Advantages and Disadvantages of
All-Inclusive Cruise Ships

By Teri Champigny

Vacationing is a pastime that is enjoyed by many.  While vacations are nice, needed, and important, they can become costly. This cost is often associated with additional expenses such as food, beverages, and entertainment.  If you are interested in vacationing aboard a cruise ship, but you are worried about the cost, you don’t necessarily have to be.  

All-inclusive cruise ships are cruise ships where just about everything is included.  The cost of your drinks, food, and entertainment are often taken care of.  If you are wondering whether or not you should book reservations aboard a traditional cruise ship or an all-inclusive cruise ship, you are not alone.  A large number of travels wonder the same thing.

When it comes in all-inclusive cruise ships, there are a number of advantages and disadvantages. To determine whether you could benefit from an all-inclusive cruise ship, you are encouraged to weight the advantages and disadvantages each.  After you have considered each, you are encouraged to make a decision.  If the advantages outweigh the disadvantages then an all-inclusive cruise ship may be just what you need and visa versa. 

The biggest advantage of all-inclusive cruise ships is that most of your needs are taken care of.  As previously mentioned, most all-inclusive cruises cover food, drinks, and entertainment.  If you are interested in drinking a large amount of alcohol or feasting on the amazing onboard food, you may be able to do so free of charge. You may also be granted exclusive admittance into movie theatres and video arcades. 

To many, having foods, drinks, and entertainment provided free of charge sounds too good to be true.  In some cases, it may be.  While many of your food and drinks are included in an all-inclusive package, not all are.  It is possible that you may be required to pay for your alcoholic beverages. There are some cruise ships where alcohol beverages are included in the package, but on others it is not.

When it comes to food, your food at a sit-down restaurant may be provided free of charge, but your snacks are typically not covered. This often includes snacks or small meals purchased at onboard specialty shops and vending machines.  If your snacks and small meals are not covered, you can prevent the extra expenses by eating a large meal.  You may also be able to save money by brining your own snacks onboard, if the cruise ship allows it.

As mentioned above, entertainment is often included in an all-inclusive cruise ship package.  As with food and drinks, the entertainment is often limited.  It is likely that you will gain free admission into a dance or ball, but you will not be able to gamble free of charge.  If you are interested in gambling aboard the ship’s casino, you will have to come up with your own funds.

When it comes to the cost of an all-inclusive cruise, there are many travelers who get confused.  The cost of an all-inclusive cruise may seem high, but it is often that way to cover the cruise line’s expenses.  For many individuals, the cost of an all-inclusive cruise is a great value.  To determine whether or not you will save money aboard an all-inclusive cruise, you need to estimate your cost of food, drinks, and entertainment aboard a traditional cruise.  Simply by comparing the two, you can easily determine which cruise package offers the better deal.

The advantages and disadvantages of all-inclusive cruise ship vacations are important.  By examining each and comparing them to what you want and need out of your cruise, you can easily determine which cruise ship vacation package is right for you.