To Those of You to Cruise A LOT

[TMJBR]

How the heck do you afford it? I've been reading some of your signatures that list your past and future cruises and I see some that are 2, 3 or 4 crusies a year, and I've seen up to 5 booked in the next 13 months! How do you afford it? And how do you have the time?

[litehouz70]

I wish I was one of those persons. I'm going on my 4th cruise in Dec. The first was in Feb 03.

[traveling1969]

I wish I was one of those persons. I'm going on my 4th cruise in Dec. The first was in Feb 03.

 

We devote all our vacation time and all our disposable money to cruising. It helps to live in a place where it seems we're on vacation every day. We also know that when we finally retire, we won't be able to cruise as often. You just have to set your priorities;). Bon Voyage to all!

[paul929207]

We are retired, so we have lots of free time. As to affordin it, we saved our money and always lived within our means. We don't owe anyone a penny.

[mii]

We are retired, so we have lots of free time. As to affordin it, we saved our money and always lived within our means. We don't owe anyone a penny.

 

That is exactly what we do too.

 

Marilyn

[LoveThatBird]

We try to take two cruises per year and book last minute. That works for us.

[Murphey]

We are retired, so we have lots of free time. As to affordin it, we saved our money and always lived within our means. We don't owe anyone a penny.

 

Count us in that category. We have actually slowed down a little this year due to the economy and needing to be there for the kids (if need be). And, we shop for cruise bargains. Home is paid for, cars are old, but paid for, kids are through school and paid for......:)

[Pia1913]

We are retired, so we have lots of free time. As to affordin it, we saved our money and always lived within our means. We don't owe anyone a penny.

 

Double ditto. :D

[pokey's mom]

My husband and I didn't take a vacation all the time our son was growing up. We sent him to Europe, the Boy Scout National Jamboree, and Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, then we sent him to college. Now it is our turn, we work hard for it and we love every minute of it. I'll be dead a long time. My Dad died at 48 years old, he never took a real vacation , thankfully we are able to take cruises. When you really look at the cost, you cannot get a better value for your vacation money. Enjoy every vacation it may be your last , you never know.:D

[winemama]

we do the same thing..pay everything off every month, have a double airline miles card so flights are paid for...all extra money goes into our vacation envelope..don't eat out much, live simply,..save and plan..it can be done..i know things are tight for everyone, but even if you can put $10-15 a week away, it adds up...be smart with your money...don't try and live like everyone else...do you really need INTERNET on your phone?? the latest fashion every season?? drag out the cookbooks and relearn to cook..

[AAAAmerican]

As in life. love and cruises..it is what you make of it.

 

We usually cruise 5-7 times a year if possible.

 

In my youth I had been to 6 continents by the time I reached 13.

 

 

Saving then investing well does help fund adventures. Paying high taxation along the way is sometimes the States course...not mine.

 

Do you spend more than you make? I never have.

 

All my houses and vehicles are/have been fully paid at time of purchase.

 

Cruises too.:cool:

 

Shop and compare do your own research then bid out your projects of purchase. The more you obtain the more your usually able to gain with a lot less pain ..thats not vain..:eek:

 

Qulaity to me is most important ..as quantity sometimes has rough edges.

 

Know what YOU want then plan to attain it well. Plan A , Plan B, Plan C ..etc... ETC...

;)

 

 

 

 

 

How the heck do you afford it? I've been reading some of your signatures that list your past and future cruises and I see some that are 2, 3 or 4 crusies a year, and I've seen up to 5 booked in the next 13 months! How do you afford it? And how do you have the time?

[elou]

20 odd years ago, when we got the cruising bug, we both and still are working. I decided if we each put $1.00 per day away (somehow you can find $1.00) at the end of a year we would have $728 without even trying. Back then we took 4 day cruises. Now, little by little, we have adjusted that $1.00. I'm sure you could do something like that, but do not touch the money. It was our vacation fund. Good luck.

[trevor182]

some people just have a boatload of money. ;)

 

It's easier if you live near a cruise port and can avoid the expense (and hassle) of flying. I would cruise more often but it is hard to schedule.

[OnVacation11]

Well... I get 5 weeks off and save money for things that are important to me (like vacations).

[jpthomas27]

Maybe I'm missing the real question here, but the answer seems kind of strait forward.

 

They afford it because they make more money that you and I.

