Caribbean Archives - Page 6 of 7

All-Inclusives vs. Cruises

March 26, 2010 by Ann Petronio Leave a Comment

When thinking about a warm-weather getaway, people often wrestle with the decision of whether to take a Caribbean cruise or plan a land-based vacation at an all-inclusive resort. To help you decide between the two types of vacation, here are some of the key differences between the two:

Depth of experience. A cruise typically offers a “sampler” of various islands, with no more than 8-10 hours spent in any one port. It’s a good way to get a taste of several different islands, but you’ll really only scratch the surface. With a resort stay, you’ll have much more time to explore one destination in depth, but if you’re someone who gets easily bored, you may crave a little more variety.

Food and beverage. An all-inclusive is exactly that – all your food and beverages are included in the overall room rate. With most cruises (except the very high-end ones), the basic meals are included, but you’ll pay extra for soda, alcohol, specialty dining at the nicer restaurants, and even (on some ships) ice cream parlors and bakery treats. If you’re likely to rack up a big bar bill, you’ll definitely want to factor that into your decision.

Activities. There are many free activities onboard a cruise ship, including games, contests, classes, and more, but once you step off the ship onto an island you’ll pay for shore excursions, water sports, and tours. Most all-inclusive resorts include free use of the non-motorized watersports (kayaks, sailboats, snorkel equipment, etc.) but charge an added fee for things like jet skis, SCUBA trips, and organized excursions and tours. Depending on what types of activities you enjoy, you may find that one type of trip is a better value than the other.

Entertainment. While many all-inclusives promote the fact that they include free nightly entertainment, none of them can come close to what’s available on a cruise ship. If you enjoy good live music, comedy, and broadway-style shows, you’re not going to find it at an all-inclusive resort.

And if you’re still struggling with the decision between a land-based or cruise vacation, give me a call – I can certainly help you sort it all out!

Caribbean Villas for the Holidays

October 21, 2009 by Ann Petronio Leave a Comment

Haven’t made your plans for the December holidays yet?

Thinking about running away with friends and family to sit on a beach in the Caribbean this year?

It’s not too late!

Normally, by this time of year, you’d be hard-pressed to find availability for Caribbean villas over the holidays, and any that were still available would be requiring a two-week minimum stay. But not this year.

I’ve been receiving promotional emails from several of my villa vendors touting last-minute availability (and decent pricing) for 3-, 4- and 5-bedroom villas in Turks and Caicos, Barbados, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and the USVI.

Just imagine…your own private beachfront hideaway, surrounded by your closest friends/family, with staff (if you want it) to do the cooking and cleaning. That sounds like a holiday to me!

If you’re interested, don’t delay. Give me a call today.

The Amenities Race

March 11, 2009 by Ann Petronio Leave a Comment

I read an article the other day about how hotels and resorts are pushing the envelope on the 5-star rating sytem, with some super-plush resorts claiming that there’s a need to add another star, so that they can be among a handful of “6-star” resorts. The whole rating system could be fodder for a separate blog post, and I probably will touch on that in the future, but this article got me thinking about all the luxury amenities that hotels have been introducing over the past few years.

I can remember when pools with swim-up bars were a big thing, but any Caribbean resort worth its salt now offers an infinity pool, private plunge pools, winding lazy river pools, adults-only pools, kids-only pools with water parks, and more.

Everyone expects to be able to order from a room service menu, but now we’ve got pillow menus and aromatherapy menus.

Where a concierge used to suffice, now we’ve got private butlers with cell phones and beepers so we can let them know when it’s time to bring us another drink on the beach. Not to mention the folks that will come around and spritz you with Evian by the pool — what are they called?

So now I’m wondering what’s next! In this race to “one-up” one another, what will the supposed “six star” resorts be introducing to set themselves apart? And how long will it take for those new services and amenities to trickle down to the masses?

What would you like to see as the next luxury amenity on your vacation?

Celebration Vacations

February 12, 2009 by Ann Petronio Leave a Comment

Wow, I didn’t know how “on the cutting edge” I really am!

For about a year or so now I have been promoting myself as a specialist in “Celebration Vacations“. This includes things like honeymoons, destination weddings, anniversaries, milestone birthdays, family reunions, graduations, etc. — basically any life event that can be celebrated by taking a fantastic, memorable vacation.

Family trip to Krakow for a wedding

Lately, it seem like everyone is jumping on this bandwagon, and I’m seeing the “celebration vacation” trend everywhere in the media.

Walt Disney World, who basically invented the concept (I mean, really, a birthday trip to WDW is like a childhood rite of passage), is heavily promoting the fact that anyone celebrating a birthday gets free entry into the parks that day. They have also created a whole department that caters to family reunions (and other groups). These “Grand Gatherings” have access to special experiences and perks that help make the vacation even more magical.

Several resort chains in the Caribbean and Mexico are promoting special packages (free nights, luxury amenities, and more) for honeymooners who return for an anniversary stay. Cruise lines are offering special rates and discounts for groups — perfect for those multi-generational families celebrating milestone birthdays and anniversaries. And, one of my favorites blogs just posted a list of the top five destinations for a celebration vacation (not surprisingly, Disney tops the list).

So what advice can I offer to someone thinking about a celebration vacation of their own?

– The number one suggestion is to lean on a travel professional to help you with the planning. We know what specials and discounts are out there and, more importantly, we’re experienced in handling the myriad of questions and concerns that come up.

– Be sure to involve everyone in the advance planning. If it’s just an anniversary “escape” for your and your spouse, that’s easy. But if it’s a 50th anniversary trip with your parents, siblings, kids, nieces and nephews, it’s doubly important to make sure you’re getting input from everyone upfront and taking their needs/desires into account.

– Build in some special moments. This is the time to splurge a little on a relaxing couples’ massage, a first-ever ride in a helicopter, a group portrait on the beach for Grandma and Grandpa, etc.

Most importantly of all, remember to seek out those life events that deserve celebrating! And share your thoughts (below) on memorable celebration vacations that you’ve enjoyed.

All-Inclusives vs. Cruises

Caribbean Villas for the Holidays

The Amenities Race

Celebration Vacations

LET THE ADVENTURE BEGIN

EXPLORE THE WORLD WITH US

PLAN AN ADVENTURE?