How much will this vacation cost?  Well, it depends upon when you want to travel, how long, where you go, your departure city and style of resort. 

Today's media states that travel is cheap.  You are led to believe you can get a top rated all inclusive vacation with airfare and all the trimmings for $1200 total for two people for a week.  I'd like to know where the media is getting their information and who these so called travel experts are.  The media certainly is not getting their information from qualified, realistic, trained travel professionals.

So, how much should you budget for your all inclusive vacation.  Here are some very loose guidelines:

Couple, 4 nights, air included, 4 or 5 star all inclusive resort:  $2200 - $2800
Couple, 7 nights, air included, 4 or 5 star all inclusive resort:  $3000 - $3500

Family of 4, 4 nights, air included, 4 or 5 star all inclusive resort:  $3200 - $3500
Family of 4, 7 nights, air included, 4 or 5 star all inclusive resort:  $4000 - $6000

You can search the internet all day long and find faux fabulous deals.  On the surface it looks good.  Then as you continue the online booking you find that the air schedule has 3 layovers and an overnight in Miami both ways.  Transfers (airport to resort and resort to airport) are not incuded and must be added.  Certain taxes must be added.  By the time you get to the screen to enter your credit card information the so called fabulous deal has just gone up by $800 or more.

How cheap does a vacation have to be to just be okay?  Remember, you are spending your hard earned money and deserve a fabulous vacation.  In the years to come you won't fondly remember how cheap it was.  You'll remember how great it was.

What do Dreams Villamagna (Nueveo Vallarta), Dreams Huatluco, Dreams Palm Beach and Dreams La Romana have in common (besides the obvious ... all are Dreams Resorts)? The all opened in December 2008! What makes them different? Read on:

1. Dreams Villamagna
Great beach for taking long walks. All suite property. 85% of all rooms have a King Size bed and a Jacuzzi on the Terrace. 6 restaurants. Think of it this way, Romantic with Kids allowed. 6 restaurants.

2. Dreams Hualtuco on Tangulano Bay in Mexico. This resort features the ONLY full service spa in all of Huatuclo. Romantic, yet plenty of options for families with children. 421 suites. 7 pools. 6 dining opions. Destination wedding plus...Horse Drawn Carriages for weddings!!!

3. Dreams Palm Beach (Punta Cana, Domincian Republic)
Only 15 minutes from the Punta Cana airport! Relax and a Palm Studded beach. Very family friendly, lots of kids. Shopping center within walking distance. 6 restaurants.

4. Dreams La Romana (La Romana, Dominican Republic)
This large resorts has 751 rooms and suites, 8 restaurants, 2 pools and close access to Saana and Catolina Islands. Play golf at the nearby "Teeth of the Dog" Golf Course.

Romantic, yet you can still take the kids (and they will enjoy themselves in the kids club while you have romantic time): Dreams Villamagna and Dreams Hualtuco.

Lots of kids, which means lots of families: Dreams Palm Beach.

Secluded, large, expert golf course nearby: Dreams La Romana.

Which Dreams fits you?

After a few days of relaxing on the beach, eating and drinking you may want to explore outside of your all inclusive resort.  Fortunately the Riviera Maya has plenty to offer.  

Tulum is an archeological site of the Mayan Indians.  Here you will find a pyramid temple overlooking the turquoise Caribbean Sea.  The best way to explore Tulum is on foot with a guided tour.  

Xel-Ha is a great spot for snorkeling and just relaxing.  You will find a natural aquarium with thousands of brightly colored tropical fish and beautiful limestone formations.  You can also explore creeks, lagoons, caves fed by subterranean rivers, and swim the dolphins. If you’ve never snorkeled before (or even if you’re old hat at it), this is an amazing underwater show you won’t want to miss.

These are just two quick examples of what you can explore when you want to go beyond your all inclusive resort in the Riviera Maya.

