Euro vs US Dollar
 

I am curious as to how the U.S. dollar's fall against the Euro has caused Americans to rethink their travel plans to Europe in 2008. I know that my wife and I had planned on revisiting Italy in 2008 but we are seriously looking to defer those plans and either stay in the U.S. or travel to Canada or Central America. Thank you for your resposes.

We skipped our 3 weeks in France this year, because prices had climbed out of our reach due to the falling dollar.

We usually travel to budget (2 star) hotels and camp free along the Tour de France route so we are not high end travelers. But over the past few years we found that each year the dollar kept falling and the prices in hotels was rising, so the combined hit was more than we could afford.

We are going to Amsterdam for 5 days in february, but only the winter special rates and FF miles made that possible. We'll still be dining at the cheapest places possible.

I have gone to Europe at least once or twice a year for many years, but 2007 was my first year to pass on Europe. I have decided to sieze this opportunity to see other parts of the world. In February 2007 I visited Israel and about a month ago I was in Egypt/Jordan. In 2008 I'm looking at Peru or maybe the Far East.

I will always love Europe and I will return someday, even if the exchange doesn't get better. But for now I will be traveling elsewhere.

Well, I was also thinking of going to Canada some this summer, but I've been looking and seeing that with raised prices and the exhange rate between the US and Canada, prices would be nearly double what we paid for both tickets and accomodations at the Shaw Festival in Ontario just a couple years ago, for example. I sure don't see Canada being any particular bargain (yes, yes, I know bargains CAN be found if you look -- but that's true anywhere, including Europe). I actually have found few things that have doubled in cost to me in Europe in that same amount of time.

But while I'm not making any European travel plans this summer, I am doing the month of June in NYC, which I know will cost me a LOT more than a month anywhere in Europe!!

"but we are seriously looking to defer those plans"

Whenever I see this topic, I think of my cousin in Seattle, who, in his early 50s a few years ago, went outside to pick up his mail. He was healthy and had a lot of future plans. After picking up his mail, a 12-year-old on a bicycle rode fast down the hill blinded by a setting sun and struck my cousin. My cousin was thrown in the air by the impact and his head landed on the curb. He died three days later.

I relate that story because this year we will take our longest trip ever (4 weeks to Central Europe and italy). We are staying in less expensive places (apts vs. hotels in most case) and we will probably have a few more picnics (not a bad thing) than we have in the past. But as far as thinking to defer the trip, it never entered my mind.

No one knows what tomorrow holds, so my thinking is take the opportunity while it is there.

((H))

I agree with Maitaitom to a certain extent, and I know a lot of us used that philosophy after 9/11. Here's the thing, though, as to this year -- being hit with a triple whammy in terms of falling dollar, son just started college (ouch!), and job concerns (after 16 years in the same place -- don't get me started. . . .). As a result, I have to weigh the odds of getting killed (which would mean, hang the expense, I won't have to pay for the trip!) vs. being alive but possibly unable to pay the mortgage or my son's education when we return from excellent trip.

It is a hard choice, but common sense is winning this one, especially if I factor in my age and current stress level!

We are retired and on a budget, and decided that unless the Euro goes way above $1.50 we will go on our italy trip anyway. At our age (70s) even though we expect stay alive for quite a few more years, we are more likely to have something happen that will prevent us from traveling, so we're going while we can!!

Charnee

I agree with the last two posts. DH and I will make our usual two trips to Europe in 2008. Life is too short! Travel while you can.

D*** the euro. Full speed ahead. We're booked for October 2008.

(Confession: For various reasons, we didn't travel far in 2007, so we've been saving our pathetic dollars in anticipation of the Big 3-0, and I don't mean birthday.)

I'm with Maitai's perspective on this, at least for now. I hope the day never comes when I don't even have the choice. As for my next trip, if the dollar stays as low as it is now, or goes lower, I'll just eat a little more sliced pizza than I'd planned. And I'll probably have to cut out a pair or two of gold earrings from Venice. It's all about adjustment.

We've been to Europe once a year for a number of years, and did an especially big trip with the family in 2007 to celebrate a big birthday. At age 60 and with various health glitches, (including cancer), we are not ones to defer living well, and in the moment.

However, we have decided that we can have just as good a time exploring our national parks in 2008, and that is what we will do. We have hiking trips planned in Yosemite and the Grand Canyon; thinking of shorter trips to Crater Lake and Mt. Rainier.

We'll put what we save (which will be alot since part of this will be camping) in the kitty for Europe 2009, and hope the dollar is doing better then.

WE HAVe just come back from a t/a cruise last Saturday.. Our $$ were NOT accepted in the Canary Islands.. We trekked to the bank with $100.00 and received 65 euros in return...

When I first bought my apartment and had gigantic mortgage payments for the first few years, I thought it would stop me from traveling, but it didn't at all. I just completely revised my budget and discovered a whole new way to travel. I went from 4-star hotels to 0-star hotels and actually discovered that I preferred 0-stars. Life became much more interesting.

We will definitely not postpone europe for 2008 - unless the dollar falls way lower than it is now. We may go for a little simpler hotel to make up the difference - but no way are we postponing a trip unless we just can;t get the time together.

As an American, I am more likely to put most of my travel dollars into the sputtering American economy this year. It feels patriotic. I do have several international trips planned, but will scale these back a bit, as unbridled spending abroad feels foolish to me right now.

In 2007 I took my usual two trips to Europe and I have already booked 2008 airfare for May 27 and again September 2. I wish the dollar would improve, but if it doesn't I won't let it spoil my trips.

I agree with MaiTaiTom. But it is easier to do when you are retired, your house is paid for and the children have finished their education.

When we were in our twenties, we did not have the time or the money for travel; in our forties we had the money but not the time. We were lucky to be able to retire in our early fifties and started traveling to Europe then. Now that we are in our early sixties, we will keep on traveling as long as our health permits. We are mindful of our expenses, but we do lease a car and use miles to upgrade to business class.

Surfergirl: I can attest to the fact that it is much cheaper to spend six weeks in Europe every year than it is to pay for both an MBA and a DVM at the same time.

"WE HAVe just come back from a t/a cruise last Saturday.. Our $$ were NOT accepted in the Canary Islands.. We trekked to the bank with $100.00 and received 65 euros in return.."

Sorry, but I'm puzzled what this means. If they had accepted dollars would that have made you feel better? If their currency was called the Canarian and you got 200 Canarians for each of your US dollars, would that make you feel better? It really isn't how many of theirs you get for one of yours, it's how expensive things might be at any destination. And although some are concerned with it costing more of "ours" than it does of "theirs", many things may actually still take fewer of "ours" than the same thing would back home.

May I ask why you thought $ would be accepted in the Canary Islands?

I'm w/ NeoPatrick - not quite sure what you are saying. That that wasn't enough € in return or ??

BTW €65 for $100 is pretty darn good for exchanging cash. Today the "interbank" rate would get you a little over €67 so you didn't didn't pay much commission.

We may go, but have a few more Asia trips to do first.