Need help with Carribean vacation

[jstbcuz]

Our daughter will be a SR next year and our school doesnt allow Sr Trips. We usually take vacation anyhow, so I told her she could pick where we went within reason........and that would be her trip.

Well I think she wants to go to the Carrribean. Can anyone give me a place to start here. Money will be an issue since I have 5 going.........so it needs to be budget friendly. Should we cruise, fly in, stay at an all inclusive. Any suggestions on where to go exactly??? Kids ages will range from 5-18......adults from 27-65 (I think other family members might be going too)

I cant wait to start planning this trip.........just dont know where to start.

 

[DisneyAndRedSox]

depending on when you are going, Royal Caribbean has some good deals on the Liberty of the seas... great for all ages!

 

[Dopey & Grumpy]

Carnival has some really cheap deals also. I usually go on cruise.com and do a search for when and where I want to go and it gives choices of prices and cruise lines. You could start there.

 

[katie111]

What about the Mayan Riviera in Mexico? We've done lots of places in the Caribbean and a couple cruises but the past 2 years we've gone to all inclusives in Mexico & they are fantastic and much cheaper than the Caribbean. There is so much to do for all ages...kids clubs, water sports, great food, free drinks, theme nights, shows, etc.

 

[bridget]

I love St. John. However, airfare is always a killer for us!! A cruise might be your best bet, and it includes your food.

 

[KellyNY]

What about the Mayan Riviera in Mexico? We've done lots of places in the Caribbean and a couple cruises but the past 2 years we've gone to all inclusives in Mexico & they are fantastic and much cheaper than the Caribbean. There is so much to do for all ages...kids clubs, water sports, great food, free drinks, theme nights, shows, etc.

I'm interested in this location as well. Could you please tell which hotels were good there and was all-inclusive option good?

 

[jstbcuz]

Thanks for your ideas so far. I usually do all the vacation planning.....disney, Alaska and Hawaii have been in the last several years. I just have no idea on this one.

We would probably have to go at the end of beginning of June 2011. So Im thinking maybe not a cruise........would it be hurricane season. Besides.....Im not sure if I like being on their schedule.

Tell me more about all inclusive places....and where.

 

[woody5]

Barcelo Maya Palace in the Mayan Rivieria. Wow!!! It is an all inclusive resort about an hour south of cancun. It was wonderful. Top of the line resort with plenty of activities to keep kids and adults of all ages busy. We went the first week of June and was able to get 50% off of the entire package, excluding air fare. It is easy to get decent air fare to cancun. Be sure to check air tran if they are in your area because they now services cancun. If you do a search for the resort I listed, there is an unofficial forum for this complex much like the disboards. There is a wealth of information here. Also, join the mibarcelo at the barcelo web site and they will send you very special offers. Usually in February, they run their half off special for the months of May and June. I love love love Disney, but would go back here in a minute.

 

[Priorityonecb]

We did Carnaval dirt cheap!!! No airfare (we went out of Port Canaveral and added a day at Disney on one end).

 

[jstbcuz]

We are not looking to add Disney to our vacation this time. We live in KS, and will be only doing the carribean.

 

[mfd25wife]

Barcelo Maya Palace in the Mayan Rivieria. Wow!!! It is an all inclusive resort about an hour south of cancun. It was wonderful. Top of the line resort with plenty of activities to keep kids and adults of all ages busy. We went the first week of June and was able to get 50% off of the entire package, excluding air fare. It is easy to get decent air fare to cancun. Be sure to check air tran if they are in your area because they now services cancun. If you do a search for the resort I listed, there is an unofficial forum for this complex much like the disboards. There is a wealth of information here. Also, join the mibarcelo at the barcelo web site and they will send you very special offers. Usually in February, they run their half off special for the months of May and June. I love love love Disney, but would go back here in a minute.

I second this one. We were booked at the Barcelo Maya (forgot which one), but due to shortage of tourists they upgraded everyone to the Palace. The all inclusive is the way to go. We plan on going again in 2010.

