Like the idea of an all inclusive vacation, but not thrilled about going to a country you’ve never been to and being stuck there if it isn’t what you expected? Why not take a cruise? Cruises are 3, 4, 6, 7 nights or more. Cruising gives you the opportunity to make a short visit to a country that you may be interested in visiting later….or not. A cruise includes your lodging. You can select the type of cabin you want, interior, outside, balcony or suite. A cruise includes your food and has a variety of dining options. You can decide between your schedule dining room, the buffet or various specialty restaurants (requires an additional fee). Some cruise ships have other complimentary dining. The Norwegian Pearl, for example, has the Lotus Garden (asian) and O’Sheehans (an Irish pub) for no additional cost. Some non alcoholic beverages, such as coffee, tea, lemonade and various punches are included. Alcoholic beverages can be purchased individually or as a package. The beverage packages can be non alcoholic, alcoholic or a combination. The packages vary between cruise lines. Entertainment is also included. Some of the ships have movies under the stars. There are lounges with musicians, besides the variety of shows in the showroom. Carnival has a comedy club. On a cruise, you can choose to do nothing at all or stay as busy as you want by taking part in the activities listed in the daily planner….trivia, bingo, seminars or classes. You can purchase different types of tours, from the cruise line, for the ports you visit. Cruise ships have jogging tracks, gyms and spas. Yes, cruising offers the same things an all inclusive includes, some for an additional cost (alcohol). We all know you can’t control Mother Nature. If you choose an all inclusive resort and a storm hits, you are stuck watching the rain. Although it isn’t always possible to avoid, cruise ships do their best to avoid storms.
