Fees to Exchange into All Inclusives

[Ellen Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ellen]

Looking into Cancun, as well as Cabo and Puerta Vallarta, to exchange. Enjoy AIs and thought it would be a nice change for our anniversary trip, I don't want to cook! But it also looks like we would be better off just going through Orbitz or the like if we wanted to do an air/hotel/AI package rather than doing them separately using an exchange (especially if we have to pay a $200-$400 exchange fee).
Any one know what the fee pp per day is at the AIs? $50 might make it worth exchanging but I'm assuming they are more like $100 pp. Any one know the AI charge for Moon Palace or Beach Palace?
Your feed back is appreciated!

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

Yep, it usually is cheaper buying a package from a travel outfit. As to AI fees, I believe they vary seasonally with the highest cost at the highest season at some resorts. The palace resorts may also include a trip or 2 in the all inclusive package.

[srt_unit Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close srt_unit]

We just went To Cabo and stayed at Temptation Resort in December..and I guess this is there "HIGH" season ...we payed 1100.00 for 7 days me and my wife..I was really pissed off at this because my wife looked on fun jet and found the room, airfare and AI for 1500.00 ...
Total f'in ripoff...and RCI says they have nothing to do with it .the hotel sets the price..and the hotel wont go down on price so your pretty much screwed on the AI...I will never to AI thru RCI again...

Oh and make sure u print out the paper if you find a deal because the hotels will not honor it and will try to charge u even more than stated .

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

I remember that RCI has a page where all A-I fees are given for each resort that has a mandatory A-I fee. You may find it here under another page and also under each resort too. Some resorts do not have a mandatory A-I fees for their members but it is required for an exchanger. This should be listed too, I hope.

All Inclusive RCI

[Ellen Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ellen]

We just went To Cabo and stayed at Temptation Resort in December..and I guess this is there "HIGH" season ...we payed 1100.00 for 7 days me and my wife..I was really pissed off at this because my wife looked on fun jet and found the room, airfare and AI for 1500.00 ...
Total f'in ripoff...and RCI says they have nothing to do with it .the hotel sets the price..and the hotel wont go down on price so your pretty much screwed on the AI...I will never to AI thru RCI again...

Oh and make sure u print out the paper if you find a deal because the hotels will not honor it and will try to charge u even more than stated .

Good to know & exactly what I'm afraid of, especially if I use an exchange for an AI.

[Ellen Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ellen]

I remember that RCI has a page where all A-I fees are given for each resort that has a mandatory A-I fee. You may find it here under another page and also under each resort too. Some resorts do not have a mandatory A-I fees for their members but it is required for an exchanger. This should be listed too, I hope.

All Inclusive RCI

Thanks for the info. We'd go through II or SFX. Looks like for either I'd have to call the resort to see what the daily pp fee for AI would be. Seems like a lot of effort and if we do AI just better off not using an exchange. Could cost more if we used our exchange.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

Here's a sample of what Apple Vacations has for all-inclusive vacations:

All-Inclusive Vacations | America’s #1 Tour Operator | Apple Vacations

Why exchange ?

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

Thanks for the info. We'd go through II or SFX. Looks like for either I'd have to call the resort to see what the daily pp fee for AI would be. Seems like a lot of effort and if we do AI just better off not using an exchange. Could cost more if we used our exchange.

SFX does NOT accept AI resorts so you won't be able to exchange with them.

Why do an AI if all your looking for is not cooking meals? We never cook meals when we go on vacation. The Grand Mayan resorts in Mexico are not AI but they have room service and several on-site restaurants with different food types and prices. They have on-site concierge and travel services for tours etc. The Royals have much the same though I don't remember if we had room service.

[TimeshareVon Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close TimeshareVon]

Using your TS to exchange into an AI resort is a grand waste of your TS and probably more money too.

Back in 2004, we did an AI resort in Cancun via Hotels.com and paid $110/night (total) for the two of us . . . stayed 11 nights.

[Ellen Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ellen]

SFX does NOT accept AI resorts so you won't be able to exchange with them.

