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There was a chill in the air, and we had just made it through the winding queue for the shuttle in Sitka, Alaska, when my dad announced, “I need to use the bathroom.”
We were finally at the front of the line. The shuttle into town was only supposed to take about 10 minutes. I looked at him, looked at the line behind us, and gently tried to convince him he could make it.
Halfway through a weeklong cruise through Alaska with my retired parents, that was the moment it hit me: I had become the parent.
I still call my parents for advice on everything from car repairs to home maintenance to which doctor I should see. But on this trip, I was managing schedules, water bottles, bathroom breaks, and whether everyone understood that, yes, we were seeing Mendenhall Glacier that day.
Alaska had always been on my mom’s bucket list
Growing up, I remember my mom saying she wanted to see Alaska one day. I’m not sure what sparked that dream, since traveling makes her anxious. But I know Alaska has at least one thing our home in Miami does not: cold.
When we asked her what she was most looking forward to on this trip, her answer was simple: seeing glaciers and feeling the cold. The “feels like” temperature back home was in the 90s Fahrenheit, so I don’t blame her.
My husband and I had brought up planning a family trip to Alaska before to no avail, but when we came across an Alaskan cruise that lined up with my mom’s 68th birthday, it felt like serendipity. Once I told her about it, she got the hint: It was now or never.
I started planning family trips on Expedia when I was 10 (probably an early sign I’d become a travel writer), but I hadn’t taken a big, week-plus trip with my own parents since college. After graduation, I met my now-husband and started traveling with him instead.
We both love a good plan and preparing for every possible inconvenience. My parents reminded me that not every traveler thinks that way.
I quickly realized I was in charge
One of my travel rules is simple: Always bring a water bottle. I encouraged my parents to pack refillable bottles too, but they shrugged it off and said they could buy one at the onboard gift shop.
During one of the port talks before our day in Juneau, the speaker encouraged everyone to visit Mendenhall Glacier, one of the area’s top attractions.
My mom glanced over at me — the person clearly in charge of the itinerary — with a silent question on her face: Are we doing that?
I nodded yes and reminded her to pack water.
We had a full 48 hours on board before reaching our first port. Naturally, my dad waited until the ship docked in Juneau to visit the gift shop. But any experienced cruiser knows what that means: The ship’s shops were closed. My husband and I sighed knowingly.
My parents may be less experienced travelers, but they brought something I might have missed out on: childlike wonder.
After an unusually sunny trek to Juneau’s Nugget Falls with heavier-than-necessary backpacks, my parents were tired and thirsty. But when I look back at videos from that day, what stands out is the joy on my mom’s face — wide grin, hands in the air, as the cool spray from the waterfall mists her face.
As for my dad? Clearly, he was made for cruising.
At home, he spends afternoons in his hot tub and eats an ice-cream bar for dessert every night while watching TV on the couch. On the ship, my dad embraced a similar routine, though at sea he was elated to discover he could pair the unlimited soft serve with his coffee at breakfast.
When my husband and I return from trips and recount our stories, my mom often tells us we have the best “travel luck.” I like to think some of that comes from research, planning, and knowing how to avoid problems before they happen.
On this trip, though, it felt especially true. We had unheard-of sunny weather in Juneau. We saw humpback whales up close during an excursion from Icy Strait Point — the kind of sighting that makes you realize just how massive these marine animals really are.
And on our first day on the ship, a spout appeared in the water right on cue as my husband pointed out to sea and reminded us to keep an eye out for wildlife.
It felt magical in a way that even the best itinerary can’t manufacture.
A cruise was the right choice for my retired parents
Traveling with my parents felt like a total role reversal. I learned to give them decoy times so we could actually make it to excursions on schedule. But I also learned to be a little more flexible and let the unexpected surprise me.
This cruise made the trip far easier than a land itinerary would have been. We could spend time together, split up when we needed downtime, and regroup for dinner or shore excursions.
I’d be more hesitant to take my parents on a complicated international land trip that required a lot of walking, tight train schedules, and constant hotel changes.
On the last night of our sailing, after a birthday dinner for my mom at the ship’s steakhouse, we were preparing to disembark in Victoria, British Columbia.
My mom leaned back in her chair, full and happy, and remarked on how impressive our meals had been throughout the cruise (especially the Alaskan seafood).
Then she had one last question before our final port stop. “So,” she asked, “should I bring my water bottle?” By then, I could only laugh.
Taking my retired parents to Alaska forced me to confront the strange reality of adulthood: You can still need your parents, even as they start needing you too.
It was a gift to bring my mom on a trip she had dreamed about for years, and to watch both of my parents experience Alaska with awe.
I’d do it again in a heartbeat — though next time, I’d make sure everyone had a water bottle before we left home.
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