We are thinking about taking our vacation to the Carribean (maybe Mexico) is better to book on our own or go with a travel agent? And not just price wise but also safety and problems? Is it overrated booking with an agent?

Also all inclusive or not?

jillianleab

It really all depends on where you are going and they type of traveler you are. If you book through a travel agent your transportation can be pre-arranged and you are dealing with a professional who can advise you on the best hotel to stay at within you budget. Your travel agent will also (sometimes) have a little more "pull" with the hotel or resort you stay in to get you possible upgrades, or help fix any problems. As an example: for my honeymoon we booked a resort in the Caribbean, got there and it was AWFUL. We stayed about three hours. We called our travel agent who booked us at another resort and got us a FULL refund from the crappy resort. If I had been on my own, I would have probably had to pay at least one night's penalty.

Now, booking on your own you can also arrange your transportation, or you can wing it when you arrive. Depending on where you are traveling to, this may or may not be a good idea. Booking on your own means doing more research into hotels and activities; you may not want to do that.

All inclusive resorts can be great, but again, it depends on the type of traveler you are. If you want to experience the local culture and people, you won't get much of that on a resort. But, they are great if you want one location with food, drinks, a beach, etc which will be (usually) quite safe.

Where are you traveling from, and where are you thinking of going? Have you been to the Caribbean or Mexico before? I've been all over the Caribbean - I'd be happy to help you out!

iwantmydepositback

Thanks for the info, we are traveling from KY. My boyfriend hasn't been yet but I have been to the Bahamas and to Acapoca but I think that is out of our price range. Ben wants a place with a casino and I want to be beach front. One of my girlfriends says we should go to the bahamas but I feel like there is so much to decide. Even though an agent pulled some options for us there seemed to be just a coulpe of options in our price range. Where have you loved?

jillianleab

The Bahamas are beautiful, and there are tons of options. Paradise Island has casinos, and lots of hotel options.

Have you considered Aruba? There is a casino in the city (Oranjestad) and the island has some of the most idyllic and beautiful Caribbean beaches I've seen. There are several hotels on Eagle Beach, and many across from Eagle Beach which will bring your cost down. They are a great option if you don't mind crossing the street to get to the beach. Aruba is also quite safe (though it's gotten bad press with the Natalee Holloway story) and has tons of dining options. You could easily book there on your own and do fine. You should be able to get a flight at a reasonable price, the island has a major airport.

The USVI is also a good choice, and you won't have to worry about exchange rates, passports and so on.

St. Martin is also beautiful and has casinos. For my tastes I prefer the French side, but the Dutch side is also very nice. You can book a hotel room or a beachfront villa and walk to dining and entertainment, possibly to casinos. In general the island is safe, but you'll want to be careful about leaving your stuff unattended on the beach. There is also a major airport here, so flights should be easy to find and hopefully well-priced.

Margarita Island, off the coast of Venezuela has some casino resorts as well, and once you are there it's pretty inexpensive. I think we paid a whopping $2 for HUGE margaritas! Here you have to be a little more concerned with safety, however, especially leaving your stuff on the beach unattended, or being in the city after dark. Your flight, however, might be a different story.

Jamaica has casinos, but I'm not sure if any are located within beach resorts. In certain parts of Jamaica you have to be VERY mindful of your safety, which is one of the reasons all-inclusive resorts are so popular there (and most are very, very nice). Again, major airport to make flights easier.

Have you considered going on a cruise? Lines like Carnival and Royal Caribbean have large casinos, many dining options and reasonably priced accommodations. You can book a trip for a few days or for a week, depending on what suits your needs. Best of all, you get to see many islands and only have to unpack once! Booking interior rooms will bring your cost down a lot, but when pricing cruises, also remember most of your food is included, so it will probably be more than a hotel. Remember to factor in money for gambling and shore excursions, they can get expensive if you get carried away! Also, cruises depart from so many locations you can pick somewhere that is within driving distance, or pick one you can get a good flight to. If you go this route, I'd suggest using a travel agent, but you CAN book online yourself. Oh, and don't let the cruise book your flight - you're guaranteed to catch the boat, but you'll over pay like crazy.

I've loved just about every island I've visited. A bad day in the Caribbean is still better than a good day at home!