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How do y'all afford to cruise so often??


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Once we took our first cruise, we knew that would always be our vacation. We have a son, now grown, but he's been on cruises with us when he was younger. We manage our money well, we don't use charge cards except for booking a cruise and we've been able to find some very good deals on cruises over the years. The best deals are in February-March and October-early December. We always book our own air which can also save you money, plus you can get the flight times and seats you want, not what the cruise line books for you.

 

We read CC boards for the best excursions for the money and have saved by booking our excursions with private companies rather than through the ship.

 

If you're able to take time off without a lot of notice, you can get some very good "last minute" deals.

 

I think the key is that we know our vacations will always be a cruise and we just save through the year for that and look for the deals. It's a better value than taking a land vacation for a week considering the cost of a hotel, food and entertainment for a week, plus getting there and back.

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How about those out there who don't make a lot of money, aren't retired, just bought their first house (:D), saving for a (cruise!) wedding and are paying off cars and loads of student debt? :eek: :) As my mother reminds me everyday, I know I should be saving and not vacationing but I need the time off to unwind, lol.

 

Do you clip coupons and put the money you save away? Use non brand-name items? These are the things I need to know! My piggy bank has $120 in it just from the loose change I find and what's leftover in my pocket at the end of the day. I'm very frugal with my money as well.

 

I work about 50 hours a week (and would work more if then let me!) during the busy season (it's slow season now, it's a nice but financially frustrating break), am looking for a reliable part-time job and am considering a paper route in my spare time specifically to afford the next cruise. I have no kids as of yet (4 more years til it's time for them!) :) Yes, I am addicted and proud of it!!! If I get the paper route (am waiting for a call back-very unprofessional people are working at our local paper apparently), I will book the next one for February '07 the day after.

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I fit that description...young, married, house, etc....I've gone on 4 cruises in the past 4 years, and the only reason I have been able to do it, is because I have been flying on points! Unless you live near a port, I highly recommend getting an air points card of some sort, and making ALL of your purchases on it......but make sure to pay it off each month!!!

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Like many of you that already posted...........we can afford it because most of our kids are grown and finished with college, I work from home, so I can take off when ever I want pretty much, and my husband has very liberal vacation time. My husband is retired military so we get great military prices for all of our cruises!!! Great Perk for sure. We live in Florida so there is no airfare, which of course cuts down on a huge part of the costs. Cruises are no doubt the cheapest way to vacation. We are both no smokers and don't drink much either...........of course I admit , I let my hair down when I am on a cruise LOL. I shop for deals all the time on line and my PVP updates me with all the military deals constantly. this past october we got a 5 night 6day cruise for $149 pp...........great deal!!

 

So, we do cruise at least 2X a year and sometimes more , depending on the deals and our personal schedules. We have 8 kids from age 16-29 , 4 girls and 4 boys.........only 2 left in the house now............we have taken the kids on a couple of cruises too and they are hooked.........we have created monsters LOL "cruise monsters".

 

When I was younger and raising kids , we definatly could not afford cruising so much but now it is OUR turn!!! Often it is cheaper then going to a hotel for a weekend out of town, so we would rather be cruising for the same price or often...........less!

 

Hope everyone on this thread gets to cruise often!!!! If not now then your turn will come , beleive me!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi. We have found that being on a cruise also means not being home spending money. No utilities, gasoline, food. So the difference is only a few hundred.

Many cruises have been close, so no airfare (or pick cruises from ports served by SWA); combine trips (example cruise-condo week-cruise during a trip to Fla.);go last minute;to in the Fall or Spring; take repositioning cruises; use senior or military rate; book inside; use shore-based excursions, or go in with others (CC is an excellent way to group up). Now that we are on upper tiers of the past passengers "clubs", we find that the Captain's welcome, the club get-together, and the the upper tier get-together is enough drinking. We don't gamble or bingo. If we get shipboard credit, we use it for the tips.

I am a retired teacher and have a fairly limited budget, but for for about $6000, we have cruised ~8~ times a year for last three years

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I think you will find that people on these boards have varied reasons for being able to cruise and vacation often.

 

Some people's priorities are travel over other things. I have friends who go out to dinner 5 nights a week, have new cars all the time, buy lots of clothes etc.and could care less about travel....I have other friends that go nowhere and save every penny they make.

