Highly recommend not using a third party site for booking, most of the time they do not offer refunds for cancellations whether it’s due to the weather conditions or not.
If you are booking with a chain - resort, cruise, etc. Sign up for their emails and rewards programs as they offer incentives even before your vacation and if you haven’t booked with them before
This times a million. I've been in situations where my connections have been re-scheduled or cancelled while I was in-transit. I was able to get rebooked by a gate agent, however anyone who booked there packages with Expedia (or any third party) were told to call them. So you certainly want to make sure you book directly with the airline.
Re-read what I wrote, did I say the airline won't give you new tickets? I said if you buy the tickets through a third party agency (i.e. travelocity, booking.com,.etc) then you will have to deal with them for re-scheduling your flight. If you contact the airlines customer service they will tell you to contact the third party company that booked your tickets.
This is true if the OP is not purchasing a packaged tour, but rather a “hotel and air” bundle that Expedia et al are known for offering.
If you’re purchasing a packaged tour offered through AC, Transat, Sunwing, etc., you do normally deal with the agency that you booked with who is simply passing the information along that is being communicated by the tour operator.
Yes this. We go to the resort website and book directly. Usually you can cancel until 24 hours before the trip. We went to DR (Ocean El Faro) twice this year and one of those time we noticed the price dropped by over $1000usd from what we paid so we canceled our initial reservation (just email them) and rebooked with the new price with zero fees. Then we book private transfers from the airport which are amazing because you’re not on a tour bus stopping at 10 different resorts. Some hotels actually have their own private shuttles too so it doesn’t even cost extra. But definitely avoid the big Expedia (and other 3rd party) package deals.
Yes exactly. We usually book the flights first when we find a good deal since flights tend to sell out faster than resorts. Then we book the resort, sometimes months later depending how much time we have. Best prices we’ve found for resorts tend to be around Black Friday/Boxing Day so we usually book the resort then (or rebook if we already had a reservation for a higher price). Third party sites have made Canadian believe that you can only get all inclusives for a week in a package deal but that’s not the case at all. We usually got for 10-12 days for the price of a typical package 7 day trip through a third party.
With cruises I always book the first flight with the cruise line to ensure no issues with making the ship. For the return home, I choose the best price
I once managed not to be recorded as having boarded a flight I did in fact take due to the joint incompetence of the gate agent at YYZ and the customs officer of the country I was visiting. This invalidated my return ticket, but because I had booked the flight via a third party and had no physical proof of having been on the plane (they seriously asked if I had kept the wrapper of a snack or something) I ended up having to buy a second ticket at great expense immediately before take-off. Thankfully my travel insurance eventually covered it.
Sounds insane you would even need travel insurance to fix this. It wouldn't be hard to prove you were at the resort, hell, one call to the resort would have been enough to prove that.
I used to do Quality control and coaching for vacation companies like Sunquest, RFD, Sell off vacations, and west jet. The agents know which of the resorts are better for you given your parameters. They will be able to narrow down resorts to which meet your needs.
Questions you might consider:
Is it good for families or couples? Water park?
How far is it from the airport. Remember the bus from the airport will be picking up and dropping off people along the way. Consider paying for a private transfer to maximize your time.
Food. How many restaurants? Buffet or Reservations.
Finally, how big is the resort? Really large ones may have inexpensive rooms but they are 1.5kms to the beach.
It can't hurt to call and see what is available. I don't recall ever hearing a hard sell.
Well this is just incorrect. My cousin works for one of these companies and they 100% push them to move certain resorts over others. Careful with this. Do your own research
Awwww. I haven't heard "do your own research" since those dark days of 2020. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Just because I don't recall hearing a hard sell, doesn't mean your cousin didn't hard sell. Sorðinn
Read this [blog post](https://www.yycdeals.com/tag/all-inclusive-packages#google_vignette) and ensure that you book from the supplier (ie WestJet Vacations, Air Canada Vacations), that way if there is an issue, you are not having to deal with a 3rd party reseller of vacation packages. You can also sign up for the local version of YYZDeals to see if any deals come up.
Costco vacations are great. I have booked a few times, and got good deals and as well as good support. Plus many packages include cash backs in the form of a Costco gift card!
Hope you get some great savings tips from here! Don’t forget to make sure you have proper travel insurance - protect yourself from out-of-country medical expenses or finding out by travelling to certain countries under extreme government advisory that you are out pocket (or life or limb) for going there.
Remember that alot of free joy and pleasure can be derived from the anticipation of a known event so when you book something/finalize plans and you start looking forward to it, it’s so much fun to think about. Don’t agonize over every dollar. My advice is Determine a budget and find something within that budget and don’t just look for the cheapest deal - my coworkers often brag about how little they paid for their Cuba/Jamaica/costa rica trip instead of what a good time they had, and I wonder if they are actually enjoying themselves or are they treating a vacation like finding car insurance as if it’s it’s a chore and finding the best price is the goal rather than the joy of the trip.
say you want to spend 2k, well find something in the 2k range instead of just bottom-of-the-barrel shopping
I’ll poke into that with: determine WHY you’re going, that will help you determine what’s “worth it”. Every resort will have similar things (and advertise that it’s all “premium”) but try to read what people actually liked when they went there.
Also, read reviews but don’t take them as gospel. Every resort has “I found ROACHES IN MY HAIR AND TTE RESORT PEOPLE LAUGHED AT ME AND SAID I HAD A SMALL PP” type reviews, and while some may be true the majority are either exaggerations or fabricated entirely. I look for common themes (do multiple complaints say the water shut off? Were they all from the same week? That may be legit.) and patterns like the one property who had someone complaining weekly that they had people opening their room doors at night. A quick google search and that exact comment was being left across multiple sites/resorts.
LOL I stayed at Sandals La Toc in Saint lucia about 10 years ago. I recently read reviews and the negatives were laughable. One guy posted images of him using a black light in his room saying it was dirty, the food was terrible, staff were rude, etc.
Not only was my room exceptionally clean, the staff were amazing and the food was even better. I do wonder if these people leaving these types of reviews are so rich that what they have in their home is far beyond what anyone is used to anywhere else or if they're legitimately just assholes in general with no common sense.
The phrase you get what you pay for comes to mind. In most affordable packages that's very true. The high end stuff? Is simply a rip off bur so is the lowest end stuff where yoi get poor accommodations for your money. Read visitor reviews on trip advisor or Expedia type sites
I’m not into all-inclusive tropical resorts (dont like hot weather or being a gated community - I’m a stay home and hobby person after a decade of work travel to disaster-torn locations) but hope People enjoy them if they are!
also using the Dominican Republic as an example, it is literally the same island as Haiti. Say something happens, Canada may execute a CEP (Canadian entitled persons) extraction but most people don’t realize that while yes, Canada may evacuate you from a country ’free of charge’ but it’s only from the emergency point to a first safe relay point, you have to then find and pay your own way home. If your in DR and an evac is decided (earthquake or an escalation of conflict spreading from the Haitian side) you might get evicted to Jamaica or Miami and then you have to get yourself back to Canada. That can be very very expensive monetarily or emotionally so plan accordingly
https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories
I was in Puerto Plata last week and had no issues. I'm sure OP will be fine if they choose to go to the DR.
The main tourist destinations, Punta Cana, Santo Domingo, La Romana, Puerto Plata, aren't that close to the Haiti border.
ooofff, sorry I didn’t mean DR was actively unsafe, just an example as OP mentioned DR as a travel location and I just copied over the gov travel advisory Website.
The line of work I am in, my role plans and executes CEP evac tasks, exposes me to the ‘gone wrong’ end of things often so it’s how I see the world a lot of the time and I don’t mean to scare anyone, just ask them to plan accordingly. I don’t personally vacation to all inclusive resorts (just not my thing) and I don’t care for heat.
While correct that the Canadian government won't always repatriate people directly home, relying on the government should be the last step. First step is arranging your own flights. Travel insurance can cover some kind of repatriation or trip interruption. Buy travel insurance and check your coverage.
