How do people afford $20,000 suites?

[rimmit]

19 minutes ago, njsmom said:

I read recently that accountants have tons of celebrity clients who ended up filing bankruptcy in part due to their insistence on flying first class. That was enough to turn me off from the idea of paying $3K for a 3-hour flight. Now, I have upgraded with miles for long hauls over the ocean. (Obviously, they overspent on a lot of other things, too. But the first class spending stood out to me.)

 

My ex-FIL was very, very, VERY rich. Probably was the richest man in my entire state, or even multiple states, although no one would have known. Many buildings have his family's name on them now that he's passed away and his children like to flaunt their inherited wealth. Anyway, I always remember something that happened one time when I was a young woman, married to his stepson. My MIL bought my FIL a pair of socks. This was in 1988. He said, "How much did these socks cost?" She said, "Six dollars." He said, "Return them. That's too much. I like the $4 socks I normally wear just as much and there's no reason to spend an extra $2 on socks."

Now, that was obviously a bit ridiculous given this man's wealth. But it made a point. There's no reason to spend 1/3 more on something when a lower-priced product does the job just as well. 

Oh people I know that are willing to spend 20k for 4 people to fly first class, will sneak candy into the movie theater, just wears standard Hanes white t-shirts as their daily wear unless they have to dress up, and own no designer clothes.  They do own decent cars, but nothing someone who is middle class couldn’t buy (40k-60k cars). They will sometimes buy things second hand.  But they will spend BIG on vacations and travel.  I personally just play the miles and points game to fly biz.  Much much cheaper that way.  

 

Ultimately, if you have the means it’s what your prioritize.
 

I applaud your FIL.  I also am frequently returning items to save a dollar, if my wife bought it somewhere and I know I can save a buck or two buying it elsewhere.  With gas prices it depends if I am going in that direction as I may not come out ahead with gas and car depreciation.  It is not ridiculous at all.  A dollar is a dollar and many dollars compounded over many years leads to wealth.  Your FIL got to that point because of that mentality and I applaud him for it.  Many people don’t understand that.

Edited March 31, 2023 by rimmit

[Sigyn]

11 minutes ago, orville99 said:

Put in hardwood or tile floors and you won't need carpet (or the dust, dirt, and allergens that it traps) any more.

Agreed. About half of the basement and 2/3's of the first floor are hardwood and tile, but all of the upstairs where the bedrooms are is carpeted, other than the bathrooms. My husband prefers it, while I like hardwood. 

[Tapi]

The percentage of true luxury accommodations across the cruise industry is very small, just like the percentage of people who can afford them is very small. The people I personally know who engage in true luxury travel (not a suite on Royal Caribbean) are people who can comfortably afford it.
 

The difference between the top 5% and the top 1% of income earners is very vast, and the true luxury travelers are most likely in the 1%.
 

Personally, I set aside 3% of my annual income for cruise vacations. Whatever I can afford with that amount is what I plan on. It works well for me. 

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2023 by Tapi

[Mum2Mercury]

13 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

And of course, there are plenty that $20k is a drop in the bucket for.

Yes, a small minority can afford to spend 20K with zero impact -- but I suspect those people aren't sailing Royal Caribbean (or other mainstream companies).  

13 hours ago, poocher said:

But no, not bragging.  Personally, I use coupons!!

 I'm not struggling, but I aim to spend as little as possible /keep as much as possible in my pocket.

13 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

You are confusing being able to afford with willing to spend.

When we see a person who dresses well, drives a nice car, lives in a nice house, takes nice trips, it's easy to assume that person "has money", but it's not always true.  I think young people especially fall for this facade.  

13 hours ago, njsmom said:

I cannot afford to spend $20K on a suite and have any travel money left over for the year. So if it was the only vacation I took all year, sure. But that wouldn't be any fun at all ... 

Agree ... because for that much money, I'd expect more than the experience could provide.  

