Honeymoon Idea: Caribbean Overwater Bungalow

 

As you think about honeymoon destinations, have you dreamed about visiting the overwater bungalows in Tahiti, but the long flight worries you?

Check out the Caribbean overwater bungalows. 

These are the ultimate honeymoon suite.  You get the convenience of a short flight and an all inclusive resort.

 Sandals all inclusive resorts have overwater bungalows at Sandals Royal Caribbean, Sandals South Coast and Sandals Grande St Lucian.

 If you'd love to take the whole family with you, Royalton Antigua offers overwater bungalows. Royalton Antigua is family friendly. Grandma and Grandpa could be living their best life in a bungalow as the family enjoys the great junior suites. Or if you are thinking about a destination wedding, you could kickstart your honeymoon in the overwater bungalow.

 If your ideal honeymoon includes Mexico, El Dorado Maroma is a great choice. El Dorado Maroma offers Palafitos - the first overwater bungalows in Mexico.

Take a look: 

Dining Selection / Variety of Activities / Walkable Beach

 Last week, I challenged my email newsletter subscribers to send in three words or phrases that matched their ideal resort. I matched their ideas with a resort that I've visited. It's a good thing I've been to over 150 resorts since some of the requests were very specific. 

One traveler sent in: Dining Selection / Variety of Activities / Walkable Beach 

I immediately thought of Secrets Maroma Beach and Sandos Caracol Eco Resort.

Virtual Vacation: Keystone, Colorado

By Katy DeHaven

We have been looking at a lot of warm weather getaways for our recent Trips with Angie virtual vacations and I thought it was time we took a peak at a winter getaway. My family has been talking a lot about wanting to take a ski trip, and a couple years ago we had a client book a trip to Keystone, CO so I thought we should take a closer look.

All Inclusive Resorts in United States

 

I've gotten a lot more requests for all inclusive resorts in the United States. I assume people want all inclusive resorts similar to those in the Caribbean where meals, alcohol, and activities are included. The short answer is that there are very few resorts that meet this criteria because alcohol is a lot more expensive in the USA than in the Caribbean. 

Cruises Versus All Inclusive Resort Vacations

 

What's the Difference between a cruise and an all inclusive resort?  It used to be that all inclusive resorts were the only choice if you wanted alcohol included. Both All inclusive resort and Cruise lines have always included meals. In the last few years, cruise lines started offering beverage packages to make the experience more all inclusive. This means it's easier to compare the experiences.  A few key differences between cruises and all inclusive resort vacations: Pools - Cruise ship pools are tiny. If you love pools, you'll want an all inclusive resort. Night Life - Cruises tend to have more robust night life than all inclusive resorts. You'll have multiple nightly events happening at the same time. For instance, you'll have the nightly show in the theater, a band or DJ hosting a deck party, karaoke and a trio playing in a lounge. Rooms - Most cruise ship cabins are small. The beds for the 3rd and 4th passengers in a cruise cabin are usually bunks from the ceiling or a double sofa bed. Kids' Programming - Both cruise ships and all inclusive resorts have kids' clubs. The cruise ship kids' clubs tend to have longer hours than all inclusive resorts. Dining - All inclusive resorts have more options included each night for dinner. Cruise ships tend to include a main dining room, buffet, and a grill. Specialty dining like a steakhouse or Asian restaurant is extra on a cruise. Most all inclusive resorts have at least three other restaurants in addition to the buffet available for dinner. Room Service - All Inclusive resorts have more varied room service menus included in your stay. Cruise lines have limited room service menus and some hot food items have a surcharge. Traveling in a Group - I find it easier to share dinner in a group on a cruise ship since the same table can be reserved in the main dining room each night. Flexibility - Cruise ships have a set schedule and itinerary. You can customize the length of your all inclusive resort stay. Casino - Most cruise ship have a Las Vegas-style casino. That is much harder to find at an all inclusive resort. Adults Only - Currently only two cruise lines - Viking Ocean and Virgin Voyages - are adults only. You have a lot of choices for an adults only all inclusive resort. Dietary Needs - My experience has been cruises do a better job with food allergies and dietary restrictions than all inclusive resorts. What would you pick? An All inclusive resort or a cruise?

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Things to Do and Virtual Tours: Aruba

 

By Katy DeHaven

The last port we are going to look at for now in the Caribbean is Aruba, this virtual vacation is by inspired by some of our Trips with Angie clients who are currently celebrating the holidays there!

Located north of Venezuela, Aruba is known for its stunning beaches, desert landscapes, and some of the best wreck diving in the Caribbean. Aruba is part of the Kingdom of The Netherlands, so the official language of the islands is Dutch, but English is widely spoken. The capital is Oranjestad, and also the main port on the island. Located south of the hurricane belt, direct hurricane hits to the island are rare, making it a great island getaway any time of year!

Things to Do and Virtual Tours: San Juan, Puerto Rico

By Katy DeHaven

 For this week’s Caribbean port of call we are going to check out San Juan. Not only is it a popular port of call found on Caribbean itineraries it is also an embarkation port for many Southern Caribbean cruise itineraries. About 500 cruise ships call on San Juan each year, the port itself is the largest and busiest in the Caribbean with two separate terminals hosting more than 2 million cruise visitors each year.

Founded in 1521, San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico is the oldest city under U.S. jurisdiction. It has one of the biggest and best natural harbors in the Caribbean. The metropolitan area has 3 distinct districts, Old San Juan, the Beach & Resort area, and the outlying communities. Now let’s check out some highlights of this port of call!