All inclusive versus cruising on Carnival

[blondietink]

We have done both and like both. But, the cost for a cruise for the 4 of us is a whole lot cheaper and we get to see more places. AI's do not let kids go free after a certain age, so cruises fit better in our budget.

[scomar]

My wife and I have been to 4 different Sandals Resorts. We stayed at each property for 7 nights. We stopped going for one simple reason: too many drunks.

 

LOL Have you been on a Carnival cruise LOL Just joking!:D

[SMSACE6]

Ive done both, and like both, but would go with a cruise first because I like varied destinations/ports of call, as apposed to 7 days in one place. I dont have kids, so cant give an opinion on one over the other trip on that perspective. But my choice would be cruise first. (and I drink, but the cheers or all inclusive bar programs, dont pay for me ), so I still choose a cruise minus the bar program over AI.

Edited December 26, 2012 by SMSACE6

[sra12574]

I'm a good person to answer this question.

I've done 1 cruise & 1 all inclusive.

 

There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

 

Booze

Cruising - The drinks are better because they have to entice people to pay for them.

 

Variety

Cruising - you get to see alot more locations

 

Entertainment -

this is a tough one, i found the entertainment in an all inclusive and on the cruise to be very similar.

 

Peace & quiet -

All inclusive - I found this much easier to find on a resort than a cruise

 

Food -

Cruising - Not due to variety but due to the fact that they cater to the american appetite and expectations of food and are not limited by local oils etc for their cooking. I found the all inclusives tried to cater to american foods and fell short due to the limitations of local availibility. they would have been far better sticking with their native foods, this may vary from resort to resort, we were in a 5 star highly rated one in playa del carmen though so...

Variety wise there was alot of availibility for whatever you wanted plenty of choices on both.

 

Rooms -

All inclusive - the rooms on land are much bigger more spacious and generally better appointed for both comfort and luxury.

 

Service -

Cruise hands down. They really try to cater to you on the cruises, where as with the all inclusive i found it to be a great deal less so.

 

 

I think thats the general categories.

 

 

I saw another response to this post and also felt that one trip in each category is not a good enough sample . Different resorts and ships and companies can vary in so many so many different ways .

 

At many all inclusives the enterainment is very limited but I have been to an all incusive that had 2 theater shows nightly several live music options each nght, and themes in the disco every night as well as beach parties during the week and some other activities during the day .

 

Drink wise on a ship you get what you pay for , hopefully they have what you want and at price thas your wilig to pay. At all inclusves it really depends on how the company you are staying with care about quality vs. cost an in some cases tey ay have better brands that you may have to pay extra for . I'v stayed at some that have used ery cheap alcohol and some that have used some good stuff even things we might not see i the states like Sangsters and Havana Club .

My advice is to read as much as can on places you want to go and peoples trip reports and price out your options .

If someone lives close to a cruise port that certainly saves on hier costs , but if you have to fly to get the itinary you want thats gonna add to your cost .

[swedish weave]

Sharra --- I like your "tongue in cheek" humor. Don't let the "experts" dissuade you.

[sra12574]

Sharra --- I like your "tongue in cheek" humor. Don't let the "experts" dissuade you.

every person who has something to contribute should . Whether its a question or comment or about thier previous experiences . My comment about it being a limited sample one of each is like someone going to a Mcdonalds and saying restuarants are crap compared to what I get at home because they ate at one restuarant. There are just so many variables in this subject thread .Thats why I say read as much as you can about the places and trips you want to take and periodically check the prices . You may find the same trip same time length for considerably less and it just be a week or two difference in departure . Keep the places that you want to try in mind for future trips as well .

[Peelboy]

If you want a small piece of the pool or the beach, AI is the only way to go. Cruise is exhausting and AI relaxing.

[momof4boys]

I know this is a really old thread but we just came back from our first (and probably last) AI in Playa Del Carmen. I thought I might share my thoughts on why we will cruise from now on.