12 hours ago, HaveWeMetYet said:

There is a tidal wave of people hitting the land of retirement, medicare and social security. Many of them have met there money saving goals and are in spend mode. It is use it or someone else will. As in a Will. The value of things starts to change as the clock gets closer to midnight.

Eh, I have just retired (young), and I really don't see a spend-spend-spend mentality among my peers.  Oh, sure, many -- no, most -- are taking a nice trip or two as a gift to themselves after retirement, but I don't see them spending that kind of money.   

12 hours ago, dateacher said:

Count me in that group.  My kids know there won't be much left for them but I am spending  it on them now.

We put our kids through college, and we took them on many assorted vacations while they were young.  We've given them a good start in life, and that matters most.  They'll inherit a bit eventually, but I don't think it'll matter as much as the things we gave them early in life.  

2 hours ago, superduper123 said:

YES, YES, this!  I travel frequently and hear the "must be nice" all the time. Priorities. 

Yes, I used to hear that at work too -- from people who lived in houses larger than mine, who drove expensive leased cars, and who brought in restaurant leftovers several times a week for lunch.  Priorities.  

9 minutes ago, luckyinpa said:

spend while you are in good health. you can pay 29 dollars a month minimum on your CC and stimulate all the lenders for 30 years. they need to make money too. if you wait till you can afford it you may be too old to enjoy it. if you are lucky you will have age health and money all at the same time.

Someone who pays the  minimum credit card payment isn't likely to end up with money in the end.  Math doesn't support that idea. 

[GetToLivin]

1 hour ago, poocher said:

Well this was one

Question on this: did you just ask the concierge for a roll-away or do they automatically assume that when you have 4 people booked to this room? We have an OS booked for our NYE cruise and we are adding a 4th person. 

 

As far as this topic goes, I think something important to remember is that just because a person is sailing in a certain suite category, doesn't mean they're always paying top dollar. We book in advance and I'm finding we're saving several thousand by doing so. I know this because I check throughout the year and sure enough, the same room we booked last year, a month or two later, went up some +5k. We try to cruise 2x a year, one time in an OV and when we have our son/family with us: we will look into a suite. For us, it's worth the memories and amenities that come with the nicer cabins, never had a regret on that, and most importantly, we appreciate it and know it's something special (because we don't do it every time). Another thing I'll mention is that there's a strategy in some of these purchases too, ex: internet included in certain classes which is huge when you have a family sailing, booking on board so you can max out OBC, then transferring to your TA so you can additionally take advantage of AMEX offers for those of us who have that perk, there's value in everything if you strategize. 

[rimmit]

18 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Yes, a small minority can afford to spend 20K with zero impact -- but I suspect those people aren't sailing Royal Caribbean (or other mainstream companies).  

Yes, the majority of people I know that can afford a suite with no impact are typically taking bespoke luxury vacations or expeditions and more catered and exotic travel.  Or they just don’t travel.  Many people don’t like to travel.
 

The ones that can afford with no impact sail RCI because they have kids, and then typically do not book the 20k suites but typically two rooms or a single jr suite a single grand suite.  Not the 20k suites.

Edited March 31, 2023 by rimmit

[ckruetze]

Something that I've read now at at least twice in here is instead of a 20k suite go on 6 to 8 cruises per year.

That is not an option for everyone. To start with we can only go during school holidays but more important I can't leave my company for 8 weeks a year while cruising.

This year is the first in a very long time where I'm on holidays for 4 weeks and I'm not sure how I will manage that work wise.

 

Summary: I'm sure there are people who have 20k for cruises but can't take the time off to go cruisingfor more then a week...

[sgmn]

30 minutes ago, mandyleighflies said:

 

Flight Attendant. lol sorry I am so used to short hand and acronyms at work. 

Ha ha, 40 + years in aviation for me. Its all about acronyms. 😂

[rimmit]

20 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Agree ... because for that much money, I'd expect more than the experience could provide.  

 

Yes, I used to hear that at work too -- from people who lived in houses larger than mine, who drove expensive leased cars, and who brought in restaurant leftovers several times a week for lunch.  Priorities.  

