In a tough situation and need help!

[cjmbcruiser]

Hello-

I could really use some help or advice! My husband is in the Marine Corps and gets to come back to the states for 15 days to visit during his year-long deployment in Afghanistan.

 

We booked a Carnival cruise for Aug 22-29 leaving out of Tampa because a family friend said we could stay at his house free of charge. This was great because my husband gets in on Aug 17th, we'll stay at the house until our cruise departs on the 22nd, then we'll stay at the house from the time our cruise gets back in until the time my hubby has to leave for Afghanistan again on Sept 1st.

 

Well, our 'friend' bailed on us so now we have no where to stay! I'm panicked. We could get a hotel every night but we wanted to stay within budget and that would totally blow the budget.

 

So 2 questions. First one, is it possible to change a cruise? We wouldn't be really cancelling, just changing the cruise port and possibly destinations. Second one (if we cannot change our cruise out of Tampa) does anyone know a good vacation rental that is really really reasonable? I'm hoping this board can help me out!

 

Thanks so much.

 

-Panicked, frustrated when I should be excited

[Colorado Kat]

It's an hour away, but doesn't Disney have a military resort? I don't know how much that would be. I hope things work out for you. Please thank your husband for his service! Kathy

[Alayne]

It's an hour away, but doesn't Disney have a military resort? I don't know how much that would be. I hope things work out for you. Please thank your husband for his service! Kathy

 

The resort in Disneyworld is called "Shades of Green".

[Andrew Bowden]

Yes, the do. I believe the name is Shades of Green. It is inside the park and very reasonable in price. Hope this helps.

[RetireeWannabee]

Seems to me that military receives discounts on resort rentals.

 

RCI has a special site for it: http://www.afvclub.com/

 

google "military discount vacation packages"

 

when it's within 45 days of check-in, check Rentals Offered on tugbbs.com/forums You could score an amazing deal.

 

Good luck, and please, for me, thank your husband for his service.

[CTtexas]

MacDill AFB in Tampa has Temporary housing on post-google MacDill Inn to get the number. You might be able to get a room there, although your husband may prefer to stay off post . Many of the hotels will give you a military discount- Most of the big chains do, and you can look online for the price. Use advanced search for the speical rates, which may be under military or federal government. You are eligible for the rates even on leave status. They are often a lot less than the rack rate. Shades of Green is often booked up solid for months in advance, but they sometimes have rooms open at the last minute. They have a web site but if you call you might have better luck. Another option is to go to your local MWR ticket office ( I think the Navy calls it ITT ) on base to see if they have any specials they can help you with.

[cjmbcruiser]

Thank you for the tips. I really appreciate it. I looked in to shades of green and it's about $130 a night. Eek.

 

I'll look into the other suggestions. Keep them coming if you have any. Thank you so much.

[Carolin]

Super 8 in Tampa. $55 or so a night. check if they have Military discount. I know I can get $51 a night with my AAA. Good luck and sorry about your friends.

[Traveler353]

MacDill AFB in Tampa has Temporary housing on post-google MacDill Inn to get the number. You might be able to get a room there, although your husband may prefer to stay off post . Many of the hotels will give you a military discount- Most of the big chains do, and you can look online for the price. Use advanced search for the speical rates, which may be under military or federal government. You are eligible for the rates even on leave status. They are often a lot less than the rack rate. Shades of Green is often booked up solid for months in advance, but they sometimes have rooms open at the last minute. They have a web site but if you call you might have better luck. Another option is to go to your local MWR ticket office ( I think the Navy calls it ITT ) on base to see if they have any specials they can help you with.

 

I have a friend that likes to cruise out of south Florida, He is retired Air Force and he and his wife always stay at MacDill. He says it is a very nice place to stay and very convenient to all the south Florida ports. COLOR]

 

Link to MacDill AFB: http://military-hotels.us/florida/macdill-afb-fl.html

and: http://www.macdillfss.com/mainmenusub-dl.aspx?SectionID=210

[Gonzo70]

Hello,

 

I'd encourage you to look into Hotwire and Priceline. I am not sure if you are wanting to be in a particular area in Tampa, but Hotwire has some dirt cheap hotels available for 8/17/2010-8/22/2010. There are rooms as low as $32 per night ($185.45 for five nights including all taxes/fees).

 

Priceline probably has even lower rates availabe, but takes a bit more work (google Pricline and study up on bidding for hotels if you are not familiar with them).

 

With both Hotwire and Priceline, the reservation is non-refundable, you do not have say in what type of room you have (i.e. one large bed vs. two smaller beds) and you do not find out the name of your hotel until after you pay - but the savings can be incredible - sometimes 70% off! You know before you have to pay what neighborhood the hotel will be and how many stars the hotel is rated (and you can control the neighborhood you want and star level). I pretty much use Hotwire and Priceline for all my travels and have never had a bad experience.

 

Good luck and I hope everything works out and y'all have an amazing vacation. Let us know what you end up deciding!

