How cheap can you be?

[babyher]

Ahhhh....you are talking southern breakfast now:D biscuits and

gravy anyone?;)

 

 

 

 

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM Biscuits and homemade sausage gravy ???????

 

My own Granny better get out of the way. *LOL*

[lovesublime]

Going back to the original subject of being cheap, my wife and I were sitting at the bar (on another line) and up walked another couple. They ordered two "world cruise cocktails".

 

Puzzled, and always willing to try something new, we scanned the cocktail menu but couldn't find the new concoction. By this time, they had walked away with their drinks, so we asked the barman. He chuckled and then went on to explain.

 

Apparently, a world cruise cocktail is a glass of tap water, with ice. It's a favourite among a select group of the tightwads who are usually the first up to the purser's desk to cancel the automatic gratuities, make maximum use of room service and gorge themselves in the buffet.

 

Gave me a laugh. :)

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.

 

 

 

 

 

Ha Ha :rolleyes: I fail to see what is funny about it. So, ordering a glass of water makes one a 'tightwad who doesn't tip'. Geez, not everyone drinks alcohol. This sounds like a dumb made up story to me. Never heard of anything stupider.

[jackdiamond]

Ahhhh....you are talking southern breakfast now:D biscuits and

gravy anyone?;)

Yes, if it is red eye; and, also ham.

[jackdiamond]

Ha Ha :rolleyes: I fail to see what is funny about it. So, ordering a glass of water makes one a 'tightwad who doesn't tip'. Geez, not everyone drinks alcohol. This sounds like a dumb made up story to me. Never heard of anything stupider.

I would hope that you would not begrudge the bartender from receiving a proper tip for his services. I feel that $1.00, per glass would be appropriate.

[babyher]

Ha Ha :rolleyes: I fail to see what is funny about it. So, ordering a glass of water makes one a 'tightwad who doesn't tip'. Geez, not everyone drinks alcohol. This sounds like a dumb made up story to me. Never heard of anything stupider.

 

Bartended a lot of years , and had too many customers like that. Not made up at all.

 

Especially loved the women that sat at the bar drinking ice water and club soda until some guy offers to buy them a drink . Then they only drink top top top shelf .

[cruzeluver]

Ahhhh....you are talking southern breakfast now:D biscuits and

gravy anyone?;) __________________

 

Oh Lois, now you are speaking my language! I try to be good most of the time and eat what I should but biscuits and gravy are my Achilles heel! :D

[B-Anne]

Okay all you Southerners, how's about teaching a Jersey gal how to make this delicious breakfast!! I had it one time when I was driving to NC and we stopped at a restaurant along the way. OMG!! delish! I often thought about it, but never tried it. Anyone??

[SusieV]

I think there's being frugal, and then there's being cheap or whatever derogatory term you want to use.

 

Having a small shipboard account = frugal (as long as you pay your tips). Nothing wrong with that.

 

Bringing an OLD soda card = cheap, thievery, and whatnot. And I am pretty sure that person would get busted anyway and I HOPE charged for theft because they do swipe your Seapass, not just allow you to wave it in their faces.

[bubbasqueen]

Just got off the Solstice on Nov. 28. We met a couple who spent $31 between them for a 12 day cruise. I think that is pretty cheap.

I saw a documentary yesterday that stated that a cruise needed about $7.50 per person per day to make a profit. I don't begrudge the cruise its profit. They make their profit on us.

 

I'm quoting from my own statement in order to further qualify what I said since several people quoted me.

The documentary I saw last week was about NCL and was first broadcast in 2009.

The couple I mention that spend $31 during the Celebrity Solstice cruise took excursions on that cruise that they paid for BEFORE the cruise so I don't know how much extra they paid. We took excursions for four days for two people that added up to $1,400. We had additional charges during the cruise for drinks and specialty dining.

I do think that if people take cruises and see how cheap they can be will put the cruise lines out of business. On the other hand, I don't like the nickel and dimeing the cruises do to try to squeeze out every last cent they can from the customer.

[ORV]

Ahhhh....you are talking southern breakfast now:D biscuits and

gravy anyone?;)

 

This would be a definite welcome addition to the breakfast buffet, but only if it's good.

[Lois R]

Okay all you Southerners, how's about teaching a Jersey gal how to make this delicious breakfast!! I had it one time when I was driving to NC and we stopped at a restaurant along the way. OMG!! delish! I often thought about it, but never tried it. Anyone??

 

I don't make it but if you can make a roux, (butter and flour) add some

cream/milk and ground up sausage?:D You can made it as thin or

thick as you like.......;)

 

Seriously, google PAULA DEEN and you will find all sorts of Southern

Recipies;)

[Tinkerbellcgy]

I'm quoting from my own statement in order to further qualify what I said since several people quoted me.

The documentary I saw last week was about NCL and was first broadcast in 2009.

