not news, but worth discussing

[adbnva]

we have cruised for 25 years. we have flown to ports and driven. the last couple of years we have driven when possible. since 9/11 flying has gotten progressively difficult. now it is a can of worms. every day the rules change. more & more cruises leave from one port & go back to another port, therefore requiring a flight. i was hoping the ships would have more us port round-trips. we try to find a hotel where we stay 1 nite & leave our car for the cruise.

also gas costs so much i know some people are having a hard time buying gas & food.

we decided to go to the beach (5 hr drive) instead of another trip by air.

when we fly, we try to go nonstop.

friends are cruising for 41 days ending up in la. she said the luggage fees, surcharges, etc. will probally cost more than the cruise.

we are flying & cruising in dec. on a ship that has no formal nites.

won't have as much luggage.

any other thoughts on this?

s.

[cruiseapril]

Depending on where you are, you might consider the train. One of the good things about the train is that you can get off for a day and resume your trip the next day, if you want to extend your vacation and see more of the country.

[LHT28]

we have cruised for 25 years. we have flown to ports and driven. the last couple of years we have driven when possible. since 9/11 flying has gotten progressively difficult. now it is a can of worms. every day the rules change. more & more cruises leave from one port & go back to another port, therefore requiring a flight. i was hoping the ships would have more us port round-trips. we try to find a hotel where we stay 1 nite & leave our car for the cruise.

s.

 

There are lots of cruise that go from Miami back to Miami.

Not sure where you are looking to cruise but we did the Central America & Caribbean on a B2B out of MIA.

 

Lot of options if you look.

We drove to Miami and parked at Embassy suites airport hotel

[Host Dan]

we have cruised for 25 years. we have flown to ports and driven. the last couple of years we have driven when possible. since 9/11 flying has gotten progressively difficult. now it is a can of worms. every day the rules change. more & more cruises leave from one port & go back to another port, therefore requiring a flight. i was hoping the ships would have more us port round-trips. we try to find a hotel where we stay 1 nite & leave our car for the cruise.

also gas costs so much i know some people are having a hard time buying gas & food.

we decided to go to the beach (5 hr drive) instead of another trip by air.

when we fly, we try to go nonstop.

friends are cruising for 41 days ending up in la. she said the luggage fees, surcharges, etc. will probally cost more than the cruise.

we are flying & cruising in dec. on a ship that has no formal nites.

won't have as much luggage.

any other thoughts on this?

s.

Where are you located??

 

Host Dan

[rebeljohn]

We've never had a problem finding cruises doing a round trip from the same port. We drive to all of our cruises..........sometimes the drive is 12 + hours, but it is worth it to us............

[G'ma]

I usually fly even though it has become a rather unpleasant experience....but, I have also driven when the luxury of time will permit.

 

Now, with the cost of gas at a ridiculous rate, I have made train reservations. I did the math, driving vs. Amtrak taking into consideration gas, hotels, food, etc...and Amtrak was cheaper. Leave the driving to them. I have left myself 2 days in front of the cruise just in case Amtrak runs later than normal......

[adbnva]

Where are you located??

 

Host Dan

we live in southern va (close to nc border) we have driven to every port down the east coast from norfolk to fort lauderdale. we have gone most of the places these cruises go to & like a little variety. we have been on western & eastern caribbean numerous times. the only variety @ the norfolk port is rccl & occasionly carnival to the bahams. charleston has the ncl majesty (which i call motel 8 of cruise ships)

really i just like variety & round trips.

we like celebrity & they don't do as many round trips. we cannot travel 1st 4 months of the year.

mainly, i'm asking what is going to happen to the travel industry ( & the country) if things keep going as they are.

[sail7seas]

HAL has many Caribbean cruises round trip Fort Lauderdale.

 

We've been to the Caribbean dozens of times and if we don't care for a certain port, we simply stay aboard. For us, the shipis the destination and wherever it goes (in the Caribbean) is fine. There are only just so many islands so the variety can only be as extensive as there are possible ports. :)

 

Try a Southern Caribbean itinerary that included Curacao and Aruba. Wonderful ports!

[rebeljohn]

charleston has the ncl majesty (which i call motel 8 of cruise ships)

 

My wife wasn't impressed with the Majesty either..........but I have to say, the service on the ship was impressive, though................

I miss HAL sailing from Norfolk.............

[klfrodo]

mainly, i'm asking what is going to happen to the travel industry ( & the country) if things keep going as they are.

