How about a beach trip?
Staying in the US vs. an All-Inclusive Caribbean destination
"...just someplace tropical with a beach!" This phrase is something we get a lot in our email in-box and folks tend to follow-up with things like, "all-inclusive would be nice" and "I don't want to leave the country." I just finished a "beachy" quote for some clients and wanted to talk about what the costs would be for a couple to travel in March, 2021 (current as of Feb 7). Also, I wanted to point out what surprise expenses you might anticipate paying. Let's compare three different trips.
The cost you'll see are for two people traveling 7 days and 6 nights and include the resort stay with a water/ocean view, round-trip airfare from Indianapolis, and transfers to and from the resort. For these quotes, I did avoid "discount" air carriers, opting for the major airlines and no basic economy flights. It's impossible to be completely fair and find the exact same amenities at each resort but at the very least these properties all have direct beach access, multiple pools, spa service, and at least one bar and restaurant on property.
The US Beach Vacation
This quote takes us to Ft. Lauderdale which is located on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Florida. The property I chose (for no particular reason other than it was relatively cheap and the first on the list on my booking site) is the Ft Lauderdale Marriott Pompano Beach Oceanfront Resort and Spa.
Marriott offers a great product with clean, reasonably priced resorts. You can sign up for their Bonvoy program to accrue points which can be redeemed for free nights. You get additional perks such as online check-in and a room key on your phone plus you also sometimes get bonus discounts. This resort has a kids' club for guests ages 4-17 but I couldn't find a cost and since it wasn't advertised a free, I highly suspect you'll be paying to ditch the kids for a few hours of alone-time.
An unexpected fee that comes with many (many, many) resorts in popular destinations in the US are resort fees. These are fees that cover things like wi-fi access, robes in the room (does anyone even wear them?), a daily newspaper, or parking fees. These fees generally start around $20 a day, like with this property but can run as high as $50-70/day, especially in the Hawaiian resorts. Generally, these fees don't include parking which can add another $15-40 per night and can be a deal-breaker when deciding to drive or fly to your destination. Since gratuities aren't included, expect a few dollars a night for housekeeping. At the time I quoted this resort, each room received two free breakfasts per day plus a one-time $25 resort credit. $2245 (plus resort fees, food/drinks, and transfers to/from the resort)
The US All-Inclusive Resort 
For starters, there are very few, traditional all-inclusive resorts in the United States. One of the most popular is Club Med Sandpiper Bay located in Port St. Lucie, also on the Atlantic coast. In order to book a stay, you must purchase a membership. For guests 16+, the yearly membership fee is $60, for those under 16 it's $30. Not so much hidden, but that is an extra cost you might not have with a different trip.
Club Med, which has properties all over the world (and non-beach stuff, too) does a great job mimicking the traditional all-inclusive in that you get all of your food and drinks, water and land sports, and entertainment is included in the price. Gratuities are considered included but you can tip staff that go above and beyond. Since your vacation expectations can differ from your kid's, a huge perk are free kids' clubs for youths 4-17. You will expect to pay more for premium liquor, spa services, excursions and what they call on demand activities such as a tennis and golf academy or sea scooter rentals. Something quite unusual and included with the resort stay is the flying trapeze group lesson. $2,960 (plus membership fees, and any on demand activities, optional gratuities)
The Caribbean All-Inclusive Resort
Ah...my favorite. So, when we decide to go out of the country the obvious hurdle of getting a passport presents itself. This will cost each adult $145 dollars and are valid for 10 years. Kids (those under 16) are slightly less expensive at $115 and valid for 5 years. You also have the cost of getting passport photos ($10-15). Obviously, you can wait until the last minute and have to pay additional fees to get your passport expedited so plan ahead. Also, make sure that your passport is valid for at least six months AFTER your expected return date. You can be denied permission to travel so don't take the chance!
With those disclaimers made, let's talk about warm beaches again. I chose a destination at an adult-only resort in Cancun, Mexico called Royalton Chic Suites Cancun. Royalton is a fine company that I've booked several clients to before. You can opt for a standard room (with a variety of views) or upgrade to the Diamond Club room. Depending on the Royalton property, a Diamond Club room gets you access to extra amenities such as members-only pools, lounges, clubs, restaurants and beach locations. It is one upgrade most guests have said the "wished they'd done" or "not regretted doing."
Again, all food and drinks, water and land sports, and entertainment is included in the price. Gratuities are considered included but you can tip staff that go above and beyond. Bare in mind a $1 in Mexico travels a lot further that a buck in south Florida. At an adult-only resort, you won't find kids so no kids club here! Don't fret if you want to take the whole gang to a family resort - there are plenty of Caribbean destinations available for you. Most Caribbean resorts will include non-motorized watersports with your package. Nothing with a motor is included and normally not even available from the resort. They don't want half-tanked patrons trying to accomplish Evel Knievel-esque stunts on their $7,000 jets ski.
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| Royalton Pool Bar |
Some resorts do charge an extra fee for premium liquor and Royalton Chic Cancun is one that does. Let's talk about premium liquor (sometimes called top-shelf). This means different things at different resorts. Sometimes it means a name brand you're used to seeing in the States such as Jack Daniels, Beefeater, or Bacardi. Generally, those brands are included in the price but their premiere lines, those that take into consideration variables like "single-barrel", "limited or special production", or "longer aged" products come at an additional cost. I'm not well-versed on this topic and figure for the most part, liquor is liquor (please don't send hate mail!) Well, this has to be more expensive, right? Almost never! $2120 (plus passports, optional spa or excursions and any optional gratuities)
In summary:
- US Beach - $2245 (plus resort fees, food/drinks, and transfers to/from the resort)
- US All-Inclusive - $2,960 (plus membership fees, and any on demand activities, optional gratuities)
- Cancun, MX All-Inclusive - $2120 (plus passports, optional spa or excursions and any optional gratuities)
So, why aren't people traveling to the Caribbean for their vacations then?
- I don't have a passport (not a real hard process but something you'd want to do in advance)
- I'm uneasy leaving the country (Customs isn't too hard, just answer some questions at the airport)
- It's not safe (use common sense and be aware - there are places in Indy that make me uneasy)
- It's more expensive (uh...please read my blog titled "How about a beach trip?"
- I don't have any experience doing this (let Dillon Travels help answer your questions, it's free!)
