Carnival is the largest player in the cruise ship market. Calling its cruises "The Fun Ship," it pioneered the idea of shorter, less expensive jaunts, which opened up the cruise lifestyle to middle America. Carnival relies on Las Vegas-style décor and entertainment to keep people occupied onboard. To find a specific all-inclusive Eastern Caribbean voyage, go to carnival.com.
This Florida-based cruise line company is the second largest in the world and also offers plenty of choices for all-inclusive Eastern Caribbean voyages. For example, you could book a seven-day cruise for as low as $532 per person for an inside stateroom, which means you won't have the greatest view in the world.
You might want to keep Disney in mind, especially if you have young children. It's a known commodity; if you like what the company does with its theme parks, you'll probably like what it does on the high seas as well. Disney offers endless onboard entertainment choices for kids and adults. A sampling of ports of call include St. Thomas, Grand Cayman and Puerto Rico.
Keep in mind that the term "all inclusive" sometimes has a shifting definition from cruise line to cruise line and between packages. Purchasing an all-inclusive ticket will normally cover the basics such as lodging, food, beverages and some entertainment. To partake in all the cruise has to offer, make purchases from the gift store, or join a land excursion will cost extra, which you can choose to have added to your bill at the end. Every cruise line posts recommended daily tipping per person. You can have this added to your all-inclusive rate at the beginning, take care of it as you go, or pay it all at once at the end. One thing to keep in mind: Even though they can't require it, they're serious about wanting you to tip properly.
