Right now we have a promotion available with flights out of St. Louis, Chicago and Detroit that can be used on any 7 night Apple Vacations charter flight to Puerto Vallarta that will save you $50 per person! Valid booking dates are November 17th – 26th for travel dates of January 1st thru March 31st 2010. This promotion just started and won’t last long so if you have been thinking about taking a nice all inclusive vacation, this is a great way to save an extra $50 per person. If interested, just give us a call as soon as possible at 1-800-828-0639 and speak with any of our vacation specialist.
I traveled to Aruba back in October of 2007 and let me tell you, it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen to date. The beaches are amazing, people are great and the weather was perfect! In fact, one of the reasons that Aruba is so popular year round is because they are located outside of the “hurricane belt.”
Aruba only averages 19 inches of rain per year so you rarely ever have any trouble with bad weather. There seems to be a constant trade wind that blows over Aruba giving it pretty steady calm breezes. The beaches in Aruba help determine where certain resorts are located, for example, all the high resorts are located on Palm Beach and the low rise resorts are all located on Eagle Beach.
Ok so you’ve made your Dream Vacation reservations, but now you just need to know how to pack. Here is are some suggestions that work for most of our clients:
Checking your bags?
If you plan to check some bags at the airport, make sure each bag is under 50 pounds and that you’ve checked with the airline’s website or your agent to find out if there are any fees.
Plan to bring a carry-on bag?
If you plan to carry all your bags on, don’t forget that there are still no liquids or gels over 3 ounces allowed on most flights. You’ll either have to find a travel size or buy your sunscreen and other liquids once you arrive at your destination.
How much money should I bring?
When visiting an all inclusive resort, be sure to bring a credit or debit card in case you decide to purchase any excursions during the trip. You might also want to bring some small denominations of money for tipping/ Although tipping is included, at many resorts it is typical to tip additionally as you see fit.
There will also be options for jet skis, spa treatments, and other extras at most resorts. These can either be paid for by cash or you can use a credit or debit card for a cash advance on your room. Most resorts have safes in the room, so you can feel secure bringing these along.
What clothes do I bring?
Nearly all of our all inclusive resorts are going to require “casual elegance” dress attire for dinners. This means that men may wear long pants and a collared shirt. Women may wear capris, pants, skirts, or dresses. Close toed shoes are also usually required.
Other than that, just make sure to pack your swim suit, and lots of cool comfortable clothing. Water shoes are a good idea for some resorts.
You will not need to bring towels to most all inclusive resorts. Those are included in the package, as are many bathroom amenities, including hair dryers.
While planning a vacation is one of the most exciting events of the year, it can sometimes be very overwhelming when you don’t know where you want to go. With so many beautiful destinations and resorts out there how do you choose?
The first piece of advice I like to give my clients when beginning to plan a vacation to anywhere is to not overwhelm yourself with every option out there. Start by asking yourself, what do I want out of my vacation? Do I want crystal clear waters and powdery sands? Do I want to go surfing or swimming with the dolphins or just lay on a beautiful beach and relax? Do I want to leave the resort and take in the local culture or just stay at the resort? Doing a little research on the internet only takes a few minutes and can help you narrow down what country would be best for you. A good destination is always Cancun/Riviera Maya as there are relatively easy flights into Cancun from almost anywhere in the United States, you get the quality service Mexico has to offer and the beautiful Caribbean waters and beaches since it is located on the Caribbean Sea.
The next step is choosing a hotel. This can be the toughest part because there are so many hotels in each destination. Ask yourself what you want out of your resort, keeping in mind that there may not be one resort that can meet every wish you have, we can always try to find one that meets most of your needs.
When you are pricing a vacation on our website and you find a hotel at the price you like, you can click on the name of the hotel to see a full brochure listing the amenities, room styles, activities, locations etc. of the particular resort. This is a very helpful tool in deciding if this resort is perfect for you. It is important to remember that when you find one you fall in love with that’s a good sign.
Remember when you call us, we specialize in these resorts. While each resort has differences they also have similarities. When you call and ask “what’s the difference”, that is not always the easiest question to answer. It could be something as simple as location and room types, or as complex as a 5 star adults only resort compared to a 3 star family resort. Remember to look at the ratings, golden apples mean travelers just like yourself have given that particular resort exceptional reviews for its rating level. A 5 golden apple resort is a 5 apple rated property that has excellent reviews.
Keep in mind, we are here to help. When you start finding some resorts that look good to you, Give me a call. Remember to keep it simple, pick a couple of resorts that stood out to you the most. It’s always easier to make a decision when you have a couple of choices you like the best, instead of a list of 10 different resorts that all looked ok. Since we specialize in these resorts, we are here to help you narrow down which of the two or three will fit your needs the best.
Finally, remember to have fun with your planning. A vacation is supposed to be a relaxing and joyful experience. Don’t stress about the small things, the perfect vacation is out there waiting for you to book it and I am here to help you do just that!
We are starting to get more and more calls for Christmas Vacations. If you are interested in traveling anytime from December 20th to January 5th, you should seriously consider getting this done in the next couple of weeks at the latest, otherwise we will see prices go even higher and availability become even more limited.
