Cheap All-Inclusive Vacations

[French Quarter]

Looking for a little help. My husband and I and another couple want to go on a beach vacation and do not much other than have drinks on the beach and read and swim and eat whatever we want. We aren't really all that concerned with where we are going. We want a clean and safe place. Does anyone have a suggestion? Cuba seems to be one of the cheapest. Mexico looks fairly cheap too but I don't know how safe it is right now. What do you think?

 

[betty rose]

I can't answer your question, but on the Chit Chat thread @Cesar R M. Can fill you in. Hope this helps!

 

[NYwdwfan]

My first thought was Carnival cruise - the rates are pretty reasonable, it's all inclusive and you don't need to commit to a location since the boat visits several.

 

[Cesar R M]

Looking for a little help. My husband and I and another couple want to go on a beach vacation and do not much other than have drinks on the beach and read and swim and eat whatever we want. We aren't really all that concerned with where we are going. We want a clean and safe place. Does anyone have a suggestion? Cuba seems to be one of the cheapest. Mexico looks fairly cheap too but I don't know how safe it is right now. What do you think?

Mexico is safe as long you stay in the touristic areas.
Most of the Narc fights are between narcs and with the police.
They do not seek nor are interested in the tourists.
At most, some petty thief there and here..

Just one thing.. stay away from the state of Guerrero and Michoacan, thats where most of the violence is concentrated.
Jalisco (Puerto Vallarta0), Nayarit (Nuevo Vallarta and Punta de Mita), Quintana Roo (Rivera Maya) are pretty safe.
Los Cabos in BCS is fine too.

I would not recommend Acapulco right now.

as for enjoying the beach.. pretty sure that both Cancun and Rivera Maya will be your place to be.

 

[French Quarter]

Thank you for your help so far. I would love to hear other ideas too. Yes, the beach is important to us.

 

[catmom46]

I agree with Cesar that if you're looking for an all-inclusive at the beach, then Cancun and Riviera Maya are your best bets. Lots of choices at very affordable prices.

 

[HRHPrincessAriel]

We went to Cozumel this Summer and it was awesome.

 

[Cesar R M]

I agree with Cesar that if you're looking for an all-inclusive at the beach, then Cancun and Riviera Maya are your best bets. Lots of choices at very affordable prices.

I disagree on all inclusive.
All inclusive usually lowers the quality of drinks and food.
Id honestly prefer to have more choice in foods.
Theres plenty of restaurants around. Plus if you do the parks (like Xcaret, XelHa,..etc..) they all include food if you buy them as part of full day tours.

 

[ItlngrlBella]

Apple Vacations will run last minute specials - air, transfers and all-inclusive resorts for under $100/day. We did a 7 nights for our honeymoon in Riviera Maya for $600/pp but that was 2002. We went again for 7 nights in 2005 for 750pp.

If you want super cheap we did a Carnival 4 night for $54/pp a day, and we drove down to save $. We had to pay for our drinks and that's where they get you.

 

[catmom46]

I disagree on all inclusive.
All inclusive usually lowers the quality of drinks and food.
Id honestly prefer to have more choice in foods.
Theres plenty of restaurants around. Plus if you do the parks (like Xcaret, XelHa,..etc..) they all include food if you buy them as part of full day tours.

Yes, but all-inclusive is what French Quarter is looking for. Some of us (and by us, I mean me) are too lazy to go out to restaurants.

 

[French Quarter]

I disagree on all inclusive.
All inclusive usually lowers the quality of drinks and food.
Id honestly prefer to have more choice in foods.
Theres plenty of restaurants around. Plus if you do the parks (like Xcaret, XelHa,..etc..) they all include food if you buy them as part of full day tours.

Yes, but all-inclusive is what French Quarter is looking for. Some of us (and by us, I mean me) are too lazy to go out to restaurants.

Yes, I am definitely looking for all-inclusive. We aren't going to sightsee this time. I don't want to walk much further than the hotel room to a comfy seat on the beach.

 

[Cesar R M]

Yes, I am definitely looking for all-inclusive. We aren't going to sightsee this time. I don't want to walk much further than the hotel room to a comfy seat on the beach.

well, if you go to Cancun, definitively you have to AT LEAST go to Xel-Ha. forget Xcaret.

