How IslandQuest compares resort packages
Two quotations look different and you want to know how we line them up fairly.
We compare resort packages by making six lines identical first, then reading what is left. The six lines are nights, people, meals, transfers, fees and cancellation terms. Only after those match do we say one package fits better than another.
This is part of how IslandQuest decides what to recommend. You can try the method yourself with the resort inclusion comparator.
What are the six lines?
A package price means little until these are the same on both sides.
- Nights: the same check-in and check-out dates, not just the same number of nights.
- People: the same adults and children, with the child ages stated.
- Meals: which meals, on which days, and whether drinks are inside.
- Transfers: which legs are covered, jetty to island and back, and any road leg.
- Fees: marine park fee, jetty or parking fees, taxes and service charges.
- Cancellation: what happens if you cancel, or if the boat cannot sail.
Practical implication: if any line is missing from a quotation, ask for it before you compare totals.
Why do we compare line by line?
Totals hide the trade. One quotation may include full board while another charges meals separately, and the second can look cheaper until you add them. Our guide on reading an island quotation line by line shows how to spot this on your own paper.
What does a worked comparison look like?
These numbers are made up, in ringgit, to show the sum. They are not a price for any resort.
Package A shows 1,200 for two nights and includes meals and the boat. Package B shows 1,000 and lists neither.
If B’s meals come to 150 per person per night for two adults over two nights, that adds 600, and the boat adds more. B now costs 1,600 or more before fees, so the cheaper-looking one is the costlier.
The method did not pick a winner by price. It made the lines the same, and the gap appeared.
What do we leave unscored?
We do not score taste, atmosphere or how a room feels. We write from sources, not from personal visits, and a number would imply a judgement we cannot back with evidence. We also do not call any package the lowest-priced or the safest.
What we can do is show which package answers more of your questions in writing. For the wider habit, see two similar quotations and the real differences.
How do dates and unverified items come in?
Each figure we use carries an as-of date. If a quotation is old, we say so and suggest asking whether the price is still held. Read how to read as-of dates on this site for the labels.
Where we could not confirm something, we mark it and turn it into a question. That is covered in how we handle unverified information.
A better fit if…
This method suits you if you have two or more written quotations in hand. It suits you less if you have none yet. In that case, use the island shortlist matcher first, then ask each resort for a quotation with the six lines named.
Common questions
Do you tell me which package is best?
We tell you which package fits your list better, and where each one is weaker. We do not name a single best, because the right package depends on your group, meals and dates. Your own written quotations are the evidence we compare.
Why do you ask for written quotations?
Prices and inclusions on a web page can be old, and chat replies can be vague. A written quotation names the dates, people, meals, transfers and fees in one place, so two of them can be compared line by line.
What if a quotation leaves out a line?
We mark the line as unpriced, not zero, and ask the sender to confirm it. A missing marine park fee or transfer is the most common gap. Treat any comparison with an unpriced line as incomplete until it is filled.
Can I do this comparison myself?
Yes. The resort inclusion comparator on this site lets you type two sets of inclusions side by side, and the cost calculator adds the totals. The method below is what both tools follow.