Travel budgets?

[music-and-ski]

Are any of you willing to share your travel budgets? Here are a couple of our more expensive ones.

$13K CAD (about $10K US), Scotland, 2 people, 2017, 3.5 weeks, staying in cheaper hotels in the expensive places (Edinburgh), and the better (but not best) hotels in rural cheaper places. A lot of rural driving. Reasonably priced rental car. Eating well. Includes $2K airfare. So, about CAD $400/day! That was an expensive trip for us.

$10K CAD to Southeast Asia in 2016, 3.5 weeks again, 2 people plus we subsidized some of our adult children's expenses, included some very nice hotels in some places (e.g. Cambodia), some custom clothing and gifts, travel medical, dog care back at home.

Lately we've been doing some home exchanges as the cost of the hotels I want to stay in is too expensive, especially if we want to travel for longer periods of time in retirement.

 

[Nemo2]

All in Canadian dollars.....not totally comprehensive, there are a few items not listed, but overall it's pretty accurate.....(we don't eat in restaurants, and our foodstuffs are almost exclusively purchased at markets or in supermarkets).......caveat: we don't travel like 'most'.

2013 Spring: Prague
Details: 12 nights in Prague

Flights: Toronto to Prague return $1,653
Accommodation in Prague - 12 nights $794

Total: $2,447

2013 Fall: Barcelona and Transatlantic Cruise
Details: 1 week in Barcelona and transatlantic cruise from Barcelona to Ft. Lauderdale

Flight: Toronto to Barcelona (One Way ) $848
Barcelona apartment: 7 nights $314
HA Nieuw AmsterdamTransatlantic $2,038
Hotel in Ft. Lauderdale (2 nights) $193
Flight - Ft. Lauderdale to Toronto $363
Airport Parking: Toronto ParknFly $80
Medical $230

Total: $4,067


2013 Fall: Rome and transatlantic cruise from Rome to Ft. Lauderdale
Details: 2 nights in Rome and transatlantic cruise from Rome to Ft. Lauderdale

Flight - Toronto to Rome (One Way ) $1,499
Accommodation in Rome (2 nights) $132
Accommodation in Civitavecchia - 1 night $70
Cruise: Celebrity Constellation Transatlantic $1,571
Accomodation in Ft Lauderdale 1 night $95
Flight from Ft Lauderdale to Toronto $307
Parking: Park'N Fly $90
Medical $212

Total $3,977


2014 Spring Budapest and Paris
Details: 8 nights in Budapest and 3 nights in Paris

Flights: Toronto to budapest to Paris to Toronto (via Brussels) $2,023
Accommodation in Budapest 8 nights $448
Accommodation in Paris 3 nights $261
Parking: Park'N Fly $85
Medical $165

Total $2,983


Fall 2014 Copenhagen, Iceland Cruise and Transatlantic Cruise
Details: 3 nights in Copenhagen, cruise to Norway,Shetland Islands, Iceland,
Scotland and Ireland, and transatlantic cruise

Flight - Toronto to Copenhagen (One Way) $231
Accommodation in Copenhagen - 3 nights $231
Cruise - Norwegian Star Copenhagen to Copenhagen $3,158
IG Tours Golden Circle tour for Cruise Ships $184
Repositioning cruise - Norwegian Star Copenhagen to Miami $1,354
Norwegian Shuttle Port of Miami to Fort Lauderdale airport $70
Flight: Fort Lauderdale to Toronto $413
Parking: Park'N Fly $143
Medical $297

Total $6,082


2015 Spring Transatlantic cruise and Lisbon\Portugal
Details: Transatlantic Cruise Santo Domingo to Barcelona
and 6 nights in Lisbon and 2 nights in Porto

Flight Toronto to Santo Domingo $611
Transfer from Airport to Santo Domingo B&B $35
Accommodation in Santo Domingo - 1 night $46
Transfer from Santo Domingo B&B to Cruise Ship Terminal $25
Cruise : 14 Nights transatlantic cruise on CDF Horizon $1,347
Accommodation in Barcelona 1 night $58
Airport bus: $9
Flight: Barcelona to Lisbon $184
Transportation from Lisbon airport to Apartment $6
Accommodation in Lisbon - 6 nights $327
Lisbon to Porto - by Train $38
Flight Porto to Toronto $878
Parking: Park'N Fly $128
Medical $216

