Don’t Let One Problem Ruin Your Vacation
A few seconds now protects the trip you’ve already invested so much into.
Short Excerpt
- Cruises usually win on upfront price, but the final value changes once you account for drinks, specialty dining, cabin choice, transportation, and the experiences you actually want.
- All-inclusive resorts often cost more initially, yet they can provide larger rooms, more flexible days, broader dining inclusions, and fewer time constraints when exploring the destination.
- The better choice is not simply the cheaper vacation; it is the option whose total cost and experience best match how you prefer to travel.
Quick Take
- A cruise can cost substantially less upfront than a comparable all-inclusive resort stay, especially when you can drive to the departure port instead of buying airfare.
- Cruise extras such as beverage packages, specialty dining, upgraded cabins, gratuities, and excursions can narrow the apparent price advantage.
- Resorts can justify a higher price through larger accommodations, greater freedom ashore, flexible dining, and easier access to pools and beaches.
- Cruises are especially valuable when visiting several destinations matters more than spending significant time in one place.
- Compare the full vacation cost rather than the advertised fare or room rate before deciding which option actually gives you better value.
Are Cruises Really Cheaper Than All-Inclusive Resorts Once You Compare the Full Vacation?
Cruises promise affordability, but the real question is whether they deliver true value.
Resorts may cost more upfront, yet offer richer experiences that go beyond price tags.
This post dives deep into the hidden costs, emotional trade-offs, and travel priorities that shape your vacation decision.
Whether you’re chasing savings or unforgettable memories, understanding the cruise vs resort equation is essential.
So, are cruises cheaper than resorts?
The answer is Yes, cruises are cheaper than resorts. The cost for an all-inclusive resort for the same time period as a cruise of the same duration will be higher. Airfare will also have to be factored into the equation. It’s possible to drive to a cruise port depending on where you live. An all-inclusive resort on an island the cruise ship will be visiting requires every person traveling with you pay for airfare.
On the surface, this might look like a cruise is a no-brainer.
But notice our question was “are cruises cheaper than resorts”?
From a dollar-for-dollar angle, it’s a definite, Yes.
But cheaper doesn’t always mean better value.
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Just to give you some perspective, I priced going on a 7-night MSC Cruise Line cruise to the Caribbean and a 7-night stay at Sandals Negril, Jamaica.
The cost (not including port fees and taxes) for the cruise came to $1,222 for an ocean view cabin (a cabin with a window and the cheapest cabin category).
The cost of staying at Sandals in the lowest priced room was $3,626, not including resort fees and taxes.
The dollar figure doesn’t always mean “better value”.
As well discuss down below, there are other factors to consider when decided on whether a resort is a “better value” than a cruise.
Spoiler alert: Not everyone will have the same answer.
For the record, I’ve been to resorts and on cruises and I enjoyed them both.
It also gives what I think is a balanced perspective.
So, there won’t be any cruise-shaming or cruise-bashing here.
But I will point out some of the differences why even an experienced cruiser might want to consider going to an all-inclusive resort despite the higher price tag.
Things That Cost Extra on a Cruise
One of the main attractions for cruising is that, like an all-inclusive resort, just about everything is paid for when you come onboard.
However, there are things that are not always included in your fare.
Cruise Line Drink Packages
When it comes to beverages on a cruise, some things are included.
It varies by cruise line and sometimes it varies from ship to ship in the same cruise line.
But generally, the drinks that are included are: water, tea, lemonade, and sweet drinks in the buffet.
If you want something beyond that, you have to get the drink package.
Cruise line drink package prices are not created equal.
One cruise line has something called The Drink Package and The Ultimate Drink Package.
The main difference is The Ultimate Drink Package allows for top-shelf liquor to be included.
Beyond that, both packages provide the same options.
All soda is included.
So are fruit drink (like fresh squeezed orange juice, apple juice, cranberry juice, etc.) and coffee. And there is no limit on how many drinks you can obtain during your vacation.
On another cruise line that promotes themselves as being “fun”, the beverages are broken down even further.
There’s a soda package that offers what the name implies.
To get alcoholic beverages, you’d have to move up to a different drink package that limits how many alcoholic drinks you can have per day.
When you stay at an all-inclusive resort, EVERYTHING is included.
That means drinks too.
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The alcoholic kind.
And if you stay at a Sandals resort, top-shelf drinks come as part of the package.
So even though the cost of entry to go on a cruise might be lower, you might wind up paying more if you want to enjoy some drinks.
Cruise Ship Specialty Restaurants
Cruise ship specialty restaurants are always an upcharge.
What are cruise ship specialty restaurants?
Basically, they’re the same type of high-end restaurants you’ll find in any major city.
They range from steak houses, Italian, Asian, Brazilian steakhouses….
The list goes on.
The thing is, you aren’t losing out on anything by not eating at one of these places on a cruise.
