exchanging for all-inclusive

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

I've tried to browse through here to get familiar with our TS processes; however, I don't recall seeing anything recent on all-inclusive resorts.

Has anyone out there traveled to an all-inclusive resort with Bluegreen points? I've read the fine print about an all-inclusive fee. Can anyone elaborate on that?

-Ellisa

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

I've tried to browse through here to get familiar with our TS processes; however, I don't recall seeing anything recent on all-inclusive resorts.

Has anyone out there traveled to an all-inclusive resort with Bluegreen points? I've read the fine print about an all-inclusive fee. Can anyone elaborate on that?

-Ellisa

BG points will not cover the AI fee, if that is the question.

You will find that few timesharers ever do AI. I feel like it's really offered more for the hotel set.

Regardless, AI has nothing to do with Bluegreen.

What resort are you looking at exchanging into, as it seems you need info on the destination and not the exchange.

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

We were looking into traveling back to where we honeymooned on Punta Cana beach in the Dominican. I knew Bluegreen didn't cover the AI fee. I looked at a couple of the resorts and their AI fees...one for example was $85 per person per night, others were more. I guess I was asking around as to determine if what I thought I was seeing was correct. I told my husband the fee for one resort, and he was confused as what the fee was really for because a nights stay at the AI resort we went to for our honeymoon was about the same cost as the AI fee per person per night for the resort I found on Bluegreen-Last Call. Hope that makes sense.

We're not looking seriously at this time, but it is something we intend to be serious about next year.

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

AI rates Vary Widely. By part of the world, by resort chain, by holiday, by whatever else you can differentiate by!

I'm possibly doing my first AI in November in Cabo at $85/per person/per night. This is a pretty good rate (I think) as I've seen Some Whopping Daily Rates ($135-185pp/per day, etc). I know that I could eat cheaper than that per day but we're opting for the convenience as will not rent a car this time and be in a studio, whose kitchenette is not going to cut it for the kind of meals we would want to prepare.

I never thought I would do AI (I am cheap, don't mind cooking on vacation) but am already having visions of how peaceful it will be to basically laze about and not have to put much thought at all into meals.

One caution I have for you is to only book as much occupancy as you will use. For example, for two of us I often want a one bedroom so that one person can sleep late while the other starts their day. No problem in Bluegreen, etc., even tho it might be more points, etc., but with AI, you may be charged AI For Entire Occupancy, which in the case above, would be my 2 fictitious guests on the couch!

Read the fine print carefully, be sure you know what is (or is not) included as some resorts also include onsite activities (like non-motorized water sports), there could be a limit on which alcohol, specific restaurant facilities/ hours, is gratuity included, etc. Just know what you are getting to avoid unpleasant surprises at check-in. And I strongly suggest trip insurance just because AI adds significantly to trip cost and is almost always paid in advance.