 

Falling somewhere in between, (and not in the saving category!!) I was able to retire 2 years ago at 51..(hubby still works). I saw so many people say that when they retired they would travel and a few months later they were dead.

 

So in a two year frenzy since retiring, I'm more vacation crazy than when I worked!! Caribbean land trips and cruising, Vegas, Alaska, Bermuda. Now I know that it's time to switch gears (after my October cruise) and will take a break for awhile and put the $$ towards the more practical...new car, house stuff..etc.

 

I may have had a lot more money saved if I stayed home, but don't regret a single trip....

 

For us, been married for nearly 24 yrs no kids but with high medical problems on me. Had a good job and so did my husband until 2001 major changes of our life. We had no income for nearly 6 momths due to number of things. we moved , lost vehicle due to car accident, too many things until year ago we are finally settle but not really but both of us had different jobs. Husband now make more mney than his other job he had for nearly 23 yrs. I worked for retail as full time but make less money than a state employee but i have better health insurance than husband. Different house, different town, inflations etc...

 

We had all our shares and changes unable to look back in the last years., So we decided to go for this cruise in late Oct on freedom of the seas. Something different and who knows maybe will not do it again. I rather go now as I am still able to do number of things as I have FMS

 

Best start saving or pay off the cruise ASAP the day you sign up. We sign up for cruise in Oct 2005, And just finished paid off the cruise, Now have 9 half months to save for fun spedning . Itr is hard because you hoped nothing happend in between time. And that is what I am hope for .....i know should be prepare for something.:)

 

So I am and we are in your shoes. You are not lonely. Hang in there....;) :cool:

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Dh and I are like the rest of you. We finally paid off our house (Nov 06) so that will help alot. We are getting away from credit cards. Only use our bank card. Cash, Cash, Cash. That is the only way. I look for good deals. Booked our last cruise, got $200.00 disc for booking. Used senior citizen rate, kept checking the rates just made final payment By keeping an eye on the rate our final payment went from $1118 to $618. Now that is a savings. Oh by the way that is on an 11 day ourside cabin in the Southern carribbean on Celebrity. Airfare - paid more than I wanted, but Dh and I were talking. He asked me how much I thought it would be to fly directly. I told him about three hundred each, but I was going to try priceline and bit on it. He came back with his bonus money. Gave me $600.00 and said book the direct flight. So I agreed, I'm sure I could have saved at least $100.00 thru priceline, but dh doesn't like to fly at all. Now the hotel that's another thing. We live too far to make the trip in the early morning to the airport and parking is pretty expensive so I got on line and found a hotel for $110.00 that included the room, breakfast before we leave, the shuttle to and from the airport and parking for two weeks! (The parking alone at the airport is over $110.00 for two weeks) We are going to SAn Juan two days early. Got the Caribe Hilton for two nights less than $200.00 on priceline!

 

I do use coupons at the grocery store and I also watch for sales during the year. Oh and by the way I have my own personal savings from my weekly allowance. dh and I both allow ourselves spending money each week. I choose to take my lunch and drink and save my money for spending money on the cruise. I like to have my nails done and go play the casino (I allow myself $10.00 each night) that money comes our of my private savings. Last cruise I came home with three hundred in winnings from the casino.

 

In my book every little bit helps. I can't wait until dh retires. He only gets 3 weeks vacation so it limits us to about 2 vacations a year, I get 7 weeks a year. I can see at least two cruises in my future once he retires.

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To not care where you go! We are semi-retired at 45 & 46. We sold out home for a good profit in California & relocated to New Mexico. Bought a home for cash. Now we can work at the Sonic Drive-In for $5 an hour and be ok! LOL........We have some investments. I buy qty at sales on items we use, cut coupons and generally love the 99 cent stores and WALMART! I can buy formal wear on ebay for peanuts! (I let my hubby wear the expensive stuff....) Sometimes it's a long cruise, maybe two short ones.........The trick is, we do not plan in advance. We had 3 to choose from this April. 12-14 days starting at $549 pp, inside cabins. This is transatlantic. Our total fare for two cabins, one double and one single is $4500 for 13 nights. Just the two of us would have been around $2600 with the airfare from TX. Find a line you love and repeat. You'll get the best deals....Last minute usually means 90 days or less....The cruiseline websites are now offering some amazing deals as well as online vacation center (they buy space in bulk) and vacations to go.......Who cares where you go as long as you're cruising! :D

 

 

 

