Is anyone thinking of canceling due to the economy?

[Commieri]

We're booked for April 5th on Westerdam... first HAL cruise as we usually go Celebrity or Princess. There are 6 of us going but it now looks certain that my husband's company will become yet another victim of the credit crunch and economic mess. If we have to cancel, we will- I just can't see going if he's unemployed. But it suprised me to see no discussion of the economy on the boards... Is everyone else ok or are others concerned about layoffs or company closings?:confused:

[GmaPajama]

There have been discussions, Camille, and they've been interesting. We did cancel a cruise because we were worried about the economy - but then quickly found other ways to make do and booked another cruise for the very same dates.
We are SO hooked.

[Commieri]

There have been discussions, Camille, and they've been interesting. We did cancel a cruise because we were worried about the economy - but then quickly found other ways to make do and booked another cruise for the very same dates.
We are SO hooked.

Well, I guess I'll check the boards more closely to follow those discussions. If I knew he'd get a job by April, I would do it but it's likely he could be looking for quite some time as he's in a specialized field and had reached a fairly high position. It will be difficult to duplicate his salary and we sometimes wonder why we don't feel rich even now, with two good salaries.

Glad you figured out a way to go.

[GmaPajama]

Here's a link to what I thought was the most thorough of those threads.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=857306

[lorekauf]

I usually have 2 cruises booked at any given time. Right now..only one. I may get another one booked in the next few months but the economy and the oil price (I work for an oil company) have me worried.

[sail7seas]

I'm sorry to hear of your husband's situation and hope it resolves well and quickly.

To answser your question, barring something very unforeseen, we intend to go forward with the cruises we have booked.

None of us have any guarantee of what the future holds.

[Commieri]

Here's a link to what I thought was the most thorough of those threads.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=857306


Yes, I found that and read it. Most posts were from Oct when we were just dealing with mortgage and stock market debacles. Now I think things are really worse with unemployment.

I have to call my Trip Insurance tonight- made sure I purchased cancel for work reason but I got nervous when I looked at the documents and didn;t see that expressly written. As for airfare, I had only booked flight down to FLL ( $360 for two tickets) hoping for fares to go down before I booked our return. Now, I;m kind of glad I did that because if I have to cancel, I will only have to deal with a credit of $360 vs... more than $1K. If the job market is as bad as I think it is, it;s doubtful we could afford any vacation even with a credit for 1/2 trip of airfare.

Just when I got my DH hooked on cruising - we did three in the past two years - we'll probably have to forgo this one. But, I hope and pray that we and everyone else affected by this horrid mess will be ok.

[Steamboatin]

We probably will be increasing the number of cruises we take if the prices keep decreasing.

It is nice to be retired and receiving multiple government retirement checks plus other government income.

By the way - thanks to you all for paying for our cruises.:D

[ekerr19]

We just made final payment for our next cruise, thankfully the economy is not effecting our travel plans.

We wish the best for all our fellow cruisers during these difficult economic times.

[ekerr19]

By the way - thanks to you all for paying for our cruises.:D

Wow... okay. Many folks have taken huge hits to their savings and 401K plans. Glad to hear it doesn't concern you.

Since the "bailout" I will work extra hard to ensure I get every possible tax deduction. When a bailout bank CEO takes home $84mm annually, I have a a pretty big problem with it....

[BalconyBumz]

Because they eliminated the unfair fuel surcharge, now I'm looking and watching and about ready to book us another cruise. I refused to book a cruise with the fuel surcharges, but they finally smartened up.

[HWH]

By the way - thanks to you all for paying for our cruises.:D

Please don't thank me for something that I have been coerced into doing.
Sorry, Steamboatin, I know you meant it as a joke, but it caught me the wrong way.

[herb]

We probably will be increasing the number of cruises we take if the prices keep decreasing.

It is nice to be retired and receiving multiple government retirement checks plus other government income.

By the way - thanks to you all for paying for our cruises.:D

I guess in another time or era we may have gotten a chuckle out of your post, but not really nowadays...

[sail7seas]

We probably will be increasing the number of cruises we take if the prices keep decreasing.

It is nice to be retired and receiving multiple government retirement checks plus other government income.

By the way - thanks to you all for paying for our cruises.:D


Happy to make you happy.

In the same way I am sorry for those who are struggling now through no fault of their own. We have all heard of those who are in tough times right now.

I send good wishes to you and especially to them as well.

[TCF]

Unless you fall into the," independently wealthy", category and your investments are bullet proof...I think everyone is having at least some ongoing concerns about cruising.

We're ok with income and pension...but the exchange rate between the US$ and CDN$ is the thing that is worrying us.

We have a reposition booked with only one way air airfare to book...but when we booked the the exchange was about 5%....today it is 23%!!!! That means it would add almost $1000 CDN to the original fare budget!!!

We have pretty much decided that we will cancel if the exchange does not drop to 15% by February final payment date. I think we're dreaming...but who knows with this economy.

[middle-aged mom]

We have cancelled all travel plans for the immediate future, and are hunkering down to ensure we have enough of a buffer in our savings accounts. We still have two daughters living at home, and their education to pay for. I'm grateful my husband has a good job as a programmer for Microsoft. But that is no guarantee of anything.

(If the so-called $850 billion "stimulus" package is approved by congress, every single one of us will be in debt way above our heads. There are no "bail-outs" for the average, hard-working, honest Joes, only for the fat cats with the "right" connections).

[Miata]

We probably will be increasing the number of cruises we take if the prices keep decreasing.

It is nice to be retired and receiving multiple government retirement checks plus other government income.

By the way - thanks to you all for paying for our cruises.:D


While I feel that Steamboatin was trying to be funny regarding his last statement we all must remember that to get that retirement he or she had a much lower income than the private sector.

Larry

[NevadaHiRoller]

Happy to make you happy.

In the same way I am sorry for those who are struggling now through no fault of their own. We have all heard of those who are in tough times right now.

I send good wishes to you and especially to them as well.

Bravo on your response.

