All-inclusive resorts are just that, everything is included as far as basic needs. You will have 3 meals a day, snacks, beverages, and some easy activities to keep you moving, mingling, and happy. Most, if not all resorts, have excursions available.
Things to keep in mind:
Excursions cost additional money, and some can be pricey considering what you've spent on your all-inclusive vacation already.
Resorts are named appropriately. They are designed to keep you on the property. Some of the most gorgeous beaches are in areas that aren't always safe. Going off property increases your risk, even if you are in a group and/or with tour guides..and yes, you do look like a tourist, don't forget that.
Excursions are not exclusive to your resort. We drove to several other resorts to pick up additional excursionists, including some doing other activities. Basically, our bus was transporting them to another bus at a gas station. This also meant we had to return these guests back. Since we were the first on the bus at 7 am, that meant we were the last ones off in the afternoon. We didn't know any of this until we left that morning. It was a crowded open-air bus and a crowded excursion. While we were at an adults-only resort, our excursion was not adults only and this is not something we thought of when booking.
The better the excursion, or the cheaper, the more people will be doing it. For example, the catamaran to an exclusive island certainly sounds appealing and luxurious, however, it is the most popular excursion in a number of countries and tends to be very crowded. One that I specifically know of, can be seen from a resort beach and none of that seems exclusive to me.
Time. These take a lot of time. You may think "oh, it's just a couple of hours", or they tell you it's a "4-hour excursion" but often this is inaccurate. Please refer back to number 3. Most, if not all, end up being a half-day or whole day. We spoke to one couple that left at 7 am and didn't return until after dark. Ask the resort staff, not the vendors selling these excursions, about timing, ask more than one employee. You can also ask other guests as you meet others while having a drink.
Take into account your daylight hours if you want to get your money's worth of beach time. We visit typically in February which means fewer daylight hours. The beaches aren't always lit well enough for walking or hanging out in the evening and some of the bars close at dusk, so it limits beach time.
Food and drinks. I thought to bring a bag with a couple of drinks and snacks, because, well that's just what I do generally. Tom is a snacker and being a diabetic means you always need to be prepared, so it is a habit. We did not pack a meal or extra snacks and only ate a light breakfast. We were so hungry and thirsty upon return but I am thankful I packed a little something because most did not. Keep in mind, you've now left for 4-10 hours and you've paid to use your resort amenities for that time period and possibly spend more money on food and drinks if your excursion offered a snack bar or souvenir stand. Each excursion is different so be sure to ask!
Here are some other things for you:
You may or may not be able to do that excursion anywhere else. You should take that into account. Yes, you can swim with dolphins in a tropical paradise, but you can do that in the U.S. in any number of vacation spots; even some aquariums offer dolphin activity packages. We saw the cutest monkeys on our excursion (see here), but once we entered the "sanctuary", we found out they weren't native and only brought in for this purpose.
You will see cool places and do amazing things. If you want to do it, then do it! I'm sure you won't regret it. You are on vacation and you want to make it special.
Depending on what excursion you are interested in, remember to take the weather into account. If it won't be a beautiful sunny day to be on an island, then go on a different day. This is why I suggest booking your excursions at the resort rather than in advance if possible.
You may get to experience the culture more on the excursions than at the resort itself. While you will have an option to eat local flavors or learn something new at your resort, let's not forget they are serving everyone, and it may not be as authentic as you want.
Splurge a little. Maybe this is on your bucket list or you've been saving for years to make this trip happen. Treat yourself to a bonus trip, you deserve it.
Don't spend your last resort day on an excursion. Enjoy that last day being pampered and let that be your last memory. Something might spoil your restful experience during the excursion and I wouldn't want your trip to end with that memory.
If there is something you'd like to do but they don't offer it, ask. Asking is key.
Do whatever you want! Do what makes you happy? Live it up! YOLO. Did I miss any cliches?
We do not regret our excursion experiences. We had a great time and have wonderful memories. In hindsight, we would've thought about our decision differently had someone given us this information. I simply cannot tell you if we would have still gone or not. We likely would have gone, but our preparations would've included a bigger snack bag! We came away educated in more than one way and I am happed to pass our experiences along.
If only I could give you a simple yes or no answer....wouldn't that be nice? Sorry, no one can make that decision for you. Some excursions are worth it to some people, and others are not. Hopefully, my experiences will help your decision easier. The one question that really seals the deal for me most of the time: Ask yourself, "If I go home having not done it, will I regret my decision?"