Going to Las Vegas or Taking a Cruise?

[beefche]

I posted what I believe to be the "best" family vacation #24. Reading the rest of this thread convinces me that once again I am dealing with ardent members of the lazy - take care of me - entertain me - entitlement generation.

The Traveler

Are you included in this assessment since you have been to Las Vegas and on a cruise?

[skippy740]

Perhaps - but before we settle it - have you ever been white water rafting?

I have been to Las Vegas and I have been on a Cruise. I find it interesting that both cater to gambling - I cannot think of a more entitled mentality than the typical individual attracted to gambling environment.

The Traveler

If I am PAYING for my vacation, I deserve to get the best that I am PAYING for.

Now, that's assuming that I have EARNED the money myself through my chosen occupation for such a vacation.

I see nothing regarding an ENTITLEMENT mentality unless you feel that you deserve something in exchange for nothing.

[NeuroTypical]

I cannot think of a more entitled mentality than the typical individual attracted to gambling environment.

This is an interesting comment. I'm not sure I agree with it at all.

I know a bit about gambling environments. My dad was a serious gambler, from a family of gamblers. I was practically raised inside a casino. Starting from my early teens, lots and lots of 'family vacations' consisting of a 2 hr drive from Salt Lake to Wendover, where I was then given a $20 roll of quarters and told to make myself scarce for 4 hours. I would sit on a barstool by the front door and watch the gamblers. I got really good at looking sad, so the cocktail waitresses would bring me cokes. I got to know 'his people' - the beer-drinking Moose Lodge members, the crusty old American Legion war vets, etc. They all gambled too. When I turned 21, he treated me to a trip to the racetrack so I could gamble legally. We took a few trips to casinos, then I 'went mormon' on him. He never understood why I'd take good money that could be turned into something on the craps table, and go give it to some church. From what I came to understand about him and his culture, he was quite a typical gambler.

Anyway, my dad wasn't a perfect man by any means, but he was hardly what I'd call an 'entitlement mentality'. He was a child of the depression. He worked his rear end off at two jobs to provide us with better than he had. While he was a democrat and generally in favor of social programs and whatnot, he was very very passionate against anyone paying his way in life. He respected charity, and made sure it was always flowing from him to someone else - never the other way around.

Brigham Young and the early saints are also on record with passionate discourses against gambling. One thinks that would be the case, because the environment was so seductive to them as well.

Yes, gambling is horrible. If you've got the right set of genetic predisposition and life stresses, gambling can and will usher you out of a good life, and into lonliness and poverty. It is a way of parting people from their money based on illusion, false promises, and lies. I'm thinking it is a path to destruction laid out by satan - not a consequence of entitlement mentalities.

[bcguy]

vacations are boring where everyone else goes. Do something different and head to Africa for a safari adventure on the Serengeti :)

[mnn727]

There is nothing to do in Vegas besides gamble and get drunk.

That is so NOT true.

There are tons of shows to see, museums. The Hoover dam is an easy hour drive away. There's the Temple.

[mnn727]

Anybody ever compare prices for staying down at Disney (Florida) at one of their resorts? I did a few years ago and the prices were sky high in my opinion.

The key is you don't stay at a Disney Resort, there are many much less expensive hotels offsite, and there's much more to do in the Orlando area than go to Disney World.

[mnn727]

For over 25 years the highlight of our summer family vacations has been a week long camping white water river running excursion.

That sounds incredibly boring

I think I'd rather watch paint dry.

[Blackmarch]

A quick question - if you were going to take a vacation for a week, which would you chose and why? You can go to Las Vegas and vicinity for a week or take a cruise (any cruise) for a week. And lets also say you are paying for this vacation.

Would the choice be hard?

Remember, you can get great deals in Vegas because of all those rooms in those big resorts.

And you can have a great time on a cruise that is generally affordable and gives you great value for your money - food included, room, visiting different places, etc...

Also there is lots of things to do in Vegas for the whole family. And kids generally love being on boats and it's hard to lose your teen on a cruise ship.

What's your choice and why?

Save for maybe the occasional accidental dip in the ocean

and ya the choice would be hard... because if i was paying that kind of money i'd be doing something else with it

[HoosierGuy]

All good talk and I'm getting ideas for my site. www.vegascruisevacation.com - Index I got it up a few days ago and it's still under construction. I should have all the boards set up in a week or so.

[pam]

13. You will not use this site to solicit the sale of any product, service or website. If appropriate, you may post a link to your personal website or to your business on your profile, in your forum signature, and you make create one post in the web link section of the forum. Do not post any link or discuss any business, service, or website that violates any rule of LDS.net. LDS.net is not responsible for the content of any site linked on LDS.net.

[SoCal_Counselor]

My good friend told me a story of when he was in Vegas with his uncle. His uncle would often give object lessons. He was showing my friend why you shouldn't gamble and showed what happened when he put the quarter in a slot machine. After he pulled the lever, the slot machine didn't keep the quarter but actually spewed out $100 in coins. Object lesson: Fail.

[Traveler]

....

I got really good at looking sad, so the cocktail waitresses would bring me cokes.

...

Hmmmm - this looks like a perfect example of an entitlement mentality to me. Thanks

The Traveler

[Traveler]

That sounds incredibly boring

I think I'd rather watch paint dry.

Actually I have had a few spectators types show up and not last long - not so much because they were bored but because they were lazy and frustrated with the work involved. White water rafting not only requires a great deal of effort but that one coordinates such efforts seamlessly with others. Unlike an amusement park you cannot just sit there on the ride and say, “Wheeeeee”.

