Help me pick where to celebrate 30th birthday

[FSU Girl]

So to distract me from changing my honeymoon trip a million times I'm going to try and figure out what I want to do for my 30th birthday in May. I've narrowed it down to a couple choices. I wasn't sure which forum to post this in, but a few of the choices involve cruises and wherever I pick for this trip could influence my honeymoon cruise where I have a British Isles on Disney still booked.

• Cruise to Alaska - on the Wonder
• Cruise to Alaska - on the Norwegian Bliss
• Cruise on Dream and trip to Disney (our Annual Passes expire on my birthday so we could start there and end with the cruise, bit of nostalgia since I got engaged on board the Dream)
• Land trip to Paris and London, visit Disneyland Paris for a portion of the trip
• Disneyland Tokyo and Disney Sea in Japan (not sure if Japan is too far for a week trip)
• Princess cruise to Norway
• Hawaii at Aulani

We have a week and my birthday falls when Memorial Day weekend is so we'll have an extra day off for traveling.

If we did the Alaska cruise on the Wonder I would cancel the British Isles honeymoon cruise (I also have a Norwegian Italy and Greek Isles cruise booked I can't make up my mind ) and transfer my on board credit there. I've been to Alaska once when I was 17, done Disney Dream and Disney World before, all the other places I have never been.

I'm frustrating my Fiance with changing things around so often so I need to lock stuff up and flights are out for next May so this is doable.

 

[lklgoodman]

I would pick Hawaii, since you already have a cruise picked for your honeymoon, I wouldn't go on another. Plus, I really want to go there!

 

[FSU Girl]

I would pick Hawaii, since you already have a cruise picked for your honeymoon, I wouldn't go on another. Plus, I really want to go there!

I have always wanted to go there and Disney's hotel looks beautiful.

 

[vakamalua]

Ah Paris! The City of Light and Love! No contest here...

 

[meliscan]

Is it just the two of you? Apologies if I missed that I based on who is going depends on what I would rec

 

[Quellman]

Since you were already considering paris and london as part of your Europe cruise. I choose that. Plus those cities are not Disney centric. I have been to both and enjoyed myself quite well. If you do Alaska, save the premium from the Disney cruise for an amazing excursion. I did not choose Japan as I have never been,

 

[starvenger]

I would say Paris or Hawaii. Regarding the latter - forget Oahu (and Aulani) - head to Kauai or Maui instead.

Mind you, if you've got DVC points that you can use, forget I said that.

 

[FSU Girl]

Is it just the two of you? Apologies if I missed that I based on who is going depends on what I would rec

Yes it will just be the two of us

 

[KashasMom]

I wouldn't choose Alaska or Norway in May - weather is just too iffy. Would skip the Dream (cruise too short) and Disney since you've done before. Japan is where we are headed in April but I think it may be too much for a week although Hawaii may be the same distance. That might be a good time to go to Hawaii since many schools are still in session. I think London and Paris would be my choice..............

 

[FSU Girl]

Ah Paris! The City of Light and Love! No contest here...

I have always wanted to see Paris

Since you were already considering paris and london as part of your Europe cruise. I choose that. Plus those cities are not Disney centric. I have been to both and enjoyed myself quite well. If you do Alaska, save the premium from the Disney cruise for an amazing excursion. I did not choose Japan as I have never been,

I think one big reason I've been holding onto the Disney cruise is because I really want to go there so it does make sense. The Bliss for Alaska would be easier to get to since it leaves from Seattle.

I would say Paris or Hawaii. Regarding the latter - forget Oahu (and Aulani) - head to Kauai or Maui instead.

Mind you, if you've got DVC points that you can use, forget I said that.

No DVC points. I've read great things of the hotel there, is it not a good location for a first time visit? If we go to Hawaii I'd like to go to Pearl Harbor and look at the area Jurassic Park was filmed. Not sure if those are nearby or not. I'd like to do the cruise that sails around Hawaii but I don't think we'd have enough time with just a week to get there and do a week long cruise.

 

[FSU Girl]

I wouldn't choose Alaska or Norway in May - weather is just too iffy. Would skip the Dream (cruise too short) and Disney since you've done before. Japan is where we are headed in April but I think it may be too much for a week although Hawaii may be the same distance. That might be a good time to go to Hawaii since many schools are still in session. I think London and Paris would be my choice..............

