What's it cost to make Pinnacle?

[island lady]

47 minutes ago, cruiselvr04 said:

I have kept all our invoices from every cruise so I could go back and figure it out.  Maybe after retirement I’ll add it up. I just thought it’d be interesting to see where we’ve gone and what we spent. 

 

I don't want to know.  😉 

[molly361]

1 hour ago, cruiselvr04 said:

I have kept all our invoices from every cruise so I could go back and figure it out.  Maybe after retirement I’ll add it up. I just thought it’d be interesting to see where we’ve gone and what we spent. 

I also have a copy of every invoice except maybe a couple from way back when

[orville99]

15 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

I don't want to know.  😉 

Cost us ~$2,800/cruise

[fweegy]

On 11/4/2022 at 2:43 AM, gkbiiii said:

Last year I met a gentleman in the Diamond Lounge, who told me it cost him $400,000 to make Pinnacle.  I got me to thinking, that a single passenger, for the World Cruise, could make this, the most economical way possible.  It got me to thinking, full suite passengers, could spend $1,000,000++ to reach Pinnacle.  Is this a reasonable estimate, how much do you all think the cash outlay is, as well as how long it on average takes to achieve?  

Rough estimate.......3 children, a kidney, half a liver and probably a knee cap.

[SRF]

On 11/5/2022 at 3:04 PM, alfaeric said:

You don't have to.  Just accept people see them as vacation.

 

Just like there's no point is questioning you having a plane- since it also has it's compromises.

 

And just like a majority of people in the US have no idea why people get on a cruise ship.

 

To me, questioning the differences in people is rather pointless.

 

I accept that it works for people.  And can see that if you going to stay and extended time in one location, there are some cost advantages (not sure though if you amortize the cost of the rig).

 

But I can pay for a nice hotel room and dinner for the difference in a days worth of gas. 😄

 

Yeap, choices for each.

[island lady]

1 hour ago, orville99 said:

Cost us ~$2,800/cruise

 

I still don't want to know.   😄 

[SRF]

On 11/6/2022 at 3:48 AM, island lady said:

 

Yeah, so many different choices in vacation mode.  😉 

 

RV living:

 

1.  We were able to take our "girls" my four footed fur babies as we traveled for weeks at a time. 

2.  I love to cook...so cooking in the RV with my own pots/pans and dishware was nice.

3.  No packing and unpacking (kind of like cruising).  

4. Able to drag the Jeep behind us that had our kayaks on top, and use both as we set up in parks.

5. Cleaning an RV is a whole lot quicker and easier than a whole house.  😉 

6. I knew who had slept in bed from brand new...no one but us.  😄 

 

Girls were taken by the demon cancer...so we have since sold the RV and now cruise and the land travel is VRBO rental homes.  

 

We traveled by car with fur babies, but it does take a bit more planning.

 

I don't mine cooking, but the cleaning.  And the laundry. 😄

 

 

[island lady]

Just now, SRF said:

 

We traveled by car with fur babies, but it does take a bit more planning.

 

I don't mine cooking, but the cleaning.  And the laundry. 😄

 

 

 

My cats hated cars.  (Always thought they were going to the Vet's office)...and where do you put the cat litter box?  😮  They were quite at home in the RV.  They even had their own bathroom for the cat litter box (second bathroom was a 1/2 bath).   Also served as mop, broom, and storage closet.  😉 

 

Still have to do laundry, in an RV, in a car, and on a cruise.   Prefer it that way to going around as "Ms.  Stinky".  😄 

[SRF]

1 minute ago, island lady said:

 

My cats hated cars.  (Always thought they were going to the Vet's office)...and where do you put the cat litter box?  😮  They were quite at home in the RV.  They even had their own bathroom for the cat litter box (second bathroom was a 1/2 bath).   Also served as mop, broom, and storage closet.  😉 

 

Still have to do laundry, in an RV, in a car, and on a cruise.   Prefer it that way to going around as "Ms.  Stinky".  😄 

 

I don't have to do linens, just clothes. 😄

 

And hotels have laundries for that, put it in a bag, it comes back later folded or hung up. 😄

 

[island lady]

Just now, SRF said:

 

I don't have to do linens, just clothes. 😄

 

And hotels have laundries for that, put it in a bag, it comes back later folded or hung up. 😄

 

 

My dry cleaning just came back from the ship's laundry.   Also have another bag of "boil and fry" out today for torture.  😜

[SRF]

1 minute ago, island lady said:

 

My dry cleaning just came back from the ship's laundry.   Also have another bag of "boil and fry" out today for torture.  😜

 

Cruising makes sense to me, DUH. 😄

 

Don't have to cook or clean.  And don't have to drive (big RV or nice car).

[orville99]

1 minute ago, island lady said:

Also have another bag of "boil and fry" out today for torture.  😜

Is that different from their standard "shrink and wrinkle"🤪 bag?

[Another_Critic]

On 11/4/2022 at 7:20 PM, Sunshine3601 said:

so book a suite as a solo cruiser and bam even more points (double for suite, double for solo)😇

Base point + extra point for suite + extra point for solo = 3 points, not 4.

[ggo85]

Pre-COVID we were on a cruise with one of the (then very few) Pinnacles.  He said they lived in FL easy driving distance from Miami / FLL.  They were retired so had lots of flexibility.  They looked for cheap cruises and either did many of those at bargain prices or did a JS if the cost to get the double points made sense.  They had done well over 100 cruises (or so they said).