What do you find at a Luxury All Inclusive Resort? Gourmet food, premium brand liquors, exquisite surroundings, and ultra pampering. In other words, complete bliss. Plus, since it’s all inclusive, you don’t need to lug your wallet or purse all over the place.

There are several luxury all inclusive resorts in the Riviera Maya - Excellence Riviera Cancun, Secrets Maroma, and Zoetry Paraiso de la Mar are just 3 examples.  Each has their own, special brand of luxury and it’s a good idea to have us walk you through each one (or others) so that you can have a clear idea of what each has to offer.

At most luxury all inclusive resorts you will find that no children are allowed.  The rooms tend to be larger and mostly suites.  Fine dining is the norm and 24 hour room service is available.  

But, if kids are in the plan, there are plenty of other options to explore. Let us know what you like and we’re sure we’ll be able to book the perfect vacation for you.

The all inclusive vacation...where everything is included. Meals, snacks, drinks (including soft drinks and alcohol), entertainment, water sports and more. Even the tips are included. You can put your wallet away unless, of course, you want to buy some souvenirs.

All inclusive definitely doesn't mean one size fits all.  There are different types of All Inclusive Resorts. I love BIG resorts, with plenty of activities, a great beach, fantasy pools, a good number of restaurants and bars, plenty of shopping and large rooms with flat screen TVs. Resorts like the Moon Palace in Cancun, Sandals Whitehouse in Jamaica and the Iberostar Grand Paraiso suite me just fine.

Fortunately there are plenty of other types of all inclusive resorts to fit just about any traveler. From small boutique properties with excellent service to the large mega properties and everything in-between. Yes, there is an all inclusive resort for every type of traveler.

Drop anchor and try an all inclusive vacation, then tell us how you liked it.

In tooling around the internet this week I've come across a number of "come on's" used by companies to entice people to buy travel from them.

The first one is "We'll Give You $100 if it Rains During Your Vacation."  When you read what this is all about you have to email the company within days of your return to tell them it rained during your vacation.  Your vacation package must be a total package including flight and resort.  Then this company will investigate if it did indeed rain during your vacation.  If they find that it actually rained then you will receive $100 off your next vacation package if you book this new vacation within 90 days upon return from the rained on vacation.  Not combinable with any other offers.  The $100 will come off your final payment balance.  All the agency has to do is quote you a price $100 more than what their other suppliers have.  They aren't "giving" you a $100.  What a come on.

Another one I love is the "low price guarantee."  There are so many conditions to this it makes my head spin.  Must present valid proof of lower priced vacation with in 24 or 48 hours of booking (depending on the company).  Of course the vacation must be apples to apples...same exact flight (including class of service), dates, times, and resort.  This means you book your vacation then scour the internet for lower prices for the same thing.  The clock is ticking...so get looking.  And let's say you find a lower price, more than likely it will be because there is another class of service for the flight (Y, Z, A, C, and more letters are all different classes of service for the airlines and are all COACH.  In other words a person who has bought a ticket in Y class for $250 can be sitting next to a person who bought a ticket in C class for $350).  There are other conditions also, like "price cannot be from a travel agent" or "price cannot be from an online booking agency."  Don't be fooled.  This is just a gimmick that makes me say "come on."

Beware of come on's.

They're all over the internet.  Great travel deals.  Wonderful pictures.  You gladly go to book yourself a great deal on the internet.  Then, when you read the flight schedule you see that you have to leave at midnight, during the week, with 3 layovers and arrive at the resort one day later than you wanted.  The return flight has an even worse schedule (as if that were possible).

Then there is the advertising trick.  "Great deal, hurry."  Is it really a great deal?  What is a great deal?  I get so many people who call me asking for a "great deal on an all inclusive vacation."  I ask them "what is a great deal to you."  The answer is usually "I don't know" or "really cheap."  I ask what is "really cheap" and they tell me they "aren't sure, but would know cheap if they saw it." 

Hmmm...what is a great deal?  What is "cheap?"