Resort Vacation - First in Years! vs. Cruising.... Exclusively for Years!

[sail7seas]

We returned yesterday afternoon from a very relaxing, enjoyable, restful vacation in FLL which was just what we needed.

 

We have been through a bit of stress in the last months and DH has been working ridiculous hours. His professional interests are in an area which is booming at the moment and he has been putting in long hours. That combined with other stresses demanded he get a good rest.

 

Seeing as HAL again disappoined us with no ships in the Caribbean this time of year, we had no choice but to look elsewhere. We always loved summer cruising in the Caribbean but that ended 3-4 years ago.

 

We chose to go to a resort hotel and spend 8 nights to soak up the sun, rest, read, enjoy nice dinners.....we wanted a quiet but comfortable stay.

 

We also were interested in comparing for ourselves just how in line the prices we pay for our suites on HAL vs. similar accomodation at a first class domestic resort.

 

Very interesting what we learned.

 

First, it was so sad to see Port Everglades empty day after day. The only ship we saw in was a RCI three/four day cruiser. No "X", no Princess, no Carnival, no HAL.......empty port!

 

We got what would be considered an excellent rate in season but, of course, this was off season but still a reasonable price in our opinion.

 

Food prices were out of sight. We're used to high Northeast, major city pricing in fine restaurants. These prices were ridiculous. We go to nice places and expect to pay but the same restaurants, serving the same dinners to us were at least 50% higher than the not so distant past. Our average dinner tab for two was at least $200 and more and we weren't drinking a lot nor having pricey bottles of wine. Most nights I only wanted but one glass of wine and ordered by the glass though we did have a bottle a few times.

 

Breakfast in the hotel was $50 daily. Eight nights turns breakfast into a $400 bill.

Those are pretty fancy prices for an area where there is deep recession IMO The restaurants were empty. The hotels were empty. Handful of people at the pool. Beaches empty. Restaurants we always would book in advance we walked into with no reservation and there were plenty of tables from which to choose. Southern Florida is hurting in a bad way.

 

We chose to not rent a car because as stated, we didn't plan on running around. We rode taxis when we went out. I didn't keep a tab but I'm sure we spent a minimum of $250 in cabs.

 

Miscellaneous tips occured thoughout the day, each and every day.

I am not a Spa lover either on the ships nor land but I picked up a Spa price sheet and was amazed at some of those prices.

 

In short, we had a great time. We totally enjoyed ourselves. It was exactly what we needed and wanted but

 

We can't wait to sail 'My' :) Maasdam soon.

 

We are again convinced our choice of vacation is cruising......cruising on the 'dam' ships of HAL.

 

We missed a cruise vacation, being on the water, we missed the crews, the sea........

 

Dollar for dollar, our cruise dollar goes much further even paying the fancy Suite prices.

 

Happy to be home.

[sail7seas]

Ohhh, forgot to mention but for those who love Bimini BoatYard, you will be surprised to hear they sold the whole little mall where it is located and both Bravo and Bimini are under new ownership/management. We had a bite there and it was not good. The restaurant was near empty.

 

["Wandering Wino's&quo]

We returned yesterday afternoon from a very relaxing, enjoyable, restful vacation in FLL which was just what we needed.

 

We have been through a bit of stress in the last months and DH has been working ridiculous hours. His professional interests are in an area which is booming at the moment and he has been putting in long hours. That combined with other stresses demanded he get a good rest.

 

Seeing as HAL again disappoined us with no ships in the Caribbean this time of year, we had no choice but to look elsewhere. We always loved summer cruising in the Caribbean but that ended 3-4 years ago.

 

We chose to go to a resort hotel and spend 8 nights to soak up the sun, rest, read, enjoy nice dinners.....we wanted a quiet but comfortable stay.

 

We also were interested in comparing for ourselves just how in line the prices we pay for our suites on HAL vs. similar accomodation at a first class domestic resort.

 

Very interesting what we learned.

 

First, it was so sad to see Port Everglades empty day after day. The only ship we saw in was a RCI three/four day cruiser. No "X", no Princess, no Carnival, no HAL.......empty port!

 

We got what would be considered an excellent rate in season but, of course, this was off season but still a reasonable price in our opinion.

 

Food prices were out of sight. We're used to high Northeast, major city pricing in fine restaurants. These prices were ridiculous. We go to nice places and expect to pay but the same restaurants, serving the same dinners to us were at least 50% higher than the not so distant past. Our average dinner tab for two was at least $200 and more and we weren't drinking a lot nor having pricey bottles of wine. Most nights I only wanted but one glass of wine and ordered by the glass though we did have a bottle a few times.

 

Breakfast in the hotel was $50 daily. Eight nights turns breakfast into a $400 bill.

