HELP! Would you be this irresponsible? :)

[Livabeth]

Why not get a job on a cruise ship??!! This way you can do something you love;)

[houlacruiser]

how old, i was in huntington in 2004 ???:confused::rolleyes::eek:

 

rofl!!!!

[Lynnees]

A year ago I would have said are you crazy - find a jonb - hold onto your money.

 

Then in May my DH had a major heart attack and for a week I didn't know if he was going to even come out of the coma.

 

Now, I say GO FOR IT - you can't take it with you. A job will come along sometime but live for the now.

[debandbill]

Here's my 2 cents, sorry for the boring background info. I am 47 and my husband is 56. My husband has his own business and "used" to be married to it. We had an agreement that we would do vacations together every 3 years. On the off years I would cruise and go on land vacations with my kids while he stayed home and nurtured his business. He had a very hard time leaving work and going on vacations. My husband has never been sick a day in his life, never smoked a day in his life, not on 1 prescription for anything. This past January he was diagnosed with stage IV oral cancer. Thank God he is through 7 weeks of daily radiation and 7 weeks of chemo. He lost the ability to swallow and talk for a few months and had to "eat" through a feeding tube. So far everything looks good and he is cancer free.

 

His diagnosis definitely changed both of our outlooks on life. We just cruised in August with the kids and this coming March will be cruising with my sister and brother in law. He actually got off of the Liberty cruise saying "I can't wait until our next cruise". Definitely not 3 years in between. You never know what day will be your last and what life has in store for you.

 

My vote is "go for it". Once you start a new job it will be hard to take time off and the price is really good. We definitely don't live our life as if each day is our last, we are still saving for retirement but we definitely are enjoying our life together a lot more and unfortunately this has been a HUGE wake up call. Good luck with your decision! Wanda

 

Spammie, sorry to hijack this thread but had to acknowledge the fact that my hubbie just celebrated his two year anniversary post oral cancer treatment (Stage 4..T4NOMO)..same treatment...same need for feeding tube and port...same side effects. If you haven't already joined the Oral Cancer Foundation boards, please do so..tons of help and info. I am "debandbill" there as well.

 

My apologies to the OP and others...it was just important to reach out.

 

Oh and BTW, I vote for money toward health insurance as well, if you don't have any. Cost of Bill's dx and treatment: $175,000 easily and thankfully mostly paid by insurance.

[BethCarp]

Don't you agree that I'll do better looking for a job if I'm well-rested?? :)

Well apparently it didn't work with the cruise you just took.

 

Here's the thing, if you have to ask a public message board if it's a good idea to take a cruise, chances are it's not. You obviously can't afford it. That's why you're here looking for someone to give you a rationalization.

[amybeth4]

Amy, knock, knock..... it's opportunity answer the d@mn door

 

LOL

 

How DARE you introduce a logical sound approach of living into Never-Never Land (this thread). Tinker Bell will never spread her

magic cruise dust on you again !!!

 

Oh by the way Amy Beth aren't you the one who was worried about whether her girl friend was going to have a good time on a cruise with you?

How did all that go down?

 

lol to you too! The cruise went well. Her broken toe was a BIT of a downer but she made the best of it. She actually loved the vacation and "really likes" cruising and is willing to do it again, which is great, considering I thought she'd "like" the vacation but be done with the cruising.

 

OBVIOUSLY you haven't read my fabulous review. :mad: ;)

 

 

How old, I was in Huntington in 2004 ??? :confused: :rolleyes: :eek:

 

Uh...he's 9. Eek!

 

This past January he was diagnosed with stage IV oral cancer. Thank God he is through 7 weeks of daily radiation and 7 weeks of chemo. He lost the ability to swallow and talk for a few months and had to "eat" through a feeding tube. So far everything looks good and he is cancer free.

 

Congrats on his current state of health. Heres to many more years of life, happiness and cruising.

 

Why not get a job on a cruise ship??!! This way you can do something you love

 

I've been trying to become Cruise Staff for QUITE awhile. I'm 100% suited for it. But RCCL told me they get 100 emails a day asking for this job. The Liberty CD told me to make a 3-minute DVD of past performances, but shows I've done are on VHS and in storage...I may have to just come up with some stupid routine and having someone record me. I HAVE to be cruise staff and there aren't too many 43-year-old cruise staffers on the ships! :( Time's of the essence!

 

 

For the people telling me to get health insurance, the thought of three months' worth of insurance equalling one cruise is killing me, lol. Oh and did I mention my car is 16 years old?

 

I'm back up from 40/60 to 50/50 though...

 

 

Well apparently it didn't work with the cruise you just took.

 

Here's the thing, if you have to ask a public message board if it's a good idea to take a cruise, chances are it's not. You obviously can't afford it. That's why you're here looking for someone to give you a rationalization.

 

No, I'd definitely be more relaxed on an upcoming cruise by myself than I was with a friend who snored and kept me up all night, every night, despite a sound machine blasting in my face at full volume. And I wouldn't have to answer to anyone, I can do what I want, when I want...that's what I'm looking forward to.