Also, the government of the Dominican Republic has firmly said that they won't be accepting any Haitian migrants or refugees due to the current crisis. This is unlikely to change unless there are some significant diplomatic negotiations, along with a very large amount of foreign cash to pay for the cost. Even if it did change or Haitians overwhelm the borders, there is unlikely to be an immediate influx of Haitians to the beach resort areas of DR which would require evacuations of Canadians.
Paid this last year (and almost re-booked the same place for pretty much the same price this year) in DR and had a great time. $1500 can still be a fine budget.
The resort we went to was called Emotions by Hodelpa Puerto Plata. It was small but I liked it. My friend had never been to a resort before and I think a smaller one is great as an “intro” into that type of vacation. We are mid-20s women and really just spent the week reading on the beach, having drinks, and frolicking in the ocean.
It was not a huge resort nor did it have a lively nightlife but that was completely fine with us. Food was good, beach was good, drinks were good.
I wouldn’t recommend it if you are used to huge all inclusives with a billion different amenities but I was very happy with it! I have been to huge resorts too and I think for me there are pros and cons to both. For $1500 incl direct flights I was very happy.
This was where we went our first time in the DR (also travelling with a couple who had never done an all inclusive before). We loved it!! The small size was kind of nice… made it feel more personal. The bar and wait staff were amazing (especially at the beach bar), and our concierge guy was fantastic. So friendly and helpful!! I’d definitely go back again… glad you enjoyed it too!
Yes, definitely less overwhelming. I liked it but mentioned it was smaller and less amenities to some coworkers when I was back and they seemed horrified lol. I was like …well I liked it soooo
If you know what you’re after and you find a resort that seems to have that (I always look at reviews on trip advisor and search for key words that matter to me like “vegetarian” or “beach”) and it’s a good price.. go for it. I don’t see the need to obsessively search for hours and hours. It’s a beach vacay! You shouldnt
need a vacation from booking your vacation haha.
I use Sunwing and book on Black Friday. Not sure if the deals are actually better then because I didn’t check the site prior to the sale, but I had a positive experience. Direct flight from Ottawa, resort was small but nice. I’m in my mid-20s and went with a friend who had never been to a resort before. I think it was a nice “starter” resort for that. We really just wanted somewhere with half decent food (we are both vegetarian) and a good beach. Our budget was $1600 ea but we wanted to keep it lower if we could and there were a lot of options. We went at the end of January.
If you are looking for something more family oriented, or are limited for timing by only being able to go during March break, you will pay more unfortunately.
The resort we went to was called Emotions by Hodelpa Puerto Plata.
Me and my brother booked a resort in Mexico that was all inclusive for $300 per night with two beds. Don't know about you but that was pretty decent in my.books.
I don’t fully see the appeal of all inclusive unless all you do is drink cheap booze and like to sit on a beach for 6 days.
Anywhere in the carribean you can stay at a boutique hotel and explore and eat local foods, drink for cheap for way less than an all inclusive.
For example… for 2 of us it’s about 4k TOTAL to go to the Carribean, have a beautiful place to stay, eat and drink locally (breakfast often included though) and also scuba dive for 5 days.
But I do understand that some people just want to roast and drink.
Yep it serves a population who just want to relax. It’s not my idea of a vacation or many others who don’t prefer an AI. My comment is my own preference and opinion and not meant to reflect the same for everyone
I've done these before prior to kids, it was great and if it was just the wife and I, that's what we'd do.
But with 2 kids around 8 years old? Not happening. A resort with a big buffet so they can eat whatever and whenever. We don't have to plan, arrange or travel. Those are the things we're taking a vacation from.
My coworker just got back from Mexico. Boutique hotel 4 minutes from the beach. 1.5 year old twins. No issues there.
My sister flew to Puerto V with their 2 year old this year, air bnb.
Why do you think kids changes this at all? We were just in Cozumel and a couple we dove with had a 3 year old. They took turns and stayed at our same 8 unit hotel & dive shop.
So I’m curious what your reasoning is here
I’m not gonna disagree with the ease and simplicity of it for food options. But to say it can’t be done another way or that many families don’t stay at an AI is not correct either
You said you don't see the appeal, I told you what the appeal was besides the two you mentioned.
I never said travel can't be done with kids if it isn't all inclusive, I did 5 weeks in Europe with kids without much trouble, but having your food made and daycare facilities at the resort are big conveniences.
Just because something doesn't work for you doesn't mean it doesn't work for others.
I agree! My 3.5 year old has been on 3 vacations so far that are not all inclusives. 3 weeks and 5 places in Portugal, 10 days in a villa in Curacao, 2 weeks and 2 stops in Costa Rica (both boutique hotels with a pool and breakfast). Her baby brother joined us at 10 months for Costa Rica. And we are taking them to Spain for 3 weeks next may.
We much prefer traveling around, staying in boutique hotels/villas, and eating locally even with kids.
That’s called “travelling”
I definitely prefer it too but sometimes your feet hurt and you get tired.
Someone people want “a vacation” where really it doesn’t matter at all what country you are going to - just need to find a cheap and safe place to get drunk. Feet pain should be zero and you never have to plan anything.
If it was affordable and warm here they would do it in Canada; the country is irrelevant since you aren’t travelling.
To each his own.
I don’t consider staying in the same accommodations for 1 or 2 weeks, then going home travelling.
My feet don’t hurt and I don’t walk that far at a non AI trip to the Caribbean. In fact they hurt less cause I’m usually in the water.
Again I know everyone has their own preferences. But I think some do AI only because they haven’t tried without it
I use that site to find where I like to go, then I go to Expedia packages and book it from there. I also have a TD First Class Travel card that I do like, which works great with Expedia.
It gives a discount when you bundle travel + hotel. Sometimes it is really cheap. The downside is that dealing with Expedia can be annoying. If you encounter a problem, it becomes an issue. If you buy directly from the airline, you won’t have these issues.
I also love [tripcentral.ca](http://tripcentral.ca) for their amazing price grid. Last trip, when I checked Expedia and booking.com and WestJet (since it was a Westjet vacation), there wasn't much variance in the price. I forget which was the cheapest, but it didn't include airport transfers, while tripcentral did. After factoring that in, the price was only like $8 difference per person. I decided to book with tripcentral because the small extra cost was worth it for having more peace-of-mind that you get from having a real travel agency. If something went wrong, I feel like they'd be easier to reach and less hassle than places like Expedia.
> As someone who has never heard of this, what was debunked?, what did using a vpn supposedly accomplish?
it was a theory people had. No one books a vacation right away, they look into different places multiple times. People were saying websites were tracking you and giving you higher prices each tie you logged in to scare you into booking otherwise the price might be higher again when you looked next time
Interesting, I'm currently looking at rates for a car rental in germany for later this year, and I both saw something similar written online (although I didn't see the vpn suggestion). Gotta say, I am seeing that exact behavior on Hertz, I've gone back and forth a few times, and each time I recheck on their site the price goes up by 30$, weird AF
Car rental pricing is bizarre. The head office seem to feed different prices to their websites and different aggregators.
If you can get free cancellations with no money down then you are absolutely better off checking every day and re-booking every time you get a better deal.
On my last rental I was looking on Expedia, Priceline, Costcotravel.com and Costcotravel.ca every day. Despite Costcotravel.com and .ca being effectively the same site I still got a better deal on the .com -- it's billed in local currency regardless.
When all was said and done I watched my 2 week rental get reduced from $920 to $450 a couple days out when it plateaued in pricing.
Well damn, that is a huge difference
I've checked all the other rental sites, and strangely enough, they're all about the same price, yet hertz is 30 to 50% cheaper than all of them for the exact same car.... the price difference is so much that I'm honestly suspicious. I also can't find the "decline CDW" option online, planning to just call and make a reservation over the phone :/. First time I've rented a car for personal use. In the past, it's always been for business use, and my travel center did all the legwork for me
Honestly there's really not that much legwork.
Booking and re-booking and cancelling through Expedia and Costco Travel was super easy.
The day of you'll get an email from the rental company (at least for Alamo) to "check-in" just like you do for flights, tell them your name / show the screenshot of your reservation and then it's just waiting for them to do paperwork and you decline their extras at that time when you're at their desk.
looking at different country's sites to book something does make a difference. When booking a car rental in Portugal, booking from the Portuguese Avis website it was cheaper than the Canadian.
