Travelore Tips: 5 Ways To Enjoy All-Inclusive Luxury Travel At A Rock Bottom Price

Pick a favorite tropical destination, and you'll likely find all-inclusive options that focus on the fun without compromising on variety. A close look at a resort's fine print can shave hundreds off an itinerary -- without losing that luxury travel feel. Here are five tips to make your all-inclusive experience as memorable as it is affordable.

Look for package deals

Package offers (an all-inclusive favorite) can save hundreds by booking flights and hotel nights at the same time. For example, going with a package offer can save around 39% at the Grand Fiesta Americana Los Cabos All Inclusive Golf & Spa in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Booking value packages at the SeaGarden Beach Resort All Inclusive in Montego Bay, Jamaica, can mean savings of several hundred dollars on your trip.

Hungry? Pick for variety

While many all-inclusive resorts feature multiple restaurants, choosing one with an especially wide range of options can lead to major savings on food. With a half-dozen or more restaurants to choose from, it's easier to resist the temptation of tourist-trap restaurants down the road. Iberostar resorts like the Iberostar Bavaro All Inclusive in Punta Cana are known for a range of food options that embrace local tastes. Vacationers can take their pick of six restaurants that run the gamut of Dominican, Cajun, French, and even Japanese cuisine without paying top dollar prices. At Breezes Resort Bahamas All Inclusive, diners can choose from tropical, Italian, and Asian fusion fare, or opt for the traditional buffet.

Pick your crowd to slash activity costs

Family-friendly, adults only, or themed: The type of resort determines the crowd and extras included in a stay, which can save hundreds on activity costs. An adults-only resort like Riu Palace Aruba All Inclusive covers nightlife ranging from romantic beach dinners to free nightly shows and admission to the dance club, with casino games and a 24-hour ice cream shop to cool down after a hot streak. At a family-friendly resort like the Sunset Beach Resort Spa and Waterpark All Inclusive in Montego Bay, Jamaica, the Pirate's Paradise Waterpark can keep everyone busy with 240-foot water slides, a lazy river, and a separate kids camp and teen center. On land, there's mini-golf, basketball, and tennis for more family games -- all included with the price of your stay.

Beware of extra fees

When looking for a package that's on budget, it helps to know what comes with the room and what might cause extra charges on the bill. At Riu Negril All Inclusive, the sauna and all-day babysitting are free, but Wi-Fi and the Renova Spa cost an additional charge. At Royal Service at Paradisus Cancun, the Wi-Fi is free -- as are newspapers, laundry service, and valet parking. Pick your priorities, and choose a resort that has a friendlier policy for them.

Save on the view

A little flexibility on a view can mean big savings. Resorts have different terms for their views, so learn how they value each room and plan accordingly. At the Riu Palace Antillas, a large resort with nearly 500 rooms, an ocean view comes cheaper than a room right on the oceanfront itself. At a resort like Discovery Bay by Rex Resorts All Inclusive in Barbados, a smaller resort with under 100 rooms, a garden view can cost hundreds less than a view of the sea. Consider how much that perfect view is worth -- the beach is always waiting, no matter where you sleep.

From Hipmunk 

The fastest, easiest way to plan travel. www.hipmunk.com

Royal Caribbean To Send Newest, Hottest Ship To China

In a sign of the growing importance of Asia to the cruise industry, Royal Caribbean today announced plans to base its newest, hottest ship in China next year instead of Europe or the Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean says the 4,180-passenger Quantum of the Seas -- its first new vessel in four years -- will permanently reposition to Shanghai in May 2015 following a previously announced inaugural winter season sailing to the Bahamas and the Caribbean out of the New York area. The ship will sail three- to eight-night voyages to Japan and Korea that primarily are aimed at the Chinese market.

"We have been very clear about our intentions to compete on a high level in China," Royal Caribbean Cruises president and COO Adam Goldstein tells USA TODAY in an exclusive interview about the move. "We feel like we have an asset here with Quantum of the Seas that is not really possible for our competitors to match."

 Royal Caribbean Cruises is the parent company of the Royal Caribbean brand and also owns Celebrity Cruises and several smaller lines.

Goldstein says the Chinese market places a high value on new, top-quality products, and Royal Caribbean believes it has a chance to achieve a long-term competitive advantage by taking the "bold step" of dedicating its newest, most-advanced ship to the region. The company has been expanding into China for several years, starting with some of its smallest and oldest vessels but moving recently to newer, larger vessels. The success of the effort is such that "we have decided to use (a ship like Quantum of the Seas) in China maybe a little bit quicker than had been our timetable."

