arubaspecials.com - frequently asked questions

There are so many important frequently asked questions, picking a topic to start with is not an easy decision. We will add to this page as we feel a need to address certain question, but whatever we cannot cover fully in this page we will talk about in our blog.

 

Planning a trip, where to start?

More important then the price you pay, is the comfort level you have with the company you choose to arrange your travel and making sure that the reservation agency is either a destination approved wholesaler or books thru an approved wholesaler and is familiar with the destination.

Everyone has different needs, tastes and expectations. If you are visiting a destination for the first time you really need to make sure that you do due diligence.

Our advice is that after making a decision on the destination, visit that destinations official tourism authority web site, in the rare case that the destination does not have a tourism site then search for their government site or convention beaureu web site and find out who the "approved wholesalers" are for travel packages.

After getting a list of approved wholesalers you can start searching for their web sites and reviewing the packages they have to offer.

MCM Tours, Inc. is an approved wholesaler by the Aruba Tourism Authority and we are familiar with Aruba. We will happy to answer your questions when planning your trip to Aruba and if we do not know the answer we can call the Hotel and get the answer for you.

Deals, Specials & Discounts

So how can you find the best deals to Aruba?

Filtering thru all of the online hype advertising travel specials can be a daunting task. It appears as though everyone is claiming to have the lowest rate or making ridiculous statements claiming to save you 70% off the regular rate...hmmm

Industry experts at the Fall 2006 Eye for Travel conference stated that after a decision has been made on the vacation destination the consumer visits an average of 6 web sites comparison shopping before making a reservation.

So how do you know you got the best deal? Don't just visit the big online booking sites, call some of the approved wholesalers that do not have a big online presence and you will see that the big online sites do not really have the best deals all the time.

 

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Vacation Package Types?

EP or Basic = This is the bare bones, no frills package and includes the accommodations

Added value = The accommodations and some type of added value, perhaps a daily breakfast or a room credit or unlimited beverages

All Inclusive Add-on This can be very tricky, if the hotel is offering an "all inclusive add-on" then the resort is NOT a true all inclusive resort, so you need to ask some questions. How many restaurant choices are they offering? Will you be ordering from the same menu as the paying guests? Will there be surcharges for certain appetizers and entrees? Will there be surcharges for certain alcohol beverages? Will you receive the same quality of service that paying (tipping) guests receive? will you be required to make reservations in advance for specific restaurants?

All Inclusive This will include all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and beverages including alcohol). You may or may not receive non-motorized water sport activities& equipment. Rarely will you find surcharges unless you are ordering alcohol by the bottle. All of the guests are on the same plan, so it will be a level playing field, but you still need to find out if the resort has any specific restrictions.

Honeymoon Package = Many resorts will offer a special honeymoon type package that will include added value such as a his and hers massage or a sunset sail on a catamaran or perhaps a special candlelight dinner for two on your balcony or the beach. These are all very romantic, but from our experience you can arrange these same items for less while at the resort.

Requests vs. Guarantee

What is your priority?

• One King or two doubles?
• Smoking or Non-smoking?
• High floor or Low floor?
• Location?
• The same room you had last year?.

You can request anything but remember that a request is not a guarantee. Every resort will do its best to meet their guests requirements but sometimes due to occupancy levels they may be unable to fulfill your needs. Most resorts will not guarantee bedding! If you visit the hotels web site it appears as though you can reserve a room by bedding, but if you call the resort directly and speak with the reservations office they will most likely tell you that the bedding is not guaranteed.

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Taxes and surcharges

Plain and simple, we prepay the taxes. There are no hidden charges or fees or surprises upon check-out.

Hotel tax in Aruba varies between 19 and 22%. When you price shop make sure this is included, most hotel sites do not include tax

 

Additional information: read our blog!

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