A cruise or an All Inclusive Vacation?

[marco]

We've been on many, many cruises on just about every line. We've never done an all inclusive to an island. For those of you WHO HAVE DONE BOTH...pros, cons, thoughts, experiences. Just how "ALL" is all inclusive. How were the meals, entertainment? Did you stay on site the entire stay, go into town, tour more of the island/country? Was it more relaxing than rushing around and having to be on the ship by 5PM, or was it boring being in the same place for a week? We really like Caribbean cruises for the beaches and sun, not so much sites and tours So , it seems that when you add up all the onboard expenses, island transportation, beach charges, snacks/refreshments on shore to the price of the cruise..is one a considerably better deal pricewise when it comes to the bottom line? I really want to hear from folks who have done both.

[Shorex]

We've been on many, many cruises on just about every line. We've never done an all inclusive to an island. For those of you WHO HAVE DONE BOTH...pros, cons, thoughts, experiences. Just how "ALL" is all inclusive. How were the meals, entertainment? Did you stay on site the entire stay, go into town, tour more of the island/country? Was it more relaxing than rushing around and having to be on the ship by 5PM, or was it boring being in the same place for a week? We really like Caribbean cruises for the beaches and sun, not so much sites and tours So , it seems that when you add up all the onboard expenses, island transportation, beach charges, snacks/refreshments on shore to the price of the cruise..is one a considerably better deal pricewise when it comes to the bottom line? I really want to hear from folks who have done both.

 

We've done many cruises and two all inclusives, Sandals on St. Lucia and Iberostar Tucan in Mexico. Sandals is a much better experience, Iberostar is friendlier to the budget. Like cruise lines, the all inclusives separate into various categories. Do you want couples only, family friendly, spa services, water sports, horseback riding, golf, diving, sailing, cottage just for you or hotel style, numerous dining choices -- and like cruises, more luxurious equals more expensive.

 

We had a wonderful time on St. Lucia and the resort in Mexico was very nice. The resorts, especially the couples resorts, are much more of a private/romantic and relaxing experience. Boring? No. Not if you understand exactly what activities and features are available and those are the things that interest you.

 

I'd recommend that you start research with Fodor's The Best Caribbean All-Inclusive Resorts for Any Travel Style; Fodor's Best New All-Inclusive Caribbean Resorts, and Fodor's 10 Best Luxury All Inclusive. Order brochures from resorts that interest you. Then go over to Trip Advisor, plug in an island you like (Antigua for example) and look at all the reviews of the various choices.

 

The all inclusive is a fundamentally different experience from a cruise. If the overall experience appeals to you, then budget for the best resort you can afford.

[isujim]

We've done both and at this stage of our lives just enjoy cruising more. More to see, more to do...........many more options. both have their place and are great vacations...........just different.

[dolittle]

We have done A.I.s they are a good choice if you like to do nothing and are a good value. However I.M.O. the food and service is not as good as most cruise ships . Most of the A.I.s people do not leave the property ,but when we were at one in Cancun it did have great excursions like the pyramid at chichen itza and excrat.

[gerryl12]

We have done a couple of all-inclusives but much prefer cruising as we get to see a lot of different places. If you just want to relax and sit around a pool all day and do nothing then all-inclusives are good. The food in general is much better on a cruise although the food at most AI's is ok.

[jocap]

We had a stay/cruise to the Red Sea....both were AI.

OH loved the hotel complex, which was stunning, and spent his days snorkelling the reefs.

I was just....bored, really.....and looking forward to the cruise week at the end. There was one place for entertainment, and dancing etc, so not a vast resort. We didn't find that people were as open to conversation as on board, so it was often just us and a couple of drinks under a palm tree.

OH loved it for the water sports, and I'd do it again for him.

He still snorkelled most days from the cruise ship, but I had a chance to go and see Jordan and Egypt.

The AI was the same at the hotel and on the ship; the hotel was more stunning than the old ship we were on.

Jo.

[olemissreb]

We've done 4 cruises (soon to be 5) and only one AI. While I enjoyed the AI, I like cruising more.

 

AI: Pro - it was relaxing. We stayed at Ciboney in Ocho Rios. We'd been to Ocho Rios before so we really had no desire to go to Dunns River Falls or really see the town. We did book an excursion to a Blue Mountain coffee bean plantation and to Kingston (all the same tour). The resort we were at had 3 or 4 restaurants ranging from casual (sandwiches) to upscale. The food was terrific. All the alcohol you could drink was included - anything you wanted! LOVED that - we had a glass of Grand Marnier just about every night after dinner. Ciboney also offered a chef to come to your cabana suite and cook you dinner and serve it at your own pool (well we shared the pool with 4 other couples in the cabana) - we did this for my birthday and it was by far the most romantic thing EVER! I do have to admit though that this was probably the most relaxed I've been on a vacation.

