Cruising AGAIN...."Must be nice"!!

[JRoeT]

This is a great thread!

 

I am 28 and my husband (29) and I work hard. I work in HR for a hospital (no big salaries here!), My husband works in media, which is fun but on the lower-paying end. We live within our means and save money so we can cruise and vacation a lot. We always pay our whole vacation off in advance (we usually book way in advance), and even save money to bring onboard.

 

About "it must be nice" . . . . . it IS nice!!! We are so fortunate . . . but not fortunate to be wealthy . . . fortunate to have the discipline and strong work ethics (THAT's are our inheritance right there!) to do this.

 

I enjoy reading your stories and strategies - thank you all!!! You are all inspiring. (And darn funny - especially the comment from RustyNail.)

 

JRoeT

[RodPat]

My thoughts on making money and spending it is that money should set you free. It is the freedom to spend it on what you want not what someone else is getting and you wanting that. Some people want an expensive house and the cars and special things that go with that lifestyle. My freedom is cruising 2 to 3 weeks a year. I don't think you should ever tell anyone how to spend their money and they shouldn't tell me how to spend mine, unless I ask them for a loan. :) On this board I think we are all like minded in that we love cruising and no one should put us down for that. Pat

[nparmelee]

Everybody has different priorities, I know a few people who make very little but buy the most expensive car they absolutely can and others who buy the most expensive house they can. We decided we'd find a reasonable house, reasonable cars and vacation where and when we want. My folks taught me that it's best to work so that you can live the way you want, whatever way that is no matter what anybody else says! Our reply to people who say "..that must be nice" is that we have our priorities and this is one of them.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

I get the same "it must be nice" from coworkers who make more or less what I do but never seem to have any money. Some spend $8 or $10 a day at Starbucks. I tell them that is a cruise a year right there. I agree that it is all about priorities.

 

-Jim

 

Independence 2000 - Hawaii

Ryndam 2002 - Mexican Riviera

Mercury 2003 - Alaska

Maasdam 2004 - Eastern Caribbean

Veendam 4/05 - Western Caribbean

Infinity 10/05 - Hawaii RT

[JRoeT]

"Some spend $8 or $10 a day at Starbucks. "

 

 

Ah Yes . . . the latte factor - for more on this subject, see David Bach's books and website:

 

http://www.finishrich.com.

[Danno]

I actually got a "what a waste of money" from a customer once...then he left in his Navigator...in ten years my cruise will only be a memory, as will his Navigator :D .

 

So I smiled, took his money, and enjoyed a nice bottle of wine on Zenith at his expense...

[Danno]

Thankfully we don't have a Starbucks here...now that might pose a problem for future cruises ;) .

[steveweese]

Ourselves book well in advance (normally a year or more) and prepare for the cruise. Our two teenage daughters who will go this April with us are already hooked this being their third cruise. We tell them that they have to earn their own money for shipboard charges and excursions, shopping etc. They are constantly bugging us for more chores so they can pad their cruise account. I have a feeling when they get of age to cruise on their own they will plan and save like the rest of us to support their addiction. MUST BE NICE!!

[TEXASMUNK]

Because it reminds me, when I am about to pass away, I will not be saying:

 

"I wish I had...."

[DUCK33]

Whenever we feel the urge to cruise we simply rob a bank. But please don't share this with any cops that may post on CC. :D

 

 

BUSTED!!!!!!!:)

[goouchjac]

Because it reminds me, when I am about to pass away, I will not be saying:

 

"I wish I had...."

How great is that quote????Exactly my sentiments, go and enjoy, life is way toooooo short:)

[Danno]

We are all "a long time dead"

 

....if my bills are paid, my retirement investments put aside, my son's education education expenses seen to,...why would I not enjoy what is left. I know I worked hard to earn it.

[alpal1993]

I get the same "it must be nice" from coworkers who make more or less what I do but never seem to have any money. Some spend $8 or $10 a day at Starbucks. I tell them that is a cruise a year right there. I agree that it is all about priorities.

