Sandals and Beaches Resorts | The Memorable Journey ~ The Affordable Mouse

Why Cheapest Isn’t Always Best When It Comes to Travel

Nancy Aulani a Disney Resort and Spa, Cruise Planning, Disney Vacation Planning, Great US Destinations, Sandals and Beaches Resorts, Universal Orlando Resort October 11, 2021October 6, 2021all inclusive resorts, caribbean travel, how to get the best price on travel, how to get vacation deals, travel deals, vacation deals, vacation savings 0 Comment

Everyone wants to know they’re getting the best possible price for their vacation – but how do you actually do that?

Do you scour “discount” travel sites that offer trips at cheap prices? Do you grab that Groupon that just showed up in your email? Do you ask thousands of people you don’t know in a Facebook group? Do you book the inn that your Aunt Martha said was a great deal when she and Uncle Harry visited there 20 years ago?

The answer actually starts with two truths that you probably heard as a kid:

You get what you paid for.
If it seems too good to be true – it probably is.

Six Caribbean Islands That Have Everything Hawaii Has – Just a Lot Closer

Nancy Sandals and Beaches Resorts September 13, 2021March 24, 2022bahamas, barbados, caribbean resorts, caribbean vacation, exuma, grenada, jamaica, sandals and beaches, sandals and beaches resorts, st. lucia, turks and caicos 0 Comment

For many folks, a tropical island vacation means a vacation to the Hawaiian islands, and for good reason. With its one-of-a-kind culture, spectacular beaches, and endless room for adventure, to say nothing of the majestic waterfalls, volcanoes, and rugged mountain landscapes waiting to be explored – the appeal of a vacation to Hawaii is obvious.

Until they look at the flights.

When travelers realize that most flights from the west coast of the U.S. are at least 6 hours – along with the cost of that airfare – for many, that is the end of their dreams of a vacation in paradise.

But it’s not necessary to give up hope of enjoying a tropical vacation on a beautiful island. There are a number of Caribbean islands which match Hawaii in beauty (and some would say even better than what you can experience in the Hawaiian Islands). Best of all, you can generally fly to the Caribbean from the U.S. mainland within a few hours, so you can enjoy that exotic experience without flying halfway around the world. (And the airfare is a lot less expensive too!) Read more

What Is – and Isn’t – Included in an All-Inclusive Vacation?

Nancy Sandals and Beaches Resorts September 6, 2021February 9, 2022all inclusive, all inclusive resorts, all inclusive vacation, caribbean resorts, caribbean vacation, sandals and beaches, sandals resorts, what is included at beaches, what is included at sandals 0 Comment

It’s hard to not love the idea of an all-inclusive vacation. Arrive at your resort and everything you do from that point on is already included and you can just go about enjoying your vacation without giving a thought to paying for anything. Sounds pretty great right? Your accommodations, unlimited food, drinks, activities, and entertainment are all included in the booking price of the resort. Everything has been paid for in advance and you likely will have little to no need for your wallet throughout your trip.

But.

All *all-inclusive* resorts aren’t created equal, and they vary in the benefits they include in their vacation packages. And this is very important to know before you book because no one wants to arrive at their resort, expecting everything to be included, only to find out that a good bit of what you want to do – or eat – or drink -isn’t included and will come at an additional cost! Read more

Oceanview, Oceanfront, Beachfront: What is the Difference?

Nancy Aulani a Disney Resort and Spa, Other Disney Vacation Locations, Sandals and Beaches Resorts August 29, 2021August 25, 2021caribbean vacation, island vacation, sandals room categories, tropical vacatoin, what does beachfront mean, what does oceanfront mean, what does oceanview mean 0 Comment

Have you ever booked a room for a particular view, and then arrived to find out that the view is nothing like you expected?

Few things are more disappointing than looking forward to watching the waves with your morning coffee on your balcony every morning, only to find out that you have to stand on your balcony and lean……way……over…..the…..edge…..in order to actually see the ocean. (Plus that’s not very safe either!)

If what you see when you look outside is a priority for your vacation, making sure you book the right “view” category is important. Especially if you’re traveling to a tropical island for a bucket list vacation – where you may be expecting to see turquoise waters from your balcony – you’ll want to know what those room descriptions mean.

Oceanview. Oceanfront. Beachfront.

They all mean the same thing, right? Read more

Christmas in July – Why You Need to Book Your Holiday Travel Now

Nancy Christmas Holidays, Disney Vacation Planning, Great US Destinations, Sandals and Beaches Resorts, Universal Orlando Resort, What to Do at Disney World July 26, 2021July 21, 2021caribbean christmas vacation, christmas disney world, christmas universal orlando, christmas vacation caribbean, disney world holiday season, harry potter park christmas, holiday season wizarding world, when should i book my christmas vacation 0 Comment

Christmas trees at the Grand Floridian Resort at Walt Disney World.

Merry Christmas! It’s July, so it’s the perfect time to start thinking about the holiday season, right?

(And I’m not talking about buying all your Christmas gifts now – although there’s nothing wrong if you want to do that….).

Nope, it’s time to plan your holiday travel. Because while the early bird generally always gets the worm when it comes to travel, that’s even more true this year than usual. And here’s why. Read more