Beaches Negril Resort & Spa Jamaica
Beaches Negril is located on the widest stretch of Negrils famous Seven Mile Beach, one of our favorite beaches because of its creamy sand, azure water, swaying palm trees, and gentle surfall of which add up to one perfect spot for swimming and soaking in the sun. This family-friendly resort offers beachfront suites complete with butler service and all the included luxuries that make this vacation as relaxing for parents as it is fun for kids. Just steps from the beach, youll find Pirates Island water park, filled with huge waterslides, kid-friendly pools, and swim-up soda bars, not to mention water cannons, whirlpools, and lazy rivers.
Pros:
- Water park with plenty of fun diversions for kids
- One of the best beaches in the world right outside your door
Cons:
Whats Included On Seabourn Cruises
The cruise price on Seabourn ships includes both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, specialty dining experiences, onboard activities, use of water sports equipment, some shore excursions, and gratuities. Some specially priced packages also include round-trip airfare from major gateways as well as pre-cruise hotel stays.
Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana Dominican Republic
Yup, theres more than one Nickelodeon Resort, and this one in Punta Cana actually came on the scene first. Its a boost for anyone looking for a bargain, since prices are lower than its Mexico sister property, and its a more affordable kid-friendly experience than Disney World, with just as much of a fun factor for your tiny travelers. You can book a stay here for just $149 per person, and all meals, beverages , and 24-hour room service are included. Kids will also get to meet Dora the Explorer, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and other beloved characters from Nickelodeon. Oh, and theyll get slimedas in, really covered with green goo like on TVand thats sure to make them smile long after the trip is over.
Pros:
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Grand Solmar At Rancho San Lucas Mexico
With sweeping vistas, infinity pools, swim-up bars, and spacious suites that allow plenty of room for the whole family, the Grand Solmar starts out strong as a top all-inclusive resort. All the rooms have full kitchens, like your very own beach house rental, so you can always have snacks nearby, and you can enjoy a pristine private beach and watch migrating whales pass. But what puts it over the top for families is the mini water park and saltwater lagoon with rope swings and waterslides that will keep the kids occupied for hours you can even paddle a kayak around in the lagoon. In addition, the property has a kids club for ages four to 12 , so Mom can go the spa and Dad can play golf at the new Greg Norman Signature golf course.
There are also multiple restaurants, cooking classes, movie nights, and a weekly market with live Mexican music and crafts. Plus, theres a 24-hour tacos and tamales menu in case you get a late-night craving!
Pros:
Entertainment And Recreational Opportunities At The Resort Were Plentiful And With Greater Flexibility And Availability Than We’ve Experienced On Cruises
I thought the recreational activities at the resort were far more flexible than I’ve experienced on cruise ships.
The resort has a huge gym with aerobics and yoga classes, plus billiards, outdoor table tennis, an aqua park, volleyball, corn hole, bikes, golf, horseshoes, snorkeling, basketball, ladder ball, tennis, and an on-site diving center. I also spotted handcrafting stations where families could make a variety of crafts together.
Every day, the resort posted activities such as kayaking, pickleball tournaments, bingo, group games, blackjack, and movie nights. None of these activities incurred any additional charges.
Of course, cruise travel offers similar opportunities, but in my experience, many of those onboard activities felt crowded or came with long lines.
The expansive space of our resort, by contrast, made it so that we never had difficulty participating in the activities we wanted, and we never had to plan ahead or rush to get in line for the things we wanted to do.
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Which Cruise Lines Offer Family Cruises
The oldest cruise line in the world, P& O Cruises is a firm favourite with the British cruising market. Though P& O may not initially spring to mind when planning a family cruise, the line offers fun for all a selection of child-friendly shore excursions, excellent kids clubs for children aged 2 to 17, an abundance of group activities including karaoke, board games, deck games, mini-golf and table tennis as well as swimming pools, jacuzzis and splash areas for the little ones. Princess Cruises offers a voyage like no other. Journeying to over 380 destinations around the world, the cruise line offers unique, immersive experiences for the whole family both on board and at shore. Royal Caribbean wins the title for best family cruise line hands down. With the biggest and boldest ships, the cruise line pairs innovative ideas with one-of-a-kind activities not found elsewhere. Ice rinks, basketballs courts, rock climbing walls, escape rooms, laser tag and much, much more keep the whole family occupied during voyages to all four corners of the world.
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Why All Inclusive Cruises
Cruising can take you from place to place in no time at all, usually overnight, so you will have plenty of time to explore a variety of exciting locations. With your accommodation, food and entertainment all in one place what could be better? All inclusive cruises take the worry out of any additional costs to your holiday, allowing you to take advantage of a range of onboard activities included in your all inclusive package. Take an all-inclusive cruise to avoid any nasty end of holiday bills!
Psst: All inclusive cruises are great all year round – take the stress out of Christmas and New Year dinner by enjoying celebrations on board! See what Easter cruises, Christmas cruises and New Year’s Eve cruises we have on offer.