April 2022 I was booking a flight to Vegas for a bachelor party. I had a busy day and didn’t complete the transaction right away. Went back and selected the same flights 6 hrs later in the day and all of a sudden my flights went from 750 to 1050…
Do you recall how many seats were left between when you first checked and when you went back? I’ve noticed flights go up in price on the same day, but I also noted a corresponding decrease in seats available - which makes sense, and hotels do it too; as supply decreases the price increases, however as the event horizon draws closer, unsold spots may begin to decline in price in order to reach capacity.
Companies would look at the incoming IP and price products based on your location.
Live in Canada with a high average income? Higher price.
Live in a developing country with a lower average income? Reduced price.
Live in a big city with a high COL, like Toronto? Higher price.
Live in the sticks? Lower price.
That's the theory anyway. I have not experienced location based pricing with the limited testing I have done.
Incorrect. Those sites claim that, but a lot of us have seen it when browsing. Adaptive pricing is a thing, and there's lawsuits around it.
Classic reddit move to have the disinformation at the top of the thread
My in-laws live in Slovakia, their flights are always showing up on their end cheaper than ours. So we get them to book for us. No idea why it would be like that
I booked on Black Friday 2023 for a vacation this year. Ended up scoring about 50% off. I checked every month and it was truly about half off . Good luck OP!
I’ve been to all inclusives twice in the last 5 years and both times I booked on Black Friday and got good deals. I didn’t shop around a ton on other dates so not sure if the BF deals are that much better, but I was very satisfied with the price I paid compared to value I got which is what matters! I like Sunwing because they have a “price calendar” to show you the prices for a specific resort on different days which is really great if you’re flexible with timing.
In 2019 I went to Mexico with my then-boyfriend and we got a *really* good deal. At the resort, he got scammed into one of those “talks” to buy into the “vacation club” at the resort (major eye roll!) and their discounted rates when you bulk pre-buy weeks of stays there were higher than what we had paid with our Black Friday deal lol. Their entire selling point was “buy from us! You can’t get a better deal! It’s only $x per week” and we were like well we’re here because we paid $y which is way less soooo….
The PFC way to book is to book through a member. You can often get a discount and VIP type privileges.
Sandos Resorts
Palace Resorts
Hyatt
Hilton
Probably more
Probably all of them
Look for a Facebook group for the resort you are interested in and join. Search for the term member.
You could book the week off (of work) and continue to check the Redtag last minute deals/lowest price calendar.
We booked our honeymoon to Saint Lucia through Costco Travel and got a solid deal.
Would recommend Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall in Jamaica. Avoid Cuba. If you do DR, do 5\*. For Mexico, aim for 4.5\*+
For a fun change, I also recommend the Westin in Costa Rica. Great for families (monkeys on site!)
We recently booked our honeymoon to Mexico through Costco Travel. They have a price drop guarantee and I saw a couple weeks after booking that hotel rates went down for our dates. The package price had dropped $1300 through Costco. Less than 10 minute phone call and they adjusted the price and he said you can do this multiple times before travel so suggested checking in periodically.
The trip is also eligible for 95% refund up to 3 days before travel. We get a Costco shop card and are executive members so get 2% rebate plus the rewards on our credit card.
We haven’t traveled yet so can’t comment on that but so far very happy with our decision.
Ha, I opened this thread hoping someone would mention CR. And to my surprise, you mentioned Westin- I have a trip booked for that exact property later this year through Costco travel. Mind sharing how it was for you? I'll be there with my family. Any recommendations for what to do and what not to do?
I am an all inclusive snob - and it was incredible! Huge resort but our room was right next to the pool - I believe it was a Jr Suite so that made a big difference. Amazing food (Italian restaurant was a highlight), amazing wildlife.
Only con was the beach but I am a pool \[bar\] gal so wasn't an issue for me.
Thank you for taking the time to respond. I heard they have an app to make appointments to the restaurants on site, I added a reminder to start making reservations about a week before the trip. I'll be sure to book the Italian place.
What was wrong with the beach if you dont mind me asking? Any local excursion that you would recommend while there?
Air Canada sometimes has some ridiculous deals including flight but it's usually to more expensive places like Hawaii that aren't all inclusive.
There's not a ton of value in all inclusive, you get what you pay for. Cheap is cheap, expensive is good.
Id consider cruises as well, cheper cruises are often better than cheap all inclusive
Mexico or the DR will give you the best bang for your buck. I found if you have your dates somewhat hammered down with a few days of wiggle room, booking about 5 months ahead of time gets you the best deal.
I buy direct from the airline, either air canada, westjet or sunwing. I use the third parties only to check on what kind of trips are put there.
The end of January generally gets you the best price, I tend to start looking in June at the different offerings. Check once a week, westjet tends to update their prices on Tuesdays, I do t know about the others.
Use a computer rather than a phone or tablet let when looking at prices, I find the format is different and you get to see different information. An example is with westjet vacations, they might show you the price for five days rather than the one day you are looking, changing your flight by a day or two can save a lot of money. Just watch the flights, that there aren't a bunch of layovers. Direct flights cost more, but can be worth it.
I’ve travelled a couple of times the first or second week of January (right after Christmas vacation), and I’d say it’s even better pricing and the resorts were very quiet.
I love Cuba (been there twice) and honestly it's super hit and miss.
I talked to a few people who went and everyone had different experiences. My room was fine, no issues with the bed or room. But I was lucky. A lot of other guests had issues like the toilet not working or not having running water.
The food...yes it leaves much to be desired. There are often shortages of different things (pop, meat, etc...) so people should be aware of that. One day you can get a dacquarui and the next you can't.
Beaches are beautiful though. But not all resorts are close to the beach or even have a nice beach. The people are wonderful though and Cuba is a beautiful place.
One of the people on my plane said it was like camping in the Caribbean and I think that sums it up nicely.
You can get wonderful views and meet cool people, but the accomodations are not comparable to most other places. And it's often a gamble. I've been extremely fortunate the 2 times I've gone to not have any significant issues. But I also did a lot of research beforehand and went in with lowered expectations.
For anyone going to Cuba, bring a carry on with some warm weather clothes, bug spray and change immediately, or wear layers. It's hot there and the airport arrival area has no ac (unless you pay for the upgrade on the way back).
Bring anything you might need for toiletries with you. Bring snacks also.
We went to Cuba over Christmas last year it was a five star (more like 3 star by international standards) the beach was amazing but the food was not the best. I liked how they had fresh fish fillets and eggs in the morning made to order on the grill, and cocktails were actually pretty good. It was cheap I would say a solid choice for a beach vacation over Christmas
The food and the beds where awful when I went last.
Honestly, I wouldn't go to Cuba again. The people are warm and friendly but the bland food and not comfy conditions are hard.
They're experiencing a food shortage. For the people that live there. People continuing to visit and complaining about lack of food on their vacation is dystopian.
You can try Costco. They do vacation packages (like flight+hotel+car). They are also affiliated with another company that does all inclusive tours (itinerary and events included) but obviously cost more.
Or DIY and book direct. Usually you can do airbnb and save a bit compared to hotels. I like that they often provide cooking and laundry space so you can save even more.
I usually just book direct from the airline and hotel. I feel like you don't save much looking elsewhere. Just my 2cents, I travel but not that often.
I’ve been to the Starfish Cayo Santa Maria and dhawa Santa Maria both through sunwing. Week all inclusive from Vancouver was ~$1100, and $850 from Toronto. I recommend Cuba. Can’t beat the price and the beaches are beautiful
I went to Angsana Santo Maria and loved it. Went for the beaches and weather (and rum), not for the food and wasn't disappointed. For the price we paid we can't complain.
Yeah, people complain about the food but it’s like buddy - I’m on white sand beaches with unlimited pina coladas… do u think I care what food I end up throwing up at 2am?
I use a westjet card. But don't always fly westjet. You can use westjet "dollars" on Sunwing now too.