Why do an AI if all your looking for is not cooking meals? We never cook meals when we go on vacation. The Grand Mayan resorts in Mexico are not AI but they have room service and several on-site restaurants with different food types and prices. They have on-site concierge and travel services for tours etc. The Royals have much the same though I don't remember if we had room service.

Good to know about SFX.

AI can be preferred because I don't want to have to even worry about where I am going to eat, how to get there or how I'm getting there. Plus, an AI can be a nice change. Reviews of Tripadvisor have noted the resaurants at The Grand Mayan are expensive.

[Ellen Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ellen]

Using your TS to exchange into an AI resort is a grand waste of your TS and probably more money too.

Back in 2004, we did an AI resort in Cancun via Hotels.com and paid $110/night (total) for the two of us . . . stayed 11 nights.

That was my initial thought but just wanted to see if any one had a different perspective or experience. Thanks.

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

Good to know about SFX.

AI can be preferred because I don't want to have to even worry about where I am going to eat, how to get there or how I'm getting there. Plus, an AI can be a nice change. Reviews of Tripadvisor have noted the resaurants at The Grand Mayan are expensive.

With room service you don't have to leave your unit. The restaurants are all on site so you just walk to them or take their free shuttle.

The restaurants at the Grand Mayans are NOT expensive. They vary depending on the type. The people that write those reviews are just plain cheapskates. You are at a 5* resort, not Motel 6 with a Denny's across the street. I am not an owner there so I have no axe to grind. We have stayed 10 weeks at the Grand Mayans on exchanges with SFX.

We don't like AI because they are very expensive and we want to choose what we are going to eat and where. Sometimes we just order room service because we don't feel like going out. Other times we may just get a nice sandwich and dessert at the on-site deli, or lunch by the pool. And then again, maybe we want prime rib or Mexican food, etc. In other words we make the decision based on what we feel like eating at the time. And if you like buffets, they have those as well. We often do the breakfast buffet.

[roach Member Find all posts View Profile Close roach]

AI with Airfare

We just booked a trip to Puerto Vallarta. The first 7 nights are at Grand Mayan and the last 3 nights at an SVC AI. We booked the AI room with the AI fee and the airfare together for $140 per person more that the cost of just airfare. That is only $94 per night for the both of us for the room and the AI. Had we booked the SVC resort with our points, the AI fee would have been $75 per night for each of us. We would have a nicer room, but this way we will have some extra cash. Also, we could not get the booking site of the resort to work. It would show us a price, but it would not accept payment. I was afraid airfare would go up, so I called the airline directly to ask about rates. They gave us a cheaper rate on our vacation package than booking through the resort. Now we are just wondering about the violence issues.

[Ellen Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ellen]

With room service you don't have to leave your unit. The restaurants are all on site so you just walk to them or take their free shuttle.

The restaurants at the Grand Mayans are NOT expensive. They vary depending on the type. The people that write those reviews are just plain cheapskates. You are at a 5* resort, not Motel 6 with a Denny's across the street. I am not an owner there so I have no axe to grind. We have stayed 10 weeks at the Grand Mayans on exchanges with SFX.

We don't like AI because they are very expensive and we want to choose what we are going to eat and where. Sometimes we just order room service because we don't feel like going out. Other times we may just get a nice sandwich and dessert at the on-site deli, or lunch by the pool. And then again, maybe we want prime rib or Mexican food, etc. In other words we make the decision based on what we feel like eating at the time. And if you like buffets, they have those as well. We often do the breakfast buffet.

Well I guess if the Grand Mayans don't have a Denny's across the street I can cross them off my list. I'm a real big fan of Denny's Grand Slam breakfast. LOL
Seriously, thanks for the info.

[timeos2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close timeos2]

AI is a bad way to go for us & no value

Using your TS to exchange into an AI resort is a grand waste of your TS and probably more money too.

Back in 2004, we did an AI resort in Cancun via Hotels.com and paid $110/night (total) for the two of us . . . stayed 11 nights.

Agreed. Trading /AI is like using a timeshare for a cruise "deal" - it ends up being far more expensive than other options. Plus we greatly dislike the usually mediocre food & lack of control AI creates. At prices we would never pay for restaurant meals we would control and enjoy far more.