Resort Vacation - First in Years! vs. Cruising.... Exclusively for Years!

[Crusing Bob]

Sail, I remember you were not allowed to cruise at this time and were opting for the land vacation. It just isn't quite the same as being spoiled in the Suite on Maasdam, is it?

I agree with Mary Ellen about Disney. My wife has to go there at least once per year and for sure usually in December after we have had a cruise. We are staying at the Beach Club but also like the Polynesian. We don't care for the overly formal atmosphere of Grand Floridian even though it is very nice. So, we will do HAL in October and Disney in December and then Melinda is taking a 4 day cruise on Disney to Nassau that did not interest me so she is going with friends.

Anyway, glad to see your confirmation about land vacations because I love the ocean having been a Naval Officer at sea for long periods and I loved that too.

Glad you are well and that your husband got some much needed relaxation.

Bob

[hammybee]

Welcome home, Sail

[bellebaby]

Take note for future plans:

 

Walt Disney Co. plans to build a family resort in Hawaii, but it won't be an island Disneyland. Walt Disney Parks has bought 21 acres of oceanfront property on the western side of Oahu that it will use to build an 800-room hotel complex. The resort, Disney's first without a nearby theme park, will emphasize family-centered vacations while respecting Hawaii's culture, a spokesman said. The opening is set for 2011. The resort will include educational and cultural activities, including local entertainers and hula dancers.

 

The area in which Disney will build is gorgeous. Should be interesting.

 

B

[jhannah]

Welcome back! And thanks for the info on your land vacation.

 

Greg, we really enjoyed the Caribbean Beach Resort. It's listed as "moderate" and was convenient, handy, and absolutely lovely/secluded.

[RuthC]

Welcome home, sail. Even though it wasn't a dam ship, I'm sure it was still nice to be away and recharge the ol' batteries.

And it's nice to get a report that lets us know what a great deal cruising still is! Maybe we won't complain so much if/when the prices rise---as they surely must.

Glad to see you back on the boards. :)

[Taxguy7]

Missed your comments and glad you're back and relaxed.

I am amazed that all the posts 'till now are about FL. We must be forgotten here, just better prices (by 50+%) and a close proximity to Mexico. Also charter boat fishing with a half day charter running about what you paid for dinner.:eek:

That's OK with me, but the business people I know would LOVE to see folks like you.:)

Still love cruiseing, though :cool:

[Crusing Bob]

Caribbean Beach Resort was the first resort we stayed in many years ago and it really was nice. Port Orleans is very nice as well and now considered moderate price.

[sail7seas]

Missed your comments and glad you're back and relaxed.

I am amazed that all the posts 'till now are about FL. We must be forgotten here, just better prices (by 50+%) and a close proximity to Mexico. Also charter boat fishing with a half day charter running about what you paid for dinner.:eek:

That's OK with me, but the business people I know would LOVE to see folks like you.:)

Still love cruiseing, though :cool:

 

 

 

 

What Florida holds in attraction (among other things) is shorter flight/lower airfare. Also, we saw some friends while there.

DH and I lived in Texas very early in our marriage for almost a year. Loved it there.

 

Thanks Hammy, Ruth, Bob., Jim..... :)

[cruz chic]

Missed your comments and glad you're back and relaxed.

I am amazed that all the posts 'till now are about FL. We must be forgotten here, just better prices (by 50+%) and a close proximity to Mexico. Also charter boat fishing with a half day charter running about what you paid for dinner.:eek:

That's OK with me, but the business people I know would LOVE to see folks like you.:)

Still love cruiseing, though :cool:

 

I'd love to come to Texas. I've worked for American oil firms in Calgary several times and was hoping that at least one would send me down on business but no dice. I would love to take a cruise out of Texas. I'm not overly fond of Florida but I do go on cruises fairly often from there. Texas would be a little closer to Calgary.

[kryos]

I really don't want to make this only about prices...it was more than that. It was a reminder of the differences between a land and sea vacation.

Absolutely! Because there is one major difference between a cruise vacation and a land-based one that has nothing whatsoever to do with money. It's the absence of those wonderful HAL stewards when you stay at a land-based resort. The smiles on their faces and their sincere desire to please is what brings us back to HAL time and time again. No amount of money could buy that sort of thing. There may be land-based resorts that have service people similar to what HAL has on its ships ... but I doubt any resort comes close to the quality of service you get on a HAL ship and the sincere smiles you get with that service.