[Cruzman]

Like Steamboatin, my income is almost totally from government sources so I'm not too concerned at this point. I am also a cruise addict, so I'm not planning to reduce how often we cruise. I may cruise closer to home and book in lower categories if necessary.

[Nutrioso]

We usually have one long cruise (21+ days) and a shorter one each winter. This year we had to cancel the long one and just took a 10 day cruise to Sea of Cortez. As for the future winter 09-10, we cancelled our fall cruise booking but are still holding on to the March 2010 33-day Rotterdam cruise booking. ----Penny

[CowPrincess]

We only ever take vacations when we can pay for everything in advance. Many years, that means NO vacations, or vacations near home. Given the cost of airfare, we won't be doing any exotic cruising in the near future, that's for sure. We have one cruise deposited for February 2010, and I've been instructed :D to watch for good deals for late spring/early summer. No kids to worry about, no debt (thank goodness), and relatively stable employment. Investment income has evaporated, but our reno is nearly complete, so we are okay. Frugal, driving old vehicles, watching an ooooolllllddddd TV, but okay.

My heart aches for everyone who's not been through an economic downturn, who thought that the "boom" would be never-ending. Made that mistake in my 20s, won't make it again.

[Robinsilver]

Steamboatin, I don't find what you had to say very funny. If you took a look at the income taxes we pay, and the fact that we pay tax on every penny, without looking forward to a pension, I am sure you would not take it as a joke.
It is scary to think about all those who are either out of a job already, or who are thinking every day that they may be the next one. It is the talk of every event that we go to. I have one son who has only been working for a little over a year, and one still in college. The 23 year old and his friends have to live with the reality that if they have a job, they have to stick with it whether they like it or not, because they don't want to take a chance with changing. Plenty of their friends have been let go, and have trouble finding another position. Not the way you want to start your way in the job market. On the other end, I know of some in the 50+ category who have lost jobs, and they are having a very hard time finding something to replace it with.

[rocknrobin]

We cancelled our 01/09 B2B due to the economy; however, we did book a 12 nighter in 02/10 on Celebrity out of Baltimore - and we can drive down, eliminating airfare. We, too, make sure we have the $$$ up front; play now/pay later is a big no-no in our book. Good Lord willing, we'll be cruising again next year; nice to have something to look forward to (it's flipping freezing here in Jersey)...

[kryos]

We're booked for April 5th on Westerdam... first HAL cruise as we usually go Celebrity or Princess. There are 6 of us going but it now looks certain that my husband's company will become yet another victim of the credit crunch and economic mess. If we have to cancel, we will- I just can't see going if he's unemployed. But it suprised me to see no discussion of the economy on the boards... Is everyone else ok or are others concerned about layoffs or company closings?:confused:I have a couple of cruises booked for 2009 and 2010, and I guess if I'm out of work by then, I would probaby cancel or at least downsize them to something far cheaper. In fact, I probably would have to since one of them is 33 days long and if I am with a new employer by that time, it is doubtful I could get that amount of time off.

But I guess I just refuse to think about it. If it happens, I'll deal with it then. But I doubt there are very many people on this board who are not at some sort of risk for layoff these days ... at least not many who are still in the workforce anyway.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[kryos]

Plenty of their friends have been let go, and have trouble finding another position. Not the way you want to start your way in the job market. On the other end, I know of some in the 50+ category who have lost jobs, and they are having a very hard time finding something to replace it with.I have two friends who were laid off in March 2008. They are still looking for work.

It's bad out there ... no question.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[mikjr]

We probably will be increasing the number of cruises we take if the prices keep decreasing.

It is nice to be retired and receiving multiple government retirement checks plus other government income.

By the way - thanks to you all for paying for our cruises.:D

I realize this may have been said in jest, but it's just this type of entitlement mentality that's gotten us in this trouble.

Most of us are not living on several "government" incomes and many still have to work for a living, even at retirement age.

I feel this is the wrong time to be making this kind of statement, even in jest.

[zuzucruz]

We probably will be increasing the number of cruises we take if the prices keep decreasing.

It is nice to be retired and receiving multiple government retirement checks plus other government income.

By the way - thanks to you all for paying for our cruises.:D
I think it is you that has created our current financial meltdown. Since you were once a government employee I know you never had to work a day in your life. When you die the government will undoubtedly put a flame on your grave (or maybe you'll just be living in the flames).

You are probably a shut-in and sit on cruise critic to upset the people that are hard working folks that are struggling to make ends meet and plan a vacation.

[JLC@SD]

While I feel that Steamboatin was trying to be funny regarding his last statement we all must remember that to get that retirement he or she had a much lower income than the private sector.

Larry

Larry, in most government jobs, that is not the case anymore.

and.......government pensions (city, county and state) are not that secure either.........many of them are on the verge of BK........because of the burden of those inflated pensions.......they can't go on forever.....;)

[RuthC]

Since you were once a government employee I know you never had to work a day in your life.
Obviously, you've never been a low-level government employee. Government employees who work in the trenches have been known to work very, very hard for bare-bones wages. It can be thankless.
Your statement was uncalled for.

[jrzebird]

My DBF and I have decided that, since cruise fares have decreased significantly, we are going to book a 7 day cruise, from Ft. Lauderdale for early March. As much as I love the 11 or 14 day cruises, 7 days will be fine for now. Now, if we could just find a reasonable air fare .... Although, the cost of a limo to NYC and the cost of a plane to Fort Lauderdale, are about the same!

In the future we'll probably look for cruises that are within reasonable driving range (Charleston, SC and north) and do away with that worry.

[Taxguy77]

We probably will be increasing the number of cruises we take if the prices keep decreasing.

It is nice to be retired and receiving multiple government retirement checks plus other government income.

