by Linda Coffman
Land or Sea...
Which will it be?
Perhaps
the next question should be, "Which will be kinder to my
vacation budget?" Many would-be cruise passengers are often
surprised to discover a cruise isn't as costly as they perceived.
Add to that the fact that cruises are less expensive today than when
I booked my first one in the late-1980s and a sea going vacation is
a bargain.
But don't take my word for it,
let's crunch some numbers. Imagine that I'm contemplating a short
vacation get-away and want the best value for my money. For a
four-night jaunt, Paradise Island in the Bahamas is a popular
destination and I've chosen a sprawling resort complex to weigh
against an average contemporary style cruise. With so many seasonal
price variations to deal with, I've selected averages to get an
overall feel for comparison
Even modest rooms for two average a
whopping $400 per night in the hotel's "moderate"
accommodations. Meals aren't included, so I've selected a
dining plan that includes a full American breakfast and dinner,
which I can enjoy at my choice of a variety of on site restaurants.
But I still have to pay additional for lunch. The dining plan is $59
per person, per day, plus an automatic 15% gratuity. Add in a light
lunch and meals will cost $200 per day for me and my husband. So
far, just a room and meals total up to $2,400. Not included is
round-trip transportation between the airport and the resort, nor is
much—if anything—else. For evening entertainment, if we want to do anything
more than walk on the beach, stroll the grounds, or watch
television, we'll have to pay admissions for shows and, possibly,
cover charges for lounges.
Even before I compute the basic
fare, a cruise is beginning to look like a great deal because of the
available amenities—all meals and snacks
(including standard beverages), games and activities,
parties, evening entertainment, and sports and fitness activities.
My contemporary cruise to the Bahamas will cost $950 per person, including port
charges and taxes.
That $1,450 difference in the base
price goes a long way on a cruise toward extras: shore excursions, drink purchases, spa services, souvenirs, and other
things that aren't included, such as Bingo and a bit of casino
action. At the resort, you'd still have to pay additional for those.
I haven't taken airfare or vehicle
rentals into consideration; however, you can compute your own total
cost using the following chart. Fill in the blanks based on your
personal choices for accommodations and add-ons.
| |
Cruise
Vacation
|
Resort
Vacation
|
Cruise Fare
|
$ |
N/A
|
Room
|
Included |
$ |
Transportation
from port to port |
Included |
N/A
|
Ground
Transfers
Vehicle Rental
Shore Tours |
$ |
$ |
| Airfare |
$
|
$ |
| Breakfast |
Included |
$ |
| Lunch |
Included |
$ |
| Dinner |
Included |
$ |
| Buffets/Snacks |
Included |
$ |
| Drinks/Beverages |
$
|
$ |
| Sports
Activities |
Included |
$ |
| Parties |
Included |
$ |
| Entertainment |
Included |
$ |
| Dancing/Discos |
Included |
$ |
| Nightclubs/Shows |
Included |
$ |
| Travel
Insurance |
$
|
$ |
| TOTAL |
$ |
$ |
For an even bigger surprise,
compare the cost of high-end luxury cruises with suite
accommodations at a super-deluxe resort. On some luxury
cruise lines, for instance Silversea Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line,
and Regent Seven Sea Cruises, even MORE is included in the base
fare. Complimentary stocked in-suite mini-bars, wines with lunch and
dinner, alcoholic beverages, bottled water, and soft drinks are all included in your fare.
Their passengers
find it difficult to spend any money beyond their fare and shore
excursions when booking one of these cruise lines that are so
all-inclusive.
Do the math and you just might
decide that a cruise is not only a more satisfying vacation choice,
it's also kinder to your budget!
Photo
courtesy of Princess
Cruises
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