 

Welcome home, Sail, and I hope both you and your DH had a very restful vacation.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[Moriah]

I vote for Wilderness Lodge or the Contemporary Resort at WDW!! (I realize this is off-topic, but somehow it was asked?) Both are less pricey than the others mentioned. I've stayed at them ALL, and these two are my favorites. CR is right on the Monorail, and WL has so much CHARM. The Epcot resorts are just overpriced and are not well themed - being able to walk to Epcot isn't really as much of a perk as you might think. There is free transportation to everywhere no matter where you stay on property.

Just my humble opinion.

Moriah

[GeriatricNurse]

Welcome back! And thanks for the info on your land vacation.

 

Greg, we really enjoyed the Caribbean Beach Resort. It's listed as "moderate" and was convenient, handy, and absolutely lovely/secluded.

 

 

Crappy food court! Female guests present in bikinis & bare feet! ?Violation of health code! NO manager(s) obvious!

Coronado Springs Resort is 100% better!

[Jade13]

We love Disney and last time stayed at the Animal Kingdom. While the lodge itself was nice, we were not impressed with the staff. Note that we arrived on January 1 that year. We had to wait a couple of hours for our room (check -in after 4:00pm) and staff was not friendly. BOMA, the restaurant was great. I never bothered to write any letter but it was not typical Disney. Plus when the ranger came in the evening for the animal viewing she only had her one pair of binoculars that everyone had to share.

 

My DH liked one of the lesser expensive resorts a lot better (where we had stayed previously), the one with the New Orleans theme. He wants to stay there next time. Personally I like change and would love to stay at one of the ones mentioned near Epcot such as the Boardwalk.

 

My family went to Disney the first and second year they opened, back in the early 70's and stayed in their first two hotels.

 

We stayed at the Contemporary hotel the first year (71 or 72?) and the Polynesian the second year Disney opened. The Contemporary is in a good location and not expensive. A few years ago we went to the Polynesian for the show and DH asked why we didn't stay there since everyone liked the atmosphere (I think because of the price).

 

Coronado is always booked up but looked like a good alternative (for a change) from the New Orleans themed area.

[happy cruzer]

Yes, it is good to do a land based vacation occasionally to see the benefits of cruising.

 

We did a condo in Colorado. It was lovely. I cooked alot and did loads of dishes. Eating out was outrageously expensive. Ended up doing takeout Chinese on the balcony of the condo once.

 

Most other land vacations. We get a cooler and buy breakfast food to eat in the room. Even did this in Barcelona to save quite a few bucks and hassle. Room service is not cheap on land.

 

But even cutting corners we still spend more on a land vacation than a cruise.

 

I tend to look at traveling a bit differently than vacationing. Traveling is a little more work to see and do alot in a short time period for me. Vacationing is about relaxing. And a Cruise lets you mix the two in your preferred proportions.

 

Thanks for the reminder, Sail!

[GmaPajama]

I really don't want to make this only about prices...it was more than that. It was a reminder of the differences between a land and sea vacation.

 

While I don't often talk about dollar specifics, I thought I'd add a recent resort type experience to this discussion. Last summer we treated for a family trip, (6 kids and 6 adults) to Discovery Bay, Jamaica. We spent one week in a 7 bedroom, fully staffed, waterfront villa. We had a cook, a butler, a housekeeper, a laundress, a pool & groundskeeper, a car & driver, and 24 hour security staff. We were treated like royalty the entire week, and wanted for nothing. The cost for 12 of us was nearly identical to what we paid for 2 for our recent Zaandam Circle Hawaii cruise in an S Suite.

 

In my book, there's NO trip as fabulous as a cruise. Not a day goes by that I'm not remembering, or planning, a cruise - it's become a way of life, and we love it. BUT, I do have to say there are good resort-type vacations out there - especially if one is willing to do a lot of research and find that "perfect fit".