By the way - thanks to you all for paying for our cruises.:D

You are welcome!:D:rolleyes:
Just wish we were in the same boat.:cool:

[Taxguy77]

We usually have one long cruise (21+ days) and a shorter one each winter. This year we had to cancel the long one and just took a 10 day cruise to Sea of Cortez. As for the future winter 09-10, we cancelled our fall cruise booking but are still holding on to the March 2010 33-day Rotterdam cruise booking. ----Penny

Just finished a TA aboard the Rotterdam. What a beautiful, comfortitable ship.:)

[OCruisers]

We're booked for April 5th on Westerdam... first HAL cruise as we usually go Celebrity or Princess. There are 6 of us going but it now looks certain that my husband's company will become yet another victim of the credit crunch and economic mess. If we have to cancel, we will- I just can't see going if he's unemployed. But it suprised me to see no discussion of the economy on the boards... Is everyone else ok or are others concerned about layoffs or company closings?:confused:

Good Thread! The Economy is like the ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM ....:o

Certainly, the economy is a concern to everyone ... and who knows how many will still be able to cruise or if cruising will continue to attact NEW cruisers? :confused:

We have no changes in our current cruise plans nor in what we plan to book in the future. I feel very very very fortunate and extremely lucky.

Let's all hope 2009/2010 will be better times!

[coho ken]

There are many reasons why people vacation. Our's is to get away from our hectic daily lives and more recently, the economic stress. I think we will appreciate this upcoming cruise in March because we feel how bad things are right now. Hind sight is 20/20....No looking back now, so everyone try and stay positive!

[DFD1]

I find Steamboatin's insensitivity astonishing.

JMO

[Lurker1]

We have a cruise booked to Alaska for this year, that first includes a land tour of the NW USA. We ahve gone through a well-established TA with an excellent reputation. I do have a general concern that they will continue to operate in these tough times, nothing specific about them, I would have the same worries with any TA at this point.

And yes, we gave them a deposit ($100) shortly before all this blew up.

[harkinmr]

I realize this may have been said in jest, but it's just this type of entitlement mentality that's gotten us in this trouble.

Most of us are not living on several "government" incomes and many still have to work for a living, even at retirement age.

I feel this is the wrong time to be making this kind of statement, even in jest.

I agree wholeheartedly! The government has not been a source of support for most of us the last several decades, and many of us have had a great deal of our hard-earned income taken from us to support inefficient and ineffective government jobs and spending. I do not wish to be "thanked" by Steamboatin for paying for his/her cruises, as I certainly did not do so freely:mad:! I do not mean to stand on a soapbox on this one, but Steamboatin's insensitivity and sense of entitlement are frightening evidence of where this Country stands today.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Camille -- so sorry to hear about the situation with your husband's work.

We have several cruises booked. Re are retired.

The only thing that would keep us from going on a cruise -- Health.

[ryndam]

We are fortunate in our financial position and are taking advantage of two very good deals on longer, exotic cruises next year that we would normally not have been able to afford. Cruise fares have been dramatically reduced, as well as certain international airfares. We're sailing for 16 nights on the Volendam in March from Sydney-Singapore and for 14 nights on the Crystal Symphony in November from Miami-Manaus.

[GmaPajama]

This thread sure has given me a lot to think about. We are not wealthy by any means, but a lifetime of conservative choices has left us in a position to do some nice traveling. We're retired now, and have watched our investments diminish to about half of what they were. Since a good chunk of our income comes from those investments, we look to the future more cautiously than we did a year ago.

Because my mama raised me on "guilt" that's the first thing I have to fight when booking a cruise in today's economy. As with so many folks here, my heart breaks for those who struggle to keep a job and make a house payment, and even to buy groceries. We try to be generous with our church support and charitable giving - never less than a tithe - but that doesn't go as far as it used to. We won't give up cruising till either WE or the MONEY are gone. We can cut back on lot of life's expenses, but won't cut back on our giving. For me, it's the only guilt-free way to cruise.

[Commieri]

I find Steamboatin's insensitivity astonishing.

JMO

I have to agree.. I am the original poster asking whether the economy was concerning to others. As I said, my husband's company is falling victime to this. Steamboatin... you should count your blessings and actually I resent that I have worked since age 5 ( in a family business) got a Master's degree in Social Work and have worked in health care for 20 odd years. We just got told our raises are deferred due to decreased volume at the hospital... so many people lost health care coverage that only the most urgent cases come in. My husband wakes up at 3am and comes home at 7p- working 16 hours days for years to make his company a success. My 403 b is decimated, our house value is nil and now he will be unemployed at 57.

We are not the only ones in this mess and we have been careful not to live far beyond our means.

The one good thing about your comment is that it made me think if all HAL cruisers are like you, maybe it's not that bad that I won't be sailing the line. You really made me angry with that snarky remark.

[MadManOfBethesda]

I find Steamboatin's insensitivity astonishing.

JMO

And I find it astonishing that everyone is jumping on steamboatin for a comment that was meant in jest, but that no one except Ruth has uttered one word about zuzucruz's intentional and utterly despicable remark that all government employees should end up in Hell.

JMO:rolleyes:

[Commieri]

I don't think Steamboatin comment was made in jest and if it was, then he needs a bit of sensitivity training.

[harkinmr]

And I find it astonishing that everyone is jumping on steamboatin for a comment that was meant in jest, but that no one except Ruth has uttered one word about zuzucruz's intentional and utterly despicable remark that all government employees should end up in Hell.

JMO:rolleyes:

And how do you know it was meant in jest? Given that Steamboatin has not replied further, I think it was meant just how it appears...insensitive! While Zuzucruz's reply may have been a bit extreme, those of us who have had our salaries reduced and have seen our 401K balances decimated and live with the realities of what is happening in today's economy, but do not get to hide under a government blanket, are justifiably dismayed at the insensitivity of others. On another note, I am very happy to see that others are so willing to share their circumstances, thoughts and hopes in these tough times, and that most of us look forward to continuing to do one of our favorite things in life...Cruising:D...if not in the near future, when things turn around (and they will folks, you can count on that:)).

[Steamboatin]

One of our government retirements is from a military retirement check each month.

I spent over 20 plus years defending this nation and you.

I earned that government retirement check.

Did you do your military service to protect your country?

[our turn]

We, along with most Americans, are truly frightened about our future. We have seen our retirement accounts plummet and our plans for early retirement in a couple of years vanish. We will hopefully continue to cruise but will spend less money. We are looking at Celebrity embarking from Charleston because it is a 4 hour drive from our home. That would eliminate a significant amount of travel expense pre & post cruise.

