How do you afford all of these cruises?

[michelle1836]

:DAfter my first two cruises I got hooked so I moved to Florida to be closer to the ports without having to fly!! Crazy I know!

 

Anyways, since we don't have to pay to fly it makes them a lot more affordable. Of course it would be even cheaper if we didn't have to stay in a balcony or a suite everytime but we kind of spoil ourselves!

 

Also I don't have kids so I can spend more on me now instead of someone else, at this point atleast!:)

 

LOL that's awesome!!!

 

would love to go more but we only go once a year. college is coming up and that is an arm and a leg!!

[cjmayes51]

As someone mentioned earlier, I gave up going out for lunch each day. In 1995 I was going out to lunch from work each day. Always ended up being $ 6.00 to 8.00 each day including a tip. I started taking leftovers from the night before, and got ice water out of the company's break rooms for free.. At the end of each week I Transferred $ 35.00 a week into a special savings account at my bank, and had $ 1500 to $1800 at years end. That worked for about 6 to 8 years for our yearly cruise. Kids are now married and gone, wife works 3 days a week and watches the grand kids the other two days. her salary goes to cruising and Disney vacations & college funds for the 5 & 7 year old Grandkids.

[Nebr.cruiser]

There are so many variables to this. Mostly it comes down to priorities and lifestyle.

 

Some people on these boards truly are 'rich' or at least very well-off, but I bet they are a minority.

 

Other reasons people can cruise so often have been mentioned in other posts; mostly--retired, live near a port, take the cheapest cabins, bargain hunt for the best prices, cruise at off-peak times of year, no longer have kids at home, no house, car payments, lots of vacation time, don't spend a ton on board, etc., etc.

 

We are from Nebraska, so we have to fly to every port. But, we use FF miles we earn on our credit card, paying it off each month, so we almost never pay cash for a flight.

 

Although retirement age, my Dh is still working--self-employed, so he can take off when he wants, within reason.

 

We do look for bargains. Our criteria is always at least a balcony, $100 pp per day or less. Usually it's a lot less, and often half price or more of what others have paid for the exact same cabin. We often cruise off or shoulder seasons. We don't spend a lot on board because we don't drink or gamble. We don't often do expensive cruise ship excursions. We have a great Time!

 

We live well but simply. I don't spend $5 a day at Starbucks or buy designer anything. We don't eat out at expensive restaurants. Our monthly cell phone bill does not run into the hundreds, I don't get weekly manicures, massages, etc. A lot of it is what you choose to spend your money on.

 

Some of the times it is just plain luck too! Good or bad.

[lawblond7]

Glad I stumbled on this thread as I find it very interesting, I am a single mom of 3 boys (twins almost 16 & oldest almost 20). All 3 have mitochondrial disease and have chronic medical issues. I generally have always traveled with the boys but many if I could drive there (drive to Florida twice a year, north Carolina, etc) and usually do disney at least once a year. In August 2011 one of the twins had his Make A wish trip granted to go on a cruise to Rome & Greece. We want on RCI. I learned my boys who are history buffs love to fly and despite all the medications and supplies we need to take (one is gtube dependent and relies on formula thru his tube - although he can eat) we can manage as long as they Re stable. While MAW provided the airfare and hotel in Rome & RCI donated the cruise and we were given some spending money but I planned private excursions, etc to maximize there time and was easier when we needed to use the wheelchair.

 

On that cruise I decided then that this summer we would go on another big cruise this summer for my 50th. And of course we are going back to Europe - northern Europe - Scandinavia & the Baltics & my mom is going to. She is retired - my dad died 19 years ago May & left her very comfortable & her 2nd husband passed in December. I am the sole supporter of my boys. I get almost 5 weeks vacation not including holidays. We are cruising July 7-19. We are flying to Amsterdam on the 4th.

 

This question perked my interest mainly because that was the first question most people asked me when I booked this cruise and then they began to speculate ow much it was costing me for the 3 boys - one is an adult myself & for my partner (he is a year older - has never been out of the country before) and how I was affording it. With the exception of my house I have no debt.

 

When I got back from our cruise in August 2011 I started to save for this cruise. We booked in January. I had planned to do another RCI cruise but we are doing Celebrity as we got a great deal.

