Summer cruises, WHY

[sassy~one]

Hi there, why are the costs so high? I'm only able to sail with my grand daughter last week of june or the month of july.

 

Do you have any tips on how to sail at a less expencive cost?

 

thanks

[mumtopugs]

Any time school is out, prices go up. If she's homeschooled or school policy allows her to take time away, consider going at a time when school is in session. We did this a few years ago and there were still about 5-10 kids on the ship my son's age.

[singbluesilver1]

It's more expensive because demand is higher more people travel in the summer

[MaiTaiMary]

Hi there, why are the costs so high?

 

Because that is a very popular time to travel.

[KevInPitt]

Summer months are peak vacation months for most and therefore demand dictates fares.

 

Tip to sail less expensively: sail in off-peak months; choose the cheapest inside cabin; select less popular itineraries; wait until less than 30 days before sail for best chance of getting lowest fare; take advantage of AARP discounted gift cards... there are many other tips to cruise on a tight budget and I'm sure others will add to this quick list.

[SadieN]

Look for Pack n Go rates. We've booked this rate during spring break. Helps that we live an hour or so from the the SoCal ports. Airfare can be brutal booked so close to sail date.

[kc58ab]

Summer months are peak vacation months for most and therefore demand dictates fares.

 

Tip to sail less expensively: sail in off-peak months; choose the cheapest inside cabin; select less popular itineraries; wait until less than 30 days before sail for best chance of getting lowest fare; take advantage of AARP discounted gift cards... there are many other tips to cruise on a tight budget and I'm sure others will add to this quick list.

 

If you can wait last minute that is the way to go. I once got an inside cabin for 4 people on 6 day cruise to Bahamas for like around $1,200.00. But it was one of the last rooms left I'm sure because it was like a week before sail time. Such a great deal, we spent more on excursions then the cruise, it allowed us to go to Atlantis which was amazing!

[Linda the Book Lover]

sassy~one -- I feel your pain since my DD is a teacher. It costs us more but July is the only time we can go as my DGD is with her father. Once my DGD is older we will take her as well. I agree with other posters you have to watch for bargains or if you are lucky book last minute.

 

The costs are higher because it is what the market will bear. Summer is big business!

[summersigh]

Hi there, why are the costs so high? I'm only able to sail with my grand daughter last week of june or the month of july.

 

Do you have any tips on how to sail at a less expencive cost?

 

thanks

 

Supply and demand :D

[HawkIVette]

Take the kids out of school. They will learn more on a cruise than they will miss out on in school for a week.

[cruizinrican]

Book a year or more out, make monthly payments and pray for price drops. This is the only way I cruise, cash payments. It works for me, my family and wallet, as I worked as a Teacher's Assistant for 10 yrs. We only traveled during our school breaks.

[stargate fan]

Take the kids out of school. They will learn more on a cruise than they will miss out on in school for a week.

 

As an educator and a mom, I don't understand how this is possible.

 

We sailed with our sons when they were of school age. We never took them out of school so we had limited weeks to sail. We cruised for relaxation and to spend time together. We took taxis to beaches, where we spent our days in the ocean. They didn't learn anything that would help them later in life those days. They did try different foods in the main dining room at night, so I guess they learned to be adventurous eaters. They ordered room service. We taught them to tip the crew member who delivered their snacks. We saw shows and comedians together. Maybe they learned not to be chair hogs?

 

While we have precious memories of our five cruises together, I don't see how the boys learned anything more than they did while in school.

[renza]

Going to other countries and seeing how the kids live is definitely a learning experience. Unfortunately now that my kids are in high school they can't miss school. They would never be able to catch up. Traveling to other places is way more educational then school.

[sweenbean21]

We take tours on the islands and see and learn so many things. My son has visited the ruins in Mexico, the rainforest in Puerto Rico, the volcano and banana plantations in Saint Lucia, a lighthouse in Bermuda where a school aged local boy taught him an authentic dance...I am a firm believer a couple missed days of school for those experiences are well worth it!!

[SadieN]

As an educator and a mom, I don't understand how this is possible.

 

 

 

We sailed with our sons when they were of school age. We never took them out of school so we had limited weeks to sail. We cruised for relaxation and to spend time together. We took taxis to beaches, where we spent our days in the ocean. They didn't learn anything that would help them later in life those days. They did try different foods in the main dining room at night, so I guess they learned to be adventurous eaters. They ordered room service. We taught them to tip the crew member who delivered their snacks. We saw shows and comedians together. Maybe they learned not to be chair hogs?

 

 

 

While we have precious memories of our five cruises together, I don't see how the boys learned anything more than they did while in school.

 

 

Your choice to relax on a beach. Lots of history everywhere if you want to find it. We always find museums or other places of interest to see and do.

[camprunner]

As an educator and a mom, I don't understand how this is possible.

 

We sailed with our sons when they were of school age. We never took them out of school so we had limited weeks to sail. We cruised for relaxation and to spend time together. We took taxis to beaches, where we spent our days in the ocean. They didn't learn anything that would help them later in life those days. They did try different foods in the main dining room at night, so I guess they learned to be adventurous eaters. They ordered room service. We taught them to tip the crew member who delivered their snacks. We saw shows and comedians together. Maybe they learned not to be chair hogs?

 

While we have precious memories of our five cruises together, I don't see how the boys learned anything more than they did while in school.

