Barb, tell me if this is none of my business

[deannalew]

I just can't help myself....I am one of those curious types....
BUT, I just wondered HOW you can manage taking so many wonderful cruises each year? Are you and hubby retired? (Because neither one of you look old enough to be retired!;) )

I just wondered with time off from work and the cost of cruising, that maybe you know some ***MAGICAL*** way to do it!

AND YES, if it is none of my business, please tell me. I won't be offended. :D

Thanks

[SeaShelley]

Hey deannalew, Thanks for posting what we've all been thinking!!;)

Ok, Barb, spill it.....or at least give us some hints as to how we can do it too! I am having such withdrawal lately and I've only been on one cruise.

As I sat basking in the sun on the frozen lake yesterday, in my longjohns, flannel lined jeans, ski parka, and mittens....it felt just like Castaway Cay.......NOT!!!

[smjj]

Us regulars here have been dying to ask!!!...smjj

[wovenwonder]

I just want to know if they'll adopt me!
:D

[VondaP]

If I recall, there was a post awhile back that talked about this.

Vonda

[atigeg]

I sure wish that we were retired, or at least independently wealthy, but it's just a case of being DINKs (dual income, no kids) with good jobs who pretty much spend all of our disposable income to the Mouse. I usually work two jobs, although at present I've only got one while I finish my doctorate. We have lots of friends who have fancy SUVs and who love in huge houses. They laugh at us for driving Neons and living in a condo, but it's all a matter of priorities. I would rather travel than drive a fancy vehicle or live in a showplace that we would have to clean and keep up. But we are still hoping to win the lottery someday...then we can just move into 5650 permanently, at least for a year or so. :D :D
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.*****************

[Amzey]

LOL Barb thanks for sharing that.. I've been wondering for awhile now. And deannalew, thanks for asking. :D

[SeaShelley]

My ears are off to you Barb! Thanks for the response and being so candid! The rest of us on the DIS, the occasional cruisers, will just have to be content to live vicariously through you and your hubby! Keep those great trip reports coming! (And don't forget to ask your 5650 room steward for those extra packets of lotion!;) Just kidding)

Happy cruising.....
SeaShelley

PS, Maybe if you hit a BIG lottery you could host a DIS cruise!:eek:

[taswira]

From now on, every time I see a Neon, I'm going to think of you cruising happily on DCL . . .

[Joe & Joanne]

Hi:Wave:
Ok now I have to decide what I want to get rid of first? NC Land, NJ Land, Phila Prop, got to get rid of the doggies (never), Lincoln, Volvo, explorer....I AM KEEPING THE FLORIDA PROPERTY. because when we move down there we get special DCL rates? LOL:D

[spotssister]

Barb answered same question last year -- sometime after about January - February when I first found this board.


:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[Mickey4Me]

But we are still hoping to win the lottery someday...then we can just move into 5650 permanently, This is sort of OT, but did anyone catch the Discovery Channel's program about cruise ships? I just caught the tail end last night, and the did a segment on a ship that sold condo space! A permanent floating home. There were 100 units on board and the minimum net worth to be elgible to buy one was 5 mil. IMHO, not worth it unless it was a Disney home at sea. :D

[Casey's mom]

To continue the OT topic, I read a story a few months ago about a British retiree who lives on the QE2. She found that a small inside stateroom costs about the same as her friends in old age homes in the UK. The QE2 travels around the world, which she finds a lot more interesting than staying in the same place all the time. So long as her health holds out, it seems like a great idea!!!The article mentioned that Cunard gives frequent cruiser discounts, which helped this woman keep her costs down.
I can only assume that the QE2 would not be my first choice of a ship, but the concept would probably appeal to a lot of the readers of this board! :D

[taswira]

That ship people will live on is the ResidenSea. They call it "The Ultimate Address." The residences, ranging in size from 102.8 to 298 square meters (1,106 – 3,200 sq. ft.), start at US$2,225,000.

And it isn't even Disney!

[Mickey4Me]

That ship people will live on is the ResidenSea Yup, that's the one! It was supposed to set sail in 2001. Anyone know if it got off the ground (so to speak)?

