All inclusive or a cruise? One better than the other?

[pokergirl34]

We've done several cruises and 2 AI stays in Mexico. This year we did both a 6 night cruise (plus one night/day in Fort Lauderdale) and a 7 night AI vacation.

 

As everyone has stated, there are pros and cons to each type of vacation. While food and alcohol are included and "non motorized" water equipment, if you want to do something other than be on the beach or in the pool all day, you still need to factor in excursion costs. Plus I was somewhat disappointed this time at the AI that we only had a "peek-a-boo" ocean view instead the full ocean front we had last year. I like choosing my own ocean view (read: balcony) stateroom on a cruise!

 

I am looking at vacation options for next year and for us even with the added cost of Cheers and excursions, both vacations come out about the same, especially since we have one more FCC to use. Airfare for us to the Caribbean is expensive since we are in the Pac NW, so what we might save on alcohol being included, the cost of airfare keeps both vacations similarly priced. Some destinations are just way too expensive to fly to for us even with using air points, so we are limited to the Cancun/Riviera Maya area generally. And we've now done that 2 years in a row, so it might be time to go on another cruise.

 

We have met wonderful people both on cruises and at our AI vacations and we have stayed in touch with people from both, so I think that no matter which vacation you will meet fun people.

 

One huge pro to the AIs we have stayed at is that they were both adults-only. When I travel with my kids I have tons of fun, but when I just travel with my husband, I like to be around adults. :)

 

Edited to add: We stayed at Sun Palace and Aventura Spa Palace in Mexico. They are both part of the Palace/All Inclusive Collection and are fabulous. The service was outstanding, food great, rooms really nice and we would definitely stay at any of the Palace/All Inclusive Collection properties. I would suggest checking these ones out!

[beta98beta]

I like them both but tend to choosing cruising more so I can sample multiple locations.

[MississippiMom]

We have never tried a family AI, although we really wanted to go to Beaches. We were quick to discover that driving to a cruise port made family cruising significantly more budget friendly.

 

I do agree that an adults only AI is a really nice vacation, when you need a romantic getaway without the children.

[gapearl]

I went to an AI for the first time in June. It was a quick, last minute trip to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. The price was really cheap- $250 for 3 days with round trip airport transfers. I discovered in that short time that all inclusives are NOT for me! I would have been booooooooored out of my miiiiiiiiiiiiind if I had one more day there and would had to have found a snorkeling trip or tour or something. The food was good, but not great, not as good as on a cruise. I had to add salt and pepper to EVERYTHING. The drinks were blah, even when I tipped and flirted with the bartenders. :cool: Very, very cheap liquor used. I couldn't wait to have a real drink when I got home. The shows at night were like a high school dance recital. Nightlife was nonexistent, so I hopped on the party bus when it came by. At least on a cruise, there is always something going on pretty much at all times of the day and night. This wasn't exclusive to my resort, as I talked to people on the party bus and the plane home and lots of other people said the same thing about theirs. Also, the majority of the guests were from Europe. I hardly met anyone that spoke English. On cruises, I enjoy talking to everyone and meeting new people. Didn't happen here. If you find an AI at a good price, give it a try, but know that it will be much slower paced than a cruise. Be sure to read reviews on trip advisor before booking.

[coachpete]

Too many variables to consider which is "better". They are both unique. I say try both and see for yourself.

[beshears]

Well there are pros/cons on this subject.

 

My son and family have done at least 2 or 2 AI in Mexico, and have always enjoyed their stay. As for me, I have never done it, but it sounds nice, but I think for me, it would be the cruising still. I love going from port to port, not staying in the SAME area. :(

 

I'm sure with the AI the staff does wait on you, but I don't think anyone can get MORE staff to wait on you then on a cruise. :)

[asdoubleu]

