Cruise or All-inclusive...Which is a Better Value?

We still get this question a lot..."Is a cruise cheaper than going to an all-inclusive resort?" The question is not a simple one sometimes to answer. Everyone has their own preferences which makes some prefer cruises while others prefer land-based vacations. But if you are someone who likes both and really wants to know which vacation gives them the better bang for their money, we may have some info that could shock you.

For some, they think it is an open and shut case; cruises are the better value. Others will say that an all-inclusive resort vacation costs them less overall. But what we have found out is that a lot of people never calculate the REAL cost of their vacation. So that is what we are here to do with this article...help you see the real costs of both types of vacations.

To be fair, we have to choose as close to an apples to apples comparison as we possibly can. So we are going to compare a 7 night Caribbean cruise and a 7 night all inclusive stay at a 4 star resort in Punta Cana. Mexico tends to price the cheapest when looking at Caribbean destinations so Punta Cana in the Dominican should allow for a closer apples to apples look at the two.

So for the cruise, we are choosing a Royal Caribbean 7 night cruise aboard the Wonder of the Seas departing Port Canaveral on December 1, 2024. We will choose a standard ocean view stateroom with balcony (close to mid ship). We could choose a much cheaper stateroom that is an inside stateroom with no window but we figure most everyone staying at an all-inclusive resort will at least have a window and a balcony of some sort even if the view is different. So using this info, the total cost of the 7 night cruise (cruise only) would be @$3300 for two people. That cost includes the base fare and all taxes and port charges. But what doesn't it include? Well you will have gratuities onboard. For a 7 night cruise, that will cost an extra @$250. Insurance for 2 passengers will cost another @$278. So now we are looking at a total of @$3830.

But we still have more to add to the real cost of the cruise. Unless you live in FL, you will need airfare. For the sake of this comparison, we will assume the travelers are leaving from somewhere like Charlotte and we will choose non-stop flights. So airfare for this December cruise will average close to @$400 per person. In addition, most travel professionals will recommend their clients get to the port city a day in advance of the cruise so an overnight stay near the port will cost another @$250. We will assume you will take a shared shuttle to the port the day of the cruise which could cost another @$35 per person. So now we are somewhere near @$4950 for the cruise vacation. But what does this all include once you are onboard?

Every mainstream cruise line, like Royal Caribbean or NCL or Carnival, all include your food (except for some specialty restaurants) onboard. They also include regular coffee, juices, milk, tea and water (not bottled). A lot of passengers opt for the cruise line's drink or dining packages which can add another $50 to $110 per/per day. That can add an additional @$600 or more per person to your total cruise cost. So let's assume, for the sake of this comparison, that we are going to add a drink package to the cruise since most likely someone will want some version of an adult beverage on vacation.

So we are estimating the total and REAL cost of this 7 night cruise to be @$6000 for 2 adults. And one cost we have yet to include is any form of an excursion in any of the ports of call on this cruise. But we will assume the passengers will just be getting off the ship and exploring on their own to keep it as close of a comparison as possible.

Now let's take a peek at an all-inclusive vacation and see where we are at. We will again choose a 7 night stay at a 4 star resort and assume the travelers are coming from Charlotte. We will also assume the same 7 nights in December (1st to the 8th). The resort of choice...The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Punta Cana. Room category will be the lead in category (resort view) with a king bed. The total including airfare and the transportation from airport to the resort comes to @$4880 for 2 people. Now what about extras? The cost technically includes all gratuities on property but we tell our clients to budget another $200 total for tips along the way. The cost also includes all food and all beverages (alcoholic or non-alcoholic). The only upcharges usually apply to specialty bottles of win. So we are looking at a total vacation cost of @$5000 for the all-inclusive option.

So what's the verdict so far? Well it seems that the land based, all-inclusive resort vacation comes out cheaper overall. No we did not include any form of excursion or shopping spree but those costs will typcially be the same whether you are on a cruise or a land based vacation. Did we keep it as close to apples to apples as we could? We think so. Royal Caribbean is a mid-to-mid upper level cruise line and prices vary a ton between their various ships in their fleet but we chose one that seemed middle of the road when it came to cost for a 7 night cruise in December . We would also consider them a 4 star cruise line. The Hard Rock Resorts tend to all fall in the 4 star range as well. Could we have picked a more expensive 4 star resort? Of course we could, but even if the price fluctuates by $500 or so, the land based trip tends to still be a cheaper option once you look at the real cost of a cruise and add the pre stay as well as the airline cost to get to the port city.

Let us know your thoughts. Do you agree with this assessment? Do you find that your cruise ends up costing more than you really initially planned for? Do you spend a lot of extra money once you get to your land based all inclusive resort? We would love to hear your thoughts.