NationStates Jolt Archive


Resort VS Cruise

Tarlag
09-01-2007, 23:00
Ok everyone here is the deal, I have not taken a real vacation in over ten years and I now have the money and the time to take one in March. I cannot decide between a cruise to the Caribbean or one of the many resorts in that area of the world.
I live in Upstate New York and I am getting tried of the cold and the snow. I am looking for some advice from some of the more well traveled people on the boards on which would be better. It is just my wife and myself so children will not be a factor on the decision.
If I can get the pro's and con's of both it would be very helpful. I am not overly well traveled outside of the east coast so anything I can learn would be great.
Farnhamia
09-01-2007, 23:09
Right. I hate you. Now, let's see, I've been to ...


St. Thomas (twice): Nice island, US possession, duty-free things to buy and bring home (linen, booze, jewelry)
Barbados (twice): Also very nice, larger than most of the Leewards, nice contrast between the Atlantic side and the Caribbean side
St. Lucia: Just okay. Very poor, also close to the currently erupting island of Montserrat (don't let anyone sell you a vacation there)
Antigua: Loved this island, the beach was great, the people were friendly, the food was excellent, this was my favorite
Turks & Caicos: Okay, the hotel we were in had just opened and most of the staff looked like they wanted to run away (think deer in the headlights)


Never been on a cruise, so I can't say. If you do go to an island, try to book one of the day-long 'round-the-island cruises, those are always lots of fun.
Morganatron
09-01-2007, 23:11
Ok everyone here is the deal, I have not taken a real vacation in over ten years and I now have the money and the time to take one in March. I cannot decide between a cruise to the Caribbean or one of the many resorts in that area of the world.
I live in Upstate New York and I am getting tried of the cold and the snow. I am looking for some advice from some of the more well traveled people on the boards on which would be better. It is just my wife and myself so children will not be a factor on the decision.
If I can get the pro's and con's of both it would be very helpful. I am not overly well traveled outside of the east coast so anything I can learn would be great.

Well, my step-mother swears by the cruise. She says it's more relaxing, there are tons and tons of activities, swimming pools, bars, dancing, or just sitting on deck and doing nothing at all (my father's favorite activity). She claims you can get lost on a cruise ship, but maybe she's just insane. And, if you get tired of all that doing nothing, you can go ashore and explore the various islands and whatnot. "I like cruises because you're at a different hotel every day!" Not my words.

Me, I just require a spot on the beach and a margarita.
Farnhamia
09-01-2007, 23:13
... Me, I just require a spot on the beach and a margarita.

See, that sounds great to me, though it'd be a Corona or some other beer, like Red Stripe. *hums* "All those tourists covered in oil ..."
Kedalfax
09-01-2007, 23:13
You're getting snow? lucky you.

Anyway, I prefer cruises. Of course, I am a teenager, so that may be biasing my decisions.

Basically, unless you have a specific location in mind for a resort, I would suggest a cruise. On a cruise you get to see many places, though most of them are quite similar to each other. You pay for food in the price of the cruise, and on some lines you can also upgrade to free unlimited sodas for only a couple bucks.

If you take a cruise, leave out of the United States. You'll have to do a short lifeboat drill at the beginning, but the ship also must conform to Coast Guard laws, so it's safer. I'd suggest Tampa as a boarding point. There's actually a few things to see, and the airport and port are just as good as in Miami/Fort Lauderdale. Book your cruise and hotel through the same people. It gives you easier transit, trust me. Book your airline yourself, though, and arrive the day before your ship leaves. That way if anything goes wrong, you have some time to fix it.

Key West is also a nice option for somewhere to go. Theres some stuff to do, and some great beaches to go to, especially for US military people. Or you can take a cruise that goes there. You won't see as much, but it's still nice.
Farnhamia
09-01-2007, 23:15
Oh, and there's plenty of books and web sites to look at, to help make your decision. Fodor's does a nice guide book on the Caribbean, just to name one.
Upper Botswavia
09-01-2007, 23:21
Well, I can speak to cruising...

I am leaving on Saturday for a cruise to the Bahamas and my sister is getting married on the cruise.

I enjoy cruising, but would say that you want to go with someone you like. Last year my family went on one and had a fabulous time, so much so that my sister's fiance, who was just getting to know us all on that cruise, suggested the wedding cruise to her when they started setting a date. On a cruise, you get to go to different places and see different things without having to pack and unpack at each location, because you are travelling in your hotel. The one drawback for me was that I would have liked to spend more time in each place, but the good part was that I now have several places I want to go back to explore when I get the chance.

I love the ocean, so I enjoy being out on the water, and there are all sorts of activities and shows and such on the bigger cruise ships. The food is usually fantastic, and you can choose either formal (where you sit down to a formal dinner at a set time, great if you love fine dining) or freestyle (where you go to any of the restaurants on board at whatever time you want, a much more casual atmosphere). We liked the formal dining, with many different courses, fancy menus, fine wines, a waiter and an assistant waiter... and the chance to dress up fancy every night, including one 'formal night' where evening dress is expected. Since my family likes that sort of thing, we had a blast with it.
Saxnot
09-01-2007, 23:29
Egh. Experimental travel is the way forward and you could do it for way longer for less money.
Rameria
09-01-2007, 23:36
I've been on several cruises, and done the resort thing a few times as well. Both can be very fun and/or relaxing, and really I think a one week cruise ends up being comparable in price to a one week stay at a resort.

