Cruise vs. All-Inclusive Resorts: Which Vacation is Right for You?

Join travel experts Ryan and Julie, along with special guest Michelle Helmlinger, as they dive deep into a head-to-head comparison between cruises and all-inclusive resorts. Whether you're a family traveler, a group organizer, or someone looking for a perfect couple's getaway, this episode will help you decide which vacation style suits you best.

Key Highlights:

1. Introduction:
   • Meet your hosts, Ryan (the Travel Professor) and Julie (a Disney-loving Maryland mom of three and a family travel specialist).
   • Special guest: Michelle Helmlinger, an expert in small group travel, honeymoons, and fun travel.
2. Personal Stories & Recent Trips:
   • Ryan, Julie, and Michelle reminisce about their recent Royal Caribbean cruise on Freedom of the Seas.
   • The joys and challenges of returning to normal life after a vacation.
3. Commonalities Between Cruises and All-Inclusive Resorts:
   • Package options, including airfare, transfers, and accommodations.
   • Family-friendly and adult-only options.
   • Inclusive dining and drink packages.
4. Who Should Choose a Cruise vs. an All-Inclusive Resort:
   • Cruises: Ideal for groups, families, and those who enjoy a variety of activities and destinations. Highlights include group rates, onboard entertainment, and the option for passport-free travel from U.S. ports.
   • All-Inclusive Resorts: Perfect for those looking to relax in one location. Features include comprehensive kids' clubs, poolside activities, and sports facilities.
5. Destinations:
   • All-Inclusive Resorts: Predominantly located in the Caribbean (Mexico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic) with limited options in places like St. Lucia, Grenada, Barbados, and the Bahamas.
   • Cruises: Available worldwide, including destinations in the Caribbean, Alaska, the Mediterranean, Great Lakes, and even expedition cruises to Antarctica.
6. Entertainment and Activities:
   • Cruises: Casinos, rock climbing walls, water slides, game shows, ice shows, and destination-specific events.
   • All-Inclusive Resorts: Poolside games, sports activities, water sports, and evening entertainment such as fire shows or dance clubs.
7. Dining Experience:
   • Cruises: Multiple dining options with set dining times and flexible "my time" dining. Quick service options and specialty restaurants with potential upcharges.
   • All-Inclusive Resorts: Varied dining experiences, with some needing reservations and others not. Importance of knowing the resort's dining quality and options.
8. Cost Comparison:
   • All-Inclusive Resorts: Typically more upfront, inclu

Transcript

Julie 0:00

Today we are joined by our special guest as we compare cruises and all inclusives head to head so you can make the right choice for your next trip. Listen in with travel advisors and destination experts, Ryan and Julie. He is your travel professor, teaching you everything you need to know to have a magical vacation. And I am a Disney loving Maryland mom of three and a specialist in family travel. Whether we're discussing incredible destinations, Top vacation tips or sharing personal stories. It's always all things travel to stay connected with us? Make sure to follow our facebook page all things travel podcast.

Ryan 0:40

We're gonna have michelle Reintroduce herself in a couple minutes because we know that people have heard her before but I just have to say ladies two weeks ago We were on a cruise You Two weeks ago, right about now, the three of us were enjoying Maybe the most shrimp we've ever eaten in our lives getting ready to go to a comedy show enjoying our last night on freedom of the seas Gosh, darn it and here we are in our own homes again

Julie 1:12

I know.

Michelle 1:14

That stinks.

Julie 1:17

The post vacation blues.

Ryan 1:19

real dang it, it's a real thing.

Julie 1:22

And you know, did we take our own advice and book our next trip? No.

Ryan 1:27

Well, but we did talk about where we're going next

Julie 1:31

That's true.

Michelle 1:31

we know where we're going next. We

Julie 1:33

It's in the works. It's in the works. It's in the works.

Ryan 1:35

Welcome, Michelle. You've been on the show numerous times, and you also have some episodes coming up that were recorded during this most recent trip. Why don't you introduce yourself for everybody?

Michelle 1:47

Hi guys I'm Michelle Helmlinger. I am also an agent with Creating Magic Vacations with Ryan and Julie and I specialize in small group travel, honeymoons, fun travel,

Julie 2:04

Michelle is the all inclusive and cruise guru.

Ryan 2:07

She is very much anything DR or Mexico. Michelle is our gal.

