Cruise a good value??? I think not.

[swimmom32]

We find cruising to be a great value. 1 I dont fly I used to but not anymore...I will not pay 3000-4000 for a family to an inclusive resort on an Island that I can cruise too why would I pay that?

We also live 20 min to 1 hour to Miami and Ft lauderdale and 2.5 hours to Port Canaveral so we have no Air Fare so that does make it more affordable...but to think I can go to 2-4 islands and eat as much as one wants, go to the beach on an island or sit by the pool on the ship well I think I will take the cruise...lol

[mclarenwkj]

Not to mention the included child care/programs if you have kids. EVERYONE gets to be on vacation.

[SANDYJABS]

I would say that it depends on what you like to do for vacation. I priced an all-inclusive resort vacation and it was going to be thousands more than our cruise.

I enjoy visiting different ports, not having to worry about meals or cleaning, or finding entertainment. It is a different environment than renting a house with family for a week.

[salty dingo]

You can do it cheap as a couple, but for a family who is flying in, I agree it is not such a deal when you factor in the cost of the kids.

 

Only advice I can give is do what we did and wait to cruise when the kids are old enough to not have to go. We do inexpensive family vacations where we rent a cabin at a state park... it is great fun and almost as much to do as on a cruise, if not more. That is dirt cheap for a family.

 

So, if it seems expensive, it is, so wait until you can go as a couple and go cheap!

[SANDYJABS]

One of us obviously is missing the others' point. And I'll admit, I'm not sure which one. I was comparing the cost of a Caribbean cruise (with air travel from PNW) to a Hawaiian vacation (obviously, including air travel from PNW). I was not contemplating driving to Florida and had no idea where that came from.

 

A cruise for our family of four (two teenagers, two balcony cabins) would be about $6k. The trip to Hawaii (28th floor balcony in Waikiki with full ocean view) was about $5k. Whether or not it is a fair comparison for someone else is only partially relevant. For us, those two vacations are virtually identical substitutes in terms of how much we enjoy them and the extent to which we're being frugal (or not). We certainly wouldn't look at one as the "luxury" trip and the other one as the "cheapie".

 

The fact that the Hawaii vacation is 14% longer and about 15% cheaper doesn't mean we'll never take another cruise. It is simply a confirmation of the original poster's sentiment in response to numerous posts claiming that cruise vacations are either "cheap" or "a very good value". I agree that they are a pretty good value. So is a Hawaiian vacation from where I'm living. The Hawaiian vacation is a slightly better value.

 

I appreciate it is a huge difference when you live close to a port and don't need airfare for four, transfers and a couple hotel nights.

 

You must have got a GREAT deal on airfare and the hotel! WOW good for you! When we went to Hawaii in 09' we only stayed 2 nights in Waikiki and then did a 7 day Hawaii cruise on NCL and it was very expensive. Our total was $7k, but it was our 20 yr anniversary. The food prices in Hawaii are so expensive. An average breakfast for 2 was $24 this was at the hotel but even a soda was high priced. And we had to eat at Dukes :p I would do the Hawaii vacation for your price anyday :D

[salty dingo]

When we went to Hawaii in 09' we only stayed 2 nights in Waikiki and then did a 7 day Hawaii cruise on NCL and it was very expensive. Our total was $7k, but it was our 20 yr anniversary.

We did exactly that for our 5 year anniversary, last year on the NCL POA. I think we paid a total of about 3K for everything, door to door. Had one free airline ticket from frequent flyer miles, and got two nights at the Waikiki Westin at employee rate due to a relative who works for the company.

 

We chose an inside cabin because we were off the ship more than on it. We rented a car in ever port and did our own excursions. We bought a dining passport to eat in the specialty restaurants but bought no alcohol and the ship does not even have a casino (illegal in Hawaii.)

 

So, while that was our most expensive vacation yet, it can be done on the cheap with a few price breaks here and there!

