All-Inclusives Made Easy: 10 Steps for Planning Your Trip

5. Research travel retailers and wholesalers that specialize in all-inclusives or Caribbean packages. These include Apple Vacations (800-517-2000, http://www.applevacations.com), Vacation Express (800- 309-4717, http://www.vacationexpress.com) and Funjet Vacations (888-558-6654, http://www.funjet.com).

Compare the prices with your earlier findings. You might even come across a new property to investigate or a last-minute deal, such as Travel by Bob's seven-night special to the Riu Mambo resort in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, for $498 per person double, departing Dulles on Nov. 2 or 4. Info: 866-504-6180, http://www.travelbybob.com.

6. Before booking, visit the resort's Web site. Check the property and its amenities. Pay special attention to what's included: Do you have admission to all parts of the resort or are there restrictions with your package? Is food offered 24-7? Any additional perks thrown in, such as golf lessons? Also double-check the quality of the resort on a guest-review Web site such as TripAdvisor ( http://www.tripadvisor.com) or the Caribbean-specific WhereToStay.com ( http://www.wheretostay.com).

7.While on the resort's site, plug in your dates to determine the daily rate and whether the a la carte price is less than the package. Remember that packages often include airport transfers, taxes and gratuities.

Also, check for promotions. Sandals (888-726-3257, http://www.sandals.com), for instance, has discounted by up to 50 percent a dozen of its resorts if you book by Oct. 31. Call the resort (many have toll-free numbers) as well, because sometimes not all deals are listed on the Web site.

If the room rate seems substantially lower than the packages you've found on the other sites (minus the air), start shopping for flights.

8. If going a la carte, search for airfare deals . Go to the major booking Web sites (Orbitz, Expedia, etc.) as well as the sites of specific airlines, such as Air Jamaica (301-589-0432, http://www.airjamaica.com) and discount carriers such as USA 3000 (877-872-3000, http://www.usa3000.com). Also peruse Travelzoo ( http://www.travelzoo.com) for island airfare sales. And if the resort arranges flights, see what price it's quoting.

9. Call or visit a travel agent. A travel agent knowledgeable about the Caribbean and/or all-inclusives, such as All About Travel & Honeymoons (410-730-3077, http://www.allabouttravelandhoneymoons.com) in Columbia, can help you sort through the stream of properties and find the best package, hotel rate or airfare. For certified companies, visit the American Society of Travel Agents ( http://www.astanet.com).

10. Book it. Once you have found the lowest price for your desired all-inclusive -- whether as a package or DIY air and hotel -- go back to the booking site or travel agent and get that vacation. Now, you can finally relax.