 

As for your next paragraph, way to be a buzzkill!!! (But thanks for the rationality...I'm still thinking...)

[Aoumd]

Hate to sound like a pessimist but if I were in your shoes, I would not be spending money on cruises until I knew when my next job would be coming in UNLESS I could justify it being less expensive (or darn close to) 9-10 days at home.

 

If I were to not be able to get a job for an indefinite period after the cruise and ran out of savings/cash, I would hate the cruise being the reason I had to turn to my family, or another source of support, for another week, two weeks (however long $1,100 would last you) than if I had not splurged on an expense that by definition is an optional luxury.

 

That said, if you pay your own heating bill and don't have any pets or anyone else at home, could you save more $$$ (and thus reduce the "net" cost of the cruise) by turning the heat down to like 55 degrees in your place while gone (just making sure you don't freeze any pipes, but a lot less $ on the heating bill)?

[BethCarp]

What are you 12? Seriously, this whole country is in trouble due to people spending money they don't have and not being able to pay it back. If you need to relax and unwind, go get a massage.

[amybeth4]

What are you 12? Seriously, this whole country is in trouble due to people spending money they don't have and not being able to pay it back. If you need to relax and unwind, go get a massage.

 

No, the country's in trouble for buying freakin' houses and cars they couldn't afford.

 

The "country" is better off if I go out and SPEND my money to pull companies like RCCL out of the red...

[Beach4me]

Well apparently it didn't work with the cruise you just took.

 

Spot on, BethCarp! I think that a lot of folks doing the encouraging don't realize that amybeth returned from a week-long cruise LESS THAN A WEEK AGO!

 

(btw - for those talking about devastating illnesses, etc...I had a stroke at age 40 so I fully understand "the power of the now". I also understand the priority of having health insurance. And, having been unemployed in this economy, I also understand more now than ever about having to make responsible decisions regarding spending.)

[amybeth4]

Hate to sound like a pessimist but if I were in your shoes, I would not be spending money on cruises until I knew when my next job would be coming in UNLESS I could justify it being less expensive (or darn close to) 9-10 days at home.

 

If I were to not be able to get a job for an indefinite period after the cruise and ran out of savings/cash, I would hate the cruise being the reason I had to turn to my family, or another source of support, for another week, two weeks (however long $1,100 would last you) than if I had not splurged on an expense that by definition is an optional luxury.

 

That said, if you pay your own heating bill and don't have any pets or anyone else at home, could you save more $$$ (and thus reduce the "net" cost of the cruise) by turning the heat down to like 55 degrees in your place while gone (just making sure you don't freeze any pipes, but a lot less $ on the heating bill)?

 

Well it would DEFINITELY cost me way more to cruise than to spend ten days at home.

 

As for your last paragraph, I've been staying with family for awhile so my expenses have been low. Starting next week I'll be staying in someone's house while they're away for a few weeks and just paying them $500/month for utilities and upkeep of the house. So that's fairly low as well.

 

Ugh now I'm back to 40/60. :) I hate money. I hate NEEDING money. I just like to vacation.

[Beach4me]

I just like to vacation.

 

I just looked at your signature. Am I reading it right...have you already been on 3 cruises this year? :confused:

[BethCarp]

No, the country's in trouble for buying freakin' houses and cars they couldn't afford.

 

The "country" is better off if I go out and SPEND my money to pull companies like RCCL out of the red...

 

Um, spending money that you don't have (it doesn't matter what you're buying) is a bad thing. If you don't really have money, you're not helping the economy. Because eventually that bill has to be paid to someone. Look, you said yourself you're being irresponsible. You're not going to get an argument from me on that.

[amybeth4]

I just looked at your signature. Am I reading it right...have you already been on 3 cruises this year? :confused:

 

Um...yeeeaahhh...but I'm making up for my lack of cruising since 2003.

[amybeth4]

Um, spending money that you don't have (it doesn't matter what you're buying) is a bad thing. If you don't really have money, you're not helping the economy. Because eventually that bill has to be paid to someone. Look, you said yourself you're being irresponsible. You're not going to get an argument from me on that.

 

Let me clear something up and maybe alleviate your...anger...towards me and this situation, haha.

 

I have the money. It's not like it's gonna go on a credit card and then I'm gonna pay $20 a month for the next few years to pay it off and then have collection agencies after me. I'd NEVER do that.

 

I saved up about $7,000 YEARS ago by quitting smoking and having my old job take my cigarette money out of my weekly pay and putting it into a savings account. I haven't worked for that company since 2001 so it's just sitting and rotting. My thinking is I'll take out about $1,200 and still leave the remaining $6,000 in there and continue to pretend I don't have it unless I need it for a real emergency.

 

Is that any better?

[Beach4me]

Um...yeeeaahhh...but I'm making up for my lack of cruising since 2003.

