All-inclusive Cruising VS All-inclusive Resorts

Whenever it comes to planning your next holiday whether it be a summer or winter escape the question that remains for a lot of people who have never experienced a cruise before is how different will it be from the normal type of holiday I take? The answer to this question does of course vary on what you like to do on your holiday, everybody is different and has different interests and ways to relax.

Having worked in a lot of Resorts over my time in travel I can see why people would choose an all-inclusive resort and would not think of a cruise – But here are some comparisons to think about next time you are planning your trip!

Explore different resorts – On a cruise is that rather than visiting one destination you visit several during your cruise itinerary, this could range from different Cities, Countries or even Continents dependant on the duration and also destinations you may not have even considered visiting on a land based holiday… And of course as the ship moves for you, you only unpack the once! Another thing to consider when planning for your holiday is the weather! If a resort is in hurricane season or at risk of a volcano a ship can switch itineraries around quickly causing as little disruption to your holiday as possible

Activities on board – Every cruise line offers plenty on board to entertain the masses from west end style shows to Cooking classes aboard, Kids & Teen clubs for ages up to 17 (as apposed to resorts where the kids clubs ages are restricted and can sometimes be an additional cost) On board facilities that you may have to pay for in resort – If you think a day out the the waterpark for a family of 4 including all of your drinks and snacks can be a costly day out – Whereas with cruises such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian cruise line offer some of the best waterparks at sea.

Days out – Whether it be to on an excursion from the hotel or from the ship – you decide whether you would like to take a family friendly guided excursion or if you would much rather go it alone, while some All inclusive resorts (especially larger ones) are in quite remote settings. Cruise ports can vary from being a little further out with a shuttle bus service into the city to step of the ship into the heart of the destination to give you the opportunity to explore on your own terms.

Dining – If you enjoy your food – as I’m sure we all do on holiday, dining is a key point to take into consideration at the early planning stage. If looking at a land based resort – How many options are there for food in that resort? Is it buffet style or A la Carte? Do I have to pay extra to eat in different restaurants?

Service – Cruise lines are known for providing incredible service on board and a key part of this is down to the Tipping/Gratuities systems put in place by the cruise line which provides more motivation for the staff to provide exceptional service at every point and is more commonly expected by passengers on board, hence a lot of people now prefer to Pre-pay for Gratuities, in an all-inclusive resort depending on where you are in the world it is entirely up to you.

So really there is a lot to consider when comparing an all-inclusive Cruise to an all-inclusive land based resort the real questions to ask yourself is what do I want to get from my next holiday? How do I see myself spending my days away? It is solely based on your own preference and I hope these comparisons will help you in your decision for your next trip – If you are new to cruising and would like to see how a cruise would suit your requirements please do not hesitate to get in touch

Eliza x