The main dining room has a variety of delicious food at your disposal.
Plus, there are other places to pick up a bite all over the ship that don’t cost extra.
At many all-inclusive resorts – particularly in Mexico, the Caribbean, and the Dominican Republic – the same type of restaurants a vacationer would pay extra for on a cruise are included at no additional cost.
For example, Sandals Ochi Beach Resort in Jamaica has 16 different restaurants including 4 seafood restaurants (each with a different take on seafood), 2 Jamaican, 2 Asian, 3 Italian (that includes 2 pizza establishments), 1 French, and a tapas restaurant.
And it’s all included in the cost of your stay.
| Differences | Resorts | Cruises |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Initial Costs | No | Yes |
| Fixed Meal Times | No | Yes |
| Extra Cost for Drinks | No | Yes |
| Every Room Has a View | Yes | No |
| Worry-free Excursions | Yes | No |
| Crowded Pools | No | Yes |
Discover Why Resorts Deliver More Than Just Luxury
I started off talking about what’s on a cruise to show that there are some hidden costs of going on a cruise vs an all-inclusive resort.
Now, I want to get into why it might be worth the extra money to stay at an all-inclusive resort instead of going on a cruise.
Rooms Are Considerably Larger
One of the first differences you’ll notice about an all-inclusive resort over a cruise is that the rooms are substantially larger.
Rooms at an all-inclusive resort will be larger than many master bedrooms in the United States.
And that’s without paying for an upgraded room.
Another big selling feature of resorts is that every room has a window.
This may not sound like a big deal.
But on a cruise, the cheapest cabins are those without windows, better known as “inside cabins”.
At a resort, the only question is whether you’ll be facing the courtyard, the pool, or the ocean.
Either way, no view is a bad view.
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Explore Freely: Resort Excursions Without Time Limits
One of the great things about cruising is also its downside.
A cruise will take you to a number of different locations on one trip.
This is a great way to see a lot of different places in a very short time.
The catch is, if you don’t come back to the ship at the scheduled all-aboard time, there is a very real possibility the ship will leave you.
If you book the excursion through the cruise line, the ship must wait no matter how long the delay.
On the other hand, if you book the excursion through a 3rd party and you are delayed, the ship has no obligation to wait for you.
Oh, and you’ll have to find your way to the next port or home at your expense.
At a resort, your excursion can last as long as you want.
Your room and dinner aren’t going to sail away just because you were stuck in a traffic jam or your vehicle got a flat tire.
It also means that you soak in your experience without feeling rushed.
Another advantage of taking an excursion while staying at a resort is that if there are multiple places you want to go or things to do, it’s no problem.
Do one thing one day. The next day, have another excursion scheduled.
So, how long are excursions when staying at a resort?
The answer is: As long as you want them to be.
You can even go on multiple excursions in one day.
I highly suggest you don’t do that on a cruise.
Meal Times Are Not Fixed
Another thing about cruises that may or may not appeal to you is that most cruise lines have assigned dining.
Sure, some will argue that their preferred cruise line has “anytime dining”.
The truth is, only one cruise line has true anytime dining.
That’s Norwegian Cruise Line or NCL. It’s called “Freestyle Dining”.
That means once the restaurant is open and ready to serve guests, you show up, wait in line and you’re seated.
You could arrive at 5 o’clock one day and 6:17 another.
The other cruise lines that claim to have the same thing require that you request anytime dining.
But it’s still not like NCL.
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You’re simply getting the choice to pick the time you want to eat instead of being told the time.
And it will be the same time every, single, day.
What’s good about a resort is that all the time is anytime dining.
As long as the restaurant is open, you simply walk in, wait to be seated and start ordering.
There’s also no “late seating” and “early seating”.
On a cruise you have to pick one or the other. If you pick early seating, you have to eat dinner somewhere between 5PM and 7PM (exact times vary by cruise line and cruise ship).
Late seating is generally from 7PM to 9PM.
If you miss your time on cruise lines that use this seating, you will not be allowed into the dining room.
You’ll have to get your meal somewhere else on the ship.
At a resort, it doesn’t matter when you come to the restaurant.
Just do it while the restaurant is open and all is good.
The only cruise line that gives you this type of freedom is NCL.
Better Chance to Enjoy the Pool
If you’re ever been on a cruise, you know that it’s virtually impossible to get into the pool during certain periods of the day.
It’s crowded and loud. And there’s no way you’ll be doing laps.
At large resorts, you might find the same situation.
But you’d have to go to a really big and popular resort.
Most resorts have a couple of hundred guest at most.
This means the pool area will generally not be crowded.
In fact, some resorts have multiple pools.
And if you pick one with a beach, you have the biggest pool of all to splash in without feeling crowded.
Weigh the True Worth: Cruise Savings vs Resort Experience
The title of this post is, are cruises cheaper than resorts.