 

As with everything that has ever happened in the past,,,,we'll get through it. We'll never see $2 gas again so,,,we'll adjust and get through it. Airfare last year was cheaper than it was 10 years ago. I think the airfare market is just correcting itself. The US economy,,,, it's been worse and it's been better. Just have to go for the ride. Hang on and it will get better. Right now is a great time to invest in my opinion. Why wait and buy at 50 if you can buy at 25 now.

 

There always has been a ying and a yang, and there always will be.

[G'ma]

As with everything that has ever happened in the past,,,,we'll get through it. We'll never see $2 gas again so,,,we'll adjust and get through it. Airfare last year was cheaper than it was 10 years ago. I think the airfare market is just correcting itself. The US economy,,,, it's been worse and it's been better. Just have to go for the ride. Hang on and it will get better. Right now is a great time to invest in my opinion. Why wait and buy at 50 if you can buy at 25 now.

 

There always has been a ying and a yang, and there always will be.

 

Correctomundo.... A lot of us "oldsters" have seen it all before....and survived it.....and so does everything else survive; travel, cruises, etc will adjust too.

 

It seems awful when you're going through it, but you will always come out the other side better for the experience.

[mousey]

I agree with the last two posters. Things have a way of working out, and sometimes you have to make ajustments. Not always fun, but you make it work. Last year we specifically cruised on the NCL Star to the Mexican Riviera, even though it's not the DS's favorite destination, because we could leave out of a local port in LA where we live. We didn't have to pay for airfare. That was a big savings! This year, same thing, we are cruising on the Star again, to Alaska this time, even though we like to try different ships everytime, but it's sailing out of Seattle, which is a lot cheaper to fly to than back East. So, that's the adjustments we've made. We're just lucky that we can still afford to cruise. I don't know what we'll do next year, but we take it one day at a time!

[Dorset Cruiser]

As with everything that has ever happened in the past,,,,we'll get through it. We'll never see $2 gas again so,,,we'll adjust and get through it. Airfare last year was cheaper than it was 10 years ago. I think the airfare market is just correcting itself. The US economy,,,, it's been worse and it's been better. Just have to go for the ride. Hang on and it will get better. Right now is a great time to invest in my opinion. Why wait and buy at 50 if you can buy at 25 now.

 

There always has been a ying and a yang, and there always will be.

 

 

$2 gas - is that a gallon??? We are currently having to pay £1.19 (about $2) a litre in the UK:eek: I am dreading how much our January Princess flights will shoot up by the time we go.

[Dorset Cruiser]

As with everything that has ever happened in the past,,,,we'll get through it. We'll never see $2 gas again so,,,we'll adjust and get through it. Airfare last year was cheaper than it was 10 years ago. I think the airfare market is just correcting itself. The US economy,,,, it's been worse and it's been better. Just have to go for the ride. Hang on and it will get better. Right now is a great time to invest in my opinion. Why wait and buy at 50 if you can buy at 25 now.

 

There always has been a ying and a yang, and there always will be.

 

 

$2 gas - is that a gallon??? We are currently having to pay £1.19 (about $2) a litre in the UK:eek: I am dreading how much our January Princess flights will shoot up by the time we go.

[Dorset Cruiser]

As with everything that has ever happened in the past,,,,we'll get through it. We'll never see $2 gas again so,,,we'll adjust and get through it. Airfare last year was cheaper than it was 10 years ago. I think the airfare market is just correcting itself. The US economy,,,, it's been worse and it's been better. Just have to go for the ride. Hang on and it will get better. Right now is a great time to invest in my opinion. Why wait and buy at 50 if you can buy at 25 now.

 

There always has been a ying and a yang, and there always will be.

 

 

$2 gas - is that a gallon??? We are currently having to pay £1.19 (about $2) a litre in the UK:eek: I am dreading how much our January Princess flights will shoot up by the time we go.

[Dorset Cruiser]

As with everything that has ever happened in the past,,,,we'll get through it. We'll never see $2 gas again so,,,we'll adjust and get through it. Airfare last year was cheaper than it was 10 years ago. I think the airfare market is just correcting itself. The US economy,,,, it's been worse and it's been better. Just have to go for the ride. Hang on and it will get better. Right now is a great time to invest in my opinion. Why wait and buy at 50 if you can buy at 25 now.

 

There always has been a ying and a yang, and there always will be.