We do a ton of travel with our kids.  People always say must be nice.  And Exactly as you say, these are the same people that drive luxury cars (I drive a 2011 Honda CRV) eat out constantly, and just in general are always blowing money random stuff that they value, that I do not.  I am glad they like that stuff but don’t complain about not traveling.

 

I also agree that 20k for an RCI suite would never provide the level of luxury I would expect for that price.  I would spend that if they truly offered an incredible unique experience but an RCI cruise is not one of them.  We have taken some higher end trips, but for me to fork out that level of cash it has to be a “unique” experience.  Not some high end suite in a main stream cruiseline in the Caribbean.  But that’s me.  Some people want to have that experience on an RCI ship and I’m glad they get to have it and enjoy it.

Edited March 31, 2023 by rimmit

[Tapi]

15 hours ago, njsmom said:

Who is it spending this much on a suite? If my husband and I can't afford to do it, who can? There's not that many people who make more than us, to be frank. I just don't get it. 

Based on your income and spending habits, it seems like you can afford it, but you’re choosing not to.

I have friends who have their kids in $20K/year private schools, drive Porsches, and live in a beautiful home in an exclusive neighborhood. But when they go on a cruise, they sail on Carnival. 😂 Although they could easily afford that $20K suite on Royal, they prioritize their kids education and put the money there instead. 

[Pandamonia]

I often wonder who pays 20k for a suite on a floating budget hotel (which is what cruise ships are) 

 

You essentially pay 20k for the almost same experience someone who paid $600 gets. 

 

 

 

 

[Rouque]

Before they killed the Upgrade Fairy, I went from a Balcony room on Anthem to a Grand Suite - over Christmas no less - for no extra charge!  

Now you can 'Royal Up'.  So, you buy a balcony for $5000, and bid on a Grand suite for $400 where the cost of booking was originally $10000, and if you win the upgrade (now a total of $5800), you "saved" $4200.

So .... how many suites are they actually selling at $20000?

[Tapi]

10 minutes ago, Pandamonia said:

I often wonder who pays 20k for a suite on a floating budget hotel (which is what cruise ships are) 

 

You essentially pay 20k for the almost same experience someone who paid $600 gets. 

Personally, if given the choice between a big suite on a big, mass market line, or a standard stateroom on a luxury cruise line, I’d go with the luxury cruise line. 
 

But that’s the beauty of the cruise industry: choices for all interests and budgets. For example, my best friend is taking his family on a 3 night Disney cruise to the Bahamas the same day I’m leaving for London to take my family on a P&O cruise to the Norwegian Fjords. We’re both spending about the same amount of money on our respective vacations. We both think that the other one is stupid with their vacation choices. 😂
 

 

Edited March 31, 2023 by Tapi

[A&L_Ont]

28 minutes ago, rimmit said:

The ones that can afford with no impact sail RCI because they have kids, and then typically do not book the 20k suites but typically two rooms or a single jr suite a single grand suite.  Not the 20k suites.

Add to that, some book the ATS which have multiple bedrooms. 

[Mum2Mercury]

32 minutes ago, rimmit said:

... Many people don’t like to travel ...

I don't know "many" people, but I do know some. 

I'm thinking of a guy I used to work with who used to say, "I didn't buy a house so I could leave it."  He also famously refused to buy Girl Scout cookies, etc. that people's kids were selling, saying, "I come to work to make money, not to spend it."  

31 minutes ago, ckruetze said:

That is not an option for everyone. To start with we can only go during school holidays but more important I can't leave my company for 8 weeks a year while cruising.

Your time will come.  

Our kids are adults, and we're retired -- and we're able to scoop up those last-minute cruise prices.  

31 minutes ago, ckruetze said:

Summary: I'm sure there are people who have 20k for cruises but can't take the time off to go cruisingfor more then a week...

That's just sad to have so much money and no real time for leisure. 