 

OK, back to the problem at hand: Where shall we cruise next? :)

 

[kryos]

[quote name='GmaPajama'][FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]While I don't often talk about dollar specifics, I thought I'd add a recent resort type experience to this discussion. Last summer we treated for a family trip, (6 kids and 6 adults) to Discovery Bay, Jamaica. We spent one week in a 7 bedroom, fully staffed, waterfront villa. We had a cook, a butler, a housekeeper, a laundress, a pool & groundskeeper, a car & driver, and 24 hour security staff. We were treated like royalty the entire week, and wanted for nothing. The cost for 12 of us was nearly identical to what we paid for 2 for our recent Zaandam Circle Hawaii cruise in an S Suite.
[/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]
Sounds like absolute heaven!

Just curious, though ... you say the cost for 12 was nearly the same as for 2 in an S Suite ... does that include food and entertainment/activities? Or were those extra?

Blue skies ...

--rita

[GmaPajama]

[quote name='kryos'] Just curious, though ... you say the cost for 12 was nearly the same as for 2 in an S Suite ... does that include food and entertainment/activities? Or were those extra? [/QUOTE]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]Our total cost did include food, and airfare as well - though 6 of got there on FF miles. I think the kids spent a couple hundred dollars each on entertainment for the grandkids (Dunn's River Falls type stuff) but there was so much to do at the villa, they only went out once. We had a pool, tennis, watersports equipment, and fascinating times with the staff. Our butler spent hours teaching the grandkids how to fold napkins into animals - which we saw in abundance on our Thanksgiving dinner table. :)

We did opt for restaurants sometimes at lunch, as we didn't want to waste our car & driver. The cost of that is included in what we spent. It really was an amazing time.

Donna


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[ginagirl]

Just loved viewing your photos of the Zaandam. WE will be sailing it to Hawaii in December and can't wait. The photos of the organ just blew me away!:) Thank you for taking the time and effort you did.

[AirGorilla]

SSS --

Would you mind telling us at which resort you were a guest in FLL? My guess is either Marriott Harbor Beach or Hyatt Regency Pier 66.

Thanks,
AG

[sail7seas]

[B]Good Guess!!! :D

We went to Hyatt Pier 66. We've been staying there for years pre and post cruise but never for an extended stay. The most was three days pre cruise but usually two days pre and one day post.

They did a major remodel of the lobby and breakfast room. Built a large bar in the lobby. Very nice improvements. Grounds are still lovely and pool actually improved as they removed some of the palms that made for too much shade on the pool area. There is still sufficient shade.

It was the perfect place for us to go at this time for the reasons we needed to get away. It was an easy, lazy, restful, quiet, comfortable 8 days.



[/B]

[RedmondCruiser]

[SIZE=3]Welcome home. We discovered the benefits of cruising 20 years ago and have never looked back. People really have to total up all the costs before they realize what comes with a cruise, and with the Pinnicle at $20 PP it looks like a great bargin.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Costs are going up all over though. Our airline fares to get down to Ft Lauderdale have risen substantially in the last two months and that figures into our bottom line. We are looking forward to the Zaandam next month -- it and the Amsterdam are our two favorite ships.[/SIZE]

[sail7seas]

deleted....

[babyher]

Sail,


Welcome home :)

Glad you and DH had a good time.

I don't doubt you at all when you mention the prices of dining out. :)

We go into NYC quite often (which I am sure is right up there pricewise with Boston) and it is quite pricey.

Throw in two tickets to a Broadway show :( :( :(


Brother can you spare a dime ? :) *LOL*

[dvdfreakmc]

Welcome Home Sail,

We are under the same analysis as we bounce through land and cruise vacations. Value seems to be weighted towards cruises, but we have fabulous times at land based resorts as well.

See you in August!

[iancal]

Cruising is very good value. No question there. And 7 day cruises are an unbelievable value if you 'hit' it right. We tend to compare our cruise cost with an all inclusive. The big benefit with an all inclusive is that includes air from our home and of course liqueur. Food tends not to be as good. I travel frequently and do not like eating 'out of the same kitchen' for days on end. We don't get this feeling on a ship. We find resort food better-especially the meat dishes. The ingedients are of a higher quality. It is not banquet food. Cruise lines and all inclusives keep trying to cut per person food costs and it shows.