Cruise or All-Inclusive? What Vacation Style Are You Better Suited For?
You work hard. Long
hours, deadlines, unending meetings all consume your days. Nights are consumed by household responsibilities,
kids, spouses, and more. Sometimes, you
need a break from everything. You need a
vacation. Unfortunately, our vacation time
is limited, as is the budget we can spend.
Many travelers often make a choice between cruising or all-inclusive
resorts.
So which is better for you? Cruise or all-inclusive. Read
further to learn what considerations you need to make to make your
decision. For more information on all
things travel-related, be sure to connect with Trevor Eliott at Blue Skies
Travel.
Getting To Your Destination
Photo: How will you reach your vacation destination?
All-inclusive resorts are almost exclusively found in Caribbean
destinations. Mexico, Cuba, Dominican
Republic, and Jamaica are among the most popular destinations for all-inclusive
travelers. Almost all destinations will cost a premium to fly to.
Depending on your destination, you may be able to avoid
expensive air fare by driving to a cruise port.
In Canada, cruisers can travel from Vancouver for west coast or Alaska
itineraries or Quebec City for an Atlantic itinerary. Snow birds located in Florida or California
also have easy access to a number of ports in those states.
Itineraries
Photo: Cruisers easily travel to multiple destinations on any voyage
As previously mentioned. all-inclusive resorts are almost
exclusively found in Caribbean destinations.
You will need to fly to your destination and are limited to amenities at
your resort and surrounding area. This
is great if you intend to use your vacation time to lounge on the beach and
take in some much needed vitamin D with a drink in-hand. There are also a number of options for
cultural, food & drink, or adventure excursions you can take in right from
the resort.
Cruising will enable you to easily visit more destinations
to cross off your bucket list. Once you
board your cruise ship, you only need to unpack once but could visit several
countries in the span of your vacation. Imagine the convenience of waking up in
a new country each morning and easily stepping into a new country! Cruise ships
are generally quite stable, but even the largest ships are subject to large
waves, leaving the possibility for seasickness.
Alcohol
Photo: Martins are favourites among sailors on Celebrity Cruises
All-inclusive resorts include basic alcoholic beverages,
along with a wide selection of non-alcoholic drinks, in your room rate. There may be a premium for shelf options.
Alcohol is typically not included in your cruise fare. Some premium
cruise lines do include alcohol. Others offer an option to add a beverage package. Only a select few lines, such as Virgin and
Disney, do not offer a drink package.
Cruisers who plan to spend most of the voyage with a drink
in-hand, the alcohol package can be well worth the money. Some lines even offer a premium package that
includes all basic drinks, plus premium top-shelf options as well.
For non-drinkers, coffee, tea, and basic juices and sodas
are served at most dining venues at no additional cost. These same beverages
are served in other venues (nightclubs, bars, show lounges, etc.) at a premium.
Many cruise lines offer non-alcoholic beverages, including virgin cocktails, in
any venue.
Not sure whether a beverage package is worth the money? Check out this calculator to help decide.
Internet
Photo: Today's travelers have a strong desire to stay connected
Most all-inclusive resorts include wifi in your room
rate.
Most cruise lines charge a premium for internet. Most lines now offer a wifi package for
either a single day or the entire voyage.
For those travelling without a wifi-capable device, many cruise lines
also have an internet café where internet time can be purchased.
Food
Photo: Food choices are generally excellent at both all-inclusive
resorts and on cruise ships.
All-inclusive resorts generally include a buffet and a
number of specialty restaurants all included in the cost of your vacation. Room service is usually included, but the
menu can be limited at some resorts. Food at each resort is different and the quality
can vary significantly. If food is
important to your vacation happiness, be sure to discuss with a travel agent to
determine which resorts may be most suitable.
Cruise ships include a wide selection of food. The two primary venues are the main dining
room and the buffet. All cruise ships
offer room service, but some are now adding a surcharge and some room service
menus can be limited. Most cruise ships
offer a number of specialty restaurants with premium food, but do include a
cover charge. Similar to all-inclusive resorts, food on cruises can vary
significantly between lines. Larger
ships generally offer a larger variety of culinary choices – both complimentary
and premium.
Entertainment and Activities
Photo: Royal Caribbean ships offer a wide variety of entertainment options
Both all-inclusive resorts and cruise ships offer a variety of entertainment and activities to keep a traveler busy throughout their vacation.
