bucket list travelers

[kjohn]

Hi,

I'm a reporter for the New York Times, working on a story about "bucket lists" -- what sorts of things people put in them to do and see, and why this has become a phenomenon. I'm looking to speak with people who have done this and are checking things off.

Please contact me at kjohn@nytimes.com

Thanks and happy cruising.

[Cactuscruise]

Hi,

I'm a reporter for the New York Times, working on a story about "bucket lists" -- what sorts of things people put in them to do and see, and why this has become a phenomenon. I'm looking to speak with people who have done this and are checking things off.

Please contact me at kjohn@nytimes.com

Thanks and happy cruising.

 

No mystery here...bucket lists have been propted by the movie, The Bucket List.

[uppitycats]

No mystery here...bucket lists have been propted by the movie, The Bucket List.

 

He's not suggesting it is a mystery! He's asking who has a cruise (or cruises) on their bucket list.. or rather, who had a cruise on their bucket list, to email him (her?), tell him all about it!

[LHT28]

I do not think it is anything new other than the term "Bucket list"

People travel or do other things in life when they find they have more years behind them than in front of them.:D

 

They may start a list of things to do before they run out of time.

EG:a wish list, a to do before I die list

whatever you call want to call it I think a lot of people have one

[Texaswinediva]

That would be an article I would be interested in reading.

I think everyone has a "bucket list". Whether it is in their head

or written down.

Every one has things they want to do and places to see before they die.

Of course, some people have more time and money and therefore

it is easier for them to accomplish.

I think as we age, we are more conscious of the things we have not

done yet and want to do. And this doesn't always have to be traveling,

it could mean just everyday things. (relationships, etc.)

Just some thoughts.

[momofmeg]

Well, we would like to cruise Hawaii, cruise the med, and do a land trip of Switzerland, Austria, and Germany.

 

Once we do those, if we are still kicking,we would like to do a full Panama canal cruise, a baltic cruise, another transatlantic, and another to Alaska.

[Bowie MeMe]

Mom of Meg. I have completed every one of your bucket list in the last few years and ALL were absolutely wonderful. Add Australia and Amazon cruise with Machu Picchu and an African safari. My problem is that every single trip you meet someone who has been someplace fabulous and the list grows instead of coming down.

 

I would like to comment to the NY Times reporter -- the bucket list is fun and a full life is an always evolving and involving bucket list. Also we have for many years been working our way through 1000 places to see before you die. This year we added the US National Park System passport and are trying to revisit the parks that we enjoyed years ago BEFORE the passport. This should last me through my traveling days. Add Grandchildren and great friends -- it's a great bucket to be in.

[momofmeg]

Mom of Meg. I have completed every one of your bucket list in the last few years and ALL were absolutely wonderful. Add Australia and Amazon cruise with Machu Picchu and an African safari. My problem is that every single trip you meet someone who has been someplace fabulous and the list grows instead of coming down.

 

I would like to comment to the NY Times reporter -- the bucket list is fun and a full life is an always evolving and involving bucket list. Also we have for many years been working our way through 1000 places to see before you die. This year we added the US National Park System passport and are trying to revisit the parks that we enjoyed years ago BEFORE the passport. This should last me through my traveling days. Add Grandchildren and great friends -- it's a great bucket to be in.

 

You know, hubby would go to Africa and Australia, but I am not particularly interested. I am not interested in South America either or Asia. But, if I am kicking long enough, I would do those also.

[jocap]

My one, never changing "biggie" is to cruise on the Hebridean Princess. It's so expensive that I haven't the nerve to spend the money right now, as I can get several other cruises for it. I first cruised on her- if you can call it that- when she was a humble car ferry in the 60s, plying from Oban to the Isle of Mull, and you could live aboard for 4 days and trips off were arranged for you. I was a new teacher, and could afford to take my Mum somewhere she'd always wanted to go. She talked about it until her death many years later.

Now she's one of the top ships in Berlitz, and was hired by the Queen for her 80th birthday. And- it WILL happen one day!...jocap.

[iancal]

As I approach retirement in the very near future and have more time, our list is growing.....it includes:

 

-get our kit down to a smaller carryon...21 inch roller each is still too big.