Quantum of the Seas will join two other Royal Caribbean ships currently dedicated at least part of the year to the Chinese market, the 3,114-passenger Mariner of the Seas and 3,114-passenger Voyager of the Seas. The addition of Quantum of the Seas will boost the company's capacity in the region by 66%.

The deployment comes as the world's biggest cruise companies increasingly look to Asia for growth. Among other lines shifting capacity to the region are Princess Cruises, which is expanding rapidly in Japan, and Costa Cruises.

"We have been step-by-step building up our presence in Asia in general and the China market in particular ... and it has been (going) very well for us," Goldstein says.

Still, Goldstein makes clear that the Miami-based company, which currently has 21 ships, isn't turning its back on its fans in North America. Quantum is just one of four new Royal Caribbean ship that will debut over the next two years, which will leave plenty of new capacity available for deployments closer to home.

Goldstein said Quantum of the Seas will be replaced in the New York area for the summer of 2015 by the smaller Liberty of the Seas. The 3,634-passenger ship will cruise to Bermuda, the Caribbean and Canada/New England from the New York-area port of Bayonne, N.J. through the fall. But come November 2015, the 4,180-passenger Anthem of the Seas -- a sister ship to Quantum of the Seas that debuts in April 2015 -- will take Liberty's place in the New York area, sailing to the Bahamas and Caribbean for the winter of 2015-16.

MORE: Next Royal Caribbean ship to have gee-whiz ride

While Royal Caribbean expects most passengers sailing on Quantum of the Seas out of Shanghai will be from China, the cruises also can be a draw for North Americans, Europeans and other global travelers looking to explore Asia by ship, Goldstein says. While the line will make some minor tweaks to the vessel to cater specifically to the Chinese market, it'll essentially be the same Royal Caribbean product found elsewhere in the world.

Perhaps the biggest difference with Quantum of the Seas' sailings out of Shanghai as compared to Royal Caribbean sailings elsewhere around the globe is that they will be shorter, to appeal to local preferences, Goldstein says.

"We are very happy to have people from around the world traveling to cruise on Quantum of the Seas (out of Shanghai) just as we are happy to have people from around the world cruise on Oasis of the Seas out of Florida," he says.

Currently under construction at a shipyard in Germany, Quantum of the Seas is scheduled to debut in November. By far the most anticipated new ship of the year, it will boast such innovative new features as the first skydiving simulator at sea and a glass capsule on a mechanical arm that will rise high above the ship for bird's-eye views.

Also new on Quantum of the Seas will be Two70, an unusual, multilevel entertainment space with floor-to-ceiling windows that will feature live aerial performances as well as digital performances projected on moving screens.

The first of a new class of vessel at Royal Caribbean, Quantum of the Seas won't be quite as big as the line's much-ballyhooed Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas— the world's largest cruise ships. But it still will rank among the 10 largest passenger vessels in the world and feature all of the signature amenities Royal Caribbean fans have come to love, from a 30-foot-high rock climbing wall to a FlowRider surf simulator to an H20 Zone kids water park. Look inside Oasis of the Seas.

Contributed by Gene Sloan, USA Today.

Travelore Tips: 10 Reasons To Upgrade To A Luxury Cruise.

If you’re yet to decide on your next cruise, or indeed, your first, you should consider how to get the most out of your buck. In fact, if you’re toying between a mega liner and a luxury vessel, here’s some things to consider.

Any cruise is – generally speaking – a fairly hefty investment, but if you make the most out of the choices you have, your experience may also be vastly better.

Accommodations

Almost by definition, luxury ships (Silversea Cruises‘ Silver Shadow, Regent Seven Seas Cruises‘ Seven Seas Mariner, et al) are all-suite, no-inside-rooms vessels. How important is that? Very. It’s especially important in a destination area such as, say, Alaska, where the weather is not always your friend and where shore excursions, however informative and exciting they are, can be tiring (try a half-day Chilkoot Trail hike out of Skagway, for instance, or a five-hour kayaking adventure in Prince William Sound and you’ll know what we mean). It’s so nice after outings like that to put your feet up in an airy, well-appointed, super-comfy suite. And the balcony that invariably comes with the suite makes wildlife and scenery viewing so much more enjoyable – also, of course, of particular significance in places like Alaska, Hawaii, and the fjords of Chile and Norway. And for the most part, even standard cabins on luxury ships will be outfitted with luxurious appointments – from high cotton thread count sheets to flat screen televisions.