I think whatever our situation is, we need to be sensitive to the plight of others. Now is really not the time for insensitive remarks that rub salt in the wounds of so many.

Kim

[BalconyBumz]

Uhhhh dude, quit tootin your horn. You don't have to work in the military and protect our country to be the big only hero and deserve a pension check from the gov. There are many others out there that have done things in this world with work and have worked just as hard, if not harder than you, so chill out.

[MadManOfBethesda]

And how do you know it was meant in jest?

For one thing, it is an old, OLD, OLD joke. It is a takeoff on the comment federal employees hear from members of the public when they have something to complain about: "I PAY YOUR SALARY!!"

Secondly, that big green grinning emoticon at the end of steamboatin's post should have given you a clue.

[Commieri]

One of our government retirements is from a military retirement check each month.

I spent over 20 plus years defending this nation and you.

I earned that government retirement check.

Did you do your military service to protect your country?

No one is questioning your service to this country and I'm certainly not implying that you don't deserve a nice retirement. My problem with you is that you are rubbing it in my face... you're ok and that's all that matters... All of us work hard, even if not for the government yet we may not be as fortunate as you to have a carefree future. That's why I am beginning to feel relieved not to be on HAL if many passengers share your "Let them eat cake " attitude.

I appreciate all the other posters who feel for me and the others who are scared and wondering what will happen. We all want to work but this economy is such a mess... who knows how long it will take. I'm grateful we have our health, our smarts and our drive ...and I will survive without a 7 day cruise to the Carribean. But man, you gotta get an attitude check.

[MadManOfBethesda]

While Zuzucruz's reply may have been a bit extreme....

Oh, so stating that federal employees deserve to go to Hell is "a bit extreme," but your ire is reserved for someone who jokes that taxpayers are paying his pensions.

Okay. Got it. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[SAYHEYRENEE]

Thankfully, my job (fire protection company-law mandates our services even for building owners when the business shuts down) and my husbands (high school teacher) are very stable. My husband does have a permanent part time job for the city that get us nervous when there are budget issues. Fortunatly for us this is our extra money for trips, gifts, house fixes (non emergency) and a rainy day. We are very fortunate during these hard times when others are struggling.

We have something booked for 2010 but nothing for 2009 yet. My son starts college next fall and we are waiting to see the bill before we book.

[MadManOfBethesda]

No one is questioning your service to this country and I'm certainly not implying that you don't deserve a nice retirement. My problem with you is that you are rubbing it in my face... you're ok and that's all that matters...

Nobody is rubbing it in your face.

Have you forgotten how you titled this thread. Have you forgotten the question that you asked at the end of your first post?

You specifically asked if everyone else was okay or were they worried about the economy.

So you got a response from someone stating that he was okay. And now you're complaining about it.

Go back and read you first post again.

If you had titled this thread something along the lines of "We had to cancel our cruise because of the econonmy," and then posted what had happened to your husband, all the posts would have been by people offering their condolences and best wishes.

I guarantee that no one would have posted to the thread stating that they were okay and would be continuing to book cruises.

Steamboatin did so because you specifically asked the question!

[BalconyBumz]

Thankfully, my job (fire protection company-law mandates our services even for building owners when the business shuts down) and my husbands (high school teacher) are very stable. My husband does have a permanent part time job for the city that get us nervous when there are budget issues. Fortunatly for us this is our extra money for trips, gifts, house fixes (non emergency) and a rainy day. We are very fortunate during these hard times when others are struggling.

We have something booked for 2010 but nothing for 2009 yet. My son starts college next fall and we are waiting to see the bill before we book.

Well at least you are gracious and acknowledge others. ;)

[harkinmr]

For one thing, it is an old, OLD, OLD joke. It is a takeoff on the comment federal employees hear from members of the public when they have something to complain about: "I PAY YOUR SALARY!!"

Secondly, that big green grinning emoticon at the end of steamboatin's post should have given you a clue.

I see we have a government employee in hiding here. And, by the way, we DO pay their salaries! It apparently is not a joke (big green grinning emoticon or not) because Steamboatin has reappeared in defense of his government service, but no mea culpa for the initial post (which should have given YOU a clue!). By the way Steamboatin, those of us who have "served" this country in the private sector deserve no less reward for our efforts than you do.

[Commieri]

Nobody is rubbing it in your face.

Have you forgotten how you titled this thread. Have you forgotten the question that you asked at the end of your first post?

You specifically asked if everyone else was okay or were they worried about the economy.

So you got a response from someone stating that he was okay. And now you're complaining about it.

Go back and read you first post again.

If you had titled this thread something along the lines of "We had to cancel our cruise because of the econonmy," and then posted what had happened to your husband, all the posts would have been by people offering their condolences and best wishes.

I guarantee that no one would have posted to the thread stating that they were okay and would be continuing to book cruises.

Steamboatin did so because you specifically asked the question!

YOu're kidding me, right? Now you've made me out to be a whining villan? I wasn't the first one to comment on Steamboatin's comment... others did and rightly so... No matter how the question is phrased, it's insensitive to joke about us paying for his trips.

Hope you and Steamboatin continue your romance on the high seas... I'm done.

[MadManOfBethesda]

By the way Steamboatin, those of us who have "served" this country in the private sector deserve no less reward for our efforts than you do.

Yeah, I'm sure that your private sector work is just as significant as the 20+ years Steamboatin has given to the defense of our country.

I salute you!

[MadManOfBethesda]

YOu're kidding me, right? Now you've made me out to be a whining villan? I wasn't the first one to comment on Steamboatin's comment... others did and rightly so... No matter how the question is phrased, it's insensitive to joke about us paying for his trips.

Hope you and Steamboatin continue your romance on the high seas... I'm done.

Wow. Where did you get that from?

I didn't say that you were whining and I didn't call you a villian. I'm truly sorry for the situation tht you find yourself in because of the economy. I merely pointed out that you specifically asked if others were okay and that Steamboatin replied that he was. If you hadn't done so, he wouldn't have posted that he was. It's really that simple.