The answer is Yes.
Cruises are cheaper than resorts.
Does that mean cruises are a better value than resorts?
Not necessarily.
Why?
Because value isn’t always determined by cost.
It’s decided by what’s important to you.
If saving a dollar is paramount, then spending as little as possible on your vacation is what is valuable.
So a cruise would be the better option.
If being able to take excursions and not worrying about your room floating away is important, staying at a resort, despite the additional cost, is the better value.
If you’re ready to book a resort, here are some that we think have reasonable costs and a good value.
FAQ – Are Cruises Cheaper Than All-Inclusive Resorts and Which Gives You Better Value?
Are Cruises Usually Cheaper Than All-Inclusive Resorts?
Yes, cruises often have the lower upfront price.
The article compares a seven-night Caribbean cruise with a seven-night Sandals Negril stay and finds a substantial difference in the initial cost.
Airfare can widen that gap when you can drive to a cruise port but need to fly everyone in your group to a Caribbean resort.
The comparison changes, however, once you start adding cruise extras and consider what each vacation includes.What Costs Extra on a Cruise That May Be Included at an All-Inclusive Resort?
Beverage packages, specialty restaurants, excursions, upgraded cabins, and certain onboard experiences can increase the cost of a cruise.
Exactly what costs extra depends on the cruise line, ship, and fare package you choose.
Many all-inclusive resorts bundle alcoholic drinks and multiple restaurants into the room price, although inclusions still vary by property.
Comparing the actual packages you would purchase provides a more useful answer than comparing base prices alone.Do Cruise Drink Packages Make Resorts a Better Value?
They can if alcoholic drinks, specialty coffees, sodas, and other premium beverages are important to your vacation.
A lower cruise fare becomes less meaningful when you know you will purchase a beverage package for several days.
At many all-inclusive resorts, a much broader selection of drinks is already built into the price.
Travelers who drink very little may still spend less on the cruise by skipping the package entirely.Is Specialty Dining Cheaper at an All-Inclusive Resort?
It often can be.
Cruise ships typically include several dining venues in the fare while charging separately for some specialty restaurants, although exact policies vary by cruise line and package.
Many all-inclusive resorts include multiple themed restaurants without charging each time you dine.
If steak, seafood, Italian, Asian, or other specialty meals are a major part of your vacation, those inclusions can make the resort price more competitive.Are Resort Rooms Really Larger Than Cruise Cabins?
Generally, yes.
Standard resort rooms usually provide substantially more floor space than entry-level cruise cabins, along with larger bathrooms and more room to move around.
Cruise travelers may also pay more for an ocean-view cabin or balcony, while resort rooms normally include windows as a standard feature.
Couples may not care about the difference, but families and travelers who spend more time in the room can value the extra space considerably.Do Resorts Give You More Freedom For Excursions?
Yes, especially when you want longer or more spontaneous days away from the property.
Cruise passengers must return before the ship’s all-aboard time, which limits how far they can travel and how long an independent excursion can last.
A resort guest can spend an entire day exploring without worrying that the accommodation will leave port.
That flexibility becomes particularly valuable when you want multiple excursions or deeper exploration of one destination.Is Dining More Flexible at a Resort Than on a Cruise?
It can be, although modern cruise dining options vary considerably by line and ship.
Many resorts allow guests to choose among several restaurants during their operating hours without committing to the same dinner schedule every evening.
Cruises may offer traditional assigned dining, flexible dining programs, reservations, or a combination of those systems.
Travelers who dislike planning meals around a ship schedule may find the resort experience easier.Are Resort Pools and Beaches Less Crowded Than Cruise Ship Pools?
Often, but not always.
Cruise pools serve thousands of passengers within a relatively small outdoor area, so popular times can become crowded quickly.
Large resorts can also have busy pools, although many properties spread guests across several pools, beach areas, or quieter sections.
A resort with multiple pools and direct beach access gives you more alternatives when one area becomes crowded.When Does A Cruise Offer Better Value Than An All-Inclusive Resort?
A cruise can be the better value when keeping the initial price low and visiting several destinations are your top priorities.
You may also save substantially when you can drive to the cruise port, skip premium beverage packages, eat mostly at included restaurants, and choose an inexpensive cabin.
Cruising lets you sample several islands without purchasing separate transportation and accommodations for each destination.
That combination can be difficult for a land-based vacation to match at the same price.When Is an All-Inclusive Resort Worth Paying More Than a Cruise?
A resort can justify the higher price when space, flexibility, destination time, dining inclusions, and a slower vacation pace matter more than visiting several ports.
You can explore without an all-aboard deadline, return to the same room each night, and spend full days experiencing one destination.
Larger rooms and extensive food and beverage inclusions can also make the additional cost feel more worthwhile.
The better value ultimately depends on which benefits you would actually use rather than which vacation has the lowest advertised price.