Those are pretty fancy prices for an area where there is deep recession IMO The restaurants were empty. The hotels were empty. Handful of people at the pool. Beaches empty. Restaurants we always would book in advance we walked into with no reservation and there were plenty of tables from which to choose. Southern Florida is hurting in a bad way.

 

We chose to not rent a car because as stated, we didn't plan on running around. We rode taxis when we went out. I didn't keep a tab but I'm sure we spent a minimum of $250 in cabs.

 

Miscellaneous tips occured thoughout the day, each and every day.

I am not a Spa over either on the ships nor land but I picked up a Spa price sheet and was amazed at some of those prices.

 

In short, we had a great time. We totally enjoyed ourselves. It was exactly what we needed and wanted but

 

We can't wait to sail 'My' :) Maasdam soon.

 

We are again convinced our choice of vacation is cruising......cruising on the 'dam' ships of HAL.

 

We missed a cruise vacation, being on the water, we missed the crews, the sea........

 

Happy to be home.

 

 

 

sail7seas, we spent a wonderful 8 days in Maui last month. Sadly we found the same prices eating out that you did. We tried sharing meals and the bill still ran way over $100.00 for dinner. On one occation lunch ran us $140.00, that did include a bottle of medium priced wine and again we shared the main course. If we go to Hawaii next year we will need to stay in a condo so at least we can prepare breakfast & lunch in the condo.

Cruising now seems like a real value, and beside we always have so much fun aboard these beautiful ships.

[tompeter]

Sail- Welcome back, glad you and DH enjoyed your vacation.

We too find it a "reality check" when we take our, now occasional, land vacation. It makes us appreciate all the more, the time and investment made in our cruising vacations.

 

Tom

[GmaPajama]

Welcome Back, Sail - it's good to see you posting again. I find your observation about the cost of meals during a land based vacation to be right on the mark. All the more reason to dine on a cruise ship. :)

 

Donna

[tnsny1]

Sail,

You echoed my sentiments about land-based vacations exactly. We used to take several cruises per year, but as my two boys have gotten older they are beginning to get a little bored with cruising. So our compromise has been one cruise and one "big" land-based vacation per year in addition to our casual outings to the beach, etc. In the past few years we have gone for land-based to Scottsdale, Carmel, Nassau, and Vegas. Picture dining in restaurants with two bottomless pit teenaged boys who are accustomed to cruise-ship dining. "For my first course, I will have ...; for my second course, .... and my entree will be the 20 oz. filet mignon!" Talk about sticker shock!!

However, having said that, I do enjoy the FLL area. I could easily do a land-based vacation there at the Pier 66. We always stay there pre or post cruise-and the Grille 66 I think its called is pricey, but always good.

Welcome home,

Paula

[Mary Ellen]

Glad to see you back, Sail, and that you enjoyed FLL. It looks like we'll be sticking with Disney World for our land vacations. That is the only place where we've found service like on a cruise ship. It 'may' not be quiet around the pool (particularly this time of year :rolleyes: ), but we love it in early December when the crowds are down - and no one decorates for the holidays like Disney :eek: . There are some very nice hotels on property and excellent restaurants.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome home.

 

Glad you enjoyed your land vacation - didn't know that you had planned one.

 

Thanks for the information on the Bimini Boat Yard - we used to love eating there.

[RevNeal]

Thanks for your report, Sail! It's good to get a comparison.

$400 for breakfasts? :eek:

OUCH!

 

Also ... good to have you "back." Your input was missed on this board in several particulars. Happy reading!! :D

[RevNeal]

Glad to see you back, Sail, and that you enjoyed FLL. It looks like we'll be sticking with Disney World for our land vacations. That is the only place where we've found service like on a cruise ship. It 'may' not be quiet around the pool (particularly this time of year :rolleyes: ), but we love it in early December when the crowds are down - and no one decorates for the holidays like Disney :eek: . There are some very nice hotels on property and excellent restaurants.

 

Hmmm ... interesting thought, Mary Ellen. Christopher wants to "do Disney." I'm willing to give it a try, myself ... which of the Resort Hotels do you recommend? Christopher, always targeting the most expensive thing out there, zeroed in on the Grand Floridian. Ugh!

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have stayed at the Beach and Yatch Club the few times we went to Disney.

 

Back door to Epcot -- boats to MGM section. Free buses to Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom and all the water parks.

[sail7seas]

:) We had dinner twice at Grill 66, Mary Ellen. Delicious. Service the first visit was tops. Second time service was less so but that happens sometimes. :(

 

Thanks, Donna, KK, Tom, Winos, Paula, Greg......

 

[airlink diva]

I agree with you on land vacations! Prior to my catching the cruise fever, I used to head out to Depoe Bay,Or for vacation. Between the hotel,car rental,gas,meals and my twice weekly trip to Tillamook for ice cream :D ! It was a pretty penny.

