How do you pay for your cruise?

[Michelle1959]

This is a question about how you finance your passion for cruising.

I answered that I work my ass off to pay it off, which I did for my first cruise last year. I worked to set money aside. In the end, ewven though I paid it off in cash, my dad ended up giving me the money to cover the cruise for me and my son and I just used what he gave me to pay down my credit card debt.

But my upcoming cruise, I'm trying to save, but feel I may have to end up charging a bit, and I'll just pay it off as soon as I can afterwards.

Maybe my dad will surprise me and want to pay for it again... this one will be a solo cruise, a 50th b-day gift to myself (I turn 50 in Feb 09). So even if I pay off credit card charges, I will still do this cruise for myself.

Also, I flew both ways for free and will do so on the next trip, AA Advantage points!

[Ainsley]

My parents and I all chip in. Cruising is something I absolutely love. We charge our cruise and we keep a savings account just for our cruise fund =) Everytime we go on a cruise we just pull out of that account. As soon as we get back we start building it up again and about 6-9 months we book again =)

[katlady]

I voted other. I have an cruise rewards it's not offered anymore I'm grandfathered in. I get cruise rewards at the 500 and 800 levels 2% of net purchases. That takes $500 or $800 off the cruise price. I get to pick the cruise line. I have cruised Princess and Carnival with my points. I even took a cruise as cheap as $75 per person (not including tips or air fare) it was a 4 day we drove to the port.

[Mike M]

I voted "other". I usually put the charges on my credit card and pay the card off every month with no finance charge.

I worked my "ass" off for years in order to do that.

Take care,
Mike

[mehawk]

I stow away and hide for the week.

My other half does the nothing, my other half pays for it.

Actually, I work my b u t t off and pay for it on the CC then pay it off early.

[venice]

I vote other...I find a rich woman who covers all expenses :: ::

because I have fallen in love with full charter smooth jazz cruises, which are almost always significantly above published rack rates (at least 40%),it means I now cruise once every 18 months instead of trying to do one per year...I booked the lowest cabin (inside)..use 1/3 of my tax return for the deposit, then pro rate out the balance over a monthly basis to be paid off in full 120 days out....my regular jazz cruising buddy agrees to cover any onboard expenses and I have a cookie jar where I save all my spare change and coupon savings and small lottery winnings

[SharHite]

We live in a rather modest home for our income and use the money on travel and savings rather than house payments. I would much rather cruise than live in a fancy house. and I want to continue cruising when I retire.

[ferrangi]

Originally Posted by Mike M

I voted "other". I usually put the charges on my credit card and pay the card off every month with no finance charge.

I worked my "ass" off for years in order to do that.

Take care,
Mike

Ditto!!

[briguy]

I refuse to pay alimony, child support and uncle sam all in order to go cruising once a year or so. Then I have a good time with no regrets....

[blueliner]

I voted "other" as well. I put my cruises on my credit card, but I always have the cruise paid off on my credit card before I cruise and incur no finance charges, or very little finance charges.

[David West]

I book our cruises usually a year in advance, and have them paid for by the last payment due deadline. I divide the balance out over 9 - 10 months, and pay down on it monthly.
As it stands now, we have $400.00 on our S & S account to pay for our excursions and ect . I would like to add a few more dollars by the time we sail.

Happy sailing to all;
david

[cutiecat]

Originally Posted by briguy

I refuse to pay alimony, child support and uncle sam all in order to go cruising once a year or so. Then I have a good time with no regrets....

hope you can get on that ship when they come to find you! j/k!

[rinker250]

I put EVERYTHING (all bills) including the cruise on a credit card that earns air miles and then pay it off when the bill arrives.
This way we fly first class for free.

[briguy]

Originally Posted by cutiecat

hope you can get on that ship when they come to find you! j/k!

They will have to look in your room at 2:00am if they want to find me..

[cutiecat]

Originally Posted by briguy

They will have to look in your room at 2:00am if they want to find me..

hahahaha!

