Budget Friendly Warm Weekend All-Inclusive Get-away For 2 in Feb?

[mrseace711]

My husband and I NEED a minivacation Ill also call this our long over due honeymoon With work and the kids VERY busy little schedules we can not take a full week vacation just a short 4 day max get away. Leaving on like a Wednesday late night returning on Sunday to be back to work on Monday. We live in Indiana and Feb is very cold and snowy I would love to go somewhere warm on a beach. Ive looked into cruises but the dates Im finding do not work with what I am looking for. This will probably be our only warm getaway for a LONG time after this so I want it to be AMAZING and relaxing at the same time =) All-Inclusive is important I do not want to worry about anything while on vacation. We are a credit card free family so no charging, no flight points, no debt =) We will be paying this vacation by making payments.

 

[lucigo]

You could cruise out of New Orleans leaving on a Thursday and coming back on Monday, would that work? You would probably want to fly down on Wednesday and could fly back Monday and be back to work Tuesday.

 

[nilseks]

I would suggest looking into Riviera Maya. Most of the hotels there are all inclusive and reasonably priced. There are a LOT of direct charters into the Cancun airport, so you can maximize your time. Usually I don't use a travel agent but for trips like that I do, because they don't charge you any more than the Apple Vacations fee (they get a cut off the top) and they can find the best deal to work with your timing.

 

[uromac]

Hi!

You may want to check out cheapcaribbean.com for your dates too - lots of people have used this site!

 

[TinkPirateMom]

You will find the least expensive all-inclusive resorts in Jamaica, Mexico, and Dominican Republic. February is high season for travel to the Caribbean and Mexico so prices may not be all that budget friendly.

 

[ekatiel]

You could cruise out of New Orleans leaving on a Thursday and coming back on Monday, would that work? You would probably want to fly down on Wednesday and could fly back Monday and be back to work Tuesday.

^^^This! You don't have to leave out of New Orleans, though-- there are several ports in Florida that offer 4 night cruises for the same dates (a Thursday- a Monday). Galveston offers them, too, but they are usually more expensive out of Galveston. Also, there are several ports in Florida that offer 3 night cruises, leaving on a Friday and returning on a Monday. The 3 night cruises are usually to the Bahamas. Those would only require 2 days off of work. I did a search for you on cruisecheap.com, and here's what I came up with. The bahama cruises: http://www.cruisecheap.com/c/src.php?CruiseDestinationID=5&StartDate=2012-2&Duration=1-5&CruiseLine=&Search.x=43&Search.y=8
The caribbean cruises: http://www.cruisecheap.com/c/src.php?CruiseDestinationID=45&StartDate=2012-2&Duration=1-5&CruiseLine=&Search.x=49&Search.y=13

Factor in the fact that you only have to pay domestic airfare for a cruise, and it definitely becomes the cheapest option. BTW-- I never actually book my cruises through cruisecheap, I just use the site to find out what's available. I then use the actual company's website. In this case Carnival or Royal Caribbean look to be your best bet. Good luck with whatever getaway you choose! --Katie

 

[DCPrincess]

I would suggest looking into Riviera Maya. Most of the hotels there are all inclusive and reasonably priced. There are a LOT of direct charters into the Cancun airport, so you can maximize your time. Usually I don't use a travel agent but for trips like that I do, because they don't charge you any more than the Apple Vacations fee (they get a cut off the top) and they can find the best deal to work with your timing.

Couldn't agree more! We had some wonderful vacations outside Playa del Carmen at the Iberostar resorts. LOVE that once you pay for the vacation everything is included - shuttle from airport, all food, drinks, etc. There are tons of resorts at all different price points (and many run specials).

Also agree that this is the only vacation where I use a travel agent, and she always gets a better price than I can find anywhere online.

 

[mrseace711]

love these tips!! I am checking them all now

 

[nilseks]

One thing I would note about cheapcaribbean.com -- I love this site for the pricing, but when you go to book, you will find that 9 times out of 10, the flight times are LOUSY and almost always include long layovers. What I do is find pricing on Cheapcaribbean, and then call my travel agent. Twice she has been able to get Apple to match the price and put us on a direct charter. We did this last January to Riviera Maya and it was fantastic.

 

[tlenzendorf]

I would suggest looking at Apple in a month or so and check out the last minute specials. You can find pretty amazing deals if you don't really care not knowing when/where you are going until a few months before when you book. And the 4 night specials are usually pretty decently priced.

 

[Darcy03231]

Here's another vote for the Iberostar resorts. We've stayed in several in Mexico and the Dominican Republic and never had bad vacation.

If you don't have passports already I would apply for them now. Around the holiday travel season the passport office can get backed up. You don't want to have a trip planned and then be scrambling for your passports.

 

[jilliemom]

Look into Couples Swept Away in Negril Jamaica. It's an all-inclusive adults only resort. DH and I went for my 40th a few years ago for 4 days and it was incredible!!!

 

[Miz Diz]

One thing I would note about cheapcaribbean.com -- I love this site for the pricing, but when you go to book, you will find that 9 times out of 10, the flight times are LOUSY and almost always include long layovers. What I do is find pricing on Cheapcaribbean, and then call my travel agent. Twice she has been able to get Apple to match the price and put us on a direct charter. We did this last January to Riviera Maya and it was fantastic.

I called them to ask questions about a trip and they told me that once you book it is nonrefundable, but you can get a credit to be used with them. I was skeptical about them when she told me that.

 

[mrseace711]

I searched all day yesterday =) cheapcarribean.com did not have availability after I would click the destination it would tell me no availability and I went thru all of them even changing the days Im going to check these others Iberostar resorts and Couples Swept Away sound amazing.... I think I will surprise my hubby with these for Christmas instead of the PS3 hes been asking for? Seriously he does not need a PS3

 

[DCPrincess]

I searched all day yesterday =) cheapcarribean.com did not have availability after I would click the destination it would tell me no availability and I went thru all of them even changing the days Im going to check these others Iberostar resorts and Couples Swept Away sound amazing.... I think I will surprise my hubby with these for Christmas instead of the PS3 hes been asking for? Seriously he does not need a PS3

I think have the fun of a vacation is the planning and dreaming! I'm about to PM you the name of a travel agent I have used several times (and based on my recommendation several friends used here as well). If you email her dates and budget she should be able to email you back some options to help you narrow down your search. I also love reading tripadvisor (taking all reviews with a grain of salt) and I find the pictures of resorts helpful.

 

[Jerseyguy's Wife]

Someone mentioned a cruise out of New Orleans. But that requires a flight to NOLA. You can cruise from Cincinnati (I think it leaves from Cinci) to NOLA, too. I'm not sure who runs the cruises, but I know you can do it.

 

[mrseace711]

I think have the fun of a vacation is the planning and dreaming! I'm about to PM you the name of a travel agent I have used several times (and based on my recommendation several friends used here as well). If you email her dates and budget she should be able to email you back some options to help you narrow down your search. I also love reading tripadvisor (taking all reviews with a grain of salt) and I find the pictures of resorts helpful.

I dreamt of Disney World for 7 years (right after the birth of my 2nd daughter) Very single year I would get a price quote and read Disney related sites =) I think the planning was very worth it we just returned home last Saturday it was everything I had been dreaming of I love reading tripadvisor and looking at the pictures =)