You show me yours...i`ll show you mine...

[ekerr19]

I'm a big rounder downer, too, with DH. I also tend to be a bit cloudy on the "when" of a purchase ... I've bought almost everything "ages ago":D .

 

And when I tell DH the price of the cruise before booking, I never add on the insurance. I mean, why upset him?;)

Oh, why upset him indeed!!! :D Heather, you are a woman after my own heart! I always say, "what he doesn't know won't kill him" and since I just deposit his paychecks and I pay all the bills - it really doesn't matter much to him. He just sees that he has money in his wallet, money in the bank, money for the kid's college funds and our retirement, so hey - we cruise!

 

He looks at the brokerage (yuck!) accounts, 401k's, savings, and that's it. :)

 

I think I'm lucky that way!

 

Oh, I forgot, I bought that last year! Don't you remember???? :)

[Pudgesmom]

I find it interesting that "we" constantly look for a lower fare for our own cruises, and then simultaneously bemoan reduced services on another thread. In some cases, we may be getting what we're paying for.

 

 

Beth

[ekerr19]

I find it interesting that "we" constantly look for a lower fare for our own cruises, and then simultaneously bemoan reduced services on another thread. In some cases, we may be getting what we're paying for.

 

 

Beth

Beth-

 

I agree with you - this is the reason we stick with HAL rather than venture out to Radisson (though I'd seriously like to give them a try) - we can cruise a couple times a year on HAL - we never would have been able to do this with our kids in the 1980's... HAL has become a mass market cruise line and the cut backs reflect this - It so happens that I still like their product and will continue to sail - until otherwise. :)

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Oh, why upset him indeed!!! :D Heather, you are a woman after my own heart! I always say, "what he doesn't know won't kill him" and since I just deposit his paychecks and I pay all the bills - it really doesn't matter much to him. He just sees that he has money in his wallet, money in the bank, money for the kid's college funds and our retirement, so hey - we cruise!

 

He looks at the brokerage (yuck!) accounts, 401k's, savings, and that's it. :)

 

I think I'm lucky that way!

 

Oh, I forgot, I bought that last year! Don't you remember???? :)

ekerr19, you really should not be telling all our secrets, Tom my DH is a Lurker on this board and reads all this daily:eek:

 

:D

[HeatherInFlorida]

I agree with Beth and EKerr in many ways. Because more is included on lines like Radisson and Crystal (and boy you're paying for it), but on HAL I don't have to pay for it if I don't want it. The fact is if I ever got a bill like yours, Laura, at the end of the cruise I would most likely slit my wrists:eek: . Our bill is always under $500, usually way under.

 

But there are other things that HAL appears to be changing that upset me ... things like loud music, water slides, eliminating the library, adding some fancy culinary arts that I neither need nor want. And then there's the deal at Half Moon Cay about a water park:( ... not an "improvement" IMHO. And I suspect we will see an increase in their rates in order to pay for the addition of these so called "improvements".

 

Evidently they are beginning to try to appeal to a group of people I don't think I particularly want to cruise with ... or so it would appear. We shall see.

 

There is still Celebrity ... for however long.

[HeatherInFlorida]

ekerr19, you really should not be telling all our secrets, Tom my DH is a Lurker on this board and reads all this daily:eek:

 

:D

Shhhhhh;) ... we were only talking about Ekerr and me! Lisa, I distinctly remember you saying long ago you would never do anything like we've mentioned here. You clearly said you are always totally upfront and above board in any discussions about purchases and the like with your DH:rolleyes: .

[stanjj111]

10 night cruise over new year's. Cat B $1457.51. Then we got a 100 dollar credit thanks to you folks on CC. I don't think that this is a bad price for a holiday cruise.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Shhhhhh;) ... we were only talking about Ekerr and me! Lisa, I distinctly remember you saying long ago you would never do anything like we've mentioned here. You clearly said you are always totally upfront and above board in any discussions about purchases and the like with your DH:rolleyes: .

Yes, That's the story Heather, I defintely did say that;)

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Oh No,:eek: DH wanted to know what I was laughing about so he had to read the thread. He says"Honey we need to talk. What is this that other husbands have money in the wallet?" Now I am in trouble :p

[KSCnCA]

We are using an online TA who called me with a fare that he thought was a mistake. He reserved it for us and gave us something like 5 days to put a deposit. Oosterdam Nov 05, 7 day Mexican Riviera, out of our home town, San Diego. We paid $587pp incl taxes and port charges for a VC. Wish I had called all my friends. It's an awesome deal and when we put the down payment I was really unsure, now I think "how can we not go!" Love the fact that we have two cruises booked! Now we won't have the let down when we come home in December of not having another one to look forward to!

 

Our Dec 04 Zuiderdam was $821 incl taxes and port charges for an A Aft. :) But we are paying the air, so that factors in. Really looking forward to HMC!

[joanagain]

"...Oosterdam Nov 05, 7 day Mexican Riviera, out of our home town, San Diego. We paid $587pp incl taxes and port charges for a VC. Wish I had called all my friends. It's an awesome deal ..."

 

You got that right...AWESOME!

[ekerr19]

Oh No,:eek: DH wanted to know what I was laughing about so he had to read the thread. He says"Honey we need to talk. What is this that other husbands have money in the wallet?" Now I am in trouble :p

Lisa- oops, sorry! Trust me, it doesn't stay there long! When the kids need lunch or movie money - I say "get some out of Dad's wallet" then DH says, "what happened to all my money?", I reply, "You must have spent it on another football pool"... he walks away shaking his head and his empty wallet. ;)

 

Heather - that shipboard account only happened once, and once was enough! I am much more careful with the kids now days. Believe me, I felt like slitting my wrists. :eek: The look on my face could have been used for the MasterCard "priceless" commercial...