Touches

There’s no other way to put it. It’s the little things – the attention to design, detail and layout – that make the difference between a luxury experience and “just another” cruise. Things like Bvlgari toiletries; twin sinks; separate bathtub and shower; terry robes; a well-lighted dressing table (is there a woman out there who doesn't appreciate that feature?). The stateroom drapes will form a real blackout over the windows, eliminating once and for all those annoying chinks of light that keep you awake at night and intrude on your early morning slumber. In Northern Europe and Alaska, where it’s light most of the day in the summer, that is a real blessing.

Construction materials

About those twin sinks we mentioned: The counter tops that enclose them are likely to be real marble. The faucets may be of absolutely top quality stainless steel. The soft furnishings will be plush and inviting, the carpets deep. On luxury ships, you won’t find a lot of plastic or Formica coverings.

No tipping

Most of the luxury lines do not encourage the practice. In fact, some make it very clear in pre-cruise literature that no gratuity is expected. And it appears that the crews have gotten the word. On two cruises in the last year – on Seabourn Pride and the Silver Shadow – our offers of a small gratuity for special services rendered were flatly (but politely) declined.

Free beverages, including alcohol

On some of these ships, there is no charge for booze – at the bar, in the restaurants and lounges, in the stateroom (your in-suite fridge will be stocked with a bottle of wine or champagne, some beer and soft drinks). The ships include wine – on the whole excellent and thoughtfully chosen – with lunch and dinner at no charge. It’s true that if you have very expensive tastes (if the only thing you can drink is a Chateau Mouton Rothschild Premier Grand Cru Classe – 2000, for example, or a 1998 Opus One), you’ll pay extra. Maybe a lot extra. But most people don’t have that problem. One passenger we met on a recent cruise on Silversea’s Silver Shadow expressed a preference for Pinot Grigio rather than the Chardonnay that was being served that day. And he got it! The wait staff simply opened a bottle of Pinot Grigio from the complimentary wine list and… voila.

Itineraries

Smaller ships, including those in the luxury category, are able to visit places that their bigger brethren can’t or, at any rate, don’t. In Alaska that means the likes of Wrangell and Haines, Misty Fjords and Sawyer Glacier. In the Western Mediterranean, they’ll call at more exclusive places like Portofino and Capri. Not only are these ports of call a bit more exotic – it’s also less stressful to be, for instance, part of a group of just a handful of passengers of the only ship in Haines that day than a tourist in Juneau when four or five mega ships are in port.

Service

There’s a reason that service people (stewards, maitre de’s, waitstaff and so on) don’t hustle tips on the luxury ships: They’re paid better than their counterparts on mainstream ships. And because they are paid more and are therefore not as reliant on the generosity of passengers for their income, these lines manage to attract a higher quality of employee, well-trained, well-disciplined operatives who understand the concept of “the customer comes first.”

Fewer announcements

Because they tend not to get involved in the seemingly never-ending stream of onboard entertainment opportunities, there is no need for the cruise director to be constantly on the public address system (“Hey folks, this is Peter from the bridge reminding you that in fifteen minutes we’ll be starting our jackpot bingo in the main show room, with a prize today standing at $600!”). On some ships, the announcements seem to come on with mind-numbing frequency. Not so on luxury vessels. There’s generally a morning announcement of the day’s events, maybe a lunchtime follow up – and that’s it!

Hot food

Think about it. On huge ships – vessels like many of those operating in Alaska each year, some with 2,600-plus passengers – the sometimes enormous distances involved in getting food from the galley to the table often drops the temperature of the food by several degrees. That may not sound like a big deal, but some people find lukewarm victuals unappetizing. And when you’re looking forward to a bowl of nourishing soup after a morning on deck in the chilly air watching glaciers calving, you want that soup piping hot. On the luxury ships, it tends to be – and so does every other dish that’s supposed to be.

Getting to know people in depth

On any of the mega-ships, especially in this day and age of freestyle dining and alternative restaurants aplenty, it’s possible to meet people once and never see them again. On a smaller ship, you tend to be thrown together more easily, and more often.

Ultimately, you can’t expect all of the aforementioned to happen to you, even if you upgrade to a luxury ship. This is simply a random sampling of impressions gained during recent voyages on that kind of vessel. Find out before you book which ships offer the features that most appeal to you. Just keep in mind that it’s sometimes “penny-wise and pound-foolish” to take the cheapest room when it might make more sense to upgrade – maybe even all the way to a luxury ship.

Contributed by KarryOn