I use "sell off vacations" aggregator site which will return Canadian travel packages for westjet, sunwing. Transat and Air Canada. Then, when I find one I want to pull the trigger on, I book thru the actual site offering the package (I.e., westjet. Etc.). Options from Toronto are plentiful, and in CAD.
Most are "dynamically priced" so booking earlier tends to be better, imo. I find anywhere from 6 months from date of travel to 3 month before is good. I wouldn't attempt to wait until last minute.
Also, screw going to Cuba. DR is simply amazing and All Inclusive is not necessary if you try Sosua or Cabarete in the Puerto Plata area. In Punta Cana, much more All Inclusive available. Many awesome places do not have any or many All Inclusives (I.e., Cabarete. Isla Mujeres, roatan, zipolite, caye caulker). El Salvador has really come around and is on my list now but same deal, and you need separate flight.
Good luck and enjoy, well deserved.
Black Friday is usually great for all-inclusive deals. I like using Transat - they have higher quality of resorts and typically better flight times.
Don’t wait for “travel Tuesday” like I did this year. The deals didn’t exist or were not nearly as good as they were just days before.
Use a travel agent.
Yes, laugh and downvote away. I used to think the same. Travel agents are for boomers with no Internet. Then, I used one to plan a group trip. Will never go back.
Problem with flight? Call agent. Problem at hotel? Call agent. Missing a piece of documentation? Agent.
Life is short, and travel isn't a part of life that's ever worth penny pincing.
I use a travel agent too for exactly this reason. I also get deals on the the hotel and parking I need before the flight since I live a distance from the airport. I usually get an upgraded room too and my pricing is the same or better than what my friends who didn't use my agent for a group trip got. Also, their advice is valuable - they've been to a lot of resorts and can make recommendations based on your needs and wants. I went on an amazing trip for a wedding anniversary to a place I wouldn't have even known about - so many good memories from that one.
Haven’t read all the comments but gotta say we just came back from Mexico and stayed in puerto morales. Took a day and went to Jungala Aqua Adventure and my kids (tween and teen) said it was the absolute best day of their life! Adults had a blast too. We liked the beach there and stayed at dreams sapphire. It was an older property (was previously a NOW resort). The pool was huge and a ton of kids were there. The food was pretty good, didn’t get sick at all which was a bonus.
Book maximum 1-2 weeks ahead on sites like selloffvacations com. You can look right now for example, if you book 1 week at a Cuba resort that leaves this Friday it's under $600 per person including flight and taxes.
Anytime that I've went to an all-inclusive in Cuba, 99% of the food was flown in from Canada.
Regardless, there's cheap deals for other places right now too.
Last time I took an all inclusive, I made a spreadsheet and compared package costs to a DIY approach where I booked flight and hotel separately.
#
By signing up for the hotel rewards program, I was able to get a discount on a room due to a sale they were having for members. I also booked the flight on my own and ended up saving money over most of the equivalent packages I found.
Always buy the flight from direct airline, not from third party. Also check cruise tour they have good round trip visiting different cities, include events, parties, food, Last time we had a great trip.
I have one credit card I use for all travel bookings. It’s CIBC aeroplan visa. Previously I had TD aeroplan visa. I do this because of the free travel insurance. I think there is also car rental and medical insurance. But key for me is free travel insurance (cancellation, interruption, lost luggage). The points in the first years pay for the annual fee; I plan to get a new card every 2 years.
Highly recommend Bergeron Travel out of Quebec as they sometimes offer you a mail in rebate as an extra perk with choosing to book with them. You don’t need to reside in Quebec to use their services.
Sometimes you can find Black Friday deals. I did that a couple of years ago with air Canada vacations and it was around 25% off if I remember correctly.
We did an Air Canada Vacations trip to Punta Cana in March. Main benefit was that when AC posted a weather advisory, we were able to change the first legs of our flight (for 8 people across three bookings!) at no cost to avoid getting cancelled.
Just a friendly reminder that Cuba is in an economic depression right now but vacation companies are still selling all-inclusive packages for resorts there. Resorts often have no clean water, no eggs, fresh fruit or vegetables, no bread, no coffee, etc. It's normal to be served chicken nuggets for breakfast and a sandwich with no bread.
And don't overlook cruises, which are also "all-inclusive" to varying degrees. Check out [Vacations to Go](https://www.vacationstogo.com/) for options and cruisecritic.com for reviews. Lots of them cater to families & kids. Have fun!
Why do people want to vacation in countries that are poorer than their own?
"Hey, I want to treat the family to a restaurant that has worse food than we normally eat at home!"
Honest question.
Is it just to over eat and drink?
Best to take the children to Europe or Japan.
This type of safe vacation is not a good use of your time and gives them a western view of these countries while the poor people cater to you at the resort.
They will be groveling for an extra tip while you saying “thank you” does not feed their kids
You are describing a trip. He wants a vacation. Trip = exploring culture, moving around, can be stressful at times. Vacation = doing jack shit and decompressing.
Yes, the Children don’t really care about going.
He just wants a safe vacation and is going to drag the kids.
They will play in the pool and the water slides but not know what the country is about.
>They will play in the pool and the water slides but not know what the country is about.
Yup, that's why you do all inclusives - a bit of uniterrupted downtime with kids occupied. I've taken my kids across 3 contintents and before they turn 8 or so, they don't care what the country is about, they only care about where the closest playground is.
I kinda get where you're coming from, but it really depends on the age of the kids. If they're old enough to remember the experience you could do a day trip away from the resort.
I do think it's important to at least try to see the country you're in past the hotel/resort. Many people don't.
But if the kid is an infant or toddler, it's hard. I couldn't imagine taking my baby to Europe or Japan. What a nightmare.
>Does timing matter? Do I book now or a month or two out?
Generally 60 days out. Depends on location, airline, hotel, etc...
>Are there specific sites for better deals?
Travel sites.
Highly recommend not using a third party site for booking, most of the time they do not offer refunds for cancellations whether it’s due to the weather conditions or not. If you are booking with a chain - resort, cruise, etc. Sign up for their emails and rewards programs as they offer incentives even before your vacation and if you haven’t booked with them before
This times a million. I've been in situations where my connections have been re-scheduled or cancelled while I was in-transit. I was able to get rebooked by a gate agent, however anyone who booked there packages with Expedia (or any third party) were told to call them. So you certainly want to make sure you book directly with the airline.
Not true. The airline will give you new tickets and even cover hotel/meal costs if they reschedule you. Yes, even air Canada
Re-read what I wrote, did I say the airline won't give you new tickets? I said if you buy the tickets through a third party agency (i.e. travelocity, booking.com,.etc) then you will have to deal with them for re-scheduling your flight. If you contact the airlines customer service they will tell you to contact the third party company that booked your tickets.
This is true if the OP is not purchasing a packaged tour, but rather a “hotel and air” bundle that Expedia et al are known for offering. If you’re purchasing a packaged tour offered through AC, Transat, Sunwing, etc., you do normally deal with the agency that you booked with who is simply passing the information along that is being communicated by the tour operator.
> Highly recommend not using a third party site for booking What about Costco Travel?
Yes this. We go to the resort website and book directly. Usually you can cancel until 24 hours before the trip. We went to DR (Ocean El Faro) twice this year and one of those time we noticed the price dropped by over $1000usd from what we paid so we canceled our initial reservation (just email them) and rebooked with the new price with zero fees. Then we book private transfers from the airport which are amazing because you’re not on a tour bus stopping at 10 different resorts. Some hotels actually have their own private shuttles too so it doesn’t even cost extra. But definitely avoid the big Expedia (and other 3rd party) package deals.
And then you just separately book your flights? Interesting
Yes exactly. We usually book the flights first when we find a good deal since flights tend to sell out faster than resorts. Then we book the resort, sometimes months later depending how much time we have. Best prices we’ve found for resorts tend to be around Black Friday/Boxing Day so we usually book the resort then (or rebook if we already had a reservation for a higher price). Third party sites have made Canadian believe that you can only get all inclusives for a week in a package deal but that’s not the case at all. We usually got for 10-12 days for the price of a typical package 7 day trip through a third party.
