How can people afford so many cruises?

[AllenF]

Hmmm let see I dont smoke or drink my wife drinks a glass of wine or 2 with dinner. I take my lunch to work my wife works out of the home. I drive a car to work that seats 2 adults or 12 ringling brothers clowns.

Dont have any kids. Oh yeah my wife and i both work and have pretty good paying jobs. We live close enough to drive to ports in FLA. We are not the go out and party all the time types though we do enjoy eating out once or twice a week. Oh did I mention my wife can make a penny squeal.

 

11/02/03 Carnival Inspiration

03/20/04 Carnival Glory

12/13/04 Carnival Legend

04/17/05 Carnival Spirit

 

Till the Legend Sails

 

 

Taking the Spirit West Aloha style

[misssea]

Wow!! Thanks for all the tips. My only problem would be getting my DH to go on cruises more often. I like the tropics and he likes it cold. Really hard to agree on where to go. Do you get any discounts if you book another cruise while you are on a current cruise?

[fsupharm77]

carnival usually gives you a 4 class upgrade (within same type of room) and I believe it was a $150 stateroom credit. We passed on it though, figuring we would save more money through our TA.

 

Sensation 12/16/2000(w.carib)

Victory Easter 2001 (w.carib)

Inspiration Jan 2003(w.carib)

Fascination 2/23/04 (w.carib)

Paradise 9/5/04 (panama canal) 9/5 Panama Adventure

[buchie614]

Hubby and I took 4 last year, Splendor of the Seas in Feb. Tom Joyner Cruise in May, Explorer Of the Seas on Oct. and New Years Eve Cruise on the Mariner in Dec. We had a ball on all cruises, all the kids are grown, with the exception of one, so it is no problem. Splendor was a 10 day, others were a 7 day. These are our main vacation times.

[PJnVA]

Good for you Moxie, I quit almost 10 years ago. Here is alink for you to see just how much you are really saving.

 

SMOKE FREE and LOVIN' LIFE

<font face="Verdana,Arial,Helvetica" size="1">QuitMeter Counter courtesy of www.quitmeter.com.</font>

 

Carnival Sensation 09/99

Carnival Victory 12/01

Carnival Sensation 05/02

Carnival Pride 12/02

Carnival Spirit 12/03

Celebrity Galaxy 3/04

Grandeur of the Seas in ...

Carnival Conquest in ...

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Adventures of the Sea in ...

 

[cruise junky joan]

We take 2 a year. My daughter, 10, and I go in the summer. My son is usually in Boy Scout camp for at least 2 weeks every summer so if we get something in the mail or on the web for one of those weeks we go. My husband and I go in the fall and hire a local nanny to stay with the kids during the week and then palm them off on family for the weekend. I usually book an inexpensive cabin and save my money the same as everyone else to pay for it, eat in, don't rent videos, and shop only for what we need and then shop the clearance rack first hoping to find the item without having to pay full price. I buy most of my after 5 clothing either on the web or at consignment shops and do pretty well. Hope this helps. Joan

[jemingway]

Who said we can afford them?

 

JV The 4 stages of cruising: planning, anticipation, experience and reflection.

[Vicar]

Cruisevirginfrombrooklyn..

 

 

I had to laugh at your answer about marrying a surgeon *LOL*

 

i have a sister who is married to a cardiologist and a sister who is married to funeral director *swear to god*

 

The joke in my family is that my Brother in law (the Funeral director) made a bundle last year off my other brother in laws "referrals" *LOL*

[cruiserlisa]

Check the group cruises. Not only can I sail twice a year I have made some very dear friends from all over the country. Also living in Florida has helped since I do not have to pay air fare. I save my money and try to pay off my cruises as soon as I can. I am about to pay off my second booked cruise in a couple of weeks. I also quit buying souveniers for everyone and their uncle (Very expensive). I take tours with the group, not through the ship (also very expensive). I also buy the drink coupons in advance so they are all paid for when I get on the ship.

 

Lisa

 

PREMIER BIG RED BOAT 1990

CARNIVAL SENSATION 2000

RCCI EXPLORER OF THE SEAS 2001

CARNIVAL PRIDE 2003

CARNIVAL CONQUEST 2004

RCCI MARINER OF THE SEAS 2004

CARNIVAL MIRACLE 2005

CARIBBEAN PRINCESS 2005

 

 

 

SEE MY WEBSHOTS

http://community.webshots.com/user/cruiserlisa100

 

 

 

UNTIL THE HOUNDS HOWL ON THE MARINER

 

 

UNTIL I SAIL WITH MY FRIENDS ON THE MIRACLE

 

 

HOWLING WITH THE ROYAL HOUNDS ON PRINCESS

 

 

[lorideco]

Sometimes you can't afford not to go on vacation and take a cruise. My husband works 6 days a week, 12 hour days - He needs to go away and take a break once or twice a year. You can't work your life away. You need to enjoy yourself.

