all inclusive with/without kids-suggestions

[pixxi]

We have a WDW trip booked for Nov with free dining. I'm not too excited about the time of year we have to go due to our work schedule. We have a family of 6 (15,12,8,4 yr old) so $$$ for WDW.

I was going to look at CHEAPER all inclusive vacations that may or may not allow kids. Maybe we can take the kids on a small local trip and DH and I go on a vacation alone (which has NEVER happened, no honeymoon either). There are so many choices, can anyone suggest ones you went to or heard of for me to start with?

Thanks.

 

[Lewisc]

There are lot of all inclusive resorts in Mexico. Does everyone in your family have a passport? If not is getting passports something you were going to do? In other words will the cost of a passport be a cost which has to be included in your budget.

I have no idea what you were going to be spending if you went to WDW.

Why don't you sign up for travelzoo. Check some of the featured deals. See what it will cost, with air. Try to find a package that's in your price range. Then post and ask about specific resorts.

What airports work for you? When do you want to go? How much are you willing to spend? You need to provide more information.

Cheapcarribean has 5 nights, for 2 adults for under $1000.

 

[stsomewhere]

There are some great cruise deals out right now for August and into the fall.



A cruise is our favorite vacation.

 

[busy mom]

Our family of 5 recently visited the Grand Palladium resort in the Mayan Riviera, Mexico. Loved it, and would go back in a heartbeat.

We flew SWest, and were able to get free flights using our Chase SWest Visa. Love that card, we put everything on it.

Start reading TripAdvisor. You will get tons of opinions, as long as you learn how to weed out the fake ones planted by resort staff.

As mentioned, you may need to figure the cost of passports into your budget if you don't have them already. Puerto Rico/US Virgin Islands do not require a passport, but I'm not sure if they offer any AI's.

 

[mom2alix]

If you're looking for one with the kids, my friend just got back from Jewel Run Away Bay in Jamaica and has been raving about it. They went with extended family with tons of kids and adults. She said the kids program was great.

She was so happy with it that we're considering it for a future vacation.

 

[TravelMommy]

Is a great way to travel!

 

[robinb]

There are some great cruise deals out right now for August and into the fall.



A cruise is our favorite vacation.

I second the idea of a cruise. We cruised on the NCL Dawn over Spring Break for just $500 each including taxes and port fees. We booked maybe 5-6 weeks ahead of our dates. A lot of people book a balcony or outside cabin for themselves and an inside cabin for the kids (although you will need to put 1 adult's name in each cabin). Of course you will have to come up with some extra money for port excursions even if you just hang out on the beach.

 

[stsomewhere]

We usually book inside cabins. We found that if we had a balcony, we nver really used it. There is too much to do around the ship.

I love to lay out by the pool and read.

 

[Iowajes]

We went to the Sunscape Sabor in Cozumel. It was fun, not a luxury vacation by any stretch- but all inclusive. They allow kids.


We love cruising, but it is NOT all inclusive. It you plan to drink alcohol, your bill can be increased significantly. I don't, and rarely have more than $10 in charges at the end of the cruise (I pre-pay tips- look up what your line's tip charges are, because those can often be a surprise: include them in your budget.) We love Carnival. Sure there is probably something better out there, but it suits us just fine and is very inexpensive.

 

[robinb]

We love cruising, but it is NOT all inclusive. It you plan to drink alcohol, your bill can be increased significantly. I don't, and rarely have more than $10 in charges at the end of the cruise (I pre-pay tips- look up what your line's tip charges are, because those can often be a surprise: include them in your budget.) We love Carnival. Sure there is probably something better out there, but it suits us just fine and is very inexpensive.

Three words: Rum Runner Flasks http://www.rumrunnerflasks.com/

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

We have done several vacations at various Iberostar properties in Mexico and the Dominican Republic and had a great time.

 

[ellochka]

We booked The Royal Cancun all inclusive resort for November. This one is definitely for families, and with younger kids. It's all suites. It's a bit out of the way for Cancun, but close enough. The sea is very shallow, which is good for younger kids. That's pretty much all I know at this point

 

[supergoofy]

6 people in 1 room with 1 bath on a cruise doesn't sound like a vacation to me. Unless they have family suites on board then maybe.


Personally I would do Disney. Look for lodging offsite to cut the budget down and pay out of pocket for food.

 

[CF'er]

six people on a cruise would need either a suite or 2 cabins. It may sound expensive for two but not if you get inside cabins.

 

[Halle]

Three words: Rum Runner Flasks http://www.rumrunnerflasks.com/

Have you used them on an airplane? If so are they really leak proof?

 

[robinb]

Have you used them on an airplane? If so are they really leak proof?

yes, in my checked bag. I put them in a ziplock in the airplane 'just in case' and then scatter them in our bags before we go to the port.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Rum runners have to empty in a carryon. And you have about A 50% chance of them being found based in what I have read.

 

[Darcy03231]

For an all inclusive with kids I would recommend the Iberostar resorts. We've stayed in several with our children and have never been disappointed.

For an all inclusive for adults only I would recommend any of the Sandals resorts. They are amazing! Everything is included - golf, scuba, snorkeling, windsurfers, etc., and they also include top shelf liquor.

Our family also loves to cruise, as some PPs have suggested. We're a family of 6 and get two cabins. One for mom and dad and one for the kids. Depending on how much you drink on-board and what you do for excursions cruises can get pricey. We've done some that by the time we paid for tips, drinks, pictures, on-board purchases like the gift shop and casino and the shore excursions in each port, the cost of all of those things was more than the cruise.

 

[DisneydoneWright]

Went to Valentin Imperial Maya in May with a groupon and it was awesome (adults only)! Also done Iberostar Grand in Punta Cana - can't go wrong either way!!

 

[robinb]

Rum runners have to empty in a carryon. And you have about A 50% chance of them being found based in what I have read.

Whoops! You are right. I meant CHECKED bags . Going to change it now.

I have read about people being called to the "naughty room" on the ship, but the key is to hide the cap in a jumble of other things like toothpaste, etc or inside something else like a shoe. I am 2-for-2 (knock wood) in my use of them.