I was thinking about a mini vacation in January when the rates are lower for the winter season. Even going at this time of year, cutting back to just eating a large lunch (breakfast is free at the hotel) and just hanging out at the hotel, I could cruise a seven day trip cheaper.

tnsny1 I know how you feel concerning sons! In 2005 my family had our reunion on a cruiseship (I couldn't get off of work to go) and five of my male cousins who range from 12 to 19 at the time were in food heaven! Pizza 24/7 and buffets!! My mother stated if was quite funny that when they were in the Caymans and the guys saw how much it was for a burger,fries and drink at the Hard Rock, they told the adults, we are going back to ship to eat for free :D !

[CowPrincess]

Very interesting -- I've been "second guessing" whether we should have done a land vacation (instead of a cruise) for this upcoming winter. Thanks so much for the info! And this is Florida's "off" season, isn't it?

[mamaofami]

Sail, it's good to see you back . So glad you and DH had a good, relaxing vacation. I know you both needed it and were looking forward to it. I can't believe those prices for Ft. Lauderdale, and out of season to boot. Those prices were as high or higher than some of the best NYC restaurants. It's good to know we are getting good value for our cruise dollars.

Greg is right! Your imput was missed here.Now, could you just tell HAL to bring a ship back to NYC?

[cruznon]

Sail,

Welcome home. Glad you had a relaxing, enjoyable vacation. We have also found that land vacations are quite pricey and that we really missed being at sea.

Greg,

We stayed at the Boardwalk hotel in Disney World and enjoyed the stay(directly across the water from the Beach Club Resort) both are so handy--simply hop on the boats that shuttle you thoughout the Disney Parks.

[kryos]

sail7seas' date=' we spent a wonderful 8 days in Maui last month. Sadly we found the same prices eating out that you did.[/quote']

That's exactly the problem with non-cruising vacations. Unless you go to an all-inclusive, the cost of food will be out of sight. Don't forget, the skyrocketing fuel costs are affecting restaurants too. That food has to be shipped in.

 

That's the thing I like about cruising. Yes, there is more "nickle and diming" going on aboard ship these days, but cruising is still ... at least to me ... the best value for one's vacation dollar. All those little "unexpected" expenses are gone ... that ice cream cone, that cool glass of iced tea at the pool, that afternoon snack, etc. etc. Those things are all included on the cruise and you won't be billed extra for them.

 

I'm glad you enjoyed your resort vacation, Sail ... but I agree with you ... nothing beats a HAL ship.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

Thanks for your report, Sail! It's good to get a comparison.

$400 for breakfasts? :eek:

OUCH!

$400 for breakfasts? I don't doubt it.

 

When I took my land vacation to Hawaii (Maui) back in 2001, I spent an average of $25 per day for a light lunch at the hotel where our writer's retreat/conference was being held (reduced rates and special "a la carte" meal service for conference attendees). I also easily spent about $10 per day for breakfast, which merely consisted of a muffin or a bagel and a cup of java served from a breakfast cart positioned outside of the breakout rooms.

 

I can only imagine $400 being about right for two people today at a resort.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[sail7seas]

$400 for breakfasts? I don't doubt it.

I can't imagine you would doubt my word. :)

 

 

 

When I took my land vacation to Hawaii (Maui) back in 2001, I spent an average of $25 per day for a light lunch at the hotel where our writer's retreat/conference was being held (reduced rates and special "a la carte" meal service for conference attendees). I also easily spent about $10 per day for breakfast, which merely consisted of a muffin or a bagel and a cup of java served from a breakfast cart positioned outside of the breakout rooms.

 

I can only imagine $400 being about right for two people today at a resort.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

 

 

I didn't even mention lunch and cold drinks at the pool. Thankfully, we have the means and it didn't stretch our budget beyond comfort but lunches were $25 - $30 or so per person. And, frankly, too exotic a menu for what we wanted for a light lunch at the pool. No simple chicken caesar salad or such. They had red snapper grilled and served with pickled cucumber, a spread of crushed calamata olives served on focacia...tasty but a simple tuna sandwich would have appealed more to me. :o Not that I don't like my gourmet choices as well but not in a swim suit, in 85 degree pool weather.

 

 

I really don't want to make this only about prices...it was more than that. It was a reminder of the differences between a land and sea vacation. For Many years, long before we started cruising we went to resorts all over the Caribbean and many in California and Arizona, Florida, New York etc...... We loved them but love cruising way more than the resorts at this point.

 

[twinkletoes4445]

Ohhh, forgot to mention but for those who love Bimini BoatYard, you will be surprised to hear they sold the whole little mall where it is located and both Bravo and Bimini are under new ownership/management. We had a bite there and it was not good. The restaurant was near empty.

 

 

Thanks for mentioning this. We'd planned on dining there when we're in FLL, so we'll now go elsewhere.

