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.