Sunday, February 7, 2021

Florida vs. Caribbean All inclusive

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.  

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?  

It could be a variety of reasons but most commonly it is one of the following:  

  • 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!)
Let us quote your next trip, regardless of the option you choose:  dillontravels@gmail.com

 

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Sandals Royal Caribbean, Montego Bay, Jamaica (2020 update)

 It is time to get traveling again after this quarantine craziness! We finally ran off to Jamaica and we couldn't be happier. We love Sandals resorts, much like Disney, there is a consistency in maintenance and quality of service that is unparalleled in the travel industry. We know we will be in a clean, safe environment throughout our stay. This trip we chose Sandals Royal Caribbean. Sandals has two resorts five minutes from the airport in Montego Bay and this was important to me on this trip because of the pandemic. A bus ride across the island would just add more opportunities for concern.


Sandals Royal Caribbean is the smaller of the two resorts. The common areas and many rooms on the resort have been remodeled and the new brighter woods and aesthetics show. This resort allows exchange privileges with Sandals Montego Bay. So you pay to stay at one and can take a complimentary transfer available every hour to the other resort where you will be extended the same privileges of a person staying there. This means you can use their bars, pools, and restaurants with no need to provide any proof. Since the beaches here are private, only Sandals guests are on the property.




Great new addition, large swings overlooking the ocean


We got to see an engagement at this spot and I swear the Sandals employees were just as excited!


One unique facet of this resort that Joe and I love is the private island. This is a quick five-minute boat ride from the beach to the Sandals island. The island has its own bar (of course) and a few quiet beach chair spots throughout. There is a Jamaican Jerk Shack for lunch and a delicious Royal Thai restaurant for dinner.  The boat transfers back and forth every 10-15 minutes.

I sat in the shade and read a book for the day, an employee checked in to bring drinks throughout the day.



          
We celebrated 25 years of marriage in these crystal blue waters, let us know what anniversary we can help you celebrate! dillontravels@gmail.com 



Friday, January 10, 2020

Let's Do Disney..and Universal...and Sea World...and the beach....!!!!

Why you shouldn't try to do more than Walt Disney World on the same trip

Don't get me wrong, we love theme parks.  There is something for everyone, no matter how young or old.  When you're headed to central Florida, there are a ton of options and often, I think clients approach this like they would a buffet dinner - "I need to get a little of everything!"  This "but I want to do them all" mentality can lead to an exhaustive and expensive trip.

It is our job as travel planners to help you have the best trip and in order to do this, we have to discourage this "do-a-little-bit-of-everything-mentality."  For this post, let's review what I mean by theme parks.  I'm not  including water parks because you want a blog, not a research paper.

Image result for photo of disney's four theme parks
Walt Disney World is by far the largest and has four theme parks:  Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom.  The Disney company owns 30,000 acres in central Florida, more than double the size of Manhattan.  We would encourage everyone to take a full week to visit, provided your budgets and calendars permit.  I've been nearly 30 (or maybe it is 30) times and still haven't experienced it all.



Universal Studios has two theme parks, Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida.    Both are neat in their own respect and a Park-to-Park ticket is necessary in order to ride Hogwarts Express, the Harry Potter train that connects the two.  I think you could comfortably do both parks in three days.  As of August, 2019 Universal announced plans for a third theme park, Epic Universe scheduled to open in 2023.


Sea World has one theme park, Sea World.  It's not somewhere we've been in a long time but many clients ask about it.  Another "one day" alternative a lot of clients ask about is a day at the beach.  It will take you about 75-90 minutes to travel from the "theme park area" to the beach.  


The beach trip is also going to likely require a rental car which then adds cost for fuel and parking if you keep it at your resort, likely adding $60-100 to your cost.  Not to mention, there's no meal plan at the beach so figure another $50 for meals or snacks.



What it really boils down to is the cost:  it's really expensive to hit the buffet!  I did a few sample quotes for a family of four (2 adults and 2 kids - ages 10 and 6) traveling for a full week in June.  I tried to keep the accommodations (value-style resorts with 2 queen beds), tickets (six days worth) and meal plans the same at each destination so we could compare apples to apples and here's what I found out

A trip to just the four Disney theme parks would cost just over $4700.  
A trip combining Disney, Sea World, and Universal Studios would run almost $6300.

With the "buffet trip" to all three, the price difference is just the start.  It doesn't account for the fact that you'd only get to visit three of the Disney parks, have to unpack and repack at three separate hotels, have to use off-property transportation (such as a taxi or Uber) to get between WDW, Sea World, Universal Studios, and the airport because none of them share a transportation system, plus the fact you'll feel rushed and never get a sense like you "saw it all" or figured it out.  

As corny as it may seem, Disney is a completely immersive experience that really demands a longer stay to soak in the Magic!  Now, with that all said - we are happy to book clients on any sort of multiple-destination trip they choose.  Just keep in mind, it's our job, based on the knowledge of our many trips and hundreds (nearly 1000s) more we've booked for our clients, to guide you toward the optimal experience for the best price.

Choosing the right trip depends on your family dynamics and interests.  Contact us a dillontravels@gmail.com if you need help hashing out the details.  Remember, we don't charge any fees for our assistance.  ~Joe

Sunday, January 5, 2020

Remodeled Pop Century

Pop Century has always been a favorite value resort for our family because it is small and does not share a bus line with the All-Star Value resorts.  The new remodel and addition of the Skyliner Gondolas has made it a stand out favorite! We will have a hard time choosing to stay anywhere else other than a monorail resort which is significantly more expensive.

               

In the main room, they upgraded to two queen beds instead of two double beds. They also utilized their same "table to murphy bed" concept from Art of Animation to open up the room. This allowed two of our kids to work on their computers at night without being shoved into a corner. The queen beds are so much bigger and very comfortable. If you are a family that will need a blow-up mattress, we were able to fit a twin blow-up mattress in one of our rooms but it was literally in front of the door so that was a little silly.


They remodeled the bathroom with a really nice overhead rainmaker style showerhead along with a removable shower head you could use for kids. The bathroom is separated from the sink and dressing area that has a pocket door allowing three separate private locations for everyone to get ready. The new vanity area has a lot of open shelving to organize your things. Of course, it was Disney level immaculate as well.
I love clean, new bathrooms!

Finally, as mentioned in another blog (Disney's Skyliner) the gondolas with rides to Hollywood Studios and EPCOT are available at this resort.

Keep in mind, these upgrades are not top-secret so this is one you won't find discounted as often. We suggest you book very early.

Disney's Skyliner






Well, this is tough...do I keep it a secret or let my readers in on this amazing addition to Disney properties? There are virtually no waits with peak season crowds and the transportation was one of our older boy's top four rides and we have taken him to Disney several times! He kept asking if we could ride it again when we didn't even need to go anywhere!

The gondolas (called Skyliners) are only available for use to specific resorts. It is also limited to only carrying its passengers to Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. The resorts included are Pop Century, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach Resort, and Riviera Resort. This is such a clever addition and riding is so much fun.

Why is it awesome?

  • When loading and unloading customers with limited mobility there is a separate track they pull the gondola off to and they don't stop the actual flow of traffic for everyone else. Those in scooters and wheelchairs won't feel rushed or inconvenienced because they are completely pulled out of line.
  • Strollers don't have to be collapsed! Can I get a HALLELUJAH?! You just drive straight onto the gondola without removing all your bags and waking up a sleeping child.
  • You always have a seat. The gondolas seat up to 10. Our group would all go together when we were down to 9 people but when we reached 11 they divided us up into groups of 5 and 6. When this would happen they didn't even add people to our car, they just let us ride on over alone.  However, one night 4 of us were together and they tossed another family of four in. So it won't always be private if you have a small family.
  • It is so fast because you don't have to follow regular traffic patterns.
  • Again the nearly 18 year old boy with us declared it his 4th favorite ride, stared out the windows and smiled with delight. It's pretty neat to float above the world.
Drawbacks
  • If you are super afraid of heights this might not work for you. My husband does not like to get on our roof but didn't mind this at all. So you will just have to monitor your own level of anxiety. They do not swing around or anything but they are pretty fast.
  • They are not required to stay open past park hours like buses. Times are posted each day but they will close and force you onto buses.
  • You are loaded on a moving platform so if you are unsure on your feet this could be a difficult one to use but I assume you could go to the wheelchair entrance and wait so your transfer is on a platform that is not moving.

Location
  • At Pop Century and Art of Animation it is situated right on a bridge between the properties. We were in building 6 at Pop Century and it was a quick walk.
  • At Caribbean Beach  and Riviera, the loading station is located at the rear of the resort.
  • At EPCOT you are let out in the back of the World Showcase between England and France. This is a much calmer entrance with little to no wait.
  • At Hollywood Studios you are let out near the front of the park and boat launch.  

Disney with groups or grown ups

Groups at Walt Disney World
One time that it makes a lot of sense to use the services of a Disney Vacation Planner is when you are traveling with more than your immediate family.  We are the parents of five adult children so even with our immediate family we are a large group. We recently traveled to Walt Disney World with four of our grown kids and their significant others as well as grandma and grandpa. This trip was unusual for us because we had 11 people everywhere we went and because we had all adults. The trip was seamless despite being there during peak season.


Ways to make a group trip work:

  • It will be slow...did you read that? It is going to be inefficient at times. You will think everyone is meeting at the skyliner but some are waiting for others in the room. Be ready to improvise and check in with everyone in your group. 
  • Most of us have Iphones so we were in a group message and shared our locations. This allowed us to quickly update the group on changes and avoid some unnecessary waits.
  • Are we stopping for the bathroom again? Eleven bladders do not sync, you will be stopping a lot get over it and expect it.
  • When staying on property you can book your dining 180 days in advance, I highly suggest you get your table service meals together. Then each day you know you will come together for that meal.
  • Fastpasses can be done 60 days in advance when staying on property, we did all our fastpasses together.
  • PLANNING in advance is the key to not wasting time on vacation. Making one My Disney Experience account that everyone logs into and getting the meals and fastpasses together ensures those times to meet up.
  • We always told our group they were welcome to split off from the group and be in touch later. Since everyone has similar interests and gets along the didn't really take off. However, if you had families with different interests and different aged kids I think splitting up would eliminate a lot of frustration.
Traveling with adult kids:
  • Well it's pretty much perfect because you don't have to do anything for them, they don't whine and they appreciate you paying. Kind of awesome, right?!
  • We were able to take advantage of VERY EARLY entry to Hollywood Studios to get a boarding pass (virtual wait) to the newest Star Wars ride. I would never have gotten young kids up after 4 hours of sleep! Since we were there early we raced into coaster lines and played "heads up" on our phone while waiting which not only entertained ourselves but everyone watching our nonsense. (if you don't know google it but it's kind of like charades)
  •  When we got tired, we went back with only 2 hours to spare and took a break. When kids are younger, it's not worth it to return for such a short time. You are going to get back and have to drag all their strollers or belongings, have to argue with them to lay down because they saw the pool on the way to the room then awake the monsters with only 90 minutes of sleep! NOT the case with your adults, we returned and a couple swam then napped, one took a social media mental escape and five of us slept for 90 minutes. We then woke up and returned for several hours with virtually no waits during a peak crowd season.
  • If they are not ready as soon as you are, meet them at the park. Especially when traveling with couples. I knew they would find their way over to parks giving everyone a lot more independence. 
  • We would do fast divide and conquers then regroup and everyone gets their way. So, instead of having to stick together to manage kids we would survey what everyone needed and reconfigure groups.  

Things I think are worth the cost:
  • Dining plan: Yes, I am a Disney planner, yes I am paid based on what you purchase. BUT I buy the Disney dining plan for my crew and we are all at adult prices and it is not discounted for me. It's very expensive but I cannot imagine this past trip without it. I was able to easily budget for the entire trip in advance then let them loose on property to get what they wanted without having to eat the same restaurants for our quick services or snacks. You will get a table service, a quick counter service and two snacks for each sleep you have on property. 
  • Memory Maker: The memory maker runs about $170 for the trip. This allows you to stop and get photos throughout the trip with professional photographers and get character pictures with everyone in your group included. You will also receive all the ride photos and videos. No matter how many are traveling together, one memory maker purchase will work as long as you are in the same My Disney Experience account or your accounts are linked together through friend requests. (active and retired military personnel pay only $98 with ID)

Unexpected Costs: I like surprises but not when it is a financial surprise!
  • Groups of 6 or more are automatically charged 18% gratuity. Most of us would tip anyway but we don't generally go out and pay for 11 people at $50 a person...So the tip is nearly $100!! This is very noticeable on a group trip.
  • Parking is now $15 at value resorts and even more at moderate and deluxe resorts. With all you are already spending that's just silly. Fortunately with your magic band you will be able to park at any parks without paying a second time. There is complimentary bus, skyliner, boat and monorail transportation but the drive to Hollywood Studios from Pop Century was only 6 minutes so we did appreciate that option.


Monday, February 18, 2019

Sandals Southcoast

Sandals resorts offer unparalleled customer service and included amenities. At Sandals Southcoast you will find Hobie Cats, kayaks, paddle boarding, tubing, snorkeling, and scuba diving. All of those are included at no additional charge (as long as you bring your scuba certification with you for scuba diving). I love the floating rings and hammocks over the water for ultimate sun/ocean relaxing!


There are several bars serving top shelf liquor and Jamaican cocktails as well as frozen drinks. The Jamaican people cannot be outdone in their personality and eagerness to serve. Of course all inclusive includes 9 restaurants. So, Joe had 7 meals in one day...7....










When compared to the other Sandals resorts here's my list of who should pick this one:




  • If you are from a more mature generation this is definitely the one for you.  The clientele is definitely calmer and more relaxed with most being 40-70.  However, a wedding party came half way through our stay with a lot of people and lowered that age a bit.
  • The beach is large with a lot of seating both in the shade and in the sun. 
  • The resort is very flat with minimal climbing to get to any of the locations. There are ramps to most places and we have seen both canes and wheelchairs moving about with relative ease (likely why it brings in the older crowds)
  • Cafe de Paris is a dessert and coffee shop. I love to find a variety of desserts and decaf coffee at night which is often difficult to find on tropical islands...apparently they handle evening caffeine better than me!










 Maybe NOT your ideal location:
  • If you are looking for a raucous and loud place this is not it
  • the ride here is always long and on a curvy road, if you are easily car sick you should go to Sandals Montego Bay because it is five minutes from the airport. The normal 90-minute ride was 2.5 hours because they are widening the road. Caribbean road work is hilarious because it is so chaotic and seems to completely lack any sense of purpose. They say it won't be done until 2021!
  • seaweed...so I am a giant baby, let's just put that out there. I am not getting in lake or river water because I can't see my feet. The water is Caribbean clear but the seaweed is growing very close (a  few feet) from shore. I don't like that one bit! I never saw this at other Jamaican Sandals locations but it is common in Mexico. This beach is the largest private beach we have seen in Jamaica and it's beautiful. They quickly clear the seaweed from the beach but it is very prevalent in the water.