IN PRINCIPLE, THERE SEEMS TO BE NO PITFALLS: ALL-INCLUSIVE HOLIDAYS. & NBSP; ACCORDING TO THE RESORT BROCHURE, EVERYTHING IS INCLUDED: "LUXURIOUS ACCOMMODATIONS, FABULOUS FOOD, AMAZING DRINKS, WORLD-CLASS ENTERTAINMENT, EXCITING ACTIVITIES "... EVERYTHING YOU COULD POSSIBLY NEED (AND WISH) APPARENTLY. & NBSP; & NBSP;
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BUT, MORE THAN" ALL INCLUSIVE ", THE PHRASE" MUCH INCLUDED "COULD BETTER DESCRIBE THE GENRE. & NBSP; IT IS TRUE THAT, IN MOST CASES, YOUR DAILY AND ENTERTAINMENT NEEDS ARE LARGELY MET. AND THE FOOD IS SERVED UNTIL THE BATHROOM SCALE BEGS FOR MERCY. & NBSP; BUT IT IS A MISCALCULATION TO THINK THAT YOU WILL NOT BE RUMMAGING THROUGH YOUR POCKETS DURING YOUR STAY. AS WITH THAT TOY THAT THE WHOLE FAMILY HAS GIVEN UP, THE EXTRA PARTS ARE SOLD SEPARATELY. AND IT'S THOSE SAME THINGS YOUR KIDS WILL LOVE THE MOST. & NBSP; AND DEPENDING ON THE RESORT SOME OF THE EXTRAS CAN BE REALLY EXPENSIVE.
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DOES THE PRICE INCLUDE EVERYTHING?
< SPAN MSO-BIDI-FONT-SIZE: = "" COLOR: = "" BLACK ?? = "" 13.0PT; = ""> THE CONCEPT OF "ALL-INCLUSIVE" APPEARED IN 1970 WHEN CLUB MED POPULARIZED IT FOR SINGLES. COUPLES FOLLOWED. TODAY, ALL-INCLUSIVE FOR THE FAMILY ARE RAGING FROM THE CARIBBEAN TO PATAGONIA, AND FROM THE BEST BEACHES TO THE FLOATING HOTELS KNOWN AS CRUISES. & NBSP;
SPECIALISTS RECOMMEND" ALL INCLUSIVE "ESPECIALLY FOR LARGE FAMILIES AND DEMANDING APPETITES: HUGE LAW FIRMS SATISFY APPETITE WITH " A LITTLE OF THIS, A LITTLE OF THAT "(ANYONE WHO HAS TRIED TO SATISFY A LITTLE" GOURMAND " WITH ROOM SERVICE YOU KNOW HOW EXPENSIVE IT CAN BE WHEN PAYING THE BILL).
THE EXCURSIONS & NBSP;
BE CAREFUL WITH EXCURSIONS THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT. THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO A CRUISE OR A RESORT FAR FROM THE CITIES, AS SEVERAL TENS OF DOLLARS, MULTIPLIED BY THE NUMBER OF FAMILY MEMBERS, CAN BE MORE THAN CONSIDERABLE.
< SPAN MSO-BIDI-FONT-SIZE: = "" 10.0PT; = "" COLOR: = "" BLACK ?? = ""> ON A CRUISE, YOU WILL MAKE MANY STOPS, AND OBVIOUSLY YOU WILL WANT TO DESCEND ALL OF THEM, AND YOU WILL BE TEMPTED WITH THE GREAT VARIETY OF OPTIONS ON LAND -FROM SNORKELING EXPEDITIONS TO BUS TOURS-, BUT KEEP IN MIND THAT THEIR COSTS USUALLY GO FROM $ 12 TO $ 75 PER PERSON (PRICES FOR CHILDREN ARE SLIGHTLY LOWER).
BE CAREFUL ESPECIALLY WITH THE MOST SEDUCTIVE OPTIONS FOR CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS. THEY ARE USUALLY THE MOST EXPENSIVE ... AND THE MOST DIFFICULT TO REJECT WHEN IT IS YOUR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN WHO PUSH TO DO IT.