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My Family Loves To Cruise But When We Wanted To Go To Mexico We Were Unsatisfied With Cruise Pricing And Availability We Chose An All
When my wife and I wanted to take our four young kids on an end-of-summer vacation, we first considered a cruise.
We’ve cruised five times before with Princess, Carnival, and Disney and had good experiences.
But concerned about potential COVID-19 disruptions, and unsatisfied with the pricing and availability options for the amount of nights we wanted to travel, we decided to instead book a six-night all-inclusive resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
Viking World Horizons Cruises
Best for: Retirees
Do you have a third of the year to explore the globeand a sizable pension and retirement nest egg to pay for an adventure like this? If so, book this all-inclusive cruise. Theres a lot to love about Viking Cruise Lines: a contemporary, Scandinavian style smaller ships that can get into ports larger ocean liners ships cant reach no casinos and no kids under 18. You also wont find umbrella drinks or intrusive photographers roaming the decks, or any interior stateroomseveryone gets a room with a view and a veranda to sail the world for more than 100 days.
Whats included: On its all-inclusive 136-day World Cruises and 119-day World Horizons sailing tours in 2022, Viking offers free round-trip, business-class airfare and transfers to and from port, visa services, and a $2,000 shore excursion credit. Youll also get 48 guided tours during the stops in 22 countries, a $1,000 onboard credit, 24-hour room service, one shore excursion in each port, and a culture curriculum. After seeing the world, you may be ready to dial things down with an intimate romantic cruise.
Where you can cruise: The Viking World cruise will take you to 27 countries, and World Horizons visits 22, leaving Los Angeles and arriving in London 119 later. Along the way, you will experience just about half of the globe, including New Zealand, India, Jordan, and Greece.
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Sonesta Maho Beach Resort Casino & Spa St Maarten
Set on 10 acres of beachfront property, the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino & Spa is the largest all-inclusive family resort on the charismatic island nation of St. Maarten. The vibrant resort is one of the islands primary entertainment hubs, with the biggest casino and nightclub on the island for adult diversions. It also features an extensive array of dining and activity options, including the Oasis Pool with a swim-up bar. For the kids, theres the Beach House Kids Club, an Aqua Park, a pizzeria, play areas, and a separate media-equipped hangout for teens with everything from a pool table to a PlayStation. For something a little closer to home, these are affordable beach vacations in America.
Pros:
- Tons of entertainment and diversions for every age
- Direct access to Maho Beach
Cons:
Whats Included On Scenic Luxury Cruises
With Scenic, an all-inclusive cruise means full onboard butler service, dining experiences with cocktails, free Wi-Fi, an in-suite mini-bar refreshed daily, spa experiences , and transportation to and from the airport. Gratuities are covered in the cost of your cruise, including gratuities for shore excursions. And speaking of excursions, destination and subject matter experts lead excursions off the ship as well as special onboard programs.
Scenic Luxury Cruises sometimes offers two-for-one specials on select ocean voyages. Solo travelers may also be able to avoid a single supplement on certain sailings.
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Resort Excursions Were Similar To Those We’ve Taken On Cruises But Came With More Options I Thought
The resort offered many excursions to hotel guests at an extra charge, such as ziplining, horseback riding, and swimming with dolphins.
We opted to arrange our own day trip and hired a local company to take us on a private, guided tour of the ancient city of Tulum. We explored Mayan ruins while our guide taught us the significance of everything we observed. After Tulum, the same company took us to the theme park Xcaret, with dining, shopping, and animal encounters, plus natural and cultural attractions.
On another day, our guide took us to Chichén Itzá, where we saw the massive stone pyramid, El Castillio. Afterwards, we visited a cenote where members of our group dove off small cliffs and explored the fresh, clear water.
On each excursion, our guide stayed with our group, got us to and from everything safely and on time, and the price included tickets for all venues, meals, and drinks. We didn’t feel pressured to only pursue excursions offered by the resort, as we have on cruise ships, and I thought the excursions we booked on our own were cheaper and less crowded than the ones we’ve booked through cruises.
On cruises we’ve been on, it felt to me like a large number of passengers were vying for the same excursions in the same limited timeframe. But I never experienced the same rush at the hotel and thought everyone seemed to be coming and going at different times.
Overall The Entire Cost Of Our All
The cost of our all-inclusive resort vacation for our family of six was significantly cheaper than what we paid for our last cruise.
Our full stay, including round-trip, non-stop airfare from Salt Lake City to Cancun, plus our suite and all resort activities, food, drinks, taxes, and fees came out to be $5,487.
That’s about half of what we paid for our seven-night Disney Cruise onboard the Disney Fantasy in September of 2019. On that sailing, we needed two staterooms for the six of us, which cost $9,566. And that price did not include the additional $1,468 we paid for roundtrip airfare for the entire family to and from Orlando, Florida, to begin the cruise.
