All-inclusive resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic is way to go for stress-free family vacation

A pair of 7-foot-long nurse sharks floated a few feet below us as we snorkeled nervously in the warm Caribbean waters offshore in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Suddenly, one of the teens in our party started screaming and we all turned to see a grinning staff person surface after grabbing her ankle.

All-inclusive resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic is way to go for stress-free family vacation

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.