Has the global financial meltdown effected your cruise plans

[rnrcruzin]

Well, I hit the powerball. That's right I got the 10, so I'm living in tall cotton right now.

[wwcruisers]

Given that the world financial markets have all fallen significantly in the past few weeks, has it had any effect on your cruise plans?

 

Good thread, ghstudio! :cool:

 

Actually, my current sparse collection of count-down clocks (one, to be precise) results more from X's recent ridiculous pricing policies, and the steadfast refusal of the airlines to lower fares/fees -- now that fuel is steadily dropping in cost. Like many long-time X cruisers, I'm tired of being told that I'm not young enough, hip enough, or rich enough to fit X's new target demographic. Not to go all schadenfreude on you, but it will be interesting to see how this new "greed is good" marketing philosophy holds up in what has become a shaky economy. :rolleyes:

[grandgeezer]

Good thread, ghstudio! :cool:

 

Actually, my current sparse collection of count-down clocks (one, to be precise) results more from X's recent ridiculous pricing policies, and the steadfast refusal of the airlines to lower fares/fees -- now that fuel is steadily dropping in cost. Like many long-time X cruisers, I'm tired of being told that I'm not young enough, hip enough, or rich enough to fit X's new target demographic. Not to go all schadenfreude on you, but it will be interesting to see how this new "greed is good" marketing philosophy holds up in what has become a shaky economy. :rolleyes:

 

This is my feelings also. Back to the original post. I'm diversified enough that if the stock market drops another 30%, I'd have to revisit the impact it would have if we decided to cruise again.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

The answer to the original question is no.

 

What has mostly affected my cruise plans (or lack thereof) with Celebrity has been the crazy price increases, the insistence that OBC for booking on board be taken on the current cruise instead of on the one being booked, offering bonus points for a cruise and then not awarding them, crap like that. I have not booked a new cruise on my last 3 Celebrity cruises. Will see what happens on the next one this fall (booked long ago under the previous pricing scheme). There are plenty of other options out there for me to spend my vacation dollars on. Currently it's looking like Celebrity will not get much of a share of them.

 

[richsea]

I agree that Celebrity's pricing tactics are affecting my booking abits more that the financial situation. We have nothing booked now, & will wait to see how the future pricing shakes out.

 

With regard to on board booking, we were told on our last cruise that if we booked on board, we could apply the obc to the new sailing, even though it was not mentioned in the flyers.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I agree that Celebrity's pricing tactics are affecting my booking abits more that the financial situation. We have nothing booked now, & will wait to see how the future pricing shakes out.

 

With regard to on board booking, we were told on our last cruise that if we booked on board, we could apply the obc to the new sailing, even though it was not mentioned in the flyers.

 

Well I was specifically told no and so was my sister (two different reps). So neither of us have booked a future cruise lately.

 

Celebrity doing what it does best: being consistently inconsistent.

 

[ghstudio]

Well I was specifically told no and so was my sister (two different reps). So neither of us have booked a future cruise lately.

 

Celebrity doing what it does best: being consistently inconsistent.

 

 

Using the on board booking OBC on the current cruise is an option, not a requirement. The future cruise folks on your ship must have been confused or misunderstood the on-board offers. Why don't I find this confusion by a celebrity rep a surprise?

[k9x8]

The most impact on our economy is the unemployed of over 90 million people . Then there is 46 million on food stamps & 50 + million in poverty . Yes this is in the USA & not some foreign country . :eek:

 

90 million?!

Well, maybe if you count toddlers and assisted living residents.

[DWhit]

Well, maybe if you count toddlers and assisted living residents.

Would that be double counting, since many assisted living residents might toddle? The devil is always in the details! :D

[richsea]

Well I was specifically told no and so was my sister (two different reps). So neither of us have booked a future cruise lately.

 

Celebrity doing what it does best: being consistently inconsistent.

 

 

We were surprised & happy when she told us it was possible to defer the obc, but then we saw the cost of the sailing we were interested in; cringed & passed.

 

She did hint that they deliberately left off the future obc in the wording, but never really came out & said it. I had read here that you couldn't defer it. The only thing consistent about X is their inconsistency!

