anybody else thinking of throwing in the towel?

[iluvdoxies]

Thanks heavens we live in Florida !

[People_Mover]

My wife and I will always travel as long as we have $$$$ :D

Die poor.

[mom2girls]

Thanks heavens we live in Florida !

 

I'll have to ditto what you said!:D

[Mikel1733]

According to a new AARP survey 25% of workers age 45 or higher are pulling money from their 401k's to pay expenses. This certainly doesn't bode well for the future of the travel industry.

 

http://finance.yahoo.com/focus-retirement/article/105128/Tough-Times,-Tough-Measures?mod=ret

[ShedQueen77]

After biting the bullet on airfare for our next cruise we'll be seriously contemplating what types of vacations we take, not stopping all together.

 

Cruises from San Juan are out for awhile because of airfare (we live in Podunk, Iowa. 2.5 hours from Chicago; 40 minutes away from Moline, Illinois (MLI)). We won't be doing any Med., Alaska, or Hawaii cruises either because of the rising airfare.

 

I'm looking at booking Celebrity Equinox in 2010 out of Ft. Lauderdale. If push comes to shove, we can drive there. We have a hybrid that gets about 50 MPG on the highway so it would be cheaper to drive with 5 people, even with a hotel stay along the way. Do I want to drive there with three kids? HECK NO. Will I if it means I get to cruise? HECK YES!! :D

 

We are also planning short trips closer to home; like Wisconsin Dells, Six Flags, etc... The kids are just happy to do anything. They aren't picky like Mom and Step-Dad are! :D

 

My kids will not be getting an inheritance from me. ;) I live within my means, enjoy the time and resources I have available and I remember that "you can't take it with you."

[Flip2cruise]

Just cant throw in the towel, so many things to do and places to see.

[neatokimmo]

I'll trim everyday unneeded expenses before I cancel cruises. I spend a certain percentage of my income on travel.

 

I am not to the point where I am cruising out of anywhere but FL. I did look at the PR ones but airfare cost more than the cruise. Poor me has to leave out of Miami! lol

[SANDYJABS]

I'll have to ditto what you said!:D

 

Not everything is good about Florida but I often tell my children how lucky they are living here. Many families save for years to come here for a vacation of a lifetime.

We have:

Mickey Mouse House

Sea World/Aquatica

Universal Studios

Islands of Adventure

NASA/Shuttle

Bush Gardens

Beaches

Tampa Bay Bucs (big fan)

 

***and 5 ports to catch a cruise out of - Miami is only 3.5 hour drive.

[Cruiser from MS]

I would not even think of not cruising. I have just started booking earlier so I have more time to save my money. Besides, I don't fly to the ports we drive.

[bakechef]

For me getting away for a vacation is very important to me. I will try to keep cruising, and will try to keep from flying as much as possible. It is nice being within a days drive from many ports.

 

I am also thinking about switching careers to try to earn a little more, we have no debt other than a very cheap car, but I want to make sure that we can keep traveling, and saving for the future.

 

MAC

[bstman]

We are cutting back by not taking the kids!!! 2 cruise fares instead of 4! We are instead taking the kids to the beach and maybe six flags. We will save the cruising for the two of us and cruise out of ports that are within driving distance for now. But if gas hits $7 a gallon like someone posted then we will be vacationing in the back yard pool!!!:(

[Nuttycruisegirl]

If I had to fly to cruise, it would be difficult. And I would not get to go very often. Most people I think ARE feeling the effects. As it is now, if I can't drive to the port I don't get to go. And if I didn't drive a small car with good gas mileage, even driving to Port wouldn't help me.

[cubfan60004]

After pricing plane tickets over $450 per person (we usually can find them for 250 or less) to Florida, I think booking our next cruise is definatly on hold. And we are only 2 people (no kids) with very good jobs. I just can't justify spending that much just to get to the port, let alone cruise.....

I wish I lived in Florida!

And I do wish they had more east coast departures...or Carnival could put a ship in the Great Lakes!

 

 

Im with you.... I'd happily float around lake michigan on cruise ship with all the bells and whistles.