Julie 2:13

Oh yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. So we've taken a few vacations together now that we like to call research trips.

Ryan 2:22

I stand behind it. It's very much a research

Julie 2:25

is. It is. We do spend time catching up with each other, but we also are exploring a new destination and gathering information that we can share with our clients. And we always try to be I guess, picky about what we do so that we can maximize what we can gain from it, right? So we chose to do a Royal Caribbean cruise this year because Michelle and I had never been on one. We went out of the Port of Miami because none of us had done that before. And our main goal really Let's, explore as much as we can. Last year we did an all inclusive, so now we've experienced both of those together.

Michelle 3:02

We wanted to hit Coco K too. That was

Julie 3:04

Yes, that's

Michelle 3:06

on the list.

Julie 3:06

Coco Cay was really high on the list. So we've also each experienced other cruises, other cruise lines, and other all inclusive resorts, so we think it's time to do a head to head comparison.

Ryan 3:19

but before we do that, if you have not listened to last week's episode about the rising costs of travel, make sure you check that out. So you can plan a more affordable trip based on today's discussion of cruises or all inclusives First of all, I want to talk about the commonalities of an all inclusive and a cruise so they both offer an all inclusive Package option so one price includes most of your trip for even cruises and all inclusives, you can almost always include the airfare, the transfers, even for cruises, the hotel nights before, so you really can make it a package price, and they offer both family friendly and adult only options.

Julie 4:04

And I would go on to even say, the obvious with the all inclusive package option is that they both include your food and your drinks. On the cruise, it doesn't include your alcohol unless you add on a package. Except for, there are some exceptions, and we'll talk about exceptions to that down the road in the episode. But, just having that all inclusive package option is like so appealing.

Ryan 4:31

You can set it and forget it, you know, kind of as the infomercials used to say, you can just show up and leave with a bill of zero if you really want to.

Julie 4:41

So let's compare the obvious. Who is a cruise for? And who is an all inclusive for? What do you think, Michelle?

Michelle 4:48

Cruising is for everybody. I do a lot of small groups and if you have small or large groups, cruising is a really good option because you can get some good group rates and perks that go along with those group rates that can come in the form of maybe a small party for your group or just some, like, Champagne or wine for each individual room. If you are like me, and you don't rest easy, And you like to

Ryan 5:15

Boy, that's an understatement after going on this last vacation. It's like, Julie and I had to, like, we had to, like, sneak away to go relax.

Julie 5:24

Michelle would be like, you guys are gonna sit down, I'm just gonna keep walking. And we're like, where are you walking to? And she's like, I don't know, anywhere. So Michelle

Ryan 5:32

Anywhere other than just sitting

Julie 5:35

Yeah, she likes to be so busy.

Michelle 5:37

I do. I,

Ryan 5:38

Julie and I like to have a drink staring at the waves. Not talk to each

Michelle 5:43

I can do that for a minimum amount of time. I can do that. It's just limited, limited, but also not just for busy people, but if you do have families, there are kids clubs on most ships. Now you just want to make sure that you do your research or use a travel advisor that knows which cruise lines Or more catering towards kids and have the better options for them.

Ryan 6:07

So, when it comes to all inclusives, I would also say they're for everyone. But, I think, we make fun of michelle for for not being able to relax I think it's actually best for people who want to relax or stay in one spot without a lot of hassle. Kids clubs. If you're at a family friendly all inclusive resort, there are kids activities most places. But obviously if you're bringing the kiddos along, you want to make sure if that's gonna fit yours. There are some places that have really, really comprehensive clubs and there's others that have kind of more of a babysitting service. I

Julie 6:43

And I think along with like those, kids clubs, cause I know that that influences a lot of my clients decisions, the kids clubs on a cruise tend to be superior to the kids clubs at the all inclusive resorts. Would you guys agree?

