anybody else thinking of throwing in the towel?

[CarnivalCruiseLover]

Not everything is good about Florida but I often tell my children how lucky they are living here. Many families save for years to come here for a vacation of a lifetime.

We have:

Mickey Mouse House

Sea World/Aquatica

Universal Studios

Islands of Adventure

NASA/Shuttle

Bush Gardens

Beaches

Tampa Bay Bucs (big fan)

 

***and 5 ports to catch a cruise out of - Miami is only 3.5 hour drive.

 

 

YOU FORGOT WEKKI WACHEE SPRINGS !! Love that place!

[sakapfet]

THe good news is that there is a light(solar powered cruiseship) at the end of the tunnel. The bad news is that we will have to wait till after year 2020 :

 

Described as "possibly the greatest evolution in boats since the advent of steam," an ingenuously simple concept that combines sun and wind power with sophisticated computer systems is set to transform the future of navigation

Solar sailing -- the idea of using solar and wind energy to propel ships -- can cut a ship's fuel costs by up to 90 percent and significantly lower its environmental impact. The new technology, which is already used in Sydney Harbor, can be applied to everything from cruise ships to 500,000-tonne water transport tankers and small unmanned military vessels

[Wennfred]

Someone said something funny last night on the Radio, he said if you mailed your luggage using UPS it would cost you 150.00, so 15.00 to fly your luggage within 5 hours sounds pretty good. :D

 

 

Fred

[MD34]

THe good news is that there is a light(solar powered cruiseship) at the end of the tunnel. The bad news is that we will have to wait till after year 2020 :

 

Described as "possibly the greatest evolution in boats since the advent of steam," an ingenuously simple concept that combines sun and wind power with sophisticated computer systems is set to transform the future of navigation

Solar sailing -- the idea of using solar and wind energy to propel ships -- can cut a ship's fuel costs by up to 90 percent and significantly lower its environmental impact. The new technology, which is already used in Sydney Harbor, can be applied to everything from cruise ships to 500,000-tonne water transport tankers and small unmanned military vessels

 

Wow - using wind to power ships? Who would have thought it possible? Not any of the mariners from all over for thousands of years, that's for sure! (Can you tell I am in a silly, sarcastic mood today?):D

[pungo3]

I will continue to cruise, regardless of the cost. It won't be as often, but I will cruise. I will give up all of my luxuries except for cruising. Prices are sky high and continue to climb. I may eat hamburger helper (without the hamburger) at home, but I'll still cruise.

[Unca Pete]

I'd be more tempted to take longer cruises, or increase the stay by spending time at the port city (if San Diego or OSJ for an example.) That would help justify the increased cost of airfare. Somehow I losing interest in flying from New England to Florida for a seven day cruise! Two week cruises out of the NYC ports would be nice--the savings in airfare would almost cover the extra ship days!

 

Pete

[mek]

quote=pungo3 I will continue to cruise, regardless of the cost. It won't be as often, but I will cruise. I will give up all of my luxuries except for cruising. Prices are sky high and continue to climb. I may eat hamburger helper (without the hamburger) at home, but I'll still cruise.

 

As much as I love cruising, if I ever get to the point where my lifestyle has to change dramatically, then I'm not going to have 99% of my life be a drag for one or two weeks a year of pleasure.

[ShedQueen77]

As much as I love cruising, if I ever get to the point where my lifestyle has to change dramatically, then I'm not going to have 99% of my life be a drag for one or two weeks a year of pleasure.

 

I agree with you! :)

[elaineb]

My dad worked liked a dog as a printer - 10 and 12 hr days to feed the 6 of us kids. Yet, he still managed to save to bring us on a week vacation every summer. And believe me, those memories are worth the world to us. So using his model, my DH and I have never missed a vacation yet. We have money direct deposited from his check every payday into our vacation account.

But sure, this economy is getting to us. Things we've had to do:

Book a 5 night cruise instead of a 7 nite

Life changes: DH gets coffee at home and eats cereal instead of the local coffee bar; I iron his shirts now instead of sending them out; we only buy things on sale & use coupons!; eat out only 1X month instead of weekly; cancelled subscriptions; changed our car insurance company and saved $400!! (Doesn't hurt to shop around!)

There is really no fat left to cut except for our cell phones and cable - Dh would say they're necessities....But we both said the next fat would probably be vacation. That would make me very, very sad. Why go to work every day if there is no pay off for the hard work?

We did get a good price for our airfare - $257 RT to FLL from RI on Southwest. I wouldn't even consider cruising from Boston or NY - just too rough for me, plus I don't like all those sea days.

