Why cant I Just Live in Miami?

[JordanLovesCruisin]

I'm really needing a vacation after a rough couple of months. I've been getting prices for just an inside cabin Feb 4 to the 8th, and the prices are incredible. Totally affordable. However, when I went to price airfare for the 2 of us from OKC to MIA or even FLL, it is a whopping $1840. Three and a half times the price of the cruise fare. I'm desperate to "get away", but 2300 seems like a bit much for 4 days. I wish I lived local and didn't have to pay outrageous trabvel fares!

[firefly333]

I live just north of Dallas, an hour from Oklahoma. Iv priced it too and you might as well look at Ecstasy, Voyager or Galveston right now and add a hotel.

 

The GREAT news I found out this week is hotels in Galveston right now are the best prices Iv ever seen. You can get a beachfront hotel that goes for $150 in Sept for $50 right now. Harbor House on hotels.com is $80 (these prices are thru January, once you check February, the prices jump, wonder if they will come down though?) Im amazed hotels are priced this cheap. I found tons of bargains.

 

Drive down and hop on Ecstasy if you want a 4 day cruise and come down the day before and enjoy a top notch hotel

[Yoli=)]

I live in Sunny Miami! Move down here....it's dreamy!! always nice and hot.....

But now that I think about it ......When Christmas comes, it really doesnt feel like Christmas....I always say Merry Christmas want to go to the BEACH! hahahaha! =)

[Nunu]

I'm really needing a vacation after a rough couple of months. I've been getting prices for just an inside cabin Feb 4 to the 8th, and the prices are incredible. Totally affordable. However, when I went to price airfare for the 2 of us from OKC to MIA or even FLL, it is a whopping $1840. Three and a half times the price of the cruise fare. I'm desperate to "get away", but 2300 seems like a bit much for 4 days. I wish I lived local and didn't have to pay outrageous trabvel fares!

 

Road trip?

[firefly333]

Road trip?

 

I drove to Florida and was surprised how much more the hotels were along the gulf (I could have taken a more northern route ... but noooooooo I wanted to ride along the coast). ... and missed every time I saw a cheaper gas, filled up at top dollar, so my budget was completely blown. It was well over $600 to drive and I didnt even drive to Miami where hotels cost even more.

 

Thats why Im such a Galveston fan, decided I could do Voyager for what it cost to do a cheap cruise on RCL out of Port Canaveral. I wouldnt even fly or drive for Carnival unless it was a group I wanted to meet, but not for any particular Carnival ship when we got two ports much closer, New Orleans and Galveston. As much as I loved the Drury in New Orleans, Galveston is so much easier.

[hlb76]

Every winter as well as about 1 a month we say why cant we live near a port. I think we would be consumed with looking for weekend get-a-way prices. We are in MN so driving down means another 2 days in the car each ways.

 

We are leaving for MIA in less than a month and our air was $1600 for a family of 4. I think our cruise was only a few 100 more than our air. We still have to factor baggage prices as well. I think It's just crazy to see ppl complain about cruise prices and paying for childern and so on. We got a discount on the 3/4 passengers on the cruise not on the plane. We are cruising for 7 days all amenities are given to us vs 4 hours on the air shoved into a small seat and given a can of soda if we are lucky.

 

Cruises = good value

Airfare = empty wallets

[tbjl24]

I'm really needing a vacation after a rough couple of months. I've been getting prices for just an inside cabin Feb 4 to the 8th, and the prices are incredible. Totally affordable. However, when I went to price airfare for the 2 of us from OKC to MIA or even FLL, it is a whopping $1840. Three and a half times the price of the cruise fare. I'm desperate to "get away", but 2300 seems like a bit much for 4 days. I wish I lived local and didn't have to pay outrageous trabvel fares!

 

Well, you CAN. But WILL you? haha.

 

Tampa/Orlando are nice places to live also and you are within 4 hours of 5 different Carnival ports!!!!!

[GetMeToABeach]

I was just telling my husband the other day that we should retire to a port city so we could cruise whenever we want to. :) That could be dangerous...I think if we lived in a port city we would be cruising every month, LOL.

[firefly333]

I was just telling my husband the other day that we should retire to a port city so we could cruise whenever we want to. :) That could be dangerous...I think if we lived in a port city we would be cruising every month, LOL.

 

Just think how burnt out you would be on cruising ... and then you would want to move. lol ... I do know one CCer who wants to move to FL when she retires to cruise all the time.

[LemurCat]

Just think how burnt out you would be on cruising ... and then you would want to move. lol ... I do know one CCer who wants to move to FL when she retires to cruise all the time.

 

I know people who moved to NJ to chase after certain musicians. I'm really just not shocked or bothered by the thought of moving to FL to cruise more. Sounds like a cheaper hobby, actually.

[ducksoupforme]

Every winter as well as about 1 a month we say why cant we live near a port. I think we would be consumed with looking for weekend get-a-way prices. We are in MN so driving down means another 2 days in the car each ways.

 

We are leaving for MIA in less than a month and our air was $1600 for a family of 4. I think our cruise was only a few 100 more than our air. We still have to factor baggage prices as well. I think It's just crazy to see ppl complain about cruise prices and paying for childern and so on. We got a discount on the 3/4 passengers on the cruise not on the plane. We are cruising for 7 days all amenities are given to us vs 4 hours on the air shoved into a small seat and given a can of soda if we are lucky.