[Florida Beach]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Vicar:

The joke in my family is that my Brother in law (the Funeral director) made a bundle last year off my other brother in laws "referrals" *LOL*<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

In Florida, we call them Butchers A couple years ago, a Doctor in Tampa amputated the wrong feet

 

March 28, 2004 - Mariner of the Seas

July 4, 2004 - Sapphire Princess - Alaska

[MN snowbird]

We are going to bring our kids along for the first time (it will be our third cruise). We are all sacrificing to make it possible- we are driving from Minnesota to Texas in January (crazy, huh?), going without birthday and Christmas presents (the cruise is one big present for all), only buying the items needed on our shopping lists (no extras!), and eating out rarely. Sometimes we all whine about it, but when we see the Carnival Cruise commercials on TV we look at each other, smile, and remind ourselves it is going to be US on that ship someday!

 

Can't wait to head south for a cruise!

[camreesmom]

MN snowbird, we are right behind you. We have our large family (8 kids, son-in-law,my mom) all booked on the Ecstasy next summer. We have a bank that I found that is a pot bellied man with a foo foo drink in his hand, sunglasses and a hat on his head. Everyone in the family knows that any loose change goes in there on a daily basis. No more first run movies and our eating out has been dramatically cut down. I am only brown bagging it to lunch now. It is going to be so worth it though once we get on that ship next summer.

 

Julie

 

mjcrober@yahoo.com

 

Fantasy 12/03

Splendour of the Seas 3/04

 

 Rhapsody of the Seas 9/04

 

 Grand Princess 4/05

 

 Ecstasy 7/05 family cruise

 

[Cruiser@Heart]

Well, cruising on a Teacher salary can be difficult, but I figure it is worth it because I truly LOVE cruising. When I have found great deals, I have been able to book more than one cruise in a year. It doesn't always happen that way.

 

My TA offers Cruise Bank so I only have to put down $25.00 for my deposit and then I make payments along the way, I always book an inside guar. (except for Alaska and splurged on a balcony), I drive instead of flying, bring my lunch to work, limit eating out to once in a blue moon, collect spare change in a money jar (just deposited $150.00 in my cruise savings account), keep my thermostat low in the winter and high in the summer (in fact, I just broke down and turned on my A/C).

 

I always jump at a chance to make extra money for my "Cruise Habit". For many years, I worked as a summer camp counselor...getting paid while getting a tan. I have also taught summer school, tutored, and worked for an area catering firm.

 

NCL Sunward 1992

Premier (Big Red Boat) 1998

Sovereign of the Seas 2000

Fascination 2001

Carnival Spirit 2002

Carnival Conquest 2003

Enchantment of the Seas 2003

Sensation 2004

Elation Christmas Cruise 2004

[cruise junky joan]

camreesmom: I have the exact same bank. I got him at Rite Aid, little fat guy in an inner tube with a floppy hat, coconut drink with umbrella and VACATION FUND written across the front of the inner tube. The last time I emptied it of loose change and money found in the washing machine there was over 300.00 in it. Don't you love "found" money! One of my biggest economies to afford multiple cruises in one year is driving a 10 year old car. Not having a car payment allows you to save LOTS of cash. Joan

[llanning]

Give birth to a kid that works on a cruise ship. I carried him for 9 months, now it's pay back time.

[camreesmom]

Joan, that is too funny....I got our bank at Eckerd's. The salesgirl couldn't believe that I was buying "fatboy" as she put it. I had to have that bank when I saw it...it was just perfect for our family.

 

I could get rich off money that I find in the washing machine. The kids always complain but I say that since I am the only one that does the laundry, it is mine. These days it all goes in the fatboy bank though.

 

The way car payments are these days, you could almost pay for a cruise in one month if you didn't have a car payment. DH drives an '88 Corolla to work so we don't have that car payment. Plus insurance is cheaper on an older car also.

 

Julie

 

mjcrober@yahoo.com

 

Fantasy 12/03

Splendour of the Seas 3/04

 

 Rhapsody of the Seas 9/04

 

 Grand Princess 4/05

 

 Ecstasy 7/05 family cruise

 

[MN snowbird]

camreesmom, that is so funny about the bank! We have a huge pink piggy bank sitting on top of our fridge. Each week all of us contribute whatever we can- excess change, chore money, etc. Saving for the cruise has been a good experience. The kids have learned more about prioritizing, delayed gratification, saving, and giving! Who would have thought going on a cruise could do all that???

 

Can't wait to head south for a cruise!

[JerseyJim2]

I think almost everyone in this thread has excellent ideas for how to prioritize their money to do the things they want.

 

The best way to budget your spending is to identify all the recurring expenses and shave off as much as possible. A DVD player is a one-time expense but dropping $20 each week at Blockbuster to feed it will add up. Review your cable/satellite TV bill and only subscribe to what you really need. If you are paying $90 a month and only watch The Travel Channel, get rid of the extras.

 

Keeping a car longer is a big money saver. Today's cars are expensive but better made than 20 years ago. If you keep up with the maintenance, you should get at least 8 years out of a car. That is many years without payments.

 

Brown bagging your lunch is another great idea. Just getting a fast food lunch will cost you at least $5 every day. A homemade lunch will cost less than half that.

 

Never use credit cards to finance anything. The interest rates are 3 to 5 times higher than other types of loans. Pay as you go and don’t let debt creep up on you.

 

Carnival Miracle 8/21/2004

NYC-Port Canaveral-Nassau-Freeport-NYC