By Megan Martin
Hi, I’m Megan, and welcome to Worth the Trip!
I’m a mom of three, and the owner of 1923 Travel. My love of travel started with something I think many families can relate to: Disney.
What began as a passion for Disney vacations eventually grew into a love for cruising, all-inclusive resorts, and exploring destinations around the world. Over the years, travel has become so much more than something I enjoy—it’s my passion and, most importantly, an opportunity to help other families experience the world together.
I’ve learned that there is no such thing as one perfect vacation for everyone. What makes a trip amazing for one family might make another family completely miserable.
My goal with Worth the Trip is to help you navigate the sometimes overwhelming world of travel, cut through the noise, and figure out what is actually worth your time, money, and vacation days.
So, for my first column, let’s tackle one of the questions I hear all the time:
The answer: It depends.
Both can create incredible family memories, but they offer two very different vacation experiences. The right choice depends on your children’s ages, your travel style, your budget, and what you want to get out of your vacation.
Do You Want to Explore or Stay Put?
One of the biggest differences between a cruise and an all-inclusive vacation is how you experience your destination.
If you’ve found a destination you’re absolutely sold on—maybe you want to spend a week in Jamaica, Mexico, or the Dominican Republic—an all-inclusive can be the perfect choice. You unpack, settle in, and spend your vacation enjoying one beautiful location.
The best family resorts offer pools, beaches, kids’ clubs, water activities, entertainment, sports, restaurants, and activities throughout the day, so you don’t necessarily need to leave the property to have a great vacation.
A cruise, on the other hand, is ideal for families who want to see more in one trip.
Instead of spending seven days in one destination, you might wake up somewhere new every day or two.
For families who say, “We want to see as much as possible,” cruising can be a fantastic option.
This is one of the most important factors—and one that families sometimes overlook.
Not every resort or cruise line is designed for every age group.
For families with younger children, beach resorts can be an excellent fit because the properties are specifically designed with families in mind, including younger kids.
And, of course, Disney Cruise Line is a perennial favorite for families with young children.
But as children get older, their interests change.
Families with tweens and teenagers may find that certain all-inclusive brands, such as Royalton or Dreams, offer a different kind of experience that appeals more to older children. The same is true at sea. Cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line can be fantastic choices for families with older kids because of the sheer number of activities available.
The key isn’t simply asking, “What’s the best cruise line?” or “What’s the best all-inclusive?”
The better question is: What’s the best fit for your family?
What Does Your Family Enjoy? Like to Do All Day?
Think about your family on vacation.
Do your children want to spend the day swimming, going to the beach, participating in kids’ club activities, or playing games? Or are they constantly asking, “What are we doing next?”
That can help point you in the right direction.
At an all-inclusive resort, your vacation can be wonderfully simple. You can spend the morning at the pool, have lunch, head to the beach, join an activity, grab dinner, and enjoy the evening entertainment—all without packing a bag or getting on transportation. to go somewhere else.
A cruise can offer a little more variety. You may find multiple pools, waterslides, sports, shows, kids’ clubs, restaurants, games, and activities throughout the day. And then there’s the added excitement of waking up somewhere new and taking an excursion to go explore your new destination.
This is one of the biggest differences between these two vacation styles—and one that can make a major difference when you’re budgeting for a family.
At an all-inclusive resort, the majority of your vacation is included in one upfront price.
Your room, meals, snacks, drinks, entertainment, and many resort activities are generally included. For most families, the major additional expense is excursions or off-property activities.
That makes budgeting much easier. You can arrive at the resort knowing you won’t get a bill every time someone wants a snack, a soda, or another meal.
Cruises can work a little differently.
Your cruise fare typically includes your accommodations, meals in included dining venues, entertainment, and many onboard activities. But depending on the cruise line and sailing, gratuities, Wi-Fi, and beverage packages may cost extra.
None of that makes cruising a bad value—far from it. But it’s important to look beyond the advertised cruise fare when comparing the two.
A $5,000 cruise and a $5,000 all-inclusive aren’t necessarily $5,000 vacations.
When you’re comparing the two, I always recommend looking at the total vacation cost, including what you know your family will want once you’re there.
This is another factor that can make a bigger difference than people realize.
Many popular all-inclusive destinations require an international flight. Depending on where you’re traveling from and when you’re traveling, those flights can add significantly to the overall vacation cost—particularly for a family of four or five.
Cruising can sometimes let families stay closer to home.
Instead of flying internationally, you might fly to a U.S. cruise port such as Port Canaveral, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Galveston, or another domestic departure city.
That doesn’t mean cruises are always cheaper.
But when you’re comparing total vacation cost, airfare needs to be part of the conversation—not just the resort or cruise price.
If your family wants to relax, stay in one beautiful destination, spend lots of time at the pool and beach, and have plenty of activities without constantly moving around, an all-inclusive may be the perfect fit.
If your family wants to explore multiple destinations, experience a variety of activities, and have the excitement of waking up somewhere new, a cruise may be the better choice.
If you have young children, the right family-focused resort or cruise line can make all the difference.
And if you have tweens or teenagers, you’ll want to look at what the destination or ship actually offers them — not just what looks appealing to the adults find appealing..
Ultimately, there is no universal winner in the cruise-versus-all-inclusive debate.
The best vacation is the one that matches the way your family actually likes to travel.
And that’s where a travel advisor can help.
Because sometimes the question isn’t “Which vacation is better?”
It’s “Which vacation is better for you?”
That’s what makes a trip worth it.
