One nice thing about an all-inclusive property is getting a final bill with no big surprises. Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort & Emerald Casino just introduced a package that essentially turns your vacation into an all-inclusive experience. The “Escape Inclusive” special starts at $418 per room, per night and includes accommodations for two adults and two children 12 and under, all meals and beverages, kids’ club activities (for ages 4 to 12), and non-motorized, hotel-sponsored watersports including snorkeling and kayaking.
Prices fluctuate with dates, as you would expect. When we priced a week-long stay in February, peak season, for a family of two adults and two kids under 12, we found rates of $550 per night, per room for a resortview room, $610 for an oceanview room, and $670 for a beachfront room. A seven-night stay in an oceanview room would total $4270.
Non-package rates for an oceanview room would run $359 for that same week in February, so the all-inclusive package would cost you $251 more each day. At first glance, that's a sizable number. But consider that the fee for the kids’ club is normally $50 a day per kid (so, for two kids, $100 a day). If you eat all your meals at the resort, you could very well spend more than $151 per day on dining. Note: On the resort's web site, the package indicates that kids "under 12" eat free. We called to check on this and were told that the package does include 12-year-olds.
The bottom line: If (a) your children's ages fall in the 4-to-12 bracket and they like kids' clubs, and (b) you’ll be eating all your meals on-property, then this all-inclusive special could make sense for you. It will likely save you some money and also reduce your feeling of being nickel-and-dimed during your stay. But if your children won't go near kids' clubs, you're probably better off opting for the non-package rate.
The "Escape Inclusive" package is available through October 31, 2009 and is based on availability and double occupancy. To book, enter promotional code NCL when booking online, or call 888/PARADISE and reference the same code.
