I took my retired parents on a cruise to Alaska. It felt like a total role reversal, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Going on a long cruise through Alaska with my husband and retired parents was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I don't regret, even if it wasn't always easy. Lyssa Goldberg Recently, my husband and I went on an Alaskan cruise with my retired parents . Throughout, I felt like I was their parent — reminding them of plans and telling them what to pack. Still, they added a sense of childlike wonder to the trip. I'm grateful we got to go together. 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.