I’ve been touting the advantages of cruising
ever since I started this blog, but there are great things about all-inclusive
resorts as well.
Activities
Most,
if not all, activities on board cruise ships are free – especially the megaships,
which means you can rock climb or zip across the length of the ship to your
heart’s content.
For
all-inclusive resorts, most won’t charge for non-motorized sports, which
includes everything from kayaking, snorkeling, and paddle-boating to
tennis, basketball, and volleyball. Activities involving trips or lots of
equipment — which can include golf, deep-sea fishing, horseback riding,
and scuba diving — usually cost extra.
Both
charge for lengthy excursions or spa treatments, depending on the cruise
line. You will find mostly everything is
included on luxury lines.
Drinks
All-inclusive
resorts used to win hands down in this category, however, most cruise lines
have now implemented different levels of beverage packages. On some Royal Caribbean ships, for example,
Coca-Cola Freestyle Coke Machines were installed aboard some of the ships in
their fleet, and have the ability to make 125 different combos. Guests who
purchase a beverage (soda) package will be issued a souvenir cup with a RFID
(Radio Frequency Identification) chip in it, allowing guests to serve
themselves. The chip will expire after the voyage. We saw these machines in operation on our
last cruise. Some of the premium-class
ships and luxury lines have beverage packages included in the price.
Entertainment
There
might be some nightly music and dancing and perhaps a variety show and a game
or two, but nothing compares to cruise ship entertainment. Depending on the line, and the ship, you can enjoy
live bands, Broadway musicals, Vegas-style shows, stand-up comedians and
magicians that resorts just cannot compete with.
Food
There
was a time when all food was included in your cruise fare, however, as the
demand for higher quality food increased, so did the introduction of specialty
restaurants with flat fee surcharges. These
restaurants allow you only one entrée, but you can have as many sides and
deserts as you want. If you wish to skip
the extra charges, the main dining room is included in the price, and you can
have all you can eat of anything on the menu, if you so desire. Also included in the fare are pizza and
sandwich shops. All inclusives, on the
other hand, rarely have any food-related charges, however, you may be limited
regarding the number of times you can eat at a certain restaurant, or need to
make reservation ahead of time. There
may also be a limited number of choices.
Gratuities
Unless you’ve booked a luxury cruise or scored a promotion that offers included gratuities, you’re going to end up paying for tips, usually about $15 per day, give or take a few bucks.
You could remove the automatic
charge, but then you’ll have to tip each individual person, or live with the
guilt of not tipping at all. All-inclusive resorts, on the other hand, almost
always include gratuities in the base price.
Location, Location, Location
Here is another example where
all-inclusives just don’t compare to cruise ships. Where else can you wake up to a different
location every day, get to visit exotic places in one trip without packing and
repacking, driving or flying to each destination?
Getting to Your Destination
It all depends on how far you have
to travel when choosing between an all-inclusive and a cruise ship. If you live within driving distance of the
embarkation port, you are fortunate.
Major ships depart from a variety of departure ports, so there is a good
chance you live close to one of them.
Trying to decide which has the
advantage is difficult. You have to
decide which is more important for you on your vacation. If you like the idea of entertainment every
night and experiencing different cities and cultures, then a cruise is your
best bet. On the other hand, you may
prefer the all-inclusives because drink packages and most places to eat are
included. Either way you choose, you are
sure to come up a winner. Contact us at
Travel, Tours & Cruises to book your next awesome vacation.
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