How to you afford to cruise?

[nytraveller53]

Let's face it: every time you take a full-fledged cruise vacation, you spend at least a couple thousand dollars. And I know lot's of people here take 3+ cruises per year. So my question it, How do you afford it? What kinds of things have you given up? What kind of jobs allow you to cruise in the beginning, anyway?

 

I myself am a lawyer, and my wife is a doctor, but cruising is only a very small part of our "budget" (we don't actually have a budget - I don't think I could survive with one...:eek:). We consider cruising a "treat", rather than "routine" (We cruise every 1-2 years)

 

And as always, let's remember to use the new vocabulary we learned from member bobkamusician:

Substitute "that's not been my experience" for "not true" or "you're wrong"

 

Substitute "less informed person" for "idiot/meathead/stupid", etc.

 

Substitute "let me help you understand" for "maybe you shouldn't be cruising"

 

Substitute kindness and civility for invective; that's what I'm getting at.

:)

[firefly333]

I think its where you set your priorities. Some is age. When I was younger I didnt hardly cruise or feel like I had the money to do it. I spent my vacations with my family. Time off was hard to get.

 

Hopefully if you are a lawyer and your wife a doctor, with all that income, you are smart at saving, enough so that when you are older, the money is there. 8 cruises in the same year is the most Iv done, and at least one of those, maybe two, were B2Bs, so it didnt seem like that many.

 

Im doing Oasis twice later this year, two different FL trips, so I will do fewer cruises for a while to make up for two bigger cruises.

[H82seaUgo]

there are 12 months with 48 weeks of paycheck to go towards life and bills.

 

the other 4 weeks are free weeks, and goes toward vacation.

[jenwales]

there are 12 months with 48 weeks of paycheck to go towards life and bills.

 

the other 4 weeks are free weeks, and goes toward vacation.

 

That's a good way to look at it.

 

We have a vacation budget that is funded straight from our checks along with college, retirement, regular savings, etc. It allows us to travel a few times a year, though we don't always take cruises or we combine short cruises with something else. We're hampered a bit because DH doesn't get much vacation time.

[nytraveller53]

I think its where you set your priorities. Some is age. When I was younger I didnt hardly cruise or feel like I had the money to do it. I spent my vacations with my family. Time off was hard to get.

 

Hopefully if you are a lawyer and your wife a doctor, with all that income, you are smart at saving, enough so that when you are older, the money is there. 8 cruises in the same year is the most Iv done, and at least one of those, maybe two, were B2Bs, so it didnt seem like that many.

 

Im doing Oasis twice later this year, two different FL trips, so I will do fewer cruises for a while to make up for two bigger cruises.

Yup - that's what we're thinking as well. Save the best for last!;)

[nanuak]

Let's face it: every time you take a full-fledged cruise vacation, you spend at least a couple thousand dollars. And I know lot's of people here take 3+ cruises per year. So my question it, How do you afford it? What kinds of things have you given up? What kind of jobs allow you to cruise in the beginning, anyway?

 

I myself am a lawyer, and my wife is a doctor, but cruising is only a very small part of our "budget" (we don't actually have a budget - I don't think I could survive with one...:eek:). We consider cruising a "treat", rather than "routine" (We cruise every 1-2 years)

 

And as always, let's remember to use the new vocabulary we learned from member bobkamusician:

 

:)

 

I set up a separate savings account for vacations, and deposit money every month.

[going2cruz]

Many of us look for deals, one of our cruises last year cost $849 for 3 people 5 nights......hardly expensive.

[mdvlprof]

Everyday expenses are from 'regular' income. Classes I teach online are the vacation fund...:)

[ATL2LAS]

I set up a vacation fund that is separate from my normal banking institution. Out of sight, out of mind. I have the money deducted before I get to see it. As little as $20 a week over a years time is $1040. Enough for a 5-7 night cruise including tips and a little gambling. With food already paid for, it works for me.

[BOSN]

From reading these post the last couple of years,looking at peoples sign ons, it seems that it is also location, location, location. Many people living closer to cruise ports seem to cruise more often with the added (air fares, hotels, etc) expenses. Harder (more expensive) for those of us in the north.

[nancydee]

I am a single mother & office clerk.

I do not make alot of money but I live well within my means and am debt free.

I do not have a new car, nor a big house...Those things are not important to me. Time & memories with my kids are.

Cruising is my reward for me and the kids!!

That being said, we usually only take 1 big vacation a year.

