Have you ever stayed at an AI for 7 days?

[JerseyshoreBruce]

[B]My family and i tried our first 7 day AI vacation in the Dominican Republic in 2006 and we all hated it. Kids got bored....wife hated the food....i tolerated it....[COLOR=red]But if Carnival keeps raising prices of everything and taking more away i will give it another shot![/COLOR][/B]

[jtdlmc]

We have only done AIs. This will be our first cruise. The only reason we booked a cruise was because we can see four islands on one vacation and just wanted to try cruising once. AIs are much cheaper when you get right down and add all the nickle and diming on the cruise, especially booking last minute. We book two to three weeks prior to departure and always find a great 4-5* resort for around $600 per person. I wish I had not booked early saver because I would definitely cancel our cruise and head to an AI next February really, I would definitely cancel if I could get my $1000 back. We've never been bored at an AI. There are lots of excursions and they are also much cheaper than the excursions offered by Carnival.

Here is an awesome site with forums as well as a review section:

[url]http://debbiesreviews.proboards.com/index.cgi?[/url]

[Drazilcruz]

We have done AI in Cancun and Jamaica (Montego Bay), had great times at both places. Jamaica was a blast and we took many trips to other places on the Island, one of our favorite things was doing the zip line in the rain forest, a total blast! Our absolute favorite AI is The Fiesta Americana in Cancun and the one we return to the most. We love Mexico and will continue to do AI's in the future. We mix it up with cruising depending what we feel like that year for vacation, either way is a great way to go! :D

[JerseyshoreBruce]

[quote name='jtdlmc']We have only done AIs. This will be our first cruise. The only reason we booked a cruise was because we can see four islands on one vacation and just wanted to try cruising once. AIs are much cheaper when you get right down and add all the nickle and diming on the cruise, especially booking last minute. We book two to three weeks prior to departure and always find a great 4-5* resort for around $600 per person. I wish I had not booked early saver because I would definitely cancel our cruise and head to an AI next February really, I would definitely cancel if I could get my $1000 back. We've never been bored at an AI. There are lots of excursions and they are also much cheaper than the excursions offered by Carnival.

Here is an awesome site with forums as well as a review section:

[URL]http://debbiesreviews.proboards.com/index.cgi?[/URL][/quote]
[B]I have to disagree about AI's being cheaper......the only AI's that i can find cheaper are for 3-4 days only and when i go away i want a good 7 days. I check every year for different vacations ...Disney....Universal....AI's and Cruise's and always get the best price on cruise's. Our sail and sign card is usually about $1,100.00 and i can get a slight cheaper price to Disney but thats without food and you know how much food is in Disney! [/B]

[trevette1981]

AIs cheaper than a cruise must only be in Mexico? LOL I keep seeing costs cheaper than I paid for 4 days to the DR with a direct flight. ($3000) I'm going on a 8 day cruise with direct flight included for about $2600.

I may try one again, one day, but the food in the DR was not good. I'm sure I lost weight.lol I liked the beach, so cool with the winds, but the food was my only complaint...and ppl randomly speaking Spanish to me because they thought I was Dominican....:rolleyes: LOL

[pe4all]

We have stayed at around 15 AI's - in Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Bahamas, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Aruba, Antigua, etc. We did them before our kids were born, then continued when our kids were old enough to travel. We got "bored" of staying in the same place for a week - even with traveling off-site for excursions. We were booked for an AI in Riviera Maya when the hotel got destroyed in a hurricane- 3 weeks before we were to go. I got the last balcony cabin on Liberty, and we were hooked! Price-wise, it is about the same cost for the 4 of us. We just went to Breezes Bahamas for Christmas week (dd18's college schedule forced us to cancel the Dream cruise we had booked)- after 3 days we were chomping at the bit to get out of there, change scenery, and visit another island! So, for the time being, cruising is for us - no more AI's.

[jessemon]

[B][FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"][COLOR="Red"]
I am so glad this thread was started. I love to cruise but, I used to do land vacations on islands. I have never done an AI but am starting to consider it.
The cruise lines are killing us with the cutting back on things we are used to and it has gone from nickle and diming to dollaring....LOL...But not funny.
I talked with some I cruise with and we are seriously thinking of an AI....The change of pace would be nice and in the right area the land excursions could have real potential....
Also my bar tab would be much lower...LOL.....:cool:
What I mean by that is I would know what I am paying up front for it....;)
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]

[shipty2]

We have been to about 20 all inclusive resorts on different islands from Cuba to Jamaica to Barbados. They are definitely cheaper for us flying from Canada. In fact it usually comes out to be about half the price of a cruise with everything included and no smuggling required . This is for three people so it adds up. A flight from Toronto to Florida at Christmas (when we travel) has cost us a thousand dollars per person for the past two years.

