In Defense of the Budget Cruiser

[Ky Colonel]

... They are passing on data that others want to see. Not any different than people giving others a heads up when prices decrease outside of the final payment window. Who does not appreciate a heads up that they can get a price decrease or category increase simply by making a phone call? Same with upsells...

 

Thanks for the clarification ... but I have the ability to tell the difference between bragging and a helpful heads-up ... especially when the claim is several years out of date. You are certainly entitled to your opinion and I to mine, and for me, braggarts are classless individuals whose comments I will continue to ignore ...

[stacyh270]

Not sure how HAL works in this way but we were on a NCL cruise last year and met a couple that had a penthouse suite. The more we got to know them, though, we found out that the reason they had a penthouse suite was because the wife was {most-likely} a gambling addict and spent an enormous amount of money in the casino. She worked a second job back home to save up her gambling money :D

 

The husband revealed they paid not much more for the penthouse suite than we did our regular balcony cabin because of her casino status.

 

She came onto the ship having won $10K at Harrah's in our embarkation port and on the last night of the cruise, when asked how things were going, he stated she was down $5K FOR THE TRIP!

 

Now, when I hear of people having the more expensive suites, I tend to think that the cruise line is offering them cheap and making their money in other ways besides the cruise fare ;)

[POA1]

So----why does the budget traveller need defending? Defending from what?

 

Actually, it's "from whom."

 

The Neptune Suite Posse - you know, the full fare hoodlums who hang out on the Navigation Deck and harass anyone who's not in Deluxe Verandah Suite accommodations. Any time a regular Verandah, outside cabin, or inside cabin passengers dare to walk by, the NS Posse shouts, "Get back to steerage, you worthless undesirables!"

 

If the non Neptune Suite guests dare to fight back, the Posse members high tail it to their private Neptune Lounge Fortress of Snootiness, and arm themselves with fresh brewed espresso and tea sandwiches from the remote controlled, refrigerated Snack Pod. I'm not sure why this harassment is allowed to continue. :)

Edited June 27, 2015 by POA1
Edited to add a smiley face, because I know darn well that someone's not going to realize that this is a joke.

[Lizzie68]

Actually, it's "from whom."

 

The Neptune Suite Posse - you know, the full fare hoodlums who hang out on the Navigation Deck and harass anyone who's not in Deluxe Verandah Suite accommodations. Any time a regular Verandah, outside cabin, or inside cabin passengers dare to walk by, the NS Posse shouts, "Get back to steerage, you worthless undesirables!"

 

If the non Neptune Suite guests dare to fight back, the Posse members high tail it to their private Neptune Lounge Fortress of Snootiness, and arm themselves with fresh brewed espresso and tea sandwiches from the remote controlled, refrigerated Snack Pod. I'm not sure why this harassment is allowed to continue. :)

 

:D:D:D Your edit note was priceless!

[sapper1]

Actually, it's "from whom."

 

The Neptune Suite Posse - you know, the full fare hoodlums who hang out on the Navigation Deck and harass anyone who's not in Deluxe Verandah Suite accommodations. Any time a regular Verandah, outside cabin, or inside cabin passengers dare to walk by, the NS Posse shouts, "Get back to steerage, you worthless undesirables!"

 

If the non Neptune Suite guests dare to fight back, the Posse members high tail it to their private Neptune Lounge Fortress of Snootiness, and arm themselves with fresh brewed espresso and tea sandwiches from the remote controlled, refrigerated Snack Pod. I'm not sure why this harassment is allowed to continue. :)

I guess "from whom" is a better descriptor as "from what" suggests an inanimate force, which is clearly not the case.

 

Your edit made me laugh out loud---really. It brightened my day. :D

[CrossBluePerchance]

I've never understood why people book cruises so far in advance as they are always much more expensive.

 

Couple points:

 

- As long as it's possible to cancel/re-book without penalty, (or if the potential price reduction outweighs the penalty charge), should the price drop, all it takes is a little monitoring to keep current.

 

- For those of us who have to fly considerable distances to departure ports, air fare costs are generally a substantial component of the trip - ergo, if we find a cheap(er) flight, (usually non-refundable), in advance, it's often wiser to grab it while it's available; and if you've booked the flight you don't want to take the chance that the ship might be sold out.

[Time For Dreaming]

Actually, it's "from whom."