That's a good point about weather. I've never been to Norway before, but I assumed it would be cold lol. Travelling is the annoying part since we only have a week a flight that's about a day long makes for a really short trip. For Paris and London I'm trying to figure out if it'll be cheaper to fly out of each city or if we need to loop back around to do a round trip out of one place

 

[meliscan]

That's a good point about weather. I've never been to Norway before, but I assumed it would be cold lol. Travelling is the annoying part since we only have a week a flight that's about a day long makes for a really short trip. For Paris and London I'm trying to figure out if it'll be cheaper to fly out of each city or if we need to loop back around to do a round trip out of one place

Check their budget airlines. I loved the train from Paris to London but the budget airlines over there can be cheaper than the train. Although going through the chunnel is awesome.

I would do Paris for your 30th. It is such a great city and you should have great weather for May. London is also wonderful for a couple. You can get around both cities so easily on their public transport.

No matter which destination you pick you will have a great time. You will always wonder if you picked the right one but with your choices you can't go wrong really.

 

[starvenger]

No DVC points. I've read great things of the hotel there, is it not a good location for a first time visit? If we go to Hawaii I'd like to go to Pearl Harbor and look at the area Jurassic Park was filmed. Not sure if those are nearby or not. I'd like to do the cruise that sails around Hawaii but I don't think we'd have enough time with just a week to get there and do a week long cruise.

I've not been to Aulani, so I can't comment on that. It's more a comment on the islands in general, and my personal preference. Oahu feels like everything centres around Honolulu and Waikiki. Staying at Aulani could help you get away from all that, but your first time, I think you'd want to see the sights, go to Waikiki, etc. In Maui and Kauai, I think you can rent an airbnb, "live like a local", and just enjoy life in Hawaii.

Mind you, if you've got a decent amount of time to work with (say 10-14 days) it might be worth spending time on more than one island. Hawaiian Air isn't very expensive.

 

[FSU Girl]

Check their budget airlines. I loved the train from Paris to London but the budget airlines over there can be cheaper than the train. Although going through the chunnel is awesome.

I would do Paris for your 30th. It is such a great city and you should have great weather for May. London is also wonderful for a couple. You can get around both cities so easily on their public transport.

No matter which destination you pick you will have a great time. You will always wonder if you picked the right one but with your choices you can't go wrong really.

I'm actually afraid of flying lol so I try to keep the number of flights to a minimum. Would you recommend just doing Paris and not including London in the trip?

I've not been to Aulani, so I can't comment on that. It's more a comment on the islands in general, and my personal preference. Oahu feels like everything centres around Honolulu and Waikiki. Staying at Aulani could help you get away from all that, but your first time, I think you'd want to see the sights, go to Waikiki, etc. In Maui and Kauai, I think you can rent an airbnb, "live like a local", and just enjoy life in Hawaii.

Mind you, if you've got a decent amount of time to work with (say 10-14 days) it might be worth spending time on more than one island. Hawaiian Air isn't very expensive.

Unfortunately we will only have a week since we are doing so many other trips next year I'm getting pretty maxed out on vacation days. Is Hawaii better for a longer trip? We could maybe postpone that and do it the following year instead when I have more vacation time. I definitely want to see all the sights, we don't want to just hang out at a hotel.

 

[starvenger]

I honestly think that it is, but that’s only because I like going to multiple islands. A week would be plenty for one island (although it might be tough on Big Island).

 

[FSU Girl]

I honestly think that it is, but that’s only because I like going to multiple islands. A week would be plenty for one island (although it might be tough on Big Island).

I need to just retire now so I can just travel the world lol

 

[starvenger]

I hear you. This is why I keep playing the lottery - the (futile) dream of winning big and retiring early.

 

[AgentMama]

Japan is on my places to see list, so I would pick there. It might be doable with the extra travel day.

 

[kittymamma]

PARIS....without a doubt.

 

[FSU Girl]

I hear you. This is why I keep playing the lottery - the (futile) dream of winning big and retiring early.

I always say how I want to win the lottery except I never play so it'll be really hard lol.

Japan is on my places to see list, so I would pick there. It might be doable with the extra travel day.

I really like the idea of Japan and think the parks over there are really cool looking. My Fiance actually speaks fluent Japanese so it would be easy to get around. I'm just worried about the flight times to get all the way there.

PARIS....without a doubt.

Would you say just Paris and take out London from the trip?