 

[French Quarter]

well, if you go to Cancun, definitively you have to AT LEAST go to Xel-Ha. forget Xcaret.

I have no idea what those places are. Sorry.

 

[Cesar R M]

I have no idea what those places are. Sorry.

they are both natural parks right between cozumel and Playa del carmen.

Xel-ha is a WONDER OF NATURE.
They have a natural lazy river, a beach, dolphin and mini aquatic zoo..
http://www.xelha.com/xelha-all-inclusive.php?gclid=CIa_xPXYuMgCFQcQaQodBnEMyQ

Xcaret is more internationalized entertainment, but also as natural stuff (like giant turtles)

Then we have the newest park which is next to XCARET.. named XPLOR. Which is themed after underground cenotes and caverns...

Note that there are a LOT OF archaeological mayan zones in the area.

one next to Xcaret named TULUM (the most famous) and Coba (one of the tallest pyramids)

 

[Sans Souci]

I have nothing to add, other than I think "Quintana Roo" is the most awesome name for a state.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

My husband and I really like Playa del Carmen in Mexico. It has a great beach and we like going into town to shop and have one meal outside of the All-inclusive. There is also a chocolate shop there that has great chocolate and wonderful chocolate shampoo (I buy about 5-6 bottles of it when we've gone, I'm running low so we will have to go back soon

We have stayed at the Iberostar Tucan which is right on the beach and there is a "jungle" in the middle of the resort, and a lot of monkeys like to hang out in the trees that border the resort.

One year we were really on a budget and stayed at the Riu Tequila. It is across the street from the beach, but you get to use the facilities at the other Riu that is right across the street as well as the stuff at the Tequila. So it was really a two for one deal. The walk to the beach took us under 10 minutes and there is a golf cart shuttle that runs as well. We didn't mind the walk to the beach at all and we would stay there again because it saved us quite a bit of money then staying at the resort that was on the beach.

 

[catmom46]

My husband and I really like Playa del Carmen in Mexico. It has a great beach and we like going into town to shop and have one meal outside of the All-inclusive. There is also a chocolate shop there that has great chocolate and wonderful chocolate shampoo (I buy about 5-6 bottles of it when we've gone, I'm running low so we will have to go back soon

We have stayed at the Iberostar Tucan which is right on the beach and there is a "jungle" in the middle of the resort, and a lot of monkeys like to hang out in the trees that border the resort.

One year we were really on a budget and stayed at the Riu Tequila. It is across the street from the beach, but you get to use the facilities at the other Riu that is right across the street as well as the stuff at the Tequila. So it was really a two for one deal. The walk to the beach took us under 10 minutes and there is a golf cart shuttle that runs as well. We didn't mind the walk to the beach at all and we would stay there again because it saved us quite a bit of money then staying at the resort that was on the beach.

The Tucan looks really nice! We stayed at this little "boutique" hotel in Playa that had lots of great reviews on Tripadvisor, and I could see how people would like it, but we had a lot of issues with it. I've always wanted to try an all-inclusive, so will definitely consider Tucan next time. I just did a quick price check and it's only about $400 more than Riu Tequila.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

The Tucan looks really nice! We stayed at this little "boutique" hotel in Playa that had lots of great reviews on Tripadvisor, and I could see how people would like it, but we had a lot of issues with it. I've always wanted to try an all-inclusive, so will definitely consider Tucan next time. I just did a quick price check and it's only about $400 more than Riu Tequila.

Yeah, we liked both a lot. But even though $400 price difference isn't that bad, it could buy my plane ticket to another vacation. With the walk to the beach from the Tequila we figured it burned off all the bacon, cheese quesadillas, and tortilla chips with salsa and guac we ate! Haha!

 

[French Quarter]

Anyone have any experience with Cuba?

 

[catmom46]

Anyone have any experience with Cuba?

Apparently not.

Although one of my co-workers visited a few years ago and she really enjoyed it, but I don't think she stayed at an all-inclusive. Somehow that type of accommodating doesn't come to mind when I think of Cuba.