RV Vacations Vs. Cruise Vacations
For 12 years, we’ve made an RV podcast for RV people. We’ve driven all over North America with kids and dogs, chasing beach days, national parks, great food, and campfire nights. So when we tell you we did something wildly out of character last spring… we mean it.
After a decade of spring break RV trips—Myrtle Beach, Charleston, and even one memorable spring break camping trip in Texas—we booked our first-ever cruise. We had never cruised as kids. We’d never cruised as adults. But the boys were cruise-curious (because how could they not be, with the commercials and the stories from friends?), and our spring break landed early in the calendar—right in that “South Carolina might still be brisk and the pools might not even be open” zone.
So we tried it. And for an entire week, we couldn’t stop comparing it to RV travel.
This isn’t a cruise review. We’re not cruise experts. This is simply what we learned when an RV family tried a classic spring break cruise—and why, even after a fun trip, we’re still firmly in the “RV vacation” camp as our family’s go-to for spring break each year!
1) RV vacations can be far more affordable
Cruises can be expensive, especially with five people—and we’re not talking about luxury suites. Between the rooms (we booked two rooms so we’d have two bathrooms), add-ons, and general travel costs, the total number adds up fast.
What really struck us is what that same amount of money can buy in the RV world. Depending on how you shop, one cruise vacation can equal a significant down payment on an RV—or even the full cost of a used pop-up or used travel trailer. And once you have the RV, you have a travel style that lets you control costs in a way cruising simply doesn’t.
2) Our RV setup is more comfortable than cruise ship rooms
Cruise rooms were comfortable, but they’re small. RV travel has spoiled us: our own pillows, our own towels, more space to spread out, a kitchen, and a bathroom that actually feels more functional for a family than a cruise ship bathroom.
The funny part is that RVing might be what made the cruise room feel manageable—because we’re used to small-space living. But if we’re choosing the most comfortable option for our family, RV travel wins.
3) We prefer the RV food situation
On an RV trip, we get the best of both worlds: we can cook (Blackstone griddle, Weber grill—whatever fits the vibe) and still go out for great meals when we want to.
On a cruise, you’re eating out for everything. That can be relaxing in one way—no meal planning—but it also means constant eating, constant temptation, and fewer opportunities to reset with simple, familiar food. For us, the quality also felt like a consistent “B+.” Totally fine. Totally edible. But not the same as picking our favorite restaurants in a place like Charleston and building the vacation around truly great meals–and making our own great meals whenever we want.
4) RV vacations are naturally more active
On our spring break RV trips, we’re moving: walking, hiking, swimming, surfing, exploring towns, biking around campgrounds, and generally living outside.
A cruise can be active if you make it active, but for our family it didn’t land that way. The rhythm felt more sedentary, and that’s not what we love most about vacation. RV vacations keep us naturally in motion.
5) Cruise pool culture is intense
We’ve been to crowded resort campgrounds during spring break. We know what pool crowds look like.
But cruise pool crowds were next-level. Chair saving, early morning competition for seats, and a vibe that felt more stressful than relaxing. On an RV trip, the pool is part of a bigger day. On a cruise ship day, it can feel like the center of the universe—because, for many people, it is.
6) The pools weren’t really “swimming pools”
This surprised us. We expected pools where kids could swim. What we found were lots of shallow “lounging” pools—more “standing and sipping” than “cannonballs and laps.”
We’re used to campground pools where the kids can actually swim, play, and burn energy. That style fits our family better.
7) Seasickness is a thing (even if it only happens once)
We’ll be honest: we didn’t expect seasickness. We’ve all spent time on boats. We didn’t think it would hit. But it did—one night—likely when the ship was moving faster in rougher conditions.
It wasn’t a defining memory of the trip, but it is a unique downside that simply doesn’t exist in RV travel.
8) RV travel offers more freedom and better day-to-day choices
On an RV vacation, you wake up and choose: beach day, hike day, downtown day, live music, museums, tourist attractions, nothing at all. The itinerary can be loose, flexible, and responsive to weather and mood.
Cruise excursions felt restrictive and expensive. Even if you want to create your own off-the-beaten-path day, you have to consider the biggest cruise anxiety of all: if something happens and you don’t make it back, the ship doesn’t wait. That reality changes how adventurous you might be and how far you might roam from the ship.
9) RV travel feels more social and community-oriented
Campground culture is friendly. People wave. People chat. People help. We’ve made friends RVing.
On the cruise, it felt like most families stayed in their own bubbles. That may vary by cruise type and group demographics, but for our family experience, RV travel felt far more communal.
10) You can bring your dog on an RV trip
This one is huge—and it’s one of the most underrated reasons people choose RVing in the first place.
Pets are family. And every vacation we took without Maggie and Maverick was time we didn’t have together. RV travel makes it simple: load up the dogs and go. Cruises don’t.
RV Vacations Vs. Cruise Vacations: Where Cruises Win
We’re not here to pretend cruising is awful. We had a great vacation. We laughed, relaxed, and made memories. And there are real ways cruising can be better—especially for certain families. When it comes to RV Vacations Vs. Cruise Vacations — cruises do win in certain areas.
1) Food availability is convenient (especially with teens)
Yes, the food can feel overwhelming. But the convenience is undeniable—especially with teenagers who are hungry at 9 p.m., then again at 10 p.m.
On a cruise, they can grab pizza or snacks without us cooking a second dinner in the RV. That part is genuinely nice.
2) The customer service is dialed in
Cruise staff are trained hospitality professionals. Friendly, responsive, consistent.
Campground hospitality varies wildly. Some resort campgrounds do it beautifully. Others charge resort prices without delivering resort-level service. Cruising reminded us what it feels like when hospitality is the core product. In the battle between RV Vacations Vs. Cruise Vacations this is definitely a win for cruising.
3) Built-in entertainment is a real perk
Shows. Comedy. Live music. Movies on deck. Poolside contests.
We don’t expect that at a national park campground. But if you’re paying premium prices at an RV resort, it’s fair to say that live entertainment can elevate the experience—and cruises deliver it reliably. RV resorts? Not so much.
4) You’re not responsible for fixing your accommodations
This might be the biggest cruise advantage of all.
If the hot water doesn’t work on a cruise, you tell someone and they fix it. RVing is the opposite: you bring your home with you, and you’re responsible for it. That’s part of the lifestyle—but it’s also why we believe RV vacations should remain more affordable than other vacation types.
Final Thoughts on RV Vacations Vs. Cruise Vacations
After one “classic” spring break cruise, we can say this with confidence: RV vacations are still our family’s favorite way to travel.
We like freedom. We like choosing our own pace. We like the campground community. We like having our own stuff, our own food rhythms, and our dog with us. And we especially like that RV travel can be as simple or as adventurous as we want it to be.
Would we cruise again? Probably—but not as our default spring break option. The cruises that intrigue us most are the ones that take you somewhere you wouldn’t reasonably take your own RV anyway (think Iceland, Norway, and other bucket-list regions of Europe). For our typical “get out of winter and make family memories” trip, we’ll take an RV vacation every time.