I commented earlier and to clarify for me it is way cheaper to cruise. On all of my cruises I sail, we drive from home to the cruise port which takes away airfare and that is a big difference. If you have to fly to ports to cruise then I see the cost will be much more comparable. We do enjoy both and I feel on a 7 day cruise for example compared to a 7 day A.I stay, unless you are the type that just loves to sit out in the sun you can easily become bored so then you begin booking excursion which are great but when you leave that resort you have to pay for everything which usually is quite expensive. So your all-inclusive becomes bring a lot more money for cabs, excursions, food, and drinks for when you step off the resort. If it fits your budget then it's wonderful but money wise I know I can get a 7 day cruise for two and spend around $2,000 total where as staying at Iberostar Rose Hall Suites which is one of the places we have been in Jamaica is already $3,000 - $3,500 just for the flight and resort stay. This doesn't include tips or money for going off the resort. If you have never done an A.I I would suggest you try one, saying this all A.I's aren't created equal so you need to research which one would work best for you because I took my wife to the Iberostar brands and there are quite a few resorts significantly cheaper but she doesn't want to go down in quality. Either way it's a vacay so you "should" enjoy yourself either way.

[wannago35]

... Edited to add: We stayed at Sun Palace and Aventura Spa Palace in Mexico. They are both part of the Palace/All Inclusive Collection and are fabulous. The service was outstanding, food great, rooms really nice and we would definitely stay at any of the Palace/All Inclusive Collection properties. I would suggest checking these ones out!

 

We also stayed at the Palace Resorts and loved it! You can use the facilities and eat/drink at any of their properties and there were at least 3-4 in the Cancun area. They also offered free shuttle transportation to all of them. We stayed at the Moon Palace which is outside of Cancun, and took the shuttle into Cancun proper (so to speak) where the action is. It was nice to go eat, drink, use the beach, etc. at one of their properties instead of paying to do so on another property closer to the action. Everything Pokergirl34 said ITA with.

[tkportersat]

I love cruising but other than Vegas it is the only vacation I take. I have actually wanted to try an AI. Can people that are replying start to list good AI's they have been to? Would love to check it out and see if we can try something different.

[CDNJehn]

A lot of good responses already.

 

I like cruising as a way to see where I might like to go for longer than a day. A vacation sampler platter if you will. It also lets me see where I DON'T want to go for longer than a day. You can always go back again, but if you don't like the AI or location, it can put a damper on your time.

 

I like the consistency of cruising, in that I know what I'm going to get in terms of service, quality and cleanliness. With an AI it's a bit of a crapshoot and all the research and referrals sometimes still leave you unhappy.

 

I like the slower pace of a resort though. I can get up whenever, go wherever, do whatever. The resort isn't going to sail away and leave me behind.

 

I like the entertainment of the cruise and there's always something happening. Depending on your AI you might now have that. And I didn't think it was important until I DIDN'T have it. One resort in Cuba we went to literally had NOTHING to do at night. Unless sitting at the bar for hours was your thing.

 

Liking the pace of a resort has a lot to do with my personality though. I'm an OCD planner, and I'm cheap, er, FRUGAL. So I spend a lot of time researching excursions, analyzing and agonizing over if I picked the right ones. My cheapness leads me to local excursion companies or doing things on my own, which adds some stress on port days, always watching the clock. THEN I want to get as much out of the port days, so that adds stress. I find that cruising is a 'HURRY UP WE HAVE TO VACATION!!!' experience. Probably why I'm doing the same itinerary for the 3rd time. It's my happy place. I know all there is to know and can get off the ship and go where I want in 'peace'.

 

But that's just me ... and I'm clearly crazy!!! ;)

[mrsd912]

I've never been on an AI vacation, and although they sound great I don't think I've ever go on one.

 

DH and I don't drink, so I can't really justify the additional cost for AI over a cruise. I also really like seeing different places each day, and sitting out on our balcony while sailing to our next destination.

[MrsCorL]

4 years ago, the dh and i went on a cruise out of los angeles.....friends at the club we belonged to, went to mexico for an ai....with our rt air to la from phl, 2 nights pre cruise hotel, one night post cruise hotel, the cruise itself and including our bill at the end, they paid 300 more then what we did

[Velvetwater]

I despise all inclusive resort holidays purely because I love getting out and seeing places, eating local cuisine and getting a feel for a place...staying in one place with a slow pace would bore me.

 

Cruises are great because you have a moving resort where you get to see different places with the comfort of a resort and the entertainment is better too.