-train travel w/stops Moscow-Peking, then on to Hong Kong and then a relaxing cruise from HK or elsewhere to Vancouver

-two months in South America just travelling around the way the locals do

-two months in the Middle East and Africa

-a month or so to revisit Turkey,,,and if the borders are open travel west from there, if they are not, another month in Greece.

-and in between...audit some of those post secondary/post graduate courses that I always wanted to take but were not in my program. I will soon be on a different 'program'

[leagle]

I certainly am working my way through my list, one made long before the film, but it is right to say that age has made me more aware of the possibility of not seeing places or doing the things I have dreamed of all my life. (Pan Am went bust years ago, so I had to fly around the world without hear the magical "Pan American Flight 1, now leaving for New York, London, Rome Cairo...." well, that's how I remember it)

Getting older has also yielded the money and the professional clout to take the time off I need for travelling although living in England and my profession were on my list so I suppose I could say I get to live my list.

I am waiting for Madagascar and Iran to settle down a bit, but the Galapagos Islands, the whale sharks in Belize, Egypt, Damascus, Japan and flying through the Grand Canyon were every bit as wonderful as I had hoped. I love my husband, but mostly travel alone because it is my bucket list and he has his own.

A transatlantic crossing was on the list and I am crossing from Southampton to New York on the Queen Mary 2 in August 2010.

May we all get through our lists and sit someday in our rocking chairs with a contented smile on our lips

[plstraveler]

Anyone who likes to travel has an idea of the places that are top on the list and then secondary. The movie has just put a 'name' to the process. Sometimes the list gets changed based on timing, life events, etc. and the trips that require more physical ability such as extensive walking, hiking, biking, etc just get moved to the top!

[szdiver]

I have put a few things in my bucket in the past few years - parasailing, scuba diving, to name a few.....still working on several more.

[RTanner]

Funny thing - I put my "Bucket List" on paper last week. Things left to do:

 

(1) Go to Russia (Going in June)

(2) Take wife to see Israel and Egypt (I was there in 1983)

(3) Wall on Great Wall

(4) European River cruise

(5) Fall cruise to Montreal

(6) Set foot on Australia and Antarctica (Last two continents I have been on)

(7) Athens and Venice

(8) Go to Hawaii and Montana (Will make 50 States I've been in)

 

All reasonable, all doable and we still have time (I think?)

[okimot]

Since retiring over 13 years ago we have cruised to Alaska twice, through the Panama canal twice, the Baltic twice and to the Caribbean and the Med several times. Also been to Las Vegas six times and seen the Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Park, Niagara falls. Also been shopping in New York.

Done over 60 cruises including 40 on RCCL.

We live in England so we have to fly to the USA for some of the cruises.

:):):)

[tomko2]

Going to Egypt was on our bucket list so we took a cruise on the Legend of the Seas in August 2007; touching the Pyramid of Giza was awesome.

 

Non-cruise; My DH's bucket list had skiing in the USA (we are Canadians). In December we flew from our winter home in Florida to Lake Tahoe for a week of skiing at Heavenly. Stayed at Harrahs Lake Tahoe with views of the mountains and the Lake. Spectacular trip!

 

The only cruise left on our bucket list is one that will take us to Cuba!

 

Kathy:)

[jocap]

The only cruise left on our bucket list is one that will take us to Cuba!

 

Kathy:)

Funnily enough, we were looking at the Thomson's new ship Dream, today....new to them, but old for Costa! Their Cuba cruise has 3 nights in Havana, or we can fly in there and out from Jamaica- or vice versa. We've not been on Thomson's- till next month, so don't know how we'll get along with them, tho' they get good reviews. We've been on plenty of their flights, and their package hotels. We flew Thomson to Fort L. for a Princess cruise once, and that was good for a long-haul flight, plus they use local, tiny airports.

They don't start till next winter, tho', so we'll have to see!

jocap.

[tomko2]

Funnily enough, we were looking at the Thomson's new ship Dream, today....new to them, but old for Costa! Their Cuba cruise has 3 nights in Havana, or we can fly in there and out from Jamaica- or vice versa. We've not been on Thomson's- till next month, so don't know how we'll get along with them, tho' they get good reviews. We've been on plenty of their flights, and their package hotels. We flew Thomson to Fort L. for a Princess cruise once, and that was good for a long-haul flight, plus they use local, tiny airports.

