Top 5 All-Inclusive Honeymoon Resorts

There are so many choices when it comes to your honeymoon! If you’re thinking of spending yours at an all-inclusive resort, there are still hundreds to choose from- but we try to make it easy for our clients. On our website’s main page, you’ll find our Top 5 All Inclusive Honeymoon Resorts. We chose these resorts based on the consistently good feedback we get from clients and the great amenities provided. Here, I’ll give you a quick run-down of each, which two are the best value, and why our guests love them!

Secrets Maroma Beach
Relaxing, Sophisticated, Luxurious

This resort is located in the Riviera Maya region of Mexico, just south of Cancun. It has a large, open layout that guides you to the main pool and gorgeous beach area. It’s also located on one of the best beaches in the world!

Guests love: service, food, beach, pool, activities

• 30 miles from Cancun’s airport
• 24-hour room service for all guests
• Free wifi & international calling (must download free app)
• Pool & Beach wait service
• small nightclub
• Top-shelf liquor
• 8 restaurants, no reservations required! (French, Mexican, Japanese, Italian, 2 Seafood restaurants, a grill, and international buffet)
• Complimentary honeymoon package

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Sandals Grande St. Lucian
Lively, Fun, Gorgeous

This large, bustling resort has beauty everywhere you look- pools, statues, gazebos, even the beach- all beautiful. There are two pools, one quiet and the other more active- but the entire resort vibrates with energy. It’s located on a peninsula, allowing ocean-views all around, and is next to Pigeon Island, which is known for great hiking.

Guests love: service, food, beach, activities

• 41 miles from Hewanorra Airport, which becomes a 90+ minute ride through windy mountain roads (if you get motion sickness, bring some medicine!)
• Room service only for Concierge and Butler Level rooms (7:30am – 10pm)
• Free wifi
• nightclub
• Top-shelf liquor, Beringer wine
• Free transfers to enjoy Sandals La Toc and Sandals Halcyon Resorts
• 7 restaurants included (Seafood, Pizza, Italian, Caribbean, international, a pastry shop, and a pub. An additional restaurant, Gordon’s, is included for Butler Level rooms only. All other guests must pay a surcharge. Reservations are required at Gordon’s, Toscanini’s Italian.)
• Complimentary honeymoon package

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Couples Swept Away
Relaxing, Tropical, Calm

Located on Negril’s famous 7-mile beach, Couples Swept Away is considered a BEST VALUE by our agents! Lush tropical gardens line the walkways, giving it a jungle-like feel. The greenery does make it hard to find your way sometimes, but the super-friendly staff will point you in the right direction. As you approach the beach, the resort opens up making it easier to navigate. If you enjoy long walks on the beach- this is for you!

Guests love: service, food, beach, lush gardens

• 60 miles from Montego Bay Airport (MBJ)
• No room service (continental breakfast available by request)
• Free wifi
• Top-shelf liquor
• Pool & Beach wait service
• Piano bar that turns into a nightclub 2 days per week
• Fitness complex with Olympic-sized pool
• Sunset catamaran cruise and excursions to Margaritaville and Rick’s Cafe included
• 6 restaurants (International, seafood, Caribbean, Thai, gourmet, and a grill. Reservations are required for dinner at Lemon Grass Thai and Feathers Gourmet.)
• Complimentary honeymoon package

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Sandals Grande Riviera
Tropical, Fun, Versatile

This HUGE resort (100+ acres) has something for everyone- lush tropical gardens, a beach club, dozens of pools, with plenty of active areas and places for relaxation. According to our agents, It’s a BEST VALUE while giving you the best of both worlds- you can party the night away or have a romantic vacation.

Guests love: service, food, and the beautifully maintained property

• 55 miles from airport (2+ hours with 15 minute break)
• 24-hour room service for Club and Butler Level rooms only
• Free wifi
• Active nightclub
• Top-shelf liquor and Beringer wine
• 14 restaurants (2 international, sushi, Italian, Caribbean, Mediterranean, gourmet Jamaican, French, Hibachi, seafood, 2 pizzerias, a cafe, and bistro. An additional restaurant, Kelly’s Dockside Grill, is only included for Butler Level rooms. Any other guests require a surcharge. Reservations are required for Kimono’s Hibachi, La Parisienne French, and Kelly’s Dockside Grill.)
• Complimentary honeymoon package

*  The Great House Village and All-Butler Villas are located across a street from the main resort area, requiring a shuttle.