They afford it becasue they spend less on other things that you and I.

 

Same reason some of us drive a Chevy or Ford while others are driving BMW or Mercedes and so on. Some of us rent apartments, some of own 1200 sq foot homes and some of us own 3000 sq foot and larger homes, it's just the way things are.

 

Not everyone make the same amount of money, therefor not everyone has the ability to spend it.

[Grannycb]

We are retired and have saved all of our lives. We live very frugally, don't carry credit card balances and buy only things that are needed. Our six or seven cruises a year are done in mostly inside cabins that are heavily discounted last minute deals or are special offers. We look for cruises that match up with airfare specials. We do lots of research to find the best way to see what’s important to us in every port. We take digital pictures for our only souvenirs. Future Cruises and stockholder's benefits maximize our OBC. On a recent cruise the only thing on our bill were the gratuities. That's how we cruise so often.

[paul929207]

Maybe I'm missing the real question here, but the answer seems kind of strait forward.

 

They afford it because they make more money that you and I.

They afford it becasue they spend less on other things that you and I.

 

Same reason some of us drive a Chevy or Ford while others are driving BMW or Mercedes and so on. Some of us rent apartments, some of own 1200 sq foot homes and some of us own 3000 sq foot and larger homes, it's just the way things are.

 

Not everyone make the same amount of money, therefor not everyone has the ability to spend it.

But it is also a matter of priorities. All of make choices when we spend our money. I used to have a guy that worked for me that said he wished he could afford to take nice vacations like I did. I pointed out to him that he bought 8 or 10 CD's every week. I bought one or two a year. The money he spent on CD's would have paid for a nice vacation.

[DeepWaterMariner]

We are retired, so we have lots of free time. As to affordin it, we saved our money and always lived within our means. We don't owe anyone a penny.

 

Another ditto for this approach. We've been cruising for 40 years and always did it within our means...inside cabins for years and I bet we haven't bought a dozen souvenirs in all those cruises. Now we cruise three or four times a year, rarely inside and sometimes balcony. We would cruise more often if I could convince my DW but we also enjoy being at home and doing some non-cruise travel.

[Scrapchick]

Well, we started a long time ago and it just adds up after a while... Both Hubby I and love to travel and cruising is our favorite way to do it. He's a lot older than me, so he's made his money and now has the time to spend it and we are doing it while we can and before he gets too old.

 

We cruise when we can, but we don't always take the cruises we want, because of the price. But there's always an affordable trip out there and we compromise. We've never been on a cruise we didn't enjoy. (Well, let's not talk about the one experience on Carnival that will never be repeated...)

 

You'll note we have two cruises coming up in the next few weeks... We got a 2 for 1 deal on those, or else we would only have taken one trip, not two.

 

I think if you want to make it happen, you will. It's just something we enjoy and can share with our daughter and that's why we do it.

[firefly4423]

live in moderation....and then blow all of our money on cruises!! LOL

[Princess Chatterer]

How the heck do I afford it? Simple. Kids are grown. House paid for. No debt. Living the simple life with my first and only wife. I've taken two or so Princess cruises a year for the last ten years. I live in Oklahoma so air fare to the port is an added cost but well worth it.

[Cruising Carol]

We are retired, so we have lots of free time. As to affordin it, we saved our money and always lived within our means. We don't owe anyone a penny.

 

Ditto. Actually lived BELOW our means. Also we don't drink or gamble on ships and take only a few excursions. So onboard account stays low. We also can take advantage of shoulder season prices. Upon retirement, we started a vacation account. After 3 years of saving, we were able to start cruising. We still add to the account every month we are not on a cruise.

[paul929207]

And look at it this way, we are spending our children's inheritance.

 

 

My mother is now on the QM2 for 19 days. I guess you could say I learned from an expert.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Ditto. Actually lived BELOW our means.

 

Ditto here. I wonder how many people understand the meaning of that? Seems like nowadays, it's all about living beyond your means. :cool:

[silvercruiser]

Travel has been my main priority since retirement, did lots of land trips in my 60's along with cruises and now do only cruises. I'm up to 596 days on cruise ships, but we're getting on in years and will soon slow down. Paul said it all for lots of us: we paid for everything in our lives as we went along, got the kids well educated, worked hard and made a few more bucks than we needed and have enjoyed life as world travellers. We're lucky that our health is good, but we get tired easier as the years go by.