All Inclusive Vacations: Where'd you go? Who'd you go through?

Kensington

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GF and I haven't been on a true getaway. We've done long weekends and 4-5 day trips to the UP, Wisconsin, Michigan, and DC, but we'd like to go someplace tropical. My parents live on Florida, and are a hop skip and jump from Disney, so that can be done anytime.

What we'd REALLY like to do is something in the Caribbean/Mexico, all inclusive, and somewhere safe (GF is really paranoid of being kidnapped :rofl: )

I've perused the Costco vacation's and they seem to have a decent selection, but I have no idea where their pricepoint sits in the grand scheme. We looked at packages to Cancun, Cozumel, Los Cabos, and Bermuda.

My buddy just got back from Cancun and loved it. GF's brother and sister-in-law did Cozumel and really enjoyed it as well, but that seemed more expensive.

So where has TCG gone? Recommendations on reputable travel sites? Good destinations? Good hotels/resorts?
 

Outlaw

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that area is now on the warning list. Exploding ferries or something.

Annnnd that's why I vacation in Wisconsin :rofl:

Good thread though, my group of friends that does all of the diesel events, country thunder, etc have been joking that one day we're going to do a trip that doesn't involve cooking and walking in mud for five days and just get 20 of our closest friends shit plowed on a beach somewhere.
 

Shawn1112

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Iirc Apple Vacations is the only one that includes round trip transfers to and from the Airport. Thats who we always use and 0 complaints, they are pretty awesome.
Find best price online then call travel agent, tell them what price you found and let them do the leg work. We use Sue at Crystal Lake Travel. Highly recommend the trip insurance, and with that insurance if the price goes lower before you travel they will get it for you at the lower rate.

Now with that said, we have been ALL OVER Mexico. I would recommend Riviera Maya, its about 70-80 miles south of Cancun. Imo, Cancun is way too crowded and you get a lot of young assholes that are there cause its cheap, and they get really big beer balls.
R.M. is more laid back, there is a ton of shit to do in that area including going to Cozumel for a day for probably less than $100 per couple and that includes eating for the day. Its a cab ride to Playa, and a ferry ride to Cozumel. It's totally 100% fucking safe, DO NOT listen to what the media tells you. My 19yr old son and his buddies went last year and are going back next month by themselves to R.M. if I didnt feel it was safe he wouldnt have went then or going next month. Also your close enough to Playa if you want to get out for a night and go clubbing and bar hopping, again totally SAFE!

Edit: We always stay at the Grand Palladium, not the cheapest by any means but you get what you pay for.
 

Yaj Yak

Gladys
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everything.

food. drinks. accomodations. all SHIT.

lunch all inclusive option was hamburgers hot dogs or cheese quesadilla...

the restaurants on property were terrible.

the drinks were shit.

so many hilariously awful stories it was out of control. im 6'5 and went to adjust the shower head and it BROKE THE FUCK OFF THE WALL and then never got fixed.

our "hotel mini bar" was 2 warm dos equis a coke a sprite and a diet coke.

the beach was basically shards of coral.

all but one bar would close at 10pm.

trip advisor has it at 4 stars SOMEHOW, google has it at 4.2 for reviews... listed as a 3 star hotel.

our "ocean view room"'s balcony was basically direct line of sight with the main restaurant porch- about 15' away basically.

their latest reviews shadow what we experienced...

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_R..._Sabor_Cozumel-Cozumel_Yucatan_Peninsula.html





i wouldn't even go there if it was free. honestly.

i went to a fucking tterrible one.

that's all i got.

worst part was it has and had great reviews....


i really have no desire to go to one again quite honestly.

GF and I haven't been on a true getaway. We've done long weekends and 4-5 day trips to the UP, Wisconsin, Michigan, and DC, but we'd like to go someplace tropical. My parents live on Florida, and are a hop skip and jump from Disney, so that can be done anytime.

What we'd REALLY like to do is something in the Caribbean/Mexico, all inclusive, and somewhere safe (GF is really paranoid of being kidnapped :rofl: )

I've perused the Costco vacation's and they seem to have a decent selection, but I have no idea where their pricepoint sits in the grand scheme. We looked at packages to Cancun, Cozumel, Los Cabos, and Bermuda.