 

CON - there wasn't a whole lot to do at the resort other than relax (ok so this could go in the pro column too if that is what you are looking for). You could book excursions, but just as with a cruise they do cost extra and frankly the one we were on didn't deliver the way it was described (had to pay for our own lunch even though the tour description said it was included). My thoughts were: why book an AI if you are going to be out and about the whole time - seemed like a hotel would work fine for that and probably cheaper. The strawberry daiquiri's were "funky" tasting, but I think that may have been because they used a Jamaican rum or maybe it was the pre-mixed stuff, not sure.

 

Cruises: PRO - depending on the ship - so many things or so few things to do depending on your mood. Good food. Many different ports with all kinds of different things to do, just about every day.

 

CONS: All alcohol is extra (unless you cruise on a line with a drink package). Food can be "hit or miss" simply because of the volume in which it is cooked. Depending on the cruiseline, smoking can be horrendous!

 

As far as price, our cruises and our AI have all been comparable. Would I do an AI again? Yes, if I wanted nothing more than to get away, relax and have my way with my husband!:o Most of the time though, I think you'll find me on a cruise.

[Azulann]

I have been on both cruises and have done four all AI . The AI were in Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and Huatulco Mexico.

AI run from moderate to high end boutique. Loved both Dreams and Secrets.

 

Pros: All meals, speciaty restaurants, room service , min bars and all liqour are included. Wine by the bottle are not, but glasses of wine are included.

Variety of rooms, suites, great pools, bars, beaches with all kinds of activities orgainzed by the activity crew. Think cute young men and women.They also do the evening shows , singing and dancing.

Beach activites include, wind surfing, snorkeling, kayaking which are free.

Love the spas at AL . Much more eloborate than on a cruise ship. More treaments and lovely pre spa areas with pools, showers, decks, whirpools etc.

 

You can book tours arranged by the resort. We also booked private tours done online before we arrived. Loved, sunset cruise, whale watching, visiting historic sites, deep sea fishing and more snorkeling. Always do at least two or three tours off site during a 7 night stay. You do need to get off the resort grounds and see the locality and meet the locals.

Finally, at an AI you also get great service. Most bartenders, waiters get to know you after a couple of days.

 

Cons: if you pick an island you might not be near a town and are limited to the resort most of the time.

It is more relaxing at AL with lots of time to read, soak up the sun , much more lazy.

I cruise to see sites and different countries that would not be easy on a land tour. Also love being on a ship that moves, something new to see each day.

[trish1c]

AIs are more casual than cruises. There is nothing like the MDR at most mainstream resorts.

After having cruised, doing a week at an AI would be boring IMHO. I was bored with many of them before cruising. To have any excitement or interesting things to do you have to book "excursions" -- go off property.

The food at most AIs reminds me of the buffet on many cruises -- OK but not fabulous. There's is usually a for pay restuarnt on premises. Again, it's not amazing food.

The included alcohol isn't top shelf & it's almost impossible to get a decent glass of wine.

Don't get me wrong, an AI can be glorious. You have to figure out what you want.

[cb at sea]

Few cruises are "all-inclusive"....unless you don't drink at all....either soda or alcohol. You can do a cruise without spending extra, if you don't drink either of the above, and do no spa treatments or specialty restaurants.

Your room (small...be prepared for that!) and food in the "included" areas, and entertainment, pool, etc...are there for your use.

 

If you want a luxury room, and just want a beach somewhere, with all the alcohol you can drink and all the food you can eat, go to an AI resort. It's a better value, especially room-wise!

[Travelcat2]

We did all-inclusives for years before we started our luxury all-inclusive travel in 2004. Unless you want to visit Europe, Asia, South America, etc., I would stick to all-inclusives. The Caribbean is touristy and full of people wanting to get drunk (kinda similar to all-inclusives). They get thousands of people in port at the same time which equals wall to wall people. The restaurants, bars and shops are overpriced. . . . YUCK! You can always take tours from your all-inclusive resort. . . there are multiple restaurants, etc. Very similiar to a cruise without being with thousands of people. You don't have to wait in a line that is three blocks long to get back into your resort. To us it is a no-brainer.:)

[Husky61]

We have done both many times. It's very difficult to tell you what you'll enjoy the most. We have enjoyed many cruises, and some we did not care for. We have enjoyed many A.I., and some we didn't care for.

 

Really, only you can decide for yourself, and until you personally try an A.L., you may never really know.:):)

[Marie51]

I did an AI last year for the first time after 25 years of cruising. We went to the Iberostar in Jamaica. I very much enjoyed it and plan to do it again although I certainly will not stop cruising.

