Which is more motivating? Alaskan Cruise or Hawaii Trip?

OK, which is more motivating? A week's trip to Hawaii (island of Oahu/Waikiki Beach, staying at the Hale Koa resort) or a 7-day cruise from Seattle-Alaska (and back.)

Hawaii comments ...

My wonderful DH took me there in Dec 2005 and in Dec 2006 and we had a blast. And I've been there about 5-6 other times when I was younger. We would have to stay on Oahu, because that's where the military resort is.  And I hate that long plane ride from LAX or SFO. 

I am not really a hot-weather sort of gal.

Alaska comments ....

I've never been to Seattle, or British Columbia or anywhere in Alaska, and I'd love the chance to see Alaskan sea otters, Orcas, whales, bears, wildlife. There are some nifty day excursions available for purchase from the Cruise.  The Cruise Line is Holland America, and we loved them for our 3-week South American Cruise in 2004.  The downside ... I get really, really, really, REALLY seasick, but figure that will probably just help me eat healthier on board the cruise.  Food costs are largely included in the cruise price, but we would probably shell out $$ for the shore excursions.  My DH has never been to Alaska or to British Columbia.

I am definitely a cold-weather sort of gal.

Decisions ... Decisions ....  Any thoughts?

(Either trip would probably be in early May, unless DH gets re-deployed to Iraq)

=^..^= MOLLY

Sounds like you already have chosen, inside. :)

p.s. I really really hope he doesn't get redeployed. Fingers crossed.

Definately Alaska! I have never been to Hawaii but that is going to be a gift to myself after losing all my weight and hitting goal weight.

You have already been to Hawaii but not on an Alaskan cruise. I say go for Alaska then. As far as the sea sickness goes they have dramamine which should help with that. I have sea sickness too. Once I took a cruise ship to Catalina Island which was only an hour or so trip and got so sea sick. But I felt as if I had something to take like dramamine I would have been fine.

I say go out of your comfort zone and try something new. Besides I don't like hot weather either and you will feel more comfortable with the cooler air.

Whichever you choose I hope you have a blast!

Let us know what you decide.

That's a tough one. At first glance, I'd go with HI just because I'm freezing at the moment. :P And I'm also a cold weather gal. ;) I also don't do cruises.

 

I've always wanted to visit Alaska though.  Seeing as you've already been to HI and never to Alaska, I change my vote. Life is short.

Original Post by shiagirl:

 As far as the sea sickness goes they have dramamine which should help with that. I have sea sickness too.

I am allergic to ALL prescription and over-the-counter anti-motion sickness meds.

And ginger.

And because I had carpal tunnel surgery, I can't wear those wrist band thingies, either. So ... when I say "seasick" ... I mean seasick!!!!  (I get queasy sitting on a water bed and can't lay on a float in the swimming pool!) 

LOL! After watching me be seasick for 3 weeks in 2004, my wonderful DH thinks I am absolutely NUTS for considering another cruise!!!

=^..^= MOLLY

Is there a third option?

Montreal is lovely in May. We could go out for a lovely French dinner. ;)

it sounds like you've already make a decision...

Alaska all the way! but I grew up on the BC coast so I would root for an Alaska trip anyway haha. I've never been on a cruise but i've "roughed it" a lot camping and boating on the coast. It is truely spectacular!

Regarding the motion sickness, I totally feel your pain! I have severe motion sickness and havn't been able to find anything that works really well. Have you tried Phenergan? I know you can get it over the counter in the states. I've heard it's pretty effective, and it's the next thing i'm going to try for a 10 hour flight!!! It better work haha. What about anti-anxiety medication? I havn't tried that one either, but my best friend  (who's a pharmacist) is thinking that could be a possible solution.

Oh i hope you have a fabulous time whichever destination you choose.

Original Post by trustwomen:

Is there a third option?

Montreal is lovely in May. We could go out for a lovely French dinner. ;)

Ahh, tres bien! (Ahh, very good!)

We are interested in Canada, but it would have to be when we could take a longer trip. (My mom, by the way, was Canadian.)

=^..^= MOLLY

By the way, my wonderful DH (ever the comedian), just read this thread and said .... "Hmmm... bask in the sun, or barf on the but ... bask or barf ... how motivating!"

* wanders off to throw pillows at DH *

=^..^= MOLLY

Serioulsy Molly.....

Do you really want to be sick the entire time? Why would you even consider Alaska cruise knowing you will be sick if you can't take anything for sea sickness?

Go to Hawaii and wear a nice cool Moo Moo and be happy and warm and enjoy the scenery. :)

Can you go to Alaska but not on a cruise?  Cause it sounds like you're kind of more interested in Alaska...

Cruises do not appeal to me in the least.