[MissDiva1]

You must have got a GREAT deal on airfare and the hotel! WOW good for you! When we went to Hawaii in 09' we only stayed 2 nights in Waikiki and then did a 7 day Hawaii cruise on NCL and it was very expensive. Our total was $7k, but it was our 20 yr anniversary. The food prices in Hawaii are so expensive. An average breakfast for 2 was $24 this was at the hotel but even a soda was high priced. And we had to eat at Dukes :p I would do the Hawaii vacation for your price anyday :D

 

It's alot cheaper to stay in Hawaii for 7 nights then to do the NCLA Hawaiian cruise for 7 nights. With no hotel or air discounts. And if you stay on the islands you will find out where the expensive restaurants are and the more reasonable to cheap ones are. Dukes is one of the more expensive ones. And most hotels anywhere will be more expensive for breakfast then the diner down the street.

[BenjiRodney]

To me it is a great value, how else can I visit San Juan, St Thomas, Barbados, St Lucia, St Kitts and St Maarten in a week for 679 dollars and not have to cook or clean. A cruise does not compare to a land based vacation, it is so much better. IMO

[SANDYJABS]

We did exactly that for our 5 year anniversary, last year on the NCL POA. I think we paid a total of about 3K for everything, door to door. Had one free airline ticket from frequent flyer miles, and got two nights at the Waikiki Westin at employee rate due to a relative who works for the company.

 

We chose an inside cabin because we were off the ship more than on it. We rented a car in ever port and did our own excursions. We bought a dining passport to eat in the specialty restaurants but bought no alcohol and the ship does not even have a casino (illegal in Hawaii.)

 

So, while that was our most expensive vacation yet, it can be done on the cheap with a few price breaks here and there!

We used our points for our rental cars but splurged on everything else - first class air, aft extended balcony, etc... but you only get to celebrate a 20 yr anniv. once :D If we ever decide to do this again I will also choose inside cabin.

[SANDYJABS]

It's alot cheaper to stay in Hawaii for 7 nights then to do the NCLA Hawaiian cruise for 7 nights. With no hotel or air discounts. And if you stay on the islands you will find out where the expensive restaurants are and the more reasonable to cheap ones are. Dukes is one of the more expensive ones. And most hotels anywhere will be more expensive for breakfast then the diner down the street.

 

Agree, that is why I used the example that we had to eat at Dukes - and of coarse the hotel breakfast will be more $$ - It was the air that was so expensive since we flew first class from Florida both ways. I am not sure we could do a 7 day land cheaper, maybe? but would not get to see every island that we did while on the cruise - it gave us a little taste of them all. It was our vacation of a lifetime :D

[dillonsmimi]

2 words.

Room service!

[oldstubblejumper]

Value is really a personal comparison.

No dishes, quality meals and waking up in a new port multiple times a trip...priceless.

OSJ

[iluvdoxies]

I believe it's an excellent value. Regarding the need to fly thing, certainly that's a very significant cost but Carnival has made huge efforts to keep ships as conveniently positioned as possible and still continue to make a profit.

Ship do sail from the east and north east so it's not necessary to fly to cruise... it's part of the selection process!!

:)

 

Their stock is down.

[parrothead81]

Last week my fiance and I took my two kids to Tampa,Florida for a week. We drove there which took two days (stopped at a hotel one night $) and 1800 miles (we are in Texas $$) and had to make many stops to eat along the way plus incidentals like drinks and snacks ($$). We stayed with family members so no lodging exoenses ( we did have to clean up after ourselves) but we still had to eat out twice a day ($$$). We drove ($) to Disney World ($$$) one day. We spent the rest of our time driving to different beaches($$). We spent $1800 total. Our upcoming 7 day cruise in September cost a total of $1500 plus WAY less driving and somebody is cleaning up after all of us and will be overall more relaxing. CRUISING WINS!!!!

[will773]

LOL...You are not even comparing apples to apples...

 

I'll have to agree with you. But I feel that cruising is a great value for all the reasons that others have stated.

[big_duck]

You can do it cheap as a couple, but for a family who is flying in, I agree it is not such a deal when you factor in the cost of the kids.

