How will you cruise next year due to the economy?

[sfcsu]

We have a cruise booked for January that is paid for and the money was already put aside a couple of months ago. We are using hotel awards and American express points for hotel and airfare (I travel a lot for business).

 

We booked the cruise almost a year ahead of time and got a good deal. Our cruise seems to have gone up over $600 PP since we booked, even after final payment date! I certainly wouldn't want to spend another $1200 for this trip. I am hoping to get OBC for the fuel surcharge. That is where we will probably be more careful - no large purchases and or huge on board charges for us. We rarely book excursions, we tend to do some advance research and do it ourselves.

 

Our next vacation is another issue. I will have to see how business goes for the next six to eight months. If we find a good advance deal, we will book it and then see if we will go when final payment is due.

[m steve]

and now out of the market. We budget about 20% of income each year for travel. That includes visiting family, cruises, etc. We use air credit cards to cover cost of flying. So far, we have stayed within our plan and can book balcony cabins and business class air (using miles). We try to keep hotels around $200/night. I don't know how many of our desired trips we can take at my age but I'll try to keep traveling as long as I can do it and afford it.

[PINEVIEW01]

I retired to have more cruise time, than "things" hit the fan.

 

I have my strat to be able to keep cruising.

Do the cheap times and do more than one at a time due to air cost. I would love to spread the cruises out but, I'm b2bing to save the price of air.

I bought stock so at least get the OBC out of it. I don't buy anything on the ship over that.

We stay on the ship at port. We only go ashore as far as we can walk and than eat back on the ship.

Gave up buying photos. Don't even look at them so as not to give in.

[AJVERV]

We have our next cruise booked for 2/09 and will book another while on board that ship, but we are going to be looking more closely at the service we get. We have always tipped well and sometimes extra, but we are going to be reluctant to give to those who are giving mediocare service or worse. In the past RCCL has always been excellent, but our last two cruises were not up to expectations. We wonder if it's the increasing number of passengers in ratio to staff? Anyone care to share???

[jigsaw202]

The part that makes me so angry is the outrageuos airfares. We're booked on a New Years cruise and we're paying almost as much to get to Miami on a crammed airplane as we are for the 7 day cruise (room and board!!!).

 

I agree. I live a long way from where cruise ships leave from. The cruise lines should get together and work on the airfares. Or maybe buy an airline!!!

[kimmiekaz]

Fellow Cruisers,

 

Thank you so much for all of your responses. This has really given us insight into where people stand in the harsh economy regarding cruising. This online travel budget calculator, that can be found at Independent Traveler (our sister site), can be very useful in planning your trip while staying within your budget. Check it out!

 

http://www.independenttraveler.com/travel-budget-calculator/

[sandytoesrose]

Put me in the group which is affected by high airfares! We wanted to do something special for out 10th wedding anniversary February '09. We usually take a 7 day Caribbean cruise to celebrate our anniversary. I couldn't justify spending our dwindling savings for a trip to Europe or Hawaii. What we ended up with was an 8 day panama cruise on a carnival ship. I know we'll have a fantastic time and see some new ports. We always count our pennies when we travel. I managed to save a little by flying into FLL for Port Everglades, but the return trip will be out of MIA. I've upgraded our pre-cruise hotel, but paying for it by using our credit card points. I wish I could fly more cheaply, but comfort counts - I insisted on direct flights and with some difficulty managed to find these flights. Our airfare from Chicago to FLL: last year we paid $520, this year it's $640. We have limited vacation time, otherwise we would drive to the ports.

[Imagineer]

...we've been watching our nest egg dwindle along with most others, so obviously this has an effect on travel plans, we've decided that we'll have to go with a bit less luxury next time and either go on a more budget minded cruise line or go down a few decks and even consider an inside cabin. For us the destinations of choice are sailing out of either European or Mediterranean ports, so the airfare is a consideration as well. It will be interesting to see what effect the valuation of the Euro has on travel and cruise plans for those of us who choose this region...

...another serious reconsideration will be shore excursions, I think we'll be doing our own thing from now on...

 

cheers,

 

the Imagineers

[gillianrose]

The part that makes me so angry is the outrageuos airfares. We're booked on a New Years cruise and we're paying almost as much to get to Miami on a crammed airplane as we are for the 7 day cruise (room and board!!!).

 

Airfares are far too INEXPENSIVE, and that's why the planes are crammed full.

 

I hate to fly anywhere nowadays, but it certainly has nothing to do with air fares in the economy/coach section. I would gladly be willing to pay more for better seating and a return to the amenities of the flights of yesteryear. Now we want to fly first or business class only (without frequent flyer miles), and if those fares are too outrageous, we don't fly.

[fredman]

Airfares are far too INEXPENSIVE, and that's why the planes are crammed full.

 

I hate to fly anywhere nowadays, but it certainly has nothing to do with air fares in the economy/coach section. I would gladly be willing to pay more for better seating and a return to the amenities of the flights of yesteryear. Now we want to fly first or business class only (without frequent flyer miles), and if those fares are too outrageous, we don't fly.

