Choosing a meal plan
Every resort rate comes with a board basis. Pick the wrong one and you either pay for perks you never use, or order à la carte every day and find the food bill far higher than expected at checkout. This page lays out the common ones and gives you a way to decide.
BB · Bed & Breakfast
Includes: Breakfast (usually a buffet)
Lunch and dinner are entirely on you. Good if the island has several restaurants and you want to try each one, or you spend a lot of time out on the water.
HB · Half Board
Includes: Breakfast · Dinner
Lunch is paid separately. Dinner may be a buffet, a set menu, or "order at the main restaurant against a credit / discount". Two common upgrades: HB Dine-Around (dinner at a choice of restaurants) and HB Plus (wine with meals). Drinks are otherwise extra. Good if you get up late and lunch lightly.
FB · Full Board
Includes: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Usually still limited to the main restaurant at fixed times, with drinks extra. Prioritise it for families with elders or kids, a regular meal routine, or big appetites.
AI · All Inclusive
Includes: Three meals · Some snacks · Soft drinks and alcohol within a set list
Some islands also throw in one group excursion or snorkel-gear rental. It is the mainstream choice on the value islands. Note that a "base AI" often only serves set meal times at the main buffet — ordering at other restaurants means an upgrade.
SAI · Soft All Inclusive
Includes: Three meals · Soft drinks / juice / coffee
No alcohol. Better value than a full AI if you do not drink but like your drinks.
DAI · Deluxe All Inclusive
Includes: Three meals · Soft drinks · Some alcohol · Some restaurant access
An upgraded all-inclusive; some include an excursion or a spa discount. The specifics vary a lot island to island.
PAI · Premium All Inclusive
Includes: Three meals · A wider drinks list and premium spirits · Speciality restaurants · Usually an excursion / spa / other perks
The top all-inclusive tier; even where an ultra-luxury island offers PAI, the best restaurants and fine wines may still be excluded.
- · Small island, few restaurants → FB or AI; the choice barely matters
- · Many restaurants, want to try each → HB Dine-Around or DAI / PAI, not a "base AI"
- · You do not drink → SAI or HB; do not pay the alcohol premium
- · Planning lots of excursions / often off the island by day → HB or FB; AI is likely wasted
- · Travelling with kids or elders, regular meals, big appetites → FB or AI
- · Ultra-luxury island (over US$800 a night) → often cheaper to take HB and separately upgrade the few meals you care about
- · Rough price gaps: versus BB, HB is about +US$100, FB about +US$150, AI about +US$250 per person per night; for reference à la carte, a cocktail is ~US$20 and a lunch buffet ~US$55 per person
"All-inclusive" does not mean everything is free
Which drink brands, speciality restaurants, minibar, excursions and spa are covered usually has limits on range or frequency. Read the inclusions line by line before booking, not by the label.
Pricier is not always better value
If you eat little, keep irregular hours, do not drink, or spend most of your time out and about, a high-end all-inclusive is mostly a loss; conversely, if you like cocktails and want to eat at every restaurant, AI usually beats paying à la carte.
A base board basis is not locked in
Most islands let you upgrade for a fee, but the price to upgrade at booking and once on the island can differ, and not every island or room type allows a mid-stay change. Ask ahead if you want to keep your options open.
Even on all-inclusive, excursions and diving are essentially never covered — go to Water sports & diving costs to see how much to budget for that.