Total $3,908


2015 Fall Genoa and Med Cruise
Details: 7 nights in Genoa and CDF Horizon med\Adriatic cruise

Flights: Toronto to Genoa - round trip $1,673
Accommodation in Genoa (precruise) 7 nights $381
Day trip train fares $90
iDBUS Genoa to Marseille $78
Hotel in Marseille (Precruise) 1 night $81
Med-Adriatic CDF Horizon cruise $2,337
Dubrovnik - to walk the wall $39
Train Marseille to Genoa $75
Accommodation in Genoa (postcruise) 1 night $75
Volabus from train station to airport $19
Accommodation in Genoa (postcruise) 1 night $123 0
Medical: Purchased multitrip insurance last spring $0
Parking: Park'N Fly $12

Total $4,982


2016 Spring Horizon Transatlantic and Northern Spain & Portugal
Details: 12 night transatlantic CDF Horizon cruise and 15 nights in Spain and Portugal

Flight: Toronto to St. Maarten $695
Taxi from airport to hotel $31
Accommodation in Phillipsburg (1 night) $120
Transatlantic Cruise on CDF Horizon (Total Price including gratuities) $1,408
Accommodation in Barcelona ( 1 night) $63
Train from Barcelona to Leon $94
Accommodation in Leon (5 nights) $248
Train to Ourense $32
Accommodation in Ourense (4 nights) $183
Train & Bus to Porto $73
Accommodation in Porto (5 nights0 $297
Flight: Porto to Toronto $865
Parking $134
Medical $202
Other: Day trips, food, taxi in Vigo, misc $410

Total $4,855


2016 Fall Malaga and Transatlantic Cruise
Details: 18 nights in Malaga and 13 night RC Rhapsody of the Seas transatlantic cruise
Day trips in Malaga to El Palo, Ronda, Antequerra, Alora and Fuengerola
Flight: Toronto to Malaga (Air Transat) $788
Accommodation in Malaga (18 nights - Wimdu) $836
Trains - charged to Visa $73
Groceries & misc purchases charged to Visa $125
Cash Purchases (EURO) - groceries, bus tickets, misc $356
Cash Purchases (US) - Shuttle from Port of Miami to airport and misc airport purchases $40
Transatlantic cruise - 13 night RC Rhapsody of the Seas (Oceanview) $2,143
Gratuities &Tips for Cabin Steward ($225 onboard credit applied to gratuities) $201
Flight: Miami to Toronto (American Airlines) $368
Extra fee for 1 checked bag $25 US $33
Medical Insurance (Includes annual add-on for part of next year's trip) $650
Megabus (transportation to and from YYZ) $176

Total $5,789


2017 Spring Transatlantic Cruise And Poland
Details: 2 Nights in Costa Rica, 3 Back to Back Cruises (32 nights), 1 night in Bergen, 7 nights in Krakow, 4 nights in Warsaw

Flight: Toronto to San Jose (Avianca Air) $653
Accommodation in San Jose (1 night - hotel) $81
Shuttle from San Jose to Limon $205
Accommodation in Limon (1 night - hotel) $94
Cruise 1 - Transatlantic from Limon to Lisbon (16 nights - inside cabin) $1,357
Cruise 1 - Gratuities $603
Cruise 2 - Lisbon to Rostock Germany (9 nights - inside cabin) $1,800
Cruise 2 - Gratuities $290
Cruise 3 - Rostock to Bergen (7 nights - oceanview cabin) $1,889
Cruise 3 - Gratuities $225
Accommodation in Bergen (1 night - AirBnB - private room) $74
Bus from Bergen center to Bergen Airport $29
Flight: Bergen to Krakow (Norwegian Air - 1 w checked bag, 1 wo) $141
Accommodation in Krakow (7 nights - AirBnB studio) $464
Bus from Krakow to Warsaw $32
Train (Penalty) $11
Accommodation in Warsaw (4 nights - AirBnB studio) $182
Flight: Warsaw to Toronto (LOT - Polish Air) $729
Megabus -round trip $155
Medical (top only - first 23 days covered) $301

Rostock - bus to city center $47
Flam - Railway trip $158
Molde - Atlantic Hwy Bus $39
Auschwitz Tour $111
Other: Groceries, misc, local bus tickets, gifts, etc $500

Total $10,170


2017 Fall Bulgaria & RC TA
Details: 13 nights in Bulgaria; 1 night in Rome; 13 night cruise; 1 night in Toronto
Megabus to YYZ $101.70
Flight: Toronto to Sofia
Accommodation in Sofia (13 Nights) $445.00
Flight: Sofia to Rome $83.34
Bus from airport to city center $18.00
Accommodation in Rome (1 Night) $74.53
Train from Rome to Civitavechia $10.00
RC Transatlantic Cruise (13 nights) $2,159.25
Flight: San Juan to Toronto $1,625.90
Accommodation in Toronto (1 night) $100.08
Train: YYZ to Belleville $160.00

