When it comes to the Caribbean, most of us automatically think of romance. After all, the Bahamas and Jamaica are marketed as great locations for romantic getaways, honeymoons, and destination weddings. While this is true, the area is also known for being the place of fun and sun. In fact, you don’t even need to be in a relationship to have a great trip. Some of the best all-inclusive Caribbean vacations are those you take with your best friends. But, planning an all-inclusive trip with a group of five of your closest friends is different than planning one with your spouse. How so?
Paying for the Trip: When it comes to all-inclusive Caribbean vacations with friends, you are likely to each pay your own share of the trip. When booking with a husband or wife, one or the other usually pays the bill from your joint accounts. This difference in paying will impact how your reservations are made. First, decide who is going to stay in the same room. Most traditional rooms are limited to four or five guests in a room. Then someone is your group needs to be nominated to “pay” the entire bill. When paying with a debt card, each member of your traveling party can put in their share first, the money can get deposited, and then reservations can be made.
The good news is that all-inclusive Caribbean vacations include a stay at a resort where your food, drinks, snacks, tips, and some onsite activities are included. Airline reservations can also be included as well. The inclusions are the same for each traveler, so just split the costs evenly.
Food, Snacks, and Drinks: Despite the fact that you might be vacationing with some of your closest friends, there is a good chance you all have different likes and dislikes in terms of food. For that reason, you want to choose your all-inclusive Caribbean resort wisely. Instead of opting for a hotel that includes food at their one onsite restaurant, opt for choices. Some of the best all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean give you multiple places to eat (typically a bar, casual restaurant, and upscale restaurant). This way everyone is happy. You can alternate between the onsite eateries or even spilt up for lunch or dinner if traveling in a large group.
On the website of a Caribbean resort, they should have information about their onsite restaurants and eateries. While you may not get a detailed menu, you should be provided with a sample of some of the meals or drinks served.
Things to Do and See: As with food, we all have our likes and dislikes. The Caribbean is well-known for its beautiful beaches. Moreover, most all-inclusive Caribbean resorts list many beach activities, like snorkeling, scuba diving, or kayaking as inclusions, meaning you don’t pay extra. However, you may have someone in your group who doesn’t like the water or know how to swim. For that reason, you want to choose a resort that has a collection of land based and water based activities. By doing so, there will be lots of activities for your friends to enjoy no matter what their likes, dislikes, preferences, or fears are.
When examining things to do and see, place a lot of focus on inclusions because you don’t pay extra. If you want to venture of the resort grounds to take a guided hiking tour or a horseback riding tour, plan ahead. If your group is large in size, such as more than five people, you may be required to make your reservations in advance. Moreover, you want each member of your traveling party (especially those on a budget) to have time to come up with the extra money.
The above mentioned factors are just a few of the many you want to keep in mind when choosing an all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean for your next trip with friends. Many resorts in the Caribbean have age restrictions. These restrictions are typically in place to keep small children off the grounds, but you may want to check ahead if any of your guests are under the age of 18. Have fun!
source to this post: Planning an All-Inclusive Caribbean Vacation With Friends
From the Winter and summer travel website