schrink

I'm just wondering what people are thinking about the serious downturn in the US economy, and how it is or might affect travel and pricing to the Caribbean.

I just got off the phone with a friend of mine who lives in Vermont, and who knows a number of innkeepers there. She told me that a close innkeeper friend lost 27 reservations for the leaf-peeping season in one day (yesterday).

I, myself, have a reservation for a high-end Caribbean property at the end of the month, and I am seriously considering cancelling. As much as I'd like to go on this trip, it's just not feeling "right." Not sure I can justify spending $1000 per day and coming home with a glowing tan, when my coworkers and friends are in distress.

I'm not looking for advice, but I am wondering if folks on Fodors are reconsidering travel plans, putting them on hold, or looking at cheaper options. And do you think hotel owners will lower prices as an enticement? I wonder if I can renegotiate my daily rate. . . . .

Callaloo

At least in my case, my next two trips are already booked and paid for, so it would be a waste of money not to take them. (Because I often fly using FF miles, I tend to book well in advance.)

In my opinion, conspicuous consumption is always of questionable taste. Thus, even if I were to stay at a $1,000/night resort, no one would ever know how much I spent unless they've been there themselves, regardless of the economy. (Of course, it's hard to hide the tan, but there's no reason to feel guilty about carrying out plans already laid.)

emcash

Our plans won't change, since airfare has been purchased, etc., but i am constantly checking our hotels to see if the rates have gone down. As of now, they have not.

Travel expert on the Today show today said the best deals should come about in the next 2 weeks. I did just today get an email from Ritz Carlton with a "get a 4th night free" promotion. You rarely see those...

virginia

hi schrink, i've been wondering the same thing. not the $1000 a night part as that's always been out of my price range, but if rooms on the islands might get cheaper. americans and europeons have less money to spend and airline prices have gone up quite a bit already. altogether this has to be affecting booking rates.
i've particularly felt this might happen on provo. lots and lots of huge pricey new houses & resorts being built as the island was late to get the tourist boom. room rates have gone up even from a few years ago. i wonder if some of the shiny new hotels will be closed in a year or 2.
my plans for april in grand cayman are not going to be cancelled. however, like callaloo (you know there is a rental house on provo with your name) it's already paid for...
so on a happier note - where are you headed and what fun plans do you have for your stay?

Knowing

We are in the process of booking a trip to Maui in Feb. after deciding against St. Martin.
I did hear that the number of August visitors to Hawaii plummeted 17.4 percent due to the nation's financial crisis, mortgage meltdown and escalating oil prices. I don't think September's figures are out yet.
It would be nice to get an upgrade with the hotel if we get there and the hotel is not very full, but prices have not gone down and we don't expect them to. Nor do we expect to see airline prices go down.
I'll be interested to hear what everyone's experiences in the Caribbean will be.

Palmettoculebra

You can also remember that by cancelling, like your friend in VT experienced, you would be hurting the local economoy of your destination.

We are inn-keepers in Culebra, PR & certainly value each & every reservation for the season.

Maybe you might want to skip the $1000/night spot & help support a smaller business.

Happy travels.

SAnParis2

It has ours mostly due to my unemployment, rather than anything else. We still travel, but have not been out of the US since Spring of '07. So, more trips closer to home & not as much air travel (again, since I am not flying for work, the miles/perks have gone away). That being said, we just returned from the beach (on Tuesday) & are headed to Nola (via air) on Sat.

schrink

Thanks, all, for your feedback.

Palmettoculebra- I realize that my cancelling may hurt the local economy, but my first priority has to be my family's financial situation, and not someone else's! Staying in a less-costly hotel is certainly an option, but I am an "all-or-nothing" individual - a character trait that is immutable, I'm afraid...

Palmettoculebra

schrink,
I would surely agree that one's first priority would need to be their family's best interes, however as you stated, "Not sure I can justify spending $1000 per day and coming home with a glowing tan, when my coworkers and friends are in distress." I was not getting the impression that you would be cancelling due to your family's situation, but rather "guilt" that you expressed over other's situations.

Good luck with your decision.

TPAYT

We're not planning any changes in our travel plans(Spring - Caribbean, Fall - Europe). Also some small side trips in between, Vegas, N.Y. etc.

What we did do this Sept. was shorten our European trip to 10 days from 2-3 weeks.

When we got home we found that we had lost(retirement account) more than we had spent. Should have gone for 2 wks. At least i'd know where our money went.

At this point, Spring in the Caribbean will be as usual, 10 to 14 days at a very nice beach resort.

