Updated CDC guidance

[cruisingguy007]

13 minutes ago, Buckeyefrank100 said:

There have been studies completed that show exactly this.  The act of using a credit card (or debit card) doesn't impart the same mental pain as using cash.  The studies showed using plastic increases spending by between 15% and 20% over using cash.

 

Meh, if you can balance a checkbook, you can do the same with credit cards. There are just too many benefits to them. I get paid monthly just for spending what I would already. There are many 2%-6% cash back options cards and point multipliers and they really add up by the end of the year. Plus they send you 0% offers for large purchases nearly monthly and monthly discount options (cash back or % off) just for using certain cards for a whole host of different products/services. All upside, zero downside and shoots your credit score to the moon. 

Edited May 27, 2021 by cruisingguy007

[TooManyWakeUpsTilWeSail]

26 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

If you pay it off every month then it is a charge card and not a credit card.

Oh I agree.  But as someone who in past years treated credit as disposable income, I’ll gladly now treat it as no more than a charge card.  
 

My credit limit exceeds my monthly take home so no going back to frivolous purchases for me.

 

Even though we all are mostly off-topic, this is a shining moment where we are being civilized.  Cheers!

Edited May 27, 2021 by TooManyWakeUpsTilWeSail

[cruisingguy007]

10 minutes ago, TooManyWakeUpsTilWeSail said:

Oh I agree.  But as someone who in past years treated credit as disposable income, I’ll gladly now treat it as no more than a charge card.  
 

My credit limit exceeds my monthly take home so no going back to frivolous purchases for me.

 

Even though we all are mostly off-topic, this is a shining moment where we are being civilized.  Cheers!

 

Probably hurting your score. Ideally you want it to exceed it by 10 times min. That should keep you under 10% utilization no matter your monthly spend and allow for any large 0% purchases should they be necessary. You should boost your limit to at/above your annual income from all sources.

[TooManyWakeUpsTilWeSail]

39 minutes ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

Probably hurting your score. Ideally you want it to exceed it by 10 times min. That should keep you under 10% utilization no matter your monthly spend and allow for any large 0% purchases should they be necessary. You should boost your limit to at/above your annual income from all sources.

Not sure if you misread,  I said my credit limit exceeds my income.  My credit balance is at or near zero; so utilization is near zero.  
 

I may apply for another card in a year or so but only if the benefits are high and with no annual fees.  Interest rate doesn’t matter since I will never defer payments again.  Not that worried about maxing (800+) my FICO. I’m in the 700s which is good enough for my needs. 

Edited May 27, 2021 by TooManyWakeUpsTilWeSail

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

34 minutes ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

... You should boost your limit to at/above your annual income from all sources.

 

That's not always practical. With good/excellent credit it's easier. Otherwise, it may take some time and determination (and even some luck)!

 

[Buckeyefrank100]

1 hour ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

Meh, if you can balance a checkbook, you can do the same with credit cards. There are just too many benefits to them. I get paid monthly just for spending what I would already. There are many 2%-6% cash back options cards and point multipliers and they really add up by the end of the year. Plus they send you 0% offers for large purchases nearly monthly and monthly discount options (cash back or % off) just for using certain cards for a whole host of different products/services. All upside, zero downside and shoots your credit score to the moon. 

Sorry.  Respectfully disagree with ya.  There is a huge downside  and it's exactly what gets people in trouble. Just because it hasn't happened to you, it doesn't make it a smart plan.  The executives in these banks aren't stupid.  They aren't doling out 0% interest on large purchase because they're nice people.  An average person spends more and carries a balance on credit they receive and gets slayed by the credit monster.

 

The studies have shown that using cash actually registers in the brain as pain.  This doesn't occur when using plastic.  You may get away with it for a while, but when you play with snakes, your bound to get bit.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

15 minutes ago, TooManyWakeUpsTilWeSail said:

Not sure if you misread,  I said my credit limit exceeds my income.  My credit balance is at or near zero; so utilization is near zero.  
 

I may apply for another card in a year or so but only if the benefits are high and with no annual fees.  Interest rate doesn’t matter since I will never defer payments again.  Not that worried about maxing (800+) my FICO. I’m in the 700s which is good enough for my needs. 

 

Cheryl just financed a car this weekend - at a score of 740 and above it's under 1% (she was lucky enough to better that mark by over 100). Under 1% is a great rate (though I've enjoyed a couple of 0% promos in the past) and makes more sense in many cases than paying in full for things. The system is "cold" - and definitely works against those who've experienced setbacks, many times not of their own making (but yes, plenty got there the old fashioned way too).

 

Tom

[ace2542]

19 hours ago, bdever said:

make everyone wear a mask regardless of vaccination status

They should do so forever for the health of the crew and passengers and just draw a line under the issue. If you don't want to travel don't travel.

[TNcruising02]

44 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

They should do so forever for the health of the crew and passengers and just draw a line under the issue. If you don't want to travel don't travel.

Wear a mask forever?  That should be optional.  If some people want to do it, more power to you.  But the majority of people like breathing fresh air.  For people who love the mask, nothing is stopping them from keeping it on.  The poor workers on the ships should definitely not have to wear masks forever. Healthy people should not have to wear masks.

Edited May 27, 2021 by TNcruising02

[Lee Cruiser]

16 hours ago, kdr69 said:

Personally I would just pay the fine and ignore the law.  Im pretty sure they can make the 5,000 dollars up for each sailing.

I agree with your comment.  Now I'm wondering if the fine would be $5,000 per cruise or $5,000 or per individual.  Would each time mean each time they ask an individual customer or each time they cruise?  Someone with more legal expertise than me might know the answer.

