Vacation: Cruise or All-Inclusive Resort?

You are planning a getaway and you need to decide between, on either a Cruise or an All-Inclusive Resort which option is best for you financially without minimizing the experience. (How do you get more bang for your buck?) First, you need to decide on the type of getaway: 1) Family vacation with children, 2) Romantic getaway, 3) Vacation with friends or siblings without kids. The next step is to determine the budget then the duration of the vacation and expectations. Now you are ready to compare each option listing pros and cons for Cruise versus Resort.

Resorts, just like Cruises, offer on-premises amenities encouraging travelers to remain and spend on location.

Cruise Ships are often described as "Moving Resorts".

Cruise Vacation: Pros and Cons.

It is an awesome idea to be in an Hotel with pools, night clubs, casinos food and drinks while cruising in the middle of the ocean. Because of that, you can visit 2 or 3 sites in different countries in just a weekend getaway. This is particularly important when you think about packing and unpacking and the amount of other things to do in order to visit different places. For those who cruise with the kids, the ships have areas dedicated to the youth with family-friendly activities all thru out the day. Entertainment on a cruise ship is serious business.

It really will take a lot of work to get just about anybody bored on a ship. For the older ones, the activities on the ship are countless : water parks, pools, gyms rock climbing walls skydiving simulator (oh yes !). If you choose to take it easy, you can always play some mini-golf or even catch a movie. By the pool area, there is always some live activities that will bring the child out of you. It will be fun and noisy nothing compare to the relaxing pool area of the resort. Most ships do have wine tastings .....Daily schedules for the less active include educational programming, trivia games and dance classes. To me, the best part of the cruise is the evenings. People dress up very nicely to go to dinner and then go assist Vegas-style show or Broadway musicals. Men wear suits or tuxedos and the women are one more elegant than the other. I also enjoy magic or comedy shows. FYI, some of those comedy shows are rated R . ( yes, very funny but not for kids ! ) If you want something more casual afterwards there is a variety of live music and dancing for all taste.

A cruise ship at a port.

Even if the cruise lines advertise all-inclusive, be aware because all will not be included. You will have to pay for sodas and alcohol. Your fare will not cover some specialty restaurants and if you plan to relax and enjoy the spa, it will come with a price. Most people already expect to pay for their excursions . Some are more expensive than others, you may even find some free ones. When it comes to the excursions, one thing I would advise you is to ensure that lunch is included because you may have to pay for food on top of the price of the excursion. Another way to spend beaucoup money on the cruise will be on the souvenirs and those pictures that you will be taking every day. Remember to keep tab of your expenses while on the ship because at the end of the trip you will be charged for gratuities that are required and they are not charged up front.

What if I get seasick ? Let me be the first to tell you, it is probably one experience you don't want to have. I remember being sick on a cruise once and the motion of the ship was not even that severe. I guess being on a ship on an empty stomach is a no-no. It was really an awful experience to be sick and in bed while everyone else was having a good time.

Nothing beats the sun the sand and the beach for a few days...

Pros and cons of and All-inclusive Resort.

When you go to an All-Inclusive Resort, it means that you will probably spend all your time within the perimeter of that resort thus you're limited to only experience one area of a specific destination. In fact, most people I talk to seem to think that the main benefit of an All-Inclusive Resort is the level of relaxation. I have seen some tourists spend their whole vacation by, or in, the pool. The pools at the resort are bigger and more luxurious. It is also a place where people can relax, read in other words be in peace. If you are like me, and you like the beach, you can hit those waves anytime you want instead of waiting for the ship to dock. It is easier to plan and budget when going to a resort It avoids all kind of end-of-trip surprises and by that, I mean that when you head to a land-based all-inclusive, in most cases, your meals at all onsite restaurants, all drinks (soda, alcohol, coffee), beach and pool access, daytime activities will be including in the price. Have no worries, the activities at the resorts are countless: beach sports challenges, fitness classes, kids programming and non motorized water sports like snorkeling, kayaking and water bikes, just to name a few. I recommend that you always consult at the front desk or with your travel agent (if you book thru an agency) to have an idea of what is going to be available for you . Most people do go to an All-Inclusive because they do not have to leave the property but, the more curious ones can also enjoy free excursions ( again, this can be arranged at the front desk), I did find resorts that even offer scuba and snorkel trips.

For those who do not like long lines and crowd, a resort is a better option, especially when it's time to eat. The cruise ship will have long lines and lots of people in the buffet area. Nothing compared to the lines and the smaller crowds of the resort. More and more I find out that some resorts offer access to restaurants at sister properties. It also helps spread the amount of the vacationers to more dining rooms.

How important is the size of your room when you go on vacation? In reality, we do not expect to spend a lot of time in the room, but to some, the size of the room matters. In this case, resorts may be the better option because the standard hotel rooms will be larger than the cruise cabins, and some resorts might have options between ocean front bungalows or casitas for more space and more privacy.

The worst thing that can happen after you plan your vacation is that a very bad weather hits. Now, a cruise ship can modify their route and still go on. If you are in a resort, that means you are stuck. There is no place else to go to. So when making your plans, ensure that your destination is not on the path of an hurricane or any other bad possible weather. Another big difference can be noticed during the evening activities. At the resort, they tend to center around drinking and dancing, rather than shows, which can be a plus or minus depending on your taste or company. It seems that on cruise ships, kids activities and facilities are more organized than at the resorts. (I should say that I am not talking about attraction parks like Disney etc...)

I remember going on a 3-day cruise in the Caribbean. I got sea sick the first night and I was in my room the whole time. I never experienced anything like this before.

MaDaMe Ditribution

Specialized in International freight consolidation and cargo solution worldwide

A Cruise vacation is not what I would call a "Relaxing Vacation". I definitely needed a couple of days to rest and decompress upon returning home. It was an awesome and well worth experience.

Come to think about it, Cruises and All-Inclusive Resorts are very good ways to enjoy a quick gateway or a longer vacation. You just need to find out what is important for you and what you are looking for during your vacation.

In the mid-time, stay safe during the Covid-19 pandemic and take time to plan your next getaway.

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