Are Travel Splurges Worth It? Maybe

The splurge: 14-day Mediterranean cruise

Cost: $2,000 per person

Worth it? Yes

“When I retired after 36 years as a same-day surgery nurse, I had over 400 hours of PTO time they had to pay me for. I saw a flyer for a Mediterranean cruise that started in Rome and ended in Israel. It was a great deal because they were trying to get people cruising again post-COVID-19. It said you could take a third person for free. I told my husband, ‘We’ve always wanted to do a cruise, and now we have a nice little stash of money. Let’s do it.’ We took Sadie, our adult daughter. It was just magnificent. We got to see St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. Then we traveled to Istanbul and saw the Blue Mosque. We saw the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem and the markers of the Stations of the Cross. As a Catholic, I felt like I was walking in the steps of these people I heard about every Sunday in church growing up. Sadie and I also did every excursion that had to do with cooking, food or wine. We had the best time.” —Debra Timms, 65, Ames, Iowa

The Upgrade

Adding a little luxury can make a trip more special — or just more expensive.

The splurge: First-class seat on a 15-hour flight

Cost: $8,000

Worth it? Yes

“My husband and I were always frugal in our travels. After he passed away, I met a woman who became a close friend. We both wanted to go to South Africa. She had the idea to fly first class, and I decided to do it. It was incredibly luxurious. I was in a pod, almost like a recliner, and I could stretch out completely. We drank champagne, had a nice dinner and watched a few movies, and then we lay down and took a nice long nap. I’ve had lots of international trips where once I arrived in the country, I felt so tired I had to sleep before I could do anything. On this one, I felt wonderful and didn’t need to sleep. It was totally worth it.” —Myra McElhaney, 66, Atlanta

The splurge: Hotel room upgrade to river view

Cost: $100 (above the cost of a standard room)

Worth it? No

“One time I decided to splurge and upgrade to a larger room with a river view at a hotel outside Boston. When I got in there, I had to squint and lean and look really hard to catch a glimpse of a tiny sliver of the river through one window. It was certainly not a ‘river view.’ The room was also directly opposite the elevator. There was a massive party downstairs, so all night long people would get off laughing and talking, keeping me awake. The fact that I paid extra but didn’t get a river view and also couldn’t sleep, that was definitely not worth it.” —Marcia Layton Turner, 59, Rochester, New York

The splurge: Six-night stay in a five-bedroom villa in southern France

Cost: $7,400

Worth it? Yes

“One of my daughters got her master’s degree in Italy. Her graduation was the one time the whole family could get together, so afterward we took our three daughters and two of their friends to southern France to celebrate. The splurge was that we rented an amazing villa in Aix-en-Provence. It had a heated pool, a game room with a large bar, a movie room, beautiful gardens and a concierge service that could bring in a chef or book excursions. It was a great launching pad for day trips, and it gave us more family time together. At night we would all sit around the big kitchen island, have a snack and rehash the day. It was a luxury experience that we couldn’t have had if we stayed in separate rooms in a hotel.” —Mary Klaff, 58, Potomac Falls, Virginia

The splurge: Five-night stay on a private Caribbean island

Cost: $4,000 per person

Worth it? No

“We don’t normally spend this kind of money on a trip, so our expectations were high, and they were not met. The room was lovely, but we could see and hear the people next to us. It was billed as all-inclusive, but when we got the menu at dinner on our first night, many items had extra charges. Even worse, although it was an adults-only resort, there was a toddler in the restaurant playing Elmo on a laptop — with the volume on! When we questioned the management, they told us the family had been coming for years and they couldn’t say no. Finally, we weren’t allowed to go into one part of the resort because Robert De Niro and his family were there. I actually challenged the charge on my credit card and got a partial refund.” —Christine Licardi, 56, Morristown, New Jersey

The splurge: Staying in Spain’s parador hotels

Cost: $80 to $375 per night

Worth it? Yes

“Last year we traveled across northern Spain for 16 days. After talking to the travel company, we decided to splurge and stay in five Spanish paradores. These are ancient monasteries, castles, palaces, fortresses and other historic buildings that the government has refurbished into hotels. The ones we stayed at were all in towns or cities that are historic themselves and have significance. It was perfect because we love old stuff. Each one was totally different, and each one was fabulous.” —Michael Ogdon, 78, Phoenix

The Experience

Vacations often present the opportunity to try something totally new. But is it worth it?

The splurge: Dinner at a Michelin three-star restaurant

Cost: $1,600

Worth it? Yes

“I love to cook, and food is my love language. My husband knew a Michelin three-star restaurant in California’s Napa Valley that was on my bucket list, but it was not something that had ever been in the budget. For my 50th birthday, he surprised me and took me there. It was a spectacular three-hour-plus experience that included a prix fixe chef’s tasting menu plus wine pairings for each course. I even got to enjoy a glass of Screaming Eagle wine — it’s a cult wine that costs thousands of dollars per bottle — with my chocolate birthday cake. I did feel a little guilty spending that much money on food, but I have to say, it was an incredible experience, just mind-blowing.” —Janet Upton, 59, Napa, California

The splurge: Spa treatment in a Bermuda cave

Cost: $120

Worth it? Yes

“We were on a trip to Bermuda, and we stayed in the Grotto Bay Beach Resort & Spa, which has a spa built into a cave. I’m not usually one for spa treatments, but come on — this was in a cave. So I booked a facial. That was my big splurge, and it was incredible. The atmosphere was excellent, with the stone walls and the soothing sound of the dripping water from the stalactites. There’s even a natural underground pool where you can swim. I’m so glad I did it. We are going back to Bermuda later this year, and I plan to do it again.” —Marilynn Smith, 74, Enfield, Connecticut

The splurge: Hot-air balloon safari ride in Africa

Cost: $500 per person

Worth it? Yes

“As a treat for my 50th birthday, our family of five splurged on a two-week tour in Africa. But the once-in-a-lifetime experience was to see the great wildebeest migration, and the hot-air balloon ride we took was the highlight of that experience. We got there at 4 in the morning and saw the sunrise from the balloon. We found the wildebeests, and there were an unbelievable number of animals, predominantly wildebeests but some zebras and gazelles mixed in, all running toward the river. It was like what you see in The Lion King movie. It was one of the most spectacular things I’ve ever seen in my life.” —Lissa Ecker, 54, Bethesda, Maryland

The splurge: Alaska seaplane ride

Cost: $500 per person

Worth it? Yes

“After months of saving, my husband, sister, niece and I went on a trip to Alaska last year. One of the best things we did was take a seaplane through Wings Airways from Juneau. The plane took off on the water and flew over five glaciers, offering spectacular views. The Taku Glacier Lodge, where we had brunch, was remarkable. It was 100 years old, and it has an incredible history. The meal was made from all locally sourced food and included the best salmon I ever had in my life. We also took an optional short hike to a waterfall. Everything from the flight to the lodge itself was fantastic and worth every penny. We’re not people who would routinely spend that much money on something like that but are so glad that we did.” —Sharon Bolinger, 68, Knoxville, Iowa

Costs throughout represent the estimated charge at the time of purchase and may not include additional related travel expenses. Current prices may vary.