When people start looking at holidays, one of the biggest areas of confusion is what’s actually included in the price.
On the surface it feels straightforward. All inclusive means everything. Half board means breakfast and dinner. Cruises are full board. But once you start digging into it, you realise very quickly that it is never quite that simple. And this is where a lot of people either overspend or get caught out later on.
“We’re not big drinkers, so half board will be fine”
We hear this a lot. And I completely understand why people say it. If you are not planning on drinking all day by the pool, then all inclusive can feel unnecessary. But what often gets missed is everything else you still end up buying during the day without really thinking about it. Things like:
- Morning coffees outside breakfast
- Bottled water throughout the day
- Lunch or snacks if you are staying on resort
- A pre dinner drink
- A glass of wine with dinner
None of these feel like big expenses on their own. But over a week, they absolutely add up.
Half board in reality
Half board usually covers breakfast and dinner.
Everything else is extra. That is fine if you are out exploring most days or eating locally. But if you are spending a lot of time on resort, it is very easy to underestimate what you will actually spend on top.
And one of the biggest surprises for clients is often water. In some resorts it is not included outside of meal times, which catches people out more than anything else.
A real example from Mauritius
Gilly has just been to Shandrani Beachcomber in Mauritius, part of the Beachcomber group. At this resort, the upgrade from half board to all inclusive is around £50 per person per day. At first glance, some people question whether that is worth it. But when you break it down properly, it becomes a different conversation. For Gilly all inclusive made complete sense as she enjoyed:
- Early morning Coffee
- Water throughout the day
- Al le carte lunch
- A pre dinner drink (or two)
- Wine with dinner
- Coffee and post-dinner drinks
When you add that up, £50 per day is very easy to reach without even trying. In our case, because we were mostly staying at the resort, I have no doubt we would have spent that anyway. So all inclusive just made sense.
When half board is the better choice
Half board absolutely has its place. It works well when:
- You are planning lots of excursions
- You are eating out in local restaurants
- You are not spending full days at the hotel
- You want flexibility rather than structure
In those situations, all inclusive can actually be poor value because you are simply not there enough to use it.
Cruises are even more confusing
Cruises are probably the hardest holidays to compare when it comes to inclusions. Yes, most include full board, meaning buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner. But beyond that, things vary massively from one cruise line to another. You always need to check the detail properly, because the headline price rarely tells the full story. Common extras to look out for include:
- Service charges or daily tips
- Drinks, including soft drinks and alcohol
- WiFi
- Specialty dining
- Sometimes even bottled water
And this is where a “cheap” cruise can quickly become a lot more expensive once you are onboard. Then there is the other end of the scale at the luxury end of cruising, everything changes. With cruise lines like Explora Journeys, things like drinks, WiFi, gratuities and speciality dining are included as standard. Here’s Gilly enjoying her INCLUDED morning coffee!
So yes, the upfront price is higher, but you are not constantly thinking about what is being added on top once you are onboard. It becomes a much more relaxed way to travel because everything is already covered.
Why this matters so much
The problem with holidays is that inclusions are not standardised. Two holidays that look similar in price can be completely different once you understand what is and is not included. That is where people get caught out, especially when booking online without digging into the detail. Why we spend so much time on this with clients
This is exactly the part of the process we go through carefully. Not to overcomplicate it, but to make sure people are booking the right thing for the way they actually travel. It is about matching the holiday to the person, not just picking the cheapest option or the most obvious label.
The takeaway
Holiday pricing is only one part of the story. The real difference is always in the detail of what is included.
Whether it is a resort or a cruise, the question should never just be “what does it cost”. It should be “what am I actually going to use, and what will I end up spending once I am there”. Because once you understand that, you stop comparing holidays on price alone and start comparing them on value and that’s exactly what we’re here to help with!
Get in touch to start planning your next adventure.