Cruise vs. All-Inclusive

I have the best of both worlds.
I next door to Club Med in Port St. Lucie Florida (the only Club Med in
Florida) and am a member there.
I can hop in my golf cart and get discounted food and booze, enjoy the
shows, and it's like being on vacation.
I love the place.
Having said that, if I didn't live next door (or other wise close by) I
probably would not spend my vacations there.
I'd rather Cruise because it is just an overall experience that cannot
be beat.

On 20 Mar 2005 10:51:09 -0800, "number6" <snumber6@> wrote:

>It was not tongue in cheek ... the so called news article he posted has
>been around a lot ... It is a SHILL advertisement with an agenda ...
>Promoting all inclusives ...by bringing cruises down ... His posting it
>in a cruise newsgroup is just as bad as the nutcases who also post here
>dissing cruising ...

I think if you knew George, or spoke with him, you would have a very
different opinion.

Further, I (gasp) looked at the superclubs page.

One of the big wins in their comparison seems to me to
be free, unlimited greens fees.

If a traveler is interested in playing a lot of golf, I think
a cruise vacation is a poor choice.

And, if you're interested in drinking, the free drinks sound
like a good deal. Every week in this newsgroup, there are
dozens of posts by people asking how they can smuggle
liquor in a body cavity. Going to a place that includes
drinks sounds like a good fit for them. If nothing else,
it will save them from humiliating themselves in this newsgroup.

Another win is free the snorkeling. You've got to wonder -- when
you stop at a cruise line's private island, why isn't snorkeling
just included? It doesn't seem like it's a big capital expense...

What's next, charging for beach-chairs?

Personally, I'm not interested in all-inclusive, because I don't
like to hang around the same place for more than a day or
two. After that, I'm bored and just start watching TV or
dvd movies, and thinking "I could have stayed home for this..."

Full disclosure: I've never done business with George, but he
did buy me a can of diet coke once on Grand Princess.

--
- Lee

Marsha,

What you say is true! With the right person, a leaky tent might be
preferred to Wolfgang Puck's with one you dislike.

A couple where both are divers would present different choices than a
"non-diving" other. Solo travel does offer...mobility. And as you mentioned
you can always hook-up with folks as you go. Sort of the reason de tre' of
the adventure.


"Marsha L" <ThoseEyes@invalid.att.net> wrote in message
news:Enk%d.425214$w62.324256@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> My first AI experiences had been while I was still married and they were
to
> a Club Med. Even diving was included and that was why we were there, ex
> wanted to dive. Of course it meant that he was out of the village all day,
> so it was just like separate vacations. We just had breakfast and dinner
> together. I don't know if it's still that way, but CM would seat people as
> they arrived into the dining room, putting you with people who spoke the
> same language. Pretty effective and was what I "expected" from other AI
> resorts.
>
> Since then I've been to a few others. Super Clubs had a buffet or sit down
> at dinner (buffet for other meals). I preferred the sit down, but that was
> by reservation and was something that one needed to arranged their own
> companions for (fortunately for me, I did meet up with people that trip).
I
> have a friend who goes to that same resort who would never consider the
> restaurant, he wants to just have to pull on shorts and graze at the pool.
>
> While I prefer "dining", what I REALLY care about is companionship, lack
of
> such is a deal breaker for me.
>
> I am aware that some excursions aren't included at some AI resorts... I've
> never done anything that wasn't. That includes Dunn's River Falls (two
> different resorts, years apart), horseback riding, horse drawn carriage...
I
> don't remember what else. But it just occurred to me that all of those
were
> in Jamaica and that my less happy experiences were in MX, Playa del Carmen
> to be exact. To it may depend on "where" as well as "who".
>
> Marsha
>
> "Sue and Kevin Mullen" <kjmullen@> wrote in message
> news:g4CdnY0fuoskXaDfRVn-2Q@...
> >
> >
> > Marsha L wrote:
> >
> >> I think a lot of what one's preference winds up being has to do with
what
> >> one did "first".
> >
> > I don't think it is so much what you did first, it is more a matter of
> > what you like to do on a vacation. If this all-inclusive had been the
> > first trip for us and we hadn't been with friends, I would of been very
> > bored.
> >
> >> I had been to a few AI resorts before I went on a cruise. I was SHOCKED
> >> to find out how much excursions cost because they had always been
> >> included!
> >
> > I guess it depends on the AI and what type of excursions you take. Where
> > we were there were a lot of water sports included, but no excursions. We
> > took a tour to Chichen Itza, but we had to pay for that.
> >
> >> What was (and what is why I haven't been to an AI since) is that there
> >> was assigned seating, and I was expected to dine at what was intended
to
> >> be a table for two, alone. That is NOT a vacation to me! So.... I've
been
> >> cruising ever since.
> >
> > Where we were you were able to sit where ever you wanted, there was no
> > assigned seats. Just proves how different one AI is from another.
> >
> > sue
>
>

