Do you ever feel you have to justify your cruising addiction

[duck512]

We have family & friends who own big boats that they keep out on Lake Erie and they put moola $$$'s in them and they think that their expenses are justified & they only have 3-4 months a year to use them, so I just tell them that "we are about to take "our" boat out again. "We only take it out 2-3 times a year." LOL!! :D

[MaryZ]

Yes, we have to justify our "addiction" to alot of people. My son-in-law gets really upset when we tell them we are going on another cruise, because he feels that we are spending our daughter and grandchildren's inheritance. We tell him that's about right, we believe that everyone (including him) should work for the thigs they want, and not rely on others. WE DID!!

This from a man that makes $400k a year and still can't afford a house big enough for his family.

 

I find this rather humorous. The man who makes $400,000 a year can't afford a house big enough for his family and what? Your daughter has nothing at all to do with that, right?

Somehow I doubt he is the one spending all his income.

[carm225]

Oh yes you do, when do you start?

 

I start a week from today! :D This is my last Monday here! Woohoo!:p

[pink roses]

Yes, I understand what you are saying. People who do not cruise do not realize what a deal cruising can be. On our upcoming cruise DH and I were going to go away for the weekend to celebrate his birthday. We decided to check the prices and were able to get a short cruise for less than what we could have eaten and stayed at a nice hotel for a couple days. Unless you are a cruiser you do not understand that.

Also, I think as with anything we can find the money and time for the things we want and enjoy.

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

My daughter (16) gave me an earful this weekend. I called her an ungrateful little biotch.

 

History: My DH & I went to Hawaii without the kids. Had a blast and got cruise fever. When we got home, we were invited to join a big group of friends to go on a Mexican Riviera cruise so we signed up. We offered for the kids to go & we'd get a small inside cabin instead of a balcony for not much more $. We were willing to take them along. My daughter said she had no interest in going to Mexico. My sons grades were horrible so I decided to make him work for it. He wants to go to Hawaii really bad so he's working on grades to go next year.

 

My daughter gets her drivers license this month. I offered her a reward of $500 if she could obey our rules and get no tickets or accidents by her 18th b-day. All she had to do is follow the rules/laws. She snarled and said how about $1000. I said be thankful for the $500 cuz we'll have to take out a loan for that. She started crying and going on and on about how we can afford to take cruises but can't even afford this. We are pathetic for not having $500 in the bank. We live paycheck to paycheck and I had to take a 401K loan for my upcoming cruise. I deserve to spend the money as I choose to since I work for it. I TAKE MY KIDS ON SUMMER VACATION EVERY YEAR WITHOUT FAIL. I HAVE NEVER DENIED THEM A VACATION WHICH IS A LOT MORE THAN I EVER HAD AS A KID. My kids are obviously spoiled rotten. They've never had to go without anything ever. I had to go without food often as a kid so my single mom could keep us together. I don't want my kids to live that way so I make sure they are taken care of. But I make them work for extra's like DD wants an $80 pair of shoes I pay $25 and she pays the rest. Walmart shoes are fine but she insists on expensive stuff, then she picks up the excess. I shop at discount stores & buy new shirts for $3.99 not the $30 Hollister shirts. But I'm not allowed to take a cruise??????? Bull. Can we fire our kids?

[kaleighsgram]

Blasphemy, taling about a cruise is not drivel!!

 

And personally I have stopped telling people about it. Just like when I had to get a new truck, oh "must be nice to have your money" whatever, they didn't know the reason I had to get it so screw em. They're everywhere.

Why did you get the truck, Jess?

Pat

[faeriechick]

My daughter (16) gave me an earful this weekend. I called her an ungrateful little biotch.

 

History: My DH & I went to Hawaii without the kids. Had a blast and got cruise fever. When we got home, we were invited to join a big group of friends to go on a Mexican Riviera cruise so we signed up. We offered for the kids to go & we'd get a small inside cabin instead of a balcony for not much more $. We were willing to take them along. My daughter said she had no interest in going to Mexico. My sons grades were horrible so I decided to make him work for it. He wants to go to Hawaii really bad so he's working on grades to go next year.

