Serious Question

[Boltonian]

I would love to know how people can afford to do so many cruises, sometimes more than one a year. They are not exactly cheap. I had to save up for a number of years to go on my first, the CMV world cruise, this year but met many people who had been on 20+ cruises. None seemed especially rich.

[Roz]

Most of us take short cruises - 7 days or less. 7 days is the average.

 

Roz

[Suzieanna]

Well, most people probably haven't had a world cruise as their first !!

 

but when you get a taste for something you find the money somehow. Over the last 2 years for example I have 8 vacations - of which 6 were cruises 1 Singapore area, 2 in Caribbean, 1 northern Europe and 2 round the med. The other 2 were New York and Iceland.

 

but I haven't had ANYTHING else! - no booze, no cigs, no new car........ no nice food from M&S....

 

ALL of my money has gone on holidays. And it nearly killed me. I got so tired I didn't actually know where I was.

 

I was glad to get back to work for the rest to be honest.

[donaldsc]

I would love to know how people can afford to do so many cruises, sometimes more than one a year. They are not exactly cheap. I had to save up for a number of years to go on my first, the CMV world cruise, this year but met many people who had been on 20+ cruises. None seemed especially rich.

 

This reply is going to sound snarky but it is not meant as such. It is just being realistic.

 

First of all, many people who have significant wealth do not flaunt it but they do spend it on things that are important to them. Secondly, many cruisers are older who have invested wisely and have spent frugally so that they have money to spend on stuff when they are older. Thirdly, some younger people do not spend money to have the latest version of whatever gadget is important to them and thus have money to spend on other things. Lastly and this is the bad planner group, some people just spend money on cruises that they either don't have or that they should be putting into their 401k plans for retirement.

 

DON

[taglovestocruise]

Your CMV world cruise was over $12,000 pp for a inside. Our upcoming Symphony transatlantic in a balcony is $2500 pp including airfare. I can do 5 or 6 for the price of your one, Talk about apples and oranges. On the other hand my older son and his girl friend go to a move and dinner every Saturday night, which is still more Than a 7 night cruise. Just depends who you want to give your money to.

[swaddy]

I would love to know how people can afford to do so many cruises, sometimes more than one a year. They are not exactly cheap. I had to save up for a number of years to go on my first, the CMV world cruise, this year but met many people who had been on 20+ cruises. None seemed especially rich.

I worked at a demanding job for over forty years. Both my husband and I have index linked pensions. We have no mortgage or debts, we don't live extravagant ly so our holidays are our main treat, a few coach tours, a cruise or two and several weekends away a year. We are also aware that all too soon we may not be physically able to do this, so making the most of it.

[George C]

:DI have done 60 plus cruises, house in paid for, car is paid for , no children

[dd likes to cruise]

We are in our 60’s. Have been on 10 cruises since Dec 2015. New to cruising. But we saw so many people on that 1st cruise in wheelchairs, walkers, and with oxygen, that we decided we want to cruise and spend time with each other and seeing the world before we can’t.

 

We also look for deals. We are just not throwing money away. We may run out of money, we will stop then. But better to do so with lots of enjoyable memories.

[mom says]

I would love to know how people can afford to do so many cruises, sometimes more than one a year. They are not exactly cheap. I had to save up for a number of years to go on my first, the CMV world cruise, this year but met many people who had been on 20+ cruises. None seemed especially rich.

- if I was inclined to do a world cruise (which I am most emphatically not), I'd have to save for a couple of years, too.

-"cheap" is relative. Depending on your choice of itinerary, cabin category, and time of year, cruises can be less expensive than a land vacation in the same part of the world.

-one can be comparatively wealthy without flaunting it. The guy sitting next to you at the bar could be a CEO, or a plumber; a Wall St. broker or a construction worker.

- affording to travel (whether by cruising or otherwise), is a matter of budgeting and priorities with whatever discretionary funds you have. We live comfortably, but modestly at home. No huge house. No new cars, trucks, boats or gadgets every year. Thus we can afford to indulge in our greatest pleasure: travel.

[Boltonian]

Thank you for your most interesting and informative replies. I am now closing this thread.

[SchoolNurseMom]

My husband and I both are near 50yrs. We have paid off our home and both have retirement/ 401K etc. with our jobs. We have found after 30 yrs of marriage and kids grown and gone, we don't need "stuff" We put money into an account we call "Vacation account" every single paycheck for both of us. We're blessed to take 2-3 7 night cruises per year and hope to increase that when we retire around 60ish. We're always joking about the last minute deals that we see on some of the TA websites and will hopefully be able to grab some of those instead of just dreaming once we actually retire. We live in Georgia, so driving to any ports in Florida is doable.

[Langley Cruisers]

We simply realized that we wanted to travel while we were still relatively young and mobile. We have been on quite a few cruises to various parts of the world, and have also taken many land vacations. We didn't make it everywhere we wanted to go, but it was a good start. Now with my illness upon me, we are so glad we did what we did. We worked hard to make it happen and it was well worth it, with many happy memories. :)

.

[sail7seas]

I would love to know how people can afford to do so many cruises, sometimes more than one a year. They are not exactly cheap. I had to save up for a number of years to go on my first, the CMV world cruise, this year but met many people who had been on 20+ cruises. None seemed especially rich.

 

]]What is a CMV world c ruise?

 

I have no desire to sail a world cruise but am very thankful I am able to ( in all the necesary ways) if I wish to or change my mind.

 

 

 

When my DH and I used to discuss World cuises, we agreed tt was not a 'must' for us. We sailed over 100+ cruises and had oh so many land trips. I am very happy we did so and did not wait for him to retire. Sadly, He did not live to retire. And I do not wish to do a world cruise without him. I really didn't want to when I still had him by my side.