Yes, it is a bit more relaxed when you don't have to be back to the ship at a certain time. If you fall asleep on the beach so be it....no rush. I thought the food was very good. If you are a person who likes the pool and beach it is the perfect setup. There were lots of activities if you wanted something to do or you could just be a slug all day.

The cost came out to be about the same as a cruise with airfare and a pre-cruise hotel.

[gilboman]

AI are not as crowded and of course your rooms are a lot bigger along with the facilities themselves. It really is all inclusive meaning drinks too. I find servicewise, a cruise is better if you consider the $$ to service ratio.

 

AI allows you to explore a lot more than just areas around the port. I'm the type that leaves the resort and goes to town or next town over or even overnight trip to somewhere relatively closeby. It's a lot more relaxing at AI's and you don't have to do with a sea of people and embarking/disembarking.

 

I think it's quite different the two experienced, I prefer AI's more than cruising, but I'm the type that will explore and immerse myself a bit. Though last time in Dominican, taking the local gua gua's for 1 peso from purto plata to sosua without speaking a lick of spanish and getting off god knows where may not be what a lot of people on here would categorize as fun

[theavonb]

We have been doing the AI resorts vacation since 1991, and we have just booked our 1st cruise on the Carnival Dream. We will be the newbies all the way as there is so much more to research as far as what ship, itinerary, what port to leave from etc. We won't know what to do onboard or where to go until we are actually onboard and I'm sure we will stick out like a sore thumb as the saying goes. Time will tell...

B

[olemissreb]

We have been doing the AI resorts vacation since 1991, and we have just booked our 1st cruise on the Carnival Dream. We will be the newbies all the way as there is so much more to research as far as what ship, itinerary, what port to leave from etc. We won't know what to do onboard or where to go until we are actually onboard and I'm sure we will stick out like a sore thumb as the saying goes. Time will tell...

B

 

 

You won't stick out - no one will know you are on your first cruise unless you tell them. You've found Cruise Critic (welcome aboard) so it is quite likely that if you've done a fair amount of research, you may know even more than some of the seasoned cruisers that aren't members of CC. Head over to the Carnival boards, the ports of call boards and most important the Carnival Roll Call boards and ask any and all questions that you may have. Members will be glad to help you out.

[Sarah.Park524]

I am also wondering about Carnival Cruises specifically out of New Orleans, I've heard good things and I have heard horror stories... being from the south with my extremely large close family I'm trying to do a honeymoon on a cruise and invite the fam.... New Orleans is the closest Port to everyone.. Its either that or an all inclusive vaca.... What do ya'll think.

[mrsfuzzmo]

We've done many cruises and many A-Is all over the Caribbean. They are very similar and those that say the food isn't as good at an AI as on a cruise or that top shelf liquor isn't included are not all that correct. It's just like a cruise.....You get what you pay for. If you stay at a more expensive AI, you get top shelf. If you stay at a budget, the food and liquor quality goes down.....just like a cruise.

 

There are a few things that differ. At most AIs, the nightlife is minimal. There is usually a "show" of some sort (similar to a cruise with a different theme each night) and there is usually a disco of some sort. But the nightlife is usually pretty tame.

 

At AIs it's absolutely awesome to not have to carry around a card and have it swiped every time you want something to drink. If you want a pina colada, you just order one and walk away. It's a very freeing feeling to not have to worry about "extra costs" like you do on a cruise. There are very few "extras" you have to pay for at an AI. In fact, I think I've only had a bill at the end of one stay and that was for an upcharge of $10 for lobster at one a la carte restaurant at one resort.

 

AIs have an entertainment staff that keeps everyone going during the day with activities just like on a cruise, although there is usually only one or two things at a time, not five or six like on a cruise.

 

If you like a lot of "classes" like martini making, how to draw and towel fold or carving veggies, well you will not find much of that at an AI. You will find beautiful pools, gorgeous beaches, great service, friendly people and a lot of relaxation.

 

I do get bored at an AI once in a while, and rarely do i get bored on a cruise. I also like to see different islands, so that's nice on a cruise. But there's nothing like walking the beach looking for shells as the sun's coming up. That's one of my favorites things to do at an AI. We do go off resort and take excursions which are available almost every day of the week, so that's a plus for the AIs.

 

They are different, yet the same. We do both. We love both.

Edited March 5, 2012 by mrsfuzzmo

[zephyrgirl]

I would echo what others have said about an AI just being a fundamentally different vacation experience. There are definitely pros and cons for each, I guess the biggest AI con would be you only get to experience one place versus cruising with multiple stops. But the flipside of that is you get to really experience it and do everything as opposed to picking one excursion and that's it.