Bulgaria Expenses $500.00
Day trips to Plovdiv, Yakoruda, and Veliko Tarnova
All groceries and meals
Transportation - Taxi to and from airport, 2 day passes for public transit, individual public transit tickets

Medipac $239.34
Other: T-shirts, airport meals, small gifts $100.00

Total $5,617.14


2018 Spring Zenith TA & Romania & Germany
Details: 13 night cruise, 13 nights in Romania, 2 nights in Munich
Train - Belleville to YYZ $132.48
Flight - Toronto to Santo Domingo $567.64
Cruise - Pullmantur 'Zenith' $1,586.00
Cruise – gratuities $507.14

Flight: Lisbon to Bucharest $179.46
Bus from Bucharest to Brasov - 160 lei (included in cash expendures)
Accommodation in Brasov – AirBnB studio – 4 nights $166.22
Accommodation in Sighisoara – AirBnB studio – 3 nights $104.10
Accommodation in Sibiu – AirBnB studio – 4 nights $131.09
Accommodation in Timisoara – AirBnB studio – 4 nights $244.20
Flight – Timisoara to Bucharest $63.57
Accommodation in Bucharest – Airport hotel – 2 nights $122.18
Flight: Bucharest to Munich $193.34
Accommodation in Munich – AirBnB – private room – 2 nights $121.80
Flight: Munich to Toronto $769.04
Medipac – annual add-on included (for 33 day trip) $701.12
($99 deductible)

Expenditures – cash
Euro – 90 Euro – expenses in Ponta delgado, Lisbon & Munich – meals, transit tickets, makeup etc $136.00
US – food & tips $13.00
Romanian Leu – 1185 – all trains, day trips, entrance fees, groceries $386.00

Expenditures – charged $240.00
Restaurant meals, Pearson transfer to train, drug store & groceries
Train - Union station to Belleville $115.00

Total $6,479.38


Fall 2018 Toulouse, Perpignan & RC Vision TA

Details: 11 nights in Toulouse, 11 nights in Perpignan, 1 night in Barcelona, 13 night TA, 1 night in Toronto

Train: Belleville to YYZ $108.32
Flight: Toronto to Toulouse (TAP) $576.62
Accommodation in Toulouse: 11 nights – Airbnb Studio $744.13
Train: Toulouse to Perpignan $70.96
Accommodation in Perpignan: 11 nights – Airbnb Studio $570.79
FlixBus : Perpignan to Barcelona $38.26
Accommodation in Barcelona: 1 night – hostel (Paid with TD points) $61.97
Cruise - RC Vision of the Seas – 13 nights (Onboard Credit ($50 US PP) (Total $1194.22 US) $1,589.68
Flight: Miami to Toronto (American Airlines) $372.60
Train: YYZ to Belleville $108.32
Medipac – top up only needed (annual add-on purchased for 2018 spring trip covered 33 days) $135.09
Total $4,376.74

 

[OldShooter]

This year $25KUSD for close to three weeks in Kruger Park RSA and Botswana. Luxury lodges and a private guide/driver. Celebrating 50th anniversary. (That was the excuse anyway.) Flew back from Josie on the day that the second virus case was discovered in RSA. Got home about the time all the excitement started here.

Re hotels they are a last resort for us when we're traveling on our own. We see them as boring piles of identical and anonymous boxes. We use AirBNB a lot. It was better before all the "professional" hosts came in, simply renting properties purchased for the purpose. We like meeting and talking to the real people that used to populate the site.

 

[Nemo2]

We didn't track our 2010 Botswana trip...but it was significantly more expensive than 'normal'....like OS we flew in and out via Jozi....Air Botswana to Maun and Moremi Air between camps

 

[FIREd]

I spend very little on travel (my budget is ~ $1,000 a year). I know several people with vacation homes that sit empty most of the year and they happily lend me their home for a week or two of my choosing - for free. They are all in desirable areas (French Riviera, Provence, Alps, Costa Brava, etc...) and most are within driving distance so the trip is usually pretty cheap. Otherwise, I use Easyjet (<100 euros one way) to get there. I haven't traveled to far away locations in a while (no desire to, especially now).

 

[COcheesehead]

In ballpark numbers:
10 days hiking in Italy, guided. $8000
10 days hiking in France, on our own, $6000
10 days hiking in Ireland, on our own, $6000
10 days hiking in our own state, $3000

Good to great accommodations. No expenses spared for food/wine.

