the jealous people who find out you're "going on a crui
There seems to be a difference between people who have cruised and who haven't. When I mention anything about our upcoming trip, people who have gone before are all ooooh where are you going? what ship? etc. People who haven't cruised get this why the h&!! does she get to go again look. Even if they have done trips to hotels at the shore or across the country that probably cost as much if not more, they think cruising is something snooty or for the RICH alone. I'd love to say something sometime like maybe if you donate less money to Ralph Lauren you'd be able to cruise as well! Cruising imho offers the best possible value for the dollar when it comes to vacations with a super high enjoyment factor. How a person's money gets spent depends on their priorities. Those that value recreation, family time, couple time, etc CRUISE or at least take care planning vacations. The ones that don't have no right to criticize the ones that do, esp when a cruise is one vacation you CAN pay off over a period of time. To those who get that "look" - Get A LIFE/ Get a CRUISE!
Re: the jealous people who find out you're "going on a
Along the same lines are those who cruise, but give the same disdainful look when I tell them I booked a penthouse suite. I've cruised for 8 years, 15 times, and usually get an inside, did a verandah once, and have tried several times to go for the gusto with a penthouse, but they're usually sold out days or weeks before they're available to the public. I assume they go to "friends" of the cruise line, guest stars, super T/A's etc.
Well, I finally got one, for 2 weeks on the Zuiderdam, next March and I'm sooooo stoked about it. Now I have to start pinching pennies so I can afford it! I'm one of those people who believes that you only live once & I want to enjoy as much as I can while I'm still young enough to enjoy it! Hell, I'm already too old to enjoy some of the things (I refuse to do a hairy chest contest ;-o )
Plus, with no kids, I'm taking as much of it as I can with me when I go!!
Re: the jealous people who find out you're "going on a
I do think that it is a good idea to discuss upcoming cruises only with other people who cruise or with those that you know have the funds to take vacations wherever they wish. It is a sad fact that we who cruise frequently are in the minority and that there are many people who have to budget just to go out to a resturant and to a movie. Cruising is certainly a bargain, but only if you can afford it.
Re: Re: the jealous people who find out you're "going o
Paul, what made me think of this gripe was clearing it with work. I am mostly a stay at home mom, but I do have a small npt job to get out of the house. My boss does WELL for herself. She does contribute to Ralph Lauren's and other designers bank accounts. She is not someone who is limited to dinner and a movie once a year. She makes decent money and has no kids. If vacationing was really important to her, she would reorganize her spending. No, I wouldn't discuss in front of anyone that couldn't afford to go, but there are times you HAVE to mention that you will be going away, clearing it with work, preschools, and other organizations people may belong to or have obligations to. There are still people out there who can be happy for the good fortune of others and people who think if they can't immediately do or have something, why should anyone else? It must be miserable to live your life in such competition instead of thinking, hmmm, I'd like to do that too, maybe if I work x amount of extra hours or cut my drinking, clothing, junk food, etc budget in half, I can do this too.
Re: the jealous people who find out you're "going on a
Most people do not realize how economical a cruise actually is. If your flexible and able to go off season or with a group etc... not not care if you have an inside room and you do not care about having to go on a 5 star ship you can get great deals. What is the average time a person spends in their room other than showering and sleeping. Break down what you would spend at a resort/hotel, food, entertainment, etc.... (Just take under consideration the amount of food you consume on a cruise and the desserts you eat how much would that cost you at a restaurant in Grand Cayman, St. Thomas, even in your home town). Granted you could spend a lot on extra's on a cruise but you are not forced to go drop $$$ in the casino, on excursions there are plenty of things to do that do not cost anything. I have had so many people tell me I cannot believe you go on so many cruises. We budget so much $$ for vacation each year we use frequent flyer points for air if we do not want to go out of Galveston. A bagger a Kroger said he would love to go on a cruise but he did not think he could afford it. I told him get 3 of friends together be flexible watch for a good deal on RCCL or Carnival split the cost 4 ways he did not realize how enexpensive it could be. Education on travel is not out there anymore travel agents are a dying breed the internet is taking over and commissions are ending with the airlines so travel agents do not have financial support to stay in business. So next time someone gives you greif about cruising ask them how much their last vacation cost I am sure it was as much or more than what a cruise cost.
Re: the jealous people who find out you're "going on a
Boy I hear this comment a lot, too -- I went on 4 cruises last year, and am on my first this year (and scouting for a new one).
Whenever I get some of that attitude, I just counter in the positive by pointing out that it's not as expensive as people think and cite some of the prices I've paid. Then it usually turns into, "You're kidding? Really? And how do I find 'em?" (And, of course, I always mention cruisemates for information)
Of course, I also budget down on shore trips, $5 in the casino, bring some booze and usually leave from San Pedro, which is only a 1.5 hour drive from our house in San Diego County. (Hell, even on the last 7-night trip, we had Art's sister drop us, which -- even after the gas -- saved us $50 in parking. As I told Art, that's one shore outing (and it was -- booked a glass bottom boat ride for $10 in Cabo!)
