When is a $3,000 Vacation Less Expensive Than a $2,000 Vacation?

At first the title of this blog posting may be confusing. After all, how can $3,000 ever be less than $2,000? Actually the answer to this question has to do with vacation value. As most travelers know, the price you pay upfront is never the total price of your vacation. There are tips, meals, drinks, excursions, and shopping that are not included on many vacation packages. The question any traveler must ask themselves is "how much of these extra costs are indeed included in my upfront price"?
So, that $3,000 vacation that includes your flights, lodging, transportation, all your meals and drinks, some water sports and tips may indeed be much less than the $2,000 vacation that only includes the flights and hotel. Furthermore, with the more inclusive vacation you aren't constantly worrying about how much you are spending each time you eat or drink. It reduces the stress during your vacation, which by the way, supposed to be stress-free.
Cruise lines are also a good example of how this works. Most of the mass-market and premium brand cruises today charge extra onboard the ship for drinks (even soda and bottled water) tours, tips and even some meals. When added to the cost of your initial cruise fare, that can really add up. Some lines, however, are now including many of these features in the initial cost. Some lines even include shore tours with the initial purchase price. So, when you look at one cruise line that may be $2,000 more than another, you need to look at what is included. And, remember that point about stress-free. Nobody likes having a large bill waiting for them when they return home from their vacation, which included multiple swipes of the credit card.
At Anderson Vacations, we pride ourselves in finding vacation value for our clients. Not only do we distinguish between resorts, but we also make it clear which vacation will be providing better value for our clients' vacation dollars. So, next time you see an advertised price for a $2,000 vacation that sounds too good to be true, look behind the numbers and see what is (or isn't) included in the price. Then, let us recommend to you your best vacation option.