SWR: AI resort or Cruise... your preference?

I've been on a cruise and loved it. We are going to our first AI resort for our honeymoon.

Our room will be much nicer at the resort, but I'm expecting that the food will be better on the cruise? Also, the resort includes alcohol, and water sports. However, the resort is also more $$$$.

I guess we'll have to see!

Can you compare the pros/cons of the 2?

which resort r u going to?


i loved the resort so much more.. you got time to go into the town and really see the neighborhood.. not enough time when u'r only in dock from 11- 6.. the food was DELICIOUS.. on both.. i gues the benefit is on teh resort u didn't have to pay for the extras.. liquor was over FLOWING.. and all of it free.. all of the time.. but i saw more drunk people on the cruise.. go figure.. more drunk people where ya have to pay for the liquor..

never had to look for a beach chair on the resort..which on the boat sometimes i did.. and off the boat if u went to a beach u often had to pay.. more activities on the boat.. well more organized activities.. on our resort they had a basket makng class.. it was my favorite thing of all.. lol.

we are going to Sandals - St Lucia (Grande).

There wasn't really that much to do at night on the boat -- we went to a lot of comedy shows, but I've heard there isnt much of a nightlife at Sandals either.

I imagine it will be nice to not have to worry about missing the boat

I would have gone on a cruise for our honeymoon because I loved the all-inclusive aspect, but FH wanted to be on land so Sandals seemed to be the best of both worlds.

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Posted by Kerin2804

We are going to Sandals AI for our honeymoon and have heard rave reviews from many people. All you fo is arrive and everything is really included. Alcohol, food, many activities too. You are not even allowed to tip the staff. You can truly relax !

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Which Sandals are you going to?

i love cruises and we had a wonderful honeymoon cruise
it was a lot less $$ than AI and for us; it was perfect
we really dont drink so to pay more money for AI that includes alcohol really didnt pay for us

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Posted by iwannabmrsD

now that i've been to both.one right after the other.... i'm totally feeling the AI resort as the bettre option.. what do u think and why?

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I actually went to the same AI as you and loved it. I love cruising, but this resort was amazing. I loved it because it was huge, had a lot of restaurants, great things to do at the resort that were free. We always spend a lot more on cruises, but we also get a balcony room so of course it's going to be more money than an inside room. They are completely different. If everything was included on the cruise, I might lean more to the cruise, but because I have to pay for excursions and alcohol it's even.

i think that's something that i liked more about the AI also.. 1. u didn't have to tip anyone.. and this resort at least, had free excursions.. plus it was so easy and cheap to call a cab ad have them take u places, or u could just walk the beach and do so much..

i'm not a heavy drinker, and right now i'm not a drinker at all but i do appreciate a glass of wine at dinner, on a cruise u'r gonna pay 9 to 10 for each glass or for the entir bottle. at the AI its free!!

like i mentioned, dh and i did a cruise and then an AI resort for our honeymoon.. one week at each.. i totally was feeling the ai resort a lot more. no time limits on stuff.. go snorkeling when you want.. sit on the beach when YOU want.. eat when YOU want. plus, nothing beats looking and listening to the ocean waves at night..

omg, mici did u go to the bonfire? it was soo romatic and nice to sit around and watch the fire.. did u make the basket? i totally did.. and carried it home in my hand like it was a baby.. i LOVE my couples resort basket..

i think as much as i like cruises, i am totally AI hooked now.. i'm looking for a new one to go to next.. that sandals st. lucia is sounding real good right bout now...

