7 Day Cruise For 5 For Less 9k?

[PolyAddict]

OK, Newbie here! I've tried searching, with no luck! Please help. Is it possible to do a seven day cruise with 2 adults, kids ages 12, 11 and 3 for less than 9K?

Thanks in Advance

 

[praisehisname]

I would think that it's very doable, depending on what time of year you cruise. We are a family of 5 and we are doing a 7 day cruise in February for $4,500. That is with 2 category 9 connecting rooms.

Denise C. in MD

 

[GenieDana]

Do two connecting CAT-10 rooms.

Check here for September 2004 pricing. It would cost you $1805 + $2257 = $4062

http://cruises.allseastravel.com/c/5/5738/1154152_5738.htm

 

[professorandmom]

Total cruise price can double (and more) for the same room depending on the time of year - now if only the job and school could be flexible!
Barbara

 

[PolyAddict]

professorand mom and All

That's what my problem is which I should have mentioned before. February would be great because we get a week off for Mardi Gras but DH is a CPA and in the heart of tax season (considered leaving him home!). My options are from 1st week of June through second week August, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

 

[lotsofboys]

Two cat 11's (upgraded by DCL to cat 8 before cruise), brought grandparents (helps defray the cost of the second room) and we paid $2,800 for 2/7/04 eastern Magic. The key as everyone has mentioned is time of year. Our first cruise was middle of the summer, two cat 5's (same situtation but other set of grandparents!) and the cost was $13,000

 

[lotsofboys]

polyaddict......we were posting at the same time. DH and I are both CPAs and have our own practice. Our kids have a 5 day weekend for President's Day so we booked that week. It's not April 15th yet, so I don't know how it will end up, but we are no worse off this year than we were last. Our clients tend to be very late with their information so we felt we could try it out. I must say I was against taking that week off but we seem to be okay.

Good luck

 

[Karel]

Well, it is but you won't be able to do it this year. I just checked All Seasons and boy, prices have flown through the roof. Our cruise at the end of August is now $2000 over what we booked for (family of five also, two cat 9 rooms). The trick is booking well in advance but as of now, they are not booking anything for next summer, so you're kind of stuck.

But it is possible.

 

[KYCruiseCrazy]

PolyAddict
book your cruise for 2005 around thanksgiving. less people onboard and its cheaper then april to sept and holidays.

 

[hilltopfamily]

yes, it may be too late to get the early savings you'll need for this summer. But you could do as suggested earlier and start planning for summer of '05.

We booked in Jan 03 for Aug 03 sailing. We did 2 cat 10 connecting rooms for family of 5. Cruise cost was $6500 through cruise.com. I have heard the cost of cruises with DCL has in general gone up since we did ours Hope you can find a decent price.

 

[2tinksmom]

We are actually taking our kids out of the last week of school. Our principal told us no problem...both my DDs have very few absences and both have excellent grades. This has actually been a huge incentive for the girls to not miss very much school...the grades have never been an issue!
Michele

 

[crisi]

Don't forget the "extras" in your budget

1) Tips
2) Transportation (airfare, car rental, or just plain ole gas)
3) Hotel room for previous night (if you want such a thing)
4) Excursions (you don't need to take them, but you probably will).
5) Alcohol and smoothies and other non-included drinks (you don't have to, but they can add to your bottom line).
6) Photos from Shutters (optional)
7) Palo (optional)
8) Spa treatments (optional)
9) Bingo (optional)
10 ) passports (optional)
11) Arcade games (optional)
12) Flounders fees if your three year old isn't potty trained (optional)
13) Souvieniers

etc.


(Its possible to get off the ship and not have spent an additional dime - other than tips which we know you won't stiff your servers. But most of us find that we spend something on the ship)

 

[PolyAddict]

Thanks for all the help, everyone!

Karel, do you know why they are not booking for next summer yet?

hilltopfamily, was the $6500.00 cruise only or did that include your total cost?

Thanks Again

 

[tstobb]

Just booked 2 connecting Cat 7s for the 1st week of September thru DCL and the total (no transfers but including insurance) was just over $6300. To go the week earlier would have been about $1500-2000 more.

 

[CM_Mom]

Here's a thread that talks about all the rumors for Summer 2005. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=524689
Short answer...They haven't announced the itinerary yet.

 

[hilltopfamily]

Polyaddict: sorry to say the $6500 was cruise only. Add on transportation, tips, photos, excursions (which we did cheaply and on our own) a few smoothies & pop & wine, hotels pre- and post-cruise, etc. & we ended up at about $8500. Then we spent another $400 more for a day post-cruise at Universal Studios. We, like you, are not at liberty to take vacations at the less expensive times to cruise~~makes it really hard on the wallet

 

[Karel]

We're under $5000 for five the last week of August, booked 10 months before. It's two outside rooms with portholes but we could have gone cheaper and gotten inside rooms. That includes insurance but not transportation, since we drive. The rate really dropped the end of August, best rate of the summer.

Maybe you should look at four nights if you have limited time frames to work around?