 

My daughter gets her drivers license this month. I offered her a reward of $500 if she could obey our rules and get no tickets or accidents by her 18th b-day. All she had to do is follow the rules/laws. She snarled and said how about $1000. I said be thankful for the $500 cuz we'll have to take out a loan for that. She started crying and going on and on about how we can afford to take cruises but can't even afford this. We are pathetic for not having $500 in the bank. We live paycheck to paycheck and I had to take a 401K loan for my upcoming cruise. I deserve to spend the money as I choose to since I work for it. I TAKE MY KIDS ON SUMMER VACATION EVERY YEAR WITHOUT FAIL. I HAVE NEVER DENIED THEM A VACATION WHICH IS A LOT MORE THAN I EVER HAD AS A KID. My kids are obviously spoiled rotten. They've never had to go without anything ever. I had to go without food often as a kid so my single mom could keep us together. I don't want my kids to live that way so I make sure they are taken care of. But I make them work for extra's like DD wants an $80 pair of shoes I pay $25 and she pays the rest. Walmart shoes are fine but she insists on expensive stuff, then she picks up the excess. I shop at discount stores & buy new shirts for $3.99 not the $30 Hollister shirts. But I'm not allowed to take a cruise??????? Bull. Can we fire our kids?

 

I'm so sorry! Unfortunately, your kids really don't know how good they have it. I think sometimes children forget that you don't owe them EVERYTHING just because you gave birth to them.

[kingofshafter]

my response to anyone critical of "another cruise" is OUR x 3 (our money, our time, our business).

[bubbles1209]

I guess I'm lucky, I have no in-laws:D I have no one to justify my taking trips to either, my dad passed 8 years ago, my mom's in a nursing home in her "own little world" more often there than here, and my kids 15 & 17 year olds (the 21 yr old is on his own already) live with their dad. Oh yes, I get the how can you afford it, and the it must be nice from the folks at work, but I just tell them, it's not as bad as you think. They don't have to justify spending most of their check at the liquor store across the street and being broke the day after pay day to me, and I don't need to justify saving my money and going on cruises to them.;) I figure I'm 40 years old, had never seen anything but work and home until our 1st cruise last June, and after that I was like, man, look what I've been missing. I figure I have my bills taken care of by the middle of each month, after that everything I make is extra. We plan 1 every 6 months, and always have money and vacation time saved up. If something happens in the family, family comes first and the trip can be re-scheduled, so we still have the money to deal with what we need to deal with as well as the time off. If nothing comes up in the family then off we go and no regrets. :D Life's too short to let it pass you by, get out, live it, enjoy it and the lifetime memories you get, those are the true souveniers. I'm not gonna justify my cruise addiction, I'm dang proud of it, how we choose to spend our money & our vacation time is our business, we earned it, not everyone else.;) What is it Bon Jovi says.............It's My Life:D

[glrounds]

When I get asked why I cruise so much ?

 

I say its because I'm CHEAP ! ! :D

When I see those "disbelieving" smiles, I continue . . .

 

I cruise the Mexican Riviera for around $1100 solo for an entire week. 600-700 for my cabin, 300-400 for my Sail'n'Sign (which includes duty-free perfume, cologne, or silver I buy for my ex and my son). :) This INCLUDES meals, an incredible ocean experience, and entertainment.

 

I then tell them go online, write down the co$t of a flight from LA to Puerto Vallarta, the co$t of a cab to a hotel, the co$t of the hotel, the co$t of the cab back to the airport. Add up the co$t of all meals and drinks, also.