 

[brett]

Our travel budget is all over the place. On average, $7-10K USD for each of our two eight week international trips each year. Inclusive of air. A little more if we happen to grab a last minute cruise while on a land trip.

We stay in everything from B&B's to 5/6 stars. Train, ferrys, car rentals in the mix. Our preference is small, family run hotels. We avoid the big chain with the exception of pre fight hotels and hotels in some large SE Asia cities.

Air is deceptive. Last fall we paid $500USD for our open jaw Toronto--Athens, London -Calgary. But we spent half as much again on domestic flights inside Greece and to get to Cyprus. Asia costs us $500-800 USD to Bangkok but we spend half again as much on domestic air inside Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. More if we fly to Australia.

No real travel budget. We take a tape when we come home but that is about it. If we go over on one trip it does not imply that we spend less on the next We spend more for a month in Australia than we do for a month in Thailand, Greece, or Turkey. Pay more for a hotel in London than we do in Kuala Lumpur. So for us, it all averages out.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Anywhere between 4-15k/year. It just depends where we go and for how long. Europe is always the most expensive of our trips.

 

[foxfirev5]

2-3 Trips to Key West each winter - $10-12k
Trips to see kids - $3k
In addition with the above in doubt I've blended our lakehouse into the new Travel & Leisure category for about $5-6k expenses.

 

[Sunset]

Only going to put down the big expense trips for us, for 2 people, Other trips are just $1K->$4K, with most on the low end.

2017 - 15 days : Viking river cruise Europe $10K (was all inclusive).

2018 - Spring 35 days: Flight on points, Barcelona Spain 10 days, 10 day Mediterranean cruise, 14 day TA cruise, overnight train from NY to CHI. nearly $10K

 

[music-and-ski]

All in Canadian dollars.....not totally comprehensive, there are a few items not listed, but overall it's pretty accurate.....(we don't eat in restaurants, and our foodstuffs are almost exclusively purchased at markets or in supermarkets).......caveat: we don't travel like 'most'.

2013 Spring: Prague
Details: 12 nights in Prague

Flights: Toronto to Prague return $1,653
Accommodation in Prague - 12 nights $794

Total: $2,447

2013 Fall: Barcelona and Transatlantic Cruise
Details: 1 week in Barcelona and transatlantic cruise from Barcelona to Ft. Lauderdale

Flight: Toronto to Barcelona (One Way ) $848
Barcelona apartment: 7 nights $314
HA Nieuw AmsterdamTransatlantic $2,038
Hotel in Ft. Lauderdale (2 nights) $193
Flight - Ft. Lauderdale to Toronto $363
Airport Parking: Toronto ParknFly $80
Medical $230

Total: $4,067


2013 Fall: Rome and transatlantic cruise from Rome to Ft. Lauderdale
Details: 2 nights in Rome and transatlantic cruise from Rome to Ft. Lauderdale

Flight - Toronto to Rome (One Way ) $1,499
Accommodation in Rome (2 nights) $132
Accommodation in Civitavecchia - 1 night $70
Cruise: Celebrity Constellation Transatlantic $1,571
Accomodation in Ft Lauderdale 1 night $95
Flight from Ft Lauderdale to Toronto $307
Parking: Park'N Fly $90
Medical $212

Total $3,977


2014 Spring Budapest and Paris
Details: 8 nights in Budapest and 3 nights in Paris

Flights: Toronto to budapest to Paris to Toronto (via Brussels) $2,023
Accommodation in Budapest 8 nights $448
Accommodation in Paris 3 nights $261
Parking: Park'N Fly $85
Medical $165

Total $2,983


Fall 2014 Copenhagen, Iceland Cruise and Transatlantic Cruise
Details: 3 nights in Copenhagen, cruise to Norway,Shetland Islands, Iceland,
Scotland and Ireland, and transatlantic cruise

Flight - Toronto to Copenhagen (One Way) $231
Accommodation in Copenhagen - 3 nights $231
Cruise - Norwegian Star Copenhagen to Copenhagen $3,158
IG Tours Golden Circle tour for Cruise Ships $184
Repositioning cruise - Norwegian Star Copenhagen to Miami $1,354
Norwegian Shuttle Port of Miami to Fort Lauderdale airport $70
Flight: Fort Lauderdale to Toronto $413
Parking: Park'N Fly $143
Medical $297

