All Inclusive Vacation Package - Is It For You?
July 20, 2007 – 6:00 pmIf you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
When you are doing research on taking a vacation, it makes a lot of sense to consider an All-Inclusive Vacation Package. After all, your entire vacation is bundled at one set rate.
I’m going to go over the advantages and disadvantages of reserving an All-Inclusive Vacation Package to help you make a solid decision on if this option is right for you.
Advantages:
Set Rate- All Inclusives charge one flat rate that covers meals, drinks, the room and most on site recreational activities. In most cases guests aren’t required to tip, although some generous people might do so anyway. I will suggest to check on the resorts rules as not all are the same. For instance when we stayed at Sosua By The Sea patrons had to pay for alcoholic drinks after 9 PM.
Other activities like golf or scuba diving might also incur extra charges.
Good locations- Part of the attraction of an all-inclusive resort would be the location. Most all-inclusives are located on or at least close to a sandy beach and are relatively close to
local shopping or others types of attractions. When we stayed at Sandals in the Bahamas there was a shuttlebus that cost a dollar to get down to the downtown area. From there, visitors could visit the Straw Market and many other local shopping venues. Some resorts even offer independent tour bookings (at extra cost) to go diving, river tubing, horseback riding or sight seeing.
Plenty of Entertainment On-Site- Resorts like to keep their guests busy! Most offer fitness rooms, at least one swimming pool, a jacuzzi, non-motorized water sports, live bands, daily activities and a host of other great things. Some places even offer “kids clubs” that will keep an eye on junior so mom and dad and can enjoy some alone time. Sunset Beach in Jamaica even offers a small waterpark for their guests to while away a few hours at no extra charge.
Disadvantages
It’s too easy to stay on resort- Sometimes half of the fun of vacation is seeing a new land and witnessing it’s beauty. If you don’t take time to leave the resort you miss out on a lot of history and scenery. If it’s a once in a lifetime chance to go somewhere, it’s nice to see more than just the place you’re staying at.
Might not be cost effective.- If you aren’t a big eater or drinker, you’ll end up paying a higher premium for your vacation because you aren’t taking advantage of the “all you can drink or eat” options. Some resorts might offer ala-carte options that you can just pay for accommodations - without the food and drink. Be sure to check prior to booking.
I hope that this will help you make your decision on whether or not an all-inclusive is right for you.
Happy travels!