Then, the co$t of a flight from Puerto Vallarta to Mazatlan, co$t of a cab to the hotel, the hotel co$t, the co$t of a cab back to the airport. Add up the co$t of all meals and drinks, also

Then, the co$t of a flight from Mazatlan to Los Cabos, co$t of a cab to the hotel, the hotel co$t, the co$t of a cab back to the airport. Add up the co$t of all meals and drinks, also.

Then, the co$t of a flight from Los Cabos back to LA.

Forget about the costs of entertainment, you'll spend most of your "free" time in planes and cabs. :rolleyes:

You'll be flying 4 out of the 7 days.

You'll be paying for 6 hotel stays.

You'll be paying for 21 meals and drinks.

You'll be paying for a cab 6 times.

You'll unpack and pack 3 times.

You'll arrive home swearing you're never going to get on an airplane again ! ! :eek:

 

Nuff said ? :D

 

"You can't please everyone, so you might as well please YOURSELF" . . . Ricky Nelson

[DqALEX]

I have no problem I can quit anytime LOL

[MaryZ]

My daughter (16) gave me an earful this weekend. I called her an ungrateful little biotch.

 

History: My DH & I went to Hawaii without the kids. Had a blast and got cruise fever. When we got home, we were invited to join a big group of friends to go on a Mexican Riviera cruise so we signed up. We offered for the kids to go & we'd get a small inside cabin instead of a balcony for not much more $. We were willing to take them along. My daughter said she had no interest in going to Mexico. My sons grades were horrible so I decided to make him work for it. He wants to go to Hawaii really bad so he's working on grades to go next year.

 

My daughter gets her drivers license this month. I offered her a reward of $500 if she could obey our rules and get no tickets or accidents by her 18th b-day. All she had to do is follow the rules/laws. She snarled and said how about $1000. I said be thankful for the $500 cuz we'll have to take out a loan for that. She started crying and going on and on about how we can afford to take cruises but can't even afford this. We are pathetic for not having $500 in the bank. We live paycheck to paycheck and I had to take a 401K loan for my upcoming cruise. I deserve to spend the money as I choose to since I work for it. I TAKE MY KIDS ON SUMMER VACATION EVERY YEAR WITHOUT FAIL. I HAVE NEVER DENIED THEM A VACATION WHICH IS A LOT MORE THAN I EVER HAD AS A KID. My kids are obviously spoiled rotten. They've never had to go without anything ever. I had to go without food often as a kid so my single mom could keep us together. I don't want my kids to live that way so I make sure they are taken care of. But I make them work for extra's like DD wants an $80 pair of shoes I pay $25 and she pays the rest. Walmart shoes are fine but she insists on expensive stuff, then she picks up the excess. I shop at discount stores & buy new shirts for $3.99 not the $30 Hollister shirts. But I'm not allowed to take a cruise??????? Bull. Can we fire our kids?

 

 

First how can someone be given a reward for not having an "accident". That's why they are called that. They aren't called ~on purpose~. So if she has an accident, you take away the money you don't have to give her?

Makes no sense.

Of course to me it makes absolutely no sense to not have more than $500 in the bank and be taking loans to go on vacation.

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

Sounds like I have another person to justify my life to.:rolleyes:

 

I don't take away any rewards, she doesn't get it until she SURVIVES the first two years of driving. I also reward my kids for good report cards.......do I hear another complaint about that:D

[SheriNtexas]

Three weeks until we sale on cruise #13 and I haven't told my family we are leaving. I know they will roll their eyes and figure the money could be more well spent by subsidizing family members who aren't as fortunate. Anyone else feel they have to justify their cruise addiction.