I can't think of anything worse than being stuck in what's essentially a hotel, just on the water.

So any other choice that does not involve a cruise ship would get my vote.

Soooooooo... does it have to be either Alaska or Hawaii? What about... France? Spain? Maine?

If it has to be one of the two I was going to say Alaska because you've already been to Hawaii. But like Shia said -- would you really consider a cruise knowing how sick you got in 2004? Personally that doesn't sound like much fun.

And - you can't really go wrong with Hawaii can you? Go to some of the non-touristy areas if there are any. That would be soooo beautiful.

I'd say Alaska since you haven't been there yet.  As far as the motion sickness, I too get very motion sick even at 50.  I have taken the "remedies" and none of them have worked.  I have found that on boat and plane, if I drank a beer (or two) and at that point I didn't care what time of day it was, I got over the motion sickness.  I guess mine is a lot of times anxiety, but it worked and I didn't care how.  I've had a bunch of friends go to Alaska, most of them not on cruises but they had wonderful times.  It's a whole new world from what I understand from their conversations.

I would say Alaska, but 7 days of motion sickness would be truly awful!  How are you on trains?  You could try a scenic train trip up to Alaska.

BTW, if your DH has any single younger clones, send them my way! 

Sea sickness aside, ALASKA!  Could you try hypnotism?  Or acupuncture?  You can't be allergic to them, surely, and anything to get rid of the sea sickness, right?  There must be something to help.  Come on people, let's get Molly to Alaska!

Well, since I have lived in the area of Alaska that you are talking about cruising, I'm going to chime in on that one.  Considering your seasickness, I would say, SKIP IT!!  There are several areas on that particular cruise that are NASTY that time of year.  DH and took a ferry out of Alaska a couple years ago and the seas were enough to put me off boats for life!  There are other times of year, usually July and early August that are much better, but still touch and go.  I honestly think, if you want to see that part of the country, do it when you have more time and just fly from one place to another.

I am in agreement with you about preferring cooler weather, but in this instance, all matters considered, I would choose Hawaii.   Or, better yet, come to Guam and I'll take you to every seafood restaurant on the island... LOL!!!

Alaska would be my choice.  I love Hawaii and was married on Maui, but if you've never been to Alaska ( I haven't) then I would go to where you've never been.  My friend took a land only trip to Alaska and loved it, so maybe you could go w/o taking a cruise.  I love cruising myself and only suffer mildly from seasickness, so I can usually get through it.  But, aside from oral medications, there are patches to wear behind your ears for seasickness.  My dad gets violently sea sick (a side effect of being transported in very close quarters on a boat when he was serving in Vietnam).  He wears the patch and is fine, and nothing else helped him.  I don't know if the patch counts as a prescribed medication that you are allergic to, but if not talk to your doctor about it.

PS- No deployment for Ron, No deployment for Ron, No deployment for Ron (sending prayers)

OK ... I've cut and pasted all your comments and sent them in an email to my wonderful DH ... who said that HE will decide what he thinks will be best for me. Of course, there are pros and cons to both, but part of me is just masochistic enough to put up with seasickness to see orcas, otters, whales, bears, sea lions, seals, moose, etc. 

(DH is especially entertained by the thought of me on a smaller, whale-watching boat since the LAST time I went whale watching in 1982, the whale bumped my boat and it capsized! Poor, wonderful man that he is, how did he ever get stuck with such a crazy wife as me!?)

Then again, when I was in Hawaii in 1986 a volcano erupted AND a Hurricane flooded the place. Hmmm ... maybe traveling with me is dangerous!?

Of course, the weather was beautiful last December in Hawaii, but he kept having to drag me out of the water because they kept spotting sharks in the area ... and a surfer got chomped about 100 yards from me.

Ahh ... who knew diet motivation could be so much fun, huh?

=^..^= MOLLY

Either one will be fun.. Personally I have always wanted to go ona cruise to alaska, I saw a show on the travel channel about it and it looks fantastic!!! But Hawaii would be great to!! :-P

Hi, As somebody who works in SE Alaska (which is where the majority of cruise ships go) every summer,  I feel it is my duty to inform you that that region recieves an nearly unbearable amount of steady rain, especially during May. The area is a temperate rainforest, so it's not particularly cold (in fact, it is typically below the snow level) it is just wet. You practically need gills to breath. I have taken the trip on the public ferry from Seattle- Juneau many times and often everything is so shrouded in mist that the scenery can be entirely missed. The mist is part of the charm, for sure, but if rain turns you off then I definitely suggest Hawaii.

Ketchikan receives 130 inches of rain a year. Just for reference, New York receives 30 inches of rain a year.

Just a little FYI! Hope that helps.