 

If your primary goal is to make Pinnacle at the cheapest cost possible, being near a major port, having great flexibility (probably means being retired) and not caring when and where you go is almost a must.  For example, there is a 6-day cruise where you can get an inside guarantee at $198 pp.  If you could find lots of those, you could get 750 points for $25k for JUST the price of the cabin.  

 

But those deals are uncommon.  And, as everyone knows, "cost" is more than the cabin.  So, your "true" cost will be the cruise fare plus extras -- both mandatory (port charges, taxes, gratuities, travel to port) and voluntary (beverages, internet, etc.).  

 

Most of us select cruises b/c we want to take that cruise.  However, I also suspect that, as people get very close to Pinnacle, they might look for opportunities such as the one above to get those final points quickly and cheaply.  

[neverbeenhere]

Please, Please. A true Pinnacle would never say quickly and cheaply. The proper terms are expeditiously and inexpensively.

[orville99]

22 minutes ago, neverbeenhere said:

Please, Please. A true Pinnacle would never say quickly and cheaply. The proper terms are expeditiously and inexpensively.

Cost effectively…😇

[Another_Critic]

57 minutes ago, ggo85 said:

If you could find lots of those, you could get 750 points for $25k for JUST the price of the cabin.  

Pinnacle tier is reached at 700 points.

[Joebucks]

I don't believe most people who say they don't care about reaching Pinnacle. Maybe it's even a subconscious thing, but they want those perks and that status. 

 

It also appears disingenuous to count the "cost" as the cruise fare alone. As if somehow all of the transportation, entertainment, gratuities, port purchases, etc., don't cost anything. Also, with the "casino offers" to get there. Let me guess, some people reached Pinnacle because "they only gambled $50 here and there".

 

As much as I love vacations and cruising, some things get old after a while. Sure, I know there are shortcuts to getting to the 700 nights. Still, that is a lot of time to dedicate to one type of vacation and a specific cruise line. Is it really that Royal Caribbean is the best of all lines, in every scenario? Or is it that you're ready to admit you want the "free stuff" that dominates the discussion on these forums way more than experience does.

[Magicat]

Since 2019 I have been tracking all costs associated with our cruises.  Everything from pre-cruise expenses like hotels and meals, to airfare, the cruise and everything in between.  I've been doing this because I would like to retire sometime in my lifetime.  From the 15 or so cruises we have taken or planning, our average expense per day is about $450.00 Canadian a day.  Some were as low as $325/day and others as high as $575.  The data shows that longer cruises are generally cheaper as the airfare kills us.

So now when and if I retire, I can target where to reduce our expenses to make cruise vacations more affordable.  

[Cigar King]

13 hours ago, molly361 said:

I have a spreadsheet with the cost of every cruise (just the cruise fare) and the per day cost. 

 

I'm glad it's not just me.  I don't have every cruise, but I have been tracking them for several years.  Enough to get a good idea of what is and is not a good value.

[ggo85]

No, not everyone wants to be Pinnacle.  We're reasonably close (closer than I thought since it's "only" 700 pts, not 750).  However, several years ago, we moved on to other lines -- coming back this month for a single RCCL cruise due to LOTS of CCs that had to use or lose.  For us, we get more than the P benefits on those other lines (based on the lines / cabins we choose) and an environment that is more in line with our personal tastes.  

 

That said, I think RCCL offers one of the best loyalty programs out there, especially for those who don't want to spend what it takes to sail luxury lines or buy high-end suites on mainstream lines.  It's all a matter of choice, which is what makes cruising great.

[John&LaLa]

14 hours ago, molly361 said:

I have a spreadsheet with the cost of every cruise (just the cruise fare) and the per day cost. 

 

 

I did that. Haven't kept it up since Covid, though. (Did Excel for work)

 

Our cost was right at $105K, with 50 cruises. 

Earned all but 5 points between 2008 and 20017

[Jimbo]

On 11/6/2022 at 6:05 PM, firefly333 said:

Took me about 20 years to get here. I cant remember even what cruises cost 20 years ago. People really keep track of how much they spent? 

Quite frankly, I kind of don't want to know how much we spent on  all  the cruises we have been on. Kind of scary. Add in Disney Vacations, it frightening!

Edited November 7, 2022 by Jimbo

[mimi_j]

I'm pretty sure I don't want to know! 🤣

 

We were trying to be loyal to royal, however, we've cruised a few times on Carnival simply because they are now the only cruise line that comes into Norfolk and we live 15 minutes from the terminal!  And our next two cruise on Carnival the cruise fare is free ($100 pp, then $100 OBC pp given - can't beat that and one is a 14 night cruise ☺️). 

[Nick67]

I just booked oasis of the seas, Feb 19-26. Using my senior discount and diamond plus discount for ocean view balcony. Cost is $2,142 which includes taxes and port fees. I always sail B2b. 

To achieve pinnacle

2,142 x 100 weeks=$214,200

100weeks=700points

 

Flights from MDW to mia 300/person

50x 600= $30,000

 

Hotel.  300x50 = 15,00

 

Spending money. 1,500/week

$150,000

Tips,Uber, excursions, casino, premium restaurants 

 

Cruise fare.      $214,000

Flights.              $15,000

Hotel.                 $30,000

Spending

Money.              $150,000

Total.                  $409,000