 

 

I have been on 5 cruises since last October. However, i have been divorced for almost 2 years after being married for 19 years and a stay at home mom all those years as well. I felt i needed to get out and do something fun and interesting, so my mom and i went on a cruise. After that, I was hooked!! BUT, i also realized that i got swept up with planning cruises! I'm not used to being able to plan a trip one, even 2 years, in advance, and I literally got swept up in the planning. BUT, i also have to get my finances in order, and so I cancelled 2 of my upcoming cruises. I'm still totally addicted to this board, but I'm more careful now!! I DO feel guilty sometimes that I DO have the money to spend on trips, but I do a lot of charity work, I donate as well, so I am giving back where I can. I guess I DO sometimes find myself justifying my cruising, kind of like i'm doing NOW:o :D , but I also stayed home and took care of kids and our house while my then husband built up our business. Then he divorced me, married his 25 year old secretary, and my 44 year old EX husband now gets to be a daddy to HER 2 kids, both under the age of 6, while I get to find out what I like to do!! Guilt is a powerful thing, but I don't think anyone should feel guilty about what they want to do with the money they worked hard to earn!:)

[jimandsteph1070]

yukon... i agree with you. my parents did the same thing with me... i did not have anccient until i was 23 and i was a passenger in the car... i still remember it to this day ... you dont have to justify anything . maybe your daughter should find out what is is to work for everything you give her. maybe a little freaky firday would do her good.

 

steph

[Mikel1733]

I'm amazed at the number of people who are critical of the cruise addiction yet have never been on one cruise themselves. In many cases I think it is envy on their part. None of us know how long we are going to be on this earth and regardless of how you spend your vacation you should do some things that you enjoy.

[snownyet]

To each his own I guess. I love cruising and would spend all my cash in hand to do it, but Id never borrow against a 401K for anything.. You can finance a vacation, a car or college education but you cant finance retirement.

[Cejay]

Okay, I have to respond to this one, my first. I got the questions before my first cruise just last month. How much is it going to cost, how can you afford it. Just this week my mother needed cataract surgery and we discovered she had to pay $135.00 to the doctor. My Mom is on social security and medicaid and simply did not have it. Everyone's answer, and yes they said this, was that I could pay for it since I was rich enought to go on cruises. I told them they could help since they were rich enough to buy cases of beer, have pool parties and the multiple things they spend THEIR money on. Actually, as everyone here knows, a cruise is a great value. But I have heard it from family, friends and coworkers.

[TennisLover]

.

We love to travel because we love to spend time together. We are a very busy, active family and both my husband and I work full time. Our family vacations are precious times for us filled with great family memories.

 

I completely agree with this. I would definitely take more vacations with my kids and more vacations with just my DH if I could. But with college and other things looming, we do what we can (and cruising is a great deal). Life is too short. DD has only 3 years till college. We wouldn't miss our yearly family cruise for anything. I was looking into doing something different for winter 09, but DD and her friends want to cruise together rather than have a sweet 16 party - that works for me!

 

For as hard as I work (have my own business) and as hard as DH works (including 2 hours each way commuting to NYC), we deserve to have vacations that we can look forward to.

 

Some people just don't feel they "deserve" good things. Would never think of going for a manicure and pedicure or squeezing in a massage when they get stressed out. I do a lot for other people on a daily basis (as all moms do!). I deserve "me" time also! And vacations that I like!

 

I definitely have relatives who say, "You have another cruise booked ALREADY??" I just nod and move on to another conversation. If it's not their cup of tea, that's fine. They have other priorities that I don't agree with, but I keep that to myself.

 

Fortunately, I have this great group of people on CC to share my addiction with. Plus, I know that two of the families we are traveling with in February are as excited as I am, and it's still about five months away.

[sandy toes]

Okay, I have to respond to this one, my first. I got the questions before my first cruise just last month. How much is it going to cost, how can you afford it. Just this week my mother needed cataract surgery and we discovered she had to pay $135.00 to the doctor. My Mom is on social security and medicaid and simply did not have it. Everyone's answer, and yes they said this, was that I could pay for it since I was rich enought to go on cruises. I told them they could help since they were rich enough to buy cases of beer, have pool parties and the multiple things they spend THEIR money on. Actually, as everyone here knows, a cruise is a great value. But I have heard it from family, friends and coworkers.