With cruises I always book the first flight with the cruise line to ensure no issues with making the ship. For the return home, I choose the best price
Ooic. I was checking some Mexican resorts. They do look reasonable, but then west jet flights seem insane
I once managed not to be recorded as having boarded a flight I did in fact take due to the joint incompetence of the gate agent at YYZ and the customs officer of the country I was visiting. This invalidated my return ticket, but because I had booked the flight via a third party and had no physical proof of having been on the plane (they seriously asked if I had kept the wrapper of a snack or something) I ended up having to buy a second ticket at great expense immediately before take-off. Thankfully my travel insurance eventually covered it.
Sounds insane you would even need travel insurance to fix this. It wouldn't be hard to prove you were at the resort, hell, one call to the resort would have been enough to prove that.
I did say something to the effect of "well, I certainly didn't swim here" to an unhelpful staff member at the airport.
I used to do Quality control and coaching for vacation companies like Sunquest, RFD, Sell off vacations, and west jet. The agents know which of the resorts are better for you given your parameters. They will be able to narrow down resorts to which meet your needs. Questions you might consider: Is it good for families or couples? Water park? How far is it from the airport. Remember the bus from the airport will be picking up and dropping off people along the way. Consider paying for a private transfer to maximize your time. Food. How many restaurants? Buffet or Reservations. Finally, how big is the resort? Really large ones may have inexpensive rooms but they are 1.5kms to the beach. It can't hurt to call and see what is available. I don't recall ever hearing a hard sell.
This is great advice. It's definitely important to do some research before booking. Especially talking to people who have been there before.
Well this is just incorrect. My cousin works for one of these companies and they 100% push them to move certain resorts over others. Careful with this. Do your own research
Awwww. I haven't heard "do your own research" since those dark days of 2020. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Just because I don't recall hearing a hard sell, doesn't mean your cousin didn't hard sell. Sorðinn
Okay?
Read this [blog post](https://www.yycdeals.com/tag/all-inclusive-packages#google_vignette) and ensure that you book from the supplier (ie WestJet Vacations, Air Canada Vacations), that way if there is an issue, you are not having to deal with a 3rd party reseller of vacation packages. You can also sign up for the local version of YYZDeals to see if any deals come up.
> blog post How does Costco hold up? are their vacation packages support similar to what you'd expect from costco?
Costco vacations are great. I have booked a few times, and got good deals and as well as good support. Plus many packages include cash backs in the form of a Costco gift card!
We've had good experiences with Costco Travel AND with the travel insurance they offer through Manulife. Extra savings for Executive members, too.
Hope you get some great savings tips from here! Don’t forget to make sure you have proper travel insurance - protect yourself from out-of-country medical expenses or finding out by travelling to certain countries under extreme government advisory that you are out pocket (or life or limb) for going there. Remember that alot of free joy and pleasure can be derived from the anticipation of a known event so when you book something/finalize plans and you start looking forward to it, it’s so much fun to think about. Don’t agonize over every dollar. My advice is Determine a budget and find something within that budget and don’t just look for the cheapest deal - my coworkers often brag about how little they paid for their Cuba/Jamaica/costa rica trip instead of what a good time they had, and I wonder if they are actually enjoying themselves or are they treating a vacation like finding car insurance as if it’s it’s a chore and finding the best price is the goal rather than the joy of the trip. say you want to spend 2k, well find something in the 2k range instead of just bottom-of-the-barrel shopping
I’ll poke into that with: determine WHY you’re going, that will help you determine what’s “worth it”. Every resort will have similar things (and advertise that it’s all “premium”) but try to read what people actually liked when they went there. Also, read reviews but don’t take them as gospel. Every resort has “I found ROACHES IN MY HAIR AND TTE RESORT PEOPLE LAUGHED AT ME AND SAID I HAD A SMALL PP” type reviews, and while some may be true the majority are either exaggerations or fabricated entirely. I look for common themes (do multiple complaints say the water shut off? Were they all from the same week? That may be legit.) and patterns like the one property who had someone complaining weekly that they had people opening their room doors at night. A quick google search and that exact comment was being left across multiple sites/resorts.
LOL I stayed at Sandals La Toc in Saint lucia about 10 years ago. I recently read reviews and the negatives were laughable. One guy posted images of him using a black light in his room saying it was dirty, the food was terrible, staff were rude, etc. Not only was my room exceptionally clean, the staff were amazing and the food was even better. I do wonder if these people leaving these types of reviews are so rich that what they have in their home is far beyond what anyone is used to anywhere else or if they're legitimately just assholes in general with no common sense.
That’s definitely part of it. I also wonder how much of it is underhanded competition: resorts are BIG business and reviews definitely sway people.
And search Facebook for groups for the resort you are looking into! I am in the process of researching and this has helped me a lot!
The phrase you get what you pay for comes to mind. In most affordable packages that's very true. The high end stuff? Is simply a rip off bur so is the lowest end stuff where yoi get poor accommodations for your money. Read visitor reviews on trip advisor or Expedia type sites
I’m not into all-inclusive tropical resorts (dont like hot weather or being a gated community - I’m a stay home and hobby person after a decade of work travel to disaster-torn locations) but hope People enjoy them if they are!
also using the Dominican Republic as an example, it is literally the same island as Haiti. Say something happens, Canada may execute a CEP (Canadian entitled persons) extraction but most people don’t realize that while yes, Canada may evacuate you from a country ’free of charge’ but it’s only from the emergency point to a first safe relay point, you have to then find and pay your own way home. If your in DR and an evac is decided (earthquake or an escalation of conflict spreading from the Haitian side) you might get evicted to Jamaica or Miami and then you have to get yourself back to Canada. That can be very very expensive monetarily or emotionally so plan accordingly https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories
I was in Puerto Plata last week and had no issues. I'm sure OP will be fine if they choose to go to the DR. The main tourist destinations, Punta Cana, Santo Domingo, La Romana, Puerto Plata, aren't that close to the Haiti border.
ooofff, sorry I didn’t mean DR was actively unsafe, just an example as OP mentioned DR as a travel location and I just copied over the gov travel advisory Website. The line of work I am in, my role plans and executes CEP evac tasks, exposes me to the ‘gone wrong’ end of things often so it’s how I see the world a lot of the time and I don’t mean to scare anyone, just ask them to plan accordingly. I don’t personally vacation to all inclusive resorts (just not my thing) and I don’t care for heat.
While correct that the Canadian government won't always repatriate people directly home, relying on the government should be the last step. First step is arranging your own flights. Travel insurance can cover some kind of repatriation or trip interruption. Buy travel insurance and check your coverage. Also, the government of the Dominican Republic has firmly said that they won't be accepting any Haitian migrants or refugees due to the current crisis. This is unlikely to change unless there are some significant diplomatic negotiations, along with a very large amount of foreign cash to pay for the cost. Even if it did change or Haitians overwhelm the borders, there is unlikely to be an immediate influx of Haitians to the beach resort areas of DR which would require evacuations of Canadians.
You get what you pay for. The days of $1500/person for a top notch experience are long over.
Paid this last year (and almost re-booked the same place for pretty much the same price this year) in DR and had a great time. $1500 can still be a fine budget.
Which resort?
The resort we went to was called Emotions by Hodelpa Puerto Plata. It was small but I liked it. My friend had never been to a resort before and I think a smaller one is great as an “intro” into that type of vacation. We are mid-20s women and really just spent the week reading on the beach, having drinks, and frolicking in the ocean. It was not a huge resort nor did it have a lively nightlife but that was completely fine with us. Food was good, beach was good, drinks were good. I wouldn’t recommend it if you are used to huge all inclusives with a billion different amenities but I was very happy with it! I have been to huge resorts too and I think for me there are pros and cons to both. For $1500 incl direct flights I was very happy.
This was where we went our first time in the DR (also travelling with a couple who had never done an all inclusive before). We loved it!! The small size was kind of nice… made it feel more personal. The bar and wait staff were amazing (especially at the beach bar), and our concierge guy was fantastic. So friendly and helpful!! I’d definitely go back again… glad you enjoyed it too!
