EDIT: I have made updates based on feedback
I have found myself in the position of being the informal travel agent for six people (including myself). Half have never cruised before. I, having been a former Carnival Staff member, and also cruising on Norwegian Sky and MSC Musica, am the designated "cruise expert." ^{No, I do not think of myself as an actual cruise expert but compared to the rest. . . Yeah.}
Anyway, I am putting together an email to inform the first timers of things they need to know and expect. Could some experienced cruisers take a look over it and let me know if I'm leaving something out or something I say should be worded differently?
Thanks in advance. See below
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Things to Know about the Cruise
1. Embarkation
A cruise ship holds between 4,100 and 4,800 passengers per cruise and each one has to have their bags and passports checked before they are allowed on. It is generally recommended that you arrive the earliest possible time in hopes of being at the front of the line and getting through the quickest OR showing up about an hour before the required onboard time in hopes of being last and the rest of the line will be gone so you can get through quickly. No matter what, expect a long wait.
2. What You Can Not Bring On Board
There are a few things a cruise line will not allow a passenger to bring onboard. If you try to bring them, most likely they will be confiscated at embarkation, kept in a locked, secret area of the ship, and probably returned to you at the end of the cruise. Hopefully.

• Beverages ◦ The two greatest money makers for cruise lines are the casino and onboard beverages. That’s why you can get all inclusive resort experience that also moves you to tourist destinations for a relatively cheap cost. Each cruise line has it’s own policy regarding bringing beverages onboard. [Royal Caribbean](https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/food-drink-onboard-policy) allows two 750ml bottles of wine or champagne per stateroom, as long as one person in that cabin is over the legal drinking age as well as 12 standard sized (17oz) cans or bottles of non-alcoholic beverages. 

Norwegian Cruise Lines allows ONLY bottles of wine and champagne. No non-alcoholic beverages are allowed brought onboard.
Carnival Cruise Lines allows one 750ml bottle of wine and 12 12oz cans (no bottles) of non-alcoholic beverages.
Check your cruise line’s policy for specifics.

• Power Strips ◦ On some ships, power outlets can be scarce. But surge protectors are also dangerous onboard a ship. The prohibition on power strips is due to the fact that many of them have surge protection installed in them. If there is a ground fault anywhere else on the ship, these surge protectors can cause a fire even if nothing is currently plugged into them. If you’re going to bring a power splitter ensure it does not have surge protection installed. 

1. Muster Drill

Maritime Law requires every person onboard a cruise ship must participate in a Muster Drill.
First, “muster” means to gatheassemble. Each cabin is assigned a muster station where everybody in that cabin must meet, with crew and guests from other cabins, when called from the bridge.
A Muster Drill is like a fire drill at school or work. It takes about 15 – 20 minutes to complete. There will be several announcements over the ship’s intercom system instructing you on what to do. The basics are go to your stateroom, grab your provided life preserveflotation device and bring it to your designated muster station. However, each ship is different and many don’t require you to bring your life preserver. Pay attention to the instructions given. Directions to your muster station are usually posted in your stateroom. Crew will also be throughout the ship to help guide you.
YES it is required. As several newlyweds have discovered, the crew do open the door and check every cabin to make sure no passengers are trying to skip the muster drill. If you think it’s an annoying/boring interruption of your cruise, think about the crew that do this exact same scenario every few days, just so they can save you in case of emergency.

1. Ship Time

Once you embark a ship you are officially operating on “Ship Time,” a magical realm where the only time that matters is what the Bridge clock is set to. From the beginning to the end of the cruise, even when you’re in port, no matter what the local time says you are on ship time. Because of this, and international data/roaming charges, I recommend an old school watch and not depending on your phone, which may update to local time. When the ship schedule says it departs the port at 5pm. That is 5pm ship time. PERIOD. You better be onboard or become a Pier Runner.

1. Phone Data/Wifi

There are no cellphone towers in the ocean. Also your destinations are usually international. Phone companies, typically, do not play nice with international connections (Your mileage may vary. Check your phone companies policies and your individual plan). Onboard the ship you might accidentally get a data connection that will result in astronomical charges. Put your phone in Airplane Mode and turn on Wifi. A lot of companies are beginning to use an app that you can use onboard, without purchasing Wifi time, to book reservations at onboard restaurants, shore excursions, and various other things.
Also, you’re on vacation. Unplug from the rest of life and relax. Right?

1. Dramamine

I do not have issues with sea sickness. Call me lucky but motion sickness does not affect me until the circumstances become extreme. However, my girlfriend does and she got some advice years ago that works for her.
A) Get Dramamine.
B) Begin taking it at least 24 hours before boarding the ship.
C) Take it at regular, prescribed intervals throughout the cruise.
D) Keep taking it for 24 hours after leaving the cruise.
Regular, full strength Dramamine has a tendency to make people sleepy, so If you want the non-drowsy formula, do that. However, I can’t vouch for the difference in how well one works over the other. Other people have said great things about sea sickness patches that absorb through your skin, but those seem less reliable (in my limited experience).

1. Copies of Your Passport

International travelers know you should have at least one copy of your passport photo page stowed away in your luggage. Personally, I like to over prepare and make four copies. I keep my passport in an under-shirt pouch. Two copies in my backpack for carrying around and two copies in my luggage. It’s over-preparation, but as the old saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

My fiancée (F 29) and I (M 29) are planning our honeymoon for the first week of July. After about a month of planning a very busy itinerary in Thailand, I realized that this trip needed to be about us, not all of items on my Thai bucket list.
While I have been fortunate enough to travel quite a bit for work, she has only left the country once for Mexico. I recently decided it would probably be wise to choose somewhere with a little less to do along with a much shorter travel time.
That brings us to now. Here are the details:
Where? Somewhere within the Caribbean(ish)
Duration? 7 days 6 nights (depends on price and activities)
Budget? I've got the flights covered with miles, so for resort, transport to and from the airport, food, drinks and activities $3,000 - $4500 USD.
In an ideal world, our destination would have the following:

1. Nice beach close to the resort
   
2. Marine life to view whilst snorkeling and hopefully some jungle life to see as well
   
3. Resort grounds relatively updated and clean.
   
4. Possibly all-inclusive option. Yes, this definitely narrows down the field drastically, but I feel as if in our case it may be a great option. I know we should splurge on some things on this trip, but it's very difficult for our typically frugal selves to do so (e.g. ordering overpriced drinks at 1pm that we don't "need").
   
5. Relatively low-key atmosphere. We aren't crazy partiers, but we both plan on eating a lot and drinking a good amount.
   
6. Something to do beyond the resort grounds such as hiking or biking trails
   

None of these are make-or-break, just ideal. I also wouldn't be upset if there was a casino attached to the resort that I can sneak off to when my fiancée inevitably needs afternoon naps.
I want to be nit picky and say I don't want to go to Mexico, Jamaica, or PR because so many of our friends and family have been an absurd amount of times, but I'm not going to turn down any options if they fit most of the 6 qualities on my ideal trip list.
I believe I've now read every single Reddit post regarding travel to the Caribbean and general honeymoon advice, but I'd really like to get your feedback based on our preferences.
I love my fiancée more than anything and want to make this the perfect trip for her, so any and all advice is greatly appreciated!
Let me know if you need more details before supplying any feedback. Thanks in advance, fellow travelers!
Edit: You guys are awesome...ly good at making this more difficult to choose ha! These are all great options. I'm checking each of these suggestions out as you comment. Thank you for your advice!

Hello travel !
My wife and I have been scouring our available resources to understand beach vacations. We weren't sure if we were going to road trip the US, go warm, or head to the mountains, but after looking into it we want to kick our feet up and have some well prepared meals instead of filling up on Mac Dons on the way to the next national park.
We are traveling March 23rd to April 2nd of 2018. Our budget is around $3,500 USD, give or take a couple hundred because we have quite a few credit card miles saved up for plane tickets. Also, we are willing to sacrifice a night or two to get into a better resort.
Initially, I was leaning toward something like the Maldives or Tahiti. Pretty ideal for what we wanted in a honeymoon. Except the fact that its on the other side of the world, 24 hour flight, and over $2000/ticket/person.
So I dug into this subreddit to find 'Maldives like' resorts in the Caribbean, but it seams that hurricanes make sure that's not a possibility. Unless you're paying upwards of $1500/night.
Like I stated; we are from the upper MidWest USA. Early 20's. We're fairly active people. Given our age, we none of our friends have embarked on this adventure to reference from or get direct suggestions.
What we're looking for in a resort:
-All-inclusive including alcohol: we would just like to not worry about how much every drink or meal costs while were there albeit the al a cart restaurants that we would like to partake in.
-Privacy/intimate: preferably adults only and not hotel/casino/club party vibe like Cancun or Puerto Villarda. It's a honeymoon after all. We want to relax and be able to enjoy each other's company without having screaming kids at the pool. Really liked the over-water bungalow vibe in the south pacific, or even beach villa, but I realize that isn't within our budget in the Caribbean.
-Younger crowd: we've been told to avoid resorts like Sandals because it attracts older couples. We are not really party goers, but we would like to be entertained in the after-dinner hours and maybe befriend some other couples on our vacation.
-Beach: I have looked into some resorts along the west and east coast of Mexico/central America (--talking like Bocos del Toro area) and they don't always have the nicest sand/water even compared to most Caribbean Islands. We started our search at the Maldives so our expectations are a little high I guess, but what ever is realistically nice.
-Activities and Amenities: we have never been on a beach vacation, but I have been on a cruise and I just want plenty of things to keep us entertained throughout the day. Excursions, fishing, surfing, paddle boarding, golfing, volleyball, pool (swim up bar? :), hot tub, spa, and snorkeling come to mind.
-American Cuisine: I will try just about anything and love seafood, but my wife is a fairly picky eater so we need to make sure the resort is developed enough to offer typical menu options.
-Service: Last summer I took an Alaskan cruise on Royal Caribbean and the service was pretty top notch; so my expectations are set pretty high. As far as i can see on reviews, high level of service seems to be a common theme, so I'm not too anxious, but I will take into account multiple bad experiences or poor facilities.
I have looked into a lot of options. A good number of the ones that fit the bill are just out of reach or, on the other side, well with in the budget but are just a bland, middle of the road, resort and casino for the fat american to get there beach on for a week. Jade Mountain on St. Lucia looks incredible, but alas I digress.
Realistically; -Couples - Tower Isle, Jamaica looks like a good fit. -Jamaica Jewel Resort possibly? -Anyone have any input on the Excellence resorts? We also have a Costco membership so we could book anything through costcotravel.com within budget.
Looking for references on resorts that fit the bill! Toss suggestions out! or give an uneducated good ole Midwestern boy a lesson or two about what to expect when vacationing in the Caribbean get a lost couple into a kick-ass honeymoon!

Key Stats for Carnival Corp

With the Olympics in Rio, let's talk Carnival ;)

Ticker	CCL
Sector	Cruise Lines
Latest price	$46.71
Value	$34,900M
Daily vol	$163M
Date	02 August 2016

Useful Links

• Latest news from Google Finance and Yahoo Finance
• Latest results from SEC Edgar
• Website: http://www.carnivalcorp.com

Description

Carnival is a cruise company and provides vacations to cruise destinations throughout the world.

Recent financials

Looking at their financials I am immediately annoyed by the presence of "Adjusted EPS", which unsurprisingly has been higher than EPS for each of the last 5 years. Also, it's remarkable how big the capex is every year, Over $2bn. Wow. That's a lotta boat. Other items that stand out are their need to highlight lots of FX rates, the price of oil, and the efficiency of their oil usage. Though am glad to see that passenger numbers continue to grow!

Metric	2015A	2014A	2013A	2012A	2011A
Passengers	10.8m	10.6m	10.1m	9.8m	9.6m
Revenue	$15.7bn	$15.8bn	$15.5bn	$15.4bn	$15.8bn
EPS	$2.26	$1.56	$1.36	$1.65	$2.42

Competition

From their filings:

We compete with land-based vacation alternatives throughout the world, such as hotels, resorts (including all-inclusive resorts), theme parks, organized tours, casinos, vacation ownership properties, and other internet-based alternative lodging sites. Our principal cruise competitors are Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and MSC Cruises. Almost 90% of all 2014 global cruise guests sailed with these competitors and us.

And from an industry dynamic

The 2015 annual penetration rates when computed based on the number of annual cruise guests as a percentage of the total population are as follows: 4.0% for Australia and New Zealand, 3.4% for North America, 2.7% for the United Kingdom (“UK”) and 1.9% for continental Europe. Cruising in China is in the early stages of development.

So it's a really consolidated sector with just 3 big players. Plus there's still rather a low penetration rate for the industry. And given aging populations, and the potential to say cruises are safer, maybe there are some pretty helpful dynamics here for CCL and it's peers.
Though, I fear that this is a rather capital intensive business. Whereas hotels can have franchises or lease the property, you sort of have to have a boat? Is that why the returns on equity are low compared to the hotel majors?

Companies	Latest Sales	Operating Profit	Return on Equity
Carnival Corp	$15,950M	29%	10%
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd	$8,401M	26%	9%
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd	$4,484M	27%	14%
Hotels
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc	$11,552M	23%	29%
Marriott International Inc	$14,958M	10%	N/A
Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corp	$1,808M	14%	12%
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc	$5,257M	20%	39%
Wyndham Worldwide Corporation	$5,582M	22%	63%
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (ADR)	$1,803M	43%	N/A

Cash / Debt?

Carnival Corp has $8,910M of net debt. That is 1.9x it's latest operating profit. Not worrisome, and given the capital they have in terms of boats, I suppose it makes sense to load the business with debt! Though perhaps that wasn't a great strategy during a recession?

Wall Street thinks?

The professionals on Wall Street have a $57.00 for Carnival Corp and their recommendation to clients is Buy. That implies an upside of 22% to their target.

Valuation

The Cruise sector is clearly cheaper than the major hotels. Dramatically so. Though on a free cashflow basis Some of the hotels do manage to generate a similar amount of cash.

View Peers	Valuation	Forecast PE	Long-term Growth	Dividend Yield	FCF Yield
CCL	$34,900M	14x	16%	3%	14%
RCL	$15,467M	12x	21%	2%	12%
NCLH.O	$9,639M	11x	36%	0%	10%
Hotels
HLT	$23,082M	25x	13%	1%	11%
MAR.O	$18,111M	19x	16%	1%	7%
VAC	$2,046M	16x	16%	2%	8%
HOT	$13,176M	26x	5%	2%	6%
WYN	$7,657M	12x	N/A	3%	13%
IHG	$7,874M	20x	9%	2%	19%

Dividends

Carnival Corp is forecast to pay a dividend of $1.29 per share, compared with a historic dividend of $1.25 per share. That is a 3% growth. The forecast dividend of $1.29 compares to a forecast EPS of $3.33.

Catalysts

In the last 3 months the stock price has moved by -6% that compares with a change in the earnings forecasts of -2%. That's against a backdrop of sales up 3% in the first 6 months, with reasonable demand.
Here's a link to the management team's latest call with Wall Street brokers.

(Signs for) the remainder of the year are very strong for our brands enabling us to raise our revenue yield expectations and affirming our conviction to deliver over 20% earnings growth this year.

Though they do go on to say that their "return on capital" is just 9% though they hope to get it to double digits. And they expressed confidence in their financial position which allowed them authorise a new share buyback.
Sure the geopolitical uncertainty isn't good for the travel industry, but aren't cruise ships pottering round the Caribbean insulated from that? Yes Brexit is bad with £ earnings now worth less in $. Though on the other hand, surely there is a great opportunity for secular growth in China and the rest of Asia?
At 14x earnings, it's not ridiculous a valuation, is it? Even if FX is a headwind. Though a 9% Return on Capital is the counter balance?
So...party time?
View the archive of Stock a Day posts at it's subreddit stockaday.
And please send us suggestions on what you'd like us to research next!
If you'd like to join the writing team please get in touch. Our writing template is available here if you'd like to use it to pen your own stockAday type posts :).
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned. However I may initiate a position within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it. I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Reddit, moderators, and the author do not advise making investment decisions based on discussion in these posts. Analysis is not subject to validation and users take action at their own risk.
Author notes: u/shane_stockflare works at a financial data company, Stockflare, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst. Previously he worked at Credit Suisse, where he was an equity research analyst covering tech stocks and at Citigroup where he was an investment banker.

Hello weddingplanning !
My wife and I have been scouring our available resources to understand beach vacations. We weren't sure if we were going to road trip the US, go warm, or head to the mountains, but after looking into it we want to kick our feet up and have some well prepared meals instead of filling up on Mac Dons on the way to the next national park.
We are traveling March 23rd to April 2nd of 2018. Our budget is around $3,500 USD, give or take a couple hundred because we have quite a few credit card miles saved up for plane tickets. Also, we are willing to sacrifice a night or two to get into a better resort.
Initially, I was leaning toward something like the Maldives or Tahiti. Pretty ideal for what we wanted in a honeymoon. Except the fact that its on the other side of the world, 24 hour flight, and over $2000/ticket/person.
So I dug into other subreddits to find 'Maldives like' resorts in the Caribbean, but it seams that hurricanes make sure that's not a possibility. Unless you're paying upwards of $1500/night.
Like I stated; we are from the upper MidWest USA. Early 20's. We're fairly active people. Given our age, none of our friends have embarked on this adventure to reference from or get direct suggestions.
What we're looking for in a resort:
-All-inclusive including alcohol: we would just like to not worry about how much every drink or meal costs while were there albeit the al a cart restaurants that we would like to partake in.
-Privacy/intimate: preferably adults only and not hotel/casino/club party vibe like Cancun or Puerto Villarda. It's a honeymoon after all. We want to relax and be able to enjoy each other's company without having screaming kids at the pool. Really liked the over-water bungalow vibe in the south pacific, or even beach villa, but I realize that isn't within our budget in the Caribbean.
-Younger crowd: we've been told to avoid resorts like Sandals because it attracts older couples. We are not really party goers, but we would like to be entertained in the after-dinner hours and maybe befriend some other couples on our vacation.
-Beach: I have looked into some resorts along the west and east coast of Mexico/central America (--talking like Bocos del Toro area) and they don't always have the nicest sand/water even compared to most Caribbean Islands. We started our search at the Maldives so our expectations are a little high I guess, but what ever is realistically nice.
-Activities and Amenities: we have never been on a beach vacation, but I have been on a cruise and I just want plenty of things to keep us entertained throughout the day. Excursions, fishing, surfing, paddle boarding, golfing, volleyball, pool (swim up bar? :), hot tub, spa, and snorkeling come to mind.
-American Cuisine: I will try just about anything and love seafood, but my wife is a fairly picky eater so we need to make sure the resort is developed enough to offer typical menu options.
-Service: Last summer I took an Alaskan cruise on Royal Caribbean and the service was pretty top notch; so my expectations are set pretty high. As far as i can see on reviews, high level of service seems to be a common theme, so I'm not too anxious, but I will take into account multiple bad experiences or poor facilities.
I have looked into a lot of options. A good number of the ones that fit the bill are just out of reach, or on the other side--well with in the budget, but are just a bland, middle of the road, hotel and casinos. Jade Mountain on St. Lucia looks incredible, but alas I digress.
Realistically; -Couples - Tower Isle, Jamaica looks like a good fit. -Jamaica Jewel Resort possibly? -Anyone have any input on the Excellence resorts?
We also have a Costco membership so we could book anything through costcotravel.com within budget. Looking for references on resorts that fit the bill! Toss suggestions out! or give an uneducated good ole Midwestern boy a lesson or two about what to expect when vacationing in the Caribbean get a lost couple into a kick-ass honeymoon!
Edit: sorry if the formatting sucks.

Key Stats for Carnival Corp

With the Olympics in Rio, let's talk Carnival ;)

Ticker	CCL
Sector	Cruise Lines
Latest price	$46.71
Value	$34,900M
Daily vol	$163M
Date	02 August 2016

Useful Links

• Latest news from Google Finance and Yahoo Finance
• Latest results from SEC Edgar
• Website: http://www.carnivalcorp.com

Description

Carnival is a cruise company and provides vacations to cruise destinations throughout the world.

Recent financials

Looking at their financials I am immediately annoyed by the presence of "Adjusted EPS", which unsurprisingly has been higher than EPS for each of the last 5 years. Also, it's remarkable how big the capex is every year, Over $2bn. Wow. That's a lotta boat. Other items that stand out are their need to highlight lots of FX rates, the price of oil, and the efficiency of their oil usage. Though am glad to see that passenger numbers continue to grow!

Metric	2015A	2014A	2013A	2012A	2011A
Passengers	10.8m	10.6m	10.1m	9.8m	9.6m
Revenue	$15.7bn	$15.8bn	$15.5bn	$15.4bn	$15.8bn
EPS	$2.26	$1.56	$1.36	$1.65	$2.42

Competition

From their filings:

We compete with land-based vacation alternatives throughout the world, such as hotels, resorts (including all-inclusive resorts), theme parks, organized tours, casinos, vacation ownership properties, and other internet-based alternative lodging sites. Our principal cruise competitors are Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and MSC Cruises. Almost 90% of all 2014 global cruise guests sailed with these competitors and us.

And from an industry dynamic

The 2015 annual penetration rates when computed based on the number of annual cruise guests as a percentage of the total population are as follows: 4.0% for Australia and New Zealand, 3.4% for North America, 2.7% for the United Kingdom (“UK”) and 1.9% for continental Europe. Cruising in China is in the early stages of development.

So it's a really consolidated sector with just 3 big players. Plus there's still rather a low penetration rate for the industry. And given aging populations, and the potential to say cruises are safer, maybe there are some pretty helpful dynamics here for CCL and it's peers.
Though, I fear that this is a rather capital intensive business. Whereas hotels can have franchises or lease the property, you sort of have to have a boat? Is that why the returns on equity are low compared to the hotel majors?

Companies	Latest Sales	Operating Profit	Return on Equity
Carnival Corp	$15,950M	29%	10%
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd	$8,401M	26%	9%
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd	$4,484M	27%	14%
Hotels
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc	$11,552M	23%	29%
Marriott International Inc	$14,958M	10%	N/A
Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corp	$1,808M	14%	12%
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc	$5,257M	20%	39%
Wyndham Worldwide Corporation	$5,582M	22%	63%
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (ADR)	$1,803M	43%	N/A

Cash / Debt?

Carnival Corp has $8,910M of net debt. That is 1.9x it's latest operating profit. Not worrisome, and given the capital they have in terms of boats, I suppose it makes sense to load the business with debt! Though perhaps that wasn't a great strategy during a recession?

Wall Street thinks?

The professionals on Wall Street have a $57.00 for Carnival Corp and their recommendation to clients is Buy. That implies an upside of 22% to their target.

Valuation

The Cruise sector is clearly cheaper than the major hotels. Dramatically so. Though on a free cashflow basis Some of the hotels do manage to generate a similar amount of cash.

View Peers	Valuation	Forecast PE	Long-term Growth	Dividend Yield	FCF Yield
CCL	$34,900M	14x	16%	3%	14%
RCL	$15,467M	12x	21%	2%	12%
NCLH.O	$9,639M	11x	36%	0%	10%
Hotels
HLT	$23,082M	25x	13%	1%	11%
MAR.O	$18,111M	19x	16%	1%	7%
VAC	$2,046M	16x	16%	2%	8%
HOT	$13,176M	26x	5%	2%	6%
WYN	$7,657M	12x	N/A	3%	13%
IHG	$7,874M	20x	9%	2%	19%

Dividends

Carnival Corp is forecast to pay a dividend of $1.29 per share, compared with a historic dividend of $1.25 per share. That is a 3% growth. The forecast dividend of $1.29 compares to a forecast EPS of $3.33.

Catalysts

In the last 3 months the stock price has moved by -6% that compares with a change in the earnings forecasts of -2%. That's against a backdrop of sales up 3% in the first 6 months, with reasonable demand.
Here's a link to the management team's latest call with Wall Street brokers.

(Signs for) the remainder of the year are very strong for our brands enabling us to raise our revenue yield expectations and affirming our conviction to deliver over 20% earnings growth this year.

Though they do go on to say that their "return on capital" is just 9% though they hope to get it to double digits. And they expressed confidence in their financial position which allowed them authorise a new share buyback.
Sure the geopolitical uncertainty isn't good for the travel industry, but aren't cruise ships pottering round the Caribbean insulated from that? Yes Brexit is bad with £ earnings now worth less in $. Though on the other hand, surely there is a great opportunity for secular growth in China and the rest of Asia?
At 14x earnings, it's not ridiculous a valuation, is it? Even if FX is a headwind. Though a 9% Return on Capital is the counter balance?
So...party time?
View the archive of Stock a Day posts at it's subreddit stockaday.
And please send us suggestions on what you'd like us to research next!
If you'd like to join the writing team please get in touch. Our writing template is available here if you'd like to use it to pen your own stockAday type posts :).
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned. However I may initiate a position within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it. I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Reddit, moderators, and the author do not advise making investment decisions based on discussion in these posts. Analysis is not subject to validation and users take action at their own risk.
Author notes: u/shane_stockflare works at a financial data company, Stockflare, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst. Previously he worked at Credit Suisse, where he was an equity research analyst covering tech stocks and at Citigroup where he was an investment banker.

Oklahoma City's event list.

Ongoing

• Concerts in the Park (Yukon City Park, Freedom Trail Park & Chisholm Trail Park - Yukon) Thru Thu, Aug 2nd Enjoy free concerts every Thursday during the summer months in Yukon. Concerts in the Park, held in Yukon's Chisholm…
• Western Explorers Summer Camp Preview Day (Western Heritage Museum - Oklahoma City) Thru Tue, Jul 24th Start Time: 10:00am

Wednesday, Jul 18th

• 🎡 Calm Waters' Camp Courage (Calm Waters - Oklahoma City) 1 day left Start Time: 9:30am A free summer art camp providing a safe and healing environment allowing children to express their feelings of loss and grief through art.
• 🎓 Chamber Forum (Vast - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 11:30am Chamber Forum Date: 07/18/2018 Time: 11:30 am - 1:00 pm Location: Vast 333 W. Sheridan Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73102-5010 Map to Event Add to My Calendar Monthly luncheon bringing thought leaders to discuss current issues. Oklahoma City is a city on the rise, and we want you to stay informed about its major successes, challenges and ways that the…
• 🏆 Oklahoma City Dodgers vs. New Orleans Baby Cakes (Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark - Oklahoma City) 1 day left Start Time: 7:05pm Come experience America's favorite pastime in downtown Oklahoma City as the OKC Dodgers take on the New Orleans Baby…
• 🍴 Havana Nights Ladies' Night Out (The Melting Pot - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 5:00pm Come dressed in your favorite Caribbean outfit and enjoy a specially priced Havana Night's Four-course Fondue Dinner paired with hand-crafted rum cocktails.
• ♪ The Revolutionists (Oklahoma Shakespeare In The Park - Oklahoma City) Thru Sat, Jul 21st Head to OKC’s Paseo District as Oklahoma Shakespeare brings Lauren Gunderson's The Revolutionists to life on their…
• Rodkey House Summer Camp 2 (Edmond) 1 day left Start Time: 9:00am $50 per child 9 AM to Noon Each Day Ages 6 – 12 years. Must have completed kindergarten by the start of camp to register. At Rodkey Summer Camp your children will… Pretend, play and learn like they are in 1900 Churn butter Learn about home life in Edmond in 1900
• Seether Poison the Parish World Tour (Diamond Ballroom - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 8:00pm Seether Poison the Parish World Tour Live at Diamond Ballroom July 18th Tickets On Sale FRI 3/30 at 10am Tickets & Info: http://bit.ly/seetherOKC
• ♪ Stephen Clair and The Pushbacks (The Blue Door - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 8:00pm
• 😂 Tony Tone (Loony Bin Comedy Club - Oklahoma City) Thru Sat, Jul 21st
• Wednesday Game Night (Remington Park - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 6:00pm Play the games you love for jackpots and then play more games you love for Extra Cash & Prizes on Game Night at Remington Park, every Wednesday! Starting at 6pm on Wednesday nights at Remington Park, just make sure to use your Club Remington Card as you play in the casino. Doing so may get you selected via hot seat drawings to make Free Spins,…

Thursday, Jul 19th

• 🎡 Calm Waters' Camp Courage (Calm Waters - Oklahoma City) Last Day Start Time: 9:30am A free summer art camp providing a safe and healing environment allowing children to express their feelings of loss and grief through art.
• ♪ Cicada Rhythm (The Blue Door - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 8:00pm
• 🏆 Oklahoma City Dodgers vs. New Orleans Baby Cakes (Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark - Oklahoma City) Last Day Start Time: 7:05pm Come experience America's favorite pastime in downtown Oklahoma City as the OKC Dodgers take on the New Orleans Baby…
• 🍴 Fork + Bottle Dinner to Benefit No Kid Hungry (Mary Eddy's Kitchen x Lounge - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 6:30pm Join Mary Eddy’s for a special tiki-themed multi-course dinner outside in the Train Shed (weather permitting!) in support of No Kid Hungry’s work to end childhood hunger. One in six kids in America struggles with hunger, but you can make a difference by joining us on July 19th. Guests will enjoy a cocktail reception, multi-course seated…
• 🎭 Gypsy the Musical (Mitch Park - Edmond) Thru Sat, Jul 21st Start Time: 8:00pm Regarded by many theater professionals as the greatest musical ever created, GYPSY is the ultimate tale of an ambitious stage mother fighting for her daughters’ success… while secretly yearning for her own. Set all across America in the 1920’s, when vaudeville was dying and burlesque was born, Arthur Laurents’ landmark show explores the…
• Meditation Class (St Stephen's United Methodist - Norman) Start Time: 6:00pm Weekly meditation and discussion group conducted by the monks from Oklahoma Buddhist Vihara.
  St. Stephens UMC 6-7pm Look for the shoes.
  
• Palisades in Concert (89th Street Collective - Oklahoma City) See rock band Palisades live as they make their way to 89th Street in support of their latest self-titled album. Come early…
  
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Management Support Group (Mental Health Association Oklahoma main office - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 6:00pm PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that can occur following the experience of witnessing of life-threatening events such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or physical or sexual assault in adult or childhood. Some people will have stress reactions that do not go away on their own, or may even get worse…
  
• ♪ The Revolutionists (Oklahoma Shakespeare In The Park - Oklahoma City) Thru Sat, Jul 21st Head to OKC’s Paseo District as Oklahoma Shakespeare brings Lauren Gunderson's The Revolutionists to life on their…
  
• Rodkey House Summer Camp 2 (Edmond) Last Day Start Time: 9:00am $50 per child 9 AM to Noon Each Day Ages 6 – 12 years. Must have completed kindergarten by the start of camp to register. At Rodkey Summer Camp your children will… Pretend, play and learn like they are in 1900 Churn butter Learn about home life in Edmond in 1900
  
• Saint's Sessions: Jack Helsley (Plaza District - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 8:00pm The Plaza District is the place to be on a Thursday night if you’re looking for live music and good vibes.
  
• ♪ Summer Sizzler (University of Central Oklahoma - Edmond) Hideaway Pizza, a cool drink and the sizzlin' tunes of Kyle Dillingham & Horseshoe Road...what a great way to celebrate summer! It may be hot outside, but you'll get your cool on with a smokin' performance of Heartland Americana.
  Admission is $15 per person cash or check. To reserve your seats, contact the UCO Jazz Lab Box Office at…
  
• 🏆 Surf and Turf at The Bricktown Brewery at Remington Park (Remington Park - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 4:00pm
  
• Survivors of Suicide Support Group (Mental Health Association Oklahoma main office - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 6:00pm Nearly 31,000 people take their own lives each year. As a survivor – a family member or friend of the victim – you may need help coming to terms with suicide. This group offers the opportunity to share, listen, teach and learn with others also overcoming the loss of a loved one. Meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month.
  
• Thunder Youth Basketball Camp (Mustang High School Stadium - Mustang) Enroll the kids in Thunder Youth Basketball Camp this summer. Held at Mustang High School, this one-day sports camp will…
  
• 😂 Tony Tone (Loony Bin Comedy Club - Oklahoma City) Thru Sat, Jul 21st
  

Friday, Jul 20th

• ♪ 3 Doors Down & Collective Soul: The Rock & Roll Express Tour (Zoo Amphitheatre - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 7:00pm Two veteran alternative rock bands will share the stage at the Zoo Amphitheatre. Listen close and show off your best…
• 3rd Friday Block pARTy (Downtown - Shawnee) During the 3rd Friday Block pARTy in Shawnee, local restaurants, art galleries and merchants are open late in the downtown…
• 🍴 Drinks with Dragonfly (Film Row - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 5:30pm Kick your weekend off right while supporting a great cause on Friday, July 20! Enjoy a Build Your Own Mule Bar, food, games, a raffle, and live music by Justin Joslin! $20 suggested donation at the door for 2 drink tickets! Must be 21+ to attend. :)
  All proceeds will benefit The Dragonfly Home, providing life-saving, life-changing services for…
  
• 🎭 Gypsy the Musical (Mitch Park - Edmond) 1 day left Start Time: 8:00pm Regarded by many theater professionals as the greatest musical ever created, GYPSY is the ultimate tale of an ambitious stage mother fighting for her daughters’ success… while secretly yearning for her own. Set all across America in the 1920’s, when vaudeville was dying and burlesque was born, Arthur Laurents’ landmark show explores the…
  
• OCTA Fest (Shawnee) The Oklahoma Community Theatre Association Festival, or OCTA Fest, showcases the best of community theater throughout…
  
• ♪ The Revolutionists (Oklahoma Shakespeare In The Park - Oklahoma City) 1 day left Head to OKC’s Paseo District as Oklahoma Shakespeare brings Lauren Gunderson's The Revolutionists to life on their…
  
• River Tour (Narrated) (Oklahoma River Cruises - Oklahoma City) Day 1 of 2 Start Time: 6:00pm Escape the Ordinary, learn about OKC from a different point of view. Relax in the climate controlled cabin on one of our 65’ cruisers, or enjoy the breeze on the viewing deck and listen to the guided commentary while you enjoy a drink from the bar. Indulgence and relaxation aren’t the only purpose of this cruise. During the tour you’ll…
  
• 🎭 Ruthless - The Musical (The Boom - Oklahoma City) Day 1 of 2 Start Time: 8:00pm
  
• ♪ Slaid Cleaves (The Blue Door - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 8:00pm
  
• 😂 Tony Tone (Loony Bin Comedy Club - Oklahoma City) 1 day left
  
• 🎭 Victim of Retirement (Cattlemen's Steakhouse - Oklahoma City) We are so excited for this summer! Don't miss the chance to see 'Victim of Retirement!' This hilarious show is fun for all ages so book your birthday, anniversary, girls night, life group, or just-for-fun night out now!
  

Saturday, Jul 21st

• ♪ 411 Band Featuring Cara Black (VZD's - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 8:00pm
• Black Label Society in Concert (Diamond Ballroom - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 8:00pm Since the 1990s, Black Label Society and founder Zakk Wylde have been a huge force in the American heavy metal music…
• Buckcherry in Concert (The Criterion - Oklahoma City) Join alternative rock band Buckcherry at OKC's Bricktown for a nostalgic night spent amping up their legion of fans when…
• ♪ Byron Berline Band (Double Stop Music Hall - Guthrie) Start Time: 7:00pm Enjoy and evening of award winning Bluegrass Music by the Byron Berline Band. Homemade pie from Manna Eatery avaliable at intermission
• OK Classic Cars & Memorabilia Auction (Firelake Arena - Shawnee) Decide between stunning classics for sale at the OK Classic Cars & Memorabilia Auction. Located at the FireLake…
• 😂 Comedy Night At Carpenter Square Theatre (Carpenter Square Theatre - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 8:00pm
• Don Felder in Concert (Grand Casino Hotel & Resort - Shawnee) Get ready for a night of nostalgia and great music at Grand Casino Hotel & Resort in Shawnee when Don Felder, formerly…
• Edmond Farmer's Market (Othello's - Edmond) Start Time: 8:00am
• Fort Reno Ghost Tours (Historic Fort Reno - El Reno) Come along on an exciting and spooky ghost tour at El Reno's historic Fort Reno. This ghost tour includes plenty of…
• 🎭 Gypsy the Musical (Mitch Park - Edmond) Last Day Start Time: 8:00pm Regarded by many theater professionals as the greatest musical ever created, GYPSY is the ultimate tale of an ambitious stage mother fighting for her daughters’ success… while secretly yearning for her own. Set all across America in the 1920’s, when vaudeville was dying and burlesque was born, Arthur Laurents’ landmark show explores the…
• Heard on Hurd (Edmond) Start Time: 6:00pm On the third Saturday of each month, downtown Edmond hosts a pop-up community celebration called Heard on Hurd. Walk through…
• Keith Sweat in Concert (Riverwind Casino - Norman) Prepare for a night packed with soul music as Keith Sweat takes the stages at Riverwind Casino in Norman. Prepare for the…
• KIDZ BOP LIVE 2018 (Chesapeake Energy Arena - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 6:00pm
• Kidz Bop - Upgrade Meet & Greet Packages (Chesapeake Energy Arena - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 6:01pm
• ♪ Kountry Wayne & Friends (Tower Theatre Studio - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 10:00pm
• Oklahoma Victory Dolls Championships (Arctic Edge Ice Arena - Edmond) Catch the buzz as the Oklahoma Victory Dolls put on an electrifying dance of athleticism and grace when the jammers and…
• ♪ The Revolutionists (Oklahoma Shakespeare In The Park - Oklahoma City) Last Day Head to OKC’s Paseo District as Oklahoma Shakespeare brings Lauren Gunderson's The Revolutionists to life on their…
• River Tour (Narrated) (Oklahoma River Cruises - Oklahoma City) Day 2 of 2 Start Time: 6:00pm Escape the Ordinary, learn about OKC from a different point of view. Relax in the climate controlled cabin on one of our 65’ cruisers, or enjoy the breeze on the viewing deck and listen to the guided commentary while you enjoy a drink from the bar. Indulgence and relaxation aren’t the only purpose of this cruise. During the tour you’ll…
• 🎭 Ruthless - The Musical (The Boom - Oklahoma City) Day 2 of 2 Start Time: 8:00pm
• 😂 Tony Tone (Loony Bin Comedy Club - Oklahoma City) Last Day
• 🎭 A Walk To Smile - A Fashion Show (Western Heritage Museum - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 7:00pm
• Youth National Arabian & Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show (Oklahoma State Fair Park - Oklahoma City) Thru Sat, Jul 28th The Youth National Arabian & Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show, held annually at the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds,…

Sunday, Jul 22nd

• ♪ Daryl Hall & John Oates and Train - Upgrade VIP Packages (Chesapeake Energy Arena - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 7:00pm Spend the evening with two of the biggest hit-making duos of the 70s and 80s as Hall &…
• iFly All Abilities Night (iFly - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 5:00pm All Abilities Night at iFLY Indoor Skydiving is a unique event that makes the dream of flight a reality for those in the special needs community. This program has been custom designed for those with physical and cognitive challenges to create an environment of support and inclusion, while focusing on making what seems impossible, possible. Watch…
• 🏃 Lake Stanley Draper Duathlon (Oklahoma City) The On-Road race is a 3K Run/14M Bike/3K Run with the Runs on a slightly undulating out-and-back course and the Bike on a moderately undulating loop course.
  Off-Road Race is the following day. https://www.signmeup.com/site/reg/register.aspx?fid=K02V6H7
  
• The Pin Up Bazaar (IAO Gallery - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 12:00pm This is the 5th indoor yardsale for the Pin Up Bazaar!
  With a new Venue comes new opportunities! Come in from the heat, have a drink and browse the new, used and vintage clothing, lingerie, costumes, jewelry, art and more. The show has over 20 tables to shop , including raffles being held with portions of the proceeds donated to The Hugs…
  
• ♪ Public Access : Open Mic (The Venue - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 6:30pm The Original Open Mic in The Plaza District Okc. All Talents welcome. Comedy, HipHop, Live Music, Poetry, Magic, and more...All ages welcome. Parental Discretion Suggested.
  
• ♪ Slim Bawb & Steve Judice (The Blue Door - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 8:00pm
  
• Sunday Twilight Concert Series (Myriad Botanical Gardens - Oklahoma City) Bring a lawn chair, a picnic and the whole family to the Sunday Twilight Concert Series on the Myriad Gardens…
  
• Youth National Arabian & Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show (Oklahoma State Fair Park - Oklahoma City) Thru Sat, Jul 28th The Youth National Arabian & Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show, held annually at the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds,…
  

Monday, Jul 23rd

• 🎭 Drama Day Camp 2 - Honk! Jr (University of Central Oklahoma - Edmond) Start Time: 9:00am
• $ OIGA Conference and Tradeshow (Cox Convention Center - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 12:00pm The 2018 OIGA Conference and Trade Show, otherwise known as ‘the biggest little show in Indian Gaming,' will be held in Oklahoma City July 23-25, and will draw nearly 3,000 vendors, visitors and guest speakers to downtown Oklahoma City to celebrate and advance our industry. If you have never attended the OIGA Trade Show, you are in for a…
• Sharing Our Life Stories (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - Edmond) Start Time: 6:30pm Members of the EGS Board of Directors will present information.
• 🏆 SUMMER RIDING CAMP (Cottonwood Creek Ranch - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 9:00am Week-long, all-day summer camp is a great way to give your horse-crazy kids their pony fix! Camp is packed full of adventure, including riding lessons, crafts, barn activities, and games. Campers receive a daily riding lesson from our academy instructor and learn pertinent information regarding horses and their care in a hands-on, interactive…
• 🏃 (Virtual Run) Friends Forever 5K - You Are The Burger To My Fries (Pioneer Library System - Oklahoma City) Did you know that International Friendship Day is August 5, 2018?!?! What better way to celebrate than to run/walk the Friends Forever 5K in honor of the friends in our lives. Who is the Burger to your Fries? This is a virtual race.
• Youth National Arabian & Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show (Oklahoma State Fair Park - Oklahoma City) Thru Sat, Jul 28th The Youth National Arabian & Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show, held annually at the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds,…

Tuesday, Jul 24th

• 🏆 Oklahoma City Dodgers vs. Albuquerque Isotopes (Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark - Oklahoma City) Thru Thu, Jul 26th Start Time: 7:05pm Come experience America's favorite pastime in downtown Oklahoma City as the OKC Dodgers take on the Albuquerque…
• Food Truck Tuesdays (Jackson - Blanchard) Every week, treat your taste buds to new flavors. During Food Truck Tuesdays, a different food truck will park in Blanchard…
• Mamma Mia (Civic Center Music Hall - Oklahoma City) Thru Sun, Jul 29th Come see the feel-good Broadway smash hit "Mamma Mia!" live at the Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall.…
• Metropolitan Library System (Edmond Senior Center - Edmond) Start Time: 10:00am Did you know you can get free eBook downloads for your eReaders, iPhone or Android phone from the Metropolitan Library System's Website? Natalie Currie, Engagement Manager, Edmond Library, will demonstrate how to download eBooks to your devices. She will also inform us about books by mail.
• ♪ Pentatonix w/ Echosmith (Zoo Amphitheatre - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 7:00pm Pentatonix got their big break as the winners of the reality competition show "The Sing Off." This a cappella…
• Rodkey House Summer Camp 3 (Edmond) Start Time: 9:00am $50 per child 9 AM to Noon Each Day Ages 6 – 12 years. Must have completed kindergarten by the start of camp to register. At Rodkey Summer Camp your children will… Pretend, play and learn like they are in 1900 Churn butter Learn about home life in Edmond in 1900
• 🎓 Storytime Science (Science Museum Oklahoma - Oklahoma City) Start Time: 10:30am At Storytime Science children read a story and follow it up with a fun, hands-on scientific activity related to the book. Love the story? Storytime Science books are usually available for purchase in The Science Shop!
• Wheeler Criterium (Oklahoma City) Once the weather starts warming up, gather your crew and head south of the Oklahoma River for the Wheeler Criterium each and…
• Youth National Arabian & Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show (Oklahoma State Fair Park - Oklahoma City) Thru Sat, Jul 28th The Youth National Arabian & Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show, held annually at the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds,…

See Also

• OK Gamers
• Techlahoma

My fiancée (F 29) and I (M 29) are planning our honeymoon for the first week of July. After about a month of planning a very busy itinerary in Thailand, I realized that this trip needed to be about us, not all of items on my Thai bucket list.
While I have been fortunate enough to travel quite a bit for work, she has only left the country once for Mexico. I recently decided it would probably be wise to choose somewhere with a little less to do along with a much shorter travel time.
That brings us to now. Here are the details:
Where? Somewhere within the Caribbean(ish)
Duration? 7 days 6 nights (depends on price and activities)
Budget? I've got the flights covered with miles, so for resort, transport to and from the airport, food, drinks and activities $3,000 - $4500 USD.
In an ideal world, our destination would have the following:

1. Nice beach close to the resort
   
2. Marine life to view whilst snorkeling
   
3. Resort grounds relatively updated and clean.
   
4. Possibly all-inclusive option. Yes, this definitely narrows down the field drastically, but I feel as if in our case it may be a great option. I know we should splurge on some things on this trip, but it's very difficult for our typically frugal selves to do so (e.g. ordering overpriced drinks at 1pm that we don't "need").
   
5. Relatively low-key atmosphere. We aren't crazy partiers, but we both plan on eating a lot and drinking a good amount.
   
6. Something to do beyond the resort grounds such as hiking or biking trails
   

None of these are make-or-break, just ideal. I also wouldn't be upset if there was a casino attached to the resort that I can sneak off to when my fiancée inevitably needs afternoon naps.
I want to be nit picky and say I don't want to go to Mexico, Jamaica, or PR because so many of our friends and family have been an absurd amount of times, but I'm not going to turn down any options if they fit most of the 6 qualities on my ideal trip list.
I believe I've now read every single Reddit post regarding travel to the Caribbean and general honeymoon advice, but I'd really like to get your feedback based on our preferences.
I love my fiancée more than anything and want to make this the perfect trip for her, so any and all advice is greatly appreciated!
Let me know if you need more details before supplying any feedback. Thanks in advance, fellow travelers!

My fiancée (F 29) and I (M 29) are planning our honeymoon for the first week of July. After about a month of planning a very busy itinerary in Thailand, I realized that this trip needed to be about us, not all of items on my Thai bucket list.
While I have been fortunate enough to travel quite a bit for work, she has only left the country once for Mexico. I recently decided it would probably be wise to choose somewhere with a little less to do along with a much shorter travel time.
That brings us to now. Here are the details:
Where? Somewhere within the Caribbean(ish)
Duration? 7 days 6 nights (depends on price and activities)
Budget? I've got the flights covered with miles, so for resort, transport to and from the airport, food, drinks and activities $3,000 - $4500 USD.
In an ideal world, our destination would have the following:

1. Nice beach close to the resort
   
2. Marine life to view whilst snorkeling
   
3. Resort grounds relatively updated and clean.
   
4. Possibly all-inclusive option. Yes, this definitely narrows down the field drastically, but I feel as if in our case it may be a great option. I know we should splurge on some things on this trip, but it's very difficult for our typically frugal selves to do so (e.g. ordering overpriced drinks at 1pm that we don't "need").
   
5. Relatively low-key atmosphere. We aren't crazy partiers, but we both plan on eating a lot and drinking a good amount.
   
6. Something to do beyond the resort grounds such as hiking or biking trails
   

None of these are make-or-break, just ideal. I also wouldn't be upset if there was a casino attached to the resort that I can sneak off to when my fiancée inevitably needs afternoon naps.
I want to be nit picky and say I don't want to go to Mexico, Jamaica, or PR because so many of our friends and family have been an absurd amount of times, but I'm not going to turn down any options if they fit most of the 6 qualities on my ideal trip list.
I believe I've now read every single Reddit post regarding travel to the Caribbean and general honeymoon advice, but I'd really like to get your feedback based on our preferences.
I love my fiancée more than anything and want to make this the perfect trip for her, so any and all advice is greatly appreciated!
Let me know if you need more details before supplying any feedback. Thanks in advance, fellow travelers!

My wife and I are looking to take a trip to the Caribbean this winter, but are having trouble finding where we want to go. We are from Austin, TX and would want to fly out from here or Houston, TX.
When - Early December. Looking at 5-7 days. Leaning toward a full 7.
Where - Preferably a resort; all-inclusive package would be nice. Could be open to a B&B sort of place if the location was amazing. Wife doesn't want to deal with cooking/cleaning/planning where we'll go next too much which is why I say all-inclusive.
Budget - Hoping to stay around or under $2000 for the whole trip including flights/hotel/etc. But willing to spend more for the right experience.
Interests - Looking for a really awesome beach. Probably want to go scuba diving or boating while out. Some place with an amazing pool, casino or live shows would be nice but not necessary. Wife mainly just wants to not have to do the "work" of being on vacation. I really value an authentic cultural experience, so something with a great nightlife or day trips in the surrounding area would be fantastic so we can get out and mingle with people.
This is where you come in!

1. Can you recommend a particularly amazing island/city/resort we should consider checking out? What did you enjoy about it?
   
2. What's the best way to find a cheap deal on a vacation package? Any sites you've used with great success personally?
   

Most of the places I've looked at on travel sites just seem like a glorified, cheap hotel experience. If I wanted that I'd go to Galveston for a week.
Thanks in advance! :)

I am looking into booking a vacation for a friend ( I'm sort of her part time personal assistant ) and am pretty lost. Let me start this off by saying I'm not the type to go to any kind of inclusive resort type vacation( for our honeymoon my wife and I spent 3 completely unplanned weeks in Croatia ) so I'm really not familiar with these sorts of places. Anyway the friend I'm booking this for has been to Atlantis twice and loved it ( a bit less the 2nd time) so I'm looking for something similar. Something nice with a lot of activities to partake in without having to go too far from the hotel. I know google can answer this but all of these places just tout themselves as the best and I thought maybe some folks on here might have some experiences and insight on a certain place.
So any recomendations with some of these criteria :

• island locale ( Caribbean, Bahamas .... That general area of te world)
  
• water water everywhere ( pools , clean oceans )
  
• swimming with dolphins
  
• horseback riding(?)
  
• lack of adventure ( again these people don't want to have to explore and hint down the fun, they just want convinience)
  
• doesn't have to be a drinks/food included kind of place( those exist right?).
  
• nightlife nearby would be nice but certainly not very important to them.
  
• casinos
  
• activities galore ( waterskiing , parasailing , snorkeling and the like)
  

I've looked into a few places in Aruba and the saints islands but again it's hard to tell exactly how convenient some of these pleases are without having been there. Any recomendations , advice or criticism will be very helpful to me. Thanks

So I want to surprise my Mother and get her a trip to some Caribbean/bahama resort and I'm looking for the following:

• All inclusive resort
• Pools
• Ocean Front (white beach blue water)
• Ocean MUST have surfable waves (3-6ft ideal) (I'm a big surfer and I am not a good relaxer - so I'll need to stay out of my mother's hair for long periods of time. Surfing is the best way for me to do that.
• Casino
• Option to go to see live music and shows (comedy, dramatic, musical etc)

Thanks for any help you can offer!

My girlfriend and I are looking to take our first longer vacation together and we want to get out of the cold and head to warmer weather. This would be the first week of January after NYE.
We're thinking Punta Cana, DR and I was looking at the Hard Rock Hotel there--thinking it would be a good choice for us, since the Hard Rock has a reputation of a 'party' hotel. However, it seems that maybe the Las Vegas experience doesn't transcend to all of their hotels.
We're definitely looking for something more high-end, 4* range-- and all-inclusive would be great. Our budget for 5 nights or so is about $4,000 give or take some. Of course, the lower the better.
We're very active, love night-life and like to interact with people closer to our own age (20s-30s), and the GF loves dressing up in a new (usually revealing) outfit every night and head to a balounge/club or casino. But we also like to relax on the beach during the day and love all sorts of water activities. So a resort that is good for young couples, would be ideal. Definitely don't want a sleepy time resort where the couples head to bed after dinner at 7pm nor do we want a ton of little kids.
Like I said, we were looking at Punta Cana due to a recommendation and the Hard Rock stood out to us. However, we're not settled on that, but do want to go to the Caribbean.
So any recommendations would be great. Thank you in advance!
Cliffs: * Caribbean * beach * night life * age 20-30s * all inclusive