Ryan 6:57

you're right. I think you're right now. I have seen some I think some resorts really pride themselves. So obviously i'm thinking of nickelodeon I'm thinking of grand at moon palace some of those

Julie 7:09

rock is good,

Ryan 7:10

been where it's just like it's Amazing like the the effort and the design that they put into these places If I was a parent of young kids, I'd be a no brainer to to want my kids to be there Oh,

Julie 7:24

more so like if you like to cruise and you're gonna go on a disney cruise And you really like the kids club on the dream the disney dream chances are you're gonna like the Kids Club on the Disney Magic and the Kids Club on the Disney Wish. Whereas like an all inclusive just because you went to one all inclusive and you liked their kids club doesn't mean the next all inclusive is going to have the same type of kids club because they just vary so

Ryan 7:52

Yeah, absolutely, you're right about

Julie 7:54

So that's definitely something to like really look into if you are going with little kids. This goes with what we already mentioned, but a brief why you would choose an all inclusive. What do you think, Ryan? Why are you choosing an all

Ryan 8:06

for me, and what I really talk to my clients about is, it's a real chance to unwind in one destination. So if you're not planning on leaving the resort, or you're planning on only doing one or two activities during your vacation, I think an all inclusive really allows you to settle in and just be. You get on the property and you're on vacation and you're on vacation from the time you step on that property to the time you step off.

Julie 8:35

Right. And some people might find that boring, but I absolutely agree. I feel like when I have clients. who want an all inclusive, they say, we just want to sit there.

Ryan 8:45

Yeah.

Julie 8:45

We just want to relax. Michelle, what do you think about cruising? Why would you tend to recommend cruising for travelers?

Michelle 8:52

Well like we said earlier groups, and I didn't mention with groups, if you have a lot of people, it's a passport is not required. If you were going into and out of the same us port. So, if you have a big group, and not everyone has a passport, that is a good option because people may not be able to get their passport in time for an all inclusive resort. Cruises are also a lot more cost effective if you do have a group. Versus getting airfare and the actual all inclusive resort. I live close to a port. I know, Julie, you also live close to a port. So I tend to do a lot of small group cruises. So it is a lot easier to get everyone on a cruise versus getting everyone to go to a, an all inclusive resort.

Ryan 9:41

and I think I think 2 with that to be a true group and get the benefits for that. It's easier on a cruise versus an all inclusive. You need less people. On a cruise to unlock some of those benefits, if you will.

Julie 9:54

Mm hmm.

Michelle 9:55

I like the Variety of activities on a cruise and enter the entertainment on a cruise because there's lots to do lots of options There's something going on everywhere around the cruise

Julie 10:08

Yes.

Michelle 10:09

So you can always find something that you want to do it's easier to appeal to different age groups

Julie 10:15

The last big question before we do our where in the world would be where can you go with cruises? And where can you go to go to an all inclusive? This is probably the biggest differentiator of these vacations, right? Like the destinations. So typically if a client doesn't know if they want to cruise or an all inclusive, their answer to where they want to go can give us the most information to guide them to one or another. Michelle, where do you tend to send people for all inclusive resorts? Like where's an all inclusive?

Michelle 10:47

Your all inclusive resorts are mainly in the Caribbean You're not going to find any in the US. No true all inclusives are going to be in the US Mostly Mexico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, and some of the other Caribbean islands. Most of them have a few here and there, but they're, they're limited like St. Lucia and Grenada, Barbados, even the Bahamas, those are all limited. Turks and Caicos, all limited to just a couple of all inclusive options.

Julie 11:16

Which makes those options a lot more expensive for an all inclusive. How many times have you heard the request for, I want to go to St. Thomas and go to an all inclusive

Michelle 11:26

Yeah. Many, many.

Julie 11:28

I want to stay in the U. S. and go to an all inclusive.

Ryan 11:30

And there are places that market themselves as an all inclusive. And usually that. That means you can buy a dining package and so there are some things that approximate that, but in no way what most people think of when they think about going on an all inclusive resort vacation.

Julie 11:47

Ryan, can you, briefly mention why inclusives in the U. S.?

Ryan 11:52

Well, to be perfectly blunt about it, it's because of pay. It's because of US labor laws and pay restrictions and what that would mean for people working in an all inclusive here versus in the Riviera Maya. Or Jamaica or other places. If you wanted to have kind of the same all inclusive experience in the United States, the pricing would, reflect that. So, you know, that's something to consider. Now I will say that's also the plug for, if you go to these all inclusives. Unless they have a no tipping policy make sure that you consider that as you're working with these people that are absolutely busting their their butt To make your vacation amazing

Julie 12:36

Right.

Michelle 12:37

And I know I mentioned to my clients a lot, like when they want to go to an all inclusive and then they see the cost. But then I'm like, think about when you go to, our local beach here, you have to rent a house and you have to get food and all that. And it's probably going to cost you very close to the same price as it would be to fly to an all inclusive and not have to lift a finger.