I don't think most of us would take that bargain ... or, if we did, we'd work like crazy for a few years, then retire young.  

15 minutes ago, Pandamonia said:

I often wonder who pays 20k for a suite on a floating budget hotel (which is what cruise ships are) 

Kinda like driving a tricked-out Civic?  

[Bestvalue82]

alot of $ in this world. blessed to be on this side of the convo getting to "ponder" who can sepnd 20k on a suite then the person who has to clean it.

[graphicguy]

Why is this unusual?  

 

I don’t think many actually pay $20K for a suite, if any.  If you’re a smart cruiser, you certainly won’t.  You might bid (and win) for that suite.  But, I know of no one who spent $20K for a Suite on a Cruise Ship.

 

I think age has something to do with it.  I don’t consider myself “old” but I did retire at 62, which was considered too young to retire not that long ago.

 

I put my son through a private Jesuit High School and paid for his college degree so he (nor I) would have to take on debt.  Took advantage of Ohio College Investment Credits.  If he wanted to go out of state, he could, on his dime.  He stayed on Ohio.

 

I sail in suites every chance I get.  The money to do that came over a long period of time and a couple of lucky breaks here and there buying some nice upside stocks.  I was also an equity owner in a successful tech start up, which we sold before the tech bubble burst.

 

I didn’t buy BMWs or Mercedes when I was younger.  I always drove Hondas…still do (although I do have a Cobra Convertible that I’ve owned for many, many years).  I didn’t “flip” houses and get caught with my pants down when that was the popular thing to do.  

 

Been in my home for 28 years.  Had it built.  It’s been paid off for a while.  Stayed in it and updated it instead of buying/building something else.  It’s probably more than I need these days, but 28 years is a long time and I don’t feel like packing up all my “stuff”.  I could probably sell it today and buy a nice chalet in a nice area of Europe.

 

As part of my equity start up, my (now ex) wife had to sign a pre-nup, so she wouldn’t have access to the company stock if something happened.  Well, something did happen.  Easy to do at the time as it was worth nothing so she gave no pushback.  But, that saved me later on when she left.

 

I’m debt free.  I put money aside using some of the gov’t incentives to invest (e.g. Roth IRAs)  for many years for this exact time in my life.  Aside from the start up (which I was young enough I could have recovered if they went belly up), I didn’t make risky investments.  Played the stocks only with money I could afford to lose.

 

Any vacations we took were done by car, to places like Gatlinburg, Indianapolis Children’s Museum, Nashville, Camping at Natural Bridge, Cade’s Cove, etc.  None of them were sexy destinations but they were cheap and we still had times we’ll always fondly remember.

 

Does that make me rich?  Yeah…I guess so.  Not necessarily with money, though.

Edited March 31, 2023 by graphicguy

[poocher]

48 minutes ago, GetToLivin said:

Question on this: did you just ask the concierge for a roll-away or do they automatically assume that when you have 4 people booked to this room? We have an OS booked for our NYE cruise and we are adding a 4th person. 

 

As far as this topic goes, I think something important to remember is that just because a person is sailing in a certain suite category, doesn't mean they're always paying top dollar. We book in advance and I'm finding we're saving several thousand by doing so. I know this because I check throughout the year and sure enough, the same room we booked last year, a month or two later, went up some +5k. We try to cruise 2x a year, one time in an OV and when we have our son/family with us: we will look into a suite. For us, it's worth the memories and amenities that come with the nicer cabins, never had a regret on that, and most importantly, we appreciate it and know it's something special (because we don't do it every time). Another thing I'll mention is that there's a strategy in some of these purchases too, ex: internet included in certain classes which is huge when you have a family sailing, booking on board so you can max out OBC, then transferring to your TA so you can additionally take advantage of AMEX offers for those of us who have that perk, there's value in everything if you strategize. 

Requested a roll away.

[resetjet]

Most of these people made or inherited alot of money and are old and some have no kids to leave it to.

