6 of 17

Write now Article Tools

Cruising may well be the best vacation value because most cruises are nearly all-inclusive. Lodging, meals, entertainment and transportation between various ports of call are included for one, often quite reasonable, price.

The only things that usually are not included in the price of a cruise are alcoholic drinks, shore excursions and tips for room stewards, dining room waiters and baggage handlers. Some cruise lines even cover these services in the cruise fare.

The dinners each night are gourmet caliber. The nightly show is usually a Broadway-style revue or a singer, often one who had a few hit records back in his heyday. There is no admission fee for the nightclubs. An evening consisting of a fancy dinner, a show and dancing at a nightclub could easily cost hundreds of dollars in a resort town. Many cruises will not cost more than that, and they provide lodging and the rest of the day's meals and entertainment.

One of the nicer amenities offered on many cruise ships is the complimentary room service. Room service in a hotel is very pricey, and therefore is normally only experienced by the well to do. A cruise can provide a luxury travel experience at a lower budget price.

There are other all-inclusive vacation options, such as resorts that include entertainment, meals and drinks, including alcoholic beverages. These resorts do present some limitations. For one thing, a hotel stays in place, so you only get to experience one destination. On a cruise, you can easily visit three or four different countries in just one week. Also, most of the all-inclusive resorts are in the Caribbean. There are numerous Caribbean cruises, but if you want something different, you can cruise around Canada, Alaska, Europe, the South Pacific, or pretty much any destination that is bordered by the sea.

Chartered tours, bus and train trips can also offer an all-inclusive vacation. A vacationer on one of these tours must travel from town to town sitting in the same seat, and must participate in the activities chosen by the tour director. While sailing on a cruise, the vacationer can sleep in his private cabin, enjoy a number of dining options or partake in any number of on-board activities. When the ship is in port, the cruiser can choose from dozens of excursions or explore on his own. Also, organized tours involve lots of baggage handling, packing and unpacking at each new hotel. Once onboard, the cruiser need only unpack once.

In addition, there is no need to rent a car like there would be with a fly and drive vacation. Road trips require high gas expenses and can be slowed down by roadblocks and wrong turns. On a cruise, there is no need to even look at a map.

Cruising is easily the best vacation value. It provides an all-inclusive experience and a chance to explore many different locations for people who have limited vacation time and money.

Learn more about this author, Chloe Jones.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Why cruising is the best vacation value?
We want to hear your view. Write now!