The only thing I don't budget on are the tips -- I love giving 'em.
Perhaps a little education would make people less judgmental -- and thankfulness on our side -- would make it better. I know every time I am leaning against the rail at some quiet moment after dinner, I say, "Thank you God."
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I don't know what it is with some people. They have the choice to cruise and don't. My wife (Cindy) and I love to take the boys on a few cruises a year. We do pretty well. We are not rich but know how to finance. We can't have everything but we must cruise. Every time I mention my vacation plans at work, they think I sticking my had in the bank's vault. I don't have a huge suv and we own a small home. We have learned to save. 401ks for us and 529s for the boys. With a little left over we pay for ourcruise in cash. A little goes a long way.
Re: the jealous people who find out you're "going on a
Cindy, great gripe!
I hear it too. And just not about cruising. It's all where you place your prioities. Some travel, some don't. My SIL just received a 4 K tennis bracelet. Very nice, but I'm thinking wow, where could I have cruise with that $$! Different strokes....
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I know what you're all talking about, I can't even mention to my own sister about planning another cruise (getting ready for cruise #25). She won't look at our pictures
and says she can't understand how I can afford to cruise all the time, I tell her that
I have learned to budget, which is something that her and her husband haven't learned
to do. I'm sorry that she doesn't get the chance to cruise, but she chose her life and
I have chosen mine, and we all should be happy for each other...maybe some day!!!
Re: the jealous people who find out you're "going on a
I hear it a lot too, and I probably have the least amount of money of all those on this board. I don't think cruising is a cheap vacation, I've done much cheaper, but it can be done if you work at it. I live very cheap so that I can afford to vacation. When you don't own anything, nothing owns you. I figure why own a home when I'm never there. I know renting is giving money to someone else, but if I bought a house, my property taxes alone would exceed my rent. Vacations would have to stop and it's only a good investment if you take care of it. It's all a matter of what you value. I don't want possessions, I like my trips. My sister is a snob and makes fun of me every time she sees my apartment. Then she complains that she can't afford to vacation with me. When you go shopping 4 times a week, it makes it a little hard to afford vacation.
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Cruising can be expensive or inexpensive. It is your choice and that's what makes it a great vacation option. I love choices. For those who live in the Southeast, within driving distance of Florida, you have a ton of choices. Suppose you wanted to travel to Nassau, The Bahamas. The cheapest plane ticket between Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville and Nassau is right around $200. The cheapest cabin on the Fantasy or Sovereign of the Seas 4-day cruise is around $240. And the accomodations are a little nicer.
Re: the jealous people who find out you're "going on a
Makes me wonder what kind of people you know? I've mentioned our upcoming cruise to several people from friends and neighbors to petsitter and pastor and all have oohhed and aahhed and wished up luck. Some could afford the same cruise, some could afford a lesser cruise, and some may never be able to cruise (I'm thinking of my pastor) but no one gave us funny looks or judged our choice of vacation - at least not to my face.
Re: the jealous people who find out you're "going on a
Most people probably don't judge anyone's choice of vacation. I have a lot of friends who are accountants and some of them can be very critical when it comes to how others spend money. I found it's best not to discuss certain things unless I want to get an earful. People like this are rare (I hope), but it's tough finding gripes.
Re: the jealous people who find out you're "going on a
I do seem to get the "raised eyebrow" response when I tell co-workers that we're going on an 11 day cruise, but we do work hard, and thank God neither of us are work-aholic types who will "enjoy our money when we retire"! We always make sure the bills are paid, but when he gets his annual bonus, we like to use it on us! We certainly make sure our family members are taken care of, but we like to be taken care of too! When my father passed away last year, I used the life insurance money to take my mom on a cruise (even though they've been divorced since we were little kids). He never took her on a really nice vacation, so I figured it was time he did! haha! My sister was also able to join us, although her income is not great, a 3rd person was a miniscual amount, so I told her this was a great opportunity to join us at a deal she might not get again! So we have nice memories of something that will might not happen again, so we're glad we did it!
I know I got off the original subject, but bascially it's good to take advantage of a golden opportunity when it arises!
Happy Cruising!
..Jean
Re: the jealous people who find out you're "going on a
Everyone I have talked to is thrilled for me or really effective liars.
My mom is treating me to this cruise, but as a recent widow, she is calling it my last gift from my Dad. He would never go on a cruise with her since he thought everyone else was richer or smarter than he or something(He was a very intelligent, classy, funny, good natured carpenter and I am sure there are plenty of them that cruise!). The irony is that he would have fit in fine-and would have had a blast too. We gotta spread the word that cruising is very accesible and affordable to almost everyone. Iwish it could have been my dad taking my mom, but she has always wanted to cruise and I hope honors Dads memory by enjoying everything he would have from the food to the skimpily clad dancing girls and the glorious scenery we will find in Hawaii. Okay, she will moralize about the dancing girls, but she'll get over it
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the jealous people who find out you're "going on a crui
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