Resorts are generally focused on the pool and beach
activities during the day; however, they do offer a selection of excursions you
can participate in off-site for a fee. Evenings generally offer some local
entertainment, as well as at least a couple of nightlife options. In some
locations, such as the Cancun hotel zone, many partygoers often frequent the
bars and clubs near the resort, but this will incur added costs for both a
cover charge as well as any beverages or food. Some resorts offer a mini-casino
with a very limited selection of slot machines and/or electronic games.
Entertainment and activities onboard a cruise ship can be
quite elaborate. Days are quite
different whether the ship is in port or at sea. When the ship is at sea, there are usually a
number of pools available on the top deck for those seeking vitamin D. Typically
a cruise will also offer a number of seminars and personal enrichment sessions.
Trivia sessions are also quite popular. Depending on the ship, other activities
may include a zip line, rock climbing, ice skating, bumper cars, go-carts, flow
riders, and simulated sky diving could all be options as well. Evenings can
include elaborate Broadway-style shows, musical performances and a number of
nightlife options. Cruise ship casinos are Vegas-like venues with a wide
variety of slot machines, table games and poker that will keep you occupied
until the wee hours of the night. Cruise
ships also include a wide variety of shops and services as well.
Days in port, cruisers can come and goes as they please, as
long as they are back by the all-aboard time.
Cruisers can meander through the streets and shops of the port. Transportation (for a fee) is quite
accessible that will take you to a local beach or on a tour of the port. A wide
variety of excursions (for a fee) are also available to keep you busy through
the day.
Kids
Photo: Cruise ships offer a wide variety of activities to keep kids happy and active during a family vacation
Both all-inclusive resorts and cruise ships often offer
reduced, or sometimes even free, rates for children. Be sure to check with your travel agent as
offering change frequently.
Many all-inclusive resorts offer activities specifically
geared towards children.
Cruise lines vary in their child-based programming
offerings. Disney, Royal Caribbean, and
Carnival are among the top choices for cruisers travelling with children.
Adults
Photo: Virgin Voyages offers the ultimate adults-only cruise vacation
Both all-inclusive resorts and cruise ships typically have
adults-only sections. Some resorts are
limited completely to adults-only while a few resorts are limited even further
to couples-only.
Adults-only pools area are commonplace on cruise ships. Virgin Voyages, which first set sail in 2021,
is the first adults-only cruise line.
Resort Layout
Photo: Cruise ships pride themselves in the efficient layout of their decks
All-inclusive resorts generally have a significant land
footprint. Rooms are generally a healthy
size with lots of organizational space. There is generally lots of room to move
around, both in the room itself and throughout the resort. There are minimal lineups and you will
generally never feel crowded.
Unfortunately, some resorts are so spacious that it can be quite a hike
from your room to the beach.
Cruise ships are designed to be extremely efficient. Because cruise ships fit many rooms with
limited space, rooms can be compact with minimal organizational space. The check-in (embarkation) and check-out
(disembarkation) process can get quite congested as everyone arrives and leaves
on the same day. Crowds can also accumulate for Broadway-style shows and other
popular events as well. The most frustrating experience may be finding a pool
lounger as these typically get snapped up quite early in the day. Amenities are
always within a reasonable distance. Unfortunately, the only access to a beach
is on port days.
Gratuities
Photo: Gratuities are handled differently between cruises and all-inclusive resorts
Gratuities are an important part of the service
industry. Gratuities enable travelers to
show appreciation for the services the hospitality staff have provided over the
course of their vacation.
At an all-inclusive resort, gratuities are included in the
cost of the vacation; however, additional gratuities for exceptional service
are always appreciated by staff.
On a cruise, gratuities are added and charged upon
completion of your vacation, although most cruise lines offer the ability to
pre-pay gratuities. Some premium cruise
lines include gratuities in their fare.
Cost of Vacation
As a general rule, even after the extras are included, all-inclusive
resorts generally cost more than cruises.
Which Type of Traveler are You?
Photo: Many variables to consider in making a vacation decision
If you prefer to spend your days lounging on the beach with
a drink in hand and all expenses included in your room fees, then an
all-inclusive resort may be your ideal vacation.
On the other hand, if you like variety in activities and
entertainment or prefer not to be secluded to one resort, then a cruise may be
best for your vacation buck.
Whatever your style of travel, we highly recommend using a
travel agent. Contact Trevor Eliott at
Blue Skies Travel today to explore options for your next vacation. Call us today at (780)484-3428 or email us at trevor@blueskiestravel.ca.