What Bucket List Item Failed to Live Up to Expectations?

[cruiseny4life]

26 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

I can only think of one item that really disappointed, and it's kinda odd:  

 

When I was a teenager I did a cross-country driving trip, and I was SO INCREDIBLY MOVED by Mt. Rushmore.  The vast size, the connection to past generations, the feeling that anything is possible in America, the patriotism.  

When my own children were teenagers, we did a similar driving trip, and I was excited about seeing Mt. Rushmore again /sharing it with my own family.  It didn't strike me the same way it did when I was younger, and I have no idea why.  

You just need to see it in the snow! I've visited a couple times with snow on the ground and those flags provide such a pop of color to the grey and white background, but certainly not an experience such as seeing other stunning natural places. I've learned the hand of man can only do so much.

[donaldsc]

4 hours ago, herbanrenewal said:

You are absolutely correct.  Because i travelled with a friend and her daughter we switched to a one week round trip, since daughter couldnt take more than a week off work. Thereby missing the experiences that I had anticipated. While I'm no longer much for wilderness trekking I still love nature. 

Bottom line - know what you are buying! Do your homework with planning. Being disappointed with Alaska was more my fault than a "bad cruise"

 

I have been to AK many times.  My suggestion for AK if you have the time and money is not to do another AK cruise but stay 3 or 4 weeks and rent a car and plan or I should say sort of plan a DIY trip.  Some years back we spent almost 3 months in AK and drove almost every driveable and some less driveable road in AK.  We put 12,000 miles on the car (car and not RV) on that trip.  At the end of the trip my wife and I were still talking.

 

DON

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I've visited several times. I've found that showing up about 15 minutes til opening means you'll have the place virtually to yourself for about the first hour -- you, the guards and a few stray dogs. It's fun watching the army roll in with their jeep and raise the gigantic Greek flag that flies off the back...

 

 

Showing up just as a place opens or very close to opening always seems to work well. In Stockholm, we got to the Vasa just as it opened. In Dublin, just before opening we were near the front of the line for the Book of Kells at Trinity College. (Spent the little time we had to wait schmoozing with some other cruise passengers who were on the line.)

[herbanrenewal]

3 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

I have been to AK many times.  My suggestion for AK if you have the time and money is not to do another AK cruise but stay 3 or 4 weeks and rent a car and plan or I should say sort of plan a DIY trip.  Some years back we spent almost 3 months in AK and drove almost every driveable and some less driveable road in AK.  We put 12,000 miles on the car (car and not RV) on that trip.  At the end of the trip my wife and I were still talking.

 

DON

You've described how I've travelled for about 20-30 years. I've rented cars in Australia, Ireland, Germany, Spain and Italy. I've also done 3-4 week train trips throughout Europe. When my kids were little we camped throughout the USA  - in a canvas tent. Including a 5 week trip from the east coast to the Rockies, then up into Alberta Canada. Maine is another prime trip - and dont stop at the coast - the interior lakes are magnificent. Ive experienced sitting by a dying campfire and having a moose run between me and the tent as he headed for the lake.

For me travel has always been as essential as food and shelter. Now I'm in my mid 70s and cruising suits my need to travel with minimal unpacking every few days. I guess thats part of why I look at my Alaska cruise as a missed opportunity.

[Mary229]

4 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Showing up just as a place opens or very close to opening always seems to work well. In Stockholm, we got to the Vasa just as it opened. In Dublin, just before opening we were near the front of the line for the Book of Kells at Trinity College. (Spent the little time we had to wait schmoozing with some other cruise passengers who were on the line.)

Yes, it seems to me the whole world sleeps in and early risers always have some peace and quiet