The couple I mention that spend $31 during the Celebrity Solstice cruise took excursions on that cruise that they paid for BEFORE the cruise so I don't know how much extra they paid. We took excursions for four days for two people that added up to $1,400. We had additional charges during the cruise for drinks and specialty dining.

I do think that if people take cruises and see how cheap they can be will put the cruise lines out of business. On the other hand, I don't like the nickel and dimeing the cruises do to try to squeeze out every last cent they can from the customer.

 

I pay the recommended amount for gratuities plus I add to that amount if I feel the service rendered to me was excellent. I book my excursions through the cruise line - I just booked 4 excursions two days ago for a total of $229.00. The tips and the shore excursions are prepaid long before I ever step foot on a ship. They do no even show on my onboard account. I do not gamble nor do I drink a lot of alcholic beverages or soft drinks.

 

Are you suggesting that those of us who do not spend a lot of money whilst on the ship or, as you call us * cheap *, that we should order alcoholic beverages and/or soft drinks and throw them away or attend at the casino and drop some money on a table willy nilly when we haven't a clue on how to gamble or buy merchandise in the retail shops that we do not want or dine in a speciality restaurant when the MDR is more than adequate for our needs?

 

It's rather ironic that you are looking down on those of us whose needs on a cruise are simple yet in the very next sentence you complain about being nickled and dimed by the cruise line. Vacillate much? :eek:

[jdvmd]

Okay all you Southerners, how's about teaching a Jersey gal how to make this delicious breakfast!! I had it one time when I was driving to NC and we stopped at a restaurant along the way. OMG!! delish! I often thought about it, but never tried it. Anyone??

 

O.K. you fry your sausage. Remove from the pan, leaving all the grease. Sprinkle flour into the pan. Stir, letting it get brown. Pour in milk and continue stirring until the consistency you like. You can add more milk to thin down. Add a good amount of pepper. Some salt. Adjust seasonings to your preference.

[jackdiamond]

O.K. you fry your sausage. Remove from the pan, leaving all the grease. Sprinkle flour into the pan. Stir, letting it get brown. Pour in milk and continue stirring until the consistency you like. You can add more milk to thin down. Add a good amount of pepper. Some salt. Adjust seasonings to your preference.

How is it when you use half and half instead of milk. Also, in order to increase the cholesterol intake do not forget to eat the sausage and fry the eggs instead of poaching them. However, you might mildly decrease the choslestol effect by serving the gravy over grits covered with smart balance buttery spread.

[jdvmd]

How is it when you use half and half instead of milk. Also, in order to increase the cholesterol intake do not forget to eat the sausage and fry the eggs instead of poaching them. However, you might mildly decrease the choslestol effect by serving the gravy over grits covered with smart balance buttery spread.

 

Half and half would be fine but honestly I use skim milk though growing up my mother would use 2 percent or whole.

 

There is really no way to make this healthy, you know? It is what it is -- flour, grease, fatty meats but it is so good. I don't really make it anymore but can get a fix when I am on a NCL ship -- they serve it on the breakfast buffet.

 

You can do the same recipe with bacon, ham etc. Sausage is the best, however. One of the first things I ever leaned to make when I was a little girl.

 

Shall I move onto the biscuit recipe?

[jackdiamond]

Half and half would be fine but honestly I use skim milk though growing up my mother would use 2 percent or whole.

 

There is really no way to make this healthy, you know? It is what it is -- flour, grease, fatty meats but it is so good. I don't really make it anymore but can get a fix when I am on a NCL ship -- they serve it on the breakfast buffet.

 

You can do the same recipe with bacon, ham etc. Sausage is the best, however. One of the first things I ever leaned to make when I was a little girl.

 

Shall I move onto the biscuit recipe?

Yes, please do. By the way, my wife opines that the half and half might be too sweet, but her culinary endeavors are not too efficacious.

[jdvmd]

Yes, please do. By the way, my wife opines that the half and half might be too sweet, but her culinary endeavors are not too efficacious.

 

It will give it a richer flavor...Can't really explain it but you can just tell the difference when you use half and half or my favorite, HEAVY cream! For simple gravy, milk is just fine.

[jackdiamond]

It will give it a richer flavor...Can't really explain it but you can just tell the difference when you use half and half or my favorite, HEAVY cream! For simple gravy, milk is just fine.

Thank you.

[jdvmd]

Thank you.

 

Here are two recipes. The first uses Bisquick. I like this recipe as you can add cheddar cheese and garlic powder and it becomes those yummy little biscuits from Red Lobster.

2 1/4 cups Original Bisquick

2/3 cup milk

1/3 cup butter

1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Add backing soda to Bisquick. Cut in butter, then add milk. Stir ingredients until soft dough forms. Turn onto surface sprinkled with Bisquick or flour. Knead 10 times. Roll dough 1/2" thick. Cut with 3" cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 9 biscuits.