 

Only advice I can give is do what we did and wait to cruise when the kids are old enough to not have to go. We do inexpensive family vacations where we rent a cabin at a state park... it is great fun and almost as much to do as on a cruise, if not more. That is dirt cheap for a family.

 

So, if it seems expensive, it is, so wait until you can go as a couple and go cheap!

 

AIs charge a full fare for kids long before they are of drinking age. That alone makes cruising a better value in my circumstance.

 

I'd rather pay for the drinks actually consumed on board and have daily sit down meals (without the usual AI song and dance) then eat 3 times a day in the buffet.

[LHP]

Everyone does not have to fly (saving money) just like everyone does not have family to go in together to rent that house on the beach.

 

For us, the beach house would be way more expensive because we don't have family that would go in on something like that with us.

 

We cruise for no more than $100 per person per day ( 98% of the time) and usually includes the tips. Our prestay hotels are free as is our airfare if we have to fly.....

 

so cruising is a wonderful value to us.

[MissDiva1]

Agree, that is why I used the example that we had to eat at Dukes - and of coarse the hotel breakfast will be more $$ - It was the air that was so expensive since we flew first class from Florida both ways. I am not sure we could do a 7 day land cheaper, maybe? but would not get to see every island that we did while on the cruise - it gave us a little taste of them all. It was our vacation of a lifetime :D

 

I think you missed my point........you didn't have to eat at Dukes. Downtowwn Waikiki (Lewers St.) is full of all kinds of eating venues from cheap to expensive, all in walking distance of Dukes.

Outrigger Reef Waikiki is right above Dukes........you can stay there waay cheaper then what you paid for that cruise. But like you said you wanted a taste of all islands so that was best for you. But you really need a week for each island to get a taste IMO.

[richstowe]

AIs charge a full fare for kids long before they are of drinking age. That alone makes cruising a better value in my circumstance.

 

I'd rather pay for the drinks actually consumed on board and have daily sit down meals (without the usual AI song and dance) then eat 3 times a day in the buffet.

 

Not sure which AIs you have looked at but at many/most you end up paying just for the airfare if

they are a sharing room with adults. Not so different then cruising.

 

I am not sure what "the usual AI song and dance" is?

 

Also I don't understand the "eat 3 times a day in the buffet" comment.

Many/most AIs have multiple dining options which are not all buffet. Todays AIs have

as many choices as any Carnival cruise, perhaps more.

[srlafleur]

Cruising can be a good value. Or not - much depends on you.

Obviously, cruising from a port to which you have to fly vs. renting a house close to home is going to be more expensive, certainly so for more than 2 people. (Have you priced Cape Cod recently, though?)

I've been pricing out a vacation for 12 family members renting a house near Disney (which sleeps 14 and IS a bargain), the Disney tickets, car rental & flights. YIKES! Of course, every couple will have their own room, as well as the kids sharing a room. I'm pretty sure a cruise, with excursions, drinks, flights, etc. for 12, and not sharing staterooms, would at best be a wash. About the only advantage would be that no one would be responsible for cooking, etc. But that IS an advantage.

[Luv2Travelnow]

Cruising is a good value, for what you get. If you compare a land vacation, which we did last year, driving to LA, doing Disneyland, then San Diego for Sea World, adding up all the hotel, food, gas, attraction tickets, etc it was as expensive as a cruise if not more, plus we didn't have nearly half the fun of a cruise.

 

We stayed in a different hotel almost every night, had to pack up our stuff and move them to a new hotel. The hotels were also lower budget hotels, like Fairfield Inn, Courtyard, etc that were not as nice as a cruise ship with all amenities close just steps away.

 

It's an apples / orange comparison, but a cruise can be an excellent value if you really treasure your time and look to maximize the benefits out of your time and money.

[DebJ14]

I love to cruise and cant' wait until June when I get to do so with extended family. But......I read here and there that cruising presents a good value......I don't think its a rip off but good value I don't believe.

