Anyone putting off booking a cruise until the Sept financial crisis settles?

[ovccruiser]

No offence, but there aren't many people calling this financial fiasco "some problem(s)"

 

This is the biggie. Big enough to get a lot of peoples attention.

 

No money to loan, nothing gets built/made/planned. Nothing happening, no jobs/pay what ever.

Thereby lies the problem. As far as I am concerned, the greed of the banks over the last few years, in trying to buy business with rediculously low interest rates has got us all in the mire. IMO bad management has led to this and the respective governments are having to bail out the banks. If my business got into financial, would I have any assistance? Rant over

 

The current economic situation has, without doubt, hit the housing market hard. However, here in the UK, the commercial market still seems to be forging ahead. There are new shopping area opening and planned, many office blocks, hotels being built and at present, everyone I know within the building trade is very busy, to the point of being stretched. I use the building trade as an example, because historically, they are the first into recession and the last to recover and as yet, there are no indications, housing market aside.

[momofmeg]

Personally if one were to wait until the financial news started looking better, one would still be waiting while on their death-beds. There's always going to be some problems.

 

When I was much younger and my mother didn't have much in the way of money, I grew up with the idea in mind that one didn't go anywhere or buy anything special until you could afford it. That idea stuck with me, unfortunately, until my early 50s when I realized that if you kept waiting till you could afford it, you'd never get anything or go anywhere.

 

I'm now in my early 60s and although I still can't afford a lot of things, including cruises, I buy what I want and vacation how I want (within reason).

 

BAD ATTITUDE. I have a friend whose husband took that attitude because he has heart faliure and does not have long to live. He was diagnosed back in 2000 and has already lived 3 years longer than the doctor gave him. He is on a heart transplant list-but who knows?

Fearing he could go anytime, they lived it up, taking nice vacations, etc. and NOW they are up to their eyeballs in debt- and unfortunately, probally he will soon be gone, I am afraid-and so she is the one stuck trying to pay all those bills.

 

I can understand him feeling he wanted to enjoy life a little as he is barely 50 now. But, did he not think of what financial shape he would be leaving his poor wife in? She just wanted to make him happy and thought with her emotions. She did not look at the big picture, as what would happen to her, after he is gone.

 

What the OP was saying, I believe, is that they fear trying to plan 9 months ahead, as they are not sure if they can afford this cruise 9 months from now-if their 401K goes belly up or is worth much, much less.

 

To the OP, often if you wait, you can still get good last minute deals. You could see how things look in the spring. The other thing you could do-is book the cruise-and then if things look like you can't swing it-cancel before final payment.

 

We are in the "same boat" as the OP. Right now we can afford two trips that we want to make in the next two years. A land tour that incudes Paris, and a partial Panama canal transit cruise. The Paris trip, we hope to do next summer, and the Panama canal cruise we hope, a year from January. We have decided we will not book the Paris trip before early 2009, and we are debating about booking the Panama canal cruise, as our final payment would not be due until a year from now. I understand EXACTLY where the OP is coming from.

[momofmeg]

And they are taking those of us who have always made a habit of living within our means, down with them. :mad:

 

Yep. We never did the nice trips until we could afford them (we were WELL into our forties) and now, my fear is, what we have will be wiped out, because of others instead of saving and living within their means, living off credit, including the US goverment, instead of within their means.

[momofmeg]

However its not because people lost their jobs and can't afford it, its because people are AFRAID because the watch the NEWS whose job is to have the best story so people watch. Then they cancel or downgrade their orders with us because of FEAR! The people making money are the media! ARGH!!!!

 

!

 

Not where I live. Lots of people out of work and losing their homes.

[franu]

If my money is disappearing because of various financial situations, I say "If it is going, let me enjoy it instead". I have now put my deposit on a 32 day cruise.

 

I have been poor before,on two separate occasions counted in years. Now I will always be rich because of all of the places I have cruised to on six continents. As my late mother said " I will travel as much as I can now so that when I am no longer able to, I will sit in my rocking chair with my wonderful memories".

Fran

[MadManOfBethesda]

I will be losing my job within a month, thanks Democrats.

 

I'm truly sorry that you will be losing your job, but that is a ridiculously laughable statement. What, did your boss call you in one morning and state that he/she had to lay you off because the Democrats took over Congress last year?

 

Please.:rolleyes:

[dot73]

I don't understand the Democrat comment either. Didn't Bill Clinton leave the country in its best financial shape ever. I know that 9/11 wiped out a lot of money, but George Bush giving tax breaks to the wealthy and starting that ridiculous and unnecessary war in Iraq has nearly bankrupted the once wealthiest country in the world. Unfortunately for us, because we are also your biggest trading partner and are closely tied economicall with the U.S., we in Canada are going downhill with you. Fortunately, our banks are still solvent. Because of greed for money and power by a few, a lot of us hardworking people are getting screwed financially through no fault of our own. I have a cruise booked for January, but after that, I may have to take a break from cruising to replenish the losses in my retirement account. I was hoping to retire in 8 years, but plan doesn't look too good right now.

