Just off Reflection thinking about all inclusive next

[chisoxfan]

Hello, just got back from Western Carib on Reflection and had a wonderful trip outside of some less than favorable end of week weather that caused us to miss Coco Cay (something I was really looking forward to).

We booked an 11 night Reflection cruise for 2018 so my question below is not intended to be inflammatory and raised because of dissatisfaction with X.

Our cruises are designed for an on sea escape. We usually don't leave the ship (have been to many 'standard' Carib ports) and enjoy drinking, eating, and sun worship. I have been concerned on recent cruises (not only on X) at the crowded pool conditions and difficulty securing a lounger in a nice location.

This is almost guaranteed to be a hassle on sea days (won't try and begin the chair hog discussion but they certainly seemed to be in evidence during my cruise). Since this is such a big part of our cruise experience I really began thinking that an all inclusive experience might be worth a try.

Because of my travel I can fly to DR, Mexico, Jamaica, and PR without cost so the additional cost of airfare to an all inclusive location is not really an issue.

I know this is a very subjective question but would appreciate any considered

opinions on this from someone who enjoys and has cruised often and also gone the all inclusive route.

 

Many thanks in advance.

[Grandmaanne7]

We have enjoyed both cruises and all inclusive experiences. The deciding factor for us has been the smoking issue. As you know, Celebrity limits smoking, thus allowing us to freely roam without fear of that offensive and nauseating smell. All inclusives, on the other hand, do not. Our last AI experience was so bad (we had to complain to management to stop the smoking inside the dining room buffet) that we have sworn off them until we can find a decent priced non-smoking resort.

 

Fortunately we have not yet encountered a cruise where we could not find 2 loungers together to enjoy the pool area. Hopefully, that will not be an issue for us.

[Nashna]

Unfortunately, all inclusive resorts also suffer from the towel game. We returned in December from a large all inclusive resort in the DR. People would start at 6:30 in the morning to go to the beach and pool to reserve their spot. This occurred in spite of the fact that the resort management repeatedly asked guests not to reserve the chairs in advance. We really didn't want to play the towel game, but, after a few days, we were forced to if we wished to sit together. I am sad to hear that this is occurring on X as we are sailing on the Silhouette in March.

 

Perhaps, the cruise lines need to get back to how it used to be on cruises. Our first cruise was on Home Lines. As soon as you boarded, you selected your location near the pool which was where you would be situated for the entire cruise. You also had your own pool attendent who would take care of you while you were on the deck. As soon as you appeared he would get your cushion, towels and drinks. At the end of the cruise, we tipped him for his service. I don't recall that there was any charge for this service. Today, I'm sure the cruise lines would use this service as a reason to upcharge.

[lovemylab]

After doing numerous Caribbean cruises, we decided to try an AI for the first time in December 2014. We enjoyed it so much that we decided to cancel our 2016 cruise in favor of another AI vacation.

 

The food at the resort we went to (Couples Swept Away in Negril) was great. It was just as good (and in some cases) better than the food we've had on a cruise. The resort had both buffet and a la carte dining options, along with a few specialty restaurants that required reservations (never had an issue getting a reservation). As an added bonus, there were also several excursions included with our stay (catamaran tours, snorkeling, diving, etc.).

 

While there were chair hogs, we never had a problem finding loungers on the beach or by one of the pools. The chair hogs would get up early to claim the palapas but there was more than enough loungers available.

 

For us, the AI was a cheaper and more laid back vacation.

[schlimazel_traveler]

If you really don't partake of the other activities/entertainment on board, you may as well try an AI and see what you think. We tried one and were bored, but we encountered dreadful weather and there literally wasn't anything else to do but lying by the pool enjoying drink service. We had one morning of that and it was nice. Certainly, it's more convenient--you can go any day that is convenient and stay exactly as long as you wish to. And it may be less costly. I wish we'd loved it.

[kathynorth]

We've stayed at AI's and didn't have any trouble finding loungers, but we did have trouble with people stealing towels. AI's tend to issue a very large towel for each person that needs to be turned in to the towel stand by the end of your stay. If you lose it you pay for replacement. Needless to say, some people seem to like to keep these as a souvenir at someone else's expense.