 

-Jim

 

Independence 2000 - Hawaii

Ryndam 2002 - Mexican Riviera

Mercury 2003 - Alaska

Maasdam 2004 - Eastern Caribbean

Veendam 4/05 - Western Caribbean

Infinity 10/05 - Hawaii RT

Boy do I agree! I bring my lh each day.Don't get my nails done each week etc.I must admit we drive nice cars and live in a great house.We eat out on weekends,but that is about it.

My Friends can't believe we love to cruise so much.Personally I would rather spend my money on a cruise then going to visit my mother in law LOL

[pkexton]

I get the same kind of response but I get it from a different angle. A lot of people I work with don't understand that I go home (live by myself) and cook myself dinner - they don't know why I just don't go out and eat. I always respond "If I did that everyday I wouldn't have been able to cruise, especially the Hawaiian one I just did, got to Ireland, Italy, etc." It sure shuts them up real quick.

[isis9352]

My problem is less with my friends, since they know how hard we work, and more with one member of my family. This person is constantly "assessing" our value, and I swear keeps a running tab in her head about what we have vs. what we spend. I've learned not to tell her ANYTHING, unless it's absolutely necessary. Otherwise, if we do anything nice, like buy a car to replace my 12 year old 150K+ wagon as we did last year, we are subjected to 6000 "dropped hints" about her small budget, her bills, etc. This is coming from a woman who shopped for herself constantly, drove new cars and traveled all over the country for years and years when she was younger, and still has money in the bank!

 

I dread the day she finds out about our 7/1 Alaska cruise on the Mercury. And telling her we're moving the month after into a new house! (Smart investments in real estate got us there... we are also a no-smoking, no drinking (often), no latte-sipping, restaurants every 3 nights, no new clothes/shoes/purses/jewelry buying every month sort of folks.)

 

I guess my point is, everyone had their choices in life, and judging others' choices doesn't do either of you any good, unless you have a desparate need to feel "superior" to everyone else. Otherwise, if you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all.

 

OK, I'm done with my RANT. :D

 

JD

[AFT_LOVER]

just arrive, unpack & enjoy 2 weeks, so far that is what we've booked every year, and eat, dance, have a drink on the Captain. We bought the cruise a year or more in advance to get AFT CC at a great price. We do not like martinis tho the show with Sudi on Connie is great. But there are other great fun things to do so we do them also. I learned to inquire about "X" FREE shuttles at ports as they had on our Sept Transatlantic after we bought the "Bus ride" from the excursions & folks were on it for FREE. Never go our $$ back after we filed complaints. So we no longer buy shore excursions in advance as the desk on the ship has the list of FREEBIES to use first & buy something we want from them.

We get $250 for being stockholders so that take care of tips. So we can cruise for FREE after we paid for being there if we desire. Some ports we can snorkel a short walk away or a $5 cab ride & walk back to enjoy the people. I am not a shopper other than a magnet for the fridge from all the ports we've been to on our "Round the World" way of cruising, no repeated ports.

With Concierge Class & the higher CC status, we have plenty of freebie things to do aboard which ads to the enjoyment & meeting people gives us even more. What a gift it is to meet people from around the world & to enjoy them on & off the ship. Then I like to give the crew a break by always saying "good morning" to them & getting a smile back. Or the guy with flowers for a stateroom, I always ask "Is that for me" and he asks my stateroom & I find a rose on my bed. Then I go up & a hug is payment for it & he is giggly too.
As I have been told, you are family not a guest on "X" so enjoy them.

[mkk]

Yes Duck...antiques for the antique couple :)

Everyone has great points here..glad the thread is still going...
Nice, also, to hear from some (apparently) younger couples that have already learned to set priorities so that they can save and do whatever they wish as far as travel etc...
DH and I are in our 50s and while we have saved and invested well..I also know I could have done better had I been a little more practical in my younger years!