Total $6,082


2015 Spring Transatlantic cruise and Lisbon\Portugal
Details: Transatlantic Cruise Santo Domingo to Barcelona
and 6 nights in Lisbon and 2 nights in Porto

Flight Toronto to Santo Domingo $611
Transfer from Airport to Santo Domingo B&B $35
Accommodation in Santo Domingo - 1 night $46
Transfer from Santo Domingo B&B to Cruise Ship Terminal $25
Cruise : 14 Nights transatlantic cruise on CDF Horizon $1,347
Accommodation in Barcelona 1 night $58
Airport bus: $9
Flight: Barcelona to Lisbon $184
Transportation from Lisbon airport to Apartment $6
Accommodation in Lisbon - 6 nights $327
Lisbon to Porto - by Train $38
Flight Porto to Toronto $878
Parking: Park'N Fly $128
Medical $216

Total $3,908


2015 Fall Genoa and Med Cruise
Details: 7 nights in Genoa and CDF Horizon med\Adriatic cruise

Flights: Toronto to Genoa - round trip $1,673
Accommodation in Genoa (precruise) 7 nights $381
Day trip train fares $90
iDBUS Genoa to Marseille $78
Hotel in Marseille (Precruise) 1 night $81
Med-Adriatic CDF Horizon cruise $2,337
Dubrovnik - to walk the wall $39
Train Marseille to Genoa $75
Accommodation in Genoa (postcruise) 1 night $75
Volabus from train station to airport $19
Accommodation in Genoa (postcruise) 1 night $123 0
Medical: Purchased multitrip insurance last spring $0
Parking: Park'N Fly $12

Total $4,982


2016 Spring Horizon Transatlantic and Northern Spain & Portugal
Details: 12 night transatlantic CDF Horizon cruise and 15 nights in Spain and Portugal

Flight: Toronto to St. Maarten $695
Taxi from airport to hotel $31
Accommodation in Phillipsburg (1 night) $120
Transatlantic Cruise on CDF Horizon (Total Price including gratuities) $1,408
Accommodation in Barcelona ( 1 night) $63
Train from Barcelona to Leon $94
Accommodation in Leon (5 nights) $248
Train to Ourense $32
Accommodation in Ourense (4 nights) $183
Train & Bus to Porto $73
Accommodation in Porto (5 nights0 $297
Flight: Porto to Toronto $865
Parking $134
Medical $202
Other: Day trips, food, taxi in Vigo, misc $410

Total $4,855


2016 Fall Malaga and Transatlantic Cruise
Details: 18 nights in Malaga and 13 night RC Rhapsody of the Seas transatlantic cruise
Day trips in Malaga to El Palo, Ronda, Antequerra, Alora and Fuengerola
Flight: Toronto to Malaga (Air Transat) $788
Accommodation in Malaga (18 nights - Wimdu) $836
Trains - charged to Visa $73
Groceries & misc purchases charged to Visa $125
Cash Purchases (EURO) - groceries, bus tickets, misc $356
Cash Purchases (US) - Shuttle from Port of Miami to airport and misc airport purchases $40
Transatlantic cruise - 13 night RC Rhapsody of the Seas (Oceanview) $2,143
Gratuities &Tips for Cabin Steward ($225 onboard credit applied to gratuities) $201
Flight: Miami to Toronto (American Airlines) $368
Extra fee for 1 checked bag $25 US $33
Medical Insurance (Includes annual add-on for part of next year's trip) $650
Megabus (transportation to and from YYZ) $176

Total $5,789


2017 Spring Transatlantic Cruise And Poland
Details: 2 Nights in Costa Rica, 3 Back to Back Cruises (32 nights), 1 night in Bergen, 7 nights in Krakow, 4 nights in Warsaw

Flight: Toronto to San Jose (Avianca Air) $653
Accommodation in San Jose (1 night - hotel) $81
Shuttle from San Jose to Limon $205
Accommodation in Limon (1 night - hotel) $94
Cruise 1 - Transatlantic from Limon to Lisbon (16 nights - inside cabin) $1,357
Cruise 1 - Gratuities $603
Cruise 2 - Lisbon to Rostock Germany (9 nights - inside cabin) $1,800
Cruise 2 - Gratuities $290
Cruise 3 - Rostock to Bergen (7 nights - oceanview cabin) $1,889
Cruise 3 - Gratuities $225
Accommodation in Bergen (1 night - AirBnB - private room) $74
Bus from Bergen center to Bergen Airport $29
Flight: Bergen to Krakow (Norwegian Air - 1 w checked bag, 1 wo) $141
Accommodation in Krakow (7 nights - AirBnB studio) $464
Bus from Krakow to Warsaw $32
Train (Penalty) $11
Accommodation in Warsaw (4 nights - AirBnB studio) $182
Flight: Warsaw to Toronto (LOT - Polish Air) $729
Megabus -round trip $155
Medical (top only - first 23 days covered) $301