[JanineM]

I don't understand the Democrat comment either. Didn't Bill Clinton leave the country in its best financial shape ever. I know that 9/11 wiped out a lot of money, but George Bush giving tax breaks to the wealthy and starting that ridiculous and unnecessary war in Iraq has nearly bankrupted the once wealthiest country in the world. Unfortunately for us, because we are also your biggest trading partner and are closely tied economicall with the U.S., we in Canada are going downhill with you. Fortunately, our banks are still solvent. Because of greed for money and power by a few, a lot of us hardworking people are getting screwed financially through no fault of our own. I have a cruise booked for January, but after that, I may have to take a break from cruising to replenish the losses in my retirement account. I was hoping to retire in 8 years, but plan doesn't look too good right now.

 

As a Canadian now living in the US (and a dual citizen), I suggest caution when making political comments. I was extremely politically active in Canada and thought that I knew everything about the US ... but unless you live here, work here, and pay taxes here you can't truly understand the impacts different administrations and legislators have.

 

I'm going "home" next week and will probably say next to nothing about the Canadian election because I'm not entrenched in Canadian life anymore, so I can't understand what's really happening.

[dot73]

You are right, Janine. Better stick to cruising rather than politics. I just didn't understand an earlier posting suggesting that the Democrats caused someone to loose their job. Only 123 days until my next cruise when I can forget everything and just have a stress-free vacation.

[bjkTX]

"I don't understand the Democrat comment either. Didn't Bill Clinton leave the country in its best financial shape ever."

 

Yes - because he let the dot.com bubble keep going and enjoyed the huge revenue from the bogus stocks until it burst - right after he left office. Yes - because things like Enron were going on while he was in office and nothing was done - until right after he left office. Yes - because HE made Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac take the questionable mortgages and then his buddies in the "Affordable Housing" lobby along with Barny Frank and Chris Dodd stopped all the initiatives put forth to try and clean up the mess the last 7 years. Check and see who got all the lobby money from Fannie and Freddie. And yes, he let the US be attacked 6 times and didn't do anything about it - then came 9/11 - right after he left office.

 

Yup - we were a lot better off under Clinton....

 

But hopefully if the press gets who they want elected in Nov they will start telling us everything is rosy again, and we'll all be fine and can all go back to cruising as much as we want.

[MadManOfBethesda]

"I don't understand the Democrat comment either. Didn't Bill Clinton leave the country in its best financial shape ever."

 

Yes - because he let the dot.com bubble keep going and enjoyed the huge revenue from the bogus stocks until it burst - right after he left office. Yes - because things like Enron were going on while he was in office and nothing was done - until right after he left office. Yes - because HE made Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac take the questionable mortgages and then his buddies in the "Affordable Housing" lobby along with Barny Frank and Chris Dodd stopped all the initiatives put forth to try and clean up the mess the last 7 years. Check and see who got all the lobby money from Fannie and Freddie. And yes, he let the US be attacked 6 times and didn't do anything about it - then came 9/11 - right after he left office.

 

Rush, is that you?? No, wait. Maybe it's Sean. Sean?? Are you there?

 

No?

 

Then it has to be Bill! We must be in the No Spin Zone.

 

ROFL

[bjkTX]

Rush, is that you?? No, wait. Maybe it's Sean. Sean?? Are you there?

 

No?

 

Then it has to be Bill! We must be in the No Spin Zone.

 

ROFL

 

Well it sure isn't Katie, Brian, Charlie, Keith or Chris! :-)

[IDKaren]

Ahhhhhh--some sense! Thank you!!!!!!!!!

[Gingee]

In the 80's our town was in a mess because of everything going on and we have a big tractor building company in our town. I got laid off and then my husband did. I was later called back but didn't go because I was pregnant with my kids and husband was back to work. We have saveD (age 54&55)

and as of a few weeks ago we were okay (haven't called the broker yet today). Our cars and house is paid off (cars 2-04's). Not sure what is going to happen after today's news though. Cruise is in January. Final payment the end of October. Plan on taking the train (can cancel up to a week before). Time will tell. It is scarry.

[JanineM]

Anybody here watch Dave Ramsey? Sharp as a tack that guy. Get out of debt and stay there. Cruise when you want or at least close to it.

 

My favorite tag line, "Act your wage!" Ramsey's Total Money Makeover lets us cruise and have a pretty nice life without going overboard.

 

I used to listen to him while driving home from work. Now that I am not working ... I listen to his podcast!

 

Actually, I caught part of his last hour today and was happy to hear that Dave is pretty calm about the enormous losses today. We've always practiced what he preaches, but even if we didn't have the same spent/save philosophy, I would still probably listen to him these days just because he isn't freaking out!!!

[rcacace]

After today's crash I'm holding back for a while. To much uncertainty for me.

[crcossel]

Why is it that nobody realizes that every time you choose not to spend because of fear YOU make the economy worse!!! What to support a strong economy? Spend your money!

