Cruise Ships v All Inclusive

[Colwyn]

I decided to make an effort for Colwyn

Very fetching. And does whizz round-and-round?

[Stuart T]

Two trips to Fethiye booked and paid for next year: -

In May with a lady friend to Letoonia - AI and perfect for the two of us. Great food and a very relaxing time for a couple of weeks. Everything done for us - food, drinks and pampering beyond belief. Been there before and all that I hoped it would be.

In August/September with a friend in a rented apartment for three weeks. Totally different holiday in the same town. Still pampered with shave and massage every two days and some interesting home cooking mixed with eating out.

AI in Letoonia - for me - is a world apart from cruising. I can escape to Calis or Fethiye or hire a car to visit local areas.

Mediterranean cruise for three weeks drove me batty. There is no escape from the "arranged" daily activities and the same faces at meal times. Looking at the sea on a daily basis is mind numbing.

Plus - I get seasick on damp grass so I am probably not the best person to give an unbiased opinion.





 

[Colwyn]

Thanks to all for their interesting replies. I still can't see a clear-cut advantage of cruises over AI from the point of view of local tourist economies even though cruises seem to come in for less abuse. But I feel better informed about the issue. In both cases there are those people who "escape" at the drop of a hat, whilst others are more likely to stay put and enjoy the "home" attractions of their base. I suppose in the case of cruises the choice is, for example, whether whatever the tourist $s, €s or £s that are available go to Kusadasi or to Rhodes. The AKP Gov. reckons that making it a Turkish resort is worth more than $30 per tourist to the Turkish economy (or it hopes the tourist may come back and spend a lot more).

[Laura B]

On, I think, a slightly different tack from your original question Colwyn.  People can be very critical of AI because the 'inmates' apparently do nothing for the local economy which may be relevant in a place like Fethiye but I am thinking of all the AIs in Antalya, the ones that are billed as being on Lara Beach but are, in fact, in Kundu.  If anyone has ever been to Kundu, outside the AIs, they will know there is absolutely nothing there of any interest.  A few fur/ leather emporiums for the poor souls who have escaped their AI and a few other tat shops.  But, the people who do go to these AIs are eating and drinking (local produce) and being served and having their rooms cleaned etc etc which helps the local economy hugely in my opinion, or even if not the local economy the economy in general.  These folk wish to go somewhere where they don't want to 'suffer' the realities of life while on their hols so if the AIs were not available they would go to a different country altogether because they are not interested in local colour but getting their hols as they want them.  Horses for courses.

[Scunner]

I guess the advantage of cruises over AI is you get a big influx into resort every day as the ships come in and out daily. People would only go out a couple of times perhaps if staying a week in AI locally.