Let's face it, people like to shop, and they like to get a good value for their dollar. Many travelers will go shopping for travel on the large "Do It Yourself" (translation: no service) sites and consider purchasing what looks like a very good deal. Here are a few things that they aren't going to tell you about, but we will!
Be sure that you are comparing "Apples to Apples". The beachfront, luxury, Caribbean all-inclusive is going to have a higher upfront price tag than the "European Plan" - no meals or drinks included - off-beach, 3 star property. Remember to add the cost of meals and drinks into your budget. Dining on the islands is relatively expensive because all the food is flown in. So, be prepared for higher meal costs than you would have back home. When all is said and done, you might wish you had opted for the all-inclusive.
When looking at flight options, check to make sure that you have no more than 1 connection, your layover is reasonable (less than 4 hours), and you aren't leaving at an undesirable time. Who wants to depart from home at 3:00 pm when you won't arrive until midnight? There goes Day 1 of your vacation, and you haven't even seen the beach yet! Or, on the other end, why get up on your last day of vacation at 4:00 am to make that 7:50 am flight home? You might find yourself wondering why you paid for the extra hotel night when you didn't get an extra day to go with it! Funky air arrangements can easily eat up 2 or more days of your precious vacation time.
The next time you see a price on "CheapoVacation,com" that looks too good to be true, you might very well take a look at the details and find that the savings aren't worth the aggravation, inconvenience, and lost time that you would endure if you were to purchase. It might be a cheap price, but it's NOT a good value!