 

My mom is helping with certain expenses because as she says she would rather me enjoy things with her then after she is gone.

 

My oldest with be staying in the room with my mom in a handicapped balcony room. Roger & I and the twins have an ocean view room that has a pull out couch & a drop down bunk. We thought of putting the twins in an inside room across the hall but for medical reasons & costs decided against it. In our room each is costing less than $600 for 12 days. For me I decided I wanted to do a longer cruise and for the boys to see more of the world and in reality all we did in room was shower and sleep.

 

This cruise is not until July and already trying to figure where to go next

 

Sharon

[shredie]

My mom is helping with certain expenses because as she says she would rather me enjoy things with her then after she is gone.

 

Bless her! That is my philosophy too. And bless you! Your boys are making some wonderful memories.

[LandlockedCruiser01]

My question isn't so much about finances. If someone can afford to cruise a lot, more power to them, and I couldn't care less how they do it.

 

My question is about vacation time. Where would a non-retired person in the US, who's employed in a traditional corporate job, find enough time to do more than 2 cruises per year and to do it every year? It's a well-known fact that getting proper vacation time in the US is like pulling teeth. Simply put, "the company needs you" every time you want to get away. Especially in this economy, when people won't go on vacation because they fear for their jobs.

 

My guess is that working-age people with 10+ cruises under their belt are from Europe, where 6-week vacations are guaranteed by law. Or if you're from the US and fit into the non-retired corporate-employed demographic, what's your secret? :)

[shredie]

Or if you're from the US and fit into the non-retired corporate-employed demographic, what's your secret? :)

 

I was a teacher. June. July. August. Now I'm retired, so I get to add a few more months to the list.

[mary_228]

My question is about vacation time. Where would a non-retired person in the US, who's employed in a traditional corporate job, find enough time to do more than 2 cruises per year and to do it every year?

 

My guess is that working-age people with 10+ cruises under their belt are from Europe, where 6-week vacations are guaranteed by law. Or if you're from the US and fit into the non-retired corporate-employed demographic, what's your secret? :)

My husband works for a Fortune 500 company and has been there long enough to get five weeks of vacation. We also have children to put through college and who go on almost every trip with us. I wouldn't say we've cruised a ton, and certainly not more than once a year, but it is a good value, even when you take into account airfares from the Midwest and peak travel periods because of school breaks. Like others have said, it is about choices. My kids' friends think we must be rich because of the vacations we take, but wonder why we don't have nicer cars or a bigger house. :rolleyes: I keep explaining that it is all about priorities. I'd rather have experiences than "things" (we don't even have cable TV.) Friends' families have lake houses where they enjoy jetskiing multiple weekends each year, so my kids are jealous. A once a year vacation doesn't seem to match up with that!

 

I do wonder how to know whether we'll have enough money to cover our nursing home/home health aide costs if needed. I wouldn't want to burden our kids with those costs if we blow it all on vacations! A move to SC might be prudent as our property taxes just came in at $14000+ this year.

[misty57]

My husband works for a Fortune 500 company and has been there long enough to get five weeks of vacation. We also have children to put through college and who go on almost every trip with us. I wouldn't say we've cruised a ton, and certainly not more than once a year, but it is a good value, even when you take into account airfares from the Midwest and peak travel periods because of school breaks. Like others have said, it is about choices. My kids' friends think we must be rich because of the vacations we take, but wonder why we don't have nicer cars or a bigger house. :rolleyes: I keep explaining that it is all about priorities. I'd rather have experiences than "things" (we don't even have cable TV.) Friends' families have lake houses where they enjoy jetskiing multiple weekends each year, so my kids are jealous. A once a year vacation doesn't seem to match up with that!

 

I do wonder how to know whether we'll have enough money to cover our nursing home/home health aide costs if needed. I wouldn't want to burden our kids with those costs if we blow it all on vacations! A move to SC might be prudent as our property taxes just came in at $14000+ this year.

 

I know what you mean! We took frugal vacations with our children but took them all on one cruise and the sons on one for college graduation (since we don't have to pay for the entire weddings for the boys:D)

It sounds pretty "high brow" to cruise every year, but it is more economical than most people realize. As I look at cutting back on my work hours in about 10.5 yeara ( who's counting:rolleyes:?) I have started to think more about where our dollars go.When the kids were in college I knew exactly where they went. Now I have choices to make and wish I had done this a long time ago... frugal living on things that don't matter... minimal meals away from home, carrying my lunch to work instead of ordering out. Shopping with a list and looking at what I have and what I really need before I purchase anything.