And I'm still amazed that you and others are so exorcised about Steamboatin's comment, but haven't said nary a word about zuzucruz's comment that government employees deserve to rot in Hell.

I guess that is not insensitive enough to warrant any criticism.

[harkinmr]

Yeah, I'm sure that your private sector work is just as significant as the 20+ years Steamboatin has given to the defense of our country.

I salute you!

My private sector work created the capital that created the jobs that paid the taxes that paid the salaries of those defending this country...so, yes, it IS just as significant as Steamboatin's work! The problem here, MadManOfBethesda, is that people like you and Steamboatin feel entitled and believe that we all owe you. It is the sense of entitlement and the insensitivity that goes along with it that has made your responses to the OP and others on this board so disturbing.

[callmedeb]

Seriously people? Get over yourselves and stop stirring up trouble (MMOB & SB). Agree to dissagree and move on. Leben und leben lassen (Live and let Live).

The economy sucks for everyone, worldwide. I'm lucky I have a, fairly, stable job - but I am helping out my father who has lost most of his investments and even a portion of his pension. It sucks.

But when he said to me that he wanted to find a way to take the trip he'd always wanted to take, we found a way.

My personal feeling is if you want something bad enough you can find a way. If you don't then you didn't really need it to begin with.

And OP? Don't judge all HAL cruisers by two provocateurs, I've found more lovely people on this board than idiots (although I am a lurker).

Cheers!

[MadManOfBethesda]

And OP? Don't judge all HAL cruisers by two provocateurs, I've found more lovely people on this board than idiots (although I am a lurker).

How did I become a provocateur by defending one poster when another poster told him he deserved to be in Hell??

Okay. Now, I'm done.

[SAYHEYRENEE]

decided to stay out of this one.

[kryos]

I have to agree.. I am the original poster asking whether the economy was concerning to others. As I said, my husband's company is falling victime to this. Steamboatin... you should count your blessings and actually I resent that I have worked since age 5 ( in a family business) got a Master's degree in Social Work and have worked in health care for 20 odd years. We just got told our raises are deferred due to decreased volume at the hospital... so many people lost health care coverage that only the most urgent cases come in.
I agree, the comment he made sounds like one where he didn't think before hitting the "send" button ... but I doubt it was made to be malicious.

These times are definitely hitting some of us worse than others. I have friends who are retired now ... getting government and private industry pensions, as well as Social Security checks. They were in the workforce long before the switch from fixed pensions to 401K's and IRA's ... so their monthly income is pretty much "locked in." They can't lose. We can.

It's just unfortunate circumstances in our cases, very fortunate ones in theirs. Just like everything else in life. If the economy was booming, chances are we would be ahead because our retirement savings fluctuate because of the economy. While people living on fixed pensions would get some sort of an increase, we would make much more. The sad thing is, that is not the way the economy has gone ... so it has been us, the working people, who are taking the hit ... with the loss of our jobs, or at least our raises that we've come to expect each year. I don't think very many companies at all are giving raises these days ... even scheduled ones ... and some are, in fact, asking their employees to take pay cuts, as my company has done last year when they asked all employees to start contributing toward their health care and pensions, and then got us to "give back" a scheduled $25 raise that was supposed to go entirely into our health and welfare fund. When we didn't get the raise, and balked to our union about having to make a bigger contribution to the health care program, the union was able to avoid that and keep us happy, but now our health care is not what it was. We now have bigger co-pays and more of them. So, that has translated into a pay cut in the end anyway.

So, I guess Steamboating is just in a good position right now, and hopefully he is counting his blessings. Not everyone else is as fortunate, but that's just the way the ball bounces sometimes.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[kryos]

Since you were once a government employee I know you never had to work a day in your life.
It's funny ... I've held down several jobs thus far in my working career ... since I tend to work second jobs on occasion ... but the one job where I worked harder than absolutely any other was with the federal government ... the IRS. I also have several friends ... and family members ... who've worked for the Postal Service ... and I know they never had it easy.

So, I tend to think that some government jobs can actually be more high stress than those in the private sector. So, I wouldn't say a government worker never had to work a day in his life. Believe me, he may have actually had to work a lot harder. The days of the government giving out free rides to its employees ended a long, long time ago.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[babyher]

One of our government retirements is from a military retirement check each month.

I spent over 20 plus years defending this nation and you.

I earned that government retirement check.

Did you do your military service to protect your country?

I do respect and thank you for your service to our country.

My Mom also gets a big (municipal) government retiremnet check every month.

My dad was a firefighter for 34 years .
Nights , weekends, holidays, birthdays anniversarys he was on the job.

He was on the job during a time when like most large cities, every night a different square block burned to the ground in the name of civil rights. And he was thanked by the public by getting rocked and bottled.

And then just as he was looking forward to retirement , he died suddenly at 58.

So yeah my mom has a really great pension , so she will never be one of those old ladies out on a park bench eating cat food , but she lost a whole lot more than she gained

[Commieri]

Babyher, sorry about your Dad. That is just not fair at all but as we all know life isn't always fair. I hope you and your mother will always have wonderful memories of your Dad. Your post illustrates that everything is relative. While Steamboatin got me and lots of others "steamed" at what sounded like his callous attitude towards those of us not sitting pretty financially, your post reminded me that a month ago I was worried that my husband was seriously ill. He was not and I am going into this unemployment crisis determined to survive and grateful I am not dealing with a life-threatening illness.

Thank you for your post .

[sail7seas]

I also thank you for your post, Babyher. Sure puts some things in perspective. I lost my dad when I was 18 so fully understand the loss. My Mom is now late 80's and has been alone many years.

We all need to be thankful for the good in our lives and always cognizant some have it far worse then we do. There is always someone in more pain; more need.

No matter our struggles in today's economy, most of us will do fine in the end. It may not be easy but we will find a means.

I wish good will, peace and security to all in this season.

