dAvenue

I've done them both as well. On a cruise, you're on the ship 10 - 24 hours a day (depending on the gap between destinations) but there is always something fun to do, places to visit, an abundance of scenic views, and the food is always delightful (I've never had a bad meal on a cruise). The downside to cruises are the kids; they are everywhere and can be annoying, but the mere size of the ship will be so vast, you will forget about them in no time. If you're looking to distress and relax to the max, this would be the option for you.

The all-inclusive trips, on the other hand, can be fun and exciting (especially when you first arrive and get the "tour" of your campus). The views never change, though, and their beauty tragically becomes an after-thought within the week. The food is not that great when compared to a cruise line, but at least two of the restaurants within your network will be categorized as "premier" and they will have very good food. However, the resort recycles the same group of servers for all restaurants (the restaurants alternate the nights they're open) and tipping is prohibited; this typically results in poor customer service and poor attention to detail when dining at the non-premier places. The good news is that the premier restaurants will staff only the best servers from the aforementioned group of recycled servers. The experience in a premier place is significantly better than the others. The beaches are nice and can be very relaxing. The biggest advantage of all-inclusive resorts are, of course, the drinks. If you're just wanting to party your *** off, this would be the one for you.

__________________