Rostock - bus to city center $47
Flam - Railway trip $158
Molde - Atlantic Hwy Bus $39
Auschwitz Tour $111
Other: Groceries, misc, local bus tickets, gifts, etc $500

Total $10,170


2017 Fall Bulgaria & RC TA
Details: 13 nights in Bulgaria; 1 night in Rome; 13 night cruise; 1 night in Toronto
Megabus to YYZ $101.70
Flight: Toronto to Sofia
Accommodation in Sofia (13 Nights) $445.00
Flight: Sofia to Rome $83.34
Bus from airport to city center $18.00
Accommodation in Rome (1 Night) $74.53
Train from Rome to Civitavechia $10.00
RC Transatlantic Cruise (13 nights) $2,159.25
Flight: San Juan to Toronto $1,625.90
Accommodation in Toronto (1 night) $100.08
Train: YYZ to Belleville $160.00

Bulgaria Expenses $500.00
Day trips to Plovdiv, Yakoruda, and Veliko Tarnova
All groceries and meals
Transportation - Taxi to and from airport, 2 day passes for public transit, individual public transit tickets

Medipac $239.34
Other: T-shirts, airport meals, small gifts $100.00

Total $5,617.14


2018 Spring Zenith TA & Romania & Germany
Details: 13 night cruise, 13 nights in Romania, 2 nights in Munich
Train - Belleville to YYZ $132.48
Flight - Toronto to Santo Domingo $567.64
Cruise - Pullmantur 'Zenith' $1,586.00
Cruise – gratuities $507.14

Flight: Lisbon to Bucharest $179.46
Bus from Bucharest to Brasov - 160 lei (included in cash expendures)
Accommodation in Brasov – AirBnB studio – 4 nights $166.22
Accommodation in Sighisoara – AirBnB studio – 3 nights $104.10
Accommodation in Sibiu – AirBnB studio – 4 nights $131.09
Accommodation in Timisoara – AirBnB studio – 4 nights $244.20
Flight – Timisoara to Bucharest $63.57
Accommodation in Bucharest – Airport hotel – 2 nights $122.18
Flight: Bucharest to Munich $193.34
Accommodation in Munich – AirBnB – private room – 2 nights $121.80
Flight: Munich to Toronto $769.04
Medipac – annual add-on included (for 33 day trip) $701.12
($99 deductible)

Expenditures – cash
Euro – 90 Euro – expenses in Ponta delgado, Lisbon & Munich – meals, transit tickets, makeup etc $136.00
US – food & tips $13.00
Romanian Leu – 1185 – all trains, day trips, entrance fees, groceries $386.00

Expenditures – charged $240.00
Restaurant meals, Pearson transfer to train, drug store & groceries
Train - Union station to Belleville $115.00

Total $6,479.38


Fall 2018 Toulouse, Perpignan & RC Vision TA

Details: 11 nights in Toulouse, 11 nights in Perpignan, 1 night in Barcelona, 13 night TA, 1 night in Toronto

Train: Belleville to YYZ $108.32
Flight: Toronto to Toulouse (TAP) $576.62
Accommodation in Toulouse: 11 nights – Airbnb Studio $744.13
Train: Toulouse to Perpignan $70.96
Accommodation in Perpignan: 11 nights – Airbnb Studio $570.79
FlixBus : Perpignan to Barcelona $38.26
Accommodation in Barcelona: 1 night – hostel (Paid with TD points) $61.97
Cruise - RC Vision of the Seas – 13 nights (Onboard Credit ($50 US PP) (Total $1194.22 US) $1,589.68
Flight: Miami to Toronto (American Airlines) $372.60
Train: YYZ to Belleville $108.32
Medipac – top up only needed (annual add-on purchased for 2018 spring trip covered 33 days) $135.09
Total $4,376.74

Thank you for the detail! This is very useful. Are all these for two people, or one? Your airfares seem too cheap for two, although I don’t live in Toronto.

 

[Dtail]

For 2020, our travel budget is 15.6k for 3 trips and miscellaneous.
Unfortunately, our 3 trips were canceled and we will end up spending less than 1k.
15k give or take is generally our budget for 2 people.

 

[Nemo2]

Are all these for two people, or one? Your airfares seem too cheap for two, although I don’t live in Toronto.