Edited August 23, 2018 by sail7seas

[CruiseGal999]

I would love to know how people can afford to do so many cruises, sometimes more than one a year. They are not exactly cheap. I had to save up for a number of years to go on my first, the CMV world cruise, this year but met many people who had been on 20+ cruises. None seemed especially rich.

 

 

I just booked a last minute 22 day vacation ... 20 of those days is a B2B cruise departing on 09/08/18 from NY to Quebec and Quebec to NY. ALL IN ... it's $2,500. Air fare, insurance, cruise fare, taxis/shuttles, hotel rooms, etc. The only thing not included in that price is fun/spending $$.

 

I am older and on a fixed income, but pricewise and itinerary, I could NOT pass this up.

[CruiseGal999]

We are in our 60’s. Have been on 10 cruises since Dec 2015. New to cruising. But we saw so many people on that 1st cruise in wheelchairs, walkers, and with oxygen, that we decided we want to cruise and spend time with each other and seeing the world before we can’t.

 

We also look for deals. We are just not throwing money away. We may run out of money, we will stop then. But better to do so with lots of enjoyable memories.

 

I was 30 when I got married and we honeymooned in Yellowstone. Like you said, I saw SO many adult children wheeling around a parent and helping the other parent to walk. I was SO grateful I was there when I could walk & hike and be active.

[sail7seas]

I just booked a last minute 22 day vacation ... 20 of those days is a B2B cruise departing on 09/08/18 from NY to Quebec and Quebec to NY. ALL IN ... it's $2,500. Air fare, insurance, cruise fare, taxis/shuttles, hotel rooms, etc. The only thing not included in that price is fun/spending $$.

 

I am older and on a fixed income, but pricewise and itinerary, I could NOT pass this up.

 

 

It sounds wonderful. Hope you really enjoy it.

[JimnKaren]

My kids said that it is OK to spend money. So, we do. Both of us in our 70s and we have almost 500 days in the past 23 years on board ships, with plenty more scheduled. We don't do suites, doesn't make sense to us. That can use up money really quick. And, prices are slowly rising. Many years ago, I tried not to book anything for more than $100/day/person. Not easy to do anymore.

 

 

 

And...how did the OP think that he/she was going the 'close' this thread? Maybe not ever look again, but one cannot 'close' a thread.

 

 

 

Jim

[CruiseGal999]

Thank you for your most interesting and informative replies. I am now closing this thread.

 

Anyone else get the feeling the OP didn't get the information/answers he wanted to hear/get?

[paul929207]

You will probably get a different story from each responder. My wife and I worked hard and saved our money. We have not paid a penny in interest in over 25 years. We invested our money and have watched it grow.

[Enforcer]

My kids said that it is OK to spend money. So, we do. Both of us in our 70s and we have almost 500 days in the past 23 years on board ships, with plenty more scheduled. We don't do suites, doesn't make sense to us. That can use up money really quick. And, prices are slowly rising. Many years ago, I tried not to book anything for more than $100/day/person. Not easy to do anymore.

 

 

 

And...how did the OP think that he/she was going the 'close' this thread? Maybe not ever look again, but one cannot 'close' a thread.

 

 

 

Jim

 

Hi,

Come on he's from Bolton

:):):)

[Suzieanna]

Anyone else get the feeling the OP didn't get the information/answers he wanted to hear/get?

I was thinking that too! Don’t know what he expected though??

 

It’s also impossible to tell who is “rich” It’s all relative. There is always someone with more money, same as there is always someone with less. What I love about cruising though is the opportunity to meet people who maybe under normal circumstances I would never have.

[CruiseGal999]

My kids said that it is OK to spend money. So, we do. Both of us in our 70s and we have almost 500 days in the past 23 years on board ships, with plenty more scheduled. We don't do suites, doesn't make sense to us. That can use up money really quick. And, prices are slowly rising. Many years ago, I tried not to book anything for more than $100/day/person. Not easy to do anymore.

 

 

 

And...how did the OP think that he/she was going the 'close' this thread? Maybe not ever look again, but one cannot 'close' a thread.

 

 

 

Jim

 

I was wondering about that also.

 

Just for a comparison ... my first cruise was in 1982 and I was 19. I paid $500 all in from a Sat to Sat Carnival Cruise Boston - Bermuda. When I got on board, the cabin was a quad ... all 4 bunks. 3 of us were from same insurance company, 4th person was someone we didn't know. She may have been part of the 'group' that was coordinated by a woman at the insurance company we worked at. That 4th could have been a friend of a friend of a ...

 

This Sept. I am a solo in an interior cabin and the first leg of the cruise is $599 before any taxes/fees, etc., and no solo supplements/cost. Either I was TAKEN so long ago or just grabbed a deal this time. I DO agree ... overall cruise prices are really getting expensive. My cruise to Cuba last year was VERY expensive ... considering it was a 4 day cruise.

[sail7seas]

Anyone else get the feeling the OP didn't get the information/answers he wanted to hear/get?

 

 

I really wondered if he/she thought any would give a real monetary discussio n answer............ or maybe wanted to hear many of us won a big lottery priz e. :)

[Roz]

One of my neighbors owns a septic tank cleaning company. :eek: He does pretty well for himself, and I don't know if he even graduated from high school. He's a hard work and a sharp businessman. If you saw him after he comes home from work, you would never know he lives in a 6,000+ sq. ft. house and put 4 kids through college, expensive colleges at that. Looks can be deceiving.

 

Roz

[jocap]

]]What is a CMV world c ruise?

 

Cruise and Maritime Voyages are a growing cruise line in the UK, which use older ships, including the Marco Polo. They have a world cruise on one of their ships each winter. :)