If travel is a big part of your life(and I assume most Fodorites agree), you'll forego other things to continue seeing the world.

jamesr3939

Prices are dropping almost as fast as the stock market; on at least some trips. I have been holding off booking a cruise for January just to see what happends.

The suite cabin I was looking at went down $400 PP between last week and this week. I am thinking of not booking until late November.

I guess I am taking a chance on cabin type/location by waiting, but that's the chance you take.

This is really hard to wait since most cruises I have booked 9-14 months in advance.

TomCayman

To the poster noting cruise prices, yup, I can see those cruise prices dropping, dropping, dropping... though the drink prices and land excursion prices that make the cruise lines the money once people get on board... won't drop in price.

As to land prices, to be honest (and as a hotelier), they aren't going to drop prices that much...the cost of doing business is so high (utility costs were up over 40% this year !), backs are to the wall for hoteliers.

Sure, hoteliers will get creative with special offers etc, but raw price drops ? I don't see it happening.

Now, will customers feel better if they trade down whilst still getting their beach vacation this winter ? As a mid-priced resort, I'm certainly seeing it in reservations the last week or so.

Of course this forum attracts some particular groups (Caribbean devotees!), so it may not be a representative group !

emcash

I agree with tom cayman- looking at several upcoming trips that are already booked, hotel prices have not gone down at all, at least not yet.

PandyB

Lots of Turks and Caicos hotels are offering th 4th night free. Turks and Caicos Club is offering 50% off deals for Oct/Nov.

TomCayman

Deals in Oct/Nov... for sure.... fall is low season.

Deals in Feb/Mar/Apr... not so much.

CaribbeanSoul

As a family of 6, we are definitely checking out alternatives for 2009 and beyond. Driving trips to Vancouver Island, Oregon Coast and the San Juan Island are serious options for us.

Luckily, my son and I are taking a cruise with my parents in a month. Stops at Grand Cayman and Cozumel. This will be my first cruise and that may be the first of several if I like what I see considering our family's needs in the near future.

Airfares have gotten out of hand and until we can get someone to watch our children for a week, things will be a bit different for us from a travel related standpoint.

KVR

Well, the ecomony has surely hurt us in our vacation plans. Though we live in West Texas and the oil field is booming here, it's still hurting our finances. We canceled our yearly Sept trip and downgraded our house instead, which cost us more than we thought it would.

We also cancelled our yearly trip in November. Last year we spent $1,300 for 4 nights in Puerta Vallarta and now we can't find 4 nights anywhere for less than $2,000. Just don't want to spend that kind of money. Instead, we opted to just drive to San Antonio for a long weekend and stay in a nice hotel that we probably wouldn't ever consider staying in before.

Not only are the higher prices effecting our decisions, we also don't want to mess with the airport hassels and the extra expenses there either. Maybe next year?

kellybeaches

I’m still trying to swallow paying almost $600 p/person to fly to Nassau in February. I’ve been there twice now and haven’t paid more than $300 each time. The crazy thing is we actually got a good deal compared to how it’s been the past few months-I’ve been watching it and it went from $400 in the winter (which I thought was high so didn’t buy) to $800 in the spring. It’s a 3 hour flight from Philly! So we jumped on it when it dropped last month. We still have to purchase our puddle jumper flight to Long Island so I’m watching for that. We may have reconsidered this trip if we hadn’t already paid for our villa. This may be our last island trip for a couple years until the airfare goes down a bit. Of course, an expanding family adds up too-we just had a baby boy in July!

iw

I can't believe that I am replying to this message. Yes....We did not do a Caribbean vac. this year. DH is in the building business, which has been HUGE in the last few years and we spent at least 12 or more days on at least 2-3 islands, St. Barths being one, last year. Fact is, business is down and we have to make economic choices. Having said that, I am a teacher, and my salary is a sure thing. I am very thankful for all that we have and these airfares are outright ridiculous! We are going to Vegas for a friend's 40th in January, but I miss the Caribbean. Don't cry for me since we have another house at the river in our town, but not the same....
I totally understand everyone's comments and have purposely stayed away from this side of the board since it depresses me..economics, lack of my favorite, the Caribbean (and I received my new passport in May, which has not been used)
The US will come back and we will be back to our happy travels!!

nanorran

We normally go on a 7 nt and 4-5 nt trip to Caribbean each winter, to escape the Northeast US winters. We had already decided not to do the shorter trip this coming winter. Now after this weeks events we may hold off on a trip to a place like Peter Island or Jumby Bay and wait it out and find some kinda pkg deal to maybe a less costly resort. Still won't complain as we are getting to Caribbean but just feels right to scale back alittle !