[Lovefuninthesun]

Every time before I book a cruise I check out regular land vacations and AIs to see what is the better deal at that moment. I have never yet found anything that beats a cruise, value-wise, especially since we live in Florida and don't have to fly to a port.

 

For our upcoming cruise, our per person rate including taxes, fees and travel insurance is less than $80/day. Even if I factor in $100/day for alcohol for the two of us -- and since this is a port-intensive cruise, that is on the high side for us -- that's still only $260/day total. I couldn't find any AI for that.

[what to go here and there]

This is a timely posting for me. For health reasons my wife will not let me cruise (after 30 some cruises). Some of you have posted that AIs can be cheaper than cruising. For a nondrinker or light drinker, I do not see how that is possible. I have been looking for an AI in the Caribbean region with a cruise-competitive price. I know I can find cruises whose net price per person per day will be $100, or not much more than that. That includes tips, all the food you can eat throughout the day and night, entertainment, etc. Are there really any such AIs in the Caribbean region with comparable prices? Seems to me you pay at least twice that.

 

As a Canadian i can get a 5* resort AI in Cuba off season for $750 where as a cruise maybe for a little less, (comparing a balcony to a blacony) then factor in flight, a night hotel and booze.. I can get a 4 - 5 star in the DR for about 800.. We have some great travel sites up here and better than expedia or travelocity that have better deals. You do have to be willing to jump on a price and be happy with it. I usually book 3 to 6 weeks before we go.. the selection is thinner but i can still get in at a great price

[Lovefuninthesun]

As a Canadian i can get a 5* resort AI in Cuba off season for $750 where as a cruise maybe for a little less, (comparing a balcony to a blacony) then factor in flight, a night hotel and booze.. I can get a 4 - 5 star in the DR for about 800.. We have some great travel sites up here and better than expedia or travelocity that have better deals. You do have to be willing to jump on a price and be happy with it. I usually book 3 to 6 weeks before we go.. the selection is thinner but i can still get in at a great price

 

Cuba's off the table for us in the states!:o

[srlafleur]

I've never been to an AI, but I know I prefer cruising because I cruise for the ports, not the ship and certainly not the ship's pool area. While I like beaches just fine, I've been to the the Caribbean, Mexico & Hawaii without even packing a swimsuit.

I know in the past, when I craved relaxation and getting away from the kids, an AI (or any vacation, for that matter) would probably have been great (didn't have the $$). Now, with the kids grown and my life not so frenetic, I don't like sitting still for long. I want to see as much as I can. When I tire of that, perhaps an AI vacation might be more enticing.

For cruisers who merely go to the beach at every port, and sit by the pool while on board, an AI would probably make a whole lot more sense.

[fabby50]

Seems for the most part, this has turned in a discussion on which is cheaper, an AI or a cruise, instead of the advantages/likes/dislikes of AIs or cruises.

 

I don't really pick a vacation based on finding the cheapest deal - anytime I have, I seem to have gotten exactly what I paid for - cheap. My BIL is big on doing that and they always come home disappointed, mainly in the service and food. He has booked two AIs that way - they turned out to be more like timeshare presentations, both were in Mexico and my sister said the food was similar to Taco Bell, drinks were watered down, service almost non existant. I think if I had a similar experience, I would probably never try an AI again, and twice was enough for my relatives (think they would have learned the first time).

 

My big takeaway from their experience is research an AI just like you do a cruise - tripadvisor is a very good website for this. Lots of reviews, pictures, etc.

[moesyk4]

I think it REALLY depends on your personality...do you just want to lay on a beach and do nothing but drink a whole bunch and have a beautiful view? Then I would just stick with an AI.

Or do you enjoy exploring, more adventureous activities, and lots of options of stuff to do? Cruising would be more up your alley.

Of course, there are people who do both on both, but I think if you are one extreme or the other you may have a preference.

DH and I went on an all inclusive for our honeymoon...the room was spacious and gorgeous, the food was amazing, and the view was breathtaking. Of course, we enjoyed the free drinks, but we aren't "drink all the time" people. And besides, ahem, normal activities on your honeymoon, we were pretty bored by the 4th day. We were done laying out (DH does not tan and hates being hot lol), the shows weren't great, there were few actual activities to do, and you had to drive an hour to do snorkeling, jet skiing, whatever. We hadn't budgeted anything for extras so it just wasn't very exciting.