[2CatsInFlorida]

Unemployed persons is only 7.9 million according to the BLS, not 90 million. Growth , though slow, is still positive at about 2.5 percent. Housing last month was up 14 percent. This is a temporary market over reaction. There is a saying that the the stock market has correctly forecast nine of the last five recessions. All bets are off, however, if a radical gets the presidency and wants to go back to the gold standard or dramatically cut government spending. JMHO

[jjh9]

Unemployed persons is only 7.9 million according to the BLS, not 90 million. Growth , though slow, is still positive at about 2.5 percent. Housing last month was up 14 percent. This is a temporary market over reaction. There is a saying that the the stock market has correctly forecast nine of the last five recessions. All bets are off, however, if a radical gets the presidency and wants to go back to the gold standard or dramatically cut government spending. JMHO

The 90 million comes from unemployed under employed and those who have stopped looking for work.

[Deeliteful]

I booked my next Celebrity cruise on my last Celebrity cruise and got OBC on the cruise I was on plus on the cruise I had booked plus paid gratuities and a free drinks package and a very low deposit. A no brainier IMO.

 

Would like yo know turmoil is going on in Central and Eastern Europe that would make me cancel a Danube cruise though?

[Deeliteful]

Won't let me edit so above should say no brainier! And would like to know what turmoil......

[Coastalrap]

Certainly the economy is to be considered but the biggest concern is the uncertain security in Europe. We canceled one cruise (6 in our group) to Europe already and rebooked to the Caribbean. We also just took an AZ/NZ cruise.

At this point we have written off Europe, I hope that it will stabilize in the near future but so far we don’t see any signs that steps are being taken to change things.

[k9x8]

We own a boarding kennel If the stock market stays down, our wealthier, retired clientele will reduce their travel days per year. With gas prices low, our middle class clientele will increase their number of travel days. Hence, our income remains stable enough to plan our annual trip to Europe.

 

We keep changing our minds. As much as we enjoy our Med cruises, this may be the year for a land trip due to the low euro. In terms of US dollars, the cost is lower than it was, 6, 7, 8 years ago, while cruise prices are higher.

 

Security is not a factor in our decision.

[woodyren]

I am 60 and still work part time. I draw a small transition to retirement pension but contribute more than that as a salary sacrifice back into my superannuation as this has tax advantages.

On paper my superannuation is dropping but I also buying more units at a lower price with my salary sacrifice.

 

The result is that currently the drop is not affecting our cruise plans. We only book bargains and have 51 days booked this year in mostly balconies for under an average of 100AUD pp per day including all taxes and port charges.

 

If the market continues into a rout or the economy collapses so my part time work stops then things will change. At present all it means is that I may have to work longer.

 

I think also that as others have said bargains will be more readily available and we are in a good position to head off on short notice.

 

 

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Forums mobile app

Edited January 22, 2016 by woodyren

[jjh9]

Yes we need to move on. I do have three 3 cruises booked 1-11 days and 2-14days.

[TxnAquarian]

No changes here. We are only in our 30s, so retirement isn't a big issue at the moment. But we also have no debt and aren't going to have kids, so we have plenty of disposable income for cruising. We are continuing to book two cruises a year. Nothing will come between us and our cruises! :D

 

 

 

Michael

[TrulyBlonde]

No changes here. We are only in our 30s, so retirement isn't a big issue at the moment. But we also have no debt and aren't going to have kids, so we have plenty of disposable income for cruising. We are continuing to book two cruises a year. Nothing will come between us and our cruises! :D

 

 

 

Michael

 

Hi Michael, I bought oil yesterday;-)) Yes, we are still cruising, hope to see you again soon.

[TxnAquarian]

Hi Michael, I bought oil yesterday;-)) Yes, we are still cruising, hope to see you again soon.

 

 

Hope to see you again, as well. I still tell Omar that I was bowled over by your elegance! Happy cruising!

 

 

 

Michael

[TrulyBlonde]

Hope to see you again, as well. I still tell Omar that I was bowled over by your elegance! Happy cruising!

 

 

 

Michael

 

Thank you Michael and Omar,

You know I just adore a man (men) with good taste:)...Classics will always be in vogue..Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Julie Christie;-)....til we meet again xo