 

 

$2 gas - is that a gallon??? We are currently having to pay £1.19 (about $2) a litre in the UK:eek: I am dreading how much our January Princess flights will shoot up by the time we go.

[Katiebug430]

$2 gas - is that a gallon??? We are currently having to pay £1.19 (about $2) a litre in the UK:eek: I am dreading how much our January Princess flights will shoot up by the time we go.

 

We're typically up to $4 per gallon in the US right now - $2 per liter is still substantially more than we're paying for gas. Bear in mind we have a poor public transportation infrastructure outside major cities. The majority of Americans (and Canadians, for that matter) live in suburban or rural areas and must drive a substantial distance to get to work.

 

I was traveling for work in Europe three years ago and my colleagues were shocked that I only paid $2/gallon. We did the math and gas was roughly 4X more expensive there. Even now, I suspect they're still paying more.

[PennyAgain]

I have to travel by air for my job. Fact of life, but starting about 2 years ago the company increased the amount of distance for us to drive before a trip qualifies to go by plane.

 

The old distance in which driving was required was 200 miles one way. Now that distance is 300 miles one way. When you figure in all the time you have tied up with flying it works out to almost be the same total time as when driving in Texas where we have a lot of distances to go and fine highways.

 

We're joking that by next year we will be riding Grayhounds!

 

I mean buses!

 

I think many potential cruise passengers are making the same decisions.

[Fredr]

Hello,

 

The US economy will adjust to higher energy costs, and it will be because we have the technology and smarts to make changes. Interesting isn't when you look at techological developments...computers talking to each other but we are still putting gas in our cars just like someone did in Wilson, Wyoming in 1910 or in Crawford, Texas in 1912.

 

In the history our great USA, there have been times when we have been challenged...polio, Sputnik, Pearl Harbor, the building of the Panama Canal, medical care for the elderly most of whom were poor, and Valley Forge. We had great leadership that provided the inspiration to turn things around.

 

My point...do not despair or complain, just use less energy because every gallon you save does make a difference.

 

As for cruises, there are many cruises that use San Diego, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Vancouver for round trips. And this is going to get much better as Princess and RCCL are moving two large and very nice ships to the Los Angeles Market in September of 2008 and March of 2009 respectively.

 

Fred

[cassieroll]

I hear you! I am mostly a round trip cruise taker. It makes my life so much easier at this point.

[klfrodo]

$2 gas - is that a gallon??? We are currently having to pay £1.19 (about $2) a litre in the UK:eek: I am dreading how much our January Princess flights will shoot up by the time we go.

 

How true. We've been spoiled by cheap gas compared to the rest of the world. However, to compare "apples to apples",,, our federal and state taxes on gasoline is only about 10% (28 cents per gallon federal and in my state 18 cents) whereas, according to BBC, your taxes run around 72%.

[cruiseapril]

We need to support better and less expensive public transportation in the U.S.

 

More carpooling, buses, and trains will help. We can improve our train system and save transportation costs.

 

Yes, trains are slower, but fast and expensive may not be an option in the future.

 

Some of the cruise lines have special train discount arrangements with Amtrak and some lines have those wonderful bus links to the ports (such as buses from Boston to NYC.)

[lynn247]

I usually fly even though it has become a rather unpleasant experience....but' date=' I have also driven when the luxury of time will permit.

 

Now, with the cost of gas at a ridiculous rate, I have made train reservations. I did the math, driving vs. Amtrak taking into consideration gas, hotels, food, etc...and Amtrak was cheaper. Leave the driving to them. I have left myself 2 days in front of the cruise just in case Amtrak runs later than normal......[/quote']

 

Amtrak if offering a 20% discount on your rail fare, and 15% discount on accomodations if you are going on a Carnival or Holland America cruise. It ends 12/31/08. Call and ask about it.

[klfrodo]

We need to support better and less expensive public transportation in the U.S.

 

More carpooling, buses, and trains will help. We can improve our train system and save transportation costs.

 

Just asking the question, not trying to be harsh or judgemental.

 

At the cost of raising federal gas tax from 28 cents per gallon up to $2 or $3 per gallon?

Your idea is great. How do we pay for it though. Gas taxes being as high as they are in Europe is just one of the reasons why they have such a great public transpotation system.

[houch]

I live in MN...no ports here....so I fly. Just the way it is. I will try to cruise as long as I can. I'm only here once and want to make the most of it.