 

Very interesting comparison of the land vs. ship vacations. Cruising really is a good value. We go to Grand Cayman for land vacations, and we can spend more in one week for just two of us, than we do on a cruise (in a deluxe suite on HAL). We've taken our kids on a cruise, and with us to GC, and hands down, you get more for your money on a cruise. However, my kids don't like to cruise, silly things, they like land vacations because they like to be on a beach all day. :)

[gotsand]

My son and his new wife just got home from their honeymoon in Fort Lauderdale. They said the biggest expense was food. They also ate at Grill 66. Their stay was 5 nights, they spent 1200.00 while in Ft. Lauderdale. They went to the Everglades, a comedy show, a boat tour and shopped a little, they only rented a car one day and took a few cabs.

 

Flights were 560.00-----------Sheraton 5 nights was 800.00

Total spent 2560.00 for 5 nights. I know the totals, my wedding gift to them was the honeymoon. Yikes!!!!

 

My daughter and I, (plus sil and neice) leave for Ft Lauderdale July 1st for her graduation gift trip. Double Yikes!!!!

 

Sail7seas, I always enjoy reading what you have to say. You are always so helpful and kind to all. I know you were to me!:D

[Mary Ellen]

Sail, while we have enjoyed Pier 66, I think it was tnsny1/Paula that suggested it.

 

Hmmm ... interesting thought, Mary Ellen. Christopher wants to "do Disney." I'm willing to give it a try, myself ... which of the Resort Hotels do you recommend? Christopher, always targeting the most expensive thing out there, zeroed in on the Grand Floridian. Ugh!

I think you'd both be happier at a different resort. The Grand Floridian is lovely and very nice, but there you are paying for the proximity to the Magic Kingdom and being on the monorail line to the same. Both of which are big draws for families with little ones. ;)

 

KK mentioned the Yacht and Beach Club resorts. Both are excellent choices and right across the lake from where we stay, the BoardWalk resort. So, obviously we agree with her that it is a great location. ;)

 

We also love the Animal Kingdom Lodge and it would also be a good choice for you. I'll tell you more in a few weeks. Maybe I'll bring a CD of pictures... if I get it done. :rolleyes:

 

We've been thinking that if we ever decide to take a Caribbean cruise again, we'll have to combine it with a pre or post-cruise stay at WDW.

 

I know it seems strange, but WDW is the closest we've come to a cruise experience in a land vacation. The 'Disney Magic' isn't just lip service.

[Jade13]

Which Resort did you stay at in Ft Lauderdale?

 

We do a family getaway (usually a weekend) to a resort every couple of years. We stay at the Grand Resorts that are all inclusive, or at least have a modified American Plan with breakfast and dinner. So, they are almost all inclusive.

[Jade13]

Hmmm ... interesting thought, Mary Ellen. Christopher wants to "do Disney." I'm willing to give it a try, myself ... which of the Resort Hotels do you recommend? Christopher, always targeting the most expensive thing out there, zeroed in on the Grand Floridian. Ugh!

 

We love Disney and last time stayed at the Animal Kingdom. While the lodge itself was nice, we were not impressed with the staff. Note that we arrived on January 1 that year. We had to wait a couple of hours for our room (check -in after 4:00pm) and staff was not friendly. BOMA, the restaurant was great. I never bothered to write any letter but it was not typical Disney. Plus when the ranger came in the evening for the animal viewing she only had her one pair of binoculars that everyone had to share.

 

My DH liked one of the lesser expensive resorts a lot better (where we had stayed previously), the one with the New Orleans theme. He wants to stay there next time. Personally I like change and would love to stay at one of the ones mentioned near Epcot such as the Boardwalk.

 

My family went to Disney the first and second year they opened, back in the early 70's and stayed in their first two hotels.

[sail7seas]

My son and his new wife just got home from their honeymoon in Fort Lauderdale. They said the biggest expense was food. They also ate at Grill 66. Their stay was 5 nights, they spent 1200.00 while in Ft. Lauderdale. They went to the Everglades, a comedy show, a boat tour and shopped a little, they only rented a car one day and took a few cabs.

 

Flights were 560.00-----------Sheraton 5 nights was 800.00

Total spent 2560.00 for 5 nights. I know the totals, my wedding gift to them was the honeymoon. Yikes!!!!

 

My daughter and I, (plus sil and neice) leave for Ft Lauderdale July 1st for her graduation gift trip. Double Yikes!!!!

 

Sail7seas, I always enjoy reading what you have to say. You are always so helpful and kind to all. I know you were to me!:D

 

Congratulations, Carla, on your son's marriage. Wishing them many years of good health and happiness together.

 

How fun that we may have been in Grille 66 together. We went twice. I think it was Saturday night and again on Tuesday. Your son and bride certainly had beautiful weather. It was glorious the full 8 days we were there.

 

Thanks for your kind words. They are very appreciated.