Edited January 25, 2016 by kathynorth

[cathep]

We tend to alternate between cruise and AI. I have found that I get the most bang for our buck at Mexican AIs. This spring break will be an AI in Puerto Vallarta that appears to have the best of both worlds for our family of 4. We'll be in a condo resort that includes an excursion with it. There's a sister resort that has putt putt, shuffleboard, nightly shows. We're really looking forward to it.

 

I've just booked our 2017 spring break on the Silhouette. It will be the kids' first Celebrity after 2 RCL cruises and our 2nd Celebrity. The great thing about booking now was we got the drink package included. The free drinks seem to be what the kids value most at the AI.

 

Having started out as a cynic for both cruises and AIs, I can now say you can't go wrong with either. Do your research on AIs to figure out what works best for you. We have our list of what we want and it's easy to cross off resorts that don't meet that minimum requirement. TripAdvisor is great for research. I've used their 25 best AI list as a starting point. You've got some great options in list of countries, although I see stomach upset as a theme on the DR reviews. Mexico used to have that reputation, but government regulations on drinking water have helped that significantly.

 

Have fun researching it!

[chemmo]

Hello, just got back from Western Carib on Reflection and had a wonderful trip outside of some less than favorable end of week weather that caused us to miss Coco Cay (something I was really looking forward to).

We booked an 11 night Reflection cruise for 2018 so my question below is not intended to be inflammatory and raised because of dissatisfaction with X.

Our cruises are designed for an on sea escape. We usually don't leave the ship (have been to many 'standard' Carib ports) and enjoy drinking, eating, and sun worship. I have been concerned on recent cruises (not only on X) at the crowded pool conditions and difficulty securing a lounger in a nice location.

This is almost guaranteed to be a hassle on sea days (won't try and begin the chair hog discussion but they certainly seemed to be in evidence during my cruise). Since this is such a big part of our cruise experience I really began thinking that an all inclusive experience might be worth a try.

Because of my travel I can fly to DR, Mexico, Jamaica, and PR without cost so the additional cost of airfare to an all inclusive location is not really an issue.

I know this is a very subjective question but would appreciate any considered

opinions on this from someone who enjoys and has cruised often and also gone the all inclusive route.

 

Many thanks in advance.

 

Throughout recent years we have varied cruising with touring, AI, villa hire, river boat hire....

 

We can not wait now to get on our next cruise, be pampered, have a range of restaurants available...

 

If you are not getting off the ship at any port my first suggestion would be to widen your cruise itinerary. In the next few years we will visit Sydney, Fiji, India, Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi....all part of X cruises. We will still do other things but our cruises will do what they do best - provide a luxurious home from home whilst visiting many sights and sounds...

 

If all you want is pool time relaxation the AI may be the best route for you at present. Cruise ships try to offer in port and at sea a quality 'pool/beach' experience but that is not their strength...

 

Try some different experiences and find what best suits you at this time...Sincere best wishes for your next vacation be it on land or at sea.".

 

We have AI experience in Mexico, DR and Jamaica....The saddest thing is they are all becoming more 'like' than celebrating their diversity. I suggest you compare a couple of resorts in your price range looking at, what is included and what is important for you...

[blueboro]

We have looked at AI's but have always continued to opt for cruises. If there is bad weather on a cruise there is still always something to do. But if I am stuck in an AI with bad weather, I think I would be bored out of my mind.

[leisuretraveler223]

AI's and cruises have one thing in common: You get what you pay for. If you're amazed at the great deal for a week at an AI, or a seven day cruise, keep that in mind. AI's range in price from far less than a standard mass market cruise, to many times more. I imagine you can guess the difference...

[jabrown40]

All-inclusive is just OK for me. We have stayed in several including Cancun, Riviera Maya, and the Dominican republic. I echo the sentiments that other than time by the pool, sometimes there just doesn't seem to be much to do. We have gone on excursions, or rented a car to visit the ruins. However, for me, there is nothing better than sitting on my balcony at night time watching the waves go by. You just don't get that same type of experience in a hotel room.