BTW - did you know that contrary to popular opinions - highly intelligent genius is seldom if ever bored? Unlike rudimentary intelligence - genius does not require external stimulation to keep their mind occupied.

The Traveler

[Bini]

Well this is something new. Shooting down each other's ideas of what makes for a great vacation get-away. Seriously?

[pam]

Well this is something new. Shooting down each other's ideas of what makes for a great vacation get-away. Seriously?

I agree Bini. Each of us are unique in our likes/dislikes, interests and amusements. Personally I like the variety in the kinds of vacations. Sometimes I am interested in the historical type vacations. Sometimes the adventure types and sometime just entertainment type of vacations. It gives me variety and makes life much more interesting.

So can we get back to what this thread REALLY was all about? Vegas or a cruise?

[HoosierGuy]

13. You will not use this site to solicit the sale of any product, service or website. If appropriate, you may post a link to your personal website or to your business on your profile, in your forum signature, and you make create one post in the web link section of the forum. Do not post any link or discuss any business, service, or website that violates any rule of LDS.net. LDS.net is not responsible for the content of any site linked on LDS.net.

Oops! My mistake.

Speaking of Vegas - I've been told that the resorts are so big you can get lost in them. So if you go with family members you don't really like it's easy to lose them

in those big resorts. But those cruise ships are so big now it's easy to lose people on those things too.

[NeuroTypical]

I got really good at looking sad, so the cocktail waitresses would bring me cokes.

Hmmmm - this looks like a perfect example of an entitlement mentality to me.

I agree - but the purpose of my post wasn't to discuss the mentality of a 14 yr old boy, but the mentality of his typical gambler father.

[pam]

Oops! My mistake.

Speaking of Vegas - I've been told that the resorts are so big you can get lost in them. So if you go with family members you don't really like it's easy to lose them

in those big resorts. But those cruise ships are so big now it's easy to lose people on those things too.

I suppose that would be a plus for those obligatory extended family vacations.

[Bini]

I agree Bini. Each of us are unique in our likes/dislikes, interests and amusements. Personally I like the variety in the kinds of vacations. Sometimes I am interested in the historical type vacations. Sometimes the adventure types and sometime just entertainment type of vacations. It gives me variety and makes life much more interesting.

So can we get back to what this thread REALLY was all about? Vegas or a cruise?

Pam, I was thinking about your comment regarding going on an Alaskan cruise.. I haven't gone myself but I've heard that depending on the time of year, you may see various active wildlife right from the ship deck. Since I'm more accustomed to tropical habitats and animals, I think it would be really neat to see the different wildlife up north :]

[pam]

Pam, I was thinking about your comment regarding going on an Alaskan cruise.. I haven't gone myself but I've heard that depending on the time of year, you may see various active wildlife right from the ship deck. Since I'm more accustomed to tropical habitats and animals, I think it would be really neat to see the different wildlife up north :]

I'm not going on a cruise. It will be an 9 day trip seeing various parts of Alaska. This trip will include seeing things via plane, boat and train. I'll be flying into Fairbanks. Taking a train from Fairbanks and staying overnight in Talkeetna (at the base of Mt. McKinley) Then on to Anchorage. On another day we'll drive down to Seward to catch a boat for a 6 hour boat trip. Then flying over to Kodiak Island for 3 days. I lived in Kodiak for 5 years as a kid, so that will be somewhat going down memory lane. But yes so much active wildlife to see. That's what I'm going for. The scenery and wildlife. I'll be taking lots and lots of pictures.

Edited April 10, 2012 by pam

[HoosierGuy]

I'm not going on a cruise. It will be an 9 day trip seeing various parts of Alaska. This trip will include seeing things via plane, boat and train. I'll be flying into Fairbanks. Taking a train from Fairbanks and staying overnight in Talkeetna (at the base of Mt. McKinley) Then on to Anchorage. On another day we'll drive down to Seward to catch a boat for a 6 hour boat trip. Then flying over to Kodiak Island for 3 days. I lived in Kodiak for 5 years as a kid, so that will be somewhat going down memory lane. But yes so much active wildlife to see. That's what I'm going for. The scenery and wildlife. I'll be taking lots and lots of pictures.

Nice sounding trip!

[pam]

The only downfall to the trip is spending all that time with john doe. :)

[Blackmarch]

Actually I have had a few spectators types show up and not last long - not so much because they were bored but because they were lazy and frustrated with the work involved. White water rafting not only requires a great deal of effort but that one coordinates such efforts seamlessly with others. Unlike an amusement park you cannot just sit there on the ride and say, “Wheeeeee”.

BTW - did you know that contrary to popular opinions - highly intelligent genius is seldom if ever bored? Unlike rudimentary intelligence - genius does not require external stimulation to keep their mind occupied.

The Traveler

Wow im a genius.

And id also love to vacation or live in alaska sometime.... Barring that the sawtooth mountains area in idaho would do just fine too :)

[Mahone]

The key is you don't stay at a Disney Resort, there are many much less expensive hotels offsite, and there's much more to do in the Orlando area than go to Disney World.

Yes, my wifes parents home is usually our choice of accommodation

[Mahone]

We wanted to go on a cruise last year, planned all the dates, booked the time off work, only at the last minute whilst booking the tickets saw a rule stating that "anyone under the age of 20 must be travelling with an adult of 25 or over".

As I was 24 at the time, and my wife (then fiance) was 19, we were extremely disappointed.

We're now looking to book for the end of this year.

Edited April 10, 2012 by Mahone