[Big_G]

We're not close to being rich but we try to do 4 - 5 cruises a year in suites. We try to keep in the $5K to $7k ball park but I can see why some not so rich would go $20k for a suite for a special occasion. Especially if they only cruise once or twice a year.

[rimmit]

34 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

I don't know "many" people, but I do know some. 

I'm thinking of a guy I used to work with who used to say, "I didn't buy a house so I could leave it."  He also famously refused to buy Girl Scout cookies, etc. that people's kids were selling, saying, "I come to work to make money, not to spend it."  

I think this is likely a regional thing on the travel.  We live in the middle of nowhere KY “down in the hollers”.  Out of the 20 people I work with only 1 other person has a passport.  Most have not been on a plane.  Most have not even crossed west of the Mississippi.  They just have no desire to travel.

 

For me, I would say most people I know do not like to travel,  they sometimes go to Disney or Florida or NYC but that is the extent of the travel.  They don’t like the uncertainty and stress that comes with travel.

 

This is just a snapshot, but is pretty representative of my area as a whole, and it doesn’t get that much better among my friends in this area.  A couple have at least been Europe once when they were younger but definitely nothing in the last 15 years.  Most just like the comfort of home.

 

I can easily see where if you live someplace more cosmopolitan there would people who travel more, but in my area, there just isn’t much interest other than an occasional beach vacation, Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge or Disney World.

Edited March 31, 2023 by rimmit

[RFerrington]

12 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Where does one find such casino discounts on  on said high-end suites?  Enquiring minds…

You can use any complimentary casino offer and upgrade all the way to Star Class.  In the past, it has been as much as a 60% discount off the website price.  You must be a Club Royale member and generally (but not always) at least a Prime level player.  I have done this many, many times.

[Tree_skier]

We are far from the 1% but we are completely debt free and have a fully funded pension.  However, we prioritize travel as our one luxury vice.   That being said we don't stay in $20,000k suites but I understand the attraction.  The last couple of cruises have been in suites and I have to admit it changes the experience quite substantially.  

 

We will cruise a minimum of three times a year. I would cruise more if time allowed.  I'm three years from retirement and when I'm not working anymore I hope to be able to cruise much more. The next few cruises on the docket are in our usual balcony cabins but having experienced suite life for the last couple of cruises, I intend to bid more aggressively on the RoyalUp program.  

[PompeySailor]

Are Hot tubs safe topic then on to how much money people on here have to spend 

 

You sound like you have too much free time on your hands 🤣

come on people, no need to brag or share your financials on a public forum..

 

here is my social 888-09-4188

Chase sort code 122200044 A/c 004433571289 

wire router AWB # 000445634423

Swift code 344445

 

mynaddress 

2034 Scamme Drive

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We have two Rottweiler”s called Nasty and Butch

 

It amazes me the amount of people who are willing to share their financial situations on an open forum, sign up on a roll call basically telling the world how rich they are and when they won’t be home 

 

stay vigilant people

 

We try to cruise every month in a suite and seeing as last suite we booked was only $13k, I don’t qualify for this discussion 

BTW that was the Top suite on a brand new ship sailing in a few years time and deposit was $398 and we paid using a Capitol One credit card 

4342-7834-2145-8876 exp 4-26 CVC 223 zip code 23456

 

Suite Hack formula

book the day sailings are released (2-3 years out 

pay deposit 

pay remaining week before final payment (cash)

Free drinks 

 

Happy Days!

 

 

[orville99]

1 hour ago, GetToLivin said:

As far as this topic goes, I think something important to remember is that just because a person is sailing in a certain suite category, doesn't mean they're always paying top dollar. We book in advance and I'm finding we're saving several thousand by doing so.

This has been our experience as well. We currently have 24 cruises booked through April 2025 - 16 in GS; 4 in JS; and 4 in Balcony. With the exception of two of the balcony cruises that we booked late (Round trip Westbound/Eastbound Panama Canal crossing this November), all of the others were booked when the itineraries were first released. If we were to attempt to book any of those same categories today, the prices overall would more than doubled.