It's kind of fun to see how much I can cut back. I hope we can continue to cruise at least every other year for some time to come, but Illinois is not the most economical place to live these days

[navybankerteacher]

Affording cruising is one thing: not that difficult if you have reasonable income and have set priorities. I would suspect that many frequent cruisers have finished with other major expenses: childrens education, major home additions, etc.

 

The other piece of the puzzle is having the time. Certain fields: education, long-term positions with major corporations with liberal vacation policies, self-employment, and - most likely: being retired, all permit sufficient.

[Prince Roy]

It would be nice to believe there are so many responsible and frugal folk, but I think another part of the answer is that cruisers (the American ones) reflect American society: I would guess a good many of them are in massive debt, and have little to no savings. They claim they can't save anything for retirement, but don't let that stop them from the annual cruise 'paid' for with plastic.

[sredish]

It would be nice to believe there are so many responsible and frugal folk, but I think another part of the answer is that cruisers (the American ones) reflect American society: I would guess a good many of them are in massive debt, and have little to no savings. They claim they can't save anything for retirement, but don't let that stop them from the annual cruise 'paid' for with plastic.

 

Well, it's a good thing we have people like you to make incorrect and high-handed assumptions just so that you can put all of us over-spending, plastic-wielding, gluttonous Americans in our places. I can only assume you are speaking from your own past experience? Since you obviously are such an expert on all Americans, that is. So, speaking as you just did...is it safe to assume that you are British? Of course I'm only looking at your screen name, but then again since I am taking a page out of your all-knowing and all-assuming book, I'll just state that my presumption is fact. And while I'm at it, I'll presume that you are a very unhappy person who only smiles when others are brought down to your level, and are then put into what you deem to be their place. I'll also presume that your words stem from a deep rooted jealousy of our American life. And I'll also presume that all Brits have terrible teeth...since that's a less than flattering notion about your nation, I can only assume its true of every one of you all.

 

Take a look around you...regardless of your narrow-minded opinions, I'm sure there are people in your life that love you. Instead of wasting your time chastising those that you do not personally know, why don't you instead spend that time speaking kindly to your loved ones. Or even a stranger. Life is too short to waste on being bitter and mean. And with a mean-spirited attitude such as what you just displayed, I have to say...you, Sir, are no Prince.

[BruceMuzz]

It's not true that all American cruisers are up to their eyeballs in debt and cannot afford to take the cruise they are on.

 

The mass market cruise lines are seeing about 12% of cruisers who cannot afford to pay their onboard bills at the end of a cruise.

 

Not so long ago, nearly every cruise passenger gave us a credit card to cover onboard charges and just signed at the end of the cruise. This year, we are seeing around 40% of cruisers whose credit cards cannot cover the daily credit hold we put on the credit cards they want to give us.

So instead they give us small cash deposits every few days, to cover their spending.

 

So to repeat, it is not everybody that cannot afford to be onboard our ships.

More like 50% or so.

[shorbr]

Like many here, we don't have credit card debt, we work everyday, and have no children. I remember our family cruising when I was a little girl back in the 60s, there were my parents and 4 children. How they did it, I don't know, but they did. Many of our friends think we are rich, but we are far from that. We just know how to manage our income. But when cruising, I do use the RCL Visa to rack up points so we can get the OBC.

[dwjoe]

It would be nice to believe there are so many responsible and frugal folk, but I think another part of the answer is that cruisers (the American ones) reflect American society: I would guess a good many of them are in massive debt, and have little to no savings. They claim they can't save anything for retirement, but don't let that stop them from the annual cruise 'paid' for with plastic.

Hi and welcome to cruise critic. :rolleyes:

[navybankerteacher]

It would be nice to believe there are so many responsible and frugal folk, but I think another part of the answer is that cruisers (the American ones) reflect American society: I would guess a good many of them are in massive debt, and have little to no savings. They claim they can't save anything for retirement, but don't let that stop them from the annual cruise 'paid' for with plastic.