 

The Neptune Suite Posse - you know, the full fare hoodlums who hang out on the Navigation Deck and harass anyone who's not in Deluxe Verandah Suite accommodations. Any time a regular Verandah, outside cabin, or inside cabin passengers dare to walk by, the NS Posse shouts, "Get back to steerage, you worthless undesirables!"

 

If the non Neptune Suite guests dare to fight back, the Posse members high tail it to their private Neptune Lounge Fortress of Snootiness, and arm themselves with fresh brewed espresso and tea sandwiches from the remote controlled, refrigerated Snack Pod. I'm not sure why this harassment is allowed to continue. :)

 

All Neptunese are put on notice. Expect an increase in lookie loos in your sacred spaces by the budget consciousness cruisers because of this thread. Remember, they're good people, just jealous of the Snack Pod and those white slippers. But report them anyway!:)

[POA1]

All Neptunese are put on notice. Expect an increase in lookie loos in your sacred spaces by the budget consciousness cruisers because of this thread. Remember, they're good people, just jealous of the Snack Pod and those white slippers. But report them anyway!:)

Report you? They'll slash your jugular with those razor-toothed golden keycards. I'd be careful if I were you, my friend.

Edited June 27, 2015 by POA1
No smiley face this time. You either get it or you don't.

[iancal]

We often book flights in anticipation of picking up a last minute cruise. And if we don't, we simply carry on with our land based plans. It only works well where there are lots of ships/itineraries such as Caribbean or Med cruises.

[POA1]

We often book flights in anticipation of picking up a last minute cruise. And if we don't, we simply carry on with our land based plans. It only works well where there are lots of ships/itineraries such as Caribbean or Med cruises.

If you have the flexibility, that's a genius strategy.

[lahlah57]

My husband and I are the epitomy of budget cruisers but our preference puts us on an all inclusive line. Yes it may be more expensive but to just get us on we opt out of penthouse.....suite or even verandah! We put ourselves in an obstructed window room which is the cheapest but placed well on a high deck.

The best part is the fact is that our check out bill is lower than some of the typical cruiselines are.

Hate being nickle and dimed!

[Time For Dreaming]

Report you? They'll slash your jugular with those razor-toothed golden keycards. I'd be careful if I were you, my friend.

 

Thanks for the warning! If you can't win, then become a joiner. So, if offered an upsell, will wait it out until we can get Neptune Suite 7084. It's right across the hall from the House of Neptunese Worship. At least we'll be armed with one of those golden keycards in case any of the Neptunese wanna-bes come lurking around. We can get in and out without being seen by them. Sorry fellow-budget cruisers but if we get a super deal, it'll be hard to pass. We can be tempted...:)...can you?

[I_r_a]

Hey Mame,

 

> In Defense of the Budget Cruiser

 

No need to defend.

 

It is airheads who make such remarks.

 

Ira

[sail7seas]

Report you? They'll slash your jugular with those razor-toothed golden keycards. I'd be careful if I were you, my friend.

 

What's with the 'they'? :D :D

Seems I recall you've been a "Neptunite" once or twice yourselves? No? ;)

 

You must add you name to the slash list!!@#$! :)

 

[POA1]

What's with the 'they'? :D :D

Seems I recall you've been a "Neptunite" once or twice yourselves? No? ;)

 

You must add you name to the slash list!!@#$! :)

 

 

Thanks for appreciating the humor!

 

Yes, guilty as charged.

[buckirj1]

I agree with you 110% - what you or I paid for a cruise is none of anyone else's concern ... IMO people who brag about the great prices they get (whether in person or online) are classless braggarts who should be ignored ...

 

I agree with most of this. One exception is the rare occasion when a solo supplement is reduced or (hallelujah!) waived. That's important information for solos to share. No need to attach an actual number to it, though.

[kazu]

I agree with most of this. One exception is the rare occasion when a solo supplement is reduced or (hallelujah!) waived. That's important information for solos to share. No need to attach an actual number to it, though.

 

exactly - and upsell info is really good too. Not the exceptional ones that are dirt cheap (although those are nice) but the realistic ones that are traditionally offered and the fair price to pay.

 

CC is all about sharing info.

 

I can tell you on my roll calls if I see a price drop I post. If I see my hotel has gone down in price and people are staying there, I post.

 

Why not? Why pay more if you don't have to?

[mame42]

Hey Mame,

 

> In Defense of the Budget Cruiser

 

No need to defend.

 

It is airheads who make such remarks.

 

Ira

 

Did I open a can of worms ... or what???

