BY: NICOLE DEFOREST
Looking for a travel deal? With spring just around the corner and kids going back to school after March and Spring break, the demand for all-inclusive winter getaways is starting to slow down. More and more people are now starting to think about summer vacations. The most popular on the list would be Europe. Come April and May, charter flights will switch from flying to the Caribbean to Europe.
From May to November, the Caribbean islands go into what’s called “hurricane season.” Now just because it’s hurricane season, this does not mean a hurricane will hit while you are on vacation. Over the last few years, hurricanes have hit later in the season, but you may encounter some rain daily or a few times during your week stay. Usually, if it were to rain, it pours for just under an hour early in the morning or late afternoon and then it clears up for the rest of the day.
As the warmer weather comes to stay, travellers are content staying in Canada instead of taking a holiday south. The islands are only a few degrees warmer in the summer months, compared to the winter months. With the ocean giving a constant breeze, it’s a very refreshing temperature compared to our constant humidity.
With all of these points listed above comes a perk: the all-inclusive packages down to the island start to drop in cost, some by up to 60% off!
During hurricane season, a lot of hotels will waive the single supplement to help fill their inventory. You’ll also see “kids free” rooms. This helps out so many families as the kids will stay and eat for free and will just need to cover their airfare cost. They also have single parent rates where you’ll benefit from getting the single supplement waived as well as getting the kids free.
Most of the hotels will only be 40-70% full during these months. I’m sure if you’ve travelled before, you’ve experienced having to get up early to reserve a prime spot on the beach or pool area, or arriving the first day to book all of your a la carte dining reservations to find out they are not available until you’re halfway through your vacation. Or you’ve arrived requesting one king bed only to find out the resort is completely full and they only have one room left for you with two double beds. Now think about the hotel only being half full and you don’t need to worry about getting up early to reserve a spot or eating in the buffet for the first four days – just another perk of travelling during the summer months.
A lot of islands are starting to host festivals during the summer to drum up the tourism industry while showing tourists their culture. This is a great way to attend free parades, beach parties, and special performances with headliners. You’ll also be able to try the local cuisine right on the streets and I can assure you it will be some of the best food you’ve ever tasted.
When it’s all said and done, yes it’s just as warm here in Canada as it is there, but a vacation is still a vacation. You still get a relaxing getaway where you don’t need to cook or clean and you get to indulge in great food and drinks with the options of daily and nightly entertainment, at a fraction of the cost compared to peak winter months.
Before you start planning your next summer camping trip or road trip, why not call and compare the cost to a summer all inclusive?