Julie 12:57

Absolutely. And see a new destination along the way. If you want to go to a beach, that's where you're going to find all inclusive. That's where all inclusive shine, right? Especially Mexico, the Dominican, and Jamaica. What about cruises, Ryan?

Ryan 13:13

it's more where can't you go is the shorter list. We tend to think of Caribbean slash Bahamas. Okay. or Alaska or the Mediterranean. But really, you can cruise all over the world, including within the U S next weekend, I'm actually going up to Detroit to do a site visit at one of Vikings Great Lakes cruises. You know, so you can do those types of things. You can obviously do expedition cruises like Julian and I've talked about with Antarctica. I mean, it's really cruising. is a form of vacation that can get you anywhere in the world.

Julie 13:50

Like going through Africa and going through Asia and going through South America. Those destinations don't typically come to mind when you think about cruising. You think about a land package to a lot of those places. So that's really cool too. So yeah. Cruising everywhere.

Ryan 14:06

So before we go on, like I do most every show, I want to talk about where in the world does all things travel? And I am super excited about this location. Before we started recording, Michelle was talking about an upcoming trip for her family to Italy. and some clients going to Italy and for the first time I saw in our locations list, Albengia, Italy. This is a city and commune situated on the Gulf of Genoa on the Italian Riviera in the province of Savannah in Northern Italy. It's nickname is the City of a Hundred Spires and it's best known for it's Old Town Medieval section of the city so that is where I want to meet our listener I am super excited that we have somebody all the way from Genoa, from Northern Italy listening in to all things travel

Julie 15:06

And I would also like to say to that listener, if you could let us know how to actually

Ryan 15:11

Oh! Absolutely! Ha

Julie 15:13

please let us know because I am sure Ryan butchered them.

Ryan 15:18

Gee,

Michelle 15:18

Come on, Julie. Give him a little bit of credit.

Julie 15:22

Not that I would know how to pronounce them, but, listener,

Ryan 15:25

Well, hey listener we are so happy that you're listening to all things travel do me a favor reach out to either Julie or Myself and you can do that on our new Facebook page all things travel podcast or via email Because I would love to send a note all the way to northern Italy to say Thank you for listening to all things travel All right, so let's touch on entertainment and activities on the cruise. Michelle, earlier you mentioned cruises are for those that want to be busy. So tell us some of the activities that you could only do on a cruise.

Michelle 16:03

All right. You got your pen and paper ready? it's long. No, no. Well, Julie got to experience the casino.

Julie 16:17

I did experience

Michelle 16:18

Yes, I taught her how to use the slot machine.

Ryan 16:22

Yep, and you're gonna have to listen in to an upcoming episode where Julie and I talk about our experience on the cruise because you're not gonna want to miss Julie's experience in the casino. That last night.

Michelle 17:04

I think I saw a shuffleboard rock climbing walls. Slides, water slides, dry slides some ships even have a carousel.

Julie 17:12

Oh, yeah.

Michelle 17:13

Activities as far as like comedy shows, they do have PG and R rated comedy shows. So just make sure you're at the right one and your kids are at the right one. Don't be the one with the baby in the audience.

Julie 17:27

Which did happen on our

Michelle 17:28

I know. The game shows are always a fun time. Those are always, also not always rated PG. So you want to be wary of that. The ice shows, water shows. A lot of times some cruises will, Have special events dependent on where they are in destination an example is as a Mara cruise line has what they call as amazing evenings,

Julie 17:54

They get off the ship.

Michelle 17:56

they get off. I thought they

Julie 17:58

destination.

Michelle 17:59

Okay, well, it's a way that for the guests to be able to dive deeper into the culture and tradition of. That destination.

Julie 18:07

And I think one thing with cruising, though, is that the entertainment, For the most part it with the exception of like azamara and some of like the river cruises and more luxury lines The entertainment is going to be fairly generic, right? Like If you've seen a show on Royal Caribbean and you're going on another Royal Caribbean ship and that same show is playing, it's a good chance it's the, same thing or, or something similar, right? Like the, the ones on the cruise throughout the cruise lines brand tend to be similar.

Michelle 18:41

similar. Yes. We were on a seven day carnival. There was a different show every single night,

Julie 18:46

Oh, that's great.

