Would the Alaska trip entail changing hotels, moving suitcases, etc.? If so, your MIL might find that a bit much. We did a cruise land tour in AK and we changed hotels 9 times. Saw a lot, loved the trip, but it was a demanding pace.

Why would you have changed hotels 9 times on a cruise ship, socks? Am I missing something?

My parents have done the Alaska cruise a few times, and got back on Saturday from their 3rd Panama cruise. They love them both equally, but for different reasons. Going north, you're seeing mountains, snow, glaciers and whole different terrain. Going through the Panama, it's hotter, different ports of call, different things to see. I think it all just boils down to, do you want to melt, or freeze? LOL It can get pretty hot in Alaska, just depends on the time of year you go. They've also done the Carribean. Sometimes I wish my mom posted here. They're cruise junkies. Their last cruise was a month long. From Ft Lauderdale, through the Panama canal up the west coast to Vancouver, BC.

I'm taking my 14 year old GS on a 7 day Alaskan cruise in June, roundtrip from Seattle.

First time, 6 years ago, I went with friends, and we did the cruise and Denali, which was terrific.

I didn't use the pool on the Alaskan cruise, but I did notice it was indoors.

This is a larger ship, I'm going on this time, and there are indoor and outdoor pools, but when I am going it is still going to be in the upper 50's and low 60's. brrrr

I'm going on the Golden Princess in June, and we have a mini suite with balcony.

Love the Caribbean. I prefer Southern Caribbean, just cause.

Think Caribbean cruises are JUST FUN!

I did Costa Rica, Panama, and Belize, and going again in February of 012. Didn't do the canal.

Enjoy Puerto Rica, St Thomas, (btw, Ginger retired and has moved).

If I had the chance to take my family, whole family, I would LOVE a Hawaiian cruise.

Friend went in March on the Allure of the Seas and said it was one of the best cruises she has ever been on.

Your mom might enjoy a Mediterranean cruise. Wonderful!

Sox stated that her's was a cruise/land tour. That's what I've done, too, and also had to change hotels often (on the land part, of course). So I agree; that may be too much for your MIL (heck, it was too much for me. Aggravation).

Do you have any sense of where you MIL would really prefer to go? I think I'd try to figure that out first. Otherwise, I'd try to find out which of the choices would be most fitting to her, her activity level, likes/dislikes, etc.

Thanks for the replies, so far.

It is my MIL herself who offered up the itineraries, all of which she has done in the past. She is extremely spry for her age so the logistics are not at all an issue! I don't think she has a preference, just wants her 3 children and their spouses to give input as to when and where.

debby_ab - I so agree with your statement "I think it all just boils down to, do you want to melt, or freeze?". That is exactly what my DH and I were saying!

Glenda - We will be going on a Princess Cruise also. I don't think my MIL has ever gone with another cruise line because her and her friend LOVE Princess.

We did an Alaska land/sea trip with Princess in Alaska and loved it. We did change hotels several times but basically, they delivered us to the next location and by the time we got to our rooms, our luggage was there and you could do as much or as little as you wanted. I'm sure at the 2nd Denali stop there were people who did nothing but sit on the terrace waiting for the mountain to come out of the clouds and others who did all sorts of activities. It was a great trip. We've also done a partial Panama Canal trip which was a great trip - would like to do a full one someday.

I've done the canal twice, the first time I was just so/so with it, went along because it was my job. What a huge mistake, it was wonderful! I was not prepared for how interesting it was! Like you, I am sort ho-hum with the Caribbean at least at this stage of my life. We are doing Alaska one day...it keeps getting put off for other, more 'exciting' things, tho DH really wants to do this.

I vote for the canal!

Having done southern and Alaskan, if I were choosing, I'd choose the Alaskan. We did alaska without doing Denali. Next time we will do that......We have been to the Caribbean twice and plan to go back but the Alaskan cruise was still more fun and a better ship.

Honestly, your cruise should be about the ship and what you can or have to do on the ship. The ports of call are fast and you don't have enough time to see more or do more than the tourist things on shore and for the most part, it's visiting a third world country where they just want your tourist dollars.

The Panama Canal my neighbor did and while the canal itself was interesting, it was their least favorite cruise. Now I haven't been and can't say if that is true. They just returned yesterday from a Barcelona Cruise.......I think really what you have to decide is whether if you were taking a trip instead of a cruise, would you go to Alaska or south........

We've enjoyed Princess too. I prefer the smaller ships to the new floating *cities*.

I think any of these three choices would be fun. I would go for whichever gives me the best break from poor weather at home.