Two people......current flights (if there are any) may be more...our last trip was 2018.

DW, who compiles the sheet, says they're all totals......we shop around for flights, Turkish/Aeroflot/Icelandair/TAP/Air Transat/Tarom, etc. (In 2013, Toronto - Barcelona, for example, we grabbed the last Air Transat flight of the season, $848 Cdn one way total for two people...half the price that other airlines were charging, but it was one day only.)

There are layovers and indirect flights.....we once went Toronto-Rome via Moscow....a good deal price wise....we're in no hurry and would rather spend our money elsewhere.........e.g. if we find/found a cheap flight leaving a few days earlier than anticipated, we'd grab it since we'd prefer to spend the cash difference on the ground rather than in the air.

 

[brett]

Our last two open jaws to Europe on Transat have both been in the $750-$800. range. Toronto-Europe, London or Paris-Calgary. Same time of year. Late Aug/early Sept departure, mid-late October home.

Booking an open jaw on Transat. is usually about $200 less than booking two one ways. Often very similar is price to a standard return though we never buy this.

I expect things will be very different next time we go to Europe. Chances are several of our favourite LC airlines will be gone. Prices may be considerably higher for those that are left.

 

[W2R]

I assume you want numbers from those at both the high end and the low end of the travel budget spectrum (so that is the only reason why I am posting in this thread). If I am wrong, please accept my apologies!

Here are my travel expenses for the past 10 years of retirement:

2010: $0
2011: $0
2012: $913.80 (evacuation for Hurricane Isaac)
2013: $0
2014: $0
2015: $0
2016: $0
2017: $0
2018: $0
2019: $0

Annual average: $91.38

 

[RetireAge50]

We travel quite a bit mainly to be in warmer weather. Annual average $23,335 or about 1/3 of our overall spending.

 

[Bamaman]

NEMO2

You are indeed a very careful world traveler. And you have certainly got your money's worth on your many, many odysseys to Europe.

My wife is a guru of cheap flights. I'm the one that makes all the ground travel arrangements. And we've traveled almost as often as you (have.)

Many travelers could take lessons from you on traveling good--especially for the money expended. My hat's off to you and the hard work you've put into planning over the years.

And to think I've been traveling to Europe 50 years--since I went to college at the University of Innsbruck in 1970. I never get tired of going. But we're now sliding over to the East more--with Budapest being one of our favorite new cities.

 

[Nemo2]

But we're now sliding over to the East more--with Budapest being one of our favorite new cities.

Us too.....loved both Bulgaria & Romania..(separate trips)..Poland... few places we have our eyes on now...before I can't:

(Vienna or Prague to) Cieszyn to Bielsko-Biala to Krakow (been there before) to Przemyśl to Lviv...roost in Lviv...then day/overnight trips Zhovkva....Mukachevo.....Chernivtsi.......Ivano-Frankivsk....Drohobych.....Satu Mare, Romania.

Prior to these trips with DW.....1963 Australia to England across the Pacific by ship....back overland through Europe, M.E., Pakistan, India, Ceylon (where I spent my 21st birthday), Singapore...Darwin, Melbourne.

1969 Europe, driving/hitching with my first wife.

7+ years in Saudi with R&Rs 5 times every two years...when my late wife arrived there and had a contract with Air France, the travel level upped...(4 out of my 5 Africa trips)..most often upgraded to First Class....overall it's been a blast, a great life.....hope I can continue for a while yet.

 

[HI Bill]

2020 travel budget: $73K (planned FIRE year), with trips planned for:

• Maui: $1K, 5 days
• New Zealand: $12K, 4 weeks
• Europe: $20K, 4 weeks
• Okinawa: $10K, 4 weeks
• Bali: $10K, 4 weeks
• Galapagos: $20K, 10 days

2020 travel expenditures: $14K (trip for 2 to New Zealand for 4 weeks Maui for 5 days, staying with a friend).

 

[CardsFan]

I assume you want numbers from those at both the high end and the low end of the travel budget spectrum (so that is the only reason why I am posting in this thread). If I am wrong, please accept my apologies!

Here are my travel expenses for the past 10 years of retirement:

2010: $0
2011: $0
2012: $913.80 (evacuation for Hurricane Isaac)
2013: $0
2014: $0
2015: $0
2016: $0
2017: $0
2018: $0
2019: $0

Annual average: $91.38

 

[gerntz]

People budget? Waste of effort to me. Just LBYM and do whatever.

 

[Nemo2]

People budget? Waste of effort to me. Just LBYM and do whatever.

