Have you ever taken out a LOAN to pay for your cruise?

[lovemylab]

My TA offers a deferral program. You book your vacation package with your credit card and the bill arrives after you get back. As long as you pay it by the due date there is no interest. We used this for our last cruise and it worked well since we cruised in November and our Christmas bonus's through work arrive mid-December...a few weeks before the bill was due. I would have no problems doing this again as it doesn't cost me anything.

[agabbymama]

I didn't make it in time for the poll, but wanted to add my two cents anyway.

 

I've never taken out a loan, but a lot of the costs associated with the cruise/vacation do go on a credit card, so in a way that is a loan.

[momofmeg]

Or some people just like to cruise a lot? It's not pretending to be anything they aren't. I mean, most of us wouldn't go in debt, but it doesn't bother me at all if they do. If they have the cash flow to pay interest by cruising every year, or every few months, have at it. The more interest they pay, the less money the banks will have to try to pry out of me later LOL.

 

I would not know about that Dan. No bank to pry anything out of me either as the only thing I owe money on is my home and yes I like to cruise alot-I just learned if you live within your means and don't charge up so much on credit cards that you can only make the minumin payment-that in the long run you have MORE money. It must have something to do with interest eating up your money huh?

 

It took me like 45 years of living to figure that out!

 

Oh yes, we have a charge card-which we pay off every month.

[cruiselover57]

We're helping out a Wall Street Journal reporter on this one...so would you please take the poll and add your comments..........

 

Although I always pay for my cruises with a credit card, they're paid off in full each month. I would never finance a cruise - that would end up costing you a lot more! If you don't have the money in the bank by the time the final payment is due, then maybe you shouldn't spend so much money and be in debt!

 

Laurie

[DanJ]

I would not know about that Dan. No bank to pry anything out of me either as the only thing I owe money on is my home and yes I like to cruise alot-I just learned if you live within your means and don't charge up so much on credit cards that you can only make the minumin payment-that in the long run you have MORE money. It must have something to do with interest eating up your money huh?

 

It took me like 45 years of living to figure that out!

 

Oh yes, we have a charge card-which we pay off every month.

 

Well, there's more than interest that banks try to pry out of a person. But we aren't on opposite sides here. You and me are actually pretty similar, other than I also owe money on 2 cars. You've taken 13 cruises as your signature says. But you also owe money on your house. 13 cruises would go a long way to paying your house off. Maybe even clear the mortgage. So, really, how is that different than somebody else choosing to get a loan or run a credit card balance? It's great that you and I can budget so that we can afford to take vacations as well as carry home ownership debt. But I think it's a little much to say somebody who puts a cruise on a credit card is pretending to be something they aren't.

[LHP]

We don't do debt....except for credit cards that never have a balance carried forward.

 

House, new cars motorhome etc are paid for with cash. I can't imagine financing a cruise. :eek:

 

BTW< if you pay off your credit cards completely every month as we do, you are considered a "dead beat" by the CC company because they do not make any additional interest off of you...just the surcharge that the stores pay. I have always found that insulting....

[ferguscruisers]

I just can't help responding to this question. We have the basic payments (i.e. house, car, heat, lights, etc.), and a basic income. We are frugal people and avoid paying interest if at all possible. The funny thing is our love of cruising is so BIGGGG--it's one thing I could actually see us taking out a loan for. We have never done this, but I would not say we never would. You never know what tomorrow will bring. Everyone enjoy your next cruise! Ours' is in March and just 129 days away! And for the record, it's paid for. :D

[momofmeg]

Or some people just like to cruise a lot? It's not pretending to be anything they aren't. I mean, most of us wouldn't go in debt, but it doesn't bother me at all if they do. If they have the cash flow to pay interest by cruising every year, or every few months, have at it. The more interest they pay, the less money the banks will have to try to pry out of me later LOL.

 

You missed my point entirely. My POINT is I more then likely have much more money then those people do-I am just not showy about it-I also sleep very good at night as I have no worries that I will lose everything I "own" as I really own what I have.

 

Do I care that other people go in debt up to their eyeballs pretending they have something-no-unless it is a relative who was always poo-pooing my being a "cheapskate" but now that they are losing everything they feel they can ask me to bail them out! Other folks I just feel sorry for that they foolishly got themselves into a mess.

[momofmeg]

We don't do debt....except for credit cards that never have a balance carried forward.

 

House, new cars motorhome etc are paid for with cash. I can't imagine financing a cruise. :eek:

 

BTW< if you pay off your credit cards completely every month as we do, you are considered a "dead beat" by the CC company because they do not make any additional interest off of you...just the surcharge that the stores pay. I have always found that insulting....

 

Well we are almost in the same shape as you-except we still have a house payment-but we have as much equity in our home as we owe-and our plan is in another 10 years to have it paid for-so we can go into retirement debt free.

 

then we will have the time AND money to do all those exotic cruises we would like to do-instead of just taking a nice cruise every 5 years and the rest of the time-sticking to the caribbean.

[momofmeg]

Well, there's more than interest that banks try to pry out of a person. But we aren't on opposite sides here. You and me are actually pretty similar, other than I also owe money on 2 cars. You've taken 13 cruises as your signature says. But you also owe money on your house. 13 cruises would go a long way to paying your house off. Maybe even clear the mortgage. So, really, how is that different than somebody else choosing to get a loan or run a credit card balance? It's great that you and I can budget so that we can afford to take vacations as well as carry home ownership debt. But I think it's a little much to say somebody who puts a cruise on a credit card is pretending to be something they aren't.

 

True, but then I could not itemize on my taxes and good ole Uncle Sam would be getting a bigger bite-as the interest on a house payment is one of the few things you can still count off. LOL! but actually see the above post- we have a plan on that also!

 

I WILL take a yearly vacation. For many years we could not afford that "luxury" and WHY??????? because we had too much credit card debt. Thank goodness we smartened up!

 

and ya know I know many people who ask how we can afford to cruise so often and all I have to do is look at their lifestyle and see they have more money then me-or at least appear to have more money. Maybe they are in the same position I was-too much credit card debt.