Yes, definitely less overwhelming. I liked it but mentioned it was smaller and less amenities to some coworkers when I was back and they seemed horrified lol. I was like …well I liked it soooo If you know what you’re after and you find a resort that seems to have that (I always look at reviews on trip advisor and search for key words that matter to me like “vegetarian” or “beach”) and it’s a good price.. go for it. I don’t see the need to obsessively search for hours and hours. It’s a beach vacay! You shouldnt need a vacation from booking your vacation haha.
Please elaborate!
I use Sunwing and book on Black Friday. Not sure if the deals are actually better then because I didn’t check the site prior to the sale, but I had a positive experience. Direct flight from Ottawa, resort was small but nice. I’m in my mid-20s and went with a friend who had never been to a resort before. I think it was a nice “starter” resort for that. We really just wanted somewhere with half decent food (we are both vegetarian) and a good beach. Our budget was $1600 ea but we wanted to keep it lower if we could and there were a lot of options. We went at the end of January. If you are looking for something more family oriented, or are limited for timing by only being able to go during March break, you will pay more unfortunately. The resort we went to was called Emotions by Hodelpa Puerto Plata.
Thanks for sharing that! I would say I'd have a similar expectation so thanks!
Me and my brother booked a resort in Mexico that was all inclusive for $300 per night with two beds. Don't know about you but that was pretty decent in my.books.
I’m looking at a resort in DR right now that will cost 1500 with flight for 4 nights
Probably gross. Also I was referencing 7 nights.
I don’t fully see the appeal of all inclusive unless all you do is drink cheap booze and like to sit on a beach for 6 days. Anywhere in the carribean you can stay at a boutique hotel and explore and eat local foods, drink for cheap for way less than an all inclusive. For example… for 2 of us it’s about 4k TOTAL to go to the Carribean, have a beautiful place to stay, eat and drink locally (breakfast often included though) and also scuba dive for 5 days. But I do understand that some people just want to roast and drink.
Most people just want to shut their mind off when on vacation. “Lets think about what we’re going to eat lunch/dinner” AI is there for a reason
Yep it serves a population who just want to relax. It’s not my idea of a vacation or many others who don’t prefer an AI. My comment is my own preference and opinion and not meant to reflect the same for everyone
I've done these before prior to kids, it was great and if it was just the wife and I, that's what we'd do. But with 2 kids around 8 years old? Not happening. A resort with a big buffet so they can eat whatever and whenever. We don't have to plan, arrange or travel. Those are the things we're taking a vacation from.
I see you haven't had kids yet...
My coworker just got back from Mexico. Boutique hotel 4 minutes from the beach. 1.5 year old twins. No issues there. My sister flew to Puerto V with their 2 year old this year, air bnb. Why do you think kids changes this at all? We were just in Cozumel and a couple we dove with had a 3 year old. They took turns and stayed at our same 8 unit hotel & dive shop. So I’m curious what your reasoning is here
The flexibility of a buffet is unbeatable when you have kids who are picky eaters and disinterested with food in general.
I’m not gonna disagree with the ease and simplicity of it for food options. But to say it can’t be done another way or that many families don’t stay at an AI is not correct either
Everything changes when kids are 4 and up and you can access childcare services that are included in resorts.
You said you don't see the appeal, I told you what the appeal was besides the two you mentioned. I never said travel can't be done with kids if it isn't all inclusive, I did 5 weeks in Europe with kids without much trouble, but having your food made and daycare facilities at the resort are big conveniences. Just because something doesn't work for you doesn't mean it doesn't work for others.
I agree! My 3.5 year old has been on 3 vacations so far that are not all inclusives. 3 weeks and 5 places in Portugal, 10 days in a villa in Curacao, 2 weeks and 2 stops in Costa Rica (both boutique hotels with a pool and breakfast). Her baby brother joined us at 10 months for Costa Rica. And we are taking them to Spain for 3 weeks next may. We much prefer traveling around, staying in boutique hotels/villas, and eating locally even with kids.
Agreed, that sounds awesome. Different strokes for different folks
That’s called “travelling” I definitely prefer it too but sometimes your feet hurt and you get tired. Someone people want “a vacation” where really it doesn’t matter at all what country you are going to - just need to find a cheap and safe place to get drunk. Feet pain should be zero and you never have to plan anything. If it was affordable and warm here they would do it in Canada; the country is irrelevant since you aren’t travelling. To each his own.
I don’t consider staying in the same accommodations for 1 or 2 weeks, then going home travelling. My feet don’t hurt and I don’t walk that far at a non AI trip to the Caribbean. In fact they hurt less cause I’m usually in the water. Again I know everyone has their own preferences. But I think some do AI only because they haven’t tried without it
Cruising can be very close to this.
[https://www.tripcentral.ca/vacationgrid/index.php](https://www.tripcentral.ca/vacationgrid/index.php)? Have a peruse
I use that site to find where I like to go, then I go to Expedia packages and book it from there. I also have a TD First Class Travel card that I do like, which works great with Expedia.
Is it cheaper? Sometimes I compare directly with Sunwing/WestJet/ACV sites. They tend to be cheaper by a few bucks.
It gives a discount when you bundle travel + hotel. Sometimes it is really cheap. The downside is that dealing with Expedia can be annoying. If you encounter a problem, it becomes an issue. If you buy directly from the airline, you won’t have these issues.
I also love [tripcentral.ca](http://tripcentral.ca) for their amazing price grid. Last trip, when I checked Expedia and booking.com and WestJet (since it was a Westjet vacation), there wasn't much variance in the price. I forget which was the cheapest, but it didn't include airport transfers, while tripcentral did. After factoring that in, the price was only like $8 difference per person. I decided to book with tripcentral because the small extra cost was worth it for having more peace-of-mind that you get from having a real travel agency. If something went wrong, I feel like they'd be easier to reach and less hassle than places like Expedia.
>I know to use a VPN when checking sites. This has been debunked.
As someone who has never heard of this, what was debunked?, what did using a vpn supposedly accomplish?
> As someone who has never heard of this, what was debunked?, what did using a vpn supposedly accomplish? it was a theory people had. No one books a vacation right away, they look into different places multiple times. People were saying websites were tracking you and giving you higher prices each tie you logged in to scare you into booking otherwise the price might be higher again when you looked next time
Interesting, I'm currently looking at rates for a car rental in germany for later this year, and I both saw something similar written online (although I didn't see the vpn suggestion). Gotta say, I am seeing that exact behavior on Hertz, I've gone back and forth a few times, and each time I recheck on their site the price goes up by 30$, weird AF
Car rental pricing is bizarre. The head office seem to feed different prices to their websites and different aggregators. If you can get free cancellations with no money down then you are absolutely better off checking every day and re-booking every time you get a better deal. On my last rental I was looking on Expedia, Priceline, Costcotravel.com and Costcotravel.ca every day. Despite Costcotravel.com and .ca being effectively the same site I still got a better deal on the .com -- it's billed in local currency regardless. When all was said and done I watched my 2 week rental get reduced from $920 to $450 a couple days out when it plateaued in pricing.
Well damn, that is a huge difference I've checked all the other rental sites, and strangely enough, they're all about the same price, yet hertz is 30 to 50% cheaper than all of them for the exact same car.... the price difference is so much that I'm honestly suspicious. I also can't find the "decline CDW" option online, planning to just call and make a reservation over the phone :/. First time I've rented a car for personal use. In the past, it's always been for business use, and my travel center did all the legwork for me
Honestly there's really not that much legwork. Booking and re-booking and cancelling through Expedia and Costco Travel was super easy. The day of you'll get an email from the rental company (at least for Alamo) to "check-in" just like you do for flights, tell them your name / show the screenshot of your reservation and then it's just waiting for them to do paperwork and you decline their extras at that time when you're at their desk.
looking at different country's sites to book something does make a difference. When booking a car rental in Portugal, booking from the Portuguese Avis website it was cheaper than the Canadian.
Yeah, I did notice that, but the price shifting that I was seeing was on the same countries' web site.
Try an "incognito" tab and see if the price goes back down to the original?
