How will you spend the money you are not spending on cruising with Princess?

[easyliving]

On 5/14/2020 at 9:13 AM, easyliving said:

We have gone around and around on this.  At first, we felt we just have to be patient but now we feel cruising isn't safe any time soon, nor is air travel.  Since we live in NYC, we want to support theatre, restaurants, museums etc. when the City finally opens up.  We are also planning an Amtrak trip across the country and maybe a houseboat rental in Sausilito.  It breaks my heart because cruising has allowed me to see the world and I truly wanted to continue with that.  And I love those mid winter Caribbean cruises.  Right now, we are just taking a breather and planning other ways to travel.

While on this "hiatus", we're trying to suppport our local small restaurants by once a week ordering dinner for pick up  or delivery (we live in probably the last place to open up.). We've done some minor sprucing up at home that we would have done anyway.  This morning I readjusted my thinking and if Princess makes some major changes, we might be back.  The big one would be taking care of the crew.  If that means a more expensive cruise, so be it.  We'll just go less often.  We'll take an Amtrak to the port to avoid flying.  But in the meantime, there are other ways for us to take a little vacation break.

[Daniel A]

4 minutes ago, easyliving said:

While on this "hiatus", we're trying to suppport our local small restaurants by once a week ordering dinner for pick up  or delivery (we live in probably the last place to open up.). We've done some minor sprucing up at home that we would have done anyway.  This morning I readjusted my thinking and if Princess makes some major changes, we might be back.  The big one would be taking care of the crew.  If that means a more expensive cruise, so be it.  We'll just go less often.  We'll take an Amtrak to the port to avoid flying.  But in the meantime, there are other ways for us to take a little vacation break.

You could always drive up to Albany for some Thai food... 😁

[PrincessLuver]

On 5/14/2020 at 3:23 PM, Linsifer said:

Time to change your user name! 😉 

 

Nah.....I am actually LUVing watching Princess sink because they are such a dishonest corporation now and if they are unwilling to give back people's hard earned money then they do not need to be in business if they are becoming a fraudulent company!!!

[dog]

1) helping out those who lost work

2) gift money for GD for crafts, clothes 

3) take out once/ week from small local restaurants 

4)  booked cruise for Spring 2021

 

Will not fly or cruise in 2020

 

my cash refunds were only for deposits, taxes, port fees, excursions, pre cruise purchases. So the FCC pays the cruise fare. 
 

be safe, be kind. 

[npcl]

3 hours ago, easyliving said:

While on this "hiatus", we're trying to suppport our local small restaurants by once a week ordering dinner for pick up  or delivery (we live in probably the last place to open up.). We've done some minor sprucing up at home that we would have done anyway.  This morning I readjusted my thinking and if Princess makes some major changes, we might be back.  The big one would be taking care of the crew.  If that means a more expensive cruise, so be it.  We'll just go less often.  We'll take an Amtrak to the port to avoid flying.  But in the meantime, there are other ways for us to take a little vacation break.

You do know that Amtrak is also a relatively closed tube, that you are in longer than on a flight. Unless you are booking a private room that you don't go outside of, similar risk to flying.

[debkaysmith]

With four cruises cancelled this year - I am putting a new roof on my house!!! 

 

[npcl]

3 hours ago, PrincessLuver said:

 

Nah.....I am actually LUVing watching Princess sink because they are such a dishonest corporation now and if they are unwilling to give back people's hard earned money then they do not need to be in business if they are becoming a fraudulent company!!!

What is amazing is the number of people that are still sending in deposits and payments.

[easyliving]

23 hours ago, npcl said:

You do know that Amtrak is also a relatively closed tube, that you are in longer than on a flight. Unless you are booking a private room that you don't go outside of, similar risk to flying.

L

 

23 hours ago, npcl said:

You do know that Amtrak is also a relatively closed tube, that you are in longer than on a flight. Unless you are booking a private room that you don't go outside of, similar risk to flying.

 

23 hours ago, npcl said:

What is amazing is the number of people that are still sending in deposits and payments.

 

[easyliving]

I know about Amtrak but thanks for the reminder.  I guess we are "on hold" for a while.  It's fine for now.  I'm back to being reluctant to ever cruise again.  There are many places to travel and ways to do it.  But I will miss our Princess cruises.  This morning at breakfast my husband asked where did I want our first trip to be when we can travel again.  So we have thought about two.  Not going to Albany for Thai food in the mean time (an inside NY joke.) 😀

[dog]

23 hours ago, npcl said:

What is amazing is the number of people that are still sending in deposits and payments.

    .....
delete 

[bookmama22]

I cannot imagine anyone planning to cruise this year or even next year or in many cases, ever again. We are not making any vacation plans for the rest of the year and just learned that a family wedding in Miami that was moved to October from April is now moved to next April. 

 

While we have enjoyed cruising for the most part especially the memorable Alaska cruise from several years ago,  it is hardly our favorite vacation. We much prefer driving trips either in the U. S, Eastern Canada or Europe. 

 

So sad to read yesterday that Tanglewood is officially canceled for the summer as spending time in the Berkshires is one of my most favorite vacations. We love Tanglewood and the summer theaters such as Barrington Stage and the fine restaurants and the museums and historic homes. We suspected as much and hadn't booked any tickets or made any reservations anyplace. Every few summers we head up to Maine for a week as another all-time favorite vacation spots along with New Hampshire. 

So all of that is on hold..  glad we had a coastal California driving trip last June as part of an extended vacation to attend a wedding in Big Sur and we always enjoy a weekend in San Francisco whenever we can.

 

Currently my heart breaks for the estimated 100,000 crew members still on ships, many past their contracts and not getting paid and no plan to repatriate them. While no one could have anticipated dealing the magnitude of this situation and had a plan in place, it is hard for me to consider wanting to give my money to cruise ships until all this is resolved and extensive plans are in place for moving forward.

 

 

[BigGuy25]

On 5/12/2020 at 4:36 PM, Level six said:

We bought an RV with our yearly cruise budget!  No more cruises for us for a very, very long time.  

We did the same!!

[Level six]

2 hours ago, BigGuy25 said:

We did the same!!

Happy Travels!  I have been looking for a similar site like CC for RVer's, have you found any?  

[iancal]

We too are amazed at the apparent numbers of people who are taking FCC's instead or refunds or who are actually putting down cash to buy cruises when the cruise environment, itineraries, etc. are anything but solid.   Our view is that buying a pig in a poke cruise, or putting money down on one, will not in any way secure the future of the cruise industry or bring it back to the level we enjoyed in the past.  Nor is their any guarantee that what is being purchased or reserved is what is what will be delivered.

 

Our cruising is down over the past two years.  This pause in even shopping for cruises has caused us to put cruising out of our minds for at least two or three years.  Instead we have developed a list of four extended land trips, plus a back up or two, that we do even before we think of another cruise.  By that time the unknowns will be know and the industry will have settled from a financial perspective.

Edited May 18, 2020 by iancal

[Thrak]

28 minutes ago, iancal said:

Instead we have developed a list of four extended land trips, plus a back up or two, that we do even before we think of another cruise. 

 

If the land destinations ever open up. We would love to be on a long land trip but there's nowhere to go...

Edited May 18, 2020 by Thrak

[Daniel A]

10 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

If the land destinations ever open up. We would love to be on a long land trip but there's nowhere to go...

There's always Wal-Mart parking lots.  😒

[iancal]

There will be and I suspect it will happen before some ports open up to cruising.  Even when cruising and overseas travel is completely open we will be placing land travel well before taking cruises.  Not because of health concerns but out of preference.  Greece has announced that they will be open on July 1.  Not that we will be going at that time of year but others will.  If Thailand and Vietnam are open next winter we will certainly return there and won't even consider a winter cruise.  Same for some other destinations on our list.....both favourites and new.

Edited May 18, 2020 by iancal

[partybarbie]

55 minutes ago, iancal said:

We too are amazed at the apparent numbers of people who are taking FCC's ...

 

We took the FCC's for a few reasons: 1) We wanted to help support a company that we own stock in and have enjoyed vacationing with.  2) We have other cruises booked that we were able to apply the FCC's to.  3) Unlike others that asked for cash back, we have already received our FCC's.  4) Even if we never get to use our FCC's, the amount ($6,000) is a drop in the bucket compared to the stock market losses in our IRA's and 401K's.  5) We are optimistic about our ability to cruise in the future. 6) We no longer spend time worrying about things we have no control over.

 

Everyone should do what is best for them.  We are all in the same storm, just different ships. 😉

Edited May 18, 2020 by partybarbie