Cruise vs All-Inclusive Resort Calculator

How the cruise vs resort comparison works

A cruise and an all-inclusive resort both bundle food and lodging, but they leave different costs outside the bundle. A cruise fare usually excludes gratuities, most drinks, shore excursions and the trip to the port. A resort rate usually includes drinks and meals, but flights, transfers and tours remain. This calculator totals both sides for the same group and nights.

Each side is built from the same kind of lines. Per-person items are multiplied by guests, and daily items by guests and nights. Taxes apply to the resort room rate, and resort fees apply per room per night. The result shows the difference and each option's cost per person per day, which is the fairest way to compare trips of different shape. Trips differ in length and group size, so a total alone can mislead. Dividing by people and days puts a four-night resort and a ten-night cruise on the same scale, and shows where each one really spends your money.

Here is the default example. Two guests spend 7 nights. The cruise adds a fare, fees, $18 a day in tips, $50 a day in drinks, excursions, flights and parking, which totals $4,392 and works out to $314 per person per day. The resort at $250 per person per night, plus 12 percent tax, flights, transfers, excursions, tips and extras, totals $5,550 or $396 per person per day. All figures are editable examples. Change them to match real quotes, because one line item, such as drinks or flights, can flip the answer. Keep the same group size and nights on both sides so the comparison stays fair.

Line-specific figures change, so confirm current prices. Build the cruise side carefully with the cruise cost calculator, the gratuity calculator and the drink package calculator, then enter the totals here.

Where these numbers come from

The formulas and default values in this calculator are based on:

• Cruise line gratuity, beverage and port pages recorded in the Adventure Calcs entity data files, checked 2026-09-30. Note: resort rates, fees, flights, transfers and all other figures here are editable examples, not quotes

This is a planning estimate, not medical, legal or immigration advice. Fees, allowances, limits and entry rules change, so confirm the figures with your airline, cruise line, customs agency or the official government source before you book or travel, and follow their rules if they differ from this page.