booked an all inclusive vacation....first time

[Chili]

Bring one of these:



Have the bartender fill with the frozen drink of your choice.. You're welcome.

[Big A]

Yeah, because you really get a feel for Mexico by spending an hour in the cruise line's predetermined tourist spots. LMFAO!

I've done an all-inclusive resort vacation - once. Maybe mine was just a crappy experience, but I would prefer to pick out my own place to stay and eat the local food. It would have been great if all I wanted to do was sit in the swim-up bar all day while swilling cheap drinks and gorging myself on hot dogs and nacho cheese. But that's not my idea of a fun time. I'm sure there's some redeeming qualities about all-inclusive vacations but you're leaving your vacation experience up to someone else.

As with anything, you get what you pay for, and the majority of the bargain all-inclusive resorts keep their costs down with mediocre buffet style food, watered down drinks, and minimal room accommodations. It's great if you are on a budget, and the primary desire is laying on the beach or by the pool all day, which is what a lot of people want from their vacation. We did it last year, adjusted expectations accordingly, and I can honestly say that it was "worth it."

Like with any vacation, if you want the nicer room and better dining experience, you pay more. Either by the night, by the meal, or by the drink. This year we wanted nicer, but I do still like the idea of having everything within walking distance, so we chose one of the smaller up-scale all inclusive resorts, The Beloved there on the peninsula. We've got a casita right on the beach, so the room should be stellar I expect, though I am still a little apprehensive about the food being up to par with the added expense. We'll see.

[bcoop]

I've done an all-inclusive resort vacation - once. Maybe mine was just a crappy experience, but I would prefer to pick out my own place to stay and eat the local food. It would have been great if all I wanted to do was sit in the swim-up bar all day while swilling cheap drinks and gorging myself on hot dogs and nacho cheese. But that's not my idea of a fun time. I'm sure there's some redeeming qualities about all-inclusive vacations but you're leaving your vacation experience up to someone else.

I've yet to do an all inclusive, but I think it also depends on the type of vacation each person wants. I'll take a trip to do hiking, sightseeing, and shit like that. I don't call that a vacation. But if I'm going on a vacation, my fat ass is laying on the beach, or swimming up to the pool bar and gorging myself on hot dogs and nacho cheese.

[SSMAN]

I just went at the first April. It is alright. Not wild about the water clarity. Find out if your room has a ceiling fan. If not, go to walmart and buy a fan. It will make your stay much more enjoyable while sleeping with that sunburn. I paid $40.00 round trip cab fare and $40.00 for the fan. Worth every penny . Gave it to a New Jersey guy when I left. Never seen a guy so happy to get a fan before. LOL

[inline 6]

.... But if I'm going on a vacation, my fat ass is laying on the beach, or swimming up to the pool bar and gorging myself on hot dogs and nacho cheese.

My plan exactly, except for the fat ass part.

[Chili]

Oh, BTW.. This is about the worst time of year to go down there.. Hot and humid as fuck, and lots of rain. But for the money, best bang for the buck.

[mstng86]

Oh, BTW.. This is about the worst time of year to go down there.. Hot and humid as fuck, and lots of rain. But for the money, best bang for the buck.

buddy went last week. Rained all day everyday.

[fordracing19]

I just went at the first April. It is alright. Not wild about the water clarity. Find out if your room has a ceiling fan. If not, go to walmart and buy a fan. It will make your stay much more enjoyable while sleeping with that sunburn. I paid $40.00 round trip cab fare and $40.00 for the fan. Worth every penny . Gave it to a New Jersey guy when I left. Never seen a guy so happy to get a fan before. LOL

My wife brings a fan with us. Might bring 2 this year.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

[jluv]

The all-inclusive vacations I've been on didn't include excursions, but they included free meals at each of the restaurants in the hotels we were in AND the "sister" hotels in the area. Some of them you had to make reservations, but everything was free. The food was great. The drinks were stout.

Again, the excursions weren't included, but we just did that stuff on our own. We also left the resorts to eat a few times at other restaurants in town and/or party at other clubs/bars.

The way I see it, the all-inclusive just allows you free drinks and food where you're staying. It's not like you are locked down and can't leave the property to go do whatever you want. I don't know why you wouldn't do it that way unless you don't drink at all, or you're trying to be extremely frugal. Hell, it might even cost me more to do it non-all-inclusive.

[46Tbird]

I've yet to do an all inclusive, but I think it also depends on the type of vacation each person wants. I'll take a trip to do hiking, sightseeing, and shit like that. I don't call that a vacation. But if I'm going on a vacation, my fat ass is laying on the beach, or swimming up to the pool bar and gorging myself on hot dogs and nacho cheese.

To each their own, but I'm damn sure not spending two grand to do something I can do in my backyard.

The way I see it, the all-inclusive just allows you free drinks and food where you're staying. It's not like you are locked down and can't leave the property to go do whatever you want. I don't know why you wouldn't do it that way unless you don't drink at all, or you're trying to be extremely frugal. Hell, it might even cost me more to do it non-all-inclusive.

Or, you don't want to be on a half-acre of rented beach with a thousand other people.

[BradM]

After you get your baggage, walk straight out of the airport to find your shuttle. Don't bother with all of the jackoffs trying to rope you into a free excursion if you blah blah blah...

[jluv]

To each their own, but I'm damn sure not spending two grand to do something I can do in my backyard.



Or, you don't want to be on a half-acre of rented beach with a thousand other people.

How does an all-inclusive trip keep you from doing anything you want to do that you would do on a non-all-inclusive?

I like to get out and do stuff, but I also try to pick a nice resort that offers things that make me want to spend a little time there. No reason you can't do both, but when you are at the resort, it's nice to have your food and drinks be free.

[mstng86]

To each their own, but I'm damn sure not spending two grand to do something I can do in my backyard.



Or, you don't want to be on a half-acre of rented beach with a thousand other people.

Yea but then you can't have servants bringing you drinks endlessly.

[46Tbird]

How does an all-inclusive trip keep you from doing anything you want to do that you would do on a non-all-inclusive?

I guess nothing, except the realization that if you don't partake in the all-inclusive amenities, you're paying for food and drink twice. Also, some of the resorts are not actually IN Cancun or Playa del Carmen, which means it could be a couple of miles before you find another place to have dinner. For those places, it's a pain in the arse to go anywhere since the excursion vans and taxis aren't around all the time like they are in the major cities.

I like to get out and do stuff, but I also try to pick a nice resort that offers things that make me want to spend a little time there. No reason you can't do both, but when you are at the resort, it's nice to have your food and drinks be free.

Nothing wrong with that. Just relating my own experience, which is that I have had a better time away from the all-inclusives.

Yea but then you can't have servants bringing you drinks endlessly.

Truth.

[tribaltalon]

I think the main reason why I wasn't so enthralled with the cruise was I work offshore, and went from working offshore, 3 days later getting on a cruise for 6 days and then 2 days later going back to working offshore. I don't think I'll ever do a cruise again. Took my wife 7 years to convince me to go on one and now I finally did it and hopefully that topic is closed LOL