I think things are only going to get tougher here in the U.S. We are going to end up with a 2 class system - the haves and the have nots.

[TCF]

We haven't, 'thrown in the towel', yet....but we are doing a lot more creative planning for our cruises.

For example, when we added up all the costs for our booked Med crusie on Freedom in September '08, we found that the cruise portion of the vacation was the bargain part. It was getting there...staying there...seeing there....that killed the trip...not cruising there. We took the round trip airfares from the west cost to Rome and used the money to buy cruise days...after all we like crusing not flying!!!

So we got creative. We found a cruise that leaves from our city...it lasts for five weeks....goes to places we have never been to before....goes to places we are unlikely to have the opportuniy to see in the future. It is a 36 day reposition cruise...that works out to 3X the cruise days...for about $1000 more than our total Med trip!

We re-booked the Med trip for the spring of '09 leaving from Ft. Lauderdale. It is a reposition to the Med via the Carribean...will stop in the ports that are, 'must see', for us in the Med and give us a little bit of extra time in Europe on the way home. It's cheaper because it is a reposition...it cuts out one air leg to Europe...reduces the ports in the Med to the bare minimum for us....and we will come in at about $8000 for 2 of us.

We haven't had to down-grade our cabins...but that will come next. We will have to pay way more attention to the costs of excursions, (which we probably should have been doing all along anyway), fewer meals in the upscale restaurants on board, taking more advantage of the "all inclusive" elements of the cruise....and any other ideas we can beg, borrow or steal.

Hopefully before we have to get down to 'bare-bones' cruising the world economy will come back to its senses!

[mek]

We've always been pretty "creative" when it comes to cruising and traveling. I will travel where I get the best bang for my buck and generally don't have my heart set on one place or even a specific date. Like you, I have been known to change from one cruise to another because I found a better deal. I can be quite happy with an inside, but I have booked outsides and balconies. There does comes a point where I can't justify the extra cost for the upgrades. In 40 cruises I have never eaten in a specialty restaurant - the portions are way to large and unlike at home, I can't split a 24oz porterhouse with my husband or take the leftovers home. Seems like a waste to me, especially when there is other food on the ship. I'd rather spend that $100 on something else. We enjoy shore excursions, but many times we go exploring on our own or take private tours, which while expensive, can be very reasonable when others join us. I just booked a 12 night cruise to the Med in October on Carnival last week. We get the military discount and I booked an inside guarantee. I'm using FF miles for the air and Marriott points for the pre and post cruise stays. Bottom line, I figure this will probably run me just under $4,000 total for both of us - including tips, really nice shore excursions, transfers to and from the ship in Rome, meals off the ship - everything. At this price the trip was too good to pass up.

[Monkeythyme]

Someone said something funny last night on the Radio, he said if you mailed your luggage using UPS it would cost you 150.00, so 15.00 to fly your luggage within 5 hours sounds pretty good. :D

 

 

Fred

True, but UPS will send it to the same place you are going. The airlines frequently send it somewhere else.

[MSEm]

I have talked to several cruise line exec's stating we need more 7 day and a 10 day cruise from Mobile or New Orleans. They always explain to me that there is NOT enought air lift (Flights) in/out of thoses cities to support another ship. They look at me very funny when I tell them people drive from Memphis, Atlanta, Chicago, Indy to Mobile or New Orleans for a cruise. I hear, "People will not drive 6 or 7 hours, when they can fly".

We will drive from the Mississppi and Alabama to south Florida to cruise. If we fly or if we drive we will spend 1 night in a motel before a cruise.

 

Also I do not think gas prices are going to drop without some major change in transportation. Maybe there will be more hybird and alternative fuel vehicles in 10 years.

MSEm

[beachseasand]

We are doing a land trip instead this year going to Mount Rushmore/Yellowstone and Cheyenne Frontier Days. Was able to fly this past April to Arizona to visit my parents.

 

Would love to cruise again but right now airfare and cruises are out of our league for family of four.

 

Have to start looking into booking in advance and payment plan with cruises I guess and look into driving or train to get to port. But tend to just like to pay in full and be done with it so this would be a big adjustment for us.

 

There is still so much to see in this country, I will not give up a vacation until it is my last resort.

[yeahbaby]

i understand your frustration. but never give up. once the oil bubble bursts, the prices of things will hopefully deflate a little.. there's always a solution to every problem. think positive!!!

[Aplmac]

It's awful in the grocery stores. :(

People cruising to New England this summer will be in for a rude awakening.

Lobster cost double what it did last year.

Seafood in general is astronomical.

The fisherman who have it difficult financially to begin with must be in horrible situations right now.

The price of fish here in Barbados, particularly Mahi-mahi/Dorado has soared in the last year.

