Someone posted that cruises were relatively inexpensive for what you get....well, I just added the whole thing up. You can expect to pay at least $2000 for 2 people on a cruise, including airfare IF YOU ARE LUCKY. Divide that by 6 nights. I get over $300 per day...cruising is not cheap by any means. And that is a cheap cruise! This time around my husband and I are paying over $3500 including air....divide that by 6 nights and you get about $500 per day...over.... <BR>Being from the Northeast, we usually leave one day ahead of scheduled adding to the bill. Not cheap by any means.

All in all and depending on the ship cruising is a good value for your $$.. first it's a hotel..complete with steward service, it takes you ports and places you've never been before..then there is the 24 hour food..if you sat down at a four or five star restaurant what with snacks and buffet..it would be at least the miniumum without tips $100.00 a day for food..everybody at your beck and call.. oh yes...don't forget the entertainment..the shows, the art auctions, napkin folding, the pool games..Bingo and whatever...it is an all inclusive vacation that happens to float to different countries and ports....Yes, I believe it is usually a good value for your money.. You said you booked an inexpensive cruise..which cruise and from where.. We usually sale out of Boston on the Majesty.. and that is less than the two of us going to Cape Cod to an overpriced motel and having rotten weather and overpriced and greasy food..

Maggie: Don't pay any attention to parrot mom. She seems to be up to her armpits in money. Look at some of her other posts where she thinks tipping is cheap, etc.

for someone who isn't "up to her armpits in money" - I still agree with Parrot Mom. I save very hard each year to take a nice vacation somewhere tropical. <BR> <BR>I've cruised, all-inclusived and built-my-own vacations. <BR> <BR>I personally found that cruising is worth it for my time, effort and money. <BR> <BR>These are my opinions, and unlike some people, I respect others: <BR>All-inclusive - I've felt "trapped", like if I'm not only at the facility getting "free" stuff, I'm wasting the money spent on the all inclusive and further on the excursion or what ever I'm doing that was not part of the package. <BR> <BR>Build-my-own - also too restrictive for me and too much of a hassle. Felt like I had to follow my pre-set plan instead of picking and choosing like I do on a cruise. <BR> <BR>Cruise - I feel like after I choose the right ship with the right ports for me, I still have a lot of options to choose from based on my mood for the day. I get to go several places that I've never been and get as much or as little entertainment as I want. <BR> <BR>Some say that the drinks are expensive - well they are and so are drinks at nice hotels - much more than the local pub. For me, didn't matter if I pay the Cruise, the Hotel or the supper club - all expensive. <BR> <BR>Just my random thoughts on the subject.

sorry - one more concluding thought - I ended up spending about the same on each vacation. Set a limit, have reasonable expectations on additional costs and have fun on whatever vacation you choose - cruise or otherwise.

Sorry to disappoint you Tom, but I am not up to my armpits in $$..parrots maybe, bu certainly not $$..we are both retired and on a fixed income.... Maggie should take a look at the hotel prices for a night in Boston or New York..she will be in for a shock.. As for tips..I certaiinly don't think tipping is cheap..but I think people who complain about tipping on cruise ships don't deserve good service.. we tip over and above for good service...especially on a cruise.. We are going on a land vacation and it is an all inclusive and including air-fare will be over $2,000 (in the D.R.) for two of us..we bought the trip on sale..at a vacation show.. we will be in one destination.. It certainly won't have the class or the entertainment or even the quality of food on a cruise...but hey.. go with the flow...We've worked hard all our lives and traveling is our priority..if you want to camp in a tent Tom..that is your business..Oh yes, Maggie...we live in the Northeast too.. and we cruise from Boston...

Did you know Parrotmom that there is a polio scare in DR at the present Time?

my, my, my...a bit of hostility.. I am not a rich guy, but most any kind of near luxury travel can be done fairly inexpensively..examples: last year my wife and I and 24 year old daughter went on the Celebrity Horizon, San Juan to Aruba in early November and then we stayed 4 nights in Aruba at the Radisson... Cost of the cruise for three people, outside cabin, 1413 including port charges, 4 days at the nicest hotel in Aruba $876, pre-cruise night in San Juan at the Raddison $129, airfare we used miles. 12 night vacation, $2418. That's $806 per person..we had some tips and meals and excursions but that is cheap for a first class trip. Will be doing Northern europe cruise with celebrity 14 nights, 2 nights pre-cruise in Amsterdam, 5 Nights London, 4 nights Paris (27 days, 25 nights) First class hotels(Kensington Hilton and Sofitel)all this for a little under 2700/person...miles for air but everything else is a deal. I can also do Kapalua for 16 days for about 1450 per person, air, car and deluxe condo. You can do it too...