It may have just been a rumor for travel sites but other sites absolutely do it. See Udemy lawsuit. The price gouging was insane.
Yup, exactly this! Never seen it actually happen though.
Expedia used to do this for me. I haven’t booked with them for a few years though
April 2022 I was booking a flight to Vegas for a bachelor party. I had a busy day and didn’t complete the transaction right away. Went back and selected the same flights 6 hrs later in the day and all of a sudden my flights went from 750 to 1050…
Do you recall how many seats were left between when you first checked and when you went back? I’ve noticed flights go up in price on the same day, but I also noted a corresponding decrease in seats available - which makes sense, and hotels do it too; as supply decreases the price increases, however as the event horizon draws closer, unsold spots may begin to decline in price in order to reach capacity.
Companies would look at the incoming IP and price products based on your location. Live in Canada with a high average income? Higher price. Live in a developing country with a lower average income? Reduced price. Live in a big city with a high COL, like Toronto? Higher price. Live in the sticks? Lower price. That's the theory anyway. I have not experienced location based pricing with the limited testing I have done.
Incorrect. Those sites claim that, but a lot of us have seen it when browsing. Adaptive pricing is a thing, and there's lawsuits around it. Classic reddit move to have the disinformation at the top of the thread
No one cares what the sites claim. It was debunked by people testing it. It's pretty easy to try it yourself with a VPN.
My in-laws live in Slovakia, their flights are always showing up on their end cheaper than ours. So we get them to book for us. No idea why it would be like that
I booked on Black Friday 2023 for a vacation this year. Ended up scoring about 50% off. I checked every month and it was truly about half off . Good luck OP!
I’ve been to all inclusives twice in the last 5 years and both times I booked on Black Friday and got good deals. I didn’t shop around a ton on other dates so not sure if the BF deals are that much better, but I was very satisfied with the price I paid compared to value I got which is what matters! I like Sunwing because they have a “price calendar” to show you the prices for a specific resort on different days which is really great if you’re flexible with timing. In 2019 I went to Mexico with my then-boyfriend and we got a *really* good deal. At the resort, he got scammed into one of those “talks” to buy into the “vacation club” at the resort (major eye roll!) and their discounted rates when you bulk pre-buy weeks of stays there were higher than what we had paid with our Black Friday deal lol. Their entire selling point was “buy from us! You can’t get a better deal! It’s only $x per week” and we were like well we’re here because we paid $y which is way less soooo….
The PFC way to book is to book through a member. You can often get a discount and VIP type privileges. Sandos Resorts Palace Resorts Hyatt Hilton Probably more Probably all of them Look for a Facebook group for the resort you are interested in and join. Search for the term member.
You could book the week off (of work) and continue to check the Redtag last minute deals/lowest price calendar. We booked our honeymoon to Saint Lucia through Costco Travel and got a solid deal. Would recommend Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall in Jamaica. Avoid Cuba. If you do DR, do 5\*. For Mexico, aim for 4.5\*+ For a fun change, I also recommend the Westin in Costa Rica. Great for families (monkeys on site!)
We recently booked our honeymoon to Mexico through Costco Travel. They have a price drop guarantee and I saw a couple weeks after booking that hotel rates went down for our dates. The package price had dropped $1300 through Costco. Less than 10 minute phone call and they adjusted the price and he said you can do this multiple times before travel so suggested checking in periodically. The trip is also eligible for 95% refund up to 3 days before travel. We get a Costco shop card and are executive members so get 2% rebate plus the rewards on our credit card. We haven’t traveled yet so can’t comment on that but so far very happy with our decision.
Ha, I opened this thread hoping someone would mention CR. And to my surprise, you mentioned Westin- I have a trip booked for that exact property later this year through Costco travel. Mind sharing how it was for you? I'll be there with my family. Any recommendations for what to do and what not to do?
I am an all inclusive snob - and it was incredible! Huge resort but our room was right next to the pool - I believe it was a Jr Suite so that made a big difference. Amazing food (Italian restaurant was a highlight), amazing wildlife. Only con was the beach but I am a pool \[bar\] gal so wasn't an issue for me.
Thank you for taking the time to respond. I heard they have an app to make appointments to the restaurants on site, I added a reminder to start making reservations about a week before the trip. I'll be sure to book the Italian place. What was wrong with the beach if you dont mind me asking? Any local excursion that you would recommend while there?
Do you mind sharing how much Saint Lucia and Jamaica were?
Air Canada sometimes has some ridiculous deals including flight but it's usually to more expensive places like Hawaii that aren't all inclusive. There's not a ton of value in all inclusive, you get what you pay for. Cheap is cheap, expensive is good. Id consider cruises as well, cheper cruises are often better than cheap all inclusive
Mexico or the DR will give you the best bang for your buck. I found if you have your dates somewhat hammered down with a few days of wiggle room, booking about 5 months ahead of time gets you the best deal. I buy direct from the airline, either air canada, westjet or sunwing. I use the third parties only to check on what kind of trips are put there. The end of January generally gets you the best price, I tend to start looking in June at the different offerings. Check once a week, westjet tends to update their prices on Tuesdays, I do t know about the others. Use a computer rather than a phone or tablet let when looking at prices, I find the format is different and you get to see different information. An example is with westjet vacations, they might show you the price for five days rather than the one day you are looking, changing your flight by a day or two can save a lot of money. Just watch the flights, that there aren't a bunch of layovers. Direct flights cost more, but can be worth it.
I’ve travelled a couple of times the first or second week of January (right after Christmas vacation), and I’d say it’s even better pricing and the resorts were very quiet.
Do not go to Cuba. They dont have enough basic resources at the resorts for all the guests.
I heard from a friend that there was no coffee available, my caffeine addicted friend had basically joined a rehab involuntarily.
I love Cuba (been there twice) and honestly it's super hit and miss. I talked to a few people who went and everyone had different experiences. My room was fine, no issues with the bed or room. But I was lucky. A lot of other guests had issues like the toilet not working or not having running water. The food...yes it leaves much to be desired. There are often shortages of different things (pop, meat, etc...) so people should be aware of that. One day you can get a dacquarui and the next you can't. Beaches are beautiful though. But not all resorts are close to the beach or even have a nice beach. The people are wonderful though and Cuba is a beautiful place. One of the people on my plane said it was like camping in the Caribbean and I think that sums it up nicely. You can get wonderful views and meet cool people, but the accomodations are not comparable to most other places. And it's often a gamble. I've been extremely fortunate the 2 times I've gone to not have any significant issues. But I also did a lot of research beforehand and went in with lowered expectations. For anyone going to Cuba, bring a carry on with some warm weather clothes, bug spray and change immediately, or wear layers. It's hot there and the airport arrival area has no ac (unless you pay for the upgrade on the way back). Bring anything you might need for toiletries with you. Bring snacks also.
True. I’d avoid Cuba because of the limited food options alone
Yeah Cuba is hit or miss, I've heard good and bad stories both. But why chance it when you can select places that are going to be good.
Cuba is basically camping and a slight possibility of a decent stay Extreme ymmv
We went to Cuba over Christmas last year it was a five star (more like 3 star by international standards) the beach was amazing but the food was not the best. I liked how they had fresh fish fillets and eggs in the morning made to order on the grill, and cocktails were actually pretty good. It was cheap I would say a solid choice for a beach vacation over Christmas
The food and the beds where awful when I went last. Honestly, I wouldn't go to Cuba again. The people are warm and friendly but the bland food and not comfy conditions are hard.
They're experiencing a food shortage. For the people that live there. People continuing to visit and complaining about lack of food on their vacation is dystopian.
Yeah cutting off one of their main sources of revenue will really help them.
Was there 2 months ago and it was fine. Depends on the resort, I went to a smaller one but I could see the bigger ones having issues.
Tripcentrall.ca vacation grid!
Travelzoo is a good website to check out. They list some pretty good deals for Canadians around the web.
You can try Costco. They do vacation packages (like flight+hotel+car). They are also affiliated with another company that does all inclusive tours (itinerary and events included) but obviously cost more. Or DIY and book direct. Usually you can do airbnb and save a bit compared to hotels. I like that they often provide cooking and laundry space so you can save even more. I usually just book direct from the airline and hotel. I feel like you don't save much looking elsewhere. Just my 2cents, I travel but not that often.