 

A good value to me is renting a big home on the outer banks with a few families and enjoying the week.......or a drive to vacation if you live in northeast like to to lake george or cape cod or upstate NY.........or an all inclusive in riviera maya (if you like to drink you save tons on booze).........or staying at auntie's home near the beach. lol.

 

If a family of 4 has to fly to miami, take a 7 night cruise, and stay at least 1 night in a hotel in miami and take shuttles too and from airport.....look what that costs.....a ton.

 

anyway....just wondering why many of you think its a good value....remind me again so i keep my enthusiasm high for my trip.....

 

Sorry, but to me your alternate scenarios (except the AI on the Riviera Maya) sound like torture - not vacation. Renting a home entails cooking, cleaning etc. and going with a few families is an invitation for disaster IMHO. DH and I always took the kids on one of those kinds of trips as they grew up but it did not count as vacation for me. I was more exhausted after. It was like moving the army to the Russian front and back. DH and I have either cruised or flown to a resort at least once a year by ourselves since the oldest was 2. Grandma and Grandpa loved babysitting. Now that we are older, kids are grown and we have more money and vacation time we cruise 2-3 times a year and fly to an AI twice a year to use up 6 weeks of vacation that is use it or lose it. We will be cruising with DS and his wife and kids in August. I have 2 words to describe my favorite thing on the ship - CAMP CARNIVAL! They will have fun and so will the adults.

[Luv2Travelnow]

Sorry, but to me your alternate scenarios (except the AI on the Riviera Maya) sound like torture - not vacation. Renting a home entails cooking, cleaning etc. and going with a few families is an invitation for disaster IMHO. DH and I always took the kids on one of those kinds of trips as they grew up but it did not count as vacation for me. I was more exhausted after. It was like moving the army to the Russian front and back. DH and I have either cruised or flown to a resort at least once a year by ourselves since the oldest was 2. Grandma and Grandpa loved babysitting. Now that we are older, kids are grown and we have more money and vacation time we cruise 2-3 times a year and fly to an AI twice a year to use up 6 weeks of vacation that is use it or lose it. We will be cruising with DS and his wife and kids in August. I have 2 words to describe my favorite thing on the ship - CAMP CARNIVAL! They will have fun and so will the adults.

LOL so true... for the last 5-6 years our vacation was always going to visit the in-laws or my folks, staying with them, being bored out of my mind. While I love my in-laws and my parents, that is just not a true vacation.

 

A cruise is so much more fun and relaxing. :D

[h_blond2]

To h_blond2 we sailed the Southern Ground cruise with Zac Brown Band last Labor day. Talk about a cruise and value. 4 nights, 28 bands including 5 perfomances by ZBB. No one on the ship unless you were booked to do the same, ie private booking only Zac took over the whole ship from carnival. he even had his own chef Rusty tweaking the main dining menu. We drove to the port 15 mins from our home. Love your signature:)

 

To the Op, I don't see where there is a winner or loser here, thats why we live in the USA and have choices :D. If you fret about cost on your trip that to me is a set up for a bad experience. Go with the flow and enjoy! :D

 

smooth sailin

 

I am soooo jealous! That would awesome! I bet it was a great cruise!

[H82seaUgo]

I love to cruise and cant' wait until June when I get to do so with extended family. But......I read here and there that cruising presents a good value......I don't think its a rip off but good value I don't believe.

 

A good value to me is renting a big home on the outer banks with a few families and enjoying the week.......or a drive to vacation if you live in northeast like to to lake george or cape cod or upstate NY.........or an all inclusive in riviera maya (if you like to drink you save tons on booze).........or staying at auntie's home near the beach. lol.

 

If a family of 4 has to fly to miami, take a 7 night cruise, and stay at least 1 night in a hotel in miami and take shuttles too and from airport.....look what that costs.....a ton.

 

anyway....just wondering why many of you think its a good value....remind me again so i keep my enthusiasm high for my trip.....

 

sure, you can do a all for yourself vacation a lot cheaper...

 

but if you live it up with all the service, try adding up what it would cost you for a weeks accomodation, 3 meals a day at least, eating out, entertainment, and travel to different attractions, and then look at your balance sheet.