Thanks Nurse..yes, we have an appointment to get a booster shot at our local travel clinic.. This will be our 6th time to the D.R. In re-reading my comment about tips..I mis-wrote.. tipping on cruise ships is a crime..under $4.00 a day per waiter for three meals a day..I doubt that even comes to 15% if you were in a regular restaurant..

Thats right Parrot Mom, tipping is cheap, the cruise is a bargain, etc. etc. etc. Never mind you spent hundreds on the cruise, hundreds more on the airfare, transfers, side trips, photos, drinks, shopping, etc. Keep rationalizing.....the cruise lines love it! I'd like to be on your "fixed income".

Okay, so you want to bash me...I've been traveling longer than most of you people.. We never, I repeat never buy a tour from a cruise ship..or anyplace else..except for a side trip to Machu Picchu from Lima..we hire a van or cab because we've done our homework ahead of time.. We do not buy pictures, we have our own camera, we aren't heavy drinkers, but my sin is the sin of being a "shopper"... I can tell you where to shop in Cartenga for magnificant silk shawls for $40.00..the best shop in Bermuda for my english porcelain (they know me as a regular)..The best compliment a friend gave us is that our home has things from all over the world and is the most interesting he goes to.. a rain stick from Mexico, a Yucatan baseball bat, a wall hanging from Lima, original art work from Puerta Vallarta.. and best of all I always post my e-mail address..if your interested in some of our adventures....For many reasons we try to only cruise from Boston...

Okay...to clarify... <BR> <BR>Okay..I agree about the various ports...however, you've got about 10 hours max in each port if you are lucky. I've been thinking about the Majesty to Bermuda this summer from Boston...that MAY be a good bet since there will be no airfare, hotel involved. I agree however, cruising in the winter is not a bargain especially if you are from the NE. <BR> <BR>Grand Princess...Feb 2001...Room: $3200 (not the best by any means, not cheap by any means and I DO know the cost of a hotel room in NYC and Boston...I live IN Boston...my daugher lives in NYC...However I also know the cost of a good condo with all the amenities...much cheaper than a cruise ship! <BR>Airline Tix: 2@240 = $480 (Delta isn't giving out any bargains to FLL lately if nobody has noticed)AND I'll be lucky if we get off the ground since this year those who make millions in Delta's headquarters seem to be refusing pilots and mechanics a raise in pay. <BR>Two Nights @ Cheap Hotel: (Believe me, this IS Cheap...I hate this hotel but I'm trying to cut costs...I'm used to much better hotels btw....but Hotel: $240 (UGH!!!!) <BR>Rental Car: Again, cheapest I could get: $70 for 2-days and that's if they honor the rate! <BR>Food: 2 days in FLL: at LEAST $75 per day. <BR>Add it all up and you get almost if not above (it's late) $4,000/6 (days)and it's about $625 per day for what people are calling a 'relatively inexpensive vacation' I've gone to both London/Paris for about ten days more cheaply! <BR>In contrast: <BR>Key West: (This past November...very warm, very tropical, very beautiful) <BR>One Week: <BR>Condo Rental: $1100 plus tax (about $1350 altogether...2 bedrooms/2 1/2 baths, private balcony, BEAUTIFUL <BR>Food: Breakfast: In Private on deck of condo <BR>Car Rental: $200 (didn't need the car btw...) <BR>Food: One week: $150 <BR>Restaurants: 3 days @ average of $100 <BR>Airline Tix FLL 4@240 (again, Delta not giving anything away lately) <BR>Total Cost for FOUR people: Under $3,000/6 = $500 per day, four adults! <BR>NO, I didn't cook..food was kind of "buy and eat" when we did eat in, and of course, restaurant food (which btw one can take home with you (they do give you a LOT of food in restaurants...enough for two meals) <BR> <BR>

Okay Maggie..here is the scoop.. more than 15 years ago we decided never to cruise out of Miami again..there are too many charter vacations leaving from Logan to warmer climates during the winter....like this exact week... and I didn't need the stress of flying into Miami..The Majesty came in to Boston and we've been hooked..nine years in a row.. The SeaBreeze was a delight.. We had decided to do the NCL Sky out of Boston and you know what happened to that ship..to shorten the story..we got a great deal for $1200 each for a two week repositioning cruise from Miami to LA on that ship last April (with balcony).. and after our experience again in Miami again I have vowed never, ever to go through Miami again.. Oh yes, we did a two day pre-cruise (don't remember what we were charged) and rented a car for $39.00.. If your interested in going to Bermuda..I'd be glad to show you pictures and talk to you about that..it's the best deal going..if you can get a cabin now...

