Thanks for the feedback on your trip. We were also considering that area.
We had a nice sandy beach (I bought aqua shoes but only used them the first day). Admittedly I did not swim in the ocean. As usual, I puttered along the shoreline. Water was warm enough… I’m just not a confident enough swimmer by myself (hubby liked hanging up in the shade).
So we spent a lot of time near the huge pool or in the lounge chairs in the shade of palm trees. Or on our balcony as shown.
Food/drink was “free” (all inclusive). Can’t be sure that is cheaper in the long run, but how nice it was to look at a dinner menu and pick whatever we liked. And not have to mess with a bill at the end of the meal. Buffet breakfast/lunch was grand too, often eaten outside.