I'd skip a crusise TO Hawaii. There's too much time at sea and not enough time at the destination, and you have to detour to some dull place just to comply with the 'foreign port' law. I'd skip the NCL cruise AROUND Hawaii -- not a lovely 'cruise' experience; it's more just room, board and transportation. (OK if your goal is to glimpse the highlights of four islands.)

The last three years I've vacationed in Alaska. Twice on a cruise (Holland America and Celebrity cruise lines) and one land tour for the Iditarod.

This year (last month actually), I did a 16 day Panama Canal Celebrity cruise.

There are pros and cons with both destinations.

Alaska: There's a comfort level because it's part of the US, no money exchange worries and the language is familiar.

The ports are lovely and especially enjoyable if you hit them on a good day. It can be bitterly cold in AK, at least for a So Cal girl like me, but I enjoy the cold (my vacation previous to AK was Antarctica). I've hit ports in AK when it was pouring rain sideways and during record high temps. I enjoyed both for different reasons. I go for the adventure and wildlife, not the weather.

Panama Canal: If you're intimidated by cultural differences, language barriers and money exchange issues this may not be the tour for you. Some of the ports are even considered dangerous.

The weather is hot and only gets hotter and more humid as you head closer to the equator. If you're prone to burning, this may not be a good choice simply because the sun is so intense. Even with sunscreen we saw plenty of burned people.

A lot of people never left the ship for the majority of the six port cities we stopped at. They cruise for the ship, it's amenities, companionship and food. The ports to them are secondary. It's the trip, not the destination they like.

The time spent in any given port city is usually pretty short so I look at cruises as a scouting trip to sample places I might want to come back and visit some day. It works well if you keep that in mind. Plus between the ship and dockside kiosks, there are usually plenty of opportunities to cram a lot of stuff into a very short stay...if you have the funds.

Note: fewer funds are needed for shore excursions booked off the ship but the ship will not wait for you should your tour bus break down 40 miles out of town causing you to miss the departure time. Book on board (for roughly twice the price) and they will wait.

As far as the Caribbean goes, I'd pass too. Been there, done that, moved on. :-)

Jodi-

I enjoy cruising and I enjoy cruising the Caribbean and am going again.

Though on most Caribbean cruises, lately, I just stay on the ship and skip the excursions. Been there done that, and the pool side is practically empty then :o)

I've never been on a cruise, but DD has. I found the site below very helpful in choosing a ship.

Sounds like a wonderful way to celebrate a 80th birthday!

Here is a link that might be useful: Cruise Critic

And a balcony is well worth the money!

WE've never been to Panama Canal, but we've done a lot of traveling, and I've yet to see anything prettier than Alaska. The chance to see so much wildlife and scenery, I'd go back there in a heartbeat. And if get to do Denali too...lucky you! It's gorgeous.

I think Alaska is prettier too and much more diverse.....After awhile, a beach is a beach is a beach. I have to be honest and say that we never book the ship tours. We usually hire our own driver and or cab and see whatever we want to see. One of our drivers in Alaska, Hank, was a local singer in the evening and supporting himself as a driver. He was a black guy from the south and we had a blast with him. He took us to all the tourist sites but also to places in town where the locals eat and that sort of thing.....Hiring our own driver also means that he drives us to the door and we get out or he drives us where ever and it doesn't include a lot of walking ...At 72 we are not eager to walk 5 blocks to get to a tourist place or a shopping place and it doesn't cost any more than booking something on the ship for a bus with 25 other shipmates.

I wouldn't do the Alaska one w/ an 80 y o that involves the changes to a hotel, etc. Our Alaska cruise was just that--a 8 day cruise from Vancouver. It was great. I know this wasn't one of your choices, but we did the Nova Scotia, Bar Harbor, Maine, Boston, Newport RI, and another port---maybe Newfoundland--can't remember. Went out of NYC and I enjoyed it more than Alaska. Have done 2 to the Caribbean and would put it at the end of my list. We're looking into a Paname cruise now. But that one to New England and Canada was more outstanding to me, b/c the ports in Alaska all kinda look the same.

I did a fall foilage cruise from New York two years ago. T'was nice. Little chilly and foggy! Stayed on the ship! Wouldn't do it again though!

I love the Cruise Critic's website...used it extensively before our 1st cruise back in 2007. I've been reading up on the Alaska and the Panama cruises. Think I'm leaning towards Alaska for several reasons, the main one being that we would go during the summer. And that means one of my sons would be available to help out at DH's office (he is self employed).

Keep your comments coming, though, because I am learning so much from all your responses!

My husband is a member of Cruise Critic and apparently made some posts before we went on the Panama Canal cruise last month. Because of his membership and posts on Cruise Critic, specifically the Celebrity Infinity canal cruise, we were invited to several CC get togethers while on the cruise and a very cool bridge tour where we got to see where the captain and his officers navigate the ship.

Jodi-