What Gear for Where?

So I was watching a tv show about cruise ships up in the arctic and I saw all the passengers taking photos with very high magnification zoom lenses and I was thinking to myself, in that situation I would have thought to use a panoramic camera or a very wide angle lens to get the scenery. That got me thinking, in regards to travel photography in particular, why would some people choose camera x over camera y? For instance,
some people might like a point and shoot for travel (think family vacation) photography because maybe you're typically in a rush or the area is crowded and you need that photo fast. Others might want a fully manually camera just so they can be fully responsible for the quality of their shots. Some might want a choice of lenses while others may like the simplicity of a fixed lens.

What would be the community's thoughts on an ideal travel (family vacation) camera (film of course)? My preference would be a wide angle medium format auto exposure camera, because my kids don't sit still and won't pose. Sometimes just the second it takes to depress the shutter is too long. The larger negative and wide field of view would let me "compose" within the photo. As in cut a 35mm size photo out of a poorly composed 120 shot. I'm curious as to what you'd do?

Your subjects, polar bears or family, might end up looking a little small with a wide angle lens I guess, especially if they are far away from you.

The closer, the wider, for me with a family vacation, within reason. Majestic landscapes I prefer a more 'normal' or even telephoto POV, since they are further away and look too little otherwise.

My ideal travel camera would be a TLR, or a manual rangefinder. just meter once, 1 maybe 2 focal lengths. Not too much complication, and can still 'point and shoot' at f8.

My question to your question would be 'what is your subject and how far away will it be' and choose a FOV as appropriate?

Travel and new places is awesome, whatever's in the bag. Your choice sounds fine to me and perfect composition isn't necessarily a better photographic memory/record of a place/time anyway.

Really rather depends on what I'm planning to photograph.

Of course, there is always the option to take a few cameras/lenses along. Nothing says that if you bring an 800mm lens along that every last photo on the trip is taken with it. Bring a telephoto for the wildlife, and a normal and/or wide angle for other work.

35mm for travel when I do not want to slow down the people who are with me, when I will be just grabbing fast photographs.
MF for serious work that I will want to spend time printing and want high quality prints.
4"x5" is just for playing around.

Leica M4-2 with 35 mm lens on it. Ten rolls (if it is two weeks) of ISO 400 BW film and Sekonic 208 lightmeter. For photos I might find to be worth of printing.
Quick take and for just in case pictures are covered with tiny digital camera and mobile phone.

We (me and close friends) were taking each other pictures with FED-2 (mechanical camera) while we were kids. Since when I have no problems to take pictures of kids with mechanical film cameras