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Can't you just book a regular hotel instead of an "all inclusive resort?"
That is what I did when I visited Puerto Vallarta. It had all of the above but no belly flop contest.
Can't you just book a regular hotel instead of an "all inclusive resort?"
That is what I did when I visited Puerto Vallarta. It had all of the above but no belly flop contest.
Because of the convenience of all the food and drink you want included. That is kind of the point. We never had to carry money. Cruises and traditional hotels, you pay at every step. You can have that all included for almost the same price of a traditional place. There is something so stress free about it. We had the buffet that was open all day long, plus several other full service restaurants on the property we could try for dinner. We could also dine at any of the nearby sister properties (there was one a short walk down the beach that we checked out). You are also able to boogie board, windsurf, paddleboard, and kayak as a part of your stay, no extra cost. It is nice to have excellent service without people always having their hand out waiting to be paid. There was a bar in the room and stocked mini fridge with water and beer.
I will definately go the all-inclusive route again, even that means I have to listen to the silly pool games.
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Elle, everything you describe is standard operating procedure for Mexican all-inclusives.
To find an AI without quite so much hoopla, your best bet is to go the Trip Advisor forum for your chosen destination and ask which all-inclusives are more toned down. Those forums are full of people who know.
Elle, everything you describe is standard operating procedure for Mexican all-inclusives.
To find an AI without quite so much hoopla, your best bet is to go the Trip Advisor forum for your chosen destination and ask which all-inclusives are more toned down. Those forums are full of people who know.
Great photos!
Yeah I plan to go there next. We are starting to think about our next trip so I am looking for any ideas.
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There are plenty of all-inclusive places out there that do not have the constant noise and the forced entertainment.... just have to find them.
Personally... I enjoyed it... as much as I enjoy the beach/pool/lounging it gets far too boring after a while when there's nothing really going on. Obviously that's just me...
Cruise ships have everything included except some special drinks such as sodas, alcoholic drinks, spa treatments and shore trips so you can dine in the dining rooms, eat at the buffet all day long without incurring additional costs. Pools, exercise, games, reviews, etc., are all free. Since your room key card is also your ship's credit card, should you decide to buy anything, you just use your key card so no cash necessary. Until the end of the trip, anyway.
For the on board free drinks, you can get coffee, teas, juices and water for free so the lack of soda isn't a hardship. Or there is a soda addition you can get on your key card so you can have unlimited sodas while you're on board. They do have lots of additional things available for purchase, though, so if you're not careful you can rack up a tidy sum by the end of the cruise.
Different cruise lines have different levels of entertainment and prodding to engage the passengers. Of the basic cruise ships, Holland seems more reserved than some of the others.
Cruise ships have everything included except some special drinks such as sodas, alcoholic drinks, spa treatments and shore trips so you can dine in the dining rooms, eat at the buffet all day long without incurring additional costs. Pools, exercise, games, reviews, etc., are all free. Since your room key card is also your ship's credit card, should you decide to buy anything, you just use your key card so no cash necessary. Until the end of the trip, anyway.
For the on board free drinks, you can get coffee, teas, juices and water for free so the lack of soda isn't a hardship. Or there is a soda addition you can get on your key card so you can have unlimited sodas while you're on board. They do have lots of additional things available for purchase, though, so if you're not careful you can rack up a tidy sum by the end of the cruise.
Different cruise lines have different levels of entertainment and prodding to engage the passengers. Of the basic cruise ships, Holland seems more reserved than some of the others.
I would never take a cruise. I know lots of people love them, but I have no interest in that at all.
I have many friends who do cruise and they have all told me how they got "nickeled and dimed" to death on the ship. Stuff that should be free wasn't, etc.
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I was surprised on a recent stay in Oahu that even at a 'regular' hotel there was this Noise Everywhere, yoga classes on the beach where the instructor used a microphone so loud it could not be avoided, constant 'service' at poolside that was just irritating.
The hotel was built in a big U shape and to avoid being able to hear people talking on the other side, they had a 'water feature' that had the effect of being at Niagara Falls. Our nerves were frazzled by the constant cacophony and too much 'service' we did not want.
Not sure how to avoid all this except checking places like Lost Roses said, Trip Advisor, Forbes Travel, etc.
I would never take a cruise. I know lots of people love them, but I have no interest in that at all.
I have many friends who do cruise and they have all told me how they got "nickeled and dimed" to death on the ship. Stuff that should be free wasn't, etc.
Your friends need a new travel agent. There certainly are cruises where you are not nickle and dined, and are built on a more all inclusive model. Typically, you prepay for a package that gives you all alcohol, fancy coffees, etc in advance. Some cruise lines give this away as a promo for certain cruises during a sale. Celebrity calls it their 123go sale, for example. Other cruise lines specialize in having different restaurants on board - most NCL ships have 8 or more different dining venues. You can pay in advance to use any of those as much as you want, and again that package is sometimes offered as a free promo for booking. On NCL, it's called the UDP (Ultimate Dining Package).
Yes, you'll pay extra for meals and tours if you get off the ship, but that's YOUR decision. We often stay on the ship during port days and enjoy all the space and amenities.
I'm not trying to talk the OP into a cruise; in fact, I sense they have already decided they would hate it. I feel that way about all inclusives, and what the OP describes makes me feel even more strongly that they are not for us. But this thread is full of misinformation about cruising, and I just wanted to point that out.
Cruising may be the last type of travel where a knowledgeable, experienced travel agent who specializes in cruises can make a huge difference in the ultimate satisfaction for the passenger.
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