 

Okay...looks like you were cruising on an every-other-year schedule. Your last cruise was 2003...so cruise #1 in 2009 = missed cruise in 2005, cruise#2 in 2009 = missed cruise in 2007, cruise #3 in 2009 = the cruise you would have taken this year according to your prior budget/schedule. So, looks like you don't have to worry about taking another cruise now until 2011! :eek:

[amybeth4]

Okay...looks like you were cruising on an every-other-year schedule. Your last cruise was 2003...so cruise #1 in 2009 = missed cruise in 2005, cruise#2 in 2009 = missed cruise in 2007, cruise #3 in 2009 = the cruise you would have taken this year according to your prior budget/schedule. So, looks like you don't have to worry about taking another cruise now until 2011! :eek:

 

RIGHT. Because by THEN, I'll be cruise staff! And calling your bingo games and teaching you how to line dance!! :)

[crusinmama06]

Amy, you know usually I would say GO GIRL, WHAT ARE YA WAITING FOR! But you seriously don't have health insurance? That would scare me. :( Just one little medical condition and that $7,000 would be gone in a flash. :(

 

Sorry, but health insurance is a priority, not cruises.

[PrettyLA]

Well it would DEFINITELY cost me way more to cruise than to spend ten days at home.

 

As for your last paragraph, I've been staying with family for awhile so my expenses have been low. Starting next week I'll be staying in someone's house while they're away for a few weeks and just paying them $500/month for utilities and upkeep of the house. So that's fairly low as well.

 

Ugh now I'm back to 40/60. :) I hate money. I hate NEEDING money. I just like to vacation.

 

I like to vacation too. That doesn't mean I do it all the time. In fact, I like a pair of $1,000 boots. That doesn't mean I buy them (mostly because I would rather spend that money on a vacation).

 

If you have to ask if you should go you should NOT be going. Simple as that. You have been on a back to back and a one week cruise that you JUST got back from. I am all for living in the moment but doing this would be pretty stupid. You should be SAVING your money for things. Priorities. That is part of being a grown up.

[PrettyLA]

Let me clear something up and maybe alleviate your...anger...towards me and this situation, haha.

 

I have the money. It's not like it's gonna go on a credit card and then I'm gonna pay $20 a month for the next few years to pay it off and then have collection agencies after me. I'd NEVER do that.

 

I saved up about $7,000 YEARS ago by quitting smoking and having my old job take my cigarette money out of my weekly pay and putting it into a savings account. I haven't worked for that company since 2001 so it's just sitting and rotting. My thinking is I'll take out about $1,200 and still leave the remaining $6,000 in there and continue to pretend I don't have it unless I need it for a real emergency.

 

Is that any better?

 

 

But what about if another deal comes along? Are you going to take more money and just pretend the rest isn't there?

[S.S. Cruisers]

Amybeth: I love your attitude. You are like me, I like to mess with people's minds. You have not gotten mad, thrown a tantrum and run off with your ball with some of the comments on your dilemma (that spelling so does not look right, but looked it up in dictionary). We have not cruised since 2006, I am retired and also now working, again. I say "YOU GO GIRL"! :D You really are NOT being irresponsible as you do have the money, you are not spending all of it. AND, it is not any of our business where your finances are coming from! We took a Hawaii cruise, 14 days, and when we came back I found a Mexican Riviera cruise 3 weeks later that we could not pass up. $399 pp for a balcony for 8 days. So...........

[PH8]

As much as I too,would like to take money,I really couldn't spare to cruise(and have done so,trust me),if I were you,I'd really rethink this.......

 

You're 43

 

no job

 

no home of your own

 

no health insurance

 

you do have some money saved and must be getting money somewhere to live on..........sounds to me like right now,your priorities are not in order............thats just my opinion.

[CruisenLexie]

The ONLY reason I'm jumping in with these thoughts is that I just found a job last week...after looking for 18 months and 1 week.

 

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! That is one long job search. Good luck with your new job :D

[Aoumd]

Well it would DEFINITELY cost me way more to cruise than to spend ten days at home.

 

As for your last paragraph, I've been staying with family for awhile so my expenses have been low. Starting next week I'll be staying in someone's house while they're away for a few weeks and just paying them $500/month for utilities and upkeep of the house. So that's fairly low as well.

 

Ugh now I'm back to 40/60. :) I hate money. I hate NEEDING money. I just like to vacation.

 

Don't we all like to vacation...if we didn't CC wouldn't be here :-).

 

Well, if you're already at that point I would probably say it would be better to let this opportunity sail by, but start thinking of what cruise you want to take as your first vacation after landing your next job.

 

Your two cruises this year are more than even a lot of cruise lovers get to do, and many unemployed can only dream of. My fiance and I both work full time jobs (and not minimum-wage jobs at that), and we wish we could take something longer than a weekend trip, land OR sea, more than once a year.

 

I wouldn't view it as a "denied opportunity," but rather, of making sure that you can REALLY relax when on your next cruise, because all cruises come to an end, and the life you will be returning to once it ends will have much less uncertainty.

[molly361]

Go FOR IT!!!!!:D:eek: