All inclusive. Not really. Expensive, YES!

[Fouremco]

2 minutes ago, HMR74 said:

its 53 a day PP

 

I think there is a basic playground and beach to use.

 

zip line more, pool cabanas more

beach cabanas even more and over the water cabanas out of sight.

there is "complementary" food but I bet its like the buffet in a way, pizza, burgers, hot dogs , probably salad etc.

 

My expectations for the family cruise are different-its all about the kids/grandkids.

 

But I continue to have a good laugh over it all. As I shake my head and roll my eyes.

 

 

 

One of the reasons I'd skip any itinerary that stops at CocoCay or similar destinations.

[HMR74]

27 minutes ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

We have "moved up" to booking small suites and flying overseas in Business.  In our younger days planning included the best ways to save money while traveling.  This is the way we treat ourselves.  No longer can tolerate "cattle class" flying and enjoy the benefits of a larger cabin while cruising.  No longer concerned about "tier" levels, airline or cruise line, just enjoy the experience.  Being retired now for 12 years and on good retirement pensions we can afford the added "luxury" of more space and better treatment by the travel industry.  Coupled with rarely eating out at home and not buying a new car every other year (we have two long-term BWMs with low miles in the garage), enjoying a home in Florida (hate the politics) we are within driving distance of all major ports.  Life is good - will be better in we can embark our three scheduled cruises (TAs and Europe) in 2022.

agree on your theories:

however, prices and miles for business or first class had skyrocketed prior to covid. A few years back it was 60k miles to Bejing and back from Hong Kong for first class, and coach was 35k each way-no brainer. Last year for the cancelled cruise it was 37k coach vs 250 or more business  and even more first to Singapore, and similar back from Sydney. 

 

So for 37k PP each way I took coach and status with American snared us the 2 seat bulkhead location-just fine if all you are going to do is sleep anyway. When covid came out and it appeared like Hong Kong woudl be closed, I booked 2 seats on United thru Flights by Celebrity via San Fran, the fare was 400 or so each but first was 8k. No way. Took  the  coach and easily cancelled.

 

yet another challenge will be the limited 2022  flight schedules as of now esp international.

Edited April 30, 2021 by HMR74

[LGW59]

On 4/26/2021 at 8:34 AM, CroozFanatic said:

I think Virgin got it right with their mostly all inclusive - specialty dining, wifi, gratuities, sodas, fitness classes, 18+.

 

Drinks are by the glass. Not a huge deal, but as a non-drinker, I actually like that there is no unlimited drink package.

 

Easy to copy.

You do realize though, that if you are paying for all inclusive and do not use many of those inclusives, you are still paying a higher price, Virgin is just shifting the $$ responsibility across all passengers.  Personally, I would never stay at an all inclusive anything, IF I did not avail myself to most of what they have to offer, which I always do.

Edited April 30, 2021 by LGW59
grammar

[LGW59]

22 minutes ago, HMR74 said:

its 53 a day PP

 

I think there is a basic playground and beach to use.

 

zip line more, pool cabanas more

beach cabanas even more and over the water cabanas out of sight.

there is "complementary" food but I bet its like the buffet in a way, pizza, burgers, hot dogs , probably salad etc.

 

My expectations for the family cruise are different-its all about the kids/grandkids.

 

But I continue to have a good laugh over it all. As I shake my head and roll my eyes.

 

 

 

Definitely agree if you are sailing with kiddos, that ship and island would have zero interest for me though.  Wonder how I will feel when I have grandkids and we plan a family vacation...be afraid, very afraid!

[HMR74]

2 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

You do realize though, that if you are paying for all inclusive and do not use many of those inclusives, you are still paying a higher price, Virgin is just shifting the $$ responsibility across all passengers.  Personally, I would never stay at an all inclusive anything, I did not avail myself to most of what they have to offer.

great, however, It not difficult to see for someone like myself, that I come out ok on the drinks, internet and gratuities.

 

and on the private island issue, we would not go there if the grandkids were not with us, and as I mentioned the grandkids would go nuts/bored on Celebrity-which means on internet by default. . Not sure I'd be on Royal Caribbean even without kids. I am not into all the glitz. The Ensemble lounge is my speed. I have priced similar cruises and found prices for what we do pretty similar  between Celebrity and Royal.

 

[HMR74]

10 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

Definitely agree if you are sailing with kiddos, that ship and island would have zero interest for me though.  Wonder how I will feel when I have grandkids and we plan a family vacation...be afraid, very afraid!

nah, you might piss and moan a bit, but deep down you would enjoy every moment of it. The kids know I am easy.

 

Next month  June, we are going to the beach house we rent. Same concept as when I was a kid where 350 sq ft of cottage on the beach was good for 4 of us, but now we rent a 4,500 sq ft house for 8 of us with 5 baths rather than 1, etc. But s'mores are the same technology now as it was 65 years ago, and the same for toasting marshmallows.

 

As the mastercard commercial says, priceless.

[PTC DAWG]

48 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

One of the reasons I'd skip any itinerary that stops at CocoCay or similar destinations.

Much like GSC, I’m fairly sure you can get off the ship free and hit the beach at CocoCay...

[grandgeezer]

56 minutes ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

We have "moved up" to booking small suites and flying overseas in Business.  In our younger days planning included the best ways to save money while traveling.  This is the way we treat ourselves.  No longer can tolerate "cattle class" flying and enjoy the benefits of a larger cabin while cruising.  No longer concerned about "tier" levels, airline or cruise line, just enjoy the experience.  Being retired now for 12 years and on good retirement pensions we can afford the added "luxury" of more space and better treatment by the travel industry.  Coupled with rarely eating out at home and not buying a new car every other year (we have two long-term BWMs with low miles in the garage), enjoying a home in Florida (hate the politics) we are within driving distance of all major ports.  Life is good - will be better in we can embark our three scheduled cruises (TAs and Europe) in 2022.

To us, it's not about the cost itself, it's what we perceive as value for the money. We've tried suites and flying first class and to us, the value isn't there. We buy a new car about every three years, and our new Lexus is sitting in the garage, collecting dust as we put on less than 2,000 miles per year. We have just about anything we want and do whatever we want. We are in the process of planning a 3-4 week fully escorted trip to Europe next year. We've been retired for almost 20 years and actually have three times as much money as we did then. 

[Fouremco]

6 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

Much like GSC, I’m fairly sure you can get off the ship free and hit the beach at CocoCay...

It's not the cost but the ambiance that I find unappealing. Spending the day there would be like spending a sea day on an RCI ship during March break!  Which, BTW, I've done when taking our kids and grandkids on a family cruise a couple of years ago. 😊

[iancal]

17 minutes ago, grandgeezer said:

To us, it's not about the cost itself, it's what we perceive as value for the money. We've tried suites and flying first class and to us, the value isn't there. We buy a new car about every three years, and our new Lexus is sitting in the garage, collecting dust as we put on less than 2,000 miles per year. We have just about anything we want and do whatever we want. We are in the process of planning a 3-4 week fully escorted trip to Europe next year. We've been retired for almost 20 years and actually have three times as much money as we did then. 

Exactly the same with us.   We are in the same position.   Affordability is not this issue.  It is about value and it is about the price and value of competing travel alternatives that we like just as much as we do cruising.

[FlyerTalker]

1 hour ago, grandgeezer said:

We've been retired for almost 20 years and actually have three times as much money as we did then. 

 

OK folks.....that grand cruise game of "Can you top this?" is back.  Sure, it's not around the table in the dining room (be it MDR or one of the "elite" rooms), but we all know folks who play this so, so very well.  So step right up and top this one!!

[Oceangoer2]

7 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

OK folks.....that grand cruise game of "Can you top this?" is back.  Sure, it's not around the table in the dining room (be it MDR or one of the "elite" rooms), but we all know folks who play this so, so very well.  So step right up and top this one!!

I saw that brewing as well.  Can't play the game, sorry.

[LGW59]

10 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

OK folks.....that grand cruise game of "Can you top this?" is back.  Sure, it's not around the table in the dining room (be it MDR or one of the "elite" rooms), but we all know folks who play this so, so very well.  So step right up and top this one!!

Precisely why whether I cruise alone or with a friend, I never sit at a group table for dinner and have always been accommodated by the staff.  

[HMR74]

LOL: one of my favorite lines from a friend 30 years ago is "we always go first class--we just cannot stay as long as others".

[cantstopingcruising]

Give the guy a break.

 

He tripled his money in 20 years, not overnight!

 

He must have retired with an excellent pension which enabled him to grow his portfolio.

 

More power to him and others in the same position!

[HMR74]

8 minutes ago, cantstopingcruising said:

Give the guy a break.

 

He tripled his money in 20 years, not overnight!

 

He must have retired with an excellent pension which enabled him to grow his portfolio.

 

More power to him and others in the same position!

The Dow in 2000 was 11,000, it's 34,000 today.

 

How much have cruises, pound for pound, gone up since 2000?

 

BTW, the government yesterday acknowledged that inflation in the 1st quarter this year was 3.5%, (leaving out food and energy,  and healthcare costs) but a 10 year treasury bond, is paying 1.6%, pre tax. Yesterdays 1 month treasury bill sold at a 0.00% yield. Investors and seniors cannot play it safe with bonds or money market funds. And the money is flowing to the stock market. And pensions assuming 7-8% returns cannot meet those targets, and many are seriously underfunded. Just like Social Security and Medicare are underfunded.

 

Conclusion: enjoy it while it lasts.

 

 

[PTC DAWG]

2 hours ago, Fouremco said:

It's not the cost but the ambiance that I find unappealing. Spending the day there would be like spending a sea day on an RCI ship during March break!  Which, BTW, I've done when taking our kids and grandkids on a family cruise a couple of years ago. 😊

Gotcha, never been on a Royal Ship...I am looking at the cruise out of Nassau this summer, it overnights in CocoCay.  

[HMR74]

4 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

Gotcha, never been on a Royal Ship...I am looking at the cruise out of Nassau this summer, it overnights in CocoCay.  

I tried telling my wife I'd stay on the ship that day. She told me in no uncertain terms no way, we do it as a full family.

 

And while we do not cruise all that much, I cannot see going on a cruise for the 2 of us over a school break. That's when you have free for alls fighting for lounges by the pool etc. Doing it for the kids/grandkids, and myself to be around them.

 

And that's the big difference between  RCL and Celebrity-marketing to 2 different groups within the  same big company. 6700 passengers vs 3000. Wife and I are cringing a bit at taking the  grandkids to MDR for dinner. Still working with them on wild concept of eating over the table, and staying put till all are finished. They are winning.

[cantstopingcruising]

40 minutes ago, HMR74 said:

The Dow in 2000 was 11,000, it's 34,000 today.

 

How much have cruises, pound for pound, gone up since 2000?

 

BTW, the government yesterday acknowledged that inflation in the 1st quarter this year was 3.5%, (leaving out food and energy,  and healthcare costs) but a 10 year treasury bond, is paying 1.6%, pre tax. Yesterdays 1 month treasury bill sold at a 0.00% yield. Investors and seniors cannot play it safe with bonds or money market funds. And the money is flowing to the stock market. And pensions assuming 7-8% returns cannot meet those targets, and many are seriously underfunded. Just like Social Security and Medicare are underfunded.

 

Conclusion: enjoy it while it lasts.

 

 

As far as cruises are concerned, don't forget they have been eliminating something or other every year, so they are always cutting down.

 

As to the stock market, keep your fingers crossed! The problem is if you sell something that has soared after the last 20 years, think of the taxes!!   Can't win!

[HMR74]

6 minutes ago, cantstopingcruising said:

As far as cruises are concerned, don't forget they have been eliminating something or other every year, so they are always cutting down.

 

As to the stock market, keep your fingers crossed! The problem is if you sell something that has soared after the last 20 years, think of the taxes!!   Can't win!

Right now the cap gains rate is 15-20%-but its apparently doubling give or take negotiations. Sell Mortimer, sell (from movie trading places)

 

For inflation, I have my chicken dinner index at a place we have been going to for 30 years. In 2000 a chicken dinner, soup or salad, potato, veggie and 1/2 chicken was 6.95-its 22.95 now.

 

I also have my skirt steak indicator. I used to be able to buy the outside better cut (not for fajitas, thats inside) for $3.95 and now its $17 on sale and $22 regular price.

we always have the smartphone indicator--I am still grumpy we cannot get those for free with  2 year contract. But $1300?

[Cruisin 4 Ever]

It really isn't unfair. You may not drink alcohol but you do tip and there are TONS of fancy drinks that have no alcohol that you can still get. Plus specialty coffees, etc. 

I often cruise on Carnival as well as Celebrity. If I add in drinks, gratuities and WIFI to a Carnival Cruise it is quite a bit more expensive than Celebrity and although I like Carnival, Celebrity is definitely a more luxury cruiseline.

[grandgeezer]

3 hours ago, Cruisin 4 Ever said:

It really isn't unfair. You may not drink alcohol but you do tip and there are TONS of fancy drinks that have no alcohol that you can still get. Plus specialty coffees, etc. 

I often cruise on Carnival as well as Celebrity. If I add in drinks, gratuities and WIFI to a Carnival Cruise it is quite a bit more expensive than Celebrity and although I like Carnival, Celebrity is definitely a more luxury cruiseline.

It isn't fair. You shouldn't be forced to drink drinks just to "get your monies worth".

[Pinboy]

2 minutes ago, grandgeezer said:

It isn't fair. You shouldn't be forced to drink drinks just to "get your monies worth".

Whatya worried about ???  Spend a little-- LOL--- Didn't you say : 

" We've been retired for almost 20 years and actually have three times as much money as we did then". 

I hope I meet you someday-- I'll buy you all the drinks you want with my AI package--- that I don't like .

Even though I don't drink liquor , I'm gonna " sock it to 'em " by eating lots of good food, enjoying the excellent service , meeting nice people, and having a great time. 

That oughta get me  " my monies worth ". 

 

 

[grandgeezer]

10 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

Whatya worried about ???  Spend a little-- LOL--- Didn't you say : 

" We've been retired for almost 20 years and actually have three times as much money as we did then". 

I hope I meet you someday-- I'll buy you all the drinks you want with my AI package--- that I don't like .

Even though I don't drink liquor , I'm gonna " sock it to 'em " by eating lots of good food, enjoying the excellent service , meeting nice people, and having a great time. 

That oughta get me  " my monies worth ". 

 

 

The point is it’s my money and I determine if something is worth it. I don’t care what you do with your money, it’s apparent you don’t either. You don’t have to worry about meeting me, I have a special sense that steers me clear of no it all braggarts.

[NantahalaCruiser]

24 minutes ago, grandgeezer said:

It isn't fair. You shouldn't be forced to drink drinks just to "get your monies worth".

Fare is Fair - there is no prejudice or favoritism - just market forces at work.

 

40 years ago I enjoyed flying in coach with knee-room greater than the current premium seating and meals that were as good or better than today's domestic first class (BTW, they currently only consist of snacks - supposedly due to COVID but also probably due to the desire to lower expenses.)  Do I consider it unfair?  No; it was a business decision that I have adjusted to - as I now fly as little as possible.

 

Same with cruising - adjust to the market realities and enjoy what you find of value to you and your family.