All-Inclusives vs. Cruises

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When thinking about a warm-weather getaway, people often wrestle with the decision of whether to take a Caribbean cruise or plan a land-based vacation at an all-inclusive resort. To help you decide between the two types of vacation, here are some of the key differences between the two:

Depth of experience. A cruise typically offers a “sampler” of various islands, with no more than 8-10 hours spent in any one port. It’s a good way to get a taste of several different islands, but you’ll really only scratch the surface. With a resort stay, you’ll have much more time to explore one destination in depth, but if you’re someone who gets easily bored, you may crave a little more variety.

Food and beverage. An all-inclusive is exactly that – all your food and beverages are included in the overall room rate. With most cruises (except the very high-end ones), the basic meals are included, but you’ll pay extra for soda, alcohol, specialty dining at the nicer restaurants, and even (on some ships) ice cream parlors and bakery treats. If you’re likely to rack up a big bar bill, you’ll definitely want to factor that into your decision.

Activities. There are many free activities onboard a cruise ship, including games, contests, classes, and more, but once you step off the ship onto an island you’ll pay for shore excursions, water sports, and tours. Most all-inclusive resorts include free use of the non-motorized watersports (kayaks, sailboats, snorkel equipment, etc.) but charge an added fee for things like jet skis, SCUBA trips, and organized excursions and tours. Depending on what types of activities you enjoy, you may find that one type of trip is a better value than the other.

Entertainment. While many all-inclusives promote the fact that they include free nightly entertainment, none of them can come close to what’s available on a cruise ship. If you enjoy good live music, comedy, and broadway-style shows, you’re not going to find it at an all-inclusive resort.

And if you’re still struggling with the decision between a land-based or cruise vacation, give me a call – I can certainly help you sort it all out!

Onboard dining

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For those who have never cruised, and who resist trying it, one of the main reasons given is the fear of gaining weight while on board.

Now, I don’t want to validate that fear, since it’s certainly possible to counteract a little overindulgence by using the fitness facilities and taking the stairs instead of the elevators, but I will say that the dining experience is one of the big draws for many cruisers — myself included!  So it’s interesting to see how shipboard dining is evolving these days.

A recent article in the Miami Herald does a good job of summarizing some of the changes and explaining the new options available — including standard dining, “My Time dining”, in-cabin dining, specialty restaurants, and more. Suffice it to say that today’s cruise ships offer something for everyone, from the traditionalist who likes a set time and table with white glove service…..to a free spirit who wants to eat pizza at 3 a.m.

My advice? Talk to a travel professional who can match you with the right cruise line, with the right dining options to meet your “tastes”.  And skip those elevators rather than skipping dessert!

Royal Caribbean’s Suite Changes

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Royal Caribbean recently announced a list of new perks and amenities for passengers staying in suites. The new benefits, which include everything from VIP seating by the pool to priority spa reservations and upgraded in-cabin amenities, are pretty enticing. If I were considering a balcony cabin or junior suite, I might upgrade just to get the special treatment…but the move is causing some unintended backlash for the cruise line as well.

Some long-time RCCL customers are expressing annoyance at what they think is a move towards a “class system” like they had on the old ocean liners, and others are pointing out that the timing of this announcement could be better. The cruise line just recently announced a surcharge for late night room service orders, and then decided to promote free 24-hour room service as one of the perks for suite guests.

What do you think?

Celebration Vacations

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Wow, I didn’t know how “on the cutting edge” I really am!

For about a year or so now I have been promoting myself as a specialist in “Celebration Vacations“. This includes things like honeymoons, destination weddings, anniversaries, milestone birthdays, family reunions, graduations, etc. — basically any life event that can be celebrated by taking a fantastic, memorable vacation.

Family trip to Krakow for a wedding

Family trip to Krakow for a wedding

Lately, it seem like everyone is jumping on this bandwagon, and I’m seeing the “celebration vacation” trend everywhere in the media.

Walt Disney World, who basically invented the concept (I mean, really, a birthday trip to WDW is like a childhood rite of passage), is heavily promoting the fact that anyone celebrating a birthday gets free entry into the parks that day. They have also created a whole department that caters to family reunions (and other groups). These “Grand Gatherings” have access to special experiences and perks that help make the vacation even more magical.

Several resort chains in the Caribbean and Mexico are promoting special packages (free nights, luxury amenities, and more) for honeymooners who return for an anniversary stay.  Cruise lines are offering special rates and discounts for groups — perfect for those multi-generational families celebrating milestone birthdays and anniversaries.  And, one of my favorites blogs just posted a list of the top five destinations for a celebration vacation (not surprisingly, Disney tops the list).

So what advice can I offer to someone thinking about a celebration vacation of their own?

– The number one suggestion is to lean on a travel professional to help you with the planning. We know what specials and discounts are out there and, more importantly, we’re experienced in handling the myriad of questions and concerns that come up.

– Be sure to involve everyone in the advance planning. If it’s just an anniversary “escape” for your and your spouse, that’s easy. But if it’s a 50th anniversary trip with your parents, siblings, kids, nieces and nephews, it’s doubly important to make sure you’re getting input from everyone upfront and taking their needs/desires into account.

– Build in some special moments. This is the time to splurge a little on a relaxing couples’ massage, a first-ever ride in a helicopter, a group portrait on the beach for Grandma and Grandpa, etc.

Most importantly of all, remember to seek out those life events that deserve celebrating!  And share your thoughts (below) on memorable celebration vacations that you’ve enjoyed.

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You provided excellent guidance for us. I appreciated that you really had us think about what was most important to us when we were selecting the right cruise – and not to totally focus on what other people had to say. THANK YOU for helping to make this a memorable trip for our family! It really was a trip of a lifetime!

– Clare and Mark (family cruise to Alaska)

The level of service we experienced was out of this world (and we did NOT make it easy on Ann). We weren’t quite sure where we wanted to go, when we would be able to go, or what “vibe” we were going for. After asking us some key questions (what we liked, didn’t like, why, etc.) Ann helped us narrow down our trip details and planned the honeymoon of our dreams. She helped book some of our excursions, answered some emergency questions while abroad and was always available/willing to help. I think it’s safe to say we won’t be using anyone else for future travel planning – Ann is a rockstar!

– Carli (Italy and Spain)