$100 Dinner for a depression price of $56

This is for tightwads only.

A friend gave us a "certificate" from Restaurant.com
It gave us $25 off of a $35+ dinner.
We used it at the Atlanta-based "Up the Creek" and had some delicious rib eye steaks.

This site tries to sell you the $25 off for $10, but...
My wife signed up to get their e-mail specials.
They offer it for $2 or $3 on their site.


Today she "bought" $50 off of a $100 dinner for $6.
So we'll be spending Valentine's at Ti Amo's.

I just booked a 7 day cruise for $450 per person, all taxes included. That includes UNLIMITED first class meals. That is 21 meals or more if your gut can stand it. A similar dinner/lunch/breakfast in local restaurant will cost at least $75/day. So that alone is worth $525.00 Plus it includes daily live stage entertainment shows. Similar show will cost you $20-$40 per day. So the valuse is aprox $140. Plus it includes the cabin. Plus it includes couple of free cocktail parties. Plus it includes free movies in the ship's theater every day. The booze and tips($70/per weekly cruise) are extra. Drinks have gotten expensive lately with beer at $3 & wine $6 and cocktails at $8+. 5 years ago they were half that price. But cheap skates that we are, we carry some booze with us in our luggage. Icecream bar and coffee/tea/OJ/milk bar is free. The magnificent balmy sea breezes, the scenary, and sunshine are a bonus. This ship is large enough to have a ice skating rink and a tennis court and golf simulator, 10 restaurants to choose from (some are extra cover charge $10-$20 per meal),. I intend to stay away from the rock climbing wall. The Gym on the ship puts most local Gym's to shame. I mostly use the jogging track, 3 times around the ship = 1 mile. My price was based on 55+ age and resident of Washington state. Have no clue why they give extra discount to Wash residents. This is the lowest price we ever paid for a week long cruise. We sail out of San Pedro, CA and stop at Cabo San Lucas, Peurto Vallarta & Mazatlan.

Edited by pdx5, 31 January 2009 - 04:46 PM.

That's a deal and sounds like a great trip.

But cheap skates
that we are, we carry some booze with us in our luggage.

The last cruise I took to Cozumel, the kids had to get a credit card for sodas, unlimited for $5 per day.
And you couldn't bring on any booze, although they sold it on board.
However one might bring on a big bottle of "cough syrup".

That's a deal and sounds like a great trip.

But cheap skates
that we are, we carry some booze with us in our luggage.

The last cruise I took to Cozumel, the kids had to get a credit card for sodas, unlimited for $5 per day.
And you couldn't bring on any booze, although they sold it on board.
However one might bring on a big bottle of "cough syrup".

The best time to get booze on board is in your bags when you first arrive. They just x-ray the bags
but don't open them. There is too many bags and too limited time.

When your ship stops at a port, you can purchase booze there but they confiscate it upon return to
the ship and send it back to your cabin on the last day of voyage. Same thing for booze purchased
on the ship. They hold it until the last day. And prices are very good on the ship, with no taxes.

So, one time our wives bought bottles of vodka in Cabo and poured the stuff into empty water bottles and
carried it into the ship without a problem.

That's a deal and sounds like a great trip.

But cheap skates
that we are, we carry some booze with us in our luggage.

The last cruise I took to Cozumel, the kids had to get a credit card for sodas, unlimited for $5 per day.
And you couldn't bring on any booze, although they sold it on board.
However one might bring on a big bottle of "cough syrup".

The best time to get booze on board is in your bags when you first arrive. They just x-ray the bags
but don't open them. There is too many bags and too limited time.

When your ship stops at a port, you can purchase booze there but they confiscate it upon return to
the ship and send it back to your cabin on the last day of voyage. Same thing for booze purchased
on the ship. They hold it until the last day. And prices are very good on the ship, with no taxes.

So, one time our wives bought bottles of vodka in Cabo and poured the stuff into empty water bottles and
carried it into the ship without a problem.

Hey pdx5,

From whom or what site did you use to book your cruise?

Cheers,
spratman

spratman.... Cheap skate that I am, I always shop for bargain/discounted cruises. My search always begins with Vacationstogo.com Go to their 90 day ticker where they list every possible cruise and the discounts for cruises within 90 days forward. There you will know what is the most you should pay for any particular cruise (destination & ship & time & cabin selection). My next place to go is Cruise.com I have booked through them in the past with good results. I did have one problem with them when they double charged me. After umpteen calls the problem got fixed. The only reason to go with them is sometimes they will buy a group of cabins and thus offer you a group rate. In the end, I always check with the cruise line itself. If their quote is no worse than any body else, why bother with a middle man. The cruise I talked about above is booked directly with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. I learned about the 55+ discount from Cruise.com and mentioned it the RCCL rep and he gave it to me. Some Cruise lines also offer you a discount based on your state of residency. I have no clue why or how they pick the states. A word of caution: beware of small web based outfits. I don't feel comfortable paying to a small outfit operating somewhere in Florida. Even if a credit card is used there might be a limit on time limitation for you to dispute a charge. We have gone with every possible cabin choices..inside/outside with port hole/outside with balcony. Now a days we just go with the inside cabins. they are the least expensive and there are a ton of places on the ship with much better places to sit and enjoy the views. Cabin is only good for a nap, a shower, change clothes and sleep. There is plenty of things to do on the ship ourside your cabin. The room steward will clean up your cabin 3 times a day he/she needs you to be out anyway.

Edited by pdx5, 01 February 2009 - 05:15 PM.