Am I totally out of luck?

[spookwife]

I will take a look! Mine is a submariner, so his "cruises" involve 18 hour days, low oxygen, and no view, lol. Plus a decided lack of entertainment. I do see the irony, though.

 

To an earlier poster: June 28 is about the earliest we can do, based on leave dates and our son's summer camp. I will look after the 4th, though. We have about a week after that I can consider. I do wish ppl could share travel agent recommendations. I hate googling and hoping for the best...

 

a Bubblehead. definitely get a balcony then. he'll need it.

[spookwife]

Hadn't even thought of that. Didn't think they dealt with cruises, but, then again, you can find all kinds of stuff there.

 

another option is a certain motor vehicle service that you can find as the first entry of any dictionary. booked our first cruise through them. between the military free upgrade to the highest category Balcony and their personal one of being a member, we did very well.

[Anashoo]

another option is a certain motor vehicle service that you can find as the first entry of any dictionary. booked our first cruise through them. between the military free upgrade to the highest category Balcony and their personal one of being a member, we did very well.

 

I do believe I know what you are talking about, ;) lol

[OldKnight]

Royal cruises out of Baltimore. Currently it is the Grandeur.

 

Sorry, my mistake. I should be able to tell, I see them on my drive to work all the time.

[navybankerteacher]

I hear you. mine is haze grey at the moment. due back this fall. did you get funny looks when you mentioned a sailor going on a cruise?! heheheh

 

we are quick to point out the two major pros: booze on board and no standing at as oh dark thirty.

 

if you are in Norfolk, again I suggest looking at what Baltimore offers. the Bermuda cruise on either ship that sails out of there is pretty nice with an overnite on the island.

 

The Baltimore suggestion is a good one - allowing a cheap and easy drive. There are Bahamas itineraries (but Freeport and Nassau are kind of dismal) while Bermuda is probably the best port reachable from the east coast. Military rates for both of the couple, plus likely discounted fare for at least one of the children makes the $5,000 budget more than enough.

[Winnigirl]

another option is a certain motor vehicle service that you can find as the first entry of any dictionary. booked our first cruise through them. between the military free upgrade to the highest category Balcony and their personal one of being a member, we did very well.

 

:D There is a very good option if you like Vacations. Sometimes you have to

look very hard to find one that you would like to go

on. Sometimes you have to (dot) all the "i's" and cross all the tees. com'on. You can do it.

Edited May 8, 2015 by Winnigirl

[Cuizer2]

:D There is a very good option if you like Vacations. Sometimes you have to

look very hard to find one that you would like to go

on. Sometimes you have to (dot) all the "i's" and cross all the tees. com'on. You can do it.

 

Cute. :D

[Winnigirl]

another option is a certain motor vehicle service that you can find as the first entry of any dictionary. booked our first cruise through them. between the military free upgrade to the highest category Balcony and their personal one of being a member, we did very well.

 

:D Why, whatever do you mean?

[Anashoo]

:D There is a very good option if you like Vacations. Sometimes you have to

look very hard to find one that you would like to go

on. Sometimes you have to (dot) all the "i's" and cross all the tees. com'on. You can do it.

 

Lol, thanks! Got an inquiry sent out tonight.

[Winnigirl]

Lol, thanks! Got an inquiry sent out tonight.

 

You're welcome! Good luck!

[lbjen]

We got a better deal on our cruise booking two connecting rooms than we would have if all four of us had stayed in just one of the exact same rooms. It's worth a shot. There are also larger rooms that can't be booked online, you have to call the cruise line if you don't use a TA.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Anashoo]

Okay, I booked on the Carnival site. Went with an 8 day, Carribbean cruise out of Port Canaveral. It was 4500 with all fees and gratuity included. So, well within budget and we are all in an ocean view room, one of the last they had available. I am pretty happy with it overall.

 

I did have one question, though - I clicked military rate and thought that's what I got. The break down, though, doesn't really give me any info on rate or deals, etc, although they came up as I was going through the choices. Does this mean I ended up with some other rate? I hate their interface - it's not very clear what's going on. Or I just don't understand it. This is sort of the "did I get he best deal I could have" worry, but, as I said, I'm happy to have worked out something at all. Now I need to buy trip insurance with the last of the budget in case the Navy messes things up for us.

[spookwife]

not every itinerary comes with a military discount, or a resident discount,and several of them cannot be combined.

 

a TA can look at several combinatiosn and give you the best one.. our last booking ( on board) we actually gave up one of our loyalty perks( the balcony discount) in order to get OBC that exceeded the amount of the discount. or oyu can take the time yourself on the cruise site

 

the best and least stressful policy is to pick a price you are happy with and be done with it. by all means check once a week or so for price drops. funny but mine has gone up by about $400 since we booked it last year....

 

most lines DO have a policy that guarantees the 'best' rate based on the criteria you select.

 

go to insure my trip dot com for quotes. and get a military clause.