 

I and virtually every cruiser I know are ble to afford cruising precisely because we are not in debt. I have put four children through college and have helped some with their graduate schools. Once those priorities were met, my wife and I started to seriously enjoy life. Sure, we each keep cars for eight to ten years, drink coffee at home and not at Starbucks, don't waste a cent on outrageous credit card carrying costs, eat out at restaurants only on special occasions.

 

You should widen your circle of American contacts so you will not continue you erroneous beliefs.

[OnVacation11]

Or if you're from the US and fit into the non-retired corporate-employed demographic, what's your secret? :)

 

I am lucky to be working for a large company that gives us 5 weeks vacation after 20 years plus we can request 3 additional weeks without pay if we wish to do so.

[Prince Roy]

Really? 50% of your passengers can't afford to be onboard ship? That seems very high.

 

 

It's not true that all American cruisers are up to their eyeballs in debt and cannot afford to take the cruise they are on.

 

The mass market cruise lines are seeing about 12% of cruisers who cannot afford to pay their onboard bills at the end of a cruise.

 

Not so long ago, nearly every cruise passenger gave us a credit card to cover onboard charges and just signed at the end of the cruise. This year, we are seeing around 40% of cruisers whose credit cards cannot cover the daily credit hold we put on the credit cards they want to give us.

So instead they give us small cash deposits every few days, to cover their spending.

 

So to repeat, it is not everybody that cannot afford to be onboard our ships.

More like 50% or so.

[navybankerteacher]

Really? 50% of your passengers can't afford to be onboard ship? That seems very high.

 

You misquoted Bruce Muzz - he was referring to the limits on passengers' credit lines which required them to put up cash, not their inability to "afford to be on board ship". In fact, their being able to pay cash seems to be further evidence that they are not "living on plastic".

[sail7seas]

Thankfully, DH and I fall into the OTHER 50% category. ;)

 

[sail7seas]

You misquoted Bruce Muzz - he was referring to the limits on passengers' credit lines which required them to put up cash, not their inability to "afford to be on board ship". In fact, their being able to pay cash seems to be further evidence that they are not "living on plastic".

 

 

Isn't it substantially the same thing?

 

If they can't afford their shipboard bill, can they really afford to cruise?

[shredie]

Is it any of my business what their credit rating is or how much cash they have on hand or how hard they may have to work for their money? Will we be having "affordability" inquisitions with the "deadbeats" tossed overboard? They are on the cruise and so what how they got there.

[MommaBear55]

I work in a very high stress field. My employer recognizes that by giving me a week off every month. I can combine those weeks to take two to three weeks off at a time, so I have far more vacation time than I have money to take vacations. There are months I have to take extra time off so I do not go over my vacation cap. The downside of my job is that there are weeks that I work 60 plus hours, and sometimes up to 20 hours at a stretch. I often work 4 different shifts in a week, rotating days/nights/evenings. I am lucky because I love what I do and the people I work with. I have also been able to work at this position for 5 years without any signs of burnout because of my employer's policies.

[navybankerteacher]

Isn't it substantially the same thing?

 

If they can't afford their shipboard bill, can they really afford to cruise?

 

Not at all the same thing. I have a fairly wealthy friend (admittedly perhaps a bit eccentric) who hates the idea of credit cards altogether. He has one, because it is necessary for booking fares, etc, but he has just a $3,000 limit because he simply does not believe in charging - he brings cash to deposit with the purser for gratuities, etc. So not having available credit on a particular card does not necessarily mean one cannot afford something.

[Bigun60]

My first cruise was in 2009 to Hawaii. My mom always told me to take a cruise with any inheritance money I received when she left this earth. She passed in May 2008 so I took my granddaughter for her 13th birthday to Hawaii. What a wonderful experience for both of us. Well, that inheritance money has given both my grand kids and I some of the most memorable times you can imagine. March 30th will be our 4th cruise and one more planned for next year with the kids and the money will be gone but the memories will last our lifetimes. Kids talked about them quite often. I work part time (not by my choice) so after the money is gone there may not be any more cruises.

 

Bless you Mom for all the wonderful memories I have been able to have with my grandkids. They thank you too. Love and miss you so much. RIP until we meet again.

 

Cruise critic members have safe travels wherever you may go.