Honeymoon Planning - Where to start?

[Bartholomew]

You guys taught me everything I needed to know about diamond/ring shopping, and everything turned out perfect. Now I would like to plan the perfect honeymoon on a budget with your help as well. What I''m looking for:

Where: Tropical, beach. Out of the US unless Hawaii. Non tourist area. The more private, the better.

When: 5-7 days, beginning May 15, 2011.

Price: $1,000 +/- a few hundred. All inclusive would be really nice!

* Would prefer to stay away from Mexico and Jamaica. Can we make something happen with this?

 

[sctsbride09]

The dates you posted would be high season for Hawaii ,it would be impossible to go to Hawaii on that budget, sorry to say. There are no all inclusives in Hawaii anyway ,but there are loads of them in the Caribbean, have you looked into that area? Or how about a cruise?

 

[Bartholomew]

Date: 6/23/2010 6:26:11 PM
Author: sctsbride09
The dates you posted would be high season for Hawaii ,it would be impossible to go to Hawaii on that budget, sorry to say. There are no all inclusives in Hawaii anyway ,but there are loads of them in the Caribbean, have you looked into that area? Or how about a cruise?

I would be very interested in the Carribean! We have already been on a cruise, so trying to avoid that route.

 

[sonnyjane]

Unfortunately, your budget is quite low for an out-of-country trip, let alone at an all-inclusive. DH and I went to Hawaii for our honeymoon for 7 days and our hotel and airfare for the two of us was $3,600, not including food. The Caribbean might be a bit cheaper, but you won''t be able to get an all-inclusive for less than $400 a night, and that''s not including airfare. Honestly, although you''ve already done a cruise, that''s probably your absolute best bet. You can get some 5 night cruises of the Caribbean for about $500-$600 per person leaving from Florida. That will include all of your meals, just not alcohol or excursions, but it''s much more realistic for your budget.

 

[Bartholomew]

Thanks for your responses. Does this website look legit?

http://www.unforgettablehoneymoons.com/Budget-Honeymoon-Packages_26.html

 

[sonnyjane]

http://www.unforgettablehoneymoons.com/Budget-Honeymoon-Packages_26.html

I added the clickable link.

As far as if it is legitimate or not, it's hard to say, but it does have positive BBB feedback. If you read the fine print, however, those prices do not include airfare, so you'd have to add on several hundred dollars per person to those prices.

 

[Iowa Lizzy]

Hmm, $1000 for five to seven days? I''d maybe look into the Dominican Republic or Puerto Rico. I know you want to do something outside the US without a lot of tourists, but that''s going to be pretty hard with that budget. Would you consider road-tripping down to the Florida Keys? Maybe getting an inexpensive condo with a kitchen where you could prepare your own food to avoid paying for restaurant meals?

FI and I went to Jamaica a few years ago to a Sandals resort. We stayed in a middle of the road suite for 6 nights. With airfare, hotel (all inclusive) and excursions, the total came to right around $5000.

I hope you can find something in your budget and I know we''ll be glad to help you, but you might have to broaden your criteria. $1000 goes really quickly on vacation. Does that budget include airfare or is this just for the hotel? That might help us find something for you.

 

[laughwithme]

Does that budget include airfare? I''m not an experienced traveler but if it does include airfare, it seems to me like your only real option is a cruise, since cruises are so inexpensive. I know you said you''ve done a cruise, however, keep in mind that cruises have very different destinations - you said you would be up for a resort in the Caribbean, and there are countless Caribbean cruises. Just a thought, keep your mind open!

If that budget doesn''t include airfare, I think you''re in better shape. For some perspective, we are doing 6 nights at all inclusive in Mexico (Cancun) at a 5-star resort, and its costing us about $2,300. We are also not doing the bottom line room option. So I think if you go in search of a 4-star resort, do the basic room type, and book when they have some sort of deal going on, you could certainly score something for 5 nights all inclusive.

You may want to get a travel agent - they are free, generally, or at least their fee is way less than the discounts you save - and let them help you with something. Our travel agent saved us several hundred bucks from the resort''s rate. You could also try one of the endless online travel discount sites, as they are always running vacation package specials.

Good luck!

 

[sillyberry]

It will also make a difference where you are flying out of - flights can range SOOO much depending on starting location. The way flights have been lately, you very well could be looking at more than $250/$300 per person, which doesn''t leave much in the way of hotel/food/entertainment. Deals are possible, but lately have been somewhat hard to come by.

Forgive me for making suggestions, but have you thought about spending a night or two in a B&B (or somewhere else local and fun), maybe going out to a wonderful meal, and then doing a trip to celebrate your 1 year anniversary? Otherwise, I have been able to find good deals by doing a flight + hotel search in Orbitz for different cities on the dates I''m looking for. You might try that with some of the big ones (and I would include both Cancun and Jamaica, as those tend to be some of the least costly destinations) and see the price range you''re looking at.

 

[Bartholomew]

Thanks for the reality check folks. I''ll have to go back to the drawing board and see what I can afford. Can honeymoons be financed? Or are most pay everything up front?

 

[sonnyjane]

Date: 6/23/2010 11:40:14 PM
Author: Bartholomew
Thanks for the reality check folks. I''ll have to go back to the drawing board and see what I can afford. Can honeymoons be financed? Or are most pay everything up front?

Most hotels will require a deposit, and flights you''ll have to pay for right away. I''ve never heard of financing a honeymoon, but when we took ours, we put it on my 0% intro APR credit card, so I had 12 months of no interest over which to pay it down.

 

[AustenNut]

If you're flexible about your destination, a lot of last minute deals can be worked out. I would recommend looking at Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel Magazine. Every month they list 40 "Real Deals" that really are some great bargains. Usually, it's for trips in the upcoming couple of months. But that's something that could work for you. Or if you see a really great deal but it would have to be used before your intended honeymoon date, you can write down the travel agent's info and keep checking back with them (or maybe see if they'll get back in touch with you if there's a sale for your dates).

The Caribbean section of their Real Deals right now features the following:

Punta Cana Air/3nts, inclusive from $540

St. Lucia, 3 nights w/free massage $435

Puerto Rico, Air/5nts from $576

Aruba, from $179/night

St. Maarten/St. Martin Air/4 nts from $563


Of course, depending on where you're flying from, your costs will be higher. But it's something to think about.

 

[missrachelk]

I know you can reserve with the Excellence directly with just a credit card, and nothing is charged until you complete your stay, and there aren''t cancellation fees until very close to your dates. I love their resorts, they do run specials, if you are willing to travel during hurricane season, some incredible deals can be found.

So I bet other hotels would be similar - you''d probably have to pay for your flights up front, but you have time to save up for the hotel.

PLay around with orbitz etc and see what you can come up with!

good luck