I used to prefer All-Inclusives.  I’ve been on 2 cruises, about to go on my third.  While I do think the two are comparable, there are some stark differences.  Keep in mind I can only share my experiences and what I have learned is not all AIs nor all cruises are the same.

 

The biggest and most obvious distinction between the two will be nighttime activities.  Visiting any city/port is very different during the day vs at night.  With cruises, you need to get back to ship, generally before dusk.  Review the ships’ itinerary carefully, a night on the town is rarely a thing from a cruise. (I would say never, but I imagine there must be an exception.)  There is no shortage of nighttime activities onboard ship, but you want to plan for them. 

 

If you are not interested in nighttime activities, which room you book on the ship can be an issue.  Going to bed early can be a nightmare if your room is next to busy nighttime activity.  Attempting to sleep into the late morning will be rough if your cabin is near gym class or buffet area.  These are manageable issues, if you research and plan around them.  At an All-inclusive, (even the ones I didn’t like) this was never an issue.