 

We stayed at a highly rated AI in Playa. First off, trying to research AIs is nothing like researching cruising. I looked for a year for something like CC....only found a forum in Vacation Critic and the AI forum was NOT active. Our best bet for advice was Trip A*****.

 

We travel in a large group that includes my family (some with spouses) and friends. This time there was only ten of us that were booked in five rooms. My youngest of four just graduated college so everyone is of drinking age, which I thought might be a plus for an AI.

 

We knew going in that the beach at our hotel had been eroded due to a hurricane, but literally for a year the hotel said that the government was working on fixing the problem. We also read that the seaweed problem was pretty severe in Playa. We read that each morning workers from our hotel would dig trenches to bury the seaweed. However, the smell at times was reported to be overwhelming. Again....we knew this going in.

 

We had a great vacation. That being said we will most likely not book an AI again. For us....there was really nothing to do all day long but drink at the pool. (or if the beach had been usable....drink at the beach) There were a few games held in the pool (water aerobics, volleyball 1 x a day, a couple of other ones.) We do not lay out all day long at a pool or the beach, so we missed the varied activities that we were used to doing on the ship. There was no schedule so if the kids wanted to do anything they had to really pay attention so they didn't miss the activity. We also GREATLY missed having a place to sit, visit, play cards, trivia, or listen to music in the cool AC. There was absolutely no place to escape to except to our rooms.

 

The young adults with us that did enjoy laying out at the pool did enjoy some of that, but even they missed the option of doing something else.

 

We had several options for food, all of which were fairly good. The buffet did not compare at all to the buffets on CCL ships, either as far as selection or flavor. However, let me say.....No one went hungry. When we entered the buffet area, the host or hostess always asked us our room number and wrote our name on a name plate for our table. No one ever called us by name...they were polite and eager to wait on us...it was just different.

 

Drinks were available as was bottled water. Everyone was pleasant. One night a woman remembered what we were drinking and kept the alcohol flowing.

 

Our room was HUGE. The bathroom was huge and we had what they called a junior ocean front suite, so the balcony was beautiful. Our room was kept immaculate by a wonderful woman that was always very pleasant.

 

Entertainment (billed as shows) in the evening occurred nightly at 8:15 or 8:30 and you had to refer back to the paper they gave you at check in so as to not miss any of the activities. The shows lasted around 25 minutes and were culturally related. We found the dancers and acrobats (Mayan dancers, fire dancers, and rope acrobatics) very talented. One night they had a dance party called the white party. Apparently no one realized it was a white party because only the hosts were in white. That was fun. Two evenings they had a Mexican Band in the bar area that played music.

 

Again....we all had a great time. However we like the many varied activities one finds on a ship to be more to our liking. It is great that there are different vacations for all to enjoy!! Can't wait to book our next cruise!

[evandbob]

I know this is a really old thread but we just came back from our first (and probably last) AI in Playa Del Carmen. I thought I might share my thoughts on why we will cruise from now on.

 

We stayed at a highly rated AI in Playa. First off, trying to research AIs is nothing like researching cruising. I looked for a year for something like CC....only found a forum in Vacation Critic and the AI forum was NOT active. Our best bet for advice was Trip A*****.

 

We travel in a large group that includes my family (some with spouses) and friends. This time there was only ten of us that were booked in five rooms. My youngest of four just graduated college so everyone is of drinking age, which I thought might be a plus for an AI.

 

We knew going in that the beach at our hotel had been eroded due to a hurricane, but literally for a year the hotel said that the government was working on fixing the problem. We also read that the seaweed problem was pretty severe in Playa. We read that each morning workers from our hotel would dig trenches to bury the seaweed. However, the smell at times was reported to be overwhelming. Again....we knew this going in.

