Opinions on benefits of All inclusive vs. Pay as you go cruising

[Haole]

We have mostly cruised NCL but are becoming disenchanted by the progressive "nickel and dime" mentality of the line. Other cruise lines appear to bundle drinks, excursions, etc and charge one price.

 

How do the two approaches compare with respect to overall cost, customer satisfaction and options? We're ready for a change.

[Bonnie J.]

I though the only all inclusive cruises are the VERY pricey ones. Most passengers don't have to care about prices and have enough $$$ not to worry about high cruise costs and are mostly older passengers.

 

But, I could be wrong.

 

And we do not like NCL at all! We have been on over 100 cruises, have 4 booked at the moment!

We have had OBC, last cruise we got a check from Carnival for the $32 we didn't use, cruise before that total cost was $6.42. We just say "no".

[Haole]

And we do not like NCL at all! We have been on over 100 cruises, have 4 booked at the moment!

 

Yes, we were on the N. Star out of Hong Kong at the beginning of the year. They had propulsion problems that they had kept quiet and one azipod failed. They had to cancel 5/10 ports and originally offered little in compensation. Passengers nearly rioted! Great video at

[SuiteTraveler]

With NCL, I look at those cruises as being cheap, so paying for specialty restaurants and drinks, etc. is not a big deal to us. On the other hand we like to go on ships that are all-inclusive (so we don't have to present our cruise card to get a drink) and I wish more were like that. Obviously all-inclusive costs more, but it is what it is. Either you can pay cheap prices and then you have the choice of paying for extras or you pay a higher price for all inclusive and either make use of the extras included or not. So that leads to the opposite problem - people complaining they had to pay for extras they didn't use.

[NLH Arizona]

We have mostly cruised NCL but are becoming disenchanted by the progressive "nickel and dime" mentality of the line. Other cruise lines appear to bundle drinks, excursions, etc and charge one price.

 

How do the two approaches compare with respect to overall cost, customer satisfaction and options? We're ready for a change.

The difference in the two types of cruise lines that you mention, is that NCL is a mass-market cruise line with a low cruise fare and those that include items are usually luxury lines and the cost is much higher.

 

I cruise on NCL, Celebrity, a premium line, and Crystal, a luxury line. While NCL is lower priced and does included some perks as promotional items; such as, beverage package, dining package, etc., they are still less then both Celebrity and Crystal. Celebrity offers pretty much the same perks as NCL, but I've always paid a higher price to cruise with them, Crystal, which is almost all inclusive (including most drinks, specialty dining, gratuities, but not shore excursions or spa type experiences) is much more expensive.

 

NCL is casual, Celebrity is a little more dressy and Crystal is much more dressy. Only Crystal has a formal night. Celebrity has an evening chic night and NCL has a "dress up if you want to night".

 

I enjoy all three lines and cruise them all; they are all just a little different.

 

As far as NCL nickel and diming, I see the same type of charges on Celebrity, if you don't get the items as a promotional perk. And you have to remember, no one is forcing you to spend a dime, so if anyone is nickel and diming you, it is you who is doing it.

 

There is a cruise line out there for everybody, it just depends on what you want to pay, what you want included, how dressy you want it, etc.

Edited April 8, 2017 by NLH Arizona

[Flatbush Flyer]

The difference in the two types of cruise lines that you mention, is that NCL is a mass-market cruise line with a low cruise fare and those that include items are usually luxury lines and the cost is much higher.

 

I cruise on NCL, Celebrity, a premium line, and Crystal, a luxury line. While NCL is lower priced and does included some perks as promotional items; such as, beverage package, dining package, etc., they are still less then both Celebrity and Crystal. Celebrity offers pretty much the same perks as NCL, but I've always paid a higher price to cruise with them, Crystal, which is almost all inclusive (including most drinks, specialty dining, gratuities, but not shore excursions or spa type experiences) is much more expensive.

 

NCL is casual, Celebrity is a little more dressy and Crystal is much more dressy. Only Crystal has a formal night. Celebrity has an evening chic night and NCL has a "dress up if you want to night".

 

I enjoy all three lines and cruise them all; they are all just a little different.

 

As far as NCL nickel and diming, I see the same type of charges on Celebrity, if you don't get the items as a promotional perk. And you have to remember, no one is forcing you to spend a dime, so if anyone is nickel and diming you, it is you who is doing it.

 

There is a cruise line out there for everybody, it just depends on what you want to pay, what you want included, how dressy you want it, etc.

 

 

Sorry, but Celebrity (like Princess or HAL) is still a "mass market" line (albeit at/near the top of that category).

BTW, if you compare the "net daily rate" (all required/anticipated expenses including e.g., complimentary international airfare) of premium/luxury lines to the mass market you may be pleasantly surprised - even more so when you also consider the difference in quality and service.

 

 

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[LHT28]

It depends on your mindset

We do not like all inclusive cruises because we rarely drink or take ship's tours which you are paying for in the price of the cruise

We prefer to just pay for our drinks as we go & take private tours

 

The pro's to A I is it is all paid for up front so no extra charges at the end of the cruise unless you shop onboard or go to the spa

You can get a drink when you want without have to sign a chit, gratuities are included ..no worrying if you have enough $ to cover the bar bill because you have unlimited drinks

You need to do the math & see what works best for you

Maybe try a Premium line instead of NCL ..some have more inclusions than main stream lines that might fit the bill for your needs/wants

 

JMO

[Hlitner]

Have to agree that Celebrity is no Premium Line...although we do cruise on that line on a regular basis and generally enjoy the experience. In fact, since Celebrity changed CEO's, we think they have been consistently downgrading their product....by little bits and pieces. Take away enough small things...and suddenly it can be a big deal. The mass market lines (including Celebrity) now play all kinds of marketing, promo, and packaging games which are meant to make it hard for anyone to really evaluate (on a cost basis) one line against another. But there is a very simply way to price out a cruise. Simply cost out your cruise on the "cost per passenger day." Take the total cruise price (this includes taxes and gratuities) and then adjust that total cost by the real value (not the same as the value put on packages by the cruise line) as it applies to you. For example, if you normally run up an onboard drink bill of $35 per passenger day (based on experience) then a drink package is only worth $35 per day. If a line such as Celebrity throws in a "free" meal in an onboard restaurant...they will value it at $50 per person. But many of us usually get discounts on those restaurants so, to us, it would be worth about $35 per person.

