A Few Caribbean Family Travel Tips to the Rescue
Presented by Charles L Harmon
Willemstad Curacao
The Caribbean is a very popular destination for families. If you live in the United States it is relatively close, depending on where you go in the Caribbean and the area is not one where the word terrorism rears its ugly head. Below are a few Caribbean Family Travel Tips to consider.
Part of the reason a Caribbean family travel vacation is popular is there is usually more fun and features in an all-inclusive resort.
View of the Virgin Islands.
Family packages may typically offer the following:
- Beach and water sports
- Luxurious swimming pools and water slides
- Kid-friendly programs and family activities
- Meal-time convenience and drinks on tap
- Grown-up pampering like spas, dining, cocktail parties, etc.
- Baby-sitting and other services
- Great family rates
Sometimes, however, there are just too many all-inclusive Caribbean family travel resorts to choose from. That makes it more difficult to choose only one. Since the dollar cost of a family vacation is high and is also an emotional investment, the stakes are high. How do you know which one suits you and your family best?
A street in Puerto Rico
All-Inclusive, All-Included
When one considers Caribbean family travel and says all-inclusive or all-included it’s natural to assume that the travel package includes everything. Like in other things those terms usually leave something to be desired, however.
In most cases an all-inclusive Caribbean family travel vacation includes almost, but not quite everything you might expect. So you get all meals, snacks, drinks, kids’ programs, and certain water sports and other activities included, but not all of them.
A view of Martinique
Caribbean Family Travel Tips:
- Non-motorized water sports are generally included, such as kayaks, wind surfing, aqua-trikes, etc. If you want the motorized ones, like jet skis and water skis, it may cost you. That is what many vacationers want, however.
- Snorkeling equipment is often free, but there may be a limit as to how long you can use it. If you want to join a snorkeling boat trip on your Caribbean family travel, it may cost you extra.
- Scuba gear is usually extra cost.
- Spas are almost always extra, unless you get one of those Caribbean family travel specials.
- Off-property outings are extra, though a shuttle bus to a nearby town may be free.
- Some non-all-inclusive deals have plans that include meals and/or activities.
Kids’ Club
Every all-inclusive Caribbean family travel package offers this. Many packages are “friendly little clubs”; cute spots with one or two rooms with toys and TV and maybe video games for kids ages 4-12. A warm and friendly staff is always there to provide them with care.
Dominican Republic
But if you want your kids to enjoy other activities too, most all-inclusive resorts can accommodate that. In that regard you may find different places and programs for different ages. Some worthy names that offer this feature in their all-inclusive Caribbean family travel specials are Club Med in Punta Cana, Beaches resorts and Atlantis in the Bahamas.
Babies and Toddlers
More and more Caribbean family travel resorts are now providing nurseries and infant care for guests traveling with their babies or toddlers. This is a welcome break for moms.
Even if you only leave your child for a few hours in the nursery during nap time, that short amount of time can be quite invigorating for you and gives you more of a chance to enjoy your Caribbean family travel vacation.
A hotel in Cuba
If you’re worried whether on-site doctors or nurses are available, try one of the bigger Caribbean family travel resorts. They’re your best bet. And lastly, as a miscellaneous tip, be sure to double check the site where you booked your Caribbean family travel to make sure that the baby-club will actually be up and running during your trip.
One of the things to consider when planning a Caribbean family travel vacation is finding a good travel agent that can recommend places to you. If the agent has been there you will have a distinct advantage over just guessing or reading the literature.
Find one and you will have a better vacation because of it and it will usually cost you the same or sometimes even less.