If you want to see more of the local spots (as opposed to the uber-touristy ones), and maybe get a bit better feel for whatever island you end up on, a resort might be the better option for you. You'll have more time to explore the island, and might feel a bit less rushed than you would on a cruise. If you took a cruise, you'd theoretically get to see more places, but the ports end up looking rather a lot alike (at least in my opinion). You also don't typically spend more than eight or nine hours in port.

The nice thing about cruises, though, is that just about everything is paid for in the price (alcohol and the spa being the noteworthy exceptions that spring to mind), and everything is walking distance from your room. So if you want to spend a lot of time going to shows, or dancing the night away, a cruise might be the way to go.

Of course, if all you want to do is lounge about the pool/beach, in my mind there's not a whole lot of difference between a cruise and a resort. Also, keep in mind that both cruises and resorts cater to a wide range of clientele. All cruise lines are definitely not created equal, and the same applies to resorts. So whichever one you end up picking, be sure to do your research and find something that meets the expectations of you and your wife.
Farnhamia
09-01-2007, 23:39
I've been on several cruises, and done the resort thing a few times as well. Both can be very fun and/or relaxing, and really I think a one week cruise ends up being comparable in price to a one week stay at a resort.

If you want to see more of the local spots (as opposed to the uber-touristy ones), and maybe get a bit better feel for whatever island you end up on, a resort might be the better option for you. You'll have more time to explore the island, and might feel a bit less rushed than you would on a cruise. If you took a cruise, you'd theoretically get to see more places, but the ports end up looking rather a lot alike (at least in my opinion). You also don't typically spend more than eight or nine hours in port.

The nice thing about cruises, though, is that just about everything is paid for in the price (alcohol and the spa being the noteworthy exceptions that spring to mind), and everything is walking distance from your room. So if you want to spend a lot of time going to shows, or dancing the night away, a cruise might be the way to go.

Of course, if all you want to do is lounge about the pool/beach, in my mind there's not a whole lot of difference between a cruise and a resort. Also, keep in mind that both cruises and resorts cater to a wide range of clientele. All cruise lines are definitely not created equal, and the same applies to resorts. So whichever one you end up picking, be sure to do your research and find something that meets the expectations of you and your wife.

Rameria makes a good point. You really do need to think about whether you're a "lie on the beach" person or a "get out and visit every single thing worth seeing" person.
Rameria
09-01-2007, 23:43
I love the ocean, so I enjoy being out on the water, and there are all sorts of activities and shows and such on the bigger cruise ships. The food is usually fantastic, and you can choose either formal (where you sit down to a formal dinner at a set time, great if you love fine dining) or freestyle (where you go to any of the restaurants on board at whatever time you want, a much more casual atmosphere). We liked the formal dining, with many different courses, fancy menus, fine wines, a waiter and an assistant waiter... and the chance to dress up fancy every night, including one 'formal night' where evening dress is expected. Since my family likes that sort of thing, we had a blast with it.
Ah yes, the food. Dining options abound, though when I go on cruises I tend to stick to eating in the dining rooms, rather than doing the buffets. Some cruise lines also offer a separate restaurant where you have to pay extra and make reservations, but the setting is a more intimate than in the large dining rooms. My boyfriend and I tried this out last year when we were on a cruise; the food was delicious (who'd have thought I'd like steak tartare?), and the wine list was considerably better than that offered in the main dining rooms.

Oh, and a tip if you happen to like lobster and they serve it one night: don't be afraid to ask for two lobster tails. There was even a man sitting at the table behind me who asked for three. ;)
Infinite Revolution
09-01-2007, 23:44
i could give you the cons of both, but i couldn't think of any pros. well, at a resort you'd have the beach and the sea i guess. but beach and sea for a whole holiday seems like a bit of a waste to me.
Tarlag
10-01-2007, 00:39
I am looking to relax an soak up some sun. My other goal on this trip is to get some good food and just see another part of the world.
Ashmoria
10-01-2007, 01:12
how old are you, how social are you, and do you like to drink?

cruises are an odd experience. floating hotel and all. they do have lots of activities-most of them kinda stupid. you do visit some nice places and you are treated very well on your shore excursions. they have things to do for all ages. there are clubs, casinos, game rooms, shows, comedians, karaoke, art sales, lectures, hairy chest contests, just tons of things to amuse you.

it seemed to me that most people under 30 spent most of the time drunk, getting drunk or hung over. the only problem with that is that you cant bring your own booze. you have to buy every drink at bar prices. that can add up over the course of 4 to 7 days. they dont bill you until the end so it can be quite a shock.

people are very friendly on a cruise. the headwaiter will sit you with people similar to yourself in the main dining room for dinner. if you want to socialize most people are looking for someone to hang out with.

if you dont really want a cruise, i recommend aruba. i go there every year. its very clean. the people are nice. you can go out at night with no problems. the resorts are great, the beaches wonderful, weather is sunny and hot all year round, in the resort areas most people speak english, all the stores take dollars without question. they have half a dozen nice casinos with everything from slot machines to poker. its a great place for a beach vacation.