 

[casjen]

stay next door at the Confort Suites. I am pretty sure yo9u can fit 5 in a room, maybe more. The hotel itself is basic but clean. But, you get full, 100% access to the Atlantis as if you were a guest there paying way too much for your room!

We just went in August and it was fabulous. Fabulous! The grounds are amazing, the pools incredible, the water slides and lazy river so much fun. The aquarium was also incredible, the art, the restaurants etc. We were only ther for 2 1/2 days (quick alone trip) so we didn't get to go in town. But from chatting with other people, there are very affordable (for the carribean) restaurants there. Everyone raved about the fish fry which we didn't do. We went in August and had no issue with rain or hurricane, although one did skirt us.

I am saving to bring my boys back next summer as it is an absolutely beautiful, fun, something for everyone place.

Oh, you can also have dolphin encounters, rent jet skis, go in the ocean and sit on the beach if you prefer it to pools. I could go on and on and on about how much I loved it there.

 

[KKB]

Definitely the best bang for the buck; and airfare is usually very reasonable to domestic locations.
Carnival is usually the cheapest.

 

[katie111]

We also stayed at the Barcelo Mayan Palace & it was fantastic!! Food was really good. Rooms were beautiful. My kids are 2, 6, & 7 and the liked as much of not more than Disney! Really look around for a deal as the prices vary a lot for website to website.

 

[jstbcuz]

So who do you usually book thru? The resort itself? Hotwire? Orbitz? OR some other travel site?

Is there a forum anyone knows about like this one that helps you plan it all out or atleast gives you information?

 

[polkadotminnie]

I'm interested in this location as well. Could you please tell which hotels were good there and was all-inclusive option good?

Occidental Grand Riviera Maya All inclusive is great. It is also next door to the eco-park Xcaret. We swam with the dolphins there. You can do a search and pull up the website.
Someone mentioned St. John which is by far my favorite trip but costly on airfare and accomadations.

 

[Darcy03231]

We're a family of 6 and have done both cruises and all inclusives. I find, generally, the all inclusives tend to be a little less expensive because they include your alcohol and tips.

For all inclusives we like the Iberostar resorts and the kids loved the Mexican Riviera (although we all had a good time in Punta Cana too).

Try www.applevacations.com. You can get a good idea of prices for the various resorts including airfare. They tend to do charters so I find I usually do best booking a full package through them.

 

[bumbershoot]

stay next door at the Confort Suites. I am pretty sure yo9u can fit 5 in a room, maybe more. The hotel itself is basic but clean. But, you get full, 100% access to the Atlantis as if you were a guest there paying way too much for your room!

Although we have not done this, I have heard about it for years. It seems a really great way to get all that Atlantis offers, without spending scads per night on their rooms.

We are not looking to add Disney to our vacation this time. We live in KS, and will be only doing the carribean.

I think that their point was saying they used Carnival out of Port Canaveral.


Concern about hurricane season:

Officially, hurricane season stretches from June 1st to November 30th, and hits not only the Caribbean islands but also parts of Mexico, Florida and the Texas coast. Within that time frame, August to October are peak months.

Even if you don't go on a cruise, I have found the Ports of Call forum to be great on cruisecritic dot com. You can find out SO much from people who have less than a day to see the best of a place on that forum!

 

[eliza61]

We loved the Atlantis resort in Paradise Island.

 

[andrews_dad]

Our daughter will be a SR next year and our school doesnt allow Sr Trips. We usually take vacation anyhow, so I told her she could pick where we went within reason........and that would be her trip.

Well I think she wants to go to the Carrribean. Can anyone give me a place to start here. Money will be an issue since I have 5 going.........so it needs to be budget friendly. Should we cruise, fly in, stay at an all inclusive. Any suggestions on where to go exactly??? Kids ages will range from 5-18......adults from 27-65 (I think other family members might be going too)

I cant wait to start planning this trip.........just dont know where to start.

Atlantis in the Bahamas. It is almost as fun as Diz World.