Very personal question for all of you.

[Rick R]

Were dinks. We both worked two jobs all our lives and never went on vacations, just worked and invested. Now we cruise three or four times a year. We use air miles (Alaska airlines) so we don't spend much for airfare. My DW always watches for good deals. We book far out and watch for any drops in price. Sometimes the price may drop for only a day or two so you really have to keep track of it. I like RCCL but alot of the cruise lines are starting to be cheaper so we're trying others.

 

Rick R.

[DedeM]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by pcur:

We also do repositioning cruises which tend to be less expensive. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

What is a repositioning cruise?

 

Navigator of the Seas 5/04

 

[Folgy]

Were DINK's .Never travelled or did anything up until 4 years ago.House /cars/ motorhome/boats all paid for.Now we cruise 3 or 4 times a year.Scarificed early to have fun now.

 

Alaska (my BIG 50)Serenade of the Seas

 

[Luna'sMom]

We also are "DINKS". Cruised 3 times in the last year, just lucky got great deals each time. I am addicted and in fact if they had a twelve step program for "cruiseaholics", I would be there!!!

 

Celebrity Meridian 7/90

Premier SeaBreeze 6/99

Celebrity Horizon 7/00

NCL Sea 6/01

NCL Sea 6/02

NCL Dawn 6/03

RCCL Serenade of the Seas 9/03

NCL Dawn 2/04

[emilygrace]

Well, let's see....we're fairly new to cruising, but here's our story....

 

I just retired (early) last year, but DH is still working. We have one in college, but we drive cars that are paid off, we live in a mobile home (NOT trailer) which is paid off, we have no CC debt, and one of my best friends is in the travel business and gets us really good deals. We also don't eat out a lot (by choice) and don't smoke (lots of $$$$$ right there) and rarely go to the movies. I realize this makes it sound like we have a very DULL life when not cruising, and we don't live like this to skimp, but it's just our lifestyle.

 

And I have to admit here, I HATE to shop (I know, I know, I need therapy) so that's a bunch of $$$ saved.

 

We also do yard and garage sales with our friends a few times a year (mainly to clean out the house) and that money goes into a bank for spending $$$ on the cruises.

 

 

Until the Jewel of the Seas

 

[FlorenceItaly]

This thread certainly is proving that children are expensive!!

We have a 16 year old ds, and just one example is our auto insurance MORE THAN DOUBLED when he started driving .

 

Marie

 

HAL - MAASDAM - June 2004/Canada/New England

RCI - Mariner of the Seas,

Sept 2004(CC Group Cruise)

RCI - Rhapsody of the Seas

October 2004

 

 

RCI Majesty of the Seas - Spring Break, March 2005

Celebrity Mercury, April 2005

 

[mammallama]

I do one with my DH and family and the next one I go with my girlfriends.

 

 to get me on the ADVENTURE OF THE SEA

 

Roll call AOS 6/06/04 click here

[TheWog]

dedeM - repositioning is a cruise that leaves one port, but returns to another at the end of the cruise. Disney for example is having a repositioning cruise next year where it leaves Port Canaveral for 14 days and then arrives in L.A. They will then cruise from the West Coast for the summer before repositioning to Port Canaveral in September. You would then need to get home from L.A. at the end of the cruise.

 

Disney Magic 01/10/04

Enchantment of the Seas 01/22/05

[kbt2]

We use to only cruise 2 times a year before we had our babies. Since we had dual incomes and no child expenses, it was pretty easy to spend whatever we wanted for a cruise. But, now we have children and one income, it's not so easy. Mainly, bec/they are really too toung to cruise right now and when it does come time to take them, we know we'll be spending dh's bonus for a cruise...and only go once, maybe every 2 years now.

 

Kim

Dawn Princess

Regal Princess

Grand Princess

Mercury - Celebrity

Windward - NCL

Monarch of the Seas

Voyager of the Seas

Sovereign of the Seas

 

 

 

[imsulin]

I think this is a great thread, and all kinds of ideas and information are being tossed around. Everyone is in different places in their lives, but all have a connection and love of cruising, as we do. We just love travelling in general, and I'm sure our grown kids will be less than thrilled at their "inheritance", but they've also caught the travelling bug. It's in the genes, I guess. Great ideas, everyone!

[Folgy]

imsulin ,

-------------------------------------------

 

We just love travelling in general, and I'm sure our grown kids will be less than thrilled at their "inheritance", but

-------------------------------------------

 

When my fathetr past on my mother travelled the world extensively . Egypt/Africa/Austarlia/Switzerland etc etc, She said to me 'I feel guilty spending your inheritance ' I said , Mother don't be silly. You can afford it now and enjoy it all. I will afford my own trips one day. Yup, Yup and now I do . I know my mother travelled and had a blast until the day she passed away. I feel really good about the fact she did too.