Sue and Kevin Mullen wrote:
> number6 wrote:
>
>
> Yeah, but George only sells cruises! Take a look at his website, do
> you see anything there other then cruises??
>

No ... but the link he provided ... was an advertisement for all
inclusives ... a deal with them ... ??? It seems suspicious ... and
pointless ...


> I think the comparison between a cruise and an all-inclusive vacation

> is interesting.
>
> sue

It surely is ... All inclusives have their own appeal ... I know
several people who love them ...and I can't get them on a cruiseship no
matter what ...
But that link he provided was not an unbiased comparison ... In fact
the dummies merely edited their previous offer from 2002-2003 to make
it 2004 and 2005 ... I would hope that George had smarter friends ...

Marsha L wrote:

> I don't know if it's still that way, but CM would seat people as
> they arrived into the dining room, putting you with people who spoke the
> same language. Pretty effective and was what I "expected" from other AI
> resorts.

At the Iberostar Tucan they did try to seat us, but would allow us to
sit where we wanted. I did not see them trying to seat people with
other people they didn't know. This of course would not be good for
someone traveling alone.

> I
> have a friend who goes to that same resort who would never consider the
> restaurant, he wants to just have to pull on shorts and graze at the pool.

There are many people like that and an AI is wonderful for them. The
evening we came back from our Chichen Itza tour, we were very happy we
didn't have to get out of shorts to go to dinner.

> While I prefer "dining", what I REALLY care about is companionship, lack of
> such is a deal breaker for me.

I can understand this and wouldn't want to have to eat all alone.

> I am aware that some excursions aren't included at some AI resorts... I've
> never done anything that wasn't. That includes Dunn's River Falls (two
> different resorts, years apart), horseback riding, horse drawn carriage... I
> don't remember what else. But it just occurred to me that all of those were
> in Jamaica and that my less happy experiences were in MX, Playa del Carmen
> to be exact. To it may depend on "where" as well as "who".

I have only been to the one AI and it was near Playa del Carmen. They
did have some diving which was free and some other water sports. A lot
of the people we were with went to Cozumel to snorkel, I don't think
there were any free snorkel excursions from the hotel. I do know that
there were excursions for snorkeling etc, but you had to pay for them.
Same was true for the excursions to the different Mayan ruins nearby.
It may be a Jamaica/Mexico thing or it may just be different AIs??