[chisoxfan]

Thanks sincerely for all of the great responses and well made points.

Understand there are no perfect cruiselines or AI's but I think we owe it to ourselves to try one(AI).

 

summing up (and maybe adding some thoughts of my own):

 

- travel to AI is perhaps less stressful and doesn't require the 'day before'

schedule since you can't miss the AI

- if the weather is bad there is no chance to 'cruise on'

- I can see where some AI's have limited activities going on vs visiting different ports

- it would be nice to have the choice of an expansive pool or the ocean vs a small ocean going pool with limited seating

-agree we need to increase our port options and the 11 night X Carib we booked in 2018 will do this

- cabin sizes never troubled us but clearly the room options will be much greater for AI's

- of course we would miss the experience of sleeping with the cabin balcony door open and listening to the sea at night

 

My thought is that as for many posters the cruising and AI experience will be mutually positive.

 

Thanks again

[Texed]

Thanks for posting. :)

[riclop]

Hello, just got back from Western Carib on Reflection and had a wonderful trip outside of some less than favorable end of week weather that caused us to miss Coco Cay (something I was really looking forward to).

We booked an 11 night Reflection cruise for 2018 so my question below is not intended to be inflammatory and raised because of dissatisfaction with X.

Our cruises are designed for an on sea escape. We usually don't leave the ship (have been to many 'standard' Carib ports) and enjoy drinking, eating, and sun worship. I have been concerned on recent cruises (not only on X) at the crowded pool conditions and difficulty securing a lounger in a nice location.

This is almost guaranteed to be a hassle on sea days (won't try and begin the chair hog discussion but they certainly seemed to be in evidence during my cruise). Since this is such a big part of our cruise experience I really began thinking that an all inclusive experience might be worth a try.

Because of my travel I can fly to DR, Mexico, Jamaica, and PR without cost so the additional cost of airfare to an all inclusive location is not really an issue.

I know this is a very subjective question but would appreciate any considered

opinions on this from someone who enjoys and has cruised often and also gone the all inclusive route.

 

Many thanks in advance.

 

All you have to do is get up early 7-730 and you will have no problems. The AI are even worst then the cruise lines.

[ShawninFL]

We have also done cruises as well as AI. Our AIs have all been to the DR. In all honesty we enjoy both vacations. I prefer to do an AI when I need a getaway for total relaxation when my most pressing decision of the day is when do I want to leave the beach and move up to the pool or vice versa. We tend to be much more active on cruises. Personally, I wouldn't do a AI for more than a week. I would start to get bored being at the same resort for a longer period of time. Maybe an AI in Mexico would offer more to do outside of the resort itself. If you haven't done an AI yet, I would encourage you to try one so you can make your own assessment.

 

One more thing, we've never had any issue at an AI being able to grab a lounger at the beach or the pool.

Edited January 26, 2016 by ShawninFL

[monicajay]

My thought is that as for many posters the cruising and AI experience will be mutually positive.

 

 

We have done more AI's than cruises. Should you decide to try one, do your research well. There are some really good ones and some that are very so-so and some really bad ones. There are more AI's than cruise lines so it can be even harder to find the right one for you.

 

This is one area where an experienced, good travel agent can make sure you find one that fits you perfectly.

[chisoxfan]

We have done more AI's than cruises. Should you decide to try one, do your research well. There are some really good ones and some that are very so-so and some really bad ones. There are more AI's than cruise lines so it can be even harder to find the right one for you.

 

This is one area where an experienced, good travel agent can make sure you find one that fits you perfectly.

 

Thank you and I agree. This is a major reason we have not tried an AI yet- there are so many out there and if you choose poorly you are 'stuck for a week'.

We have tried several cruise lines X, NCL, Princess, Holland and always find a good, consistent product which is reassuring ie. with cabin selection upfront you are pretty sure what you are going to get- no surprises.

 

We will look hard at Trip Advisor and word of mouth. Have not used a travel agent in over a decade as my experiences were never good.