[CruiseNOID]

I go ahead and book the cruise then make payments on it - almost like a layaway plan. THEN I work my butt off to pay extra on my bills each month so that way once it is cruise time, I will have no bills to pay for during the month of the cruise since they now have overpayments and the only exception would be for what I spend on the cruise!!!

[jackiesbooks]

Tax Refund - Not smart, but that is how I do it.

[cruisemom35]

I use my Christmas Bonus or my Tax Refund

[Style2k7]

I chose other we book far enough in advance that we can just make payments towards the cruise and have it paid off before the due date.

[airforce95]

I work my butt off to be able to afford to go. Then we book the cruise a year in advance on the CC.

[leenate]

I get paid every two weeks so twice a year I get paid three times in that month and that is what I use to pay for the cruise and spending money.

[IBCRUZIN']

Originally Posted by blueliner

I voted "other" as well. I put my cruises on my credit card, but I always have the cruise paid off on my credit card before I cruise and incur no finance charges, or very little finance charges.

This is exactly what I do.

[dina]

Originally Posted by Mike M

I voted "other". I usually put the charges on my credit card and pay the card off every month with no finance charge.

I worked my "ass" off for years in order to do that.

Take care,
Mike

Yep... Same here. Plus I earn miles and it goes off of my flights.

[dear23]

I voted other, using the tax refund to pay for the cruise. Some may say not smart, but I hedge away money all year, so the refund is always bonus money for me.

[msslim]

Originally Posted by jackiesbooks

Tax Refund - Not smart, but that is how I do it.

I think the tax refund is a good idea. To me it is kind of like free money, I mean the cruise won't have to come out of your monthly budget. I think I will try that for our first cruise!!!! . As long as I don't have anything major to do with the money, I won't miss it.

[misguidedangel]

My dad kicked the bucket (he wouldn't have ever been named father of the year EVER!), my mom sold the house, mom moved in with me, mom suprised my brother and I with nice sum form the sale of the house, voila!!!! Also, my brother whined about wanting a boat, so mom open the purse strings and gave him more, so I got more, ergo--my cruise account went up considerably!!!!!!!!!

I also save money each month to cover the additional cost of the cruise as I usually go solo--and that doubles the price!!!!

[rinker250]

Originally Posted by misguidedangel

My dad kicked the bucket (he wouldn't have ever been named father of the year EVER!), my mom sold the house, mom moved in with me, mom suprised my brother and I with nice sum form the sale of the house, voila!!!! Also, my brother whined about wanting a boat, so mom open the purse strings and gave him more, so I got more, ergo--my cruise account went up considerably!!!!!!!!!

I also save money each month to cover the additional cost of the cruise as I usually go solo--and that doubles the price!!!!

Apparently Dad provided

[Sammy1954]

We book our cruise a year ahead make a deposit and make payments .
We buy fun ship dollars and drink coupons ahead .
we book our hotel for the number of nights we want to stay before and
after the cruise and get them all paid for.
So when we booked tours on the ship or bought any thing it was all
taken care of by the fun ship dollars that we had bought all year.
just seems to be easier to pay ahead and not get a bill at the end
of the cruise when your so sad you have to go home. Then the headache
of paying that bill when you are sitting at home thinking when can I
go again..

sammy

[marysed]

I book ours with tripple A. We pay $25.00 down per person. Then we pay on it till its payed off by the 2 months before the cruise.
This year we used som of the stimulous check we got to finish paying for it. So we have been putting more in savings to spend while we are there.

[Michelle1959]

Thank you to everyone who took the poll and posted their comments - I've enjoyed reading them all!

One thing is abundantly clear - nothing will stop a cruiser from finding a way to cruise! Where there's a will, there is a way!

Actually, since I will get to claim my son on my 2008 tax return I will have a hefty return and I'll probably use that for the june 09 cruise!

I already have put together a spreadsheet showing my estimated expenses in retirement and my estimates income (including social security as well as money that I'll get as an inheritance and continue getting interest from) and I know I will have enough to do at least one 7-day cruise and perhaps a 3-4 day cruise, every year, when I retire. I'll be willing to continue living frugally in order to be able to cruise.