Alaska vs Italy-Amalfi Coast

[TXTransplant]

So, I just checked the 2016 rates and dates thinking I could book now, see how our first trip goes, and then cancel within the 14 day window if I am not "impressed" with our first trip.

I have a 10 year old son, so Alaska was at the top of my list. Unfortunately, there are no June 2016 trips to Alaska. The only trip that could possibly work for us is the Aug 1-8 trip, but that would be very tight since my son spends the entire month of July at his dad's (out of state). I checked Tauck, but their website doesn't show any 2016 dates for Alaska.

If I stay with ABD, the Italy-Amalfi Coast trip is about the same price as Alaska and the dates work (actually we would have our choice of two June trips).

I did a quick look and didn't see any trip reports for Italy-Amalfi coast. Has anyone done this one? I'd like to hear feedback, especially for travel with kids.

Edited to add that I did find one trip report on Italy-Amalfi Coast in the thread with the links. The link didn't have a descriptive title, so I didn't know what it was until I clicked on it.

 

[Cousin Orville]

I could book now, see how our first trip goes, and then cancel within the 14 day window if I am not "impressed" with our first trip.

That will not happen, I can assure you. Haha!
I would choose the Amalfi Coast. I think your 10yo son would love it. Granted I haven't done the ABD, I've only been there on DCL with my children. I'm sure the ABD will be even better. That ABD has actually interested me a lot, but I keep putting it off in favor of places I've never been. I would love to hear from anyone who has done the ABD, though.

 

[TXTransplant]

Cousin Orville, off the top of your head, are there any direct flights from IAH to Italy? I've done a couple of quick searches and haven't found any. That's my biggest concern about this itinerary - I would MUCH rather fly direct!

 

[sayhello]

I haven't done the Amalfi ABD, but a lot of the activities from it were included in the Mediterranean cruise ABD add-on I did in 2010. Really loved them! The boat ride around Capri was beautiful (including a dip in the Med!) and everyone really loved the visit to the Agriturismo La Galeatea, and the pizza-making (and eating!) lesson. And Florence is really amazing (especially seeing Michelangelo's David!)

Sayhello

 

[Cousin Orville]

Cousin Orville, off the top of your head, are there any direct flights from IAH to Italy? I've done a couple of quick searches and haven't found any. That's my biggest concern about this itinerary - I would MUCH rather fly direct!

No, I don't think so.

 

[abdgeek]

So, I just checked the 2016 rates and dates thinking I could book now, see how our first trip goes, and then cancel within the 14 day window if I am not "impressed" with our first trip.

I have a 10 year old son, so Alaska was at the top of my list. Unfortunately, there are no June 2016 trips to Alaska. The only trip that could possibly work for us is the Aug 1-8 trip, but that would be very tight since my son spends the entire month of July at his dad's (out of state). I checked Tauck, but their website doesn't show any 2016 dates for Alaska.

If I stay with ABD, the Italy-Amalfi Coast trip is about the same price as Alaska and the dates work (actually we would have our choice of two June trips).

I did a quick look and didn't see any trip reports for Italy-Amalfi coast. Has anyone done this one? I'd like to hear feedback, especially for travel with kids.

Edited to add that I did find one trip report on Italy-Amalfi Coast in the thread with the links. The link didn't have a descriptive title, so I didn't know what it was until I clicked on it.

I haven't done the Italy Amalfi ABD, but I did the Italy Signature ABD last year and I've done two of the DCL Med Cruises. Like Sayhello, I did the ABD add-on which has a lot of the same excursions as the Amalfi ABD and I loved them as an adult. I don't have kids, but I've never been on an ABD where the kids didn't have fun. They naturally bond together and the older kids look out for the younger ones.

I also did the DCL Alaska Cruise. I loved being in Alaska, but IMO there's really no contest between that and Italy. I hate to say this, but maybe ask your son which one he wants to go on.

 

[TXTransplant]

I also did the DCL Alaska Cruise. I loved being in Alaska, but IMO there's really no contest between that and Italy. I hate to say this, but maybe ask your son which one he wants to go on.

Lol! I did ask him...he wants to go everywhere! His list went something like "London, Paris, France, Italy, Alaska, Hawaii"...and he saw me looking at the Tauck Bridges Canadian Rockies trip. Now he wants to go there, too! I think I've started something!

 

[sayhello]

I've done the Alaska ABD, and I totally loved it. They've tweaked the itinerary since then just a little, and it's one of the few ABDs I've thought about doing again. A much better introduction to the real Alaska than an Alaskan cruise!

Sayhello

 

[AquamarineSteph]

So, I just checked the 2016 rates and dates thinking I could book now, see how our first trip goes, and then cancel within the 14 day window if I am not "impressed" with our first trip.

I have a 10 year old son, so Alaska was at the top of my list. Unfortunately, there are no June 2016 trips to Alaska. The only trip that could possibly work for us is the Aug 1-8 trip, but that would be very tight since my son spends the entire month of July at his dad's (out of state). I checked Tauck, but their website doesn't show any 2016 dates for Alaska.

If I stay with ABD, the Italy-Amalfi Coast trip is about the same price as Alaska and the dates work (actually we would have our choice of two June trips).

I did a quick look and didn't see any trip reports for Italy-Amalfi coast. Has anyone done this one? I'd like to hear feedback, especially for travel with kids.

Edited to add that I did find one trip report on Italy-Amalfi Coast in the thread with the links. The link didn't have a descriptive title, so I didn't know what it was until I clicked on it.

I haven't done the Amalfi Coast ABD, but I know that the parts of Italy that I did do with ABD were fantastic.

As far as Tauck goes, they have not yet released all of their 2016 dates. If you contact them and tell them what trip interests you, they will put you on a list to be informed as soon as those dates go live. I know - that doesn't help with planning at all, but perhaps if you give them the dates which do interest you, they can offer you better information.

We're on a similar list for a European trip that we may want to do with them next year, purely based on the itinerary. That's how I know that you can contact them if 2016 dates aren't yet showing.

 

[TXTransplant]

I haven't done the Amalfi Coast ABD, but I know that the parts of Italy that I did do with ABD were fantastic.

As far as Tauck goes, they have not yet released all of their 2016 dates. If you contact them and tell them what trip interests you, they will put you on a list to be informed as soon as those dates go live. I know - that doesn't help with planning at all, but perhaps if you give them the dates which do interest you, they can offer you better information.

We're on a similar list for a European trip that we may want to do with them next year, purely based on the itinerary. That's how I know that you can contact them if 2016 dates aren't yet showing.

I'm a little confused by Tauck. Most of the itineraries do show 2016 dates but not prices. But Alaska doesn't show dates or prices. They offered a lot more trips to Alaska in 2015 than ABD did, though.

 

[AquamarineSteph]

That's one of the reasons I finally just contacted them. Their website HAD shown 2016 dates the first time I looked at the tour we're considering. I went back and no 2016 dates, but lots of other tours had them listed. So I just decided to ask them directly. They replied fairly promptly.