6/72 Song of Norway Caribbean 7/73 Sun Viking Caribbean 12/74 Fairsea Mexico 6/75 Golden Odyssey E. Mediterranean 4/76 Odessa Yucatan 6/76 Fairwind Transcanal 5/77 Sun Princess 8/77 Fairstar Australia/S. Pacific

12/77 Monarch Sun Caribbean 6/78 Danae Mediterranean 12/78 Festivale Caribbean 7/79 Fairstar S. Pacific 12/80 Nordic Prince Caribbean 12/82 Tropicale Mexico 10/84 Jubilee Mexico 4/88 Fairsea Mexico 9/91 Dawn Princess Ensenada 4/95 Jubilee Mexico 6/96 Century Caribbean 12/97 Song Of America Mexico 11/98 Grand Princess Caribbean 12/98 Monarch of the Seas Ensenada 11/99 Rhapsody of the Seas Mexico 4/00 Norwegian Sea Transcanal 11/00 Splendor of the Seas Caribbean 11/01 Mercury Transcanal 12/02 Sun Princess Mexico 12/03 Pride Mexico 5/05 Mercury Transatlantic 5/06 Millenium Transatlantic 4/07 Splendour of the Seas Transatlantic

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Almost double posted there, sorry...I'll edit and add some more comments....Never, ever take ship's tours, even overseas or take their hotels unless they're free. If you can find some adventure, have a great sense of humor and are generally in good shape, take a chance at booking your own hotels...much cheaper! I booked a pensione in Rome (around $120 US per night, free breakfast, only 3 stars). We had to stuff ourselves into a one hundred year old elevator and then we forgot what floor the pensione was on! Fortunately, the only english speaking desk clerk must have been laughing upstairs as he yelled the floor number into the elevator shaft! It was a beautiful place and we saved........over $750!! by booking our own hotel!

 

 

6/72 Song of Norway Caribbean 7/73 Sun Viking Caribbean 12/74 Fairsea Mexico 6/75 Golden Odyssey E. Mediterranean 4/76 Odessa Yucatan 6/76 Fairwind Transcanal 5/77 Sun Princess 8/77 Fairstar Australia/S. Pacific

12/77 Monarch Sun Caribbean 6/78 Danae Mediterranean 12/78 Festivale Caribbean 7/79 Fairstar S. Pacific 12/80 Nordic Prince Caribbean 12/82 Tropicale Mexico 10/84 Jubilee Mexico 4/88 Fairsea Mexico 9/91 Dawn Princess Ensenada 4/95 Jubilee Mexico 6/96 Century Caribbean 12/97 Song Of America Mexico 11/98 Grand Princess Caribbean 12/98 Monarch of the Seas Ensenada 11/99 Rhapsody of the Seas Mexico 4/00 Norwegian Sea Transcanal 11/00 Splendor of the Seas Caribbean 11/01 Mercury Transcanal 12/02 Sun Princess Mexico 12/03 Pride Mexico 5/05 Mercury Transatlantic 5/06 Millenium Transatlantic 4/07 Splendour of the Seas Transatlantic[/font]

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Oh, I thought of some more! Get a rewards credit card and put everything on it (all your house bills, etc). Discover has a 5% cash back rewards card for cruises, airlines, etc. You can keep track of your spending online as well. If you have to pay it anyway, you may as well get something in return! And the big one,hubby and I just quit smoking. Let's see, a carton a week for 52 weeks @ $40 per carton is $2080! Hey! That's a whole cruise! Course, we'd have to smuggle our own booze onboard and we couldn't buy any pictures.....just kidding!

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I spoke to a retired couple who cruise all the time and asked them how they do it, as they are on a fixed income. They said they are not interested in veranda's, suites or specialty staterooms. They always book cheapest inside cabin, guaranteed and have travelled all over the world paying the cheapest fares. They told me, they do not spend anytime at all in the cabin, so as long as they have a comfortable bed and the bathroom, they eat, dance and walk around the ships like everyone else. Maybe something to look into.

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I also plan all our cruises on a budget....(4th cruise coming up in Aug 2007). We have done about 1 each year, and the 4 of us always take an inside quad (cheapest room). I pay most of my expenses with a "point" card, so even if I don't get cruise points from it, I buy other items with points so there is more $ for cruises. I also declare zero dependents on taxes so I can get the biggest refund, but live within my weekly net paycheck means. Also, when I must pay in cash for anything, I only use bills, never change, even if I have some handy in my bag at the time of the cash transaction. I then empty my bag each day of all the change, and then bring it to the change machine at my local bank to exchange it for bills. Also, I live in NYC, so I am signed up with various agencies to do advertising focus groups as they occur, and these pay about $100-$150 for 2 hrs of time, and I consider this "found" money, and always put it towards vacation.