Going forward, I think my family will still go on cruises, but only when it makes sense. I plan to shop around first for better deals, and I think I’m mostly likely to find them at all-inclusive resorts.
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I Liked That I Didn’t Have To Worry About Seasickness Or Fear Port Cancellations
Though we’ve fared well on most cruises we’ve been on, in one instance, we did deal with particularly choppy waters where we spent much of that voyage laying down in our staterooms.
Cruising is also highly dependent on countries and local cities allowing ships to dock for the day, and on one past cruise, our planned full day at Disney’s private Bahamian island, Castaway Cay, was canceled when the ship captain said the water was too rough to dock, resulting in another “day at sea” instead.
Once we were at our Mexican resort, however, we never had to worry about such things.
Sort Through A Wealth Of Options With All
The Caribbean is one of the most popular destinations in the world for all-inclusive stays. When you book an all-inclusive vacation in the Caribbean, you can expect to be set up right next to the famous turquoise waters the sea is known for no matter which island you choose. Water sports are often included as well whether you’re interested in surfing, snorkelling, or kayaking.
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Whats Included On Viking Ocean Cruises
Vikings all-inclusive price includes non-alcoholic drinks and some alcoholic beverages at lunch and dinner, a shore excursion in each port, access to the spas thermal suite, various fitness classes, 24-hour room service, laundry services, free Wi-Fi, and airport transfers. Some special promotions also include round-trip airfare.
Whats Included On Virgin Voyages
Virgin has just one ship, the Scarlet Lady, and its the cruise lines approach to 24-hour dining that really sets is apart from others. Instead of buffets, Virgins all-inclusive sailings invite guests to dine at 20 different specialty restaurants onboard. Each cruise with Virgin Voyages also includes Wi-Fi, tips and gratuities, theatrical productions, and group workouts. Non-alcoholic drinks are also included, but alcoholic beverages are sold at a per drink price starting at $5.
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Sirenian Bay Resort & Villas Belize
If you think all-inclusive means massive and sprawling, think again. This new resort in on the Caribbean coast of Belize offers a boutique-property stay without skimping on the all-inclusive perks. Among the highlights are spacious two-bedroom villa suites, perfect for families to spread out a private beach the only mini-golf course and pickleball courts in the entire country and a separate pool just for dive-in movies. Sirenian also owns local snorkeling and tour companies, so its easy to add a ziplining and tubing adventure in the rain forest or a snorkeling trip to a tropical caye to your stay. Placencia, the city where the resort is located, is also a hidden gem for off-season travel.
Pros:
- Intimate environment means you can easily keep an eye on the kids
- Larger villa options for multigenerational vacations
Cons:
Cost Effective & Easy To Plan
Planning a family holiday can be a stressful, time-consuming task that can often take longer than the holiday itself. Fortunately, our all-inclusive family cruises take all that hassle away thanks to a range of flexible group options that are easy to book and great value for money. Spend less time worrying about the details and spend more quality time with your loved ones. Plus, all your travel, accommodation, main meals in designated restaurants and entertainment are included in the price, making a P& O family cruise far more cost-effective and convenient than a holiday on land. Unpack once, and enjoy your family holiday immediately!
To find out more, read the 5 ways to plan the best family cruise holiday ever.
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No Surprises On Your Bill
For a luxurious vacation at sea that wont deliver a shocking bill on disembarkation day, focus your search on all-inclusive cruises. While most of the best cruises can, at times, feel all-inclusive if you eat in the main dining room and drink only tap water on the rocks, thats not always the case. Many restaurants on the bulk of cruise ships, even on the most trusted cruise lines, carry an extra fee , and soda, wine, beer, and cocktails are going to cost you. And if you want to try a spinning class in the fitness center or do yoga on the deck, expect to see a charge added to your folio.
True all-inclusive cruises, on the other hand, offer guests nearly everything they could dream of while at sea . Of course, the per person fare will be higher than your usual stateroom on the big cruise ships, but youll get so much more included and have no surprises on your credit card statement. How much higher will depend on the specific ship and how luxurious it is!
If youre traveling as a family, consider one of the best cruises for kids, but for an all-in grown-up experience, try these all-inclusive cruises that cover all meals, even at the specialty dining destinations on board, as well as all activities. Many of them will also cover your alcoholic drinks, gratuities, laundry, shore excursions, airfare, and more. Read on to find out whichand to book your next trip! If you decide that youd prefer to be pampered on land, head over to this list of the best all-inclusive resorts.
Kids Sail Free Cruise Deals For 2022
With an assist from the experts at Cruise Critic, weve compiled a complete list of major cruise lines that will let kids cruise free or at a significantly reduced price 2022. Additional cruise fare savings onboard these kid-friendly cruise lines also put a vacation within reach for families looking to balance tighter budgets with the strong urge to return to normalcy and have an adventure together again.
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