My buddy just got back from Cancun and loved it. GF's brother and sister-in-law did Cozumel and really enjoyed it as well, but that seemed more expensive.

So where has TCG gone? Recommendations on reputable travel sites? Good destinations? Good hotels/resorts?

[MENTION=13268]Kensington[/MENTION] there's some good posts in this thread i quoted too.

i would only go to an all inclusive again if it was highly recommended from someone i really trusted and had similar tastes to.
 

FirstWorldProblems

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We book through a mutual friend of ours who's a travel agent, but before meeting her i just used apple vacations. It's basically the same thing. I've been to rui palace riviera maya, rui palace las americas (in cancun), and iberostar paraiso maya.

Honestly, in my opinion there is no better vacation. 5 days is normally somewhere around $2400-2700 for 2 people (includes everything obviously), and you just relax and play beach volleyball and eat amazing food the whole time.

I thought I loved Rui Riv Maya, but then we tried the Iberostar and it's better in every way. The wife and I go every year and I have no desire to switch resorts. Be prepared to walk because they're on hundreds of acres with dozens of buildings, a spa, awesome gym, (squat rack and all). It's like a city. The place is amazing

https://www.iberostar.com/en/hotels/riviera-maya/iberostar-paraiso-maya

If you want something tropical, iberostar is the place to go. There's no reason to even leave the resort. Cancun is more commercialized, smaller resorts, smaller beach, but you can go to clubs and go shopping if that's what you want. Not my thing
 

FirstWorldProblems

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i have friends that just went on an all inclusive for their honeymoon to punta cana via a friend travel agent... and they hated it :rofl: power went out every other day, food sucked, they both got sick... couldn't wait to get back.

Where'd they go?

The only thing i'd caution against is to not book the cheapest resorts. I've never done it but i can't imagine people are going to nicer places and complaining about food or amenities.
 

Shawn1112

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I also don't see any point in going to the dominican. My sister in law and her husband have been to the DR and said riviera maya is nicer in their opinion

We did DR Punta Cana once and would only go back if the price was too good to pass up. Agreed 1000% that RM is waaayyyyyy better.

A lot of Haitians in DR and they are some ignorant rude MFers.
 

Yaj Yak

Gladys
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Where'd they go?

The only thing i'd caution against is to not book the cheapest resorts. I've never done it but i can't imagine people are going to nicer places and complaining about food or amenities.

ill find out

but like i said in the other thread already, when we did all inclusive, our resort was far from the cheapest...



i keep going back to thinking also that possibly people just have very different tastes in food.
 

Shawn1112

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We book through a mutual friend of ours who's a travel agent, but before meeting her i just used apple vacations. It's basically the same thing. I've been to rui palace riviera maya, rui palace las americas (in cancun), and iberostar paraiso maya.

Honestly, in my opinion there is no better vacation. 5 days is normally somewhere around $2400-2700 for 2 people (includes everything obviously), and you just relax and play beach volleyball and eat amazing food the whole time.

I thought I loved Rui Riv Maya, but then we tried the Iberostar and it's better in every way. The wife and I go every year and I have no desire to switch resorts. Be prepared to walk because they're on hundreds of acres with dozens of buildings, a spa, awesome gym, (squat rack and all). It's like a city. The place is amazing

https://www.iberostar.com/en/hotels/riviera-maya/iberostar-paraiso-maya

If you want something tropical, iberostar is the place to go. There's no reason to even leave the resort. Cancun is more commercialized, smaller resorts, smaller beach, but you can go to clubs and go shopping if that's what you want. Not my thing

We are and have considered Iberostar for a long time, just never pulled the trigger. Have talked to many people at the Grand Palladium who alternate between the 2 resorts every other year. They say they are very comparable in every aspect. We will eventually stay there, but we are heading back to Jamaica next year. We stay at the RUI Palace in Negril, top notch resort.
Fresh lobster every day and jerk chicken cooked on wood burning grills on the beach everyday.
 
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