Great exchange- Royal Mayan Cancun

[ratfam]

Hi Tom (and Dean), your information has been very helpful, sorry to be late to the game. I was wondering if you could elaborate on the activities offered, especially for kids. My husband and I had booked once one of the Royals in Cancun through an exchange but had to cancel. I hadn't really considered taking the kids (ours are almost 7 and 9) because I was concerned that after WDW and DCL vacations a week at a beach might get a little boring. It sounds like your daughter stayed busy, maybe we shouldn't disregard this type of trip for a family vacation.

 

[Synonymous]

We went through exactly the same thoughts. In fact, when we told our daughter we were going to Mexico instead of Disney World, she was crushed. But after a couple days of having a ball she told us she couldn't wait to come back again.

The resorts themselves have a number of activities each day for the kids. There was a pinata party early in the trip, there were pool games and beach games. My daughter had a good time doing t-shirt painting and painted a couple of ceramic figures. These are nice because when you're done painting them, a staff member cleans them up a bit and adds some flourishes, so even the roughest job comes out looking like a work of art. (I did one, too.)

There was an activity center at the Royal Caribbean that had ping pong, puzzles, and other things. A couple times they set up a miniature golf course on the activity decks overlooking the ocean. There is a whole schedule of rainy day activities (although we didn't have any rain.)

There are others that I'm forgetting, mostly because we were so busy my daughter didn't do most of them. There were alot of kids there and she made friends that she got to see every day, since everyone is there from Saturday to Saturday. The ocean itself and the beach were great fun for her, and you can get boogie boards, balls, and other sports equipment from the sports desk. (They have bikes, but they were a little too big for my daughter.) There are also tons of activities available in Cancun and the surrounding area.

If you have other specific questions, I'll be happy to answer them. I heartily recommend the trip for a family.

 

[ratfam]

Thanks Tom, very helpful, just wanted a general idea. We're going back "home" to BCV next year, but I will definitely keep these resorts on my list for a future visit!

 

[Dean]

Hi Tom (and Dean), your information has been very helpful, sorry to be late to the game. I was wondering if you could elaborate on the activities offered, especially for kids. My husband and I had booked once one of the Royals in Cancun through an exchange but had to cancel. I hadn't really considered taking the kids (ours are almost 7 and 9) because I was concerned that after WDW and DCL vacations a week at a beach might get a little boring. It sounds like your daughter stayed busy, maybe we shouldn't disregard this type of trip for a family vacation.

We stayed at VCI, the oldest Royal, and it was sans kids. We toured all the others. I think Tom's info is a lot more than I have from a kids activity standpoint. Don't hesitate to go, just make sure you get a good deal and realize that some of the units at the Mayan have little view. Find out the unit prior to accepting if you can though you may not be able to do so. From an area standpoint, a lot of the restaurants didn't seem to be kids oriented though they have a rainforest cafe, Hardrock and Planet Holywood. I do think they'd enjoy the culture and Cancun is a good way to ease in to the different culture and still retain much of what you and the kids are accustomed to.