[deannalew]

You are right in that life is a matter of choices. I commend you in that you CHOOSE to drive the neon (nothing wrong with that!) and live in the condo (again, a nice choice) and so you can take several of these cruises.

My husband and I live in a small house with our two children. I chose to work only part time right now so I can have more time with the kids. We chose to stay in a smaller home so we could afford for me to work only part time right now. Doing the cruise for us is a big expense, but because we booked over a year in advance, we can save for it. Also, my hubby and I really need some special time on a special trip together with out our kids.

What better place to have a special trip than on a ship called "Magic"???:)

I have the feeling that when we take the cruise, we will want to go again and take the kids. I know they would probably love it!:p

Thanks again for your willingness to share, Barb! :D

[taswira]

I don't think so yet, but their website with all the details is at http://www.residensea.com/

[taswira]

Sorry - My post above was in answer to Mickey4Me.

[peter pans family]

Barb, thanks for making feel like I am not a total financial failure..lol...My boss is paying for our entire cruise (including airfare, transfers etc) and I'm moaning about spending money and new clothes $!!! Hopefully this will be the first of many cruises for us, of course first high school tuition, braces, violin lessons, dance lessons etc etc etc have to be taken care of!!
Have a great night and thanks for sharing!

[inkkognito]

And I guess I shouldn't imply that we live like pauper either...
My other big indulgence is horses. We have two "hooved kids," Cochise and Figment. I am very fortunate that I can keep them at a friend's house, which means it costs MUCH less than most people have to pay to board horses around here. Cochise will be 25 years old in a little over a month, and I've had him since he was 4. Figment is the newcomer...we got him last year, when he was 3, and I am training him just like I trained Cochise. When we are not travelling, hubby and I can usually be found riding out in the forest preserve. We have a couple of furry "cat kids" and a bird too. At least with those kind of children, they don't clamor to come on the cruise and there is no college expense.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.*****************

[albiats]

inkkognito -

I can understand how you can take so many cruises and I know you also do other things as well.

The part that I would dread handling is taking care of all of the paper work involved with 7 or 8 cruises, plus when the final payment dates are, all of your air tickets, and all of your hotel and limo reservations, too.

Anyway, I say Bravo on your organizational skills, and if you do most of it on your computer, I'd make backups of my backups.

[my3kids]

Barb: You do cruises like we do sport's practices. I've occasionally forgotten to get one of my children to one of their practices.....have you ever forgotten to get to Florida for one of your cruises????;)

[wovenwonder]

Thanks for sharing AGAIN Barb - I can tell that you are a very special, kind person!

Wouldn't it be great if you could buy time share blocks on the wonder for your trips!
:)

[ducklite]

Originally posted by Mickey4Me
This is sort of OT, but did anyone catch the Discovery Channel's program about cruise ships? I just caught the tail end last night, and the did a segment on a ship that sold condo space! A permanent floating home. There were 100 units on board and the minimum net worth to be elgible to buy one was 5 mil. IMHO, not worth it unless it was a Disney home at sea. :D

There's a web site for this ship-- It's an older ship, and frankly looks like a dump. For the amount of money and the annual fees, You could own enough DVC points to spend 5 weeks a year in a Grand Villa!

Anne

[taswira]

Ducklite, are you talking about the ResidenSea? That one is brand new. See the excerpt below from their website - -

"Keel laying of The World of ResidenSea took place on September 18, 2000. >>On February 28, 2001, at noon The World of ResidenSea slid down the slip way and into the sea at the Bruces shipyard in Landskrona, Sweden. >> The world's first residential resort community will begin her maiden voyage in early March 2002, with her christening ceremony to be held in New York City in April."

[perdidobay]

Although I have two kids (one grown and on her own & the other about to start college) You are living the life I dream of Barb! Now if only I could convince DH to scale back and move into a smaller house with no mortgage, so we have more money to spend on traveling!
As I always say, money spent on fast cars, fancy clothes and jewerly is good trip money wasted! Right now we spend 6% of our income on travel, I'd like it to be 15%!

[reggie92762]

Casey's Mom - I used to work for Cunard Line (13 years) and we had a woman named Linda onboard for almost 10 years. It turns out when you break it down that it was very affordable for someone with a high pension, when you considered food, travel etc. was all there for you.