You might also want to check reviews to have some certainty that the food and drinks will be worth it for you.

~~~

Bluegreen Last Call doesn't exist, so will assume you are referring to RCI Last Call - these are indeed CHEAP RATES for the lodging. AI could easily dwarf what is paid for the discount stay. For kicks, I did a search yesterday to show my boyfriend what the general public would have to pay just for the room.

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

Yes, RCI Last Call on Bluegreen's website is what I meant. So those rates were correct per person per night. That's what I was wanting to make sure of...and the upper range is what my husband was commenting on as far as what he paid for our honeymoon. As I mentioned before we traveled to an AI resort (not through TS) for the honeymoon and every once in a while it is the way to go. As a mom of 4, I prefer at least every other vacation to be a non-cooking vacation...and when we traveled all inclusively, it felt like a REAL vacation for me. Thanks for the advice. If you do travel AI to Cabo, let me know how it went and if you would do it again.

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

AI may be a great way to vacation, but in general, it is not a good value as a timeshare exchange. Often, as you husband found, you can get the same rate by booking independently as RCI charges just for the AI. When you add the maintenance fee of the TS and the exchange fee, it actually costs more. Save the exchange for your non-AI trip, IMHO.

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

I told my husband the fee for one resort, and he was confused as what the fee was really for because a nights stay at the AI resort we went to for our honeymoon was about the same cost as the AI fee per person per night for the resort I found on Bluegreen-Last Call.

Dunno when you honeymooned, but in 2002, a U.S. dollar was worth more than one Euro. Currently, a euro is worth almost $1.32 US. In 2004, a dollar was worth 60 dominican pesos; now it's only worth 40. Although exchange rates are shifting all the time, I believe the dollar is considered generally weak right now, so it doesn't go as far as it used to in a lot of countries. And, as BoardGirl says, there are a lot of other variations. But that's one that's likely working against you.

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

Yes, RCI Last Call on Bluegreen's website is what I meant. So those rates were correct per person per night. That's what I was wanting to make sure of...and the upper range is what my husband was commenting on as far as what he paid for our honeymoon. As I mentioned before we traveled to an AI resort (not through TS) for the honeymoon and every once in a while it is the way to go. As a mom of 4, I prefer at least every other vacation to be a non-cooking vacation...and when we traveled all inclusively, it felt like a REAL vacation for me. Thanks for the advice. If you do travel AI to Cabo, let me know how it went and if you would do it again.

Ah, yes, vacation from cooking, I get it! Goodness, 4 children, you deserve whatever you describe as "A Real Vacation"!

Depending on where in the world that you go, it is a great deal of fun to sample the local cuisine. This can save you a lot of money over AI, or not, depending on how you do it.

Lonely Planet guides and the like can point you to the best places to eat and tv shows like Anthony Bourdain can show you even more. If you're lucky, you can have an idea of daily food budget in the area to decide if AI is a good deal. If not, you can still go with Not Cooking. I like to explore so try to pick a few restaurants in areas I know we will visit.

Starting your day with a simple breakfast in the condo and doing most of your alcohol consumption there can save a ton. We are not big drinkers, so the "free alcohol" does not make AI an immediate financial win. Having snacks and whatever beverages on hand bought from the grocery is far more economical than buying them "out" as we usually have a car and go exploring (not this trip), opting for cheap eats on the run.

Timesharing helps with getting accommodations cheaper than the public, as we don't have Per Person fees, and can generally have at least a kitchenette (I have never had less than a full kitchen, something also prompting my penchant for AI this time around - cooking is not much of a chore for just me or +1 at home or vacation).

AI by its very nature is per person so becomes a large fee fast. But depending on how you like to vacation, your budget, what Convenience is worth to you, it could be a really good deal. I have never vacationed with Resort As The Destination so this AI would somewhat bind me to the resort. we've always prepared plenty of our own meals but I'm already liking Not Doing It. Time savings in not shopping for groceries or making the food or cleaning up ... and I would generally not be dining in 5* restaurants, so Big Food Quality Upgrade. the idea is growing on me ...

This will be the third time I've been at this resort, so have done plenty of exploring in Cabo and ready to Sit Around and Think No Thoughts. This time I think hanging at the resort could be perfect R & R.

It's easy to see a large fee and think it's ridiculous, but certainly there have been times on vacation when my (or our collective) 'per diem' exceeded a reasonable AI fee. We're paying $85/pp/day so not ridiculous.

~~

I second bellesgirl's recommendation of not burning BG points on an AI. Use RCI Extra Vacation or Last Call, which I think you were doing?

be sure to visit resort websites to see if you could do better booking with them directly. Probably not, as far as lodging, but maybe you can get their AI Direct From Them, and maybe when they are holding a special promotion? I think, tho, if you start with RCI for the resort, you are probably stuck with "RCI Member Prices" because you cannot outrun the source of your reservation. If it is Non-Mandatory AI, you might still be able to choose from whom to purchase an AI package. Worth the research!

Additionally, unless you are returning for a special anniversary reason, I'd suggest you go somewhere else in the world. If you are already going through RCI, why not look into All of the places available? You might do better on airfare (altho DR could be very cheap air for you). This is how I ended up going to Cabo in the first place - an RCI week to use by X date, Where Can I Go? Narrowed that to desireable locations for time of year, then looked into Cheapest Air. Cabo won.

I call it Timeshare Roulette ; )

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

AI may be a great way to vacation, but in general, it is not a good value as a timeshare exchange. Often, as you husband found, you can get the same rate by booking independently as RCI charges just for the AI. When you add the maintenance fee of the TS and the exchange fee, it actually costs more. Save the exchange for your non-AI trip, IMHO.

Agree. Book AI resorts directly ( or last call for $199 a week) for the best deals

[gandalf252002 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gandalf252002]

Not sure where the OP is from, however being in Canada we have several companies that do AI packaged vacations similar to Expedia but simpler. A trip to the Dominican Republic (a place I would NOT want to buy and cook my own meals in) could be had for $1200, including accomodations, food, drinks, airport transfer etc. I looked at doing it through timeshare, and just the AI costs and my airfare were that much. Add on underlying MF's costs and exchange fees, and you were closer to $2000.

Now, in Mexico it MIGHT be a little different even if more expensive as there is a convenience factor. Where you fly from also has some impact. I have been working on spreadsheet for sometime that allows me to calculate costs of flying vs. driving, but it is difficult to give values to some things such as time saved and convience.

I personally like the convenience factor, but I am cheap and don't have any issue cooking and prepping my own meals while on vacation. It all depends on what the goal is when you go on vacation, which is more beneficial. Destination also has a huge impact. Grand Cayman was NOT a place many could afford to go AI, but it can be done much cheaper through timeshares. We saved over $2000 per person by not having to stay in a hotel, purchase ALL of our meals, or go all inclusive. Granted it is still expensive, but way less than it could have been.