my mom is easy to please, but thinking of all the variables and what could go wrong was making me bonkers.

SO TRUE!!! There was an immense pressure to get it just right when it is costing so very very much. I know my mom is easy to please, but thinking of all the variables and what could go wrong was making me bonkers.

Same here. My wife is very understanding; the problem is me. I would put myself under great pressure to make everything perfect and would have trouble truly enjoying the trip.

I'm all for DIY, and we often do so when cruising the Caribbean. If we go back I may DIY. First time though, I'm going to let someone else handle all that stuff.

Totally agree with you all. Even though it is pricier, neither one of us has to drive, or plan out anything. Our first cruise was a Med 12 day. We did all ships tours, even though our roll call was active and we could have joined in on DIYs. It was nice to have it all planned out, even though while we were waiting with the herds, ummm, groups, we were "mooing" to ourselves....:D

If you know exactly what you're getting into, it is your choice. When we are on vaca, we feel like paying a premium is worth it, to make our time easier. Instead of worrying about where to get a car or taxi, or planning a hotel, we got to sit and chat with each other and enjoy the experience of new places.

Yes, there were times where I wanted to stay longer somewhere, or missed a sight that would have been nice, but I got to see so many places I never had seen before, and make lovely memories.

We cannot wait for our Alaska connoisseur cruisetour...go ahead and tell me where to line up and where to eat....less hassle for me to figure out the logistics, when all I want is to just to relax and get away from my everyday work world. Let someone else do the planning!

Txwriter, have a wonderful trip with mom. I took my mom, who was 90 at the time, on a 5 day to the Bahamas. Planned all the airport stuff and rented a wheelchair to be delivered to the ship. We had the best time...I and she, will never forget that wonderful memory. It won't matter what you guys do, spending time together is the most important thing, especially if you can be "present" and not have to worry about planning!

Totally agree with you all. Even though it is pricier, neither one of us has to drive, or plan out anything. Our first cruise was a Med 12 day. We did all ships tours, even though our roll call was active and we could have joined in on DIYs. It was nice to have it all planned out, even though while we were waiting with the herds, ummm, groups, we were "mooing" to ourselves....:D

 

If you know exactly what you're getting into, it is your choice. When we are on vaca, we feel like paying a premium is worth it, to make our time easier. Instead of worrying about where to get a car or taxi, or planning a hotel, we got to sit and chat with each other and enjoy the experience of new places.

Yes, there were times where I wanted to stay longer somewhere, or missed a sight that would have been nice, but I got to see so many places I never had seen before, and make lovely memories.

 

We cannot wait for our Alaska connoisseur cruisetour...go ahead and tell me where to line up and where to eat....less hassle for me to figure out the logistics, when all I want is to just to relax and get away from my everyday work world. Let someone else do the planning!

 

Txwriter, have a wonderful trip with mom. I took my mom, who was 90 at the time, on a 5 day to the Bahamas. Planned all the airport stuff and rented a wheelchair to be delivered to the ship. We had the best time...I and she, will never forget that wonderful memory. It won't matter what you guys do, spending time together is the most important thing, especially if you can be "present" and not have to worry about planning!

Thank you.

I love the fact that a cruisetour is available for those who want or need that option. I also love the idea of a DIY trip (I had a great one planned before changing my mind). For us, it boiled down, as you said, to the ease of logistics and the ability to spend more time with each other, engaged instead of worrying.