 

So after adjusting your total cost per passenger day...by the "real" personal value of the perks/promotions you come to a number I call the "real cost per passenger day." You can then use this to compare the cost of various cruises and cruise products. And one really should do this simple math exercise. Here is my favorite example of why! A couple of years ago, DW and I took a 38 day Oosterdam transpacific cruise that was quite expensive. Our original booking included HAL's drink package. A few months later I priced the cruise out (during a sale) and found we could save $11,000 (no typo) if we simply dumped the drink package! That drink package was actually costing us about $145 per person/day! So we "repriced" the cruise...saved $11,000 and later paid our bar bill which was about $5000! We saved about $6000 by not taking that drink package....and trust me that we still did more then our share of drinking :).

 

Hank

[GUT2407]

It's a question of how much of the "All Inclusive" you'll use.

[cb at sea]

All of this "bundling" is new....used to be, you booked fare and got meals, entertainment and travel. Sodas and alcohol were extra. Nowadays, they're charging more to "include" more stuff...new folks don't know the difference..and that's what they're counting on....all the new cruisers who don't know how it USED to be!

[calliopecruiser]

To me, it's not about the financial computations but the experience of the cruise. My last 2 (and my next one, in 5 days) have been on Crystal, an (almost) all inclusive luxury line. I don't drink, eat, or take advantage of classes nearly enough to "make up" the cost, but that's not why I prefer sailing on an all-inclusive line: I like the feeling of no one trying to sell me anything and I like the feeling of not having to shop for anything when I'm on the cruise. Not dealing with money while on vacation is great! I don't have to worry about whether I should try something new and risk wasting the money if I don't like it (like when I tried a martini). I don't have to listen to people try to sell me things, or have to interrupt my conversation (or contemplation) to tell them no. Some people say "unplugging" from their electronics makes them feel relaxed and on vacation, but for me, disconnecting from money does that for me. Money and financial decisions are a part of my work-a-day life; it's great to be separated from them on vacation. That has value for me beyond whether or not I drink or eat enough to pay for the included costs that I paid for up front.

[SantaFeFan]

With "all-inclusive", you pay for everything up front, whether you will use it or not - such as drinks, excursions, etc.

 

With non-inclusive, you pay for only what you want. Don't drink? Don't pay for it. And you aren't subsidizing those people who do drink with all-inclusive. Don't do ship excursions? Don't pay for them. And you don't subsidize those who do on all-inclusive.

 

Some people with negative, pessimistic attitudes complain of "nickle and diming" on non-inclusive lines. What they fail to understand in their pessimistic haze is that on those lives they have the power to decide what they want to pay for and to not pay for things they don't use. That is quite a lot of power to have. Much better than not having any choice at all.

 

It's a "get what you pay for" situation. On non-inclusive lines, you pay for only what you want and don't waste money on things you don't want. That seems to be a pretty good deal to me.

[DirtyDawg]

This isn't rocket science.Price out one of the cruise lines that is all-inclusive and compare it to one that isn't. For the 'non' line, add what you normally spend on drinks, excursions and anything else that's included on the 'all-in' line. Compare the totals. Same thing applies to when you purchase or are marketed the included drinks, dinner, or gratuities packages.

 

If they come out to about the same amount for the same cabin type and itinerary flip a coin.

 

If the 'high' end all-inclusive is still 2X the price of your 'non' alternative make a decision that makes sense to you and your budget.

[Robinsoncruiseso]

Personally, we rarely book a cruise when things such as drinks are bundled. We do not drink much at home, but drink as much as we desire when cruising and do not worry about the bill at the end. Not because we are rich but because we have budgeted for the final bill and do not drink that much. We normally start with $300 - $700 obc for a 7 day cruise, so our final bill is usually no more than $100. Usually the cruise line owes us money. I don't view the extra charges as nickel and dime-ing. The prices for drinks, specialty dining, etc are all displayed up front and completely optional. If I don't want to pay...I don't partake. I have done all inclusive beach clubs and felt most of what I paid was for the use of the facilities and not for the food and beverages.

[zqvol]

We have mostly cruised NCL but are becoming disenchanted by the progressive "nickel and dime" mentality of the line. Other cruise lines appear to bundle drinks, excursions, etc and charge one price.

 

How do the two approaches compare with respect to overall cost, customer satisfaction and options? We're ready for a change.

 

We have sailed three different luxury AI lines, and three mass market lines. There is no comparison, but you are paying a lot more for the luxury lines. There is no way to compare the food quality, it is that much better on the luxury lines. The ships are much smaller, (usually between 100 and 500 passengers) and there are usually few if any children, but if there are children on board, there are few things for them to do and they can get out of control.

 

You do not have as many entertainment options, if that matters, and the casinos are usually small.

 

 

Once you walk on board there are only three things you might spend money on - the gift shop, the spa, and excursions. All of whihc can easily be avoided. Some lines even include excursions.

 

 

IMO you will spend less on the mass market lines, even with the most expensive cabin and all the "nickle and diming" than you will on the least expensive AI luxury line for the same cruise.