Hellobee Boards

They're so different so I'm having a hard time voting. If I were gonna go to Europe and I'd already been (I have many times) I wouldn't do a cruise. Any reason why you picked a cruise there? I had a great time on a family cruise to Alaska on princess though!

An Alaskan cruise is on my bucket list, so I would definitely choose that

Europe, mostly for the fact that you and your SO can have a vacation alone!

I vote Alaska! I did an Italian/Greek cruise and loved it, but it was in May so the weather was great and places weren't too crowded yet. I've heard the summer is crazy and it gets super warm. I was supposed to do an Alaskan cruise 2 years ago with my family but the ship had engine problems and it got cancelled

I'd pick Alaska. Not being able to take LO would be a deal breaker for me.

That said, our travel plan now that we're parents is to tour the states pretty much exclusively until LO is older (definitely school age, but probably more like 10+). I'm looking forward to showing him the rest of the world, but might as well start in our own backyard!

I can't vote, because it really comes down to whether you want a vacation with or without LO.
But I'm inclined to say Alaska, with or without the baby. We went there in the winter and it's so amazing. And I feel like a slower paced trip would be more relaxing.

Personally I would do something cheaper and closer to home so I could take my toddler along with less hassle. My LO is 16 months at the moment and I wouldn't feel comfortable taking her on a cruise yet.

If I were to do a kid free vacation I'd be doing something tropical. Or I'd do somewhere in Europe I hadn't been. I definitely wouldn't re-do parts of Europe I've seen, but Europe's a big place.

I voted Europe, but only because I wouldn't cruise with LO unless it was Disney. I feel you would be trapped in a very small room once baby went to sleep, and lots of the kids clubs on ship don't start until 3 years old.

We went on an Alaskan cruise in late June/July of 2012 for our honeymoon. It was AH-mazing- weather was beautiful, excursions fun, not crazy crowded. My husband went on a European cruise with his family in 2010 and he prefers the Alaskan because he says there's too much to do in those places and it felt a little chaotic. He had a good time, but wouldn't do a cruise in that area again.

To answer the daycare thing Norwegian isn't even kid centric and it had a pretty large daycare area and a couple shows targeted towards children throughout the week. We didn't have one at the time so I can't speak to how kids liked it but I wouldn't hesitate to take a toddler based on what little I saw.

Europe, hands down.

Everyone I know who has done an Alaska cruise has said its super boring. Even my super boring father in law was bored. My vote goes for Europe. Plus I think you'll get much more out of your vacation if you leave your LO with the grandparents. At that age I just don't think it'll be a true vacation for you if you bring LO.

I think you really first have to decide on what your priorities are for this trip and then decide where you want to go. You're comparing apples to oranges. Are you and DH hoping to go on a getaway sans baby for the first time in a while? Or is your hope the first family vacation? Is a budget trip important or are you ready to splurge since you've been saving for a while? Do you want a laid back natural beauty kind of trip (Alaska) or do you want to do it all and see lots of history (Europe). Are you and DH on the same page about what your summer vacation priorities are? I think if you can first answer these questions, then you'll more clearly see where you should go.

I would choose Europe, because I have no desire to go to Alaska.

I would go for the European so you and your SO can bond. Your LO is too little to remember and enjoy these trips. I'd save it for when she's a little older.