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How do you pay for your cruise?

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FireStation46

FireStation46

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I put the Deposit on AmEx. Then, when the first payment is due, I pay off the entire balance. I book way in advance at the minumum deposit required so we get the cabin/suite we want. Since that cruise is way in the future it gives me a bit of leeway before I pay it off.We don't like to have CC interest on top of stuff.

 

It us nice to arrive at port knowing the cruise, beverage package, land tours are all paid for. In a funny way, it makes us spend less as we have all the major things done and behind us. So, our last day cruisung, the balance is very small for the little do-dads we may have purchased on the ship.

 

Then there are the AmEx Membership Points. I let them pile up and then can have AmEx send me a bunch of $100 AmEx prepaid cards to use for stuff at home.

Edited by FireStation46
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cjmayes51

cjmayes51

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I May have missed it, but eating out everyday at lunch has stopped. I work in a large office and for many years 4 or 5 of use went out each day ay lunch. $ 7- 9.00 a day + tip is about $200 a month. For the last 10 years I make leftovers from the dinner the night before. We now take a 10 day every 2 years in a balcony all paid for by staying in at lunch , eating leftovers & surfing cruise critic for the latest info. 😀

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kathy884

kathy884

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Like almost everything else, travel is part of my regular budget. Every paycheck I get, I put $300 into a travel fund. That gives me a budget of $7200 a year. I also use a SW credit card, so get points toward freebie airfares which helps this budget go farther. Also if all the other priorities in my budget are fully funded as I intended I'll sometimes stash extra monies when my spending is lower than expected into the travel budget -- usually only if there are a few splurges I'd like to include with a trip that I haven't budgeted for.

 

I have a spreadsheet with date and place I want to go, expected expenses, dollars set aside for this and plans for twice a month savings (how many and which paycheck travel dollars I will be putting aside to fully fund the trip or cruise). If I don't have the money or a realistic plan for the money, I don't do it.

 

My expenses are air, cruise, taxes, tips, excursions, and incidentals that I predict for the trip. There is even a line item for boarding the dog.

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parrothead34984

parrothead34984

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This may sound odd, but it works for us. Some time ago while we were on a cruise we decided to book another one while we were on board. We figured the cost and determined that if we each contributed $2 a day we could pay for the bulk of our cruise that we had chosen. We chose a 6 night freedom balcony at $1500. We live in Florida so there is no air fair.

 

So we have an ice cream bucket (yes, literally an ice cream bucket) on the dining room table. Every morning we each toss in $2. Every month we throw it in the savings that is designated for the cruise. The same can be done with any trip. Just adjust the daily "fee".

 

We even greet each other in the morning holding up 2 fingers saying "two dollars". We have fun with it. Always trying to be the first to remind the other.

 

Then throughout the year, all we need to come up with is our parking, tips and gratuities. Oh and our soda package.

 

Hope this helps someone looking for a creative way to save for a much needed cruise.

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skewsus

skewsus

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Just purchased gift cards from AARP this week, saving 10%. You can only buy $500. Per day so I purchased them 4 days in a row. Each day I feared that they would've sold out but they never were. You don't have to be a certain age or even a member of AARP. You will have to take short quizzes and accumulate points as each purchase also requires points. Quiz topics range from romance to diabetes. All are short and even if you answer incorrectly you receive the points!!

Quickest way I've ever saved $200.00 off a cruise!!!!

 

 

http://www.plane2port.com/10-off-carnival-gift-cards-on-aarp-org/

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Longstockingpippi1

Longstockingpippi1

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Just purchased gift cards from AARP this week, saving 10%. You can only buy $500. Per day so I purchased them 4 days in a row. Each day I feared that they would've sold out but they never were. You don't have to be a certain age or even a member of AARP. You will have to take short quizzes and accumulate points as each purchase also requires points. Quiz topics range from romance to diabetes. All are short and even if you answer incorrectly you receive the points!!

Quickest way I've ever saved $200.00 off a cruise!!!!

 

 

http://www.plane2port.com/10-off-carnival-gift-cards-on-aarp-org/

 

What a great deal! I will have to give this a go, do you know if they do other cruise lines besides Carnival?

