What is your ..................

[Rum Rat]

........ financial criteria when looking to book a cruise?

 

I ask this question because I seem to be seeing a lot of 'penny pinching methods' to get cruising.

 

Mike

[ROSEBASKETS]

Fortnight in a balcony cabin for 2 adults and 2 children for under £3k all in. As soon as I find the first company to offer me the deal I book, Med in spring and Caribbean in autumn. £400 obc also this year for the Caribbean, with P&O a real bargain!:D

[Single Cruiser]

Travelling solo you get hit so I don't really bother too much about the price.. if the dates and itinerary match.

 

I always end up spending more on board..

[Gerrym]

Please share these penny pinching methods so we can all share your good fortune.

 

 

Cheers

 

Gerry

[blitznbobs]

At the moment (due to our family's age) it has to be P and O and , due to personal choice, it has to be a balcony cabin or better. (as our family is young we spend a lot of time in the cabin on an evening and the balcony is a must!)

 

I like princess as well but not so good for the kids...

 

I then choose the location I wish to cruise in and then look for the cheapest deal for any date on any ship... (we have our own company so are very free to choose dates)...

 

If I can get it for 100 per day per adult (and as little as possible for the 2 year old) then I'm a very happy bunny but anywhere near to that is my goal... but if the price is more then so be it... (I never buy flights from the cruise lines -- got gazillions of air miles for that!)

 

Bx

[jodanuke]

What do you class as penny pinching mr Rum?

[Bispham Boo]

The price I can afford on the itinerary I want works for me.

Yes, a bargain is great but once I've booked I try not to look at that. After all, I've got my holiday!

[macca46]

Ah Bispham Boo,

That brings back memories, I lived on Knowle Ave just down from the Old Boating Pool and Uncle Toms Cabin as a Child.

:)

 

Ian

[geecee1]

........ financial criteria when looking to book a cruise?

 

I ask this question because I seem to be seeing a lot of 'penny pinching methods' to get cruising.

 

Mike

 

Mike, since our retirement we tend to book all holidays as"last minute", unless we are renting friends places in Spain, then we book flights as early as possible to get the best price.

With regard to cruising we would only go to the Caribbean in winter and now we are in a position to wait for the best deal that P&O can offer.

November/Early December would apper to be the most cost effective time to go.

Our recent Ventura cruise, with a balcony cabin R512, cost less than our first OV cruise in Jan 07(outside cabin), by booking a few weeks before.

We will probably do the same next November, but if there are no deals we will look to go elswhere

To get the best deal you have to be prepared to fail!

 

Happy New Year

 

By the way loved the celebration T shirts. Very Ocean Village!!!!!

[Rum Rat]

 

By the way loved the celebration T shirts. Very Ocean Village!!!!!

 

 

Do you mean where the OV crew member was presented with his 'uniform' here http://www.myalbum.com/Album=QV4XDDQQ ?

 

This crew member is now off OV and on a PandO ship, but will soon be transferring to Queen Victoria :rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

Mike

[Jo and Rob]

...to pay the least amount possible rumrat!

 

We are restricted by school holidays but always shop around for the best deal and don't mind using different cruise lines. We try and keep costs down while on holiday so we can afford another one sooner!!!!

 

We may be guilty of penny pinching if the following apply.

 

1. research, research, research to get the best deals possible on internet packages, etc
   
2. Drink the complementary coffee rather paying for americanos etc
   
3. Organise our own excursions rather than paying cruise line prices unless a significant distance is involved.
   
4. Volunteer to be the model for spa demonstrations and talks to get free treatments.
   
5. Eat in the MDR rather than paying for the speciality restaurants.
   
6. Not going in the casino.
   
7. Enjoying a glass of wine for free in the cabin and drinking water with our meal.
   
8. If buying a drink research the time of happy hour and get 2 for the price of 1.
   
9. Attend complementary activities such as keep fit, craft, demonstrations, rather than ones with a cover charge such as yoga.
   
10. Insisting on the metre running in taxis to pay the local rate (saved us a fortune in Turkey!)
    

[geecee1]

Do you mean where the OV crew member was presented with his 'uniform' here http://www.myalbum.com/Album=QV4XDDQQ ?

 

This crew member is now off OV and on a PandO ship, but will soon be transferring to Queen Victoria :rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

Mike

 

No, Mike, I meant those T shirts that you and your family wore to celebrate your wedding anniversary.

On our recent P&O cruise, I saw little difference between the attire amongst most of our fellow passengers than that which we experienced on 3 OV cruises.

One could argue that OV pax wore more designer gear than was evident on Ventura, but each to his own.

As has been expressed so eloquently on other threads, manners not clothes maketh the man.