Hope you are having a great day today!!

sue

"George Leppla" <george@cruisemaster.com> wrote in message
news:bfidnVk7S4fMeKDfRVn-pg@...
>
> "number6" <snumber6@> wrote
>
>> It was not tongue in cheek ... the so called news article he posted has
>> been around a lot ... It is a SHILL advertisement with an agenda ...
>> Promoting all inclusives ...by bringing cruises down ... His posting it
>> in a cruise newsgroup is just as bad as the nutcases who also post here
>> dissing cruising ...
>
> Sheesh. I did not post a news article. I posted the URL for a website.
>
> I do not sell all-inclusive vacation packages.
>
> I do not take reservations for all-inclusive resorts.
>
> I have never been to an all-inclusive resort on a vacation. I did spend
> about 6 hours at an AI in Montego Bay during a cruise and I paid the same
> $20 entry fee that everyone else paid.
>
> I do not have an account with ANY all-inclusive resort.
>
> I do not have any connection with any all-inclusive resort's website.
>
> I do not have any all-inclusive resorts mentioned, listed or offered for
> sale on any of my websites.
>
> I do not have any all-inclusive resorts brochures in my office.
>
> I do not plan on going to any all-inclusive resort in the immediate future
> but I reserve the right to change my mind if I come across a good deal.
>
> If I ever do go to an all-inclusive resort I will have to pay for it just
> like the rest of the guest because I DO NOT SELL ALL INCLUSIVE RESORT
> VACATIONS.
>
> Then in another post, good old number6 ranted:
>
>>What he posted in a cruise newsgroup was a shill advertising for all
>>inclusives ... A SHILL ADVERTISEMENT.... what does that make him then
>>... Informative ... BULL ...
>
> I ONLY sell cruises, but you have seen right through me. I am promoting
> my CRUISE BUSINESS by posting a URL to a website that says all-inclusive
> vactions are better than cruises. I am doing this "bring cruises down"
> and am shilling for the all-inclusive industry. An industry that I do not
> sell or have any connection with. Huh?
>
>> Some of you know the guy ... and book with him ... I don't ...
>
> Somehow, I will survive.


Sheesh! George, most of us could have told Number 6 all this and he still
would not believe it either!

--Jean<---has used George as a T/A and KNOWS he sells cruises only! Why
would he post in favor of a competitive type of vacation?

Jean O'Boyle wrote:
ither!
>
> --Jean<---has used George as a T/A and KNOWS he sells cruises only!
Why
> would he post in favor of a competitive type of vacation?

Well he did ... you can guess why ...

In article <1111363685.975291.176440@l41g2000cwc. .com>,
number6 <snumber6@> wrote:

> Well he did ... you can guess why ...

I will make a guess. To start a discussion....since this is a
discussion group....

--
Charles

Simple comparison
Cruises are more "formal", have more to do, go to various ports, cost
more.
All inclusives are great for the pool or beach bums, entertainment
lacking as compared to a cruise, no formality at all, cheaper.

Do you want to just lie around or do you want to be doing something.

Cost difference is not great.

Possible solution, 3 days at6 one resort, 3 days at another, to give
variety. Only ONE airfare, etc.


On 20 Mar 2005 11:00:18 -0800, "number6" <snumber6@> wrote:

>
>Jean O'Boyle wrote:
>> "number6" <snumber6@> wrote in message
>> news:1111334483.686450.136950@l41g2000cwc. o...
>> >
>> > George Leppla wrote:
>> >
>> > something he should be ashamed of ...
>>
>> Why? I don't see anything that he should be ashamed of..it has to do
>with
>> cruising as opposed to all-inclusives.
>>
>> --Jean.
>
>IT is a shill advertising for an all inclusive ...
>
>Funny ... click on the link ... and although the headline says cruise
>in 04 or 05 and stay free ... the HTML page title still is cruise in 02
>or 03 and stay free ... shows you he's just shilling for them ...
>He should indeed be ashamed ...
>
>If anyone thinks this was just information to evaluate all inclusives
>... you are as gullible as a Florida swamp owner ...

"Charles" <fort@his.com.remove.invalid> wrote in message
news:200320051345465726%fort@his.com.remove.invali d...
..
> A number of ships have outside dining areas on the lido deck.

That's what I was thinking, Charles..no one prevents you from taking food
from the buffet and eating outside..Also you can eat on your balcony.

--Jean