 

Alaska (my BIG 50)Serenade of the Seas

 

[imsulin]

Thanks, Folgy! I'm pretty sure our kids will feel the same way, too! You're going to just love celebrating your big 5-0 on that Alaska cruise! Bring me back some Moosehead beer, OK? Eh? "O Canada...." Think musical notes.

[Folgy]

LMGO , What in the heck is Moosehead Beer?LOL

 

Alaska (my BIG 50)Serenade of the Seas

 

[Florida Beach]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ExaltHim:

This thread certainly is proving that children are expensive!!

We have a 16 year old ds, and just one example is our auto insurance MORE THAN DOUBLED when he started driving .

 

Marie

 

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

Totally agree. That's why we decided to have only one child . DD is 16 years old and you are right, our auto insurance are also doubled after we added her car

 

March 28, 2004 - Mariner of the Seas

[Guest OBAYbee]

For my husband and myself, while we could probably afford a cruise a year it would be stretching it while we have a son in college and a daughter that will be in 2 years. We put aside for them first then see what is left.

Between 2002 and 2004 we've been on 4 cruises. More then we normally would. We went on a senior graduation trip where the cruise was his graduation present. There were 3 relatives graduating so we turned it into a reunion. For Christmas we gave the kids a choice.. something under the tree from Santa or a cruise. They all chose cruise so that was their Christmas. My husband and I have been on two with my sister and her husband. Both families cruise with money they would normally spend on birthdays, anniversaries, mother's day, father's day, valentine's day etc. Works great.

Our last cruise was a New Year's Eve cruise on Mariner 2003. We hope to be going on another cruise in 2005 to celebrate my sister's 50th birthday.

Let me add this though. Living in Alabama affords me resonable airfare rates to the ports that serve the Caribbean so that helps a lot!

[babylene]

For Canadians, it is more difficult because of our exchange rate (at the moment over 40%) and our airfare, which sometimes equals the price of the cruise. Everyone writes about how much they love balconies, but in Canadian $$it would add roughly $1200.00, and I don't have the heart to spend that extra, so it's an inside or outside (depending on price) for us.

[gene624]

We do only one a year. My wife does not love it as I do. I am cheap but do like LUXURY so usually get a suite.
I was a saver amd investor. Did not overspend in my younger years and now have NW of 7+ figs. My only gripe is taxes!
We are paying for private school for one of our grandsons and will soon have to pay for the other one.
I told my own sons (now grown) that I am spending their inheritance, and have no guilt about it.
Gene in Birmingham

[libramitch]

In Birmingham and will gladly volunteer to spend your kids inheritance on cruising in the event that you ever need any additional help! Smile. Live in Trussville and ready to cruise anytime. Just let us know!

[CoBob]

We just about always book an inside cabin like many of the other people on this thread mentioned. We use our credit card for just about everything and use the points to get free airfare. We pay our credit card off each month too just to keep us honest. There are other things you can "sacrifice" if you really put your mind to it. Just be sure to put the money away that you would have spent and save it for the "other" cruise.

Good Luck

[Catnip]

Deciding not to have kids helps tremendously! Plus, we usually book a regular outside cabin on a low deck. Still get the great view and are on the most stable place on the ship, in case it gets rough!

[Eugene M Lodermeier]

I quit smoking.........:o

[sandhillwings]

[quote name='shelby2002']I see many of you cruise more than once a year. How are you able to afford this[/QUOTE]
Took Mom's advice and married accordingly...

[Seaside2358]

Folgy---you've really never had Moosehead beer? It is a type of Canadian beer and pretty kick a**. A friend of mine had a party years ago and got a 1/2 keg of it. There were alot of "not feeling so good people" the next day. In moderation, I think it is a very good beer...

[TXBABYLUV]

Hi, we are adouble income household with two small children and live paycheck to paycheck. We are going on our very first cruise/vacation in the 12 years we have been together. We took our income tax return and an annual bonus I get and booked months in advance in Sept. so it was more affordable. We got an inside cheap cabin, but we don't care because that means no cooking, no cleaning, and no kids for a week and we couldnt be more excited.

[travellady]

We've been lucky. I have a good paying job, 5 weeks a year vacation, 2 grown kids (those college expense over :-) though still a 10 year old at home. One car fully paid for, the other almost paid for, and we're not big spenders otherwise. Other than work, I live for vacations and this year we've decided to take 3 cruises.

Believe me, in the early years of my career and when my 2 grown sons were little, the biggest cruise we could afford to take was the ferry across Puget Sound. I made a commitment to work hard, put a lot of effort into my career, and through a stroke of luck (and hard work too) found a job working for Bill Gates and Co. It's not lost on me that I am pretty darned lucky to have the amount of vacation I do and be able to visit great places during those vacations.