I’m a Travel Expert: 4 Luxury Vacations the Upper Middle Class Can’t Afford Anymore
Written by
Laura Bogart
Edited by
Rebekah Evans
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The family vacation used to be a hallmark of middle class life. Photo albums (aka the way of sharing your pictures with friends before the age of Instagram) attest to the great tradition of saving up and going to locations across the globe or even close to home that would be the sites of memories that would last a lifetime.
Unfortunately, many of the kinds of vacations that used to be affordable for the middle class have been subject to the same price increases that have impacted so many other areas of life. GOBankingRates chatted with Hollie McKay, vice president of communications for HotelPlanner, as well as Layne Tisdel Martin, travel agent and chief exploration officer of Wanderluxed, to learn more about the vacations that had their heyday in yesteryear.
In contrast, here are four cheap vacations that feel luxurious.
Luxury Cruises
McKay defined luxury travel as anything that costs over $2,000 for a single weekend trip and she said that many Americans are increasingly priced out of trips that once would have been affordable — notably, luxury cruises.
“Luxury ocean and river cruises, for example, now cost between $3,000 and $20,000 per person for trips lasting from 7 to 14 days, with lines like Regent Seven Seas, Crystal Cruises and Viking River Cruises offering all-inclusive packages that include gourmet dining and premium excursions,” she said.
Destination Vacations
Cruises aren’t the only luxury vacations that have become prohibitively expensive for the middle class. McKay said that high-end tours associated with European hotspots that include amenities like first-class accommodations, fine dining, private guides and exclusive access to landmarks can now range from $7,000 to $15,000 per person for a 10- to 14-day trip.
Europe isn’t the only place that feels increasingly far away in terms of affordability. Even beach trips to unique locations have gone from a splurge to an impossibility money-wise.
“Exotic beach vacations, such as those in the Maldives or the Caribbean, also command high prices, with overwater bungalows in the Maldives costing between $5,000 and $20,000 per week and luxury Caribbean resorts ranging from $4,000 to $12,000 per week for two people,” she said.
Antarctica
Martin is more than just a seasoned travel agent and expert, she’s also a veteran world traveler who has seen the prices of some of her favorite vacations rise to the point that she can’t enjoy the same trips again. These trips included Antarctica, which she called “the dream trip of a lifetime for many people.”
Martin saved for years to take a 16-day Silversea Expedition cruise to Antarctica from Buenos Aires in late 2019, when her single passenger fare was $14,210. Now, she said that post-pandemic inflation has more than doubled the daily price of that already expensive cruise. “This year, a 10-day Silversea cruise to Antarctica for a single traveler starts at $20,850 and it’s six days shorter than mine was,” she said.
African Safaris
Unfortunately, sojourns to Antarctica aren’t the only luxury vacations that have become unaffordable to middle class travelers. Martin said that African safaris are also increasingly out of reach.
“On top of the airfare to Africa and back, which costs about $1,000 per person in economy, there’s the cost of modern accommodation in some of the most remote locations on earth,” she said.
While mid-range safaris can cost around $350 per person per night and you can find some budget options for about $150 to $200 per person every night, Martin recommended that you not pursue these.
“[G]iven the substantial number of real health and safety concerns that come with traveling in Africa, I don’t recommend them,” she said. “For comparison, I spent five nights at Meliá Serengeti Lodge in October 2018 for $2,050. Rooms at the same lodge this coming October are currently booking for $1,400 a night.”
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