They don't start till next winter, tho', so we'll have to see!

jocap.

 

 

I will have to look into this possibility. Three nights in Havana would be awesome.

Thank for the info!

Kathy:)

[jocap]

I will have to look into this possibility. Three nights in Havana would be awesome.

Thank for the info!

Kathy:)

Kathy- I've been reminded to tell you that these are VERY British ships, and you're likely to be offered things like fish 'n' chips and treacle puddings! Plus, the tea will be STRONG!!!:o

Also, most of the pax will be Brits, so it could come as a shock if you've only travelled on the main lines.:eek:

Jo.

[perthorchid]

dont worry were a freindly bunch. Im from scotland and on the maiden cruise of the thomson dream in april. a wee short 5 nighter around the med. Ist cruise alone since my other half past away in november. We cruised lots, with many lines rcci. celebration, costa ncl etc but thomson was the friendliest so as a woman alone i think it will be best for me.

[jocap]

dont worry were a freindly bunch. Im from scotland and on the maiden cruise of the thomson dream in april. a wee short 5 nighter around the med. Ist cruise alone since my other half past away in november. We cruised lots, with many lines rcci. celebration, costa ncl etc but thomson was the friendliest so as a woman alone i think it will be best for me.

Oh, P.O.- so sorry for your loss.

I'm sure that the first cruise alone is sensible on Thomson's.

We're going for the 1st time to the Red Sea- actually, it's less than my countdown clock says, because we're having a week in Sharm first, which is why my arm is tender from the jabs the Dr. decided we'd need.....wouldn't have needed them just for the cruise!- one in each arm on Mon, then a triple one today. Surprised that they were free!!!

Have a lovely time on Dream. We're wondering about the Cuba btb, or the transatlantic. Everyone says that the entertainment is the best at sea, so might go for that.

Enjoy!:)

Jo.

[eded1953]

Hi!

I also am checking off things on my "bucket list" I have done SOOOO much but the only thing really left to do is go to Philadelphia and run up those stairs like Rocky Balboa.

Crazy but something I would love to do.

Linda

[oceancreek]

I will be wondering what it's like on the bigger american ships since they are now on my bucket list. Have managed to tick a lot of places of the list in my head over the years. With the kids it slows you down a bit but have managed to take them to places like Greece, Israel, Egypt and of course Florida. The youngest has also accompanied us to New York and the Carolinas so Charleston has also been ticked off the list.

Picking up on the kids and over 55 postings we had a big gap between the older 2 and the younger one so just starting to holiday without any of them tagging along - after 25 years. Our first week long cruise being the Red Sea so have now ticked Petra off the list and this year will be adding Ephesus to that.

Still not wanting to leave the youngest - although we have the eldest at home, for more than a week - too much washing to come back too. So on our list for future years will be more trips to USA, Carribean cruises, Mexico, Panama Canal - and of course winning the lottery to pay for them.

Would appreciate any tips/suggestions re the best ships and cruises. I am thinking rather than booking fly cruises from the UK that might be better to book flights, hotels in various locations, a cruise, then hotel for a few more days before flying home. Would it be better to spend a few days in New York and then join a cruise from there, or better to head for Charlkeston, Galveston or Florida. Also looking at possibility of few days in Las Vegas or San Francisco - there seem to be some good prices for fly cruise plus 3 days in Vegas, fly to LA and then a Mexican cruise.

[joybug]

Oceancreek, a few days in London prior to your cruise would be great. So easy to get around London with the Tube (subway). You can buy your Tube tickets on line before you go.

[jocap]

I'm no expert on that, but I do know that it can be a tad cheaper if you're just going to the Caribbean, to go with the fly cruise from UK if they charter their own flights....P&O, Sea Princess and Thomson. If they just fly you their own way with scheduled flights, they sometimes have you changing and hanging round. The worst we had was with NCL- aflight from Newcastle to Barcelona....say 2 or 2 1/2 hrs....ended up as a FULL DAY including waiting at Amsterdam, and they could only arrange it for 2 days before we sailed, so we had to have 2 nights in Bcn as well......I mean, it was OK, but pointless!-esp. as easyjet fly there for £49 every day!

Hope you enjoy searching- Jo.