 

Candice

[rcacace]

Why is it that nobody realizes that every time you choose not to spend because of fear YOU make the economy worse!!! What to support a strong economy? Spend your money!

 

Candice

 

Oh I will spend it but on a new washer & dryer. There's a big difference on spending it on something you need & something you want and as much as I want a cruise vacation it's really something I really don't need.

[Pimienta]

"Act Your Wage!" I like that one, may I borrow it?

 

We're off on a cruise in two days and I'm so excited to be going.

We may wait another year or so for our next vacation, though.

Trying to only spend money for luxuries that we have already

earned. Hope our "luxury money" doesn't morph into "daily needs" money.

Time will tell, I suppose.

[alphakitty]

We aren't going to stop cruising or hold off on bookings. I think the media is playing "chicken little" and the sky is not falling! Comparing the 1929 crash to today's drop is apples and oranges. It was far, far worse then in many ways. Today we had a 7% drop..then there was a 40% drop. Today unemployment is around 6% nationally...then it was around 25%. Here's a snip from an article that I believe hits the nail on the head: (full article linked below)

 

BMI has three recommendations to keep the media from making the same mistakes in future economic coverage:

 

* Avoid Shallow Sound-Bite Reporting on the Economy: The economy is too complex for shorthand descriptions. Typically, economists disagree about how good or bad the U.S. financial picture truly is. Modern-day journalists have no trouble including the negative, but need to make an effort to give audiences a more balanced view.

 

* Find a Middle Ground: One can argue that daily news media in 1929 were too boosterish. In the midst of a stock market collapse, journalists took an incredibly positive position. In 2008, journalists have gone too far in the other direction, emphasizing only the negative. Somewhere between lies appropriate news coverage. Journalists need to work toward finding that middle ground.

* Learn – and Report – History: Anyone who compares today’s economy to the Great Depression knows nothing about either. Today’s America isn’t like the America of the Depression at all. Unemployment is vastly lower. The stock market has seen comparatively minor losses, and numerous government regulations have been created to prevent a repeat of Depression-era economic problems.

 

http://www.businessandmedia.org/specialreports/2008/GreatDepression/GreatDepression_execsum.asp

[PennyAgain]

For years I've only booked travel for my own pleasure when the price was right. I have a budget in mind and stick to it.

 

If there are cruise bargains, I may buy one; but if prices are not great deal, no way.

 

The sky high airfares are taking the fun out of cruising.

[Oh2Travel]

I'm not really encouraged by either choice A or choice B for the upcoming election and who knows how this financial mess will end up.........

 

I say life is short, book a cruise and enjoy. If need be, you can always cancel if your financial situation changes drastically.

[Canadianhey!]

As a Canadian now living in the US (and a dual citizen), I suggest caution when making political comments. I was extremely politically active in Canada and thought that I knew everything about the US ... but unless you live here, work here, and pay taxes here you can't truly understand the impacts different administrations and legislators have.

 

I'm going "home" next week and will probably say next to nothing about the Canadian election because I'm not entrenched in Canadian life anymore, so I can't understand what's really happening.

Please make comments about our election, the bulk of us have no idea who to put in government as to who is the best of the worse:eek:

[chipmaster]

I had so much fun on my Grand British Isles cruise this past June my wife and I were thinking of booking a Princess European cruise for May/June 2009. But let's face it, if it weren't for bad news these days there'd be no news at all.

 

At this point, we have delayed booking until we see if our retirement savings are going down the stock market and bankers toilets. :eek:

 

Are we the only ones delaying travel plans until this mess is over?

 

 

Anyone who is waiting to figure out how low it is going and or how much you've lost is going to be waiting a lot longer. The mess is only starting to be acknowledge in the European, Far East, and I'm sure the Arab financial systems. And as they figure out their true exposure things will get a lot worst then they get better. Add to the fact the politics of the bailout. Look only at the rejected vote and the market reaction today. :eek: :eek: :eek:

 

You only live once take that vacation if you can. But for sure lots of sales soon on discretionary stuff from toys to cruises

[KLLund]

This was my favorite lawmaker quote today

"We're all worried about losing our jobs," Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., declared in an impassioned speech in support of the bill before the vote. "Most of us say, 'I want this thing to pass, but I want you to vote for it — not me.'"

 

Aparently more worried about their own jobs than those of their constituents.

I leave in 28 days .. but that cruise has been paid for for months and I wouldn't get all the money back anyway .. so I am looking forward to it. I will be keeping an eye on all of this mess but I refuse to let it rule my life at the moment.

As I told my DH today .. I didn't lose any money in the Stock Market today because I don't need to sell anything yet. I do feel terribly sorry for those whose retirement plans may never recover depending on which financial institution/ istruments they are invested in .. And I do find it infuriating that the WaMu got got milleions in severance for 3 or so weeks on the job. But the only thing I can do about any one of the problems at the moment is to Vote !! ( Wish we had better choices)