[wg6530]

Well you could try other websites and hope for a friendly, affordable offer. Maybe Couchsurfing.org or

Tampa.craigslist.org

[firefly333]

Hotwire will have deals for on the cheap ..especially now, out of the gulf. People are cancelling right and left ..depending on how many stars you need, you can get a good bargain.

 

Look around. some prefer priceline. betterbidding site will often have a list of what hotels people got on both hotwire and priceline.

[6rugrats]

You usually cannot change a cruise after the final payment date.

 

Agree, check out bidding on Priceline. Suggest you read up on how to do this before you attempt it, as your bids are final and there are no refunds.

[Capt_BJ]

there are websites that list privately owned vacation rentals and in the past year we've had great luck renting private bungalos on the beach in FL both in St Pete and Tallahassee areas at MUCH lower cost then a hotel

 

vacationrentals.com is one...

 

they won't be luxury suites but typically you get a full kitchen and a washer and dryer which you DON'T get in a hotel . . . and adds up to more savings if you cook a meal or wash some clothes. Each has included all linens but yes you must make your own bed and wash your own dishes if you choose to cook

 

I recently put 6 family members in a beach house on the water with a private pool 40 minutes off campus for FSU graduation for 4 nites . . for less than it would have cost for one double room for two close in. Following daughter's surgery with a specialist in St Pete we stayed in a house half a block off Tampa Bay in Gulfport for 10 days, for less then the cost of 4 days in the near by Day's Inn.....

 

worth a few minutes of search time . . . IMHO

 

retired O-6 sends this hint

[RetireeWannabee]

vrbo.com

(vacation rentals by owner)

 

myresortnetwork.com

 

redweek.com

[Taxguy77]

Bummer!

Wish I could help, advantage of having mucho mony and being a guy like me.:(

Could anyone give up there "suite" for an oceanview for this couple???:confused:

[WhansaMi]

Hello-

I could really use some help or advice! My husband is in the Marine Corps and gets to come back to the states for 15 days to visit during his year-long deployment in Afghanistan.

 

We booked a Carnival cruise for Aug 22-29 leaving out of Tampa because a family friend said we could stay at his house free of charge. This was great because my husband gets in on Aug 17th, we'll stay at the house until our cruise departs on the 22nd, then we'll stay at the house from the time our cruise gets back in until the time my hubby has to leave for Afghanistan again on Sept 1st.

 

Well, our 'friend' bailed on us so now we have no where to stay! I'm panicked. We could get a hotel every night but we wanted to stay within budget and that would totally blow the budget.

 

So 2 questions. First one, is it possible to change a cruise? We wouldn't be really cancelling, just changing the cruise port and possibly destinations. Second one (if we cannot change our cruise out of Tampa) does anyone know a good vacation rental that is really really reasonable? I'm hoping this board can help me out!

 

Thanks so much.

 

-Panicked, frustrated when I should be excited

 

Can you give us a sense of what would be within your budget?

[janabm81]

If anything you could stay in a nice hotel for the first few days before the cruise and then move to the short stay housing on the base until he leaves agian. That way the first few days and cruise it's self can be like a second honeymoon for you two and you'll save money after the cruise by staying on base. :)

[WhansaMi]

Here are a couple of options I found:

 

http://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/sub/1779229199.html

 

If you do a search on cheap hotel in Tampa, you'll get lots under $40 per night.

[Debbie&Chaz]

I agree with others who said to use priceline. We have been using it for several years now - all with great results. On our upcoming cruise out of Seattle, I couldn't find anything decent under $150 night. On priceline I got a 3-star for $50.

Caution - be sure to do your research. I aways use better bidding.com before I go to priceline.

[Catnip]

vrbo.com

(vacation rentals by owner)

 

 

I agree. I have used VRBO for 3 trips and have had a great experience all 3 times.

[hightownCO]

Just a quick search on Txxxocity turned up 60 hotels between 36 and 76 per night in Tampa. Some well rated, near Busch Gardens. Some include free breakfast. It's the heat of summer, closer to peak hurricane season and many schools have started by that time. Hotels are going to be cheap, cheap. If you have a car, may even be cheaper in Orlando due to more hotels there.

[Fredr]

Hello,

 

I am not ex military but here are some ideas...

 

Contact the USO organization as they may be of help to you.

 

Contact Carnival and see if they can give you a nice rate on a cruise to go with one you have...these are known as B2Bs and are really nice. You would keep the cruise you have. The other week would be also going a cruise.

 

There are some 7 day cruises for as low as $299 a person. With taxes and so on,it still would be about $100 per day for the two of you but this includes all meals and so on.

[Davidson Duo]

Here are a couple of options I found:

 

http://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/sub/1779229199.html

 

Just make sure you research rentals from craigslist extremely well first. We have heard of people "purchasing" from them and when they arrive they find the pictures were of a different house/apartment than what they got, or that the room did not exist and the contact number they had also no longer existed.

 

Some are legit, but not all, so you have to be very careful.

 

Good luck with your search. We hope the two of you enjoy your time together. :)