[canderson]

[quote name='Blazerboy']I (humbly or not) suggest that we make this a forum of appropriate witty succinct (unlike my post) replies to this rude question/statement!:D

What say you?

Andrew[/QUOTE]The reply depends a bit on the person making the statement. If a more or less unknown, it usually engenders my "Oh, you have no idea. Until you get your teeth into that rack of lamb and goat cheese souffle..." line. I figure if they're having any sort of jealousy problems, I'll just go ahead and rub it in a little bit. Fair's fair, afterall.

If they persist, then it can get ugly as I'm tempted to drag out the description of the look and sound ship's wake out the back of an aft cabin each evening.

Our friends and family, on the other hand, know how to behave themselves. Many of them have traveled with us at one time or another. If anyone among us is running up large bills in the spa or at the bars, or taking the helicopter and deep submarine rides, it's not me or my wife -- the others know that while we certainly have shipboard charges (we try to be sports and buy the wine at dinner, etc), we cruise in a more frugal style than they do, and I'm sure that they also know that's why we can more readily afford to do it often. Our "kids" have returned home with considerably more invested in their excursions and on-board account payments than cost of the cruise itself. RCL wouldn't be complaining about their Q4 2004 results and blaming them on per capita shipboard spending if our kids were typical!

[Tatka]

[quote name='FreesiaE']I am actually happy that people get such a wonderful chance to cruise, and love to read their reviews! I feel that my time will come (hopefully) where I can retire early and cruise at least once, no make that twice a year. However, much of my future funds is being put in today's IRA's. Let's see; I am 25 now, maybe I'll work 30 more years--is it to early to to start a roll call for a Med. cruise for 2035?[/QUOTE]

You definitely shouldn't wait that long to cruise Med.:) We've done it last May ( 31 yo + 32 yo) and absolutely sure cruise requires really good health ;) . (so much to see and to do!!!!)

Also if you do research you'll find how to spend less than a million.;)

(Look at Splendour of the Seas 7 dayer in May , it's cheaper and not so hot as during the summer )

[Tatka]

What can I say... I've heard this phrase a couple of times.

Makes me laugh! I am youngest person in my IT department (and I think amonger the younger population at my work place overall)

We are immigrants. Came hear about 9 years ago with 4.5 years old child barely speaking English. (We couldn't even save on cheaper appartment as our kid went to school next year!)

Yes..I we have "not so bad" salaries as I am computer programmer and my husband owns delivery business...but in Massachusetts it won't make you rich. ;) (I am just really happy we bought house 4 years ago, now it definitely would be out of reach)

We usually have 2 vacations per year ( 2 X 7 days) This year it was 2 cruises ..but in future it probably will be cruise + European vacation.

Sometimes we us credit cards to pay for it , but work hard to pay it back (still have some balance of course). IMHO life happens only once and you have to live it the way you won't be sorry later.:)

Life is unpredictable...how can I be sure that we'll even live untill 60?:confused: And if we won't be well off later in our lives, at least we will have something we can remember forever!

Cruising was also my dream from the childhood when my grand father kept cruising Med and Black Sea, and Baltic etc.


And.. Niagara vacations? For us it's weekend thing. We've been there twice , both times withing the first 2 years in US. ( only 1 night drive from MA ;) )

[Offtune Angel]

[u]Tatka:[/u] I'd forgotten I mentioned Niagara. We still try to get to Niagara Falls at least once a year (it's only 3-4 hours from home). We prefer it in the winter, when the temperature is really cold and ice covers all the trees. Fewer people and, if we need to stay at a hotel, much, much lower rates in winter.

[u]MACOP:[/u] We enjoy the 'freebies', too, although I call them 'inclusives':D. I think that's what most of the "jealous" people just don't understand -- you don't have to pay through the nose, you don't have to go on each excursion, you don't have to buy a million souvenirs, you don't have to pay mega-bucks -- to enjoy a cruise. I'm also planning to enhance my cruising experience by, one day (when the price and Canadian exchange rate let's me) getting enough RCI stock to take advantage of that credit.:)