All-inclusive
vacations have become a popular choice for families as a
Packaged vacations offer the convenience
of including air fare, airport transfers, activities,
hotel, food and beverages for one price. See Booking
On-line.
Parents appreciate the variety of
entertainment offered for various age groups and interests
that can be enjoyed as a family, in groups with peers and
individually. Many resorts provide an opportunity to
participate in numerous sports and run supervised
children's activities that allow parents some relaxing
time.
Facilities and activities vary from
Resort to Resort and we offer some tips for planning and
enjoying your family's All-inclusive Vacation experience.
CLICK ON THE SPECIFIC TIPS OR SCROLL THE
PAGE TO VIEW ALL TIPS
For more travel tips see PARENT TRAVEL TIPS
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Many
people assume that when a packaged vacation is advertised
as "All-inclusive" everything is included.
In actuality what is "included" varies from
Resort to Resort.
Some things to consider when planning an
all-inclusive vacation include:
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Get details of what is included - are
departure taxes extra. Is there a membership fee -
Club Med requires a yearly annual membership fee.
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Are all meals
included. Some packages are just for breakfast and
dinner, while others include lunch. Snacks may or
may not be included as well - see dining tips
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Are all beverages
included. Resorts may include all non-alcoholic
and alcoholic beverages all day long. Other
beverage options may include only non-alcoholic
beverages, wine and beer only or included with dinner, cocktails and other beverages
may be available at an extra charge - see money
saving and dining tips.
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Many resorts do not offer
room service or charge extra for it.
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Cribs and Cots may be
extra.
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Are all on-site
activities included. Beachfront resorts may only
include non-motorized water activities. Ski
Resorts may/may not include other activities like tubing
and skating on a limited or unlimited basis.
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Is tipping extra.
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Some sports may have a
nominal charge for the use of equipment, like tennis
rackets.
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Ski resorts charge extra
for rental equipment, but packages usually included
unlimited lift ticket privileges.
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Are advertised off-site
activities included. Are other excursions
available at a charge.
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Is a car rental included.
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Is evening entertainment
included or are optional evening activities offered and
the cost involved.
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Children's programs are
usually included, however some resorts charge for
evening programs.
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Ensure that Children's
programs are age appropriate and available for your
children.
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Babysitting and nannies
are usually an extra charge.
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Spa services may not be
included.
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Restaurants may have
special dinners available at an additional surcharge.
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MONEY SAVING TIPS
There
are many factors affecting the pricing of all-inclusive
packages. Here are some money-saving tips to
consider:
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Shop around, compare
prices, location and what is included.
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Special Discounts are
available through some on-line booking sites. See
On-line Booking for great links.
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Check for "Kids
Free" programs. Some packages include Kids
eat, stay and even fly free periods.
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Children under 2 years of
age are usually free in the same room and fly free if
seated on adult's lap. See
Air Safety News
about the recommendations for booking a seat and using a car seat on
planes. There may be a charge for
participating in children's programming.
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Schedule
the vacation at non-peak times. Christmas and
School Breaks are traditional more expensive times to
travel, as well as being busier.
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Weekday departures may be
less expensive.
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If travelling as a single
adult, look for packages that do not charge or have a
reduced single supplement or go with a friend.
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Packages that offer
limited alcoholic beverages can be a great value for
families, especially if teenagers are being charged full
fare or if the adults are light drinkers.
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Avoiding gift shops is a
great way to save money while on holiday. Look for
discount t-shirt shops for souvenirs instead of
trinkets.
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Find out what activities
and excursions are extra and the cost - budget
accordingly. Golfing fees and equipment are
usually not included. Court fees for tennis and
squash may be included but there may be a fee for using
resort rackets.
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Connecting rooms may be
an extra charge.
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Opt for standard
accommodations. Hopefully you won't be spending
too much time in the room and luxury accommodations add
considerably to the cost.
For additional money-saving
tips go to Amusement Park Tips
and Tips for Eating Out and Dining with Children
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WHAT TO PACK
Depending on when and where you are
going will affect your packing.
For ski vacations go to Winter Holidays - Ski Vacations
for packing tips. If your destination is a beach or
summer resort, these guidelines may make the job of packing
and unpacking a little easier:
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Try not to take too much. Limit
luggage to one
suitcase and one carry-on per person and
with young children you can sometime double up if the
suitcase is large enough. Visit Lands' End Luggage.
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If diapers are necessary, find out if
they are available at your destination. Some
resorts do carry diapers although the cost may be higher
than normal.
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Most beach and summer resorts have
towels available for guests to use. This is a
great space saver.
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Limit shoes to three pairs - wear one
pair and pack two. Suggested footwear - running shoes,
beach sandals and one dress pair.
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Shorts and t-shirts are a must for kids. Two
bathing suits are a good idea.
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One or two evening outfits as well as
one pair of pants will usually suffice for a beach
vacation.
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For more tips on what to pack see Air Travel Tips,
Travel Games and First Aid Tips.
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Also See Packing for a
Winter/Ski
Vacation and Packing for a Dude
Ranch Vacation.
President's
Tip: I like to pack a week before a vacation if
possible. First I pile up everything I would like to
take and then take one third away. Two days before the
vacation I remove another third. I usually still end
up taking too much but this method works well for our
family. - Maureen Hall
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SAFETY
TIPS
Click on
the following links for safety information:
Click here to return to
list
ENJOYING YOUR VACATION
Well, your bags are packed
and your family is ready to go. Have a great holiday,
relax and enjoy. Remember getting there can be half
the fun.
Participate in the
Welcome or Manager's Party to learn more about the resort
and its facilities. This gives you an opportunity to
plan your week and any off-site excursions your family may
be interested in.
Keeping kids fed and
well-rested goes a long way to keeping the whole family
happy. If you are travelling with young
children a "family nap" during the hottest part
of the day is a great idea. Everyone will have a
chance to rest and be refreshed for the evening ahead.
Check out these parent tip
pages:
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DINING
Buffets are a common
dining experience when travelling to an all-inclusive
resort. A great variety of appetites can be
satisfied with varied choices and ample supply of
food. For some variety we suggest:
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Look for a resort that
has more than one restaurant or themed nightly
meals.
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Many resorts also offer
"Adult Only" restaurants (additional charges
may apply) for a romantic dinner for two. Take
advantage of "Kids' Night Out" entertainment
programs or consider hiring a babysitter for an
evening.
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Budget for and enjoy an
evening meal at a local or nearby resort restaurant
for a change of pace.
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See Tips for Eating Out and Dining with Children
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CHILDREN'S
PROGRAMS
Most family oriented All-inclusive
resorts offer supervised and organized programs and
activities for children. If you plan on
using these facilities while on vacation, ponder these
tips:
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See Kids Clubs Safety Tips
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See Travelling with Teenagers
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If your child or
children are too young for supervised activities or
uncomfortable in large group settings, consider hiring
a resort nanny or babysitter for some quiet time or an
evening out.
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Look for age
appropriate children's clubs and activities. The
majority of children's programs are designed for
children 4 to 12 years of age. A few resorts
offer programs for children 2 and up. Fewer
still have facilities for children under two.
Selected Club Med Resorts have programs for infants 4
months and up. Some Resorts also offer
activities for teens.
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Don't "Dump the
Kids". Plan for some family time
activities, especially at the beach or pool during the
day and evenings.
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BOOKING ON-LINE
Many on-line travel
sites offer booking discounts and the convenience of
comparing packages and pricing from the comfort of your
own home.
Visit the Hotel