[halos]

I'm thinking of having the family take up skiing for March break. :cool:

*sigh*

[KruznKel]

No;)

[ruskatab]

I live 3 hours from Galveston but that gets old and boring doing those cruises over and over. Its not just the high cost of airfare that puts me off of flying. Its the delays, the liquid thing, the small seats, not very many direct flights, no leg room. Then theres the 3 bucks for a coke or bag of chips, 25 for an extra bag, 100 bucks for being over 50 pounds, more to seat by an emergency exit or to pick your seat altogether and no room for your carryons because of the morons who bring 3 carryons. I could go on and on. Of course we cant drive to San Juan or Alaska or Europe but we might just start taking a few extra days before and after and drive and take our time and see the country.

[dolphinwyo]

We are not throwing in the towel yet. Just making changes - cancelling subscriptions we don't need, changing phone plans, quit eating out so much - packing lunches, things like that. It is amazing how fast all that kind of stuff adds up. Put the money saved into a vacation account. We aren't going to spend money on road trips this summer like we usually do, because that money could be better spent on a cruise. We have to drive 2 hours to get to an airport, and then fly 2 kids and 2 adults to a port, so it is pricey, but totally worth it. The price on Carnival still beats a land trip with food, gas, hotels, etc. It has become a family priority - one worth saving for.

[gazingm42]

It use to be exciting to get on a plane to go on vacation. But with the

prices going up up and new rules. Just like American Airlines now charging

for the 1st bag as well the 2nd..... Its getting to be a pain.

 

We will still cruise. But if we can not drive in 2 days then forget it. I still

waiting for CCL to put a larger ship in NOLA.

[mike91911]

There is no way I could afford to fly to a cruise with the kids. I take the train to NYC from Rhode Island and if I go to Florida for vacation, I take the Auto Train. The only reason I can afford to do that is because I work for Amtrak. If I didn't, I guess I'd drive and even that is getting too expensive in a mini-van that gets 19 MPG.

[onejeepster]

I am currently looking to book our cruise for next year and have decided that airfare will be out of the picture. As we are from Nova Scotia the cost of airfare is just to much to bear.

 

My choices at this time is to drive to Boston or New York. Currently I am looking at a 7 day cruise to Bermuda out of Boston which means I will have to leave Carnival.

 

The time it was taking us to fly with all the stops I will be able to drive to either of these posts. As my car is very good on gas it will be a lot cheaper.

 

I can't even think that if the costs of fuel keeps going up that soon I won't be able to enjoy cruising.

 

Dave

[In2why]

I am driving to port since the cost is the same and I prefer driving to flying but on future cruises I will book much closer to home which will mean Norfolk if I want to book Carnival but other lines offer more choices at closer ports. Factoring in travel costs they are comparable now so I am looking at other lines.

[winddawn]

It is getting bad. I just heard on NBC nightly news that the price of jet fuel is up 84% over last year's price. Airlines are cancelling flights trying to consolidate and keep planes full, flight times change a dozen times after you book, and delays are common because planes are so full that there is no extra capacity to catch up after weather or mechanical delays occur (and they will). Airline employees are so stressed that they treat passengers poorly.

 

I do something now when I cruise that I have never done in the past--we fly in a day early because the airlines are so undependable that you just can't risk going in the same day anymore. I choose embarkation ports where I know that I can get a direct flight to try to minimize the hassle factor.

 

It is getting so bad travelling that you do end up feeling that it isn't worth the hassle factor nor the price. Vacation just isn't supposed to be like that.

 

SSOceanlover has made a good point. Let's hope something gives soon.

[clackey]

I won't throw in the towel this year. Thankfully, it is just Ginger D and myself, but I can see where trying to raise children and take a vacation could really be tough on a large family. I refuse to let the #*+%# oil companies dictate what I can do. I bought a small truck for work that gets 28 MPG. I quit eating out much (it was an everyday deal), and I only drive when I have to, not when I want to. I quit taking my boats out. Oh yes, I almost forgot, I quit buying Exxon!:mad:

 

I may have to miss cruising next year, but you can bet on one thing for sure. I will definately be looking at some new politicians this fall and I'm not talking presidential only, I mean ALL of THEM.

[nothomeonacruise]

If I have to get an extra job, we'll go on that cruise!!! I will NOT let the greedy oil companies/powers that be take something that special away from myself and my family.

[MonaCK]

It's not just exxon. All of the oil execs are making a fortune on us paying through the nose to be able to just leave our houses.

 

I won't stop cruising, but I thinkw e're going to have to reconsider going out of san juan in feb of next year.