Now, our good friend took a cruise and although he enjoyed himself, it really wasn't for him...he skipped the MDR every night and he doesn't like buffets (and the food is never as good as on shore honestly), he didn't go to any of the shows, and all he wanted to do was lay out. So the high priced drinks and ports kind of turned him off.

[crusinpsychRN]

I was at an AI and found out when I got there the pool would be down for maintenance the entire time I was going to be there. A lot of people pitched a fit and we were given vouchers to use the pool in the resort next door, which just wasn't the same as going out of your room and diving in.

[CruisinCrow]

I think it REALLY depends on your personality...do you just want to lay on a beach and do nothing but drink a whole bunch and have a beautiful view? Then I would just stick with an AI. Or do you enjoy exploring, more adventureous activities, and lots of options of stuff to do? Cruising would be more up your alley.

 

You can do plenty of adventurous things on an AI vacation. There is scuba diving, snorkling, zip lining, hiking, animal encounters, waterfall climbing - all the same things you can do in the ports on a cruise. You just have to make sure that you don't pick an AI that is far away from everything.

 

We always spend 2 or 3 days of our AI vacations off the resort and exploring the country we're visiting. And a lot of AIs include snorkling, scuba, sailing, paddleboards right on site.

 

Of course, if you want to lie around all day, you can do that too. Just like on a cruise. :)

[camarowesley]

When we started cruising, it was mostly all inclusive, and we stopped going to land AI's.

 

Now that they are separating the best from the good, and now charging for the best, we have upstarted our AI visits once again.

 

Cruising, once for the privileged, has become common.

 

You could do what some of us "commoners" do, we take a cruise in the spring and a land vacation in the late summer. Or this year a spring cruise, land vacation late summer, and a B2B this fall. Both have advantages, cruises you get to see ports you may otherwise never visit, land vacations for us are just to veg out on the beach and do nothing for a week. It's really a matter of person preference. Can't go wrong either way.

[kelee79]

I agree that it is totally personal preference. But it seems an ongoing trend that you'll be "bored" at an AI. I don't get that. The entertainment at every AI I've been to has been equal to that on a ship. You can get involved if you want, or you can sit and watch, or you can go to a quieter place to avoid the games - same as on a cruise. There are as many opportunities for excursions for when you want to leave the resort.

 

On a cruise or at an AI, the experience is what you make of it. If you choose to be bored, you will be. If you choose to get out and experience the ship or island that you're staying at for an AI, you'll find countless things to do.

 

OP, you really need to try both and choose which one is better suited to your preferences. As it's been spelled out here, there are plenty of pros and cons for both!

[Blk_Amish]

Adventure beyond the resorts. I prefer land vacations over crusies because I like to be in te same place for more than just a few hours. I choose A/I verses room only because they are more cost effective for our family. We usually have breafast at the resort, explore in the afternoon, return to the resort for nice meals and tons of pools at the Mexico A/I or nice beach in Jamaica.

 

I loved cruising for the chance to dress up (olden days), the food (olden days) so now primarily for a change of vacation pace. I hate most ports experience, I see it as the absolutely worse way to be introduced to many places.

[thistimeplease]

I agree that it is totally personal preference. But it seems an ongoing trend that you'll be "bored" at an AI. I don't get that. The entertainment at every AI I've been to has been equal to that on a ship. You can get involved if you want, or you can sit and watch, or you can go to a quieter place to avoid the games - same as on a cruise. There are as many opportunities for excursions for when you want to leave the resort.

 

On a cruise or at an AI, the experience is what you make of it. If you choose to be bored, you will be. If you choose to get out and experience the ship or island that you're staying at for an AI, you'll find countless things to do.

 

OP, you really need to try both and choose which one is better suited to your preferences. As it's been spelled out here, there are plenty of pros and cons for both!

 

I totally agree with you. I don't know why people feel they have to make a AI sound boring. As far as going on a cruise to visit different ports well I have been on cruises where the ports were cancelled and all we did was stay at sea. There are pros and cons for each. My husband and I prefer a AI as there is only so much bingo you can play and the pools are way too crowded to use on a cruise.