$2,000 per week per person per vacation

[rickandcindy23]

Timesharing "right" is very cost effective. Actually it is a bargain. A few weeks ago I had a trade into Captiva which I decided not to go to as nothing opened there yet as was planned. I decided to book 3 nights at a hotel in Stuart, Fl. It was a nice room and priced right but I actually left saying never again. I am spoiled. I normally stay/trade into at a HGVC property beachfront in Stuart. I missed the space. I missed not having a full kitchen. I missed most the patio facing the beach. I basically missed what a timeshare offers.

I believe the estimate for vacation cost is right as I recently was planning to go to a wedding up in the northeast. Between transportation cost, hotel and food the amount was ridiculous.

We used a free certificate at Marriott AC in Wailea on Maui, and it was a nice room, I think a lot of people would love it, but $650+ tax for a bare-bones hotel room was not my idea of a great experience. At least it was free, but no benefits of my platinum status with Marriott.

I don't love hotels. Our daughter-in-law loves hotels.

Nice to see you on TUG!

 

[rickandcindy23]

One of the best somewhat unexpected surprises with my new travel vehicle the Honda Pilot Trailsport is it has a full size spare tire. So I could just swap the tire out. But this often isn't the case with vehicles. I will say (knock on wood) this has yet to happen to me.

It can be an option, but sometimes the trunk has no space for a full-sized spare. Our Avalon came with it.

 

[trippka]

I notice some comments about not including maintenance fees. Not sure why they wouldn't count as vacation costs. And, with timeshares you have the up-front "investment". I know most Tuggers buy on the secondary, but even so... Many of my maintenance fees are in the $2000/week range. Add $1000+ for airfare for 2 people. At least another $1000 for food, drinks, activities if we mostly get groceries and eat in the room. Whale watching, massages, Broadway plays, etc. are the bulk of the cost. As for cruises, we just spent $20,000 for an Asian cruise including excursions/extensions and coach airfare. We have wonderful vacations, but they aren't cheap. We have an Egyptian cruise with extension to Jordan coming up and it is the same price range.

 

[trippka]

We used a free certificate at Marriott AC in Wailea on Maui, and it was a nice room, I think a lot of people would love it, but $650+ tax for a bare-bones hotel room was not my idea of a great experience. At least it was free, but no benefits of my platinum status with Marriott.

I don't love hotels. Our daughter-in-law loves hotels.

Nice to see you on TUG!

Check out RedWeek or TUG for a nice timeshare for a lot less per night. Marriott Kauai Beach Club can be around $300/night and right on the beach.

 

[ScoopKona]

I notice some comments about not including maintenance fees. Not sure why they wouldn't count as vacation costs. And, with timeshares you have the up-front "investment". I know most Tuggers buy on the secondary, but even so... Many of my maintenance fees are in the $2000/week range. Add $1000+ for airfare for 2 people. At least another $1000 for food, drinks, activities if we mostly get groceries and eat in the room. Whale watching, massages, Broadway plays, etc. are the bulk of the cost. As for cruises, we just spent $20,000 for an Asian cruise including excursions/extensions and coach airfare. We have wonderful vacations, but they aren't cheap. We have an Egyptian cruise with extension to Jordan coming up and it is the same price range.

I always include my $2000 maintenance fee. But I'm also getting 2-4 weeks out of that fee. (It used to be 3-5 weeks but they changed the rules.)

For the last 25 years, my most common number has been 3 weeks. So that's $95.23 per night in accommodations cost. (When I started, the MF was $900 -- $42 per night.) I don't count the purchase price for the same reason I don't count the cost of my decades-old coupe. That's a sunk cost from decades ago.

Add some minor rail travel and airfare to get there and back, and that's the entire trip. (Museums and ancient buildings may as well be free.) Usually a few thousand all-in for two people for three weeks in Europe.

I don't count food because it costs the same whether we're at home or on vacation (usually it's slightly less on vacation). That's one of the big reasons I don't bother with cruise ships. I'm not interested in becoming a captive market. I see absolutely zero value to them compared to the way I travel. I also don't mind making my own travel plans, so there's that.

 

[trippka]

I always include my $2000 maintenance fee. But I'm also getting 2-4 weeks out of that fee. (It used to be 3-5 weeks but they changed the rules.)

For the last 25 years, my most common number has been 3 weeks. So that's $95.23 per night in accommodations cost. (When I started, the MF was $900 -- $42 per night.) I don't count the purchase price for the same reason I don't count the cost of my decades-old coupe. That's a sunk cost from decades ago.

Add some minor rail travel and airfare to get there and back, and that's the entire trip. (Museums and ancient buildings may as well be free.) Usually a few thousand all-in for two people for three weeks in Europe.

I don't count food because it costs the same whether we're at home or on vacation (usually it's slightly less on vacation). That's one of the big reasons I don't bother with cruise ships. I'm not interested in becoming a captive market. I see absolutely zero value to them compared to the way I travel. I also don't mind making my own travel plans, so there's that.

You are definitely traveling smart. I randomly pulled one of my timeshares. Maintenance fees 2024: $2,195.20. I could squeeze more people into the room on the sofa bed, etc. but this is for 2 of us for 1 week. I have started renting some of my weeks out, and a week like this goes for $4000 on Redweek. I am still doing well, just a bigger budget.

 

[ScoopKona]

You are definitely traveling smart. I randomly pulled one of my timeshares. Maintenance fees 2024: $2,195.20. I could squeeze more people into the room on the sofa bed, etc. but this is for 2 of us for 1 week. I have started renting some of my weeks out, and a week like this goes for $4000 on Redweek. I am still doing well, just a bigger budget.

I only own the one week. It's all I've ever owned. And I don't care to buy any others. (I was considering buying a week at Highlands Inn, but decided against it. We're going to spend the rest of our lives visiting Asia -- and the occasional "we haven't been to Europe in a long time so let's go back.")

The timeshare might not be part of the equation much longer. They don't make nearly as much sense in Asia (although we have used it in China).

There's plenty of different ways to look at it. My perspective is "how much does it cost per night to go someplace I find interesting?" Every year for 25 years it's been the same thing. "Hey, I'm checking availability. Do you want to go to Malta, Norway or Ireland?"

"All three!" or "Three weeks in Ireland. Stopover in Iceland."

"OK."

 

[rickandcindy23]

Check out RedWeek or TUG for a nice timeshare for a lot less per night. Marriott Kauai Beach Club can be around $300/night and right on the beach.

I already own a few. Maybe you cannot see my list of owned resorts.

 

[trippka]

I already own a few. Maybe you cannot see my list of owned resorts.

Seemed like you were looking for more nights with your hotel stay.