[RWolver672]

For our first cruise, we took the money out of our savings account. When we got back, I immediately went to the bank and set up a separate "Cruise Savings Account". (That's what the account is called and the statement from the bank even has it on it.) Every month, $200 is automatically deducted from one of my pension checks. If any extra money comes our way, we add that to it. It pays for a cruise, flights, spending money, car rental and hotels for a couple of days before and after the cruise.

[Perfect Stranger]

You're a man?

 

And a lawyer?

 

:confused:

[Frank12]

From reading these post the last couple of years,looking at peoples sign ons, it seems that it is also location, location, location. Many people living closer to cruise ports seem to cruise more often with the added (air fares, hotels, etc) expenses. Harder (more expensive) for those of us in the north.

 

Living within an hour of 2 ports and 3 hours of 3 additional ports definitely helps to defray the costs. Not having children is another cost saver. Add that to working 1 full time and 2 part time jobs, plus DW works full time, and it makes 2 or 3 cruises a year fairly easy to do. We are very fortunate, and for this I am thankful each and every day!

[Cricket63]

Let's face it: every time you take a full-fledged cruise vacation, you spend at least a couple thousand dollars. And I know lot's of people here take 3+ cruises per year. So my question it, How do you afford it? What kinds of things have you given up? What kind of jobs allow you to cruise in the beginning, anyway?

 

I myself am a lawyer, and my wife is a doctor, but cruising is only a very small part of our "budget" (we don't actually have a budget - I don't think I could survive with one...:eek:). We consider cruising a "treat", rather than "routine" (We cruise every 1-2 years)

 

And as always, let's remember to use the new vocabulary we learned from member bobkamusician:

 

:)

 

DH's over time, booking early for lower rates, $100 into vacation account monthly, giving up spending sprees, just cutting back in general!

[D-Roc]

I would suspect some are even in debt cruising multiple times a year. Not all but some.

[Name Of The Game]

If you're really a lawyer and your wife's a doctor then you should have plenty of $$ to cruise. I'm not buying it though and I thought you were a woman too.

[Frank12]

I would suspect some are even in debt cruising multiple times a year. Not all but some.

 

In this economy you would have to be a, let me see... what is the new term, " A less informed person" to go into debt to cruise multiple times a year! Heck, in any economy for that matter! :eek:

[Frank12]

You're a man?

 

And a lawyer?

 

:confused:

 

Hilarious! The lawyer I can see. It's the man part that got me also! Not sure why though? :) Guess I just assumed!

[OnePsychLynne]

My husband and I make good money and save well. A 3 day cruise for the two of us can cost less than $500 and we've gotten very good at limiting on board costs. We plan VERY far in advance for those special very pricey "spared no expense" cruises (see signature below) :D

[Shelli]

One thing we do that helps is... our credit card pays 5% cash-back for purchases made in supermarkets, drugstores, and gas stations, and 1% on everything else. We charge *everything*, but of course we pay our bill in full at the end of the month. Carrying a balance and paying interest are not terms in our vocabulary! Anyway, that $ adds up, and it does help.

[sugarsmacksweet]

i agree ... location location location ... if i lived in a city with a cruise port i could afford to go on a lot more cruises ... being up in chilly canada to fly down to florida lets say costs my finance and i $1,000.00 round trip on top of the price of the cruise itself lol save your money and look for deals thats all you can do ... the one i just booked for our honeymoon/pre-disney cruise i got for a great deal AND being for canada i got it on par to the USD amount :)

[True Texan]

We are in our 60's DH is retired and umpires high school baseball during the season, I am still working. When our children were young we took very few vacations, mainly to visit family. Then when we were putting them through college we couldn't afford to go anywhere. But, I dreamed of a cruise all those years. We got used to not eating out, not having the latest fashions, and working hard so now it is just a way of life and we save up for cruises.

[rhodester]

My wife and I do not exchange gifts throughout the year - Christmas, birthday, anniversary etc. . We consider our two yearly cruises to be our gifts to each other. The savings help to defray the costs of the cruises and we are both quite happy with this arrangement.

[terryinal]

I go 2 or 3 times a yr.. First I live in AL so I can drive to the port pretty easy. Next my wife doesn't go anymore, so I have a group of people I go with, my kids and my bank manager. We get the cheapest room we can ,3 to 4 and have done 5 with the grandkids in the room. Most people wouldn't think of doing this,but it works for us. A 7 night cruise may cost us 450 dollars each because we go in the off season. We have a blast. Im retired now and have been on one already and leave next week for one and have the dream in sept. We would rather go cheap and go on 2 or 3 a yr then have high cost room and go in the summer. I have no kids in school. It works for us,but it isn't for everyone