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Posted by iwannabmrsD

i think that's something that i liked more about the AI also.. 1. u didn't have to tip anyone.. and this resort at least, had free excursions.. plus it was so easy and cheap to call a cab ad have them take u places, or u could just walk the beach and do so much..

i'm not a heavy drinker, and right now i'm not a drinker at all but i do appreciate a glass of wine at dinner, on a cruise u'r gonna pay 9 to 10 for each glass or for the entir bottle. at the AI its free!!

like i mentioned, dh and i did a cruise and then an AI resort for our honeymoon.. one week at each.. i totally was feeling the ai resort a lot more. no time limits on stuff.. go snorkeling when you want.. sit on the beach when YOU want.. eat when YOU want. plus, nothing beats looking and listening to the ocean waves at night..

omg, mici did u go to the bonfire? it was soo romatic and nice to sit around and watch the fire.. did u make the basket? i totally did.. and carried it home in my hand like it was a baby.. i LOVE my couples resort basket..

i think as much as i like cruises, i am totally AI hooked now.. i'm looking for a new one to go to next.. that sandals st. lucia is sounding real good right bout now...

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I think it's going to be so hard finding a resort like that one anywhere else! I was just WOW'd! I loved it! What room did you have? We had one of the older rooms because FH wanted a hammock on the balcony (which he took naps in everyday lol). I didn't do the basket making. I wanted to go to the martini making class but I missed it! Did you have a hard time staying up? We were in bed before 12 every night! The bonfire was great but I started falling asleep! Did you do a dinner for 2 on the beach? We did that. It was so romantic. I can't wait to go back!

not a fan of cruises--just never have been for some reason. did it once and that was enough for me.


i have been to 3 AIs, 2 in cancun and 1 in jamaica--and i'm going to my 4th in Punta Cana, DR in may---and i LOVE LOVE LOVE the AIs!!! i mean from the moment you arrive till you leave.....all food & drinks are included!! that's great for me.


ETA: one thing i hated about crusies---for a lot of them (i know norwegian is different--but others are mostly like this)....you have to eat on a 'schedule' and i HATE that. i like rolling out of bed and getting food at my convenience. or like at Couples Ocho Rios in Jamaica--you could order continental brekafast in bed and leave your menu choices on the door handle--and in the morning they'd deliver you food when YOU asked for it. (just chk the appropriate time)---LOVED that. i was gonna do a carnival cruise with a friend and i really really hated that i had to choose what time i was gonna eat practically when i bookd the trip!

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Posted by Mici n KC

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Posted by iwannabmrsD

i think that's something that i liked more about the AI also.. 1. u didn't have to tip anyone.. and this resort at least, had free excursions.. plus it was so easy and cheap to call a cab ad have them take u places, or u could just walk the beach and do so much..

i'm not a heavy drinker, and right now i'm not a drinker at all but i do appreciate a glass of wine at dinner, on a cruise u'r gonna pay 9 to 10 for each glass or for the entir bottle. at the AI its free!!

like i mentioned, dh and i did a cruise and then an AI resort for our honeymoon.. one week at each.. i totally was feeling the ai resort a lot more. no time limits on stuff.. go snorkeling when you want.. sit on the beach when YOU want.. eat when YOU want. plus, nothing beats looking and listening to the ocean waves at night..

omg, mici did u go to the bonfire? it was soo romatic and nice to sit around and watch the fire.. did u make the basket? i totally did.. and carried it home in my hand like it was a baby.. i LOVE my couples resort basket..

i think as much as i like cruises, i am totally AI hooked now.. i'm looking for a new one to go to next.. that sandals st. lucia is sounding real good right bout now...

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I think it's going to be so hard finding a resort like that one anywhere else! I was just WOW'd! I loved it! What room did you have? We had one of the older rooms because FH wanted a hammock on the balcony (which he took naps in everyday lol). I didn't do the basket making. I wanted to go to the martini making class but I missed it! Did you have a hard time staying up? We were in bed before 12 every night! The bonfire was great but I started falling asleep! Did you do a dinner for 2 on the beach? We did that. It was so romantic. I can't wait to go back!

