Half board or full board for an island stay?
You are watching the budget and wonder if dropping a meal from the package really saves money.
Half board lowers the package price by dropping a meal, but it only saves money if you can eat that meal for less elsewhere. On a small island that is not always easy. Test it with your own group before you decide.
Our guide to full board on islands explains the wider checklist, and the island trip cost calculator lets you test your own numbers.
What changes in a day on each plan?
| Moment | Half board | Full board |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Included | Included |
| Lunch | Usually yours to arrange, or included instead of dinner | Included |
| Dinner | Usually included | Included |
| Drinks between meals | Often extra | Depends on the resort |
| Outing days | You may need a packed lunch | Ask whether a packed meal is arranged |
The details change from resort to resort. Use the table as a list of questions, not an answer.
How do you test the saving?
Do this quick sum with your own numbers and the resort’s reply:
- Ask both plans to be priced for the same dates, group and room.
- Subtract the full-board total from the half-board total. That gap is the headline saving.
- Count the meals half board leaves out, for every person, over your whole stay.
- Price one such meal using the resort’s own menu or the nearest shop.
- Multiply the meal price by the number of missing meals. Add this to the half-board total.
- Compare the two final totals.
Say you stay a few nights with a family. If the headline saving looks bigger than what the missing lunches would cost, half board wins.
If lunches for the whole group cost more than the saving, full board is the better value. The answer depends only on your numbers.
Where does half board usually go wrong?
Half board goes wrong in three ways. The lunch you must buy may cost more than planned. Children may eat more than a single portion.
You may be away on a trip and still pay for a dinner you do not eat. It also goes wrong on days when the only place to eat is the resort’s own menu.
Read a la carte dining outside the package to see how to price those meals. To compare packages that look alike, our guide on reading a resort price line by line shows how.
What should you ask the resort?
- Which meals are included on half board, and which are dropped?
- Can I choose lunch or dinner as the second meal?
- What does a lunch cost if I buy it on the island?
- Are drinks included on each plan?
- Can I switch plans after I arrive, and at what price?
- How are children’s meals charged on each plan?
- What happens on arrival and departure days?
Ask for the answers in writing and keep them with your booking.
A better fit if…
Half board may be a better fit if you are happy to buy lunch or will spend most days on trips. It also suits those with dietary needs who prefer to choose some meals.
Full board may be a better fit if you want predictable costs, are travelling with children or older parents, or are staying somewhere with few other places to eat.
Take the two quotations, run the six steps above and let the numbers decide.
Common questions
What does half board include?
It usually means breakfast and one other main meal, often dinner. The exact meals differ by resort, and drinks may or may not be included. Ask which meal is dropped, and ask whether you can swap lunch for dinner on days you are out.
Is half board always cheaper?
The package price is lower, but the total may not be. You still need lunch, and food on a small island can cost more than you expect. Add what you would pay for the missing meal, then compare the two totals.
Can I upgrade to full board after I arrive?
Some resorts allow it, some do not. Ask if it is possible, how it is priced, and whether it applies from the day you ask. Never assume you can change later, because kitchens plan meals in advance.
Which plan suits children better?
Full board is often simpler for families because meals are predictable and children get hungry at set times. Half board can work if there is a reliable place to buy lunch. Ask about child portions and prices on both plans.