Peter Greenberg TODAY Travel Editor • Profile • E-mail

You’ve seen the ads, read the brochures for the hotels, cruises and vacation packages — all billed as “all-inclusives.”

But the term ”all-inclusive” has become confusing, and — some would argue — misleading. Does an all-inclusive trip really mean it includes all costs, and is it really an affordable alternative to an a la carte vacation?

After all, few of us really like going to our wallets and purses every five minutes when we travel. Most of us would presumably like to pay one fee that covers all of our costs when we travel. But does it ever work out that way?

First, some history.

For most of us, the term “all-inclusive” began in 1950 with Club Med, which claims to have invented the vacation package. The first Club Med village was on the Spanish island of Mallorca. where the all-inclusive vacation on a remote island was quite an adventure.

The first enthusiastic supporters were single people looking for something different and fun and where they could meet other like-minded individuals … and travelers even helped to wash dishes! But the concept was a simple one: Pay one fee, one time, and your vacation package was covered: airfare, your accommodations, your meals, your drinks and all your activities. Remember the famous Club Med “beads”? Members wore them around their necks as continually shrinking necklaces, which soon turned into bracelets as beads were removed to pay for drinks.

Club Med: Today, the all-inclusive approach continues at Club Med, where many of their locations have gone from a singles-only experience to appealing to families. For example, at the Club Med Cancun Yucatan, the prices for a seven-night “all-inclusive” vacation at Club Med Cancun Yucatan start at $1,400 per person. On the surface, that’s definitely affordable.

What's included:

• Transfers
• Accommodation
• All meals, plus wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner
• Open bar and snacks served at specific times during the day and night — alcoholic beverages
• Sports activities with provision of equipment and/or tuition for beginners and/or advanced by qualified instructors, and include kayaking, snorkeling, golf, tennis, archery, flying trapeze, volleyball, dance, water aerobics, swimming, accompanied hikes

All-inclusive, right? Not necessarily. Here’s what your Club Med vacation in 2008 doesn't include:

• Champagne, VSOP and XO spirits, some premium brands, select wines and canned/bottled drinks
• Sports tuition and special courses (scuba diving, horse-riding, tennis, etc.) and green fees. Scuba diving at Club Med Cancun Yucatan is $129 for one tank, and $189 for two tanks
• Baby Club Med for babies from 4 to 23 months old. Baby Club Med for a week is anywhere from $300-$390
• Petit Club Med for children from 2 to 3 years old
• Club Med spa packages
• Excursions

But there is some good news: In Europe, at the Club Med Opio en Provence prices start at $883 per week. But in response to the record-high euro-to-dollar exchange rate ($1.56), Club Med has just announced a fixed $1.35 to 1 euro exchange rate at all European properties through 2008. That relates to anything purchased on the property (souvenirs in the gift shop, spa treatments, excursions, etc.).

Sandals: In recent years, the all-inclusive vacation package has exploded throughout the Caribbean. For example, there’s Sandals:

Here are some price examples: Sandals Montego Bay between now and April 10, $330 per person/per night; between April 11 and December 31, $309. Sandals Royal Caribbean: between now and April 10, $338 per person/per night; from April 11-December 31, $307. Sandals Grande Ocho Rios, The Manor: now through April 10, $348; April 11-December 31, $338. Sandals Inn: now through April 10, $268; April 11 through December 31, $247.

What's included:

• Overnight accommodations
• Breakfast buffet, lunch and dinner at any of 11 restaurants per resort (restaurant examples at Montego Bay include Bayside Restaurant, casual indoor/outdoor; Oleander Room, Jamaican restaurant, requires evening attire; Cucina Romana, casual Italian; Tokyo Joe’s Japanese, over the water; and OK Corral, beach grill by day and Tex-Mex by night.
• Premium brand alcohol
• Scuba diving for certified divers and other water sports
• Golf (Jamaica/St. Lucia only)
• Hotel taxes, tipping and gratuities, airport transfers
• Butler Service in top-category suites
• Basic wedding packages (includes wedding consultant, location, documentation, one 5x7 photo, a cake, officiant, sparkling wine and hors d’oeuvres, breakfast in bed, bouquet and boutonnière)
• Unlimited use of all amenities and exchange privileges between resorts (free shuttle in Ocho Rios and Montego Bay)

What's not included:

• Airfare
• Red Lane spa treatments (sample prices: $120/50-minute massage,  $110/50-minute facial)
• Non-basic wedding packages (sample prices: Bride’s personal dressing assistant, $75; private car transfers to/from airport, $50 each way: rehearsal dinner, $75 per guest)
• Private canape cruise (newlyweds and 4 guests), $750
• Off-property tours and excursions (sample price at Montego Bay: Black River Safari/Y.S. Falls, $83/per person; Chukka ATV Safari, $72; Chukka Kayak Tour, $100)
• Scuba diving for noncertified divers, $70

In Mexico, there's Karisma Resorts (El Dorado Royale, A Spa Resort, Riviera Maya): Rates range from $160-$367 including the “Gourmet Inclusive” experience with full concierge and 24-hour room service (per night, per person, including taxes and service fees).  

What's included:

• Accommodations
• Welcome glass of champagne
• All meals and Gourmet Bites. Options include a fondue restaurant, a restaurant featuring “culinary theater” — dishes prepared in one of five open kitchens, and 24-hour room service. All seven Gourmet Inclusive restaurants have full a la carte service.
• Unlimited local and selection of international premium brands. Alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages.
• Minibar with beer, water, soft drinks refilled once a day.
• Daily and nightly activity program.
• Bicycles provided to ride around the premises.
• Nonmotorized water sports: paddleboats, kayak and snorkeling gear.
• Scuba clinics in the pool. 13 swimming pools, one of which is a natural saltwater pool.
• Two hard-surface lighted tennis courts. Rackets and balls provided free of charge. Restrictions apply at night.
• Taxes and gratuities included.
• Live music and shows.
• Shopping tours to Cancun and Playa del Carmen. Reservation required.
• Fitness center, sauna and steam room
• 24-hour room service. Restrictions apply on rainy days.

What's not included:

• Scuba diving trips, certificates, rental equipment and deep-sea fishing
• Gift shop & logo shop
• Car rental
• Tour desk
• Telephone, Internet and fax services
• Wave runners and parasailing
• Candle-light dinner from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
• Select wine list
• Laundry service
• Money exchange
• Medical services available 24 hours
• Special wedding, honeymoon and anniversary packages
• Tennis lessons, group clinics, private lessons, events and more
• Optional in-room amenities and packages
• Spa services/beauty salon (sample prices: massage $66/25 minutes)

Tamarijn Aruba (all-inclusive family package):
Between April 1 and April 18, rates start at $388, per room, per night. Kids up to 18 are free, so that means you can have four people a night at this rate. (Essentially all-inclusive here means it includes two kids as well.)

What's included:

• Overnight accommodations for two adults and two children up to 18.
• All meals and snacks — restaurants include buffet at Pelican Terrace Restaurant; Red Parrot Oceanfront Restaurant, a la carte; Coco Grill & Bar, open-air snack bar; Cunucu Terrace Oceanfront Restaurant, buffet; Ginger, fine dining/Asian restaurant; Palm Grill Oceanfront Restaurant, a la carte; Paparazzi, Italian restaurant; Window on Aruba at Divi Aruba, fine dining.
• Beverages at eight bars, including alcohol (beer, wine and any liquor that’s available at the resort — these won’t be top-shelf, but include brand names).
• Tamarijn Aruba and Divi Aruba facilities — activities include T-shirt painting, face painting, arts and crafts, basketball, movies, pool games, beach games, bingo, scavenger hunt, snorkel clinic, tennis clinic, soccer tournament, snacks and more.
• Use of three freshwater pools, nonmotorized water sports including snorkeling and snorkeling lesson, sailboats, floats, kayaks, beginner's windsurfing equipment and “Learn to Windsurf” beach clinic, use of Divi Winds Sports Center with 30-foot rockclimbing wall, fitness center and nonmotorized water sports; activities including tennis, beach volleyball, beach Olympics, bikes, theme nights, entertainment nightly, ticket to Bon Bini Festival (seasonal), Funbook! with coupons for the nearby Alhambra Casino.

What's not included:

• Airfare
• The Links at Divi Aruba 9-hole golf course and clubhouse (sample price: 9-holes: $60, 18-holes: $85)
• Excursion to Alhambra Casino (nearby)
• Internet lounge
• Day spa/beauty salon
• Car rentals
• Laundry, dry cleaning
• Baby-sitting services
• Wedding, honeymoon, family, golf and other packages

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