 

I also find the AI experience much more relaxing. And there's nothing like an early morning or just before dusk stroll on the beach, with no worries about getting back for anything. AI's are quiet at night generally, but depending on the local you can always go off site for entertainment. Like cruises, food and service vary and you should do your homework and read lots of reviews prior to picking. AI's tend to have comfier lounging options (IME) but there is of course sometimes the chair hog problem. The all-inclusive drinks are nice but not a deciding factor for me.

 

One thing I personally really like about AI's, speaking as a NYC dweller with a tiny apartment, is the added space in the hotel room and at the resort. It's really great to stretch out and have SPACE, which is such a premium both in NYC and on cruise ships.

[Kathie13]

AIs are o'k, but to wake up & look out the window & be in a different country is what it's all about!!!!!!!!

[smilealot1882]

We did an AI last year at the RIU Palace in Punta Cana. To me, this was very different than the two cruises that we have been on. The food at the RIU didn't even hold a candle to either cruise. There was no comparison. The room we had at the RIU was nicer than an interior cabin on the two cruise ships we have been on. Service was great at the RIU but RC cruise line still had better service on both of the cruises. I liked just relaxing on the beach and it was beautiful, the palms and the water. I just missed going to a different place each day and seeing four or five beaches instead of the one. I did like that drinks were part of the price, I never hesitated to order another one at the RIU while on a cruise we are more conservative with our drinking habits. I think we both liked a cruise more. We must, we booked Alaska with HAL for June/July this year!

[Gathina]

I would choose an all inclusive any day over a cruise..a cruise is nice and I enjoy them, but I've had more opportunties to explore the country itself with the all inclusive. To me a cruise gives you a good "snap shot" of a place I'd like to explore more in the future. I've been to all inclusives in Jamaica and Central America, both 3 and 5 star...both featured unlimited alcohol , had great entertainment, and many opportunities to go off grounds (some for a price, some for free) with a guided tour by a local who knew where it was safe and not safe to go to.

 

The other thing I don't like about a cruise is feeling like I have to get up early to make breakfast and then to the tender to get to wherever we may be docked at. Have been on 4 cruises and about 11 all inclusives.

[sherilyn70]

We have not had enough of Barbados and I've been there twice now on cruises. We are considering an AI there for next year instead of a cruise. Anyone have any experiences with the ones specifically in Barbados?

[bonsai3s]

We've done many cruises and many A-Is all over the Caribbean. They are very similar and those that say the food isn't as good at an AI as on a cruise or that top shelf liquor isn't included are not all that correct. It's just like a cruise.....You get what you pay for. If you stay at a more expensive AI, you get top shelf. If you stay at a budget, the food and liquor quality goes down.....just like a cruise.

 

There are a few things that differ. At most AIs, the nightlife is minimal. There is usually a "show" of some sort (similar to a cruise with a different theme each night) and there is usually a disco of some sort. But the nightlife is usually pretty tame.

 

At AIs it's absolutely awesome to not have to carry around a card and have it swiped every time you want something to drink. If you want a pina colada, you just order one and walk away. It's a very freeing feeling to not have to worry about "extra costs" like you do on a cruise. There are very few "extras" you have to pay for at an AI. In fact, I think I've only had a bill at the end of one stay and that was for an upcharge of $10 for lobster at one a la carte restaurant at one resort.

 

AIs have an entertainment staff that keeps everyone going during the day with activities just like on a cruise, although there is usually only one or two things at a time, not five or six like on a cruise.

 

If you like a lot of "classes" like martini making, how to draw and towel fold or carving veggies, well you will not find much of that at an AI. You will find beautiful pools, gorgeous beaches, great service, friendly people and a lot of relaxation.

 

I do get bored at an AI once in a while, and rarely do i get bored on a cruise. I also like to see different islands, so that's nice on a cruise. But there's nothing like walking the beach looking for shells as the sun's coming up. That's one of my favorites things to do at an AI. We do go off resort and take excursions which are available almost every day of the week, so that's a plus for the AIs.

 

They are different, yet the same. We do both. We love both.

 

Agree...we do both and love both. Perhaps the most significant and noticeable difference is the size of the room compared to a ship's cabin...:)

[grozas]

I love AIs!!! Matter of fact my wife and I got engaged and married at an AI. And one of the first vacations we did as a family was to take the kids to an AI. It is the definition of relaxation. A few t-shirts and swim trunks are really all you need for the week. And I have found that if you tip good, the service is every bit as stellar as a cruise. Better than a cruise actually. Slip "Jose" a couple of dollars when he brings you that first drink and he will work for you the rest of the week, including bringing lunch, dinner, having chais lounges reserved for you in the morning. Heck, one waiter even went and got snorkle gear for me and my wife from the activity shack and had it ready for us everyday right beside the two lounge chairs he had reserved for us.

 

The BIG draw for AIs is the free drinks.

 

I will still do cruises because my wife loves to dress up and take formal pictures as much as I love to relax.