What is the best all-inclusive vacation?
Do you guys have any personal experiences?
8 Answers
for a general--not salacious--vacation, nothing i know of beats a cruise for an all-inclusive value. i've been on cruises--real ones!--for as little as $30/day, none more than $75/day, with the average around $53/day...
PROS:
* you get the room;
* all your meals/snacks/whatever else you can eat;
* entertainment ('variety show'-style = song/dance numbers, comics, magicians, hypnotists, etc);
* people to socialize with;
* free transportation to interesting places to explore;
* no need to rent a car...
CONS:
* not necessarily a good value for singles;
* you may need to fly to a port (though there's plenty of ports up and down the east and west coasts...if you live near one, get a friend or family member to drop you off...have some cocktails on the ride...);
* alcoholic beverages are NOT included, and bar tabs can get ridiculously high, ridiculously fast (though there are ways to circumvent this);
* sometimes the interesting places to explore won't be that interesting to you;
* the potential for sea-sickness...
All inclusive gets a bad wrap from travel snobs-But they can be very fun especially with a group. I prefer the smaller resorts and recommend the Le Blanc resort in Cancun. It’s a very clean, modern resort. The restaurants are great and they offer full menu room service (which is rare for all-inclusive). There are 2 pools and the larger one is a zero line pool that looks over the ocean, it’s pretty amazing. I believe the beach is private and there is a server on the beach who will set up an umbrella and serve you booze and food.
Overall it’s a great scene, adults only and very low-key. I didn’t really care for the city of Cancun - personally my wife and I enjoy staying at the resort, sitting by the beach/pool all day drinking margarita’s and relaxing and this place is perfect for it. I played some sand volley ball at a neighboring resort and noticed there was a buffet of nachos and hotdogs outside, near the pool, it was pretty disgusting and I was glad to head back to the low-key Le Blanc-opps There I go being a travel snob.
I just got back from a river cruise in Europe, and I loved it. You got to see a different city every day, after cruising during the night, and had a local guide to show you the sites instead of wondering aimlessly around. The place I used is having some huge discounts. Most of the people that were on the cruise were repeat customers of the cruise line, and said they preferred them over the other companies they had tried.
The only downside of the cruise was that average age of the passengers had to be in the 50's. However, you forget about that after taking full advantage of the drink plan, which I would recommend getting.
Depending on your budget, any three-star (add a star for anywhere in Cuba and the poorer regions of other Caribbean countries) all-inclusive resort will have what you're looking for. Your best bet is to make a friend at a travel agency, and borrow their resort books to look for the resort that best suits your needs. TripAdvisor is immensely helpful when it comes to personal experiences (reviews will let you know if something major has happened recently like a storm or renovations), but pay close attention to where the reviewer comes from, as Canadians and Europeans are generally more well-versed in the all-inclusive experience, whereas Americans tend to rate the same resorts much worse because they are used to paying for everything individually, tipping to obtain better service, etc.
I would recommend going just after Christmas/New Years but before Spring Break, as prices fall dramatically after the holiday and the resorts are much less busy. The weather is still fantastic but the sun isn't as punishing.
If you can afford it (and you're looking for a place with the/a lady), I'm not sure you'll beat :Jade Mountain in St. Lucia":http://www.jademountain.com/default.html .
Each "3-wall" room has an infinity pool IN the room, in addition to all the other high-level luxuries and touches afforded in the Caribbean.
Just be aware that most married guys I know that go there return with pregnant wives...
For the kid in you, nothing beats a Disney World vacation. For under $5000 you can stay at one of their premium resorts, with a week long pass to every park, and a dining plan for each person.
Depends on what you're looking for, where you currently live, and how much you want to spend. I look for cheap, quick direct flights, adults only.
From Chicago, I've been to Temptation Cancun
last year, and I'm going back this year. The atmosphere is very "spring break" with club music, scantily clad women (topless optional beach/pool), and lots of fun party / drinking games. I use tripadvisor.com a lot to read reviews on new resorts before deciding. If you want something quieter, you'll have to spend a little more. I can also highly recommend Secrets Maroma
Much quieter, but also much classier.