 

We had a great vacation. That being said we will most likely not book an AI again. For us....there was really nothing to do all day long but drink at the pool. (or if the beach had been usable....drink at the beach) There were a few games held in the pool (water aerobics, volleyball 1 x a day, a couple of other ones.) We do not lay out all day long at a pool or the beach, so we missed the varied activities that we were used to doing on the ship. There was no schedule so if the kids wanted to do anything they had to really pay attention so they didn't miss the activity. We also GREATLY missed having a place to sit, visit, play cards, trivia, or listen to music in the cool AC. There was absolutely no place to escape to except to our rooms.

 

The young adults with us that did enjoy laying out at the pool did enjoy some of that, but even they missed the option of doing something else.

 

We had several options for food, all of which were fairly good. The buffet did not compare at all to the buffets on CCL ships, either as far as selection or flavor. However, let me say.....No one went hungry. When we entered the buffet area, the host or hostess always asked us our room number and wrote our name on a name plate for our table. No one ever called us by name...they were polite and eager to wait on us...it was just different.

 

Drinks were available as was bottled water. Everyone was pleasant. One night a woman remembered what we were drinking and kept the alcohol flowing.

 

Our room was HUGE. The bathroom was huge and we had what they called a junior ocean front suite, so the balcony was beautiful. Our room was kept immaculate by a wonderful woman that was always very pleasant.

 

Entertainment (billed as shows) in the evening occurred nightly at 8:15 or 8:30 and you had to refer back to the paper they gave you at check in so as to not miss any of the activities. The shows lasted around 25 minutes and were culturally related. We found the dancers and acrobats (Mayan dancers, fire dancers, and rope acrobatics) very talented. One night they had a dance party called the white party. Apparently no one realized it was a white party because only the hosts were in white. That was fun. Two evenings they had a Mexican Band in the bar area that played music.

 

Again....we all had a great time. However we like the many varied activities one finds on a ship to be more to our liking. It is great that there are different vacations for all to enjoy!! Can't wait to book our next cruise!

 

I'm sorry you felt that there was nothing to do in Playa Del Carmen (PDC). It's one of my favorite places to go to. Had you stayed at an all inclusive south of the ferry, the beach is wide and there are about 10 or 12 AI's in a row to choose from. Tulum and Coba are nearby for ruins to visit. The area has numerous ziplines, cenotes, water parks like Xcaret and Xplor. Fifth avenue in PDC is nice to walk along, even better when there are few cruise ships in Cozumel! Speaking of Cozumel, you could have ferried over for a day to explore. The dolphin discovery park is also nearby. Fishing and snorkeling, even with turtles, is close by PDC.

 

So many things to do, many of which you can't do well if just stopping for a day port on a cruise ship!

Edited July 27, 2015 by evandbob

[singbluesilver1]

Sounds like you were at the same ai my husband and I were at in June in akumal , the grand palladium colonial resort

 

We didn't do any activities at all as we never knew when they would be, there was no posted schedule. The food was eh, no better than you'd get. I had trouble finding food I liked in fact.

 

We decided we much prefer cruising and plan to do just that from now on

[Towel Critter]

We've done both. I enjoy both, but give a slight nod to cruising. My wife prefers cruising, hands down, and gets bored with a resort. We tend to do at least seven night vacays, so I can understand that. A resort is probably a better four, or five, night vacation, whereas a cruise can be as long as two weeks without getting too boring, as far as we're concerned. But that's just us. Different folks like different things.

[cntrydncr1]

I prefer cruising. I'm not a huge drinker but I spend way more on an AI. I also find the entertainment to be crappy at AIs. I"ve only been to 2 AI's and both were in the Dominican.

[pokergirl34]

We love AI even more than cruising. We only go to Palace Resorts though.

[volmoma]

We did a girl trip several years ago to an AI, The Moon Palace. We will not do an AI again. All the alcohol you want, yes an no....we had to buy our Bud Lite in the lobby. No one knew what we were asking for??? The alcohol in the rooms is the cheap stuff. We did get a bottle of Patron Silver from the swinging bar because we had made friends with the bartender and he so graciously sat it on the bar and turned around and told us good nite. It was toooooo funny, we tipped him big time, and we had a bottle ever night there after. The rooms were nice..We do solely cruise now, CCL. And totally enjoy everyone to the fullest. I would say it's probably up to the individuals taste. Happy Cruising!!