Michelle 18:47

every single night. And they were all fantastic. And I feel like they got better every night. And then the last night it was like the big show. And we even went and saw that twice because we saw it and we loved it. And my daughter and her best friend wanted to go sit in the front row. So we, Made sure to stand at the door so we could sit at the front row. And that was a good experience. That was really, that was a lot of fun.

Julie 19:09

In comparison to cruising, though, all inclusive, like, they do have nightlife, but it's not as much, and I feel like it's not as guaranteed. It's a little more hit or miss.

Michelle 19:19

I

Ryan 19:20

more like dance club bar focused, I think, at an all inclusive over having shows, even even if it's a family friendly resort, there tends to only be a couple things going on at night that's not partying.

Julie 19:35

Yeah, and I think that sometimes, know a lot of the resorts in Mexico have, like, some type of fire type show or maybe, like, a magician type something or other. There are some resorts that don't have Yes,

Ryan 19:50

Oddly enough, most have a Michael

Julie 19:53

They all do. They all do. And I remember when we were on our all inclusive trip two years ago, and we were like, okay, let's go check out the Michael Jackson night. And we got there and we were like, no, this isn't it. Because it was like all these chairs, like crammed into the lobby. Whereas

Michelle 20:11

raining,

Julie 20:12

was raining. That's right. Maybe it would have been outside.

Ryan 20:15

you know, I've been to Hard Rock, that specializes in music and concerts, and they have a full blown concert theater in there. Yes, there are the same type of shows, but you really have to make sure that what is important to you matches the resort you're looking for.

Julie 20:31

Right, and so there are some really great all inclusive resorts that will have evening entertainment That's a little more authentic a little more cultural and I'm thinking of like We're all familiar with this resort hotel ish caret in Mexico and they have very authentic shows there.

Michelle 20:50

The resort as a whole is very much influenced by the Mexican culture.

Julie 20:54

Right. But other than that, you're not going to have like a lot of nighttime shows. You will have a lot of daily activities like poolside games for families and kids, or, a foam party potentially at an adults only there's sports, volleyball, tennis, pickleball, things like that. And most all inclusives are also going to have water activities if they're on the water. Kayaking, paddleboarding, stuff like that. But not as much entertainment. So that kind of goes back to what we talked about earlier with the cruise is for someone who wants to be really busy and the all inclusive is if you really just want to relax.

Ryan 21:34

So one thing both of these types of vacations have, and this is very important if you're on a couple's trip or an adult's only trip, is a spa. Both of them really have comprehensive spas. You can get any type of treatment from a general haircut to a full day at the spa like you would have at home. Let's do a very important comparison when it comes to vacation. Let's talk about the food.

Julie 21:58

Michelle, what do you think about cruise food?

Michelle 22:00

Usually they have an early dining, which can be anywhere from like 5, 15, 5. 30 to 8, 8. 30. That would be your late dining, the 8 to 8. 30. And then most cruise lines now have what they call my time or your time or family time dining. They all call it something different, but basically you can go eat. Whenever you want between this time and this time

Julie 22:25

You just might not get in right away.

Ryan 22:27

Yeah.

Michelle 22:27

which that is usually what I opt for because I like to go early And i'll just go super early And with the my time eat And then my night is free to go bounce from activity and show to show to show. And there's also lots of like quick service options. I know we ate at the little taco bar when we first got on the ship on our trip. And then there's always the buffet. So you do have options.

Julie 22:55

I would agree. Yeah. Food is everywhere on the cruise. What about all inclusive

Ryan 22:59

I think there's more up charging on cruises than there is an all inclusive. At least the lines that I'm familiar with, there are obviously a variety, like Michelle said, of included or complimentary dining, but then there's always a grouping of specialty or upcharge restaurants. And all inclusive, that tends not to be the case sometimes there will be an upcharge, so if you want to have lobster, or a certain cut of steak, a different bottle of wine with your meal, there's an upcharge there, but You tend to have more access to everything than what you would have on a cruise. One thing I will say is, If food is important to you, know the resort that you are booking or mention that to your travel advisor because we know that there are places that are known for food and there's places that are not known for food. You know, for instance Mexican restaurants going to Mexico. I've been to one resort in Mexico that the more traditional Mexican restaurant was very good, but very similar to what I could get here if I went to a Mexican restaurant. However, they also had a contemporary Mexican restaurant, which was some of the best food I've ever had at a resort. There's always going to be a steakhouse There's always going to be you know, some version of that area's food. There's probably always going to be italian I would say to be honest italian and french in the caribbean or in mexico tend to be the the worst

Julie 24:29

skip the Italian,

Ryan 24:30

I guess the bottom line is there's a lot of variety regardless of where you go And almost all of it is included in your package You Silence.

