Ever drive yourself crazy over going vs canceling a trip?

[shh]

Just what the title asks - has there ever been a trip you couldn't make up your mind about? I have been going back & forth over this Alaskan cruise I planned. One day I'm thinking - no way: too much flying (I hate long flights and we're in FL), too much planning: it's gonna be pricey to buy stuff just for this 1 trip like cold weather waterproof jackets, shoes, binoculars that we won't use again. Two older pets I'm always worried about if I go. I just want to cancel!

The next day, I read about how much others have loved it or I see pics and I'm thinking - I want to go. This is my chance. I'm healthy now. What if something something happens and I never get to go?

I originally booked for 2018, pushed it to 2019, now thinking of moving to 2020 or canceling outright.

I've booked lots of trips and have never been this indecisive over a vacation before!
Has that ever happened to anyone else? Or am I the only crazy one?
And if you have experienced this, did you end up going - and were you glad?

 

[dotfurio]

Alaska is so gorgeous, that's one trip I'd love to repeat. Cruising is so easy going. You could probably pick up some winter wear at end of season clearance. We got some rain jackets that fold up into a pocket. They are thin and aren't warm, but fit easily over our sweatshirts, and we've been able to use them for rainy disney trips also. On board inside we were comfortable in pants, short sleeves, and flip flops. On shore we wore tennis shoes, sweatshirts, but sometimes DH only wore long sleeve shirts and we were comfortable. So you might not need as much gear as you think.

But to answer your question, yeah, I've cancelled a few trips. They were always road trips - I'd start feeling wanderlust and book hotels somewhere, then later cancel. The latest was a trip we planned to take to Grand Canyon this coming spring break. YDD has never been and with ODD off on a school trip we thought it might be fun to do a road trip with her with GC as the main attraction. We just weren't feeling it, though, and cancelled. It's so dang hard to get reservations at national parks it took me a long time to finally cancel the hotel.

 

[neverlandsky]

We’ve cancelled several trips that were planned in advance because they just didn’t feel right or things changed for us. Now we just stick to last minute travel. Works out way better for us.

 

[dish rag]

No

 

[scoutie]

I never regret travel. Go.

 

[wombat_5606]

My situation is a little different. I've agonized so much over the trip that I've never even booked it. I've wanted to do it for 10 years and I don't know if I'll ever get it done. Too much planning, too much money, too much time. I will regret it one day so don't be like me.

My advice to you, in particular to Alaska, is GO! I didn't want to go to Alaska and others in my family did. They persuaded me and so we did an independent 2 weeks there, where I planned all the hotels, dining, transportation and sightseeing. We rented a car while in the state and drove ourselves everywhere. Long story, short, it was one of my most memorable vacations! I fell in love with Alaska. It is breathtaking, especially for someone from our side of the country. We all loved it so much, that we did a cruise 4 years later that covered the part of the state we had not driven to previously. (Instead of booking my dream trip!)

So, don't get rid of those coats, shoes and binoculars. You WILL use them again!

 

[anniemae]

Go.

A quote I always try to live by:

For fear of taking chances
I've missed a lot of fun
The things I regret the most in life
are those I have not done.

 

[ashley0139]

I never regret experiences so I'd say go. But also I recently flew 24 hours (16 hr flight + 8 hr flight) to South Africa so I have no problems with flying that far. If you're going to dread it more than you look forward to it then don't go.

 

[shh]

So you might not need as much gear as you think.

Good to know...I love cruise critic, but the long packing lists of "must-includes" by posters there that have done the Alaskan cruises have me exhausted before I even start shopping/packing. You make it sound much simpler. (and less expensive, given that we'll have to pay for every piece of luggage, since we're not frequent fliers with airline memberships.) lol

 

[shh]

It's so dang hard to get reservations at national parks it took me a long time to finally cancel the hotel.

Yup...it's tough to let go of something you've worked hard to book. I did a lot of research before reserving, then rebooked with better incentives. So the deal is fairly good for a really nice balcony cabin...which is why I still haven't canceled.

 

[shh]

We’ve cancelled several trips that were planned in advance because they just didn’t feel right or things changed for us. Now we just stick to last minute travel. Works out way better for us.

I wish we could travel that way - and we do for long weekends away. But for a cross country trip with flights, it's tougher, since we both need to request time off at least a couple months in advance. Plus air rates get pricey last min.

 

[shh]

No

haha...must be nice to be so decisive.

My DH is that way too...I drive him crazy sometimes, since I'm a huge planner and overthink everything. But on the plus side, he'll be the first to say I plan awesome trips and avoid a lot of mistakes.

 

[shh]

Go.

A quote I always try to live by:

For fear of taking chances
I've missed a lot of fun
The things I regret the most in life
are those I have not done.

Nice. And true.

 

[shh]

I never regret travel. Go.

I never regret experiences so I'd say go. But also I recently flew 24 hours (16 hr flight + 8 hr flight) to South Africa so I have no problems with flying that far. If you're going to dread it more than you look forward to it then don't go.

I wish I didn't mind flying...I truly hate it. Not scared, just really uncomfortable and restless if the flight's longer than a couple hours. But avoiding flying really limits one's experiences - especially living in FL, where no other state is in easy driving distance!

It's true that every trip I have taken - I was glad I did. And we really do go away often - just road trips which I love or cruises where I can drive right to the port. Or shorter 2-3 hr flights where I don't need a complete change of wardrobe!

I guess that's why I started this thread...just to see if anyone else sometimes has doubts about a bigger scale trip, but goes anyway.

 

[superme80]

I only cancelled one trip and it was due to funding. I say go.

 

[Southernmiss]

Alaska is on our bucket list for as soon as we get our daughter (a junior in high school) off to college.

But as I've gotten older I get nervous about taking trips and worry over all the things that could go wrong.

Dh and I loved to travel before kids, but stopped traveling as much when they were young.

So I understand. I hope the more we travel it will get easier again.

Another thing that holds me back is that my dad died suddenly while I was away on a girl scout trip-so I naturally wander to all the what ifs.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Yes

 

[Squirlz]

Two of our big trips last year were questionable. We were scheduled to fly into Key West October 6. Hurricane Irma hit September 10. I t was literally day-by-day gaining info to determine when tourists could return. Our Inn didn't officially reopen to guests until the 8th but they made an exception for us. For a few days the only other guests there were FEMA refugees. Many people had lost everything. Quite sobering.

Then I caught some kind of super bug that laid me out for all of November. We had plans to go to Universal Orlando for 10 days in early December. It was touch and go whether I'd be well enough. Fortunately I was, but just barely.

 

[ColoradoMom!!]

Good to know...I love cruise critic, but the long packing lists of "must-includes" by posters there that have done the Alaskan cruises have me exhausted before I even start shopping/packing. You make it sound much simpler. (and less expensive, given that we'll have to pay for every piece of luggage, since we're not frequent fliers with airline memberships.) lol

Just went this summer. I love Cruise Critic,
but went with 1 suitcase under 50 lbs each very easily for my DH and me.

We did the Coral Princess one way SB from Anchorage to Vancouver. We loved it! We are early 50’s. I would say go for it!! It really was easy. It takes more effort to do WDW in my opinion!

 

[shh]

Alaska is on our bucket list for as soon as we get our daughter (a junior in high school) off to college.

But as I've gotten older I get nervous about taking trips and worry over all the things that could go wrong. Another thing that holds me back is that my dad died suddenly while I was away on a girl scout trip-so I naturally wander to all the what ifs.

I think that's true - I've gotten more nervous/cautious too over the years - not sure why.

Your dad passing while you were gone must have been so difficult...I could see why that would make you even more skittish.