So sorry about your Mom and your friends and family coming down on you. Everyone has their vices...for most of us here at CC it is planning a cruise, going on a cruise and dreaming about the next cruise;) I worked hard, saved my monay and enjoy going on "yet another" cruise. It is MY money not theirs. I do not tell them how much they wasted going to the lake for a week spending $3-4000 or the beach for a week spending even more! For way less a 2 can go on a week long cruise, even a family can sail in a quad cabin (I have chatted with folks just back that spent less than $2500 even with S&S changes for the 4 of them). Enjoy your cruise. Make your memories. Let them have their pool and beer party while you can cruise the Caribbean, enjoy the pool and a beer cruising to the next of call!

[ruskatab]

My husband hides the cruises and vacations from his family. Some of them do not have steady jobs and he feels guilty. I dont, they could have done what weve done with our money but chose a different path. They still dont know about our new travel trailer we got in January. I dont hide anything, its our money, we earned and will spend it how we want. My family also tries to give us grief over how much traveling we do but i tell them too bad, its our life and well live it like we want.

[SheriNtexas]

FYI, My DH and I are not rich by any means, and there is no inheritance for anyone but the two of us. Should we die together, then yes then our children will all share in said inheritance. BUT, until that time I will spend my money any way I want, on whatever I want. I did not work hard all those years to do nothing and then die so my children could have it.

 

 

I agree!! I got a very large amount of money in my divorce settlement and while I did kind of go nuts, cruising 5 times in less than a year, I also have made a will and all that stuff. My kids are 20, 18, and 16, and they know that they will inherit whatever money i have left when I did, but in the meantime, I'm going to do some living!!:D My then husband and I had nothing when we got married, and because of very hard work, we built an oil company that did very well. Of course, now his 25 year old secretary/wife is now enjoying the fruits of that company, but I did get my share!:D I like how Bill Gates said that he WILL leave some money to his kids, but that it will not be enough for them to "live" on, and that he expects them to make their way in the world, just like HE did!! I like that attitude!! We are only here for a very short time, but while I'm here, I want to be happy and i want my family to be happy! Of course, since I believe that in Heaven there will be the things that make us happy, I expect to be sailing on "Carnival Heaven" or "Heaven of the Seas" for a LONG time to come!!:) :cool:

[kentuckychris]

I have the same problem. They make me feel guilty about taking a cruise. I told them to add-up how much they spend on going out to eat in a month. We choose to eat at home and go on a cruise once a year. They still don't get it. We all struggle for money. They were completely shocked when I told them that for 3 of us, including airfare and excursions, was under $2,000 to go on a week's cruise. That comes out to about $40.00 per week. It costs us that just to go out to eat once a week. I always have to justify and I don't know why I do it. I just need to tell a couple of family members we're going and leave it at that. No one else needs to know.

[okgirl]

Sounds like my family and friends are like a lot of yours. Rolling eye's, "haven't you been there before", "don't you want to do something different".

 

But I think my boss took the big wiener prize this year!!!!!!!!! My staff teases me about all my cruising in a good natured way, and are always asking how many days it is until my next cruise. I always know because I'm either on here or the carnival site every day. Well, during my mid year review by boss expressed concern that I might be losing enthusiasm for my job. I was shocked to see this on my appraisal, when I asked her why she felt this way, she replied that I seem to be always looking forward to my next cruise and even knew how many days it was :-{

 

Excuse me boss, I'm working 10 - 11 hours a day, and doing a great job I might add; and the bottom line for me is after 30 years I am no longer working to "further" my career, I work to afford my LIFE. I get 6 weeks of vacation a year and I deserve them

[SheriNtexas]

Excuse me boss, I'm working 10 - 11 hours a day, and doing a great job I might add; and the bottom line for me is after 30 years I am no longer working to "further" my career, I work to afford my LIFE. I get 6 weeks of vacation a year and I deserve them

 

 

Well said!!:)