 

Cruises = good value

Airfare = empty wallets

You are fortunate that Minnesota has a climate similar to that of Miami.

[cbressler76]

I moved to south florida from orlando....I would rather live where there are lots & lots of mountains!!....lol.... ....and I have only seen snow twice... :(

 

I do love it here though! .....and it's much, much better then orlando... ;)

[jenna21784]

I live in Miami and I love it! I am so grateful i dont have to pay for ai rfare when i go on cruises...you should all just move down here :) The weather is great, except i wish it was colder on some days, because not only is it hot mostly all the time but the humidity is like 100% everyday, meaning bad hair days :( Definitely an amazing party city to live in, but it is expensive.

[GetMeToABeach]

Just think how burnt out you would be on cruising ... and then you would want to move. lol ... I do know one CCer who wants to move to FL when she retires to cruise all the time.

 

You're right, Firefly. I probably would get burned out, and I really don't want to live in Florida. I did the tropical weather thing for two years and found I REALLY like my four seasons. ;)

[indiaksue]

It looks to me like the problem is your travel dates. You could get a much better deal by flying out on the Feb. 3rd instead. I too have the same issues as you living near Wichita, Kansas I have to find really creative ways to spend less on flying.

[hlb76]

I lived in Ft Meyers for a few years as a kid. I dont have lots of memories but I do remember fleeing from a tropical storm once. It was scary but so are the blizzards we have here. All I know is our trip is not coming fast enough. Its snowing now we have over 15 inches on the ground and temps have barely broke 5 above lately!!

[Nunu]

Doesn't Dexter living down there worry you? :eek:

[LemurCat]

Doesn't Dexter living down there worry you? :eek:

 

No, I'll just hire Michael Westen to protect me. :D

[gtalum]

I'm really needing a vacation after a rough couple of months. I've been getting prices for just an inside cabin Feb 4 to the 8th, and the prices are incredible. Totally affordable. However, when I went to price airfare for the 2 of us from OKC to MIA or even FLL, it is a whopping $1840. Three and a half times the price of the cruise fare. I'm desperate to "get away", but 2300 seems like a bit much for 4 days. I wish I lived local and didn't have to pay outrageous trabvel fares!

 

So why not move to Florida if you really wish you could? It doesn't have to be Miami. There are many places much less expensive than Miami in Florida, all within a few hours of several ports. There's nothing stopping you.

[patseacruiser]

You'd want to go out the day before and if you choose a flight with a stop it would be $338 pp round trip. That's not terrible.

[Tampa Bay Irish]

Jordan, Please consider moving down to Florida after college. Florida is always hiring nurses. However, unless you are fluent in Spanish and are very tolerant of heavy traffic, you may want to re-think your Miami plans. FYI: Florida has no state income tax, great college and pro sports, world class theme parks, superb dining, great Winter weather, hot Summer weather (ok as long as you have A/C, a pool, sunscreen and a cool drink). And living in central Florida, we have reasonable driving access to 5 Carnival Cruise Line homeports. Finally, thanks to the housing bubble popping, Florida real estate is much more reasonable. See you at the pier.:)

[gazingm42]

OP be a little creative on this air fare. Look at the possibility off flying out

of DFW. I think I saw that you about 1 hour drive to DFW. You should be

able to get a 250 -325 airfare.

 

Also look into flying in to FFL or other nearby airports.

 

We have driven in the past to airports 3 hours away to save big $$.

[hlb76]

You'd want to go out the day before and if you choose a flight with a stop it would be $338 pp round trip. That's not terrible.

 

 

I think its highway robbery....... We paid about $400 a person to fly to Mia and I about had a heart attack. Cruise rates are cheaper than flying and have so much more to offer. But I dont have the time to drive so I was at the mercy of the airlines :mad:

[nbsjcruiser]

I'm really needing a vacation after a rough couple of months. I've been getting prices for just an inside cabin Feb 4 to the 8th, and the prices are incredible. Totally affordable. However, when I went to price airfare for the 2 of us from OKC to MIA or even FLL, it is a whopping $1840. Three and a half times the price of the cruise fare. I'm desperate to "get away", but 2300 seems like a bit much for 4 days. I wish I lived local and didn't have to pay outrageous trabvel fares!

 

Looking at mapquest its only a 23 hour drive. Two long days and you'd be in Miami. Would cost you 4 days hotels and 4 days driving expenses - so probably $600-$700 would get you to and back from Miami.

[kyrisong1]

I'm really needing a vacation after a rough couple of months. I've been getting prices for just an inside cabin Feb 4 to the 8th, and the prices are incredible. Totally affordable. However, when I went to price airfare for the 2 of us from OKC to MIA or even FLL, it is a whopping $1840. Three and a half times the price of the cruise fare. I'm desperate to "get away", but 2300 seems like a bit much for 4 days. I wish I lived local and didn't have to pay outrageous trabvel fares!

You know Jordan with 14 inches of snow on the ground here I'm asking myself the same question..........also the question......."Just why did my ancesters decide on Nebraska??????? Why not Florida, Texas, Az or Cali?"

LOL chin up girl, look at the agency sites, some of them have fare wars going on............

Cheers, Carole

PS I just looked up southwest for 2 adults the day before you cruise from DFW to FLL and come home the day after you cruise, you can get it for 202 each way. I always look at tues, wed and thurs for flying in and out because sometimes the rates can be significantly lower, and SW doesn't charge for extra bags...........