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We do the same. We have been fortunate to get some very good upgrades (inside to balcony). Like I said, when you find a line you like, keep sailing with them. Write letters as well! If there is something that they can improve, let them know. If it's great, let them know. I have received discount coupons many times doing this. I can imagine a verandah suite must add a lot of comfort to the trip, but I do not see the value of spending that much more per night. In 2004, we did a 14 day for under $45 per day. The airfare was more expensive than the cruise fare!

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Also, I live in NYC, so I am signed up with various agencies to do advertising focus groups as they occur, and these pay about $100-$150 for 2 hrs of time, and I consider this "found" money, and always put it towards vacation.

 

lumpkin, hi. I'm in NYC also, can you recommend some I can contact please? I can give you my email so you can send it to me offline if you like.

 

Thank you.

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Due to time-off limitations with my job and a timeshare we love to use for our alotted week, we have only been able to cruise once a year. I was missing the water sooo much in between though. Solved that problem by buying a boat that we can weekend on. Only problem is no cabin stewards!!!

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:) We are cruise happy people.Even before we retired we were happy cruisers. Now we try to cruise twice a year.

To save money here is what we learned:

.drinks -bring your own on board

.wine -bring your own on board & pay corkage.

. Make your own excursions on shore.

.Bring your own cameras.Pictures on cruises are costly

.We cruise regularly using Royal Caribbean's & Celebrity loyalty programs.We are now at their top levels & the perk are free & excellent

.Buy, the stock in the company.It takes 100 shares of say RCL stock.When sailing the investor relations dept will point you to the correct person.You get anywhere from $50 -$250 ship board credit depending on the cruise length

.Royal Caribbean will give you $150 off a veranda fare once you have at least become platinum level on their loyalty program.

.Book thru a cruise consolidator for best prices

.book the cruise for before Christmas in Dec or in January.also the best cruise prices.

.Look for repositioning cruises(Europe ships start returning from Oct to Dec) best prices.There are other great repositioning cruises as well.If you can't find one,then phone the cruise line & ask.

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How we finance multiple cruises/vacations a year: We bought chickens.

 

Really! We bought five hens for our own egg supply one spring and just fell totally in love with them. So, the next spring, we built a bigger coop, bought 75 more (for about $90), and now we keep a constant flock of, usually, between 50 and 150, almost all hens. We sell the resulting (100% organic) eggs at the three local natural food stores for $3.00 a dozen. We get $2.50 of that and, generally, we sell about 50 dozen a week, sometimes more in the warmer months when the chickens lay more. We also help to supply a local restaurant that buys as much of their food as possible from local organic growers, and they buy about 50-100 dozen a month from us. We put aside the appropriate amount for Uncle Sam to send in at the end of each quarter and the rest goes into the vacation savings account. Between that, the interest earned, and the yearly bonus I get from my company, we feed the chickens, buy more when necessary...and vacation at least twice a year, at least one of which is often a cruise.

 

Of course, this isn't a viable option for people who don't live in the boondocks like we do, but my point is that sometimes what starts as a hobby turns into a nice little side business that, in turn, feeds the cruise/travel obsession. :)

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IMHO I feel that living close to a port is beneficial as well cuts a chuck of change out what would used for airfare and or prior day hotel fees...after my 1st cruise is over in APril I will be makin plans to save up for a another departure later in the year or next year from in state (VA) then maybe I could spurge a bit for an upgraded room with the extra money saved minus air... you figure by me planing almost a year in advance for a more expensive cruise I can make payments and budget and have it paid off it the alloted time frame I think this also give the traveler the ability to book multiple trips because of the fact you can book so far in advance and have time to pay them off....thats just me :p

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:) Dremac yup we agree that it saves a lot of money being able to drive to a near by cruise port.Those living near Ft Lauderdale & Miami have excellent cruise options .In Nov/Dec 04 we took 2 cruises one a 10 night Eastern/southern Caribbean & a 7 night Western Caribbean;but,we flew in from San Diego.did spend 26 other days in Florida driving all around.