[smtcan]

We always booked adult only resorts for our March Break holiday when we were working - I was a teacher so could only vacation at peak times. We enjoyed a week of relaxation away from the Canadian winter. When we retired we took more cruises to distant destinations and loved them - Galapagos, Australia, Asia as well as Europe. We tried the Caribbean in winter, but after several cruises there, this year we are going back to an All Inclusive. Cost is part of the equation - we can book a good resort we are familiar with for about half the price of a seven day cruise with air fare. The other issue is that the ship is not the destination for us, and if we are going to beaches we might as well go to one rather than having to make our way to a different beach each day.

 

We are not smokers, but the resort we are going to offers non smoking rooms, and all eating venues are non smoking. Most bars are out doors, and we are reasonably sure we can avoid excessive smoke.

[chisoxfan]

We always booked adult only resorts for our March Break holiday when we were working - I was a teacher so could only vacation at peak times. We enjoyed a week of relaxation away from the Canadian winter. When we retired we took more cruises to distant destinations and loved them - Galapagos, Australia, Asia as well as Europe. We tried the Caribbean in winter, but after several cruises there, this year we are going back to an All Inclusive. Cost is part of the equation - we can book a good resort we are familiar with for about half the price of a seven day cruise with air fare. The other issue is that the ship is not the destination for us, and if we are going to beaches we might as well go to one rather than having to make our way to a different beach each day.

 

We are not smokers, but the resort we are going to offers non smoking rooms, and all eating venues are non smoking. Most bars are out doors, and we are reasonably sure we can avoid excessive smoke.

 

I haven't got far enough yet to evaluate costs but I suspected that AI's are at the minimum competitive with cruises but of course so many variables here.

Interesting that you mentioned smoking. I know X has a liberal policy and I never considered this but for the first time was made aware on our Reflection cruise (we are non smokers except for my occasional cigar). Several mornings with our balcony door open we were hit with strong smell of cigarette smoke nearby which made us close the door. At Sunset bar we noticed how half of the seating area was for smokers.

I could see (for the first time) an issue if you had a heavy smoker near your balcony.

[bEwAbG]

Interesting that you mentioned smoking. I know X has a liberal policy and I never considered this but for the first time was made aware on our Reflection cruise (we are non smokers except for my occasional cigar). Several mornings with our balcony door open we were hit with strong smell of cigarette smoke nearby which made us close the door. At Sunset bar we noticed how half of the seating area was for smokers.

I could see (for the first time) an issue if you had a heavy smoker near your balcony.

 

I think you misunderstand about X and smoking--they have a pretty stringent no-smoking policy and limit smoking to only a few areas. No one is supposed to be smoking on the balconies so you should have reported that to guest relations.

 

In terms of the AI experience, food was the deciding factor for me. If you get stuck in a place with bad food, there's not much you can do about it since most resorts are isolated encampments. The food quality on X speaks for itself, generally. I also wouldn't necessarily trust TripAdvisor reviews. We picked a place in the DR that was rated #1 and wasn't cheap but it was probably one of the worst vacations I've had: terrible food and lackluster service were the start but it overall it was a glossy veneer over a terrible product. Turns out that the few terrible reviews they had online perfectly matched my experience with them. And as already mentioned, unless you like to get up at the crack of dawn, the pool & beach situation is going to be the exact same if not worse. I never once saw a person sitting in the cabanas by the pool at this DR resort I mentioned, yet every one had towels laid out all day, every day. Towels were cleared at night, but they were back the next day. It was kind of comical if it weren't so rude. Same for the palapas on the beach, even though this was an adults-only place that wasn't overly crowded. God forbid you sleep in else you would end up by the bathrooms in the back corner of the beach. I'll never say "never again," but it turned me off wanting to go to another AI anytime soon.

[BrendaJ]

If you enjoy everything about the cruise vacation except the crowding situation at the pools, I would suggest a cruise with a port-intensive itinerary. That way, everyone will be off the ship most days and you'll have the pool pretty much to yourself, at least in the mornings.