 

I wish I could afford with or without airmiles in first or business class. I do appreciate the amenities and the comfort - we all would love to fly first!

 

Good on you that you can consider this as an option...at what point are the fares too outrageous if you are willing to fly first or business? Maybe we all should hold off and do it right...quality over quantity. Saving for quality is not a bad thing. It might cause the travel industry to take note that travellers want both value and quality. As opposed to cutting costs to encourage sales - which translates in less service and more pay for items like extra bags, specialty restaurants on ships etc.

[gillianrose]

I wish I could afford with or without airmiles in first or business class. I do appreciate the amenities and the comfort - we all would love to fly first!

 

Good on you that you can consider this as an option...at what point are the fares too outrageous if you are willing to fly first or business? Maybe we all should hold off and do it right...quality over quantity. Saving for quality is not a bad thing. It might cause the travel industry to take note that travellers want both value and quality. As opposed to cutting costs to encourage sales - which translates in less service and more pay for items like extra bags, specialty restaurants on ships etc.

 

We have only flown first class short haul flights between California and Washington so far, and the premium between economy and first class is not an unreasonable amount of extra dollars to pay.

 

The reason we don't fly long haul internationally is because it costs too much. Therefore, we also have not cruised in Europe or Asia or the South Pacific. If there were to be a great promotion on business class for those routes then we would book a cruise to those destinations.

 

Frequent business flyers, with fares paid by their employers, have actually caused business class fares to remain high for those of us willing to pay more but not MUCH MORE. I wish frequent flyer programs would just drop out of sight. Sorry to those who belong to such programs, but we are infrequent flyers and just don't want to pay extremely high fares to subsidize the "frequent flyers".

[BroncosFan2010]

Not normally able to go on a cruise because of work/school schedules, we are taking advantage of the major price drops and going this year!!!

[gillianrose]

Not normally able to go on a cruise because of work/school schedules, we are taking advantage of the major price drops and going this year!!!

 

Good for you, but what has schedules to do with prices? Has there been a change in your schedule(s) that allows you to go, or are you perhaps going during a school year and taking your child out of school to get a price drop?

[fredman]

We have only flown first class short haul flights between California and Washington so far, and the premium between economy and first class is not an unreasonable amount of extra dollars to pay.

 

The reason we don't fly long haul internationally is because it costs too much. Therefore, we also have not cruised in Europe or Asia or the South Pacific. If there were to be a great promotion on business class for those routes then we would book a cruise to those destinations.

 

Frequent business flyers, with fares paid by their employers, have actually caused business class fares to remain high for those of us willing to pay more but not MUCH MORE. I wish frequent flyer programs would just drop out of sight. Sorry to those who belong to such programs, but we are infrequent flyers and just don't want to pay extremely high fares to subsidize the "frequent flyers".

 

Yes that is certainly a factor. Like a bunch of other industries, if the airline industry was not remotely profitable they would not be in the business. I kind of laugh at the Insurance industry for example....you name which type, health, life, auto, and home...they make boat loads of money. The Airline industry is hurting, but they have the appetite to play in the industry, there has to be money there for the winners. Some will lose. But it seems that the infrequent flyer like you say are the ones that pay the price.

 

In Canada it is really tough to afford moving up to business class. You almost pay double or more from economy. :eek: We really only have two really viable scheduled carriers Air Canada and Westjet and handful of regional carriers and of course the other non scheduled vacation types like Air Transat etc.

[GottaLuvCruising]

We have no plans to cruise next year, which is a big change for us. We have chosen a land-based vacation at a smoke-free resort as our alternate. When the economy is more stable and we can again take multiple vacations each year, we do hope to cruise again. But onboard smoking policies will be a major consideration in our decision.

[linda_22003]

We are already booked on Regent Seven Seas for Alaska in September 2009. We hoped to be able to take another cruise before September, maybe a trans-Atlantic, but unless the market goes way up again or prices come way down, I think Alaska will be our only cruise for 2009 -- or, unfortunately, maybe longer.

 

I'm happy with one cruise a year, on Regent. We could probably take seven or eight Carnival cruises for the price of one on Regent, but quality trumps quantity, for us. We'll be going to Alaska in May of '09. Haven't decided what to do in 2010 yet, but it's not because of the economy. 2011 is our 25th anniversary, so we'll plan something monster for that. :p

[momofmeg]

this last cruise we booked less than 2 months away for a super deal. it seems you can find the "deals" now. Even our precruise hotel was MUCH cheaper. The downside for me was that in the ports we were getting much more aggressive sales pitches, as the economy is bad everywhere.

 

I feel bad thatthe people in the Caribbean are hurting so terribly-but I still do not want to feel obligated to buy stuff I do not want. After this experience I am not even desiring to book another cruise. Normally by now I would be having "cruise withdrawal" and desiring to book something to look forward to.

 

Will I change my mind and cruise next year? Perhaps a little 4 day- if I do- I will simply stay on ship-or perhaps I will go to Bermuda again. As that island is wealthier, I am hoping people will not be as desperate there.

 

But my hubby and I have nothing planned but we love cruising- if we find we miss it too much-we could change our minds and book something.