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SPORTS
SPORTS ARE THE MOTHER OF ALL EXTRAS. WHAT IS INCLUDED VARIES SIGNIFICANTLY FROM RESORT TO RESORT, BUT WHAT IS ALMOST NEVER INCLUDED IS THE SPA. TENNIS AND SQUASH GAMES MAY BE FREE, BUT IF YOU BRING YOUR RACKETS, OR YOU PROBABLY HAVE TO PAY TO RENT THEM. MOST PACKAGES DO NOT INCLUDE THE COSTS OF GOLFING. & NBSP; & NBSP;
NAUTICAL ACTIVITIES ARE FREE QUITE OFTEN, BUT NOT ALWAYS. SNORKELS, MASKS AND FINS ARE NORMALLY FREE, BUT MAY HAVE A TIME LIMIT (NOTE: BRING MASKS FROM HOME IF YOU CAN, AS THE STANDARD SIZE GENERALLY PROVIDED IS USUALLY VERY LARGE FOR CHILDREN). & NBSP;
SNORKELING WITHIN THE SCOPE OF FREE SPRINGS, BUT THE MOST INTERESTING UNDERWATER LANDSCAPES ARE USUALLY SOMEWHERE ELSE. & NBSP;
THE LATTER WILL COST YOU, IF NOT FOR THE SNORKELING ITSELF, AT LEAST FOR TRANSPORTATION TO GET THERE AND BACK. & NBSP; & NBSP;
WITH MOTOR SPORTS, YOU MAY NEED TO MORTGAGE YOUR HOME. TEENS WILL BOW DIRECTLY TO JET-SKI ADS (AND THEIR VARIANTS) AS SOON AS THEY ARRIVE AT THE RESORT ... BUT COSTS CAN ADD UP TO MORE THAN $ 60 AN HOUR.
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NOT SO " < SPAN MSO-BIDI-FONT-SIZE: = "" 10.0PT ?? = ""> EXTRAS ”
BEFORE TURNING OFF YOUR CALCULATOR, CONSIDER HOW THESE OTHER" LITTLE "EXTRAS COULD AFFECT YOUR BUDGET:
· SHOPPING. WHILE THIS SEEMS LIKE AN OBVIOUS EXTRA FOR ANY TRIP, THE SHEER PRICE TAG OF THE LITTLE TEMPTATIONS FOUND IN THE RESORT OR CRUISE SHIP SHOP CAN CATCH YOU OFF GUARD. TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS A WHITE T-SHIRT WITH A COUPLE OF LETTERS PRINTED ON IT, DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR TO YOU?
· DRINKS. THERE ARE RESORTS THAT DON'T INCLUDE THEM, AND DRINKS ARE NOTORIOUSLY EXPENSIVE (AND WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT ALCOHOL). IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR CRUISE SHIP PASSENGERS TO PURCHASE THEIR DRINKS IN PORT AND STORE THEM IN AN ICE BUCKET. ASK ABOUT PREPAID CARDS (AVAILABLE ON SOME SHIPS) FOR CHILDREN'S DRINKS.
· TIPS. MOST LAND-BASED RESORTS INCLUDE TIPS. INSTEAD, MOST CRUISES (EXCEPT THE MOST EXCLUSIVE ONES) HAVE MADE THE TIP COMPULSORY (AND THE CRUISE STAFF GETS A GOOD PART OF THEIR INCOME FROM TIPS). BETWEEN STAFF HERE AND THERE, A SEVEN-NIGHT TRIP FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR COULD ADD SEVERAL TENS (OR EVEN HUNDREDS) OF DOLLARS TO THE COST OF THE TRIP. MOST CRUISES AND RESOURCES OFFER TIPS ON TIP AMOUNTS, BUT ALSO REMEMBER: THE AWARD SHOULD REFLECT THE QUALITY OF SERVICE.
· LAUNDRY. DRY CLEANING AND LAUNDRY ALMOST ALWAYS HAVE AN EXTRA CHARGE, AND IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT YOU WILL BE PAYING CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN WHAT YOU PAY AT HOME. SOME RESORTS DO NOT OFFER DRY CLEANING, SO CHECK ITS AVAILABILITY IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO USE IT.
· TAX. EXIT TAXES ARE COLLECTED BY THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE ISLANDS WHERE CRUISE SHIPS USUALLY DOCK, AND ARE APPROXIMATELY $ 10 TO $ 20 PER PERSON (DEPENDING ON THE ISLAND). THIS IS AN EXPENSE THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO BEAR YES OR YES, THAT IS, SO INCLUDE IT IN YOUR BUDGET BEFORE LEAVING.
· CHILD CARE. MOST "ALL-INCLUSIVE" ON LAND OR SEA INCLUDE KIDS' CLUBS AND DAYCARES. BUT MANY CHARGE MORE THAN $ 10 PER CHILD PER HOUR DURING EVENINGS AND EVENINGS. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A RESERVE OF MONEY IF YOU PLAN A ROMANTIC NIGHT WITHOUT CHILDREN.