Julie 24:53

some all inclusive to make it even more complicated. If you do need a reservation at that resort, sometimes you can book it in advance, sometimes you have to book it when you get there. And sometimes when you get there, there are no reservations available. So it's like this big, up in the air thing of like, what do we do about our dinner? Other resorts require no reservations and won't even take them, but then you may have a longer wait for food. So it's just like, it's very much an up in the air thing for all inclusives. Whereas like Michelle talked about on the cruise, you're typically booking. In advance, what you're doing for your dining, whether it's your early Late.

Ryan 25:28

I will say the complimentary options on a cruise that there is not that mental math like there is at many resorts, unless You you are able to book ahead or you've booked into a category where you have concierge or somebody who's helping you with that You know sometimes pay to play is really nice at a place like an all inclusive because Some of those headaches can go away very quickly

Julie 25:53

right. Exactly. Exactly. It is nice on the cruise that you're doing it in advance and you know what you're securing And you know, you're not gonna be like most likely you're not gonna be turned away from a restaurant Even if you're doing my time on a cruise, So the last major comparison is cost Ryan talk a little bit about cost of an all inclusive and then Michelle will tell us about the cost of the cruise. Mm hmm

Ryan 26:19

most of the time with an all inclusive that does not include your excursions It may include things like access to water parks or something like that, but it usually does not include anything off site, sometimes it will include your transfers to and from the airports and include your gratuities. But again, not all resorts are the same. So know what that price means. For instance, I, have a client right now that's at an all inclusive down in Mexico, and transfers have been prepaid. So, not having to worry about that, it's not included in the package per se, but it's already been booked, it's already paid for, we're good to go there. So obviously based on where you live in the United States, you may have a cruise port close enough to you to drive, but in all inclusive, you're always going to have to fly somewhere. So that really does impact that overall cost.

Julie 27:12

In addition to those flights, like a lot of the all inclusive resorts, they may not be close to the airport. So I know Michelle has a client going to St. Lucia. And how are they getting to that resort, Michelle?

Michelle 27:24

Their resort is about 90 minutes from the airport So they're opting to do a scenic ferry boat Which is going to be like an excursion on the way to their resort

Julie 27:35

that's awesome. What are the other options?

Michelle 27:37

They can take a helicopter which will get them there in about 10 to 15 minutes or they can take the the transfer and The 90 minute transfer driving on the opposite side of the road through the mountains, the winding streets. It's kind of crazy. If you've ever been to St. Lucia, it's a little scary.

Julie 27:58

So something else to add in, you've got to fly to all of these all inclusives, but then you also, it's not like they're right there. You've got to get to them. And depending what you're looking for, we'll really change how you're going to get to that resort. So what about cost and cruises? What is unique about cruises and the cost of them.

Michelle 28:14

Well, cruises appeal to my clients, mainly because of the cost, because you can very easily lower your cost by choosing an interior room or just a small room. It's even an ocean view versus the balcony room. It's easy to upgrade if it fits in your budget if you're able to drive to the port that can help lower your cost. And I always, always, always, I live close enough. I'm just 45 minutes from the cruise, a cruise port. So I'll obviously drive same day, but we're also going out of Galveston next month and we're going to drive the day before, so we are going to have to add the cost of a hotel room, but for my peace of mind, it's worth it.

Julie 28:59

Mm hmm.

Michelle 28:59

if you have to fly, it is so important to fly in at least one day early,

Julie 29:05

And some people don't like, like, oh, well, then I have to pay for a hotel. Okay, well, the other option is potentially

Michelle 29:11

missing the boat.

Julie 29:13

of dollar cruise.

Michelle 29:14

because the boat's not going to wait for you. They don't care if you're not on the boat, you know, they're not going to sit and wait for you. You are also able to pre book different activities and excursions prior to your cruise. So that helps it feel like an all inclusive type vacation. I know I've already pre booked some stuff for our upcoming cruise and we got the drink package. So I'm like, oh man, we're not going to have to pay for anything when we get there.