[czechred]

We've already booked our airfare for Alaska cruise May 10, 2009 out of Seattle. Airfare was over $1000 for 2 of us. If we cancel air we lose $150/per ticket plus a $30 each charge because we booked through ORBITZ. We would then have the balance to use on another airfare which must be used by Sept. 9/09 (I orginally booked airfare 9/9/08). So where else to we go in order to use the airfare? It would still cost us money to go somewhere else. We have not yet paid final balance on Alaska cruise so we can still get out of that portion. I also booked travel insurance separately and called the insurer and that can be tranferred to another trip as long as we call before our embarkation day of 5/10. We're hanging in there until I have to pay Holland for the balance of trip in Feb.09 to see how things go.

[CowPrincess]

We would then have the balance to use on another airfare which must be used by Sept. 9/09 (I orginally booked airfare 9/9/08).

We did not book through Orbitz. We did have to cancel a flight we'd booked thru an airline, and during the process found out that for $10 each we could extend the useable period of the credit for another year. I'd check with Orbitz and see if they have something similar. (We'd cancelled other flights before with this particular airline, and had NO idea we could extend the "credit" period.) Worth checking, anyway.

[GeriatricNurse]

We're booked for April 5th on Westerdam... first HAL cruise as we usually go Celebrity or Princess. There are 6 of us going but it now looks certain that my husband's company will become yet another victim of the credit crunch and economic mess. If we have to cancel, we will- I just can't see going if he's unemployed. But it suprised me to see no discussion of the economy on the boards... Is everyone else ok or are others concerned about layoffs or company closings?:confused:


Yes, we're okay! DW & I are both retired with NO children, NO pets & No debts! We plan on cruising until we are no longer able to either 1. Ambulate 2. Dress ourselves 3. Feed Ourselves

[cruisecrasy]

Yes, we're okay! DW & I are both retired with NO children, NO pets & No debts! We plan on cruising until we are no longer able to either 1. Ambulate 2. Dress ourselves 3. Feed Ourselves

Just what is needed now, thanks for sharing a 'giggle of the day'!!

Merry Xmas/Happy Holidays :)

[mariner]

If anything, the economic crisis teaches us that nothing lasts forever. After the UAW is revamped, the last vestige is government service. And I'm guessing there will be a huge number of very unsympathetic taxpayers.

Count our blessings now and hope for a recovery sooner rather than later. What was past certainly won't be future.

[rxralph]

One of our government retirements is from a military retirement check each month.

I spent over 20 plus years defending this nation and you.

I earned that government retirement check.

Did you do your military service to protect your country?


Yes to your question, but I don't see it as a road to entitlements.

ralph

[CalGal777]

And I find it astonishing that everyone is jumping on steamboatin for a comment that was meant in jest, but that no one except Ruth has uttered one word about zuzucruz's intentional and utterly despicable remark that all government employees should end up in Hell.

JMO:rolleyes:I didnt say anything because I probably would have been banned from here for life.My husband spent 20 years in the military defending your country NOT sitting on his A-- doing nothing. He deserves his retirement.

[Commieri]

As you can see from the time of this post, I have insomnia on Christmas Mroning. Yesterday, my husband's cmpany decided to close at the end of the month due to the insurmountable financial issues they're facing. I am trying to keep a stiff upper lip but it got to me today. He has worked so hard to make this company successufl. As the previous poster said her husband "deserved" his retirement. - I think that the point is most people deserve a decent retirement, decent living arrangements, decent health care etc but many don't have it and in this economy more and more will not and through NO FAULT of their own.

At this point, I can't see us being able to go in April, especially since we have to make final payment Jan 20th. I doubt he will find a job in that short a time. I have insurance but we will need all our money to manage and meet our normal obligations.

I think this post struck a cord with many others who are struggling as well as those who realize that they are fortunate to be able to continue to travel . Let's all hope that things will start to turn around soon but as someone else said upthread... we may all be living differently from now on.

[Jade13]

As you can see from the time of this post, I have insomnia on Christmas Mroning. Yesterday, my husband's cmpany decided to close at the end of the month due to the insurmountable financial issues they're facing. I am trying to keep a stiff upper lip but it got to me today. He has worked so hard to make this company successufl. As the previous poster said her husband "deserved" his retirement. - I think that the point is most people deserve a decent retirement, decent living arrangements, decent health care etc but many don't have it and in this economy more and more will not and through NO FAULT of their own.

At this point, I can't see us being able to go in April, especially since we have to make final payment Jan 20th. I doubt he will find a job in that short a time. I have insurance but we will need all our money to manage and meet our normal obligations.

I think this post struck a cord with many others who are struggling as well as those who realize that they are fortunate to be able to continue to travel . Let's all hope that things will start to turn around soon but as someone else said upthread... we may all be living differently from now on.

Sorry to hear this. I sure hope you can find a way to go (we loved the Westerdam) and maybe save money by cutting down on the excursions (we can spend almost as much on excursions - especially in the Med - as we do on the cruise costs).

The ironic thing is that when one is out of work they actually have the time to vacation that they may not have otherwise.

[Commieri]

Sorry to hear this. I sure hope you can find a way to go (we loved the Westerdam) and maybe save money by cutting down on the excursions (we can spend almost as much on excursions - especially in the Med - as we do on the cruise costs).

The ironic thing is that when one is out of work they actually have the time to vacation that they may not have otherwise.


Thanks for your concern and yes, it's ironic that when DH will finally be able to go for as long as he wants WITHOUT a computer or cellphone to check into work... we can't do it. I would love for him to have time to do nothing even, as long as I knew we would find a way to pay our mortgage.

Oh well, Merry Christmas to all...

[SAYHEYRENEE]

Sorry to hear.

Let us all count our blessings that we have the basics in life...that is what is important.

[Miata]

First off, very sorry to hear of your husbands situation. This is a scary thing that requires both of your support. As a team you are much stronger than just your husband.

Jade makes a good point about having the time off. I was out of work for a while after working 20+ years for a department store. I had gone back to school and had a month off between semesters. I thought about doing a lap of the country (staying with relatives where possible) but didn't for fear of the cost. I always regret not taking that month long vacation as when would I get that much time off again?