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Iberostar Grand Bavaro
Luxurious, Relaxing, Fun

Although this elegant resort is large in size, it manages to feel like an intimate boutique hotel due to the quality. Every guest gets concierge service to help with dinner reservations, selecting from the pillow menu, and whatever else you would want. If you want a spoil yourself with luxurious European styling, personalized service, and a picture-perfect beach, this resort is for you.

Guests love: service, food, beach, pool, activities

• 12.4 miles from Punta Cana airport (PUJ)
• 24-hour room service
• Free wifi
• pool and beach wait service
• Top-shelf liquor, and personalized in-room mini bars
• PILLOW MENU!!!
• Nightclub
• Exchange privileges with Iberostar Bavaro Suites, Iberostar Dominica, and Iberostar Punta Cana, all in the same complex. (Guests from these resorts cannot visit the Grand.)
• 6 restaurants (International, Japanese, Mediterranean, gourmet, Italian, and Surf & Turf. Reservations are required at the 4 specialty restaurants- Hashira Japanese, Le Tourbillon Gourmet, La Tentazione Italian, and El Galeon Surf&Turf.)
• Complimentary honeymoon package

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If you want more information or pictures for any of these resorts, go to our website!
www.Honeymoonsinc.com

All-Inclusive Resort vs Cruise

Cruises are a very popular vacation for Americans- and why not? Getting on a boat to see several different places seems pretty cool, and the introductory fares are cheap. All-inclusive resorts are another great vacation option- who wouldn’t want to spend a few days in tropical paradise choosing between the beach and the pool? But how do you choose between a cruise and an all-inclusive resort?

( I’m going to be focusing on the popular cruise lines and resorts. You can find a resort or cruise to fit any personality, interest, or budget- but for my generalizations, we will be talking about the big guys. So if you want to take a sailing cruise on a 500-foot clipper that holds 227 guests- this article isn’t for you, and it’s going to be completely different than one of Carnival’s mega-ships which holds over 4000.)

Think about what you truly want from this vacation. Do you want to rest and relax? Would you rather explore? Are you interested in meeting new people or would you rather keep to yourself? Do you want adventure, excitement, and to try new things? Do you want to avoid large crowds and waiting in line? Do you want to avoid seasickness?

 If you’re interested in a relaxing, stress-free, chill-on-the-beach type of vacation, a cruise is not for you. A cruise vacation starts and ends by waiting in line, and you will only get to spend a few hours at a beach at a time. Loudspeaker announcements for activities, auctions, and shows go on throughout the day, and the staff are constantly working up excitement and participation from guests. Getting to a beach involves waiting in line to disembark the boat, getting from the dock to the beach (which could take a few minutes to a few hours and involve paying for a taxi or bus ride), and then making sure to get back to the boat before it leaves. Want a drink while you’re relaxing on the beach? On a cruise, alcohol isn’t included, and you’d have to buy it yourself from a vendor on the beach anyways. At an all-inclusive resort, the beach, pool and everything else are all available to enjoy on your own schedule. Alcohol is included- so enjoying a margarita on the beach is expected! You’ll get a flier for daily activities and locations, which you can either participate in or easily avoid. You make your own schedule, and you’re free to relax and de-stress however you want.

Are you looking forward to exploring new places, meeting new people, and trying new things? You can do this at either an all-inclusive resort or on a cruise. With a cruise, you’ll see new places, islands, and ports. It’s a great way to explore several different places while only having to unpack your bags once. A lot of cruisers even decide to take future “land vacations” back to some of the countries so they have more time to see and experience everything. At every port the cruise line offers a list of excursions and activities that you can pay for, like swimming with dolphins, taking an ATV tour, parasailing, etc. Many people just hire a taxi to explore on their own, go shopping or eat at a local restaurant. Cruises are usually more crowded than resorts because people are usually hanging out in the same areas- so you’re guaranteed to meet tons of people. Since there’s not much to do on a boat, they also have lots of activities and shows- so you’re bound to try and see something new. At an all-inclusive resort, you’ll have to pay for an excursion or a taxi ride to see something other than the resort- but you have more time to do it. You make your own schedule, and can take as many excursions as you want, whenever you want, without worrying about your hotel sailing off without you. While resorts are usually less-crowded than cruise ships, it’s still easy to meet people, especially at the swim-up pool bar. Resorts don’t have as many organized activities as the cruises, but you can snorkel, kayak, paddle-board, sail, and more throughout the day, whenever you want. Scuba is usually available for a fee as well, with classes for first-timers too.

Do you want to see multiple destinations while only unpacking once? Unless you own and live in an airplane, only a cruise can offer this. You get to look at the ocean reaching towards the horizon in every direction. You get to see a tiny sliver of land in the distance become bigger and more detailed as you approach, while imagining what the destination holds in store for you. You get all the chaos, adventure, and energy that comes with staying on a floating skyscraper, while enjoying the serene beauty of the ocean and its islands. If you want a place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the ship, book a room with a balcony. It will become your escape when you want a quiet or romantic moment- and it’s worth it for the ocean views.