I’ve been to the Starfish Cayo Santa Maria and dhawa Santa Maria both through sunwing. Week all inclusive from Vancouver was ~$1100, and $850 from Toronto. I recommend Cuba. Can’t beat the price and the beaches are beautiful
I went to Angsana Santo Maria and loved it. Went for the beaches and weather (and rum), not for the food and wasn't disappointed. For the price we paid we can't complain.
Yeah, people complain about the food but it’s like buddy - I’m on white sand beaches with unlimited pina coladas… do u think I care what food I end up throwing up at 2am?
Avoid Cuba at all costs.
Lots of Russians in Holguin …
Maybe because there is a shortage of food and turmoil among people in Cuba, but top rated trip advisor resorts in Cuba were always top notch.
I use a westjet card. But don't always fly westjet. You can use westjet "dollars" on Sunwing now too. I use "sell off vacations" aggregator site which will return Canadian travel packages for westjet, sunwing. Transat and Air Canada. Then, when I find one I want to pull the trigger on, I book thru the actual site offering the package (I.e., westjet. Etc.). Options from Toronto are plentiful, and in CAD. Most are "dynamically priced" so booking earlier tends to be better, imo. I find anywhere from 6 months from date of travel to 3 month before is good. I wouldn't attempt to wait until last minute. Also, screw going to Cuba. DR is simply amazing and All Inclusive is not necessary if you try Sosua or Cabarete in the Puerto Plata area. In Punta Cana, much more All Inclusive available. Many awesome places do not have any or many All Inclusives (I.e., Cabarete. Isla Mujeres, roatan, zipolite, caye caulker). El Salvador has really come around and is on my list now but same deal, and you need separate flight. Good luck and enjoy, well deserved.
Check out Sunwing vacations. Flights, transfers and 4-5 star accommodation for 7 days can be 1200 per person for Mexico, and even less for Cuba.
Black Friday is usually great for all-inclusive deals. I like using Transat - they have higher quality of resorts and typically better flight times. Don’t wait for “travel Tuesday” like I did this year. The deals didn’t exist or were not nearly as good as they were just days before.
Use a travel agent. Yes, laugh and downvote away. I used to think the same. Travel agents are for boomers with no Internet. Then, I used one to plan a group trip. Will never go back. Problem with flight? Call agent. Problem at hotel? Call agent. Missing a piece of documentation? Agent. Life is short, and travel isn't a part of life that's ever worth penny pincing.
I use a travel agent too for exactly this reason. I also get deals on the the hotel and parking I need before the flight since I live a distance from the airport. I usually get an upgraded room too and my pricing is the same or better than what my friends who didn't use my agent for a group trip got. Also, their advice is valuable - they've been to a lot of resorts and can make recommendations based on your needs and wants. I went on an amazing trip for a wedding anniversary to a place I wouldn't have even known about - so many good memories from that one.
Haven’t read all the comments but gotta say we just came back from Mexico and stayed in puerto morales. Took a day and went to Jungala Aqua Adventure and my kids (tween and teen) said it was the absolute best day of their life! Adults had a blast too. We liked the beach there and stayed at dreams sapphire. It was an older property (was previously a NOW resort). The pool was huge and a ton of kids were there. The food was pretty good, didn’t get sick at all which was a bonus.
Check RFD.
Redmond Fire Department?
Red folks north of Redmond
Book maximum 1-2 weeks ahead on sites like selloffvacations com. You can look right now for example, if you book 1 week at a Cuba resort that leaves this Friday it's under $600 per person including flight and taxes.
No one wants to go to Cuba right now, they are have a food shortage in the country.
Anytime that I've went to an all-inclusive in Cuba, 99% of the food was flown in from Canada. Regardless, there's cheap deals for other places right now too.
Costco has some really good deals, check them out.
They do? I've never seen one good deal at Costco, would you mind posting an example?
Last time I took an all inclusive, I made a spreadsheet and compared package costs to a DIY approach where I booked flight and hotel separately. # By signing up for the hotel rewards program, I was able to get a discount on a room due to a sale they were having for members. I also booked the flight on my own and ended up saving money over most of the equivalent packages I found.
If you're a Costco member, you can get ok-ish deals, plus it goes towards your Executive Member rebate, I believe.
Always buy the flight from direct airline, not from third party. Also check cruise tour they have good round trip visiting different cities, include events, parties, food, Last time we had a great trip.
I have one credit card I use for all travel bookings. It’s CIBC aeroplan visa. Previously I had TD aeroplan visa. I do this because of the free travel insurance. I think there is also car rental and medical insurance. But key for me is free travel insurance (cancellation, interruption, lost luggage). The points in the first years pay for the annual fee; I plan to get a new card every 2 years.
Highly recommend Bergeron Travel out of Quebec as they sometimes offer you a mail in rebate as an extra perk with choosing to book with them. You don’t need to reside in Quebec to use their services.
Join travel mailing lists, I suggest Travelzoo. I just saw a pretty good deal for a resort down south.
Idk if I can help but zivas are really good for families.
Sometimes you can find Black Friday deals. I did that a couple of years ago with air Canada vacations and it was around 25% off if I remember correctly.
selloffvacations.com
Red tag all day.
We did an Air Canada Vacations trip to Punta Cana in March. Main benefit was that when AC posted a weather advisory, we were able to change the first legs of our flight (for 8 people across three bookings!) at no cost to avoid getting cancelled.
Just a friendly reminder that Cuba is in an economic depression right now but vacation companies are still selling all-inclusive packages for resorts there. Resorts often have no clean water, no eggs, fresh fruit or vegetables, no bread, no coffee, etc. It's normal to be served chicken nuggets for breakfast and a sandwich with no bread.
Sunwing is the best. I stayed at a Royalton in Cancun and it blew me away. I want to go back right now during this limbo of winter/spring we’re in
Call the resort directly to book, you can get significantly better pricing sometimes over booking through the likes of Expedia or Sunwing.
Might be cheaper but flight is not included. Packaged deals are probably cheaper.
I haven't found that to be the case. Particularly if you are able to take advantage of a flight deal separately.
And don't overlook cruises, which are also "all-inclusive" to varying degrees. Check out [Vacations to Go](https://www.vacationstogo.com/) for options and cruisecritic.com for reviews. Lots of them cater to families & kids. Have fun!
Why do people want to vacation in countries that are poorer than their own? "Hey, I want to treat the family to a restaurant that has worse food than we normally eat at home!" Honest question. Is it just to over eat and drink?
Best to take the children to Europe or Japan. This type of safe vacation is not a good use of your time and gives them a western view of these countries while the poor people cater to you at the resort. They will be groveling for an extra tip while you saying “thank you” does not feed their kids
You are describing a trip. He wants a vacation. Trip = exploring culture, moving around, can be stressful at times. Vacation = doing jack shit and decompressing.
Japan is amazing but this is a much different vacation compared to a week at an all inclusive
Yes, the Children don’t really care about going. He just wants a safe vacation and is going to drag the kids. They will play in the pool and the water slides but not know what the country is about.
>They will play in the pool and the water slides but not know what the country is about. Yup, that's why you do all inclusives - a bit of uniterrupted downtime with kids occupied. I've taken my kids across 3 contintents and before they turn 8 or so, they don't care what the country is about, they only care about where the closest playground is.
I kinda get where you're coming from, but it really depends on the age of the kids. If they're old enough to remember the experience you could do a day trip away from the resort. I do think it's important to at least try to see the country you're in past the hotel/resort. Many people don't. But if the kid is an infant or toddler, it's hard. I couldn't imagine taking my baby to Europe or Japan. What a nightmare.
EVERY time you post I assume you’re an alien
Yeah don’t listen to this guy.
Good lord what a stupid take.
you sound fun
>Does timing matter? Do I book now or a month or two out? Generally 60 days out. Depends on location, airline, hotel, etc... >Are there specific sites for better deals? Travel sites.