[Jimmy Geegitz]

Entertainment is bad and food is horrible at AI's

[jandb6266]

In response to djwood24. If you go to Sandals Turks and Caicos they

give you tickets to each restaurant so everyone does not try to go to

the same restaurant every night. That way they know their will be

people eating at all the restaurants. HAPPY SAILING!!!

[pambud96]

We have done several of both. Adult only AI's are the best. Cruising is more economical. I would love to do more AI,now that we have cruised to several ports, but when it comes down to it if I can cruise twice a year vs one AI a year, I am going to cruise.

[momof4boys]

I'm sorry you felt that there was nothing to do in Playa Del Carmen (PDC). It's one of my favorite places to go to. Had you stayed at an all inclusive south of the ferry, the beach is wide and there are about 10 or 12 AI's in a row to choose from. Tulum and Coba are nearby for ruins to visit. The area has numerous ziplines, cenotes, water parks like Xcaret and Xplor. Fifth avenue in PDC is nice to walk along, even better when there are few cruise ships in Cozumel! Speaking of Cozumel, you could have ferried over for a day to explore. The dolphin discovery park is also nearby. Fishing and snorkeling, even with turtles, is close by PDC.

 

So many things to do, many of which you can't do well if just stopping for a day port on a cruise ship!

 

Didn't say we didn't do things in Playa. We did several excursions. I said I did not have things to do at the AI.

[SNJCruisers]

Entertainment is bad and food is horrible at AI's

I will agree that in general, the entertainment at most AI's needs major improvements, but saying that food is horrible is just 100% wrong. If you're staying at a 3 star buffet only establishment, then I may concur with you. But there are many 5 and 5+ star resorts that have food that rivals and even exceeds what you can find on some cruise ships.

[guxu]

But there are many 5 and 5+ star resorts that have food that rivals and even exceeds what you can find on some cruise ships.

If it takes 5 and 5+ star resorts to rival cruise ship's food, I guess I will stay with cruising. :rolleyes:

[guxu]

Before our summer cruise, we were debating if we want go AI or cruise. Our cruise buddy booked an AI and asked if we wanted to join them. My wife wanted to go AI, but I was not sure.

 

Anyway, I won. And we booked a cruise, which was cheaper than the AIs we were looking. Before our sailing, the cruise buddy family came back. Their teenage children immediately told my teenage kids they hated that vacation. The husband did not say anything. The wife, who booked the AI, said it was OK but cruise would be better.

 

Then, we had another great cruise.

[coevan]

Entertainment is bad and food is horrible at AI's

 

 

Seriously dude, the food at Sandals blows out Carnival in every way. There fine dining restaurants are 4-5* quality. At least 6 different origins of food, all excellent and no tipping allowed

[momof4boys]

I did price Sandals. Since I paid for 5 rooms and 10 people...I could have taken all of them on 3 Canival cruises for the price of a Sandals vacation. I do know that in general you get what you pay for. I'm just saying that the cost of what I pay for Carnival cruises (Us in an OS and the others in balconies near us) is less than what I would pay at a Sandals Resort.

 

For us, cruising offers our group great activities and music on board, as well as decent meals. I can book great excursions on either trips.

 

I just gave my opinion because I had trouble finding a comparison of cruising to AIs. Feel free to continue to book any vacation you desire! :)

[evandbob]

If it takes 5 and 5+ star resorts to rival cruise ship's food, I guess I will stay with cruising. :rolleyes:

 

Actually, a 3 star AI's food will be comparable to Carnival's. JMO, YMMV.

[CaribbeanLuver]

We've done both and love both. Now it just depends on what kind of vacation we're in the mood for. Cruising is a more active vacation, IMO. There's something new to see and do at every port. AI's are great for relaxing and not being on a schedule. We mix it up.:D