Is $16,500 too much?

[chasbos]

What does a credit card have to do with it? I put everything on my cc and in return I get 2% cash back! I have never carried a balance so I see no problem in putting $1000's every month on my cc.

 

[RichNKatHolly]

Sorry but what was the original intention of this thread - suggestions or just to see what everyone else spends? I'm not being nasty, just curious.

Either way I have opinions on both.

I'm about to pay $8,000 for a land/sea (includes spending money, air, car rental, room at Atlantis, family suite, everything). Some days I think I should really do something else with that money. I should say we paid for this out of a lump sum received that was not expected and we have very little left after this. I've wanted to go to Ireland - should I do that instead? Well, I wouldn't do Ireland yet as my DD is still too young. What if a few years from now we can't do that either? Then we had nothing - no Disney, no Europe, etc. It's all personal opinion. For my family it would be too much to spend right now, but hey I'm hoping that in the future I could! We work hard for our money - let's spend it on fun FAMILY stuff!

What do I usually spend on a vacation for 1 week for everything - about $3000 to $5000 (usually more towards the lower). This Nov trip will be the most I've ever spent by far - it better be pretty darn great!!!

 

[TDC Nala]

Holy overpayment, Batman!

 

[Aisling]

The cruise is paid in full, no credit card needed. The large number is scary not the amount, if that makes any sense! Regardless we are going.

This makes sense to me. I'm spending half as much as you are, but the number still scares me, even thought we can afford it just fine. Just do it and don't look at the bill anymore. It's paid for, so leave it alone and enjoy yourself!!

 

[the kabuki]

I for one am glad this thread is here. At this time I'm deciding on our surprise family vacation for next Jan. looking at the DCL prices is killing me, cause I want to do Disney soooo bad, but the price is hard to justify. I look at RC and see how much more of a room I can get for 1/2 the price but it's just not disney!!!

Planning on having some days in the parks along with a 4 day cruise. Figuring complete Total costs of around $8000 for family of 5. See that and start thinking how many different things I could use that money for...but kids are only young once...oh it's just so much $$$....they won't be begging for disney vacations much longer(or maybe the will??).....but there's just so much to do around here...but I WANT TO GO ON DISNEY, I WANT TO SURPRISE DH AND KIDS!!!

So this thread has helped me justify the cost a little better

Anyways, it's not $16,000

Ugh, I can't sleep, this cruise stuff is all I'm thinking about.... I'm online all night long looking at cruises... gotta stop this and just BREAK DOWN AND DO THE DCL!!!!

 

[PizzieDuster]

Note to OP from me to you:

That is very close to what we spent last year on our Western. We stayed in a Cat3.

But... on our first cruise we were in a Cat3 aft deck. We rebooked onboard and found out that the midship Cat3 rooms were bigger. That is all we were told. It is wider. With all the furniture in the living room, you could still fit a ping pong table in there!

Upon opening the door...I was so pissed off at my travel agent for not booking a mid deck Cat3 on my first cruise. There is a huge difference. HUGE! In every way. Be sure if you are spending the money for a CAT3 it is a CAT3 in mid deck. Otherwise, it is just not worth the money to book another CAT3 if you can get a bigger room in the same category.

When I got home, accumaluted all the charge cards, new clothes, onboard expenses, yes, that's about how much it was. Well, that's what I told my DH

And the cabin was worth every penny! And we had the best time! It was a wonderful vacation and we enjoyed every perk that came with it.

Holy overpayment?.............I say AMEN baby!

 

[alexandrew]

For $16,500 you can purchase a nicely equipped 2005 Scion....

 

[cjsmith]

I would say to look into something else. We're spending $20,000 for our upcoming trip to Europe this summer before food and spending money but we're getting 4 nights in London in a prime hotel (2 rooms) and then 10 nights on the Golden Princess out of Southampton in an inside and a mini suite. I love Disney more than anything, but if I'm spending this kind of money I do want to do more than spend 7 days on any cruise ship.

 

[jrabbit]

I've never been in a room higher than a cat 9. We all talk about how much cat 4-12 rooms cost, because people want to know if they are getting a good deal (and you can get quotes on DCL's website).

This is the first time in my memory that someone has brought up the cost of a cat 3 room. DCL doesn't publish these on their website and this might be a normal price for the number of people and the time of year - we really don't know - and that's why we really don't hear about how much people spend in cat 1-3 rooms because it's so much more than "us regular folks" pay for rooms.

I can't justify spending the extra $$$ on a verandah - but many of you can and do and for you it's normal. For those staying in cat 1-3 spending this much probably is normal for them too. Tony has stated that spending in excess of $16,000 isn't a problem for him and his family - it's probably normal for them - and for most folks staying in those categories.