Diesel took a biiig jump a few weeks ago due to Government doing away with much of their subsidy

which made the local boat-owners think twice about price.

Fish is now close to being a luxury item.

[NotAPirate]

We were going on a gruise this August, but with local gas prices nearing $4 a gallon and grocery costs going up, something had to give. Even the tax stimulus we got back hasn't helped much more than ease our budget for a month and a half. Wife and I are looking at working overtime now, and maybe selling the truck to get something used with better gas mileage.

[MYWAYNOW]

I'm right there with ya. I decided when I lost my husband 5 years ago, if I have to live this life without him, I will definetly be traveling. It is one thing I love to do!! I will cut back on other things, do without some "extras" in life, but I will be going on cruises. I am in Texas and our Galveston cruise (in two weeks) is the most expensive cruise I've done yet, but at least we can drive to the port.

I will still cruise!!!!

[Mikel1733]

 

Also I do not think gas prices are going to drop without some major change in transportation. Maybe there will be more hybird and alternative fuel vehicles in 10 years.

MSEm

 

Unfortunately everything saved by use of hybrid or alternative fuel vehicles will be absorbed by increasing demand by India and China. I think high fuel prices are here to stay.

[ooulio]

I guess most of us have cut down a little. My husband's truck only gets 6-7 miles a gallon for work. We are getting rid of that . We have ordered a new Tundra. No more Ford f-250's for us. Less than 38,000 miles and everything is starting to go wrong. The other truck will get almost 20 miles a gallon. We have cut our cruises down to 1 a year. We have to fly to Florida. No choice from Rhode Island. We can't book yet either because of SW not booking yet for February. Tried the other airlines and most were over $500.00 a person for the times we want. Can't leave at 7am to get the cheaper one on the day we leave the cruise. Unfortunately in Feb., I found out I have Celiac Sprue so can't save on my food anymore. Most gluten free foods are so expensive. Still save on my husbands with coupons. Looking to find a good deal in Ft Lauderdale in Feb so am still looking for that early if I can. Heat is very expensive up here in winter too. We have gas . Our heating bills were about $400 a month when we first moved in. Now it is down to around $300 a month because of new siding and insulation. We also put in new windows . Every little bit helps. We have a soft coated wheaton terrier that is our baby. I am not giving up my cruises. What do I work for? Nothing. We also have to pay for a dog sitter for the time we are gone. We go to a personal lady that is good and takes care of him at her house. It is Memorial Day Weekend. Have a Safe weekend.!

[cookc61462]

Just got our new LP contract yesterday. It went up 50 cents a gal (which I guess isn't THAT terrible). Thankfully we can "lock" this price in for the whole year.

 

I will still travel. I will pinch pennies other places to travel. This is my first cruise in 7 years. It is already paid for (except for pics and alcohol and souvenirs). Next year's is not paid for yet, but I have a year to get it paid for.....

Things are getting tighter and tighter. I don't look for that to change any.

[travelwitch23]

:DI am trying to think positive. I don't think this financial situation can last forever. It's going to turn around.

 

I have a cruise planned for nov 09 and that is it for me. Most unusual as I usually have up to 4 trips booked at a time. :eek:

 

kim

[DqALEX]

With the prices of fuel steadily going up it is affecting everything. Airfares are going crazy. With these prices I know the airlines have to raise their prices to even stay afloat but it's getting beyond what I'm willing to pay.

 

The price of our flights to and from Alaska will probably be as much if not more than the cruise.

 

With all the flight changes, flights canceled, charging for luggage, etc. I'm just about at the point where it's just not worth it.

 

Maybe the cruise lines can put some ships closer to where people live so that they don't have to fly. I know, wishful thinking.

 

Oh well, hopefully something will give.

 

Bill

I had to give up my summer cruise this year. This is the first summer it looks like I'm not going. I hope Im still going New Years on the Carnival Freedom.

[burrma]

:DI am trying to think positive. I don't think this financial situation can last forever. It's going to turn around.

 

I have a cruise planned for nov 09 and that is it for me. Most unusual as I usually have up to 4 trips booked at a time. :eek:

 

kim

I'm sure you will figure out a way to beat the system like you did on your last cruise: many of your fellowcrewmates are still waiting for you to pay up for the tour that we got stuck for because you signed up and didn't show up nor pay; with many lane excuses when we contacted you.

Please do your next cruise partners a favour and don't stick them for things!

All your friends on CC notice you don't reply to their threads anymore and have disappeared from the forum of your last cruise. A bit embarassed! You should be!

Do CC a favour and resign from CC; don't continue to hurt other people.