CJAA

As we are retirees we tend to be careful with our costs and take the cheaper options, but only where we see the value verse enjoyment equation is not compromised. Ie: is the extra cost worth the enjoyment to us.

For example, most cruises we take, we go interior, thus giving us more money to enjoy excursions/specialty dining/etc.

However if we can get an OV at a reasonable additional cost we would chose the OV over the Internal.

We figure as we only generally spend sleeping/showering/changing time in our cabin,why spend the extra.

Although last year we did the Emerald relocation England to Australia and I treated my wife to an OV at the very rear of the boat looking over the wake, at marginally more than the internal cabin, and it was fantastic value.

 

For another I like to drink real orange juice not the watered down type, and love those mocktails, so the equation for me goes, per day 5 orange juices at around $2 each, plus 2 mocktails at $5.00 each, total $20/day, verses soda+ package at $10 to $12 per day, not a hard choice really, and some days I can even let myself, indulge himself an extra mocktail or two if I so desire, and finally it’s great for my mixer drinks just supply the spirit and get my free mixer coke/dry/tonic whatever.

But those all-inclusive drink packages seem well over the top, there is no way I could drink that amount of grog per day. So we stick to buying a bottle have a couple of glasses, and then getting the drink staff to put our cabin number on it and keep it for the next day, definitely works out cheaper.

 

We agree however with the general view that the art auctions are great for a free drink, but never buy, the spa treatments are definitely out, but do take advantage of our Elite standing by getting the ship to do our major laundry items for free, and our free internet allocations real help. So we do find that loyalty to a particular cruise line worthwhile.

 

We too like the longer cruises, so we need to be extra careful with costs as they can easily blow out to mind boggling amounts, if you don’t keep in mind your budget and how it’s going. We are forever going to those little statement printout kiosks every 4 or 5 days to check costs and that no extras are added to our accounts, we have several times picked up that someone else’s purchase has been misbooked to us, and it’s much easier to have it corrected if noted early.

 

So be miserly but don’t skimp on what you truly enjoy, or you’ll miss the purpose of going.

 

Regards

love your way of life, thanks for the tips

Also looking for tour, same 830pm flight out. Claire and Don 13194