One point I had going for me was attitude. Yes it is scary being out of work but your attitude will determine how it goes. Lick your wounds for a week till January 4th and then begin creating your plan. Start writing down ideas now if you want. What assets does your husband have to sell. I am NOT refering to stocks, things around the house, etc but rather what are his skills that he can sell? I knew retailing but I never realized that retailing meant satisfying the customer's needs. I translated that into a contracting job for a help desk for the Air Force. It sounds weird but they love me because I won't drop the ball till the problem is resolved. My point is what does your husband (and you as you are a team) have to offer employers? Regarding attitude I was actually very excited during that time period because I felt that I had nothing but opportunities.

Back to your cruise. If your husband does find a job then it might be tough to take time off unless he is clear up front about the cruise coming up. Conversely if his is still off, then by that time he WILL need a vacation from job hunting. As has already been suggested you could cut back on excursions and do walking tours, etc. but you still need to have FUN such that you don't watch every penny. My thought is that you and your husband should work your butts off looking for a job till then and then stop, rest and have some fun before getting back to the job of getting a job.

Oh, did you ever think about how a ship is a great place to make business contacts?

Let me know if you want other ideas for finding a job as I did all sorts of strange things and I ended up with a three way bidding war to hire me. THAT was a lot of fun.

I hope it all works out for you.

Larry

[jimmy2x]

I probably should stay out of this, but................

Am also retired military and am retiring from another job (private sector) at the end of the month. There is no question that the military retirement pay (far less than what many of you would think) along with SS is what makes that possible. In spite of foolish economic decisions when much younger, we managed to buckle down, pay off the mortgage and become pretty much debt free.

While we feel incredibly fortunate to be able to do this, I certainly empathize with people who are losing jobs through no fault of their own. Many are in their early 50's with both a mortgage and kids in college. Just what exactly are they supposed to do?

We are grateful to be able to live fairly modestly and continue to take at least on (maybe two if we move to the cheap seats) cruises each year and still live within our means.

[Commieri]

First off, very sorry to hear of your husbands situation. This is a scary thing that requires both of your support. As a team you are much stronger than just your husband.

Jade makes a good point about having the time off. I was out of work for a while after working 20+ years for a department store. I had gone back to school and had a month off between semesters. I thought about doing a lap of the country (staying with relatives where possible) but didn't for fear of the cost. I always regret not taking that month long vacation as when would I get that much time off again?

One point I had going for me was attitude. Yes it is scary being out of work but your attitude will determine how it goes. Lick your wounds for a week till January 4th and then begin creating your plan. Start writing down ideas now if you want. What assets does your husband have to sell. I am NOT refering to stocks, things around the house, etc but rather what are his skills that he can sell? I knew retailing but I never realized that retailing meant satisfying the customer's needs. I translated that into a contracting job for a help desk for the Air Force. It sounds weird but they love me because I won't drop the ball till the problem is resolved. My point is what does your husband (and you as you are a team) have to offer employers? Regarding attitude I was actually very excited during that time period because I felt that I had nothing but opportunities.

Back to your cruise. If your husband does find a job then it might be tough to take time off unless he is clear up front about the cruise coming up. Conversely if his is still off, then by that time he WILL need a vacation from job hunting. As has already been suggested you could cut back on excursions and do walking tours, etc. but you still need to have FUN such that you don't watch every penny. My thought is that you and your husband should work your butts off looking for a job till then and then stop, rest and have some fun before getting back to the job of getting a job.

Oh, did you ever think about how a ship is a great place to make business contacts?

Let me know if you want other ideas for finding a job as I did all sorts of strange things and I ended up with a three way bidding war to hire me. THAT was a lot of fun.

I hope it all works out for you.

Larry

Hi Larry, thanks for taking the time to give me those thoughtful ideas . I agree 100% that attitude is important and I also see the possibility of good to come out of this as my husband has devoted his life to work and it would be nice if we had more time to just"be". We've already talked about where we can cut expenses and we will but unfortunately, we bought our house at the height of the market and have a pretty big mortgage yada yada..you've heard it all before. As for the cruise, well we never take excursions and don't drink all that much but your'e still looking at spending $3K between cruise and air so that's a bit too scary for me to agree to right now.

Again, thanks for your thoughts and encouragement and glad things worked out for you. My DH is pretty talented in his field too... it's just the present economy is going to really limit options.

[tomtal]

Camille - my thoughts are with you and your husband. It's a really hard time out there now - all over the world - and I really hope that things improve in the New Year and you find employment again. Do not worry about cruising - there will be plenty of time in the future when things improve - as hopefully they must. As we say here across the pond "keep your chin up". Good luck and I hope the New Year works out better for you.

[Typhoon1]

Never, no matter how bad it gets, I need my mental health week.:eek:

[babyher]

I also thank you for your post, Babyher. Sure puts some things in perspective. I lost my dad when I was 18 so fully understand the loss. My Mom is now late 80's and has been alone many years.

We all need to be thankful for the good in our lives and always cognizant some have it far worse then we do. There is always someone in more pain; more need.

No matter our struggles in today's economy, most of us will do fine in the end. It may not be easy but we will find a means.

I wish good will, peace and security to all in this season.



Thank you for your kind words Sail.

I was 21 when my dad died. You feel cheated your whole life long when you lose a parent so young. Why couldn't they be here to see me get married? Why couldn't they be here to see my kids being born? You hear about a couples big anniversary party and you wish your parents could have had that.

You are so right though, we all have our troubles , but we should be thankful for the good , and pray to see us through the bad.

I hope you and DH had a very Merry Christmas and that Santa was good to you.

I must have been a better boy than I thought this year , he was very good to me *LOL*

No cruise in my stocking :(, but like you said , I will just count the blessings I do have.

[sail7seas]

Babyher.... I think we were separated at birth. We think so alike. :)

I always enjoy your posts and this one is certainly no exception.

You said it so well, I never quite expressed it just that way. I really have felt cheated my whole life that my dad left us so very long ago. I never quite realized that was exactly the word for it. He became very ill when I was in fifth grade so in essence I started to lose him then.
I am so happy you had such a nice Christmas. No doubt in my mind you deserve it!