Next, we get to value. Cruises have great introductory rates- but once you’re stuck on the boat, their goal is for you to spend money. Your cruise fare includes your room, basic meals, snacks, activities, and sometimes room service- but around every corner lurks something to drain your wallet. Soda, alcohol, bottled water and specialty coffees cost extra- restaurant prices extra. $1.50 sodas, $8+ glasses of wines, $10 cocktails, etc. They do offer “unlimited” soda and alcoholic beverage packages, but there is usually a limit, you can’t share, and you can only get 1 drink at a time. For an alcohol package, every other adult in your cabin has to participate as well- and you must purchase it for every day of your trip! So, for $50 extra per person per day, you can get up to 15 alcoholic beverages per 24-hour period (Carnival Cruises). For two people on a 6 night cruise, this total comes to $690 (Carnival requires 15% gratuity on top of the cost). If you’re not careful, these costs add up fast- and you might have an unpleasantly large bill at the end of your trip. Meanwhile, at an all-inclusive, you can have all the alcohol you want, all day, no limit- and it’s already paid for. It’s very easy to avoid extra costs, because only a few things cost extra- like the spa, excursions, manager’s wines (on a separate list, clearly labeled), motorized watersports, and souvenir photos. I compared the total costs for 2 people taking a 6-night cruise vacation and a 6-night all-inclusive resort vacation, for July 13^th-19^th 2014, and I was surprised.

6 nights on a Carnival Cruise going to Jamaica, The Cayman Islands, and Cozumel breaks down:

Balcony room	$1,807.94
Alcohol package + 15% gratuity	$690
1 specialty dinner + gratuity	$69
Required tips ($12 pp/pd)	$144
Gas from Atlanta to Miami (686 miles, 25 MPG, $3.60/gallon)	$197.48
Parking at cruise dock	$50
Total	$2,958.42

6 nights at Grand Lido Resort in Negril, Jamaica break down:

Deluxe Junior Suite Oceanview	$1,654
Flights from ATl to Montego Bay, Jamaica	$980.47
Parking at airport	$50
Total	$2,684.47

(Disclaimer, I did price the cruise stateroom with a balcony, because is worth it and more comparable to a resort room. Plus, being an introvert, it would be one of the few places I could have some relaxation and quiet time. So, if you don’t care if your room is a small, potentially window-less box, you can save money by going with a cheaper, smaller room.)

Grand Lido Resort Negril

I didn’t expect the all-inclusive resort vacation to come out cheaper than a cruise. The Grand Lido is a 4-star adults-only resort, while Carnival Cruise Lines only gets 3.5 stars from www.Cruiseline.com. Carnival is pretty well known as an entry-level cruise line- but is more expensive than an all-inclusive vacation! If you don’t drink alcohol- you can definitely save a few hundred by choosing a cruise instead of a resort. If you have a family- check for deals, because the prices are almost the same. For the same cruise above, but with 2 adults and 2 children sharing the stateroom, the price of the room alone- no alcohol, specialty dining, or even getting to the boat- is $3,215.88. That doesn’t count your required gratuities either, which total $288. Add $690 on top of that for the alcohol packages for the 2 adults, and your vacation costs over $4000. 6 nights at the all-inclusive Riu Negril for a family of 4, including airfare from Atlanta, totals $3,466.21! Drinks, tips, taxes, everything included- no surprise extra costs, no having to set a budget every day and no worrying about your final bill. If you’re on a budget, like most families- wouldn’t you rather know your total cost in advance?

If it seems that I’m a little bit biased- I am. I really love all-inclusive resorts and how stress-free they are. I love knowing that I don’t have to spend another dime to enjoy myself when I’m on vacation! I’ve heard too many horror stories from first-time cruisers who have bills for $500+ at the end. You shouldn’t have to think about your budget or money when relaxing on vacation. If you’re knowledgeable and plan ahead, you can definitely avoid a big bill at the end of a cruise—but wouldn’t you rather go to an all-inclusive resort and not have to worry about it at all? In the end, choosing the right vacation is up to you. There are thousands of people that swear by cruises, and just as many that dislike them- and the same goes for resorts. But, I beg, don’t just assume that a cruise is the most affordable option. Do a little research to find the vacation that fits what you want- you deserve it!

If you have experience with either all-inclusive resorts or cruises- share your thoughts in the comments! Your input may help someone find their perfect vacation.