Free Cruise to the Bahamas!
9 years ago
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9 years ago
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Should we take an almost-free cruise?
Comments (13)Cathy, thanks for the link. After I posted this, I started googling and found a lot of negative material on this company and this type of sales technique. There are a lot of complaints about the hard sell, the scheduling difficulties, and the poor accommodations (bunk beds! Yikes!). Even if the company is totally above-board and things go smoothly, it doesn't sound like the right kind of vacation for our lifestyle and our finances. Next time, I won't be tempted by the thought of doing something so inappropriate for us just because it's "free." I sent my kids the link to this post. My DD said: "Even if you don't drink cocktails or go to fancy shows, there are hidden charges, and you can bet on paying more than the base amount that's been quoted. Since you're on the boat every night, you will wind up going to the shows, because the state rooms are too small to hole up in. On the plus side, it's a readymade vacation so you don't have to do tons of planning to make it happen, and you deserve a treat for your 40th anniversary. If you wait to plan the perfect itinerary "someday," it might not happen... so there's a certain benefit to grabbing an available opportunity if it's good (even if not absolutely perfect). It's been a lot of years since your last vacation!" And my DS commented: "If you're prepared to spend any money at all for a trip/vacation, what do actually want to do? If not a cruise, then what? Would you rather travel somewhere else? Would you rather embark on some sort of event or activity? Also ... could you find a better deal without the obligations?" Wise kids! Thanks, everybody, for your thoughts! Sue...See MoreValuable information about your rights as a cruise passenger.
Comments (11)I thought that I had posted on this but guess not. This is why you purchase travel insurance to cover this sort of thing. It's a small portion of the cost of the trip and well worth it if something happens. We started when we traveled with friends, one of whom had a long-term illness, and we never knew whether we would make the trip or not. There are any number of things that could happen that would interrupt you trip. On a trip to Greece, a woman on our tour stepped in a hole and broke her leg. She had to be transported back to Boston on a stretcher which took out several rows of seats on the plane. Her travel insurance covered that....See MoreA long cruise - almost home - part 2
Comments (8)Tomorrow morning, we will be back in Ft. Lauderdale. The first passengers will be allowed to get off about 8:00; last ones about 10:45. One has to claim bags on the pier and then get through customs. Transfers to the airport can be via taxi or a ship's big bus. If you take a cab, it is about 15 minutes and less than $20; if you take the ship's transfer, you have to wait for the bus to be full and the luggage loaded and it costs $35 per person. We rented a car to drive back to Illinois taking three days (into a horrible ice storm - welcome home!) A 42-day adventure (all of our cruises have been adventures) is ending. We have made many friends, both through Cruise Critic and just by meeting folks. It was a wonderful cruise. How much? OK. We had a simple cabin with a window, on a lower deck and the cost for both of us for the cruise was about $9,200 total. Add on the rental car, the hotel before we sailed and lots and lots of wine and other souvenirs. It was great! Our best cruise ever! Next post will have some photos of odds and ends. Jim...See MoreA long cruise - almost home
Comments (11)This year's itinerary is identical to last year's. They should be returning to Ft. Lauderdale on Friday. Next year! Oh! My! The 42-day becomes 50 days. Beyond what it has now, it adds 3 ports in Greece, plus 2 in Malta. Tough decision time. We have already signed up for October, 2015 and it leaves Los Angeles, goes to Hawaii, Samoa, French Polynesia and back. 28 days. Of those 28, 17 are at sea with no land to be seen. On a per day cost, the one to Europe is less expensive and we could drive to Ft. Lauderdale; but 50 days is a long time. 28 days from the west coast means flying (I hate that) and it is more expensive per day. Never been to Samoa, but nothing else is new on that one. Greece, Malta, etc is real tempting. Jim...See More
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