The general consensus is that Caribbean vacation package deals are the way to go. You can get all the important aspects of your trip together up front: airfare, lodging, car rental and tours are all possibilities. A lot of people confuse vacation packages with group guided tours, or as something you order if you want to stay on a strict itinerary. But that is just not the case. Caribbean vacation package deals are better for the independent traveler. Whether by yourself or with a friend or two, this is almost always the best way to see the Caribbean. You want to get a deal on airfare and a scenic all-inclusive resort, that's a vacation package right there. You want airfare, a few different places to stay, and to rent a car for three days to drive from Bridgetown up Barbados' beautiful west coast? That too is a vacation package.

For the bare-bones package, the internet usually has the best deals. It certainly has the best selection. You can find discount Caribbean vacation packages on many of the most popular travel sites on the web. The easiest deal to come by is the combination of plane ticket and hotel. These are always the least expensive, too – when you start adding on tours and car rentals, that's where you start to lose the crux of your discount Caribbean vacation packages. The only time these deals become inconvenient is if you plan to stay on a few different places on one island. That's when it is in your best interest to contact a travel agent.

The important choice, as with all vacations, is choosing which islands to you want to see. The glittering Gold Coast of Barbados, the white sand of Antigua, the thumping nightlife of Aruba – you have hundreds of options at your fingertips. Do you want to skip around a few islands? As long as you choose them ahead of time, there are plenty of discount Caribbean vacation packages for island hoppers at your disposal. Most inter-island flights are cheap, falling to less than $50 during the off-season, depending on your arrival and departure spot. Obviously, the shorter the flight, the lesser the cost.

So, no matter which islands you choose, no matter if you are an independent traveler or you want an all-inclusive resort, there are many Caribbean vacation package deals to suit you. Shopping around may take a while, but it's destined to save you precious money that can be better spent on necessities, like sunscreen, jerk chicken and a snorkel mask.