cruise is 3 wks away and I have already spent $460!

[JGB]

Yikes! $140/tips..$140/one shore excursion...$160/internet (have to keep in touch with staff) $20 CC M&G.. havent sniffed the ocean air and am already in debt! havent ordered one drink, havent had a peak at the casino ....purchasing that Monet will have to wait...

John

[Banditswife]

Have fun, we have prepaid our gratuities & have $200 OBC. I am looking forward to a pd for cruise.

[susie8862]

Wait till you see your bar bill...:eek::o:eek:

[dulcimergirl]

Good grief, thats why I prepay all I can. Internet is something I would do without, to much to do to be worrying about that. I've prepaid my excursions and tips and pre stay hotel. If you pay all this weeks/months ahead it doesn't hit the wallet when you get that last bill aboard.

I've loaded my OBC with cash also, Years ago.. lol No bill at the end of my cruise, all prepaid.. Thats the way to go!

[kcpowers20]

If you put money on your obc, if you don't use all that momey, how long does it take to get it back?

[vacation_junkie]

If you put money on your obc, if you don't use all that momey, how long does it take to get it back?

 

Go to the Casino..put your card in the machine.

Withdraw the left over cash from your sign and sail card to the balance on the machine. Then cash it out!

[Tapi]

havent sniffed the ocean air and am already in debt!

John

 

Don't look at it as being in debt. Look at it as pre-paying expenses that otherwise you'll be hit with during the cruise.

 

Better to pay it now before you "sniff the ocean air". That way you'll have one less thing to worry about during the cruise! and one more reason to relax... :)

[golfadj]

As long as you know the costs and have the money to pay for it all is good.

[NCTribeFan]

Paying early vs paying later makes absolutely no difference people. I just don't get it.

 

So what if you have a big bill after the cruise? The total is the same!!! Just stop spending every dollar you make when you get paid and try actually keeping some so you can pay off the bill when you get it! How's that for a unique thought! :p

 

But as a CCL shareholder, I'd like to thank everyone for giving the corporation their money earlier than they have to! :D

[Tapi]

Paying early vs paying later makes absolutely no difference people. I just don't get it.

 

So what if you have a big bill after the cruise? The total is the same!!!

 

I just read on another thread why one person likes to pay early. It's a nice feeling to come home to a zero balance on the credit card. It's a lot nicer to come home with cruise memories that aren't tarnished by thoughts of "darn, now I have to pay that credit card balance". I agree with it.

 

I know that it takes some discipline to set aside money in advance to pay off these expenses, but the reality is that a lot of people don't have that discipline and live by the "charge now, find a way to pay for it later, (even though I don't know how)" mentality. Otherwise credit cards would not exist and this country wouldn't be in as much debt.

 

I personally like the feeling of knowing that everything has been pre-paid as much as possible. It makes me enjoy the cruise MUCH more...:)

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Your on vacation ...

[armywifefisher]

If I pre-pay as much as I can, I will have more to spend on the cruise.

 

If I just try to save it always someone will find a good deal on something and we say oh what a $100 or $200 less and a month later same thing happens or an emegancy happens and instead of cutting back and making ends meet, since the money is there I will just pull it out of savings and we will say we will put it back, but we never put back all of what we taken out. Then at the end I might have as much to send as what I would have if I pre-paid but then that amout has to be divided between all my activites not just my bar, shopping, and casino.

[golfadj]

Paying early vs paying later makes absolutely no difference people. I just don't get it.

 

So what if you have a big bill after the cruise? The total is the same!!! Just stop spending every dollar you make when you get paid and try actually keeping some so you can pay off the bill when you get it! How's that for a unique thought! :p

 

But as a CCL shareholder, I'd like to thank everyone for giving the corporation their money earlier than they have to! :D

 

Like.

 

Never understood how people can live paycheck to paycheck. We never cruised or went on expensive vacations until we had built up an emergency fund.

 

Hardest part of our married life was a few years when we had two mortgages and had to watch our spending very carefully.

[vivavegas]

I'm just glad to be cruisin'!!:)

[klfrodo]

Yikes! $140/tips..$140/one shore excursion...$160/internet (have to keep in touch with staff) $20 CC M&G.. havent sniffed the ocean air and am already in debt! havent ordered one drink, havent had a peak at the casino ....purchasing that Monet will have to wait...

John

 

That doesn't even cover the new luggage, the new shoes, the new clothes, the new swim suits, all the travel supplies, etc. etc. :D

[klfrodo]

Paying early vs paying later makes absolutely no difference people. I just don't get it.

 

So what if you have a big bill after the cruise? The total is the same!!! Just stop spending every dollar you make when you get paid and try actually keeping some so you can pay off the bill when you get it! How's that for a unique thought! :p

 

But as a CCL shareholder, I'd like to thank everyone for giving the corporation their money earlier than they have to! :D

 

And basically, YOU don't have to "Get It".

It's none of your business who, how or why someone else spends their own money. If I'm spending YOUR money,,, then it's your business. Until then,, you're just someone else with an opinion.

[JGB]

klfrodo

 

Your right we went out last nt and bought a new garment bag!!!! I am guessing but

you have probably done this before :) :)

[stewpapa]

Not counting gratuities, you can go on a cruise and not spend a dime more than you paid to get on. OR you can pay as much as you want for extras. It's up to you, but a cruiser on a tight budget can still have a wonderful time.

[deborahjo]

We are cruising the 9th of December. Yes Christmas time. We made a decision to pre pay for as much as we could. Even 2 excursions.

 

2 weeks ago we went to the Mall of America and did our Christmas shopping. At this point 80% of our Christmas shopping is done. We have $162.43 for final payment due on our cruise on the 25th of September. We have gone thru each person we buy presents for and made sure we have bought for them.

 

We have our hotel on the 8th of December paid for in Long Beach. We have even bought a gift card for Buba Gumps for dinner saturday night.

 

Now if you want to talk money before a cruise that you have spent on cruise here is our total and we are 96 days away-including airfare it is $2743.00 All pre paid

 

Sorry we bought a gift from Bon Voyage of a cooler, beer, cups and what ever else in included.

[JGB]

did I mention that I did not pay for the cruise :) based on my past gambling Carnival is giving me a free balcony for my wife and I plus $450 in cash....I am not complaing about spending money I am happy to do so...my point is simply it adds up fast, thats all..no evaluation if thats good or bad...it just adds up fast...

John

[Spring1onu]

Wait till you see your bar bill...:eek::o:eek:

 

Exactly! Lol :-)

[deborahjo]

Wait till you see your bar bill...:eek::o:eek:

 

Maybe he will be able to pay for the new Drink Package. It is only $700 for 2 people in one cabin.

[Spring1onu]

As long as you know the costs and have the money to pay for it all is good.

 

Agree! That's all that matters :-)

[stewpapa]

Maybe he will be able to pay for the new Drink Package. It is only $700 for 2 people in one cabin.

 

:eek:

[jeansaussie1]

That doesn't even cover the new luggage, the new shoes, the new clothes, the new swim suits, all the travel supplies, etc. etc. :D

 

Just like I do Early Saver for the cruise, I bargain hunt everything else too.

 

For next year I just picked up shorts for $6, capris for $8 and two dresses at $16 each. And might I mention this was NOT at Walmart. Now onto finding my DH dress clothes in the next larger size:eek:

 

Save on the basics to spend on the luxuries. Run it all through the credit card to earn even more points. But most importantly as Golfad said - only after you have a hefty emergeny fund squirreled away.