Island-Sity

Good-natured teasing followed as the tension eased among our party of West Michiganders.After all, this wasn't a scene from "Open Water." It was a shark-encounter excursion arranged from our resort, Ocean Blue, in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Swimming with the dozens of nurse sharks and stingrays in a netted area the size of a football field far offshore was a highlight of a family spring break trip. There's nothing like a little terror to enhance family bonding.

Ocean Blue was a first for our family. We'd never taken the all-inclusive route, preferring on previous vacations to arrange our own meals and stay in more than one locale. But because several teenagers accompanied us, it became the perfect senior-year send-off.

And if you're considering such a trip, now is the time to start booking your getaway to ensure flights are available and passports and other documents arrive in plenty of time.

The trip started with a good travel agent. We described what we wanted: Lots of sunshine but somewhere a little different from Florida and Mexico. Somewhere not too over-the-top luxurious but still upscale. (After all, most teens don't prefer gourmet cuisine but are willing to try foods from other cultures.)

And all-inclusive meant once the up-front costs were paid, we never had to consider the price of food, beverages (including alcohol for the adults) or even many water sports during the vacation.