Are you kidding? I think you'd have to pick the right excursions but I'm definitely seeing a lot of education. Tours about ancient ruins and eco systems don't count for you? Some work can be brought with for sea days I guess but overall, I do see a lot of educational value in traveling.

 

I'm a teacher, a mom, and a former home school mom. There is more to the world than listening to a teacher talk!

[freedomcruiser891]

What we do to avoid high rates is to look at school calendar beside cruise prices. Often times we'll have a weekend of a week where it's cheaper than summertime. Summer cruises are so expensive so now we go during spring break because here in Texas spring break is different that national average spring break and is cheaper. Look for random times and hopefully you'll find something less expensive!

[jayscore]

Hi there, why are the costs so high? I'm only able to sail with my grand daughter last week of june or the month of july.

 

Do you have any tips on how to sail at a less expencive cost?

 

thanks

 

Really!

If your cruise experiences listed are correct, you must realize the supply and demand prices of cruises per time of year do exist.

If not, I apologize for my comments.

Happy sailings!:rolleyes:

[deborahjo]

I hate the higher rates during the summer and holidays. Our son is a teacher so he has not been able to cruise with us.

 

We have decided to bite the bullet and plan a cruise in June or July of 2017 so our son and his wife can cruise with us.

 

Looking at prices it is going to cost one and a half times the price of our normal cruise price we would pay to cruise this time of year.

 

Is it worth it? I can at least cruise with my son and daughter in law but I hate them and us paying such inflated costs just because he is a teacher and her a police officer.

[familycruzr]

Take the kids out of school. They will learn more on a cruise than they will miss out on in school for a week.

 

This may be true if the kids are very young, but as they get older it is definitely not true. As a high school teacher, I see the stress kids are under trying to learn everything they missed when gone for a week.

[familycruzr]

I hate the higher rates during the summer and holidays. Our son is a teacher so he has not been able to cruise with us.

 

We have decided to bite the bullet and plan a cruise in June or July of 2017 so our son and his wife can cruise with us.

 

Looking at prices it is going to cost one and a half times the price of our normal cruise price we would pay to cruise this time of year.

 

Is it worth it? I can at least cruise with my son and daughter in law but I hate them and us paying such inflated costs just because he is a teacher and her a police officer.

 

Welcome to the life of school teacher. Work for less money and have to pay more for vacations because you can only travel during peak times.

[Linda the Book Lover]

Welcome to the life of school teacher. Work for less money and have to pay more for vacations because you can only travel during peak times.

 

Amen!

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

I hate the higher rates during the summer and holidays. Our son is a teacher so he has not been able to cruise with us.

 

We have decided to bite the bullet and plan a cruise in June or July of 2017 so our son and his wife can cruise with us.

 

Looking at prices it is going to cost one and a half times the price of our normal cruise price we would pay to cruise this time of year.

 

Is it worth it? I can at least cruise with my son and daughter in law but I hate them and us paying such inflated costs just because he is a teacher and her a police officer.

 

You may want to reconsider a cruise as a family vacation since you are stressing out about paying more than you are used to. You have already placed a value on a cruise and paying more than what you consider value for your dollar may ultimately make you look at the vacation with less than desirable expectations.

 

As an aside...Your son and his wife "chose" their careers. No one forced them to make the decisions they did. Life doesn't dole out perks based on occupations....every career has its highs and lows.

[stargate fan]

Your choice to relax on a beach. Lots of history everywhere if you want to find it. We always find museums or other places of interest to see and do.

 

Are you kidding? I think you'd have to pick the right excursions but I'm definitely seeing a lot of education. Tours about ancient ruins and eco systems don't count for you? Some work can be brought with for sea days I guess but overall, I do see a lot of educational value in traveling.

 

I'm a teacher, a mom, and a former home school mom. There is more to the world than listening to a teacher talk!

 

We did visit ancient ruins on the boys' first cruise and, while indeed interesting, they all look the same. (We've been to another when cruising with friends and don't need to go again.) My children were NOT going to work on homework while on a family cruise. The point of vacations is to relax and connect with each other. Hence we never pulled them out of school.

 

We live in New England where the weather is cold from October to April. (Well, not this year. :D) We have a whopping 18 miles of coastline. The ocean temp hits 65 in the middle of summer. We cruised to feel the warmth, to swim in the bathtub-warm ocean, to laugh together, to play together, even to drink together. (Our youngest was 21 the last time we cruised together. Man, it was weird drinking alcohol with our kids.)

 

If others want to pull their kids out of school for vacation, that's their prerogative.

I still disagree that children can learn MORE on a cruise than in a classroom.

Edited January 3, 2016 by stargate fan

[summersigh]

I hate the higher rates during the summer and holidays. Our son is a teacher so he has not been able to cruise with us.

 

We have decided to bite the bullet and plan a cruise in June or July of 2017 so our son and his wife can cruise with us.

 

Looking at prices it is going to cost one and a half times the price of our normal cruise price we would pay to cruise this time of year.

 

Is it worth it? I can at least cruise with my son and daughter in law but I hate them and us paying such inflated costs just because he is a teacher and her a police officer.

 

I don't see it as an "inflated cost" - instead I see it as the going rate for the busiest season. All the cruise lines do the same. Carnival is still cheaper than most of the other lines then. The "off school vacation season" rates are the discounted rates to keep folks in cabins and the cruise line sailing then.

 

I was still teaching when we started cruising and paid the going rates for those school vacation cruises. Now that we're both retired we're enjoying the discounted off season rates. :)