 

This article says:

 

Companies that violate this law would be subject to a fine of $5,000 each time they require a customer to present a 'vaccine passport' for service," DeSantis said.

 

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/state/governor-desantis-responds-to-celebrity-cruises-vaccine-requirement-for-fl-cruises

[ace2542]

16 minutes ago, TNcruising02 said:

The poor workers on the ships should definitely not have to wear masks forever. Healthy people should not have to wear masks

They also don't need to get sick. And in no other setting but a cruise ship are thousands of people together in the same confined space for a week or 2 weeks. Also masks forever would take the need to lie about having the vaccine out of the equation as it would not achieve anything.

[ProgRockCruiser]

13 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

They also don't need to get sick. And in no other setting but a cruise ship are thousands of people together in the same confined space for a week or 2 weeks. Also masks forever would take the need to lie about having the vaccine out of the equation as it would not achieve anything.

Masking forever would kill the cruising industry as we know it.

 

I might entertaining going on one cruise in the next six months or so where masks were required, if there was no other way around it due to inability to ask for proof of vaccination.

 

But that would be my last.  Whereas otherwise I am a lifer for cruising.

 

Your suggestion is...inconceivable!

[bluesman0711]

1 hour ago, ace2542 said:

They should do so forever for the health of the crew and passengers and just draw a line under the issue. If you don't want to travel don't travel.

If you want everyone to wear a mask don't travel!

[TNcruising02]

18 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

They also don't need to get sick. And in no other setting but a cruise ship are thousands of people together in the same confined space for a week or 2 weeks. Also masks forever would take the need to lie about having the vaccine out of the equation as it would not achieve anything.

If someone is that afraid of getting sick that they want people to wear masks forever, then probably cruising isn't for them.  There has always been a risk of catching a contagious disease when traveling.

[bdever]

10 minutes ago, bluesman0711 said:

If you want everyone to wear a mask don't travel!

Well according to Carnival’s protocols if you don’t agree to wear a mask you won’t be cruising with Carnival so now what?

[ProgRockCruiser]

10 minutes ago, bdever said:

Well according to Carnival’s protocols if you don’t agree to wear a mask you won’t be cruising with Carnival so now what?

You and I both know that will not last forever, may not even last another month.  The CDC's constantly changing guidance has made it clear masks are not required by fully vaxxed pax, so the Alaskan cruises will not need masks, regardless of what Carnival's current guidance says - which they have stated (via John Heald) will be changed by month end.

[ninjacat123]

26 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

Your suggestion is...inconceivable!

"The Princess Bride" reference?😁I love that movie!

[cruisingguy007]

2 hours ago, TooManyWakeUpsTilWeSail said:

Not sure if you misread,  I said my credit limit exceeds my income.  My credit balance is at or near zero; so utilization is near zero.  
 

I may apply for another card in a year or so but only if the benefits are high and with no annual fees.  Interest rate doesn’t matter since I will never defer payments again.  Not that worried about maxing (800+) my FICO. I’m in the 700s which is good enough for my needs. 

 

I misunderstood. I thought you said your credit limit was more than your monthly income and I was suggesting it should be at/more than your annual income.  

[nanowerx]

4 hours ago, regoodwinjr said:

Chair hogging isn't a violation of the ticket contract.

When I booked my cruise the ticket contract didn't have a mask mandate... 

[cruisingguy007]

32 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

Masking forever would kill the cruising industry as we know it.

 

I might entertaining going on one cruise in the next six months or so where masks were required, if there was no other way around it due to inability to ask for proof of vaccination.

 

But that would be my last.  Whereas otherwise I am a lifer for cruising.

 

Your suggestion is...inconceivable!

 

I agree 100% with everything except the bolded part. I can barely stand wearing them in the store for 10-15 min and it feels like coming up for air when I reach the front doors and rip it off. It has made my shopping trips much quicker though and cut down on the number of trips.  

[BrotherCraig]

2 hours ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

Cheryl just financed a car this weekend - at a score of 740 and above it's under 1% (she was lucky enough to better that mark by over 100). Under 1% is a great rate (though I've enjoyed a couple of 0% promos in the past) and makes more sense in many cases than paying in full for things. The system is "cold" - and definitely works against those who've experienced setbacks, many times not of their own making (but yes, plenty got there the old fashioned way too).

 

Tom

 

 

Nice!  I am over 800 and best I could get was 2.9% with Honda or my credit union.  That was frustrating.  

[cruisingguy007]

28 minutes ago, BrotherCraig said:

 

 

Nice!  I am over 800 and best I could get was 2.9% with Honda or my credit union.  That was frustrating.  

 

That's terrible. Should wait for a 0% sale or better yet, buy a Toyota. 

[BrotherCraig]

2 minutes ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

That's terrible. Should wait for a 0% sale or better yet, buy a Toyota. 

 

Car was for the wife - family SUV.  I have not seen a 0% sale in a while.  My next vehicle will be a Toyota truck for sure but will pay cash unless I can get that 0% deal.  My last truck got over 340,000 miles on it and I know Toyota can do beyond that with care.

[embarkation75]

7 hours ago, Tippyton said:

FL has no jurisdiction over international travel or areas under Federal control or jurisdiction. Read: Ports, Airports, Passenger Rail, Federal Gov't property.  Ron knows this and has known this - there is no crisis here.

This is going to be funny to watch as either that law is the reason cruising is stopped in FL or it has no jurisdiction over cruising. Grab the popcorn and watch the egos deflate!

[stellarose]

how did celebrity get permission with paid cruisers out of Florida....