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skewsus

skewsus

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No, Pippi, I don't. I can tell you that right now they aren't offering any other lines but this is the first time I've used this site. Maybe someone who has purchased from this site before can tell us what their experience has been.

Sure would be nice if they offered gift cards for other lines!!

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TitanSMES

TitanSMES

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An easy way to save is the following: Each week throughout the year you put something aside. Week One-$1.00, Week Two-$2.00, Week Three-$3.00 on so on for 52 weeks. The most you will ever have to save in a week is $52.00 (the cost of about one and a half Starbucks). At the end of the year you will have saved $1378.00. In contrast, if you put $10.00 a week in the bank for a year you would only realize $520.00. My wife and I do this to save to help pay for first class airfare to the port and back.

This is also a great way for young families with children to save for their kids college. If you start when the child is just born and each year you start again you will have $1378 X 18 years (age when child typically graduates from High School) = $24,804 without the interest accrued on it.

Disney Cruise Line and maybe some other line has a payment plan where you can make payments in advance for upcoming cruises. We also use this to put money aside. As previously, mentioned save all the dimes and nickels, etc. it all adds up. We also prepay for excursions, drinks, etc. throughout the year leading up to the trip.

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Cruisin Broad

Cruisin Broad

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Great ideas on saving money for cruises.

 

Does anyone know of any way to buy Princess discount gift cards? For example, Verizon customers can get 10% off Carnival and Royal Caribbean gift cards by redeeming points and paying some money. I'm wondering if anyone knows of anything similar for Princess. I know about the stock benefit. Thanks.

Edited by Cruisin' Broad
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Roz Great Review Rare

Roz

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Don’t know if these ideas have been mentioned already but I’ll put them out there. A lot of them are just how to save money in general. In my case I direct most of my savings toward cruises.

 

I do my big grocery shopping at Kroger on Wednesdays so I can get the senior citizen discount. I clip coupons and use their e-coupons, and pay attention to sale items. The trifecta is when something’s on sale, I get my sr. discount, and I have a coupon. Another customer perk is accumulating Kroger fuel points. That gives me a discount when I fill my SUV’s tank up once a month. So far this month I have 720 points, which translates into 70 cents off for each gallon of gas I purchase at their pumps. Kroger also runs specials where they give 2, 3, or 4 times fuel points on gift cards. I buy them for myself. I’m on a couple of maintenance drugs and get them filled at the Kroger pharmacy – 50 fuel points for each prescription and/or refill.

 

My employer offers us a free transit pass, so I take the bus at least 4 days out of 5, which is why I only fill the SUV once a month. I bought my 2008 Kia Sportage used at CarMax with cash, and it only has 71,000 miles on it, so hopefully I won’t need to replace it for a long time.

 

My cell phone is a reconditioned Samsung Galaxy Prime Core I bought online - $32.75 including shipping and it works like a charm. My service provider is Tracfone, and I buy the refill cards at Kroger where I get 2X fuel points on phone cards.

 

The credit card I use is an AMEX Hilton Honors. I virtually never pay for a pre- or post-cruise hotel room (use points instead), and always choose a Hilton property (Hampton Inn, Doubletree, Homewood Suites, etc.) for business and personal travel unless I don’t have a choice.

 

Southwest is Nashville’s main carrier and I fly them whenever possible. Their Rapid Rewards program is easy to use and understand, and if I need to change or cancel a flight, the money is there in my account to use for a future flight. Plus no baggage fees. Recently I signed up for E-Rewards and answer questionnaires online. I use the points I earn to buy SW points – 600 points in Oct. and Nov. so far.

 

Instead of saving change, I save $1 bills. Every month I deposit the accumulated amt. into my travel savings account. Any “found” money – refund checks, lottery winnings, etc. goes in there too.

 

Roz

Edited by Roz
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FireStation46

FireStation46

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AMEX

 

I use that for everyday shopping, air, hotel, cruises. Very secure card and the free membership points add up fast

 

with my membership miles i just got a free Bose QC35 headphones so when traveling and not in a discussion with anyone I can listen to my Audible books or my music :D

Edited by FireStation46
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