 

2 cups flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons sugar

5 Tablespoons butter or shortening

3/4 cup of milk (approx.)

 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. Cut butter into flour-mix. Mix in milk slowly and add just enough to make a soft dough. Turn dough onto floured surface and flatten. Cut with biscuit cutter. Bake for 10-12 minutes, depending on size, thickness and oven.

 

Finally, I have found several good brands of frozen biscuits that are inexpensive at the grocery store.

[lori450]

I don't know when our culture evolved from one where most people were proud of what they have accomplished through hard work to one where people are proud of what they can get away with. Today it is not uncommon for people to brag about things that would have been a source of embarrassment not all that long ago. There are too many people who feel that rules are only for people who aren't clever enough to get around them, and I think this was probably the motivating factor in this situation.

 

Here Here! Well said. Thank you for stating it so clearly. It saddens me every day to see this acceptance of such immoral behavior.

[SusieV]

Half and half would be fine but honestly I use skim milk though growing up my mother would use 2 percent or whole.

 

There is really no way to make this healthy, you know? It is what it is -- flour, grease, fatty meats but it is so good. I don't really make it anymore but can get a fix when I am on a NCL ship -- they serve it on the breakfast buffet.

 

You can do the same recipe with bacon, ham etc. Sausage is the best, however. One of the first things I ever leaned to make when I was a little girl.

 

Shall I move onto the biscuit recipe?

 

Sure there is! I'm on Nutrisystem and one of the breakfasts they offer is biscuits and gravy. And honestly? it's pretty good. So obviously it IS doable. There is very little that can't be made healthy.

[gyanhumara]

Are you suggesting that those of us who do not spend a lot of money whilst on the ship or, as you call us * cheap *, that we should order alcoholic beverages and/or soft drinks and throw them away or attend at the casino and drop some money on a table willy nilly when we haven't a clue on how to gamble or buy merchandise in the retail shops that we do not want or dine in a speciality restaurant when the MDR is more than adequate for our needs?

 

It's rather ironic that you are looking down on those of us whose needs on a cruise are simple yet in the very next sentence you complain about being nickled and dimed by the cruise line.

 

I did not get the sense from any of the posts related to the title of this thread that anyone was looking down one's nose at anyone else regarding spending habits or choices. I believe that someone -- whether the person you quoted or another; can't recall and frankly don't have time to wade through all the biscuit dough to figure it out :cool: -- was trying to make the point that the cruise lines don't make a profit unless passengers choose to spend X amount of US$ aboard their ship per day over and above the cruise fare. Whether that X value ($7.50, IIRC, which actually seemed low to me at the time but that's from a position of utter ignorance regarding any cruise line's accounting practices) is valid or not, I have no idea.

 

Actually, what I perceived in most of the related posts was admiration that a passenger could be so wise/frugal/whatever as to avoid the temptation to spend so little extra $$$ onboard. We certainly try to be frugal -- we don't bother with the specialty restaurants, fancy ice creams & other extra-cost foods, will drop maybe $20 in the casinos, don't need the photos or souvenirs, and we drink very little alcohol aboard -- but there's no way we can get through a whole cruise for a total of less than $50! I do LOVE my spa appointments... :D

[cruisestitch]

Spend within one's means. Don't steal from the cruise line or anybody else. That just about sums it up.:o

[bubbasqueen]

I pay the recommended amount for gratuities plus I add to that amount if I feel the service rendered to me was excellent. I book my excursions through the cruise line - I just booked 4 excursions two days ago for a total of $229.00. The tips and the shore excursions are prepaid long before I ever step foot on a ship. They do no even show on my onboard account. I do not gamble nor do I drink a lot of alcholic beverages or soft drinks.

 

Are you suggesting that those of us who do not spend a lot of money whilst on the ship or, as you call us * cheap *, that we should order alcoholic beverages and/or soft drinks and throw them away or attend at the casino and drop some money on a table willy nilly when we haven't a clue on how to gamble or buy merchandise in the retail shops that we do not want or dine in a speciality restaurant when the MDR is more than adequate for our needs?

 

It's rather ironic that you are looking down on those of us whose needs on a cruise are simple yet in the very next sentence you complain about being nickled and dimed by the cruise line. Vacillate much? :eek:

 

OK. Here is a an example of everything being lost in translation and in written text. I was just saying that someone who books a cruise for the initial price and then pays virtually NOTHING in addition is cheap. Frankly, I don't know where this comes from. I'll just say, "I'm whopperjawed and apologize for the misunderstanding."

[gyanhumara]

Spend within one's means. Don't steal from the cruise line or anybody else. That just about sums it up.:o

 

WELL SAID!

 

[Please drop by the Mast Bar after muster drill Saturday afternoon and introduce yourself!! :)]