[IFlyHarder]

I always book an inside cabin and don't care what anyone else thinks. I find that the closet space in my main Neptune Suite is often too small to hold my evening clothes and so the inside cabin provides excellent and ample storage space for my overflow items. Who cares if someone sees me going into an inside?

[DaveOKC]

exactly - and upsell info is really good too. Not the exceptional ones that are dirt cheap (although those are nice) but the realistic ones that are traditionally offered and the fair price to pay.

 

CC is all about sharing info.

 

I can tell you on my roll calls if I see a price drop I post. If I see my hotel has gone down in price and people are staying there, I post.

 

Why not? Why pay more if you don't have to?

 

I also post price drops on my roll call board. I have had a number of people thank me later for alerting them to a deal and saving them money. I am certainly glad to do it and I thank those who alert me to deals.

[ANSalberg]

I honestly do NOT think "Budget cruisers " NEED to defend anything;" For MANY years that's what we were -whether we sailed WITH my hubby's parents or on our own; when we both retired we decided the MOST important thing we wanted to do was LIVE the history of OUR world [ we retired in 2000] so we did a World cruise and several "Grand" HAL cruises plus a few more. NOW I think we TOTALLY made the RIGHT choices and I'm SO glad we did because our age would change those decisions NOW [2015]

The bottom line is it is nobody ELSE'S business what you decide OR why. We often HAD inside cabins and now we don't. What we LEARNED would fill an encyclopedia.

This subject annoys me more than you CAN know; I had a woman who NEVER worked outside her $$$$$$ home say VERY nastily to me "I HEAR- ALL you do is cruise!" Our home is wonderful but smaller/modest; OUR cruises are NOT -they are WORLD calibre. AND we've LOVED ever single one and I OWE her NOTHING[ OR anybody ELSE for that matter!]

I doubt I will ever ever go to my GRAVE saying "WE should have saved more!"

Just remember- there ARE things that aren't anybody ELSE'S business........

[navybankerteacher]

I always book an inside cabin and don't care what anyone else thinks. I find that the closet space in my main Neptune Suite is often too small to hold my evening clothes and so the inside cabin provides excellent and ample storage space for my overflow items. Who cares if someone sees me going into an inside?

 

I wish I had your self confidence: because I could not stand being seen entering an inside cabin, we always take a balcony cabin for our clothing overflow.

[RuthC]

Did I open a can of worms ... or what???

Seems so, but it's a can that needed to be opened. No matter how many people say that there's nothing wrong with taking a lower category cabin, or that it's no one else's business, your perception that there are subtle digs posted is spot on.

 

How often does a post contain info that is extraneous to the bulk of the post? Things like having sailed 100 days last year, am Titanium on HAL, Superior on Princess, and Grand Poo-Bah on some other line, and the number of cruises or type of cabin are oft-repeated by some posters, when it has nothing to do with the point they are otherwise making.

Those are put downs to the budget cruiser.

[Banditswife]

Seems so, but it's a can that needed to be opened. No matter how many people say that there's nothing wrong with taking a lower category cabin, or that it's no one else's business, your perception that there are subtle digs posted is spot on.

 

How often does a post contain info that is extraneous to the bulk of the post? Things like having sailed 100 days last year, am Titanium on HAL, Superior on Princess, and Grand Poo-Bah on some other line, and the number of cruises or type of cabin are oft-repeated by some posters, when it has nothing to do with the point they are otherwise making.

Those are put downs to the budget cruiser.

 

Yes the can or worms needed to be opened. You are spot on Ruth C. And thank you for all the information you provide here on CC.

[G&G]

Actually, it's "from whom."

 

The Neptune Suite Posse - you know, the full fare hoodlums who hang out on the Navigation Deck and harass anyone who's not in Deluxe Verandah Suite accommodations. Any time a regular Verandah, outside cabin, or inside cabin passengers dare to walk by, the NS Posse shouts, "Get back to steerage, you worthless undesirables!"

 

If the non Neptune Suite guests dare to fight back, the Posse members high tail it to their private Neptune Lounge Fortress of Snootiness, and arm themselves with fresh brewed espresso and tea sandwiches from the remote controlled, refrigerated Snack Pod. I'm not sure why this harassment is allowed to continue. :)

 

OMG !

 

We are budget cruisers and will be in our first Neptune Suite in two days. Maybe we should reconsider if this is what will happen to us :D !

 

I do recall many years ago we were invited to a Suite Party with the Captain; our cabin was 776 on the Ryndam (inside). A man came up to me and stated, "What a great party. We don't have to mingle with those other people :eek: