The Real Deal: Round-trip airfare on Delta Airlines to Cozumel, five nights' accommodations, round-trip airport-hotel transfers, breakfast daily, luggage handling fees, maid and bellman gratuities, the services of a local host or a toll-free number for assistance, up to 2,500 miles in Delta's frequent-flier program and hotel taxes, from $747 per person — plus additional taxes and fees of $109.
When: June 27–Aug. 7, 2009; other dates are available at different rates.
Gateways: Detroit; add $25 for Memphis, $196 for Atlanta, $210 for Salt Lake City, $212 for New York City, $218 for Cincinnati; additional gateways are available.
The fine print: Based on Sunday departures and Friday returns. Airport taxes and fees total an additional $109. Beverages are not included but can be added for $80 per person. Based on double occupancy; single supplement is $220. Read these guidelines before you book any Real Deal.
Book by: No deadline; based on availability. This special offer will be removed from NWA WorldVacations' Web site on May 31, 2009.
Contact: NWA WorldVacations, 800/800-1504, nwaworldvacations.com.
Why it's a deal: According to a recent search on Kayak, the lowest round-trip fare between Detroit and Cozumel is $316, including taxes, for travel in mid-July (Delta). For an additional $540, the NWA WorldVacations special offer covers airfare as well as five nights' accommodations, airport-hotel transfers, full breakfast daily, gratuities, the services of a local host (or a toll-free number to call for assistance), all taxes and discounts on diving and golf packages. By purchasing this package, you'll save about 42 percent compared to booking everything separately.
Highlights: While no activities are included, the package includes a 15 percent discount on dive packages and a 30 percent discount on golfing packages.
Lodging: Five nights in a standard room at the 98-room Hotel Casa del Mar Cozumel, about two and a half miles south of downtown. Hotels and rates vary by gateway city. For example, the package rate from Memphis starts at $772 (plus taxes and fees) and includes five nights at the Fiesta Americana Cozumel Dive Resort and the package rate from Atlanta starts at $943, with five nights at El Cid La Ceiba Beach resort. Find a list of gateways and accommodations here.
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}More: Choose from a range of optional excursions, which start at $35 per person for a glass-bottom-boat tour with snorkeling. If you'd like to extend your stay, additional nights at Hotel Casa Del Mar Cozumel start at $44 per person per night, based on double occupancy.
Before you go: For more information about the area, visit the official tourism Web sites for Cozumel and Mexico. The U.S. State Department says, essentially, to exercise normal good judgment on your Mexican vacation: "Common-sense precautions such as visiting only legitimate business and tourist areas during daylight hours, and avoiding areas where prostitution and drug dealing might occur, can help ensure that travel to Mexico is safe and enjoyable."