I agree that William appears to be angry and is just in this conversation to bash. <BR> <BR>I think my next cruise is CHEAP!! <BR> <BR>7 days - Western Caribean - <BR> <BR>Flight from Milwaukee to Miami <BR> <BR>NCL Wind (upgraded to P1 balcony as of last night) <BR> <BR>Total cruise, flight, transfers, taxes, tips ect. - $1,124 <BR> <BR>Expected excursion costs (did homework, doing one cruise sponsored, other on own) - $160 <BR> <BR>Expected drinkning costs based on other cruises and including the booze I plan to smuggle in - $100 <BR> <BR>Misc shopping (not a big shopper) $40 <BR> <BR>Total for 7 days $1,424 That's $200 per day!! <BR> <BR>That $200 per day will cover more entertainment than I could imagine, a nice - albeit small - balcony room, food that I don't have to cook and choices of food I may not typically try, sun, fun, new sights and experiences in a variety of places. <BR> <BR>I say that's a bargain -- and NO, I am not rich!! I save and then spoil myself. <BR> <BR>If you don't want to pay that - go camping in a neighborhood park.

If your a repeat NCL passenger you get on some cruises great benefits..like on board credits..On the Sky we had $200.00 on board credit and was pretty hard put to spend it all..but managed with the internet cafe..

Give Parrot Mom a break - I know of her from another board and she is a good person - very down to earth. <BR> <BR>I think cruising is cheap. I paid $650/per person for my cabin on the Grand. Inside cabin but that is OK - I can go outside and see the ocean. <BR> <BR>Airfare was $200 from Nebraska. I watched the airfare very carefully for a sale. <BR> <BR>Purchases - bought some tshirts and a coffee mug on the ship. <BR> <BR>Beverages - I brought my own onto the ship. <BR> <BR>Did the islands by myself. No tours for me. <BR> <BR>Total vacation for 2 ended up being under $2,000. <BR> <BR>That include room, excellent food and service and entertainment. Plus - it was very relaxing. <BR> <BR>Last time I went to NY and Boston - I had to pay approx $180/night for hotel. My Disney vacations have doubled what I spent on this cruise. <BR> <BR>I think they are a great deal! Three cruises down, one this month and one booked for next year. <BR> <BR>I am not wealthy - I am 30 years old working for a local university.

Wow, are you all making me feel good about my last 3 cruises! You folks are PAYING WAY TOO MUCH! If you are spending more than $150 a day per person, then you had better be getting a nice room with a big balcony. <BR> <BR>Our Carribean cruise ran us about $70 per day, our Princess cruise to Asia was $100 per day, and the Eastern Med. was $125 per day. <BR> <BR>The trip to the med was $1500 for 12 days and airfare was $580. Someone please explain to me how we could travel to Istanbul, Ephesus, Santorini, Crete, Rhodes, Cyprus, Cairo, and Athens for less than $2300 including 3 great meals daily? Pahleese! <BR> <BR>Here is a trick for all you cheapies out there like me; BRING ZIPLOCK BAGS!!! At the breakfast buffet, load up on fresh fruit, rolls, any sorts of non perisheable foods and BRING LUNCH WITH YOU! You paid for it, might as well use it. <BR> <BR>You should all be using discount travel agents, and don't be afraid to haggle them as well. We were originally quoted $4200, then $3500, then $2100, then $1900, and we told them, no, no, no and looked around until finally they came back with $1500. <BR> <BR>Same with the other two cruises. I did an internet search yesterday and found Carribean, Alaskan, Scandanavian, and Med cruises advertised at around $100 per day. <BR> <BR>Don't you people shop around?

Another thought, we talked to people that had the same accomodations as we did and they paid $2400-3500 for the same cruise we paid $1500 for. <BR> <BR>And never take the cruise tours unless you are wheelchair bound, very old, or very feeble. <BR> <BR>The Santorini tour was $40 per person, we rented a car and paid $12 for the whole day. That's $3 per person and we saw 3X what the tour folks saw. <BR> <BR>Be adventurous, live a little!

If you don't shop for cruise prices at specialists..then you deserve to pay the higher price...Met people on the Majesty in September who paid $200.00 a person..from very elderly to young.. they bought it at auction...There are several cruise boards where people are wonderful and love to give advice and many travel agents who are available if you need one.. I've met a woman whose son paid book price...from a travel agent.....the name of the game is to shop and compare..

<BR>Completely agree with Parrot Mom, taken numerous cruises and well traveled world wide. When you compare equally there is nothing cheaper than a cruise. Even the airfare is often the cheapests out there. I am very internet savvy and know how to find the most inexpensive air, packages and cruises. I thank those who say it is expensive as I know they are the reason I get to travel cheaply.