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oh oky.. so no i dont feel like such an old lady.. no we were in our room by 1 each night..we did go to the club though.. it was FUN!! lol. i didn't bother going to the martini class.. since i can't drink it'd just be torture.. but i LOVE my basket making class.. lol. dh did the cook jamaican class.. his fam is from tennesse and south carolina but he's talking bout making ackee and callolo (sp) with boiledbanana. im like uh.. no thanks hon... lol

we did the glass bottom boat, and the catamaran.. we didn't do the dinner on the beach but walked by one night when they had them.. it did look romantic.. the bonfire was great.. with a bottle of wine.. it would have been perfect..

we walked down to jimmy buffets.. which is so close and so cool, took the free excursion up to pirates cave, and the sands.. walked to ricks and watched the cliff diving.. it was just so relaxing.. not to have to rush back to the boat by 4pm.. lol.

oh our room was in the great house.. where the casino nad internet cafe was..

lol.. we left feathers and went to the cabana grill.. he had the lemongrass the next night but decided not to.. so we went to the palms.. LOVEd the palms ala carte for dinner, and patois for breakfast.. and the seagrape.. omg the foil wrapped snapper!! i FELL IN LOVE WITH IT!! but only got to it right before they changed the menu..

i think i may try to find a recipe for the pumpkin jalapeno spread.. that stuff was so good i told dh they should sell this in trader joes!! lol

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Posted by MJDoc12

ETA: one thing i hated about crusies---for a lot of them (i know norwegian is different--but others are mostly like this)....you have to eat on a 'schedule' and i HATE that. i like rolling out of bed and getting food at my convenience. or like at Couples Ocho Rios in Jamaica--you could order continental brekafast in bed and leave your menu choices on the door handle--and in the morning they'd deliver you food when YOU asked for it. (just chk the appropriate time)---LOVED that. i was gonna do a carnival cruise with a friend and i really really hated that i had to choose what time i was gonna eat practically when i bookd the trip!

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We went on a Carnival Cruise and you could eat whenever you wanted... you could do the room service breakfast where you leave your choices on your door handle (we did this on the mornings we had to get up early for excursions) or you could go to a breakfast in the dining room, or you could go to the breakfast buffet. We never got up in time for the dining room breakfast so we'd go to the buffet one which served the same food, but in a different location.

Lunch ran pretty much all day, and they also had sushi, pizza, deli open all day/night. They had a buffet dinner running all night as an alternative to the sit down dinner. I didn't really feel restricted w/ when I had to eat at all...

I was actually worried about the opposite for our Sandals trip. I heard you have to make dinner reservations as soon as you get there and I was worried about having to commit to certain meals on certain days/times.... am I wrong?

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Posted by teenigrrl

i've never been on a cruise, but i love AI resorts!! our HM was at Excellence Riviera Cancun, and it was by far the best one I stayed at, but it was also the most $$. i like the freedom that comes with it - you can come and go from the hotel as you like, there's no time schedule, alcohol is already all paid for, nice spacious room, no getting seasick. we talked about taking a cruise, it just seems so restrictive, and expensive, esp if you're like me and like to have a few drinks.

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This is where we are going for our HM!!! I'm so excited to hear that you thought it was so good. We have both been on cruises before, but never to an AI. I like crusies, but I definitely prefer them with a group of people. Anything about the resort imparticular that you would recommend taking advantage of ?

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Posted by chrissybean77

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Posted by teenigrrl

i've never been on a cruise, but i love AI resorts!! our HM was at Excellence Riviera Cancun, and it was by far the best one I stayed at, but it was also the most $$. i like the freedom that comes with it - you can come and go from the hotel as you like, there's no time schedule, alcohol is already all paid for, nice spacious room, no getting seasick. we talked about taking a cruise, it just seems so restrictive, and expensive, esp if you're like me and like to have a few drinks.

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This is where we are going for our HM!!! I'm so excited to hear that you thought it was so good. We have both been on cruises before, but never to an AI. I like crusies, but I definitely prefer them with a group of people. Anything about the resort imparticular that you would recommend taking advantage of ?

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Tell us all about it! That's where we're going for our HM also! Love hearing reviews.....