Beachside Bargains
Live large and spend less on a Caribbean vacation
AN ALL-INCLUSIVE Caribbean
resort used to mean three meals
a day plus the three B’s—beach, booze,
and a bedroom—all for one low price.
Now, thanks in part to increased com-
petition, it’s more like a land-based
luxury cruise that doesn’t charge extra
for, well, almost anything, from golf to
in-room dining. Some questions to ask:
prefer the more casual Riu (888-748-
4990; riu.com). Size makes a differ-
ence, too: a big property may mean
crowded beaches and longer waits for
popular watersports.
Are there discounts?
As more resorts open, you can expect
more value-added deals. Divi Village
Golf & Beach Resort (800-367-3484;
diviresorts.com) on Aruba offers free
golf after 3:00 P.M., including a cart,
Some of the best deals are in hurricane-prone September or October. The
odds of being hit by a hurricane are
low, but consider buying travel
insurance and looking for resorts
that make guarantees. If a hurricane
strikes a SuperClubs resort during
your stay, for instance, you’ll be reimbursed for disrupted nights and
receive a voucher for a visit the same
month the next year. —Laura Daily
GREEN PAR T Y
Aruba’s Divi
Village Golf &
Beach Resort
has a nine-hole course.
What does all-inclusive include?
An all-inclusive should give you lodging, all nonmotorized watersports
and on-site activities, plus meals,
snacks, and beverages. The various
chains and resorts ratchet things up
from there, so ask what you get for the
price. Sports such as kayaking and
sailing are typically gratis, though industry leaders Sandals (888-726-3257;
sandals.com) and Super Clubs (800-
467-8737; superclubs.com) include
scuba diving and water-skiing.
COURTESY OF DIVI RESORTS
Whom does the resort cater to?
Some brands—including Beaches
(800-232-2437; beaches.com), Club
Med (800-258-2633; clubmed.us), and
most Breezes resorts (800-467-8737;
breezes.com)—are family oriented;
others, such as Couples (800-268-7537;
couples.com), cater to twosomes. If
you love mile-long buffets and loathe
dinner-jacket dress codes, you might
