Apple Vacation ratings (1 Viewer)

[Galileo]

Anyone use Apple Vacations or make sense of their rating system? They use ratings up to 6 apples which is fine, but then they have golden apples and red apples. They claim the golden apples designate "Exceptional Standard of Service & Quality". It seems logical that 5 golden apples is a better rating than 5 red apples, but how do you compare something like 4 golden apples to 5 red apples?

On a related note, anyone have any good recommendations for an All inclusive resort that would appeal to a family of 4 with 2 boys (11 and 13 yrs old)...looking towards Mexico/Carribbean. I am weighing an AI option against a cruise vacation for the week following Christmas.

 

[Cjw_55106]

4 golden apples is pretty good, but not quite 3 golden pineapples. Stay away from the apricot ratings no matter how high they seem.

 

[Galileo]

4 golden apples is pretty good, but not quite 3 golden pineapples. Stay away from the apricot ratings no matter how high they seem.

Well, sure, that much is obvious

 

[culdeus]

Anyone use Apple Vacations or make sense of their rating system? They use ratings up to 6 apples which is fine, but then they have golden apples and red apples. They claim the golden apples designate "Exceptional Standard of Service & Quality". It seems logical that 5 golden apples is a better rating than 5 red apples, but how do you compare something like 4 golden apples to 5 red apples?

On a related note, anyone have any good recommendations for an All inclusive resort that would appeal to a family of 4 with 2 boys (11 and 13 yrs old)...looking towards Mexico/Carribbean. I am weighing an AI option against a cruise vacation for the week following Christmas.

Everytime I see someone with an apple vacation badge on their luggage Ijust think "sucker that went to a timeshare presentation to save 100 bucks"

No reason to use Apple to book anything imo. CheapCarribean.com or Costco are the two choices to look at relative to eachother.

Look at tripadvisor for reviews on the actual places and then go to either of the two sites above to book it.

 

[Galileo]

I have been reading tripadvisor reviews as well, but they seem to be all over the map for each resort I research. There seem to be a million options out there so I was using apple as one of the sources to get ideas about places. One thing I am seeing through Apple compared to looking on my own are much more convenient flights compared to what is turning up on travelocity searches. I can assure you I have no plans or desire for any timeshare presentations.

 

[belljr]

Way back we used apple two times.

Never had to sit through any presentations

Thus was also before all the websites you can use now

 

[Polish Hammer]

We went to the Hard Rock Riviera Maya back in December of 2014 and really enjoyed it (two boys ages 6 and 8 at the time). Plenty of activities, surprisingly good food for an AI, and great bar service. Now they are adding this which may or may not be of interest to your family, also dependent on your time frame of visit.

 

[Galileo]

Anyone use Apple Vacations or make sense of their rating system? They use ratings up to 6 apples which is fine, but then they have golden apples and red apples. They claim the golden apples designate "Exceptional Standard of Service & Quality". It seems logical that 5 golden apples is a better rating than 5 red apples, but how do you compare something like 4 golden apples to 5 red apples?

On a related note, anyone have any good recommendations for an All inclusive resort that would appeal to a family of 4 with 2 boys (11 and 13 yrs old)...looking towards Mexico/Carribbean. I am weighing an AI option against a cruise vacation for the week following Christmas.

Everytime I see someone with an apple vacation badge on their luggage Ijust think "sucker that went to a timeshare presentation to save 100 bucks"

No reason to use Apple to book anything imo. CheapCarribean.com or Costco are the two choices to look at relative to eachother.

Look at tripadvisor for reviews on the actual places and then go to either of the two sites above to book it.

Do you have any experience with CheapCaribbean? It looks like I can book my trip for a nice savings, but the reviews and problems I am reading online about CheapCaribbean aren't giving me much confidence.

 

[culdeus]

Anyone use Apple Vacations or make sense of their rating system? They use ratings up to 6 apples which is fine, but then they have golden apples and red apples. They claim the golden apples designate "Exceptional Standard of Service & Quality". It seems logical that 5 golden apples is a better rating than 5 red apples, but how do you compare something like 4 golden apples to 5 red apples?

On a related note, anyone have any good recommendations for an All inclusive resort that would appeal to a family of 4 with 2 boys (11 and 13 yrs old)...looking towards Mexico/Carribbean. I am weighing an AI option against a cruise vacation for the week following Christmas.

Everytime I see someone with an apple vacation badge on their luggage Ijust think "sucker that went to a timeshare presentation to save 100 bucks"

No reason to use Apple to book anything imo. CheapCarribean.com or Costco are the two choices to look at relative to eachother.

Look at tripadvisor for reviews on the actual places and then go to either of the two sites above to book it.

Do you have any experience with CheapCaribbean? It looks like I can book my trip for a nice savings, but the reviews and problems I am reading online about CheapCaribbean aren't giving me much confidence.

I've never used them but lots here have I think. I'm a big costco fan myself, they tend to be same price and I get more rewards there.

 

[dmac37]

Cheap Caribbean, Orbitz and Travelocity are my go to sites and each has an advantage and will offer better rates at fluctuating times. I travel on these trips every year and I'm a cheap son of a gun that always looks for the best deal.

I first pull up prices at the above sites and research which resorts in my price range are rated high and have what I want.

The prices almost always are at their cheapest on Tuesday but will jump around and you have to react fast to get the cheapest price.

Cheap Caribbean- best benefit is you can pay in installments and they will price match

Orbitz- usually the cheapest and they offer promo codes to bring the price down plus you earn Orbitz rewards for all purchases you make that can be used later

Travelocity- sometimes they have a cheaper rate than the other 2

Bottom line after following prices for a few weeks I jump on a great deal I find on Tuesday and have Cheap Caribbean price match it and pay for about half down