[HeatherInFlorida]

This doesn't relate to this thread, but I am having the most awesome time watching the Celebrity Summit cam going thru the Panama Canal with the Oosterdam ahead of it. Here are the links, if your interested

Monitor Window

Live Cameras - PanCanal.com

 

They haven't gotten to the Gatun Locks yet but should before too long.

 

Anyway, back on topic! KSCnCA that is an amazing deal! I'm not sure what a VC category is, but awesome no matter what. we just paid $2350 each for a 14 day from LA to Ft. Lauderdale on Celebrity Summit Verandah ... more than I wanted but the least I could find.

 

Lisa, Ekerr .... LOL!!!:D

[kelelmel]

Oh kelelmel... we've had a few of those ugly onboard accounts too! Our worst, 16-day Noordam Holiday sailing with 2 cabins & three kids, our 16-yr. old thought phone calls were only $2.00 per call, not $2.00 per minute... :eek: Our tab (on board account - 2 cabins) - about $4,700 for 16 days, inlcuding shore excursions. Yikes! Needless to say, we only had one cruise that year!

OMG, is your daughter still working that tab off?

[KSCnCA]

Heather: Some day we will save up for a Panama Cruise. (my dream!)

Just looked up the new cabin designations on HAL:

VA = A

 

VB = AA

 

VC = B

 

VD = BB

 

VE = BA

 

VF = BC

Now I am really confused. I thought that BB was better than BC, and BA better than BB. :confused: In any case, I am just happy to have our cruise booked.

[dexter]

We got a deal in August on the Zuiderdam that we'll probably never be able to match. We paid just a little over $2200 for two people in a category S.

Great deal for such a big cabin and all the amenities.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Heather: Some day we will save up for a Panama Cruise. (my dream!)

Just looked up the new cabin designations on HAL:

VA = A

 

VB = AA

 

VC = B

 

VD = BB

 

VE = BA

 

VF = BC

 

Now I am really confused. I thought that BB was better than BC, and BA better than BB. :confused: In any case, I am just happy to have our cruise booked.

Absolutely! Me, too. BA always was above a BB ... odd. Maybe somebody can 'splain?:D

[Orcrone]

Heather: Some day we will save up for a Panama Cruise. (my dream!)

Just looked up the new cabin designations on HAL:

VA = A

 

VB = AA

 

VC = B

 

VD = BB

 

VE = BA

 

VF = BC

 

Now I am really confused. I thought that BB was better than BC, and BA better than BB. :confused: In any case, I am just happy to have our cruise booked.

Are you sure you looked it up correctly. On the Zuiderdam it is as listed above, except VD = BA and VE = BB, which is the way you'd expect it to be. Perhaps the sight you read it from had it wrong, or you just wrote it down incorrectly.:confused:

[Roboat]

This is really a great thread, with many helpful, informative and funny replies. thank you, joanagain, for starting it, and thank you all for some very delightful posts.

 

We paid $1,584 total for B verandas for the 7 day western on the Zuiderdam next week, after deducting the $100 per cabin shipboard credit. That's about $113 pp/pd, which is OK. This was for specific cabins - though not ideal cabins (B5160 and B5162 - any comments?)

 

BTW, my VTG TA initially insisted the credit did not exist "at that price" - but Jazzsea from this forum informed me it WAS available, and told me not to take NO for answer. Thank you again!!!

 

As many of you know, some websites show lower prices because they DO NOT INCLUDE port changes and taxes that can add another 10-15%. You have consider the whole package - including the shipboard credit or lack thereof - when evaluating price.

[HeatherInFlorida]

So right, Roboat. I got an ad in the mail the other day that advertised a price on the Rotterdam for a 12 day "vacation" (which included 1 "free" night in Miami which is of no interest to me;) ). So the cruise portion was 10 nights. A "B" Verandah was advertised as $2149pp which they purport to be a savings of $1960pp over "retail". At the bottom in red it gleefully says that port and other charges of $174pp are INCLUDED.

 

But then under that in black ink it says "Government Fees and other taxes are not included and are $300 pp (subject to change)". And my reaction immediately was :eek: :eek: !! $300???!!! That's $600 additional for 2 people! What a ripoff!!!

 

So you really have to be an informed consumer... no question about that.

[joanagain]

:) roboat

 

you are entirely welcome... to this thread...i owe you one, ...you gave me emotional support during my "sky auction affaire"... and i thank YOU. ;)

[kelelmel]

Giving new meaning to the term Med Cruise

 

***** - 1999

Paxil - 2002

Effexor - 2003

Roboat,

Very funny! I need to get on those cruises :p

[Roboat]

Roboat,

Very funny! I need to get on those cruises :p

Thanks.

 

I was gonna put a countdown clock for Lithium 2005 but I don't want to jinx it! :D

[KSCnCA]

Are you sure you looked it up correctly. On the Zuiderdam it is as listed above, except VD = BA and VE = BB, which is the way you'd expect it to be. Perhaps the sight you read it from had it wrong, or you just wrote it down incorrectly.:confused:

It was on Holland's site. If you go to the deck plans it shows both the current letter designation and the future V_. And I got the same info from my TA. :confused:

[DFD1]

As best I can tell, if you're comfortable cruising in one of the lower priced catagories, you can probably do it for between $60 and $70 per day per person including all taxes and port charges. That's not too bad compared with cruising prices a few years back.

 

IMO, others may differ.