 

Knowing the cost to add air ,hotels,meals ,etc to the cruising experience ,we now try to stay close to cruising out of San Diego ,a 40 minute drive to the terminal.Just that we are limited to cruises to Mexico,Panama Canal(then must fly back),Hawaii round trip(14 or 15 nights) & a May repositioning cruise from SD to Vancouver(either fly or rent a one way back).those are our options from the West Coast.

 

Perhaps when San Diego builds(discussions going on now) a larger & better cruise Terminal we will get more ships & more cruise destination options.That would be the best for us & avoid the cost & troubles with flying today.East Coast has 70% of the cruise industry ,at present.

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:D Other money savings ideas:

 

If you buy 100 shares (stock synbol onvc) of onlinevacationcenter.com(a cruise consolidator with great deals e-mailed direct to us --first register with them for e-mails),they will give back 5% of your cruise price & port taxes .They will do this twice a year for trips.Their stock price is cheap & taking 2 trips will more than pay for the stock.They are the only publicly traded cruise consolidator & they get great prices.

 

Buying cruise line stocks ,whether CCL or RCL (100 share minimum) you get ship board credits to your cabin as many cruises as you want to take.check it out with each company investor relations dept.

 

Always check the cruise line prices direct.I have been amazed that at times the cruise line will send me a e-mail & if I jump right on it it is the best price ever.Register your e-mail address with ALL cruise lines you would sail on.

 

Happy Cruising

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Heck many of us cruisers/travelers stay at hotels before & after the cruise to make the cruise a more rewarding & no stress vacation.Well here are other money saving ideas from many years of business traveling:

 

Get the American Express Hilton Honors Credit Card. For shoping at supermarkets,drug stores,restaurants & gasoline,American Express gives you 5 points per dollar spent. We are retired & save all the points we can.We have taken trips all over & never pay for our hotel stays;which include Hiltons,Embassy Suites,Hampton Inns & many other of their family of hilton properties. We especislly like embassy suites with a wonderful full breakfast,a managers cocktail nightly reception & a 2 room suite with full amenities. Those points add up fast &even Costco takes American Express .

 

2nd Tip Call 1-800-Dine241 .This is a dining service.They have provided for a 3 month trial in the past.They provide 4 books covering the country with cards for each book .The cards have numbers on the back .The books will be boken down by state & then city.Each city lists restaurants (all white dining cloth 3 star & up ) .When ordering present the card & one entry is free when a second of equal or more value is ordered.Drinks ,deserts & tips not included.This has saved us thousands of dollars & we had great dining experiences:D

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We go to Las Vegas once or twice a year, but other than that, I save every dime for cruising! I never eat out, drive an older economy car that is paid for, and have a low martgage payment. I choose to spend my money to cruise and do all of the eating out on the ship instead of hitting the fast food joints and restaurants when I'm at home.

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My wife and I are 45 with one son in college and a 5 year old daughter (surprise!!). I got hooked on cruising with my first real cruise, Disney Magic in 2006. Now, by budgeting (which I've always done) I plan on cruising every other year. Cruising is about half again more expensive than what I pay for other week long vacations, that's why only every other year (at least until the son is out of college). I think cruising is well worth the price.

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Hi, Princess 246.

Some of the ones I am registered with include: Schlesinger Associates, Advanced Focus, and Focus Forward. You can just search the web for their websites, and I believe all 3 of them allow you to register online. They ask some questions about you, and eventually you will get some calls. They can be lots of fun, and very easy money.

Have fun!

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Ok, I've seen everyone's posts listing all their past cruises and upcoming cruises. Most times, they're only weeks or 2-3 months apart. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG??? There's no way I could afford that! My family and I generally take one big vacation a year in the summer, and maybe 2 short trips (2 or 3 days) in spring and fall. Does anyone vacation doing something else besides cruising, or is cruising the ONLY WAY to vacation to the majority on these boards? My husband and I are planning on a 7 day cruise on the Mariner in Nov. 2007, and I have to start planning and saving NOW! Anyone else out there in my shoes?

We were school teachers. We bought our house 37 years ago. As our friends moved every two or three years with higher and higher mortgages, we lived in the same spacious house in a fabulous neighborhood. What we didn't pay in mortgage payments, we used to travel the world. We have been to Antarctica, China, a World Cruise with Holland America, Russia, Scandinavia and all the normal, average places. Our trick....PLANNING.

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