How many people have we heard of getting upgraded to a cat 3 - I can only think of 1 time - so those rooms are sold out on every sailing - and we have to thank those people for subsidizing the cost of our cruise!

 

[NYDisneyMom]

I would say to look into something else. We're spending $20,000 for our upcoming trip to Europe this summer before food and spending money but we're getting 4 nights in London in a prime hotel (2 rooms) and then 10 nights on the Golden Princess out of Southampton in an inside and a mini suite. I love Disney more than anything, but if I'm spending this kind of money I do want to do more than spend 7 days on any cruise ship.

That sounds like a FABULOUS vacation!! What ports will you be going to?

 

[mmouse37]

Not sure if this is the exact itinerary the poster is on but after she posted I searched the princess site and came up with this. It does sound like an awesome trip!!!

http://www.princess.com/planner/iti...nthYear=5%2C2005&day=0&resShipId=NP&resType=T

Found this article interesting as well!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/4464983.stm

 

[Disneybridein2k3]

For $16,500 you can purchase a nicely equipped 2005 Scion....

I love it -- You had me LOL at work!

 

[xlRacerXlx]

$16,500... holy that is a lot of money. I have a family of six and we're going on a 14 day cruise on DCL in cat 4 for around $12,500 (tips,souveniers, ect included). This makes no sense...

 

[cjsmith]

That sounds like a FABULOUS vacation!! What ports will you be going to?

I can't wait it should be. We're actually flying over on British Airways to London and will arrive at 6:30 am on Thursday, July 7th. We're then spending 4 nights on our own then in London. ON Monday the 11th we're being picked up and brought to Southampton to board the Golden Princess. Our itinerary is:
Southampton, England
Brugge/Brussels, Belgium
At Sea
Oslo, Norway
Copenhagen, Denmark
At Sea
Hamburg/Berlin,Germany (overnight)
Germany and AT Sea
Rotterdam/Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Paris/Normandy, France
Southampton, England

It's not the tour that mmouse 37 posted, but that also sounds wonderful.

I can't wait to show the kids Europe. We've traveled there quite a bit, but we have always left them home. They're now old enough that they'll really be able to appreaciate the trip. Hopefully we'll come back with wonderful memories that the kids can remember for the rest of their lives!

 

[chasbos]

cjsmith - Wonderful cruise you have planned! How old are your kids? We took to Holland 4 years ago and we had a great time - I just love Europe! People from over there complain about the lack of space and I just love the coziness of it!

My kids were getting bored with all the sight seeing after 11 days and now wish they had of gone to some of the museums that Amsterdam had to offer! They now ask why we did not take them to the Anne Frank Museum and to Madaam Tussue's (spelling?) I think a cruise would have been a great way to see Europe (the ship is a good place to unwind!)

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[RichNKatHolly]

I can't wait it should be. We're actually flying over on British Airways to London and will arrive at 6:30 am on Thursday, July 7th. We're then spending 4 nights on our own then in London. ON Monday the 11th we're being picked up and brought to Southampton to board the Golden Princess. Our itinerary is:
Southampton, England
Brugge/Brussels, Belgium
At Sea
Oslo, Norway
Copenhagen, Denmark
At Sea
Hamburg/Berlin,Germany (overnight)
Germany and AT Sea
Rotterdam/Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Paris/Normandy, France
Southampton, England

It's not the tour that mmouse 37 posted, but that also sounds wonderful.

I can't wait to show the kids Europe. We've traveled there quite a bit, but we have always left them home. They're now old enough that they'll really be able to appreaciate the trip. Hopefully we'll come back with wonderful memories that the kids can remember for the rest of their lives!

I'm jealous! Can I stow away?

 

[NYDisneyMom]

II can't wait to show the kids Europe. We've traveled there quite a bit, but we have always left them home. They're now old enough that they'll really be able to appreaciate the trip. Hopefully we'll come back with wonderful memories that the kids can remember for the rest of their lives!

I'm completely jealous! Can I ask how old your kids are? My boys are 8 1/2 and 10 1/2 now, and I'm wondering when they'll be ready for Europe.

 

[cats mom]

$16,500... holy that is a lot of money. I have a family of six and we're going on a 14 day cruise on DCL in cat 4 for around $12,500 (tips,souveniers, ect included). This makes no sense...

Not sure how that's gonna work since cat. 1 & 2 are the only catagories that allow 6 people per room.

 

[jgalecpa]

I would pay any price for quality family time.

There's your answer, right there!


Regrets? Only when they said "Mr. Gale, you really must leave now!"

Jim

 

[two-foxes]

Tonyspad-

Is it too much? Only if you can't afford it. Since you got it paid in full and you can afford it, don't question it, enjoy it and the time you will spend with your family!!