 

Personally, I'm not really into watersports anymore and I find myself bored at resorts. I like a bit of lounging in the sun, but after that, I'm looking for something to do, and at the resorts, I seldom find much of interest to keep me occupied. For me, the best part of cruises is the lack of bugs. I can sit outside day or night with no flies or mosquitos to worry about. I also like the fact that I can enjoy air conditioning any time without being confined to my room. On the islands, many of the resorts I've been to had air conditioning only in the guest rooms, the a la carte restaurants and shops. In a place that is 90 degrees and humid at 8pm, I like know I can get out of the heat when I need to.

 

Last year we decided to go to a resort, and after a less than stellar week, I was eager to go back to cruising, but that's just me. I hope you find a vacation that makes you as happy as I am when cruising. :)

[chisoxfan]

If you enjoy everything about the cruise vacation except the crowding situation at the pools, I would suggest a cruise with a port-intensive itinerary. That way, everyone will be off the ship most days and you'll have the pool pretty much to yourself, at least in the mornings.

 

Personally, I'm not really into watersports anymore and I find myself bored at resorts. I like a bit of lounging in the sun, but after that, I'm looking for something to do, and at the resorts, I seldom find much of interest to keep me occupied. For me, the best part of cruises is the lack of bugs. I can sit outside day or night with no flies or mosquitos to worry about. I also like the fact that I can enjoy air conditioning any time without being confined to my room. On the islands, many of the resorts I've been to had air conditioning only in the guest rooms, the a la carte restaurants and shops. In a place that is 90 degrees and humid at 8pm, I like know I can get out of the heat when I need to.

 

Last year we decided to go to a resort, and after a less than stellar week, I was eager to go back to cruising, but that's just me. I hope you find a vacation that makes you as happy as I am when cruising. :)

 

Wanted to be clear that we love X and the cruise experience and I don't see ourselves abandoning it. Just that AI might be a neat alternative to try when we are so focused on spending pool and ocean time during vacation. Will certainly look for AI with some activities such as casino, water sports, etc.

[clubz]

Been to both AImand 30+ cruises and found the pool and chair the same at both. Great point to go on a heavy port cruise and wave by to everyone as they go to a crowed beach and the ship is empty. I like the food better on X the the AI we have been on we also up grade to the ultimate dinning pkg and never eat in the main dinner room.

[mvaughan]

We sailed on the Disney Fantasy last year and they were very good at not allowing anyone to put down a towel or "personal artifacts" and they walk away. If you were gone for more than a half hour, the attendant would more your items off to the side. They had signs posted stating this and I never saw any issues.

[ccletzgo]

Hello, just got back from Western Carib on Reflection and had a wonderful trip outside of some less than favorable end of week weather that caused us to miss Coco Cay (something I was really looking forward to).

We booked an 11 night Reflection cruise for 2018 so my question below is not intended to be inflammatory and raised because of dissatisfaction with X.

Our cruises are designed for an on sea escape. We usually don't leave the ship (have been to many 'standard' Carib ports) and enjoy drinking, eating, and sun worship. I have been concerned on recent cruises (not only on X) at the crowded pool conditions and difficulty securing a lounger in a nice location.

This is almost guaranteed to be a hassle on sea days (won't try and begin the chair hog discussion but they certainly seemed to be in evidence during my cruise). Since this is such a big part of our cruise experience I really began thinking that an all inclusive experience might be worth a try.

Because of my travel I can fly to DR, Mexico, Jamaica, and PR without cost so the additional cost of airfare to an all inclusive location is not really an issue.

I know this is a very subjective question but would appreciate any considered

opinions on this from someone who enjoys and has cruised often and also gone the all inclusive route.

 

Many thanks in advance.

 

We love AI's. We kinda binged AI's from 2009 until our last sept 2015 cruise. I can say, they are definitely more relaxing for us. I know how to relax on a cruise but still feel a schedule. We love the strolls into the towns without any pressure of being back on board. Moonlight strolls on the beach etc. Love to cruise, but really love AI's too. I'll always mix them both but Hubby prefers AI's.