Julie 29:40

And usually, there's a discount in the app if you do that in advance, which is nice. I don't really usually see a discount for an all inclusive excursion in

Ryan 29:51

no, no.

Michelle 29:52

Yeah.

Ryan 29:53

I will say when it comes to drinks and excursions when it comes to cruising, sometimes. river cruises and sometimes more of the luxury cruise lines will include that in your overall fare. When you're comparing cruises, just like with all inclusives, what's included in that number. Don't just look at the number and assume you know what you're paying for or not paying for. It may be better off to pay a little bit more at the beginning, but know that you have nothing to pay later, just like Michelle said.

Julie 30:22

yeah, for sure.

Ryan 30:25

Alright, so we have gone head to head with Cruises vs. All Inclusives, and who's it for, why you'd choose this type of vacation, where you would go, entertainment, activities, food and costs, it's a lot to consider. So, who do we think would win this argument? Julie, let's start with you.

Julie 30:45

Okay, I have two thoughts. The first thought is, If we're going purely on cost effective, I feel like I have to go cruise just because there's so many options for different cruise lines and different rooms on each ship within that cruise line. I just feel like that is something that, your money goes a little further on a cruise. If we're worrying about how can we make the most of your vacation and your budget, I think cruise is the way to go.

Ryan 31:14

Okay, Michelle, how about you? Okay. Okay.

Michelle 31:16

Well, I had done this same comparison back in December and for my own self, for my own newsletter. And when I did it, the all inclusive resort vacation was the winner.

Julie 31:30

Oh yeah.

Michelle 31:32

dependent on what you're looking to experience at that time that you're planning. And These expectations can change from year to year vacation to vacation, but depending on who you're going with, what you're doing, what you want to do whatever experience you're trying to have is going to be dependent on either. I think both of them are a winner, you can't lose Either of these vacations, but personally I feel like I'm going on a lot of cruises here lately.

Julie 32:00

You are.

Michelle 32:01

I know because it's I mean, it is it's there's so many options.

Julie 32:06

And cruises are exciting because you can go to so many different destinations.

Michelle 32:10

Which can be a negative for some people, but I like seeing the different places. Some people want to go to 1 destination and experience just that destination. But I do like experiencing different destinations and only unpacking once and seeing so many different places.

Julie 32:26

Yeah.

Michelle 32:27

So for me, it would be the cruise vacation.

Julie 32:30

Oh man. Ryan's like, what's Ryan going to say?

Ryan 32:35

For me, I'm, it's going to come down to why are you taking the vacation?

Julie 32:41

Sure.

Ryan 32:42

If you are taking the vacation to relax, you need to go to an all inclusive. If you are taking the vacation to experience lots of different things, for me, that's the cruise.

Julie 32:54

Absolutely.

Ryan 32:55

So it's hard for me to say one is over the other because I really think it comes down to what you want to do. What do I tend to like? If I'm going with my kids, I want to go on a cruise. If I'm going with adults, I want to go to an all inclusive.

Julie 33:10

I was just thinking that because so many of my clients are families and families on the younger side. If they come to me and they say, should I do an all inclusive or should I do a cruise? Nine times out of 10, I'm telling them to do a cruise. Just because do for them. I

Ryan 33:28

and I have teenagers, and I would say my teenagers love both of them. They love all inclusive resorts and they love cruises, but I think cruises are a better fit for a family vacation.

Michelle 33:40

I agree.

Julie 33:42

Awesome. That was so much

Michelle 33:43

is the winner!

Julie 33:44

Cruz was absolutely the winner.

Ryan 33:47

There you go.

Julie 33:47

I mentioned this before and I'm going to say it again. To stay connected with us, make sure that you're following our Facebook page, All Things Travel Podcast. If you want to plan a trip to an amazing destination, but don't know how to get started as your travel advisors, we will work with you to create a customized itinerary for your vacation and take the stress of planning away so you can focus on the fun and creating memories. You can reach me at Julie at CreatingMagicVacations. com

Ryan 34:15

Or you can reach me at ryan at creatingmagicvacations. com

Julie 34:19

Or you can reach Michelle.

Michelle 34:21

At michelle at creating magic vacations dot com

Ryan 34:26

We look forward to talking to you next week on all things travel when we hear about Julie's recent family trip to beaches Turks and Caicos.