When it comes to planning your next holiday, sometimes you just want a packaged deal where all the details are figured out ahead of time. That way, you can pick and choose your next activity a la carte, depending on what you feel like doing that day. You will not have to pay a thought to cleaning dishes – or preparing meals, for that matter – because the holiday you want is stress-free, without concern, just a good time.

Now that you have narrowed down that you want an all-inclusive experience, perhaps the only question you might have left is whether you prefer a more sequenced set of events on a cruise ship, where you get to journey through a whirlwind of exotic places, or perhaps a more laid-back affair on the beaches of a holiday village-type resort.

Read on as we examine the pros and cons of each type of experience to help you decide which one is right for your next holiday plans.

How much do you want to see?

If your goal is to see a broad swathe of places without necessarily much time to see each place, then this desire will be the biggest single influence in deciding which option to go with. The easy answer, of course, is the cruise ship: this is variable in duration and destination, so choose however long you wish to be out at sea, where you wish to visit, and then off you go! Countries along the Mediterranean coast, the Caribbean, the Micronesian islands – indeed, anywhere where there are attractive beaches and coastlines – are all popular choices.

How much do you want to spend?

While price is adaptable depending on the package you want for either a cruise or a resort, your safer bet for spending less money will be at the resort. That is because, while accidents like this case study depicts could incur extra financial damage anywhere, there are generally more hidden costs associated with cruise ships than all-inclusive resorts.

When you are off the boat for the day going shopping in Rome, or eating Barcelona’s delicious Catalan cuisine, you will inevitably end up spending a fair amount of coin. The additional entertainment options on the boat itself are often not included. The temptation here is to over-spend, look at your empty billfold when you get back, and regret all your extra purchases.

How much do you want to relax?

While this is a highly subjective topic, it can be a bit easier to relax while on land without a ton of places to see and a ton of entertainment options begging to be considered. This is a classic catch 22 conundrum: with a selection of entertainment options that resembles a mashup of Broadway meets Six Flags amusement parks, you are both spoilt for choice with things to do on the ship while also confronted with the tyranny of overwhelming choice. Off the ship, you are hit with a whirlwind schedule of tons of things to do in interesting cities with only several hours at your disposal. To some, that can be unsettling. A relaxing piña colada on a sunny beach at a resort may be the choice for those that wish to kick back a little bit more.