5 ways a cruise compares to an all-inclusive resort

I was standing in line on the lido deck for lunch earlier today and it hit me, a cruise is kind of like an all-inclusive vacation, to an extent.

These are five reasons that came to mind while waiting for my food:

Dining. You have three-square meals provided for you every day that are included in the price of the cruise.

When you’re on a vacation, eating out can be expensive. For instance, breakfast at the Hilton in NYC the other morning was almost $40, lunch cost me $16 for a sandwich and dinner was $32 at a Thai place in Hell’s Kitchen.

Room. When you book a cruise the cost of the room is factored in the price and everything is paid up front. Plus it comes with free room service, meaning 24-hour food brought to you (most of the time)!

I’ll continue on with NYC again. The Hilton in NYC is $599 per night this time of year! I don’t know about you but that’s a little to highbrow for me.

Unpack once. Like an all-inclusive you only have to unpack your bags once. In fact, lets take it a step further, unlike an all inclusive, you get to see a ton of destinations without having to jump in a shuttle and drive to the destination.

The cruise I am currently sailing on will hit six Canada/New England cruise ports. Only on a cruise could I unpack my bags on day one, see all parts of the country and not have to repack until the vacation ends. It’s pretty nifty.

Entertainment. Cruise line entertainment is far beyond the shuffleboards and board games (although ships do have them still). Entertainment is top notch ranging from high caliber Broadway productions to interactive game shows.

For example, on my current cruise the cruise line has a BB King Blues Club franchise on board. This is a great rhythm and blues band from Memphis that had a lot of the guest’s toe tapping and even dancing late into the night.

Scenic views. All-inclusive resorts have stunning views. Last year I had a chance to spend a week in Mazatlan, Mexico at an El Cid resort property. The resort was situated on the side of some cliffs on the Pacific Ocean. It was amazing!

A cruise compares to this because where else can you pull up dockside and see nature’s beauty brought to you; especially if you have a balcony cabin. A good example of this is sailing in Alaska’s Glacier Bay, the city walls of Dubrovnik, Croatia and the New York City skyline.

One thing I am missing is the alcohol. A lot of cruise lines have stepped up the game and provide and all-inclusive alcohol experience for a nominal fee per day. That fee is usually around $42.95 to $49.95 per person, per day.

Do you think that a cruise is like an all-inclusive resort? What arguments would you have against it?

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