We don't budget, just want a pretty fair idea of what things cost us.

 

[OldShooter]

We don't budget, just want a pretty fair idea of what things cost us.

OP asked about budgets but then went on to list some trip costs. We don't actually budget $$, though we do plan a little bit about how many times/how long we want to be gone. Generally that is two international trips a year plus sometimes one in the US. This year, no so much. Our February Africa trip will probably end up being the only one. Ideally we will wait for a vaccine before traveling again (except between city and lake homes). Lucky life, we have!

 

[HI Bill]

People budget? Waste of effort to me. Just LBYM and do whatever.

Yes, I budget, because I want to maximize my travel and life experiences, and spend as much as possible on that, before it's too late to travel. I'm not concerned about leaving inheritance. My current greatest fear is that I have health issues that prevent me from diving and seeing the world with my wife!

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

I guess everyone needs to do what works for them.

We don't "budget" per se but we have an idea of how much we want to travel annually in retirement and what types of trips we want to take. So, I've been tracking some of our travel spend to get a sense of what kind of initial retirement income it's going to take meet those travel goals with some fudge factor built in to account for evolving travelling wants and needs. I’m currently factoring in about $350/day for land trips, with an expectation to average out higher and lower cost locations and $450/day for cruises in a balcony suite.

FWIW, here are our numbers from our major trips the last few years. I'm not as confident with my tracking of our travel spend prior to 2014 and I don't track in full detail mini-trips or trips we take separately with friends and family (though I do track against our annual travel spend by totalling our cc bills and cash we bring/withdraw). We travel specifically for the food but with a preference for street food and hole in the walls but won't shy away from a worthy or interesting splurge. Our attraction spend is relatively light as we prefer to roam the neighbourhoods but we will pay to get into an interesting attraction or do the odd amusement park trip. Some of the activity spend is also captured in local transport or food depending on the activity.
We typically stay at pretty basic locations but not shared rooms/hostels and Airbnb's. During retirement, we are hoping to save on accommodations with month long stays/rentals and use a bit of a home base strategy. I’m also hoping to continue to take advantage of some travel hacking and fund parts of certain trips using points but not to the extreme as the experts out there.
Dollars are in Canadian for 2 travellers.

2014 Vietnam Trip (Hong Kong, Hanoi, Sapa, HoiAn, SiemReap, HCMC) - 24days
Destination & Regional Transportation: $3205
Local Transportation: $246
Accommodation: $993
Food: $625
Activities: $185
Misc (simcards, laundry, visas, meds, etc): $340
Total: ~$5594. ~$233/day

2015 Japan/Korea Trip (Osaka, Kinosaki, Kyoto, Seoul, Busan) - 18days
Destination & Regional Transportation: $2432
Local Transportation: $319
Accommodation: $1410
Food: $949
Activities: $33
Misc (simcards, laundry, visas, meds, etc): $103
Total: ~$5246. ~$291/day

2016 Eastern Med Cruise (+Rome and London) - 17days
Destination & Regional Transportation: $1696
Cruise: $2821 (balcony)
Local Transportation: $460
Accommodation: $908* includes additional gratuities for stateroom crew on cruise
Food: $852* includes specialty dining and additional gratuities for waitstaff on cruise
Activities: $28
Misc (simcards, laundry, visas, meds, etc): $176
Total: ~$6941. ~$408/day

2017 Caribbean Cruise (+Ft Lauderdale) - 11days
Destination & Regional Transportation: $552
Cruise: $1787 (interior)
Local Transportation: $115
Accommodation: $504* includes additional gratuities for stateroom crew on cruise
Food: $374* includes specialty dining and additional gratuities for waitstaff on cruise
Activities: $56
Misc (simcards, laundry, visas, meds, etc): $65
Total: ~$3453. ~$313/day

2018 Asia Trip (Singapore, Bangkok, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kyoto, Tokyo) - 17days
Destination & Regional Transportation: $2365
Local Transportation: $292
Accommodation: $1536
Food: $768
Activities: $2
Misc (simcards, laundry, visas, meds, etc): $81
Total: ~$5044. ~$296/day

2019 Mini-Round the World (SanFran, LA, Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Bangkok, Singapore, Istanbul, San Sebastian, Paris, London, Toronto) - 30 days
Destination & Regional Transportation: $1444* w/ point redemption for biz class
Local Transportation: $878
Accommodation: $2920* a couple of nights via points
Food: $1789
Activities: $223
Misc (simcards, laundry, visas, meds, etc): $450
Total: ~$7704. ~$256/day