[DFD1]

For me, this is an interesting and very worthwhile thread. Thank you all.

[gkny]

Camille, I'm sorry about your husbands situation. I will pray for the both of you. Since HAL is lowering their prices to $50-75 a night my wife and I'll be sailing them. We always sail in inside cabins and we don't drink so we just pay for the onboard tips on our credit card. My wife works as a nurse in a NYC hospital and I'm NYPD detective for the past 27 years. Our jobs are stable but we never live outside our means. We are concerned about everyone and the economy. This past October we did the back to back on the Westerdam and we did 1 excursion each week to the Caribbean. I think cruising is the best value vacation and we try to go once a year. Jing and I wish everyone a Happy and Healthy and Prosperous New Year, George

[airlink diva]

I'm going ahead and booking my next cruise, but holding it off until 2010.
I work in the airline industry and recently a meger between Delta and Northwest was more or less approved. Since Memphis is so close to both Atlanta and Cincinnati, I can expect a reduce number of flights. I don't know how it will effect me, but I can only hope for the best. I still have a job and will work any extra hours offered to me, even at times when I want to leave and go home. I noticed that some of my co-workers who are part time are trying to also work additional hours when they can due to either losing their primary job or a spouse have.
I'm more or less frugal with my money. I did move back with my parents to save more for a large down payment on a condo. I drive a older car,don't go out for dinner often and spend more time at home reading,online and walking my dog Max.
But I love to cruise!! I'm proud to say that for my last few cruises, I do a layway plan. I sit down, total how much my cruise,hotel, and spending money for that cruise total and break it down into monthly payments. For my 2010 cruise? $200 a month. By doing this, I pay for my cruise in full,and don't use my credit card. On my cruise in October, I didn't use my credit card on the trip and came back with about $163.
But I know some people that use to vacation several times a year that are cutting back to one or no trip at all. Others who had jobs that went overseas or cut out.
As for steamboatin remarks, there are some people out there who are not effected by what's going on with the majority of us. I have a cousin in the repo business that is doing very well and can afford to take advantage of the situation going on right now. They have the means to enjoy alot. But most people are not like that and I think that steamboatin didn't mean no harm,but it was very tasteless reply.
I would love to sail on HAL in 2009, but unless I win the powerball, HAL or any other cruiseline won't see me again until 2010.

[Route6A]

Usually, we take a couple of cruises each year, but I cancelled our April Eurodam cruise weeks ago due to the
economic crisis and don't plan to book any other cruises soon. Although we could still cruise, like many others, we are going to sit back and see where the uncertainly in the economy takes us before we do. Everyone is affected by the downturn...lost jobs, declining investments, erosion of home values. The list is long. We are just one of many families who are cutting back and hoping for the best. I think it will be years before the economy recovers. Maybe five. Good luck to all, especially those concerned about their jobs.

[Commieri]

Had to take one more peek at the thread I started that turned into a pretty "hot"one. The people who replied where overwhelmngly kind and understanding and yes, most are thinking hard about whether to cruise or not. I am really trying to stay positive and yes, count my blessings . It is going to be a different world for us and many of the things were thought were are birthright... a good retirement may be a pipedream now.

I have tons of confidence in my hubby and maybe a miracle will happen with his company , who knows. We vacilate about cancelling or going.. have until Jan 20th for final payment and did purchase cancel for work reasons. Also, Southwest has a sale now so I rebooked just the flight to FLL and saved $88 for future travel. Still holding off booking the return incase we don't end up drusiing. Curious that someone upthread said HAL lowered cabin fare... does anyone know about that? Then again, it puts you at risk with trip cancellation insurance having to be rebooked etc.

Anyway, hope all that are in job jeopardy come out ok. And again, I thank everyone for their comments.:cool:

[MadManOfBethesda]

We vacilate about cancelling or going.. have until Jan 20th for final payment and did purchase cancel for work reasons.

You may want to take a close look at your policy's "cancel for work reasons" coverage before January 20. I purchased that option through Travel Guard and it does not cover loss of job. At least as far as AIG is concerned, canceling for work reasons means that you can't go because you have to work, not because you lost your job.

Your policy may be different, but I'd hate for you to find out after making final payment on your cruise that you don't have the coverage you thought you had.

[Commieri]

You may want to take a close look at your policy's "cancel for work reasons" coverage before January 20. I purchased that option through Travel Guard and it does not cover loss of job. At least as far as AIG is concerned, canceling for work reasons means that you can't go because you have to work, not because you lost your job.

Your policy may be different, but I'd hate for you to find out after making final payment on your cruise that you don't have the coverage you thought you had.


Thanks, Man of Bethdesda, I called the insurance last week... Access America and they assured me that if his company shuts down etc we are covered. That was my issue even when booking months ago as the storm clouds were on the horizon. They say I would just have to supply letter on company letterhead expalining close etc. Ofcourse, it's never that simple. My sis and bro are booked to come as well but they didn't buy trip cancellation insurance. So, if DH and I hold off on cancelling to see if things work out or he gets a job, then my sis and bro would loose their money because they don't think they would cruise if we don't all go .

So, still in a wait and see period right now.

[hal lover]

We probably will be increasing the number of cruises we take if the prices keep decreasing.

It is nice to be retired and receiving multiple government retirement checks plus other government income.

By the way - thanks to you all for paying for our cruises.:D

You are an insensitive jerk! I suppose you are one of those people who thinks the world revolves around them. IMHO!

[DebbieS732]

I have to say, after reading this thread, not only did I purchase trip insurance for the first time ever but I spent an extra $120 for the 'cancel for any reason' option with TravelInsured. It seems like the prudent thing to do given the state of our economy. A lot of people are worried. Even when you have a job and the cash to do an expensive trip, it's hard not to take pause and wonder if you might need that cash for an emergency.

[Commieri]

Yes, I remember when I was carefree and younger and never bought insurance. Those days are long gone. You did the right thing because as you said, even if your job is ok, who could handle the unexpected expense of a medical emergency etc.