However, cost aside, we prefer cruising.

[KeywestK]

We spent 4 days at Grand Lido Braco in Jamaica several years ago (for a wedding) and would never (well, I shouldn't ever say never) do an AI again. It was very expensive, and didn't think there was enough to do. Interestingly, a month later we took a 7-nt cruise, and including the two-night stay in FLL prior to sailing, that vacation cost us less than the AI.

I'm sure there are AI's that cost less money, but that still doesn't change the fact that we were bored (other than for the wedding activities....:o)

[MrPete]

[quote name='McDebbie']I know this is a cruise board but my question is for dedicated cruisers who have also vacationed at AI's (yes, in response to the BV liquor change))

We haven't tried an AI because at first look it appears to be more expensive than a cruise but I haven't done the math comparing our cabin + bar tab/BV/smuggling costs. Your experience?

Have any of you actually stayed at an AI for a full 7 days? Do you get bored with the same place all the time? I know some of them you can go out and visit the island but some like in Jamaica you would not want to venture out. (I recall hearing some people say they would get bored being on a ship for 7 days, so is my question just uneducated like that one?)

We love sitting on our balcony with drink in hand watching the wake and will stay there until dark. Is watching the waves come into shore anywhere close to the same? And I am sure the room category that is direct ocean front is much more...

Last, are there any AI websites like this? I don't know if I could bear to quit cruising but maybe it is time to get educated about another type of vacation product.[/quote]

I have been going to an AI in the Catskills since I was born. I still go between 1 and 3 times a year. Place has hardly changed over the years. Liquor is not included.

At the end of the week, you tip your wait staff.

When I started cruising, to me, it was like an AI on water. The whole tipping thing was the same, but finally, a guideline.

[JerseyshoreBruce]

[quote name='shipty2']We have been to about 20 all inclusive resorts on different islands from Cuba to Jamaica to Barbados. They are definitely cheaper for us flying from Canada. In fact it usually comes out to be about half the price of a cruise with everything included and no smuggling required . This is for three people so it adds up. A flight from Toronto to Florida at Christmas (when we travel) has cost us a thousand dollars per person for the past two years.

However, cost aside, we prefer cruising.[/quote]
[B]I did notice that both posts saying AI's are cheaper are from Canada. Maybe they offer better deals to people from Canada. I live in NJ and can't touch AI's for what i pay for a cruise including what i spend on itinerarys and drinks. Now i am not talking about booking suites on a cruise as then it might be more to cruise![/B]

[fourwaystreet]

We along with another couple booked the couples only Excellence AI in the Mexoco Riviera. This AI came highly recommended by people we know and traipadvisor posts love the place. The fact that eveything except deep sea fishing and scuba diving is included in the price doesn't hurt either. A $1400 savings over the total cost of our recent cruise makes it a no brainer in a way. I like the cruise we just took, but as people say I feel like I am getting nickeled and dimed to death and frankly I found the food while generally good it was nothing to write home about..

[JerseyshoreBruce]

[quote name='fourwaystreet']We along with another couple booked the couples only Excellence AI in the Mexoco Riviera. This AI came highly recommended by people we know and traipadvisor posts love the place. The fact that eveything except deep sea fishing and scuba diving is included in the price doesn't hurt either. A $1400 savings over the total cost of our recent cruise makes it a no brainer in a way. I like the cruise we just took, but as people say I feel like I am getting nickeled and dimed to death and frankly I found the food while generally good it was nothing to write home about..[/quote]
[B]Did you cruise out of NY or NJ? Because we are flying to Puerto Rico for our cruise 4 of us for cheaper then cruising out of NY...NJ...and Baltimore! All our cruise's so far we have flown and cruised cheaper then out of near home. And like i said comparing 7 day cruise to a 7 day all-inclusive i can't come close to the low price i get a cruise for......I have tried Mexico and even in the off season...tried many vacation sites and my own travel agent....can't get low price for a AI.[/B]

[jessemon]

[quote name='fourwaystreet']We along with another couple booked the couples only Excellence AI in the Mexoco Riviera. This AI came highly recommended by people we know and traipadvisor posts love the place. The fact that eveything except deep sea fishing and scuba diving is included in the price doesn't hurt either. A $1400 savings over the total cost of our recent cruise makes it a no brainer in a way. I like the cruise we just took, but as people say I feel like I am getting nickeled and dimed to death and frankly [COLOR=red]I found the food while generally good it was nothing to write home about[/COLOR]..[/quote]
[B][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=red]I agree with this....I find over the past few years the quality of food has become average. I find the best meals I get are in the pay for venues or on shore during the day. I know I can get all my food on a ship included or at an AI. The thing is though to me even if staying at an AI I would still be going out of there and doing local places that are recomended to dine at...[/COLOR][/FONT][/B]
[B][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=#ff0000]Many of the places I go while cruising one of my highlights is someplace that has great food that I have been to before.....[/COLOR][/FONT][/B]

[nbsjcruiser]

[quote name='steveNcindy']We figured out our costs on next years planned cruise and it was around 10K (flights, hotels, cruise, onboard account, ports) vs same number of days at a 5* resort and it is $4000 cheaper for us to go to a resort.

With all the restrictions, rule changes, jumping thru hoops, etc - resort wins out hands down. Booking it this week.[/QUOTE]

As a fellow Canadian I feel your pain with the prices. The biggest expense by far is flying and I'll give you an example. Last year 3 of us flew from Portland Maine round trip to Miami - total cost $1050. Round trip from NB, Canada to Miami? Would have cost us $3600. It makes cruising an impossibility. Next time you look at things, check into flying from the US. We've flown from the US on our last 4 cruises. We'll never fly Air Canada again or Westjet for that matter. Both are prohibitively expensive.

[fourwaystreet]

[quote name='JerseyshoreBruce'][B]Did you cruise out of NY or NJ? Because we are flying to Puerto Rico for our cruise 4 of us for cheaper then cruising out of NY...NJ...and Baltimore! All our cruise's so far we have flown and cruised cheaper then out of near home. And like i said comparing 7 day cruise to a 7 day all-inclusive i can't come close to the low price i get a cruise for......I have tried Mexico and even in the off season...tried many vacation sites and my own travel agent....can't get low price for a AI.[/B][/quote]

No we flew from Syracuse, via JFK to FLL. For the AI we are gojng from Syracuse to Charlotte then on to Mexico. For the cruise we booked 10 months in advance in a 8D cabin which was upgraded at no cost later to a 8F.

Don't get me wrong we enjoyed the cruise and are considering another in 2012. In comparing apples to apples I think that the AI is a better value though. We used the same TA for both trips. She has personally stayed at the Excellence as had other couples that we know.

We are going to Vegas in the fall staying at the Monte Carlo for seven days and without food, drink and the Cher show we bought tickets to (a surprise for the wives) the savings are $3700 over the cruise. I'm sure by the time we get back the savings will be nowhere close to that, but I am certain it will be much less than the cruise.

I guess what I am saying is that while cruises are great there and other vacations out there and often with better value.

[pe4all]

[quote name='JerseyshoreBruce'][B]I did notice that both posts saying AI's are cheaper are from Canada. Maybe they offer better deals to people from Canada. I live in NJ and can't touch AI's for what i pay for a cruise including what i spend on itinerarys and drinks. Now i am not talking about booking suites on a cruise as then it might be more to cruise![/B][/QUOTE]
Totally agree with this! And, many times, the AI's we went to were filled with 70% Canadians! And most were staying for 2 weeks on what we spent for 1 week!

[Cigar Dude]

We jockey between all inclusives and cruises. For the past 3 years we've gone on cruises, all with Carnival, and loved them all. This year we're doing an AI in Jamaica. It's a change of pace thing. Next year I'm already planning the next cruise, probably on the Dream. Both have advantages and disadvantages but both are fun.

[Mich3]

We have been on several cruises and stayed in just as many AI resorts (Ixtapa, Los Cabos, Aruba, Jamaica, Punta Cana, Puerto Plata). We like them both. Cruising is a better value, if quality makes a difference to you.

None of the resorts we have stayed in offered the same caliber food, service, or beverages. I suppose if you paid for a higher class resort, like Sandals, the quality would be comparable to a cruise. But then, the cost would be much more than a cruise. We have looked at Sandals and never stayed in one because of the cost. Some of the resorts we stayed in were the same cost as a cruise, and some were much less (those had the lowest quality food and beverages, and often did not offer a la carte dining every night).

Some of the resorts we stayed in provided evening entertainment; however, it was no comparison to what a cruise provides. Most of them only had bar/lounge activity in the evening, although some had games or a show by the pool.

Some of the resorts we stayed in offered free non-motorized water sports, and some had nothing to do (other than the pool/beach).

Even though we enjoy both, we prefer cruising. Our thoughts are: If you just want to lay in the sun and drink all day, go to a resort. Even though some of the resorts we visited had things to do nearby, our cruises have always offered more.

[CruisinMBA]

I just cruised last week for the first time, but did an AI last August in Jamaica. We stayed at the Sunset at the Palms in Negril, which I highly recommend. We loved it!! I liked it better because all of our drinks were included, so we had money to spend on excursions instead of a bar tab. The price really ended up being about the same once you included our travel, bar tab, etc. We didn't do any excursions on the cruise. This resort was also not crowded, which is what we wanted. We could get in the pool whenever we wanted (and go to the swim-up bar), and we could dine when we wanted and it was never crowded. Everyone at the resort knew us by name, from the waiters to the bartenders to the maintenance staff. We really got personal service there. That may not be true at bigger AI resorts, but it was there. We weren't afraid to venture out in Jamaica. There was an awesome cab driver at the resort that told us where to go, where not to go, how to handle the people, etc. We visited the entire island of Jamaica that week and never felt unsafe. The Appleton Rum Factory was great...all the shots of rum you want! You can't see everything you want in just one day at port on a cruise, but you can during an entire week. Cruising and AI's are different experiences and I thoroughly enjoyed both. If I didn't hate flying so bad, I'd go on another AI today!

[steveNcindy]

[quote name='nbsjcruiser']As a fellow Canadian I feel your pain with the prices. The biggest expense by far is flying and I'll give you an example. Last year 3 of us flew from Portland Maine round trip to Miami - total cost $1050. Round trip from NB, Canada to Miami? Would have cost us $3600. It makes cruising an impossibility. Next time you look at things, check into flying from the US. We've flown from the US on our last 4 cruises. We'll never fly Air Canada again or Westjet for that matter. Both are prohibitively expensive.[/QUOTE]

We are lucky as we are closer to Detroit than we are to Toronto so we always fly out of there and save $$. Prices for 2 from Toronto to FLL are always about $1000 more than Detroit.

[bobbyleduck]

[quote name='steveNcindy']We figured out our costs on next years planned cruise and it was around 10K (flights, hotels, cruise, onboard account, ports) vs same number of days at a 5* resort and it is $4000 cheaper for us to go to a resort.

With all the restrictions, rule changes, jumping thru hoops, etc - resort wins out hands down. Booking it this week.[/quote]

My goodness, but your cruises are expensive. You don't say how long your cruise or stay at the AI will be, but that is a lot of money.

We're doing 12-Day B2B cruises this fall, and our total cost, after all offsets, cash back bonus, OBC, gratuities, train, two nights in Vancouver, and plane back from San Diego will be less than $4,000. In fact, if you add excursions I don't think we can get to $4,500. That's for 24 nights of cruising and four additional days in transit.

Yes, I know that we'll be in an inside cabin, and we don't drink, but $10,000? Is that for a week, two weeks, or two months?:rolleyes:

Happy cruising to all!

Bob

P.S. As you can tell, I'm not too concerned about the Bon Voyage problem (Don't drink), but I do feel your pain. I don't want to see a shipload of people upset because they have to spend two or three times as much for booze.:eek:

[MonaCD]

I've been to several AIs in Dominican Republic and Cuba, mostly Cuba. I still prefer cruising but for a cheap week of R&R on a beach, you can't beat an AI. I've always stayed at a 4 or 4.5 star resort and have always been pleased but then I generally book late to get the best price I can.

I would reiterate what Mich3 says. You can get anywhere from a one to five star resort and a five star in the Caribbean is not always the same quality as you would expect from a five star in the U.S. The star ratings have more to do with whether the resort is on the beach or a bit of a walk, the difference between motorized and non-motorized water sports, whether it's locally distilled liquor or brand names you recognize, whether you get hot dog soup at the buffet or filet mignon at the a la carte restaurants.

The food quality at AIs is about the biggest con for me, followed by the inconsistency of service received. If you have never been to an AI and plan on trying them, I would suggest doing lots of research on tripadvisor and Debbies Caribbean. Read all the reviews and learn to read between the lines. Just because someone gives a bad review it doesn't mean it's a bad resort, it just might not be the right place for you. It's the same as cruise reviews, sometimes you wonder if people have been on the same ship as you.

[elcuchio24]

Yes. Honestly, I get bored easily. I like to cruise because there is allot going on on teh ship, you've always moving, and you get to go to a bunch of different ports. At AI's I just get bored, need a change of scenery.

[sharecruises]

I did an all inclusive in Jamaica many years ago and it was great, but I drank more than usual cause it was "included">>> LOL>> I also was with my (ex) and madly in lurve so that was cool

spent a really expensive week in St Thomas at marriott...lovely but not all inclusive and wow the price of food and cabs and "excursions" really adds up when you are going "a la carte"....hit or miss meals and some "sticker shock"

also did an all inclusive in Cancun which was ok but felt like Miami and food was not as good as a cruise...nice side trip to Tulum and very "easy" but would not repeat this

JMO>> the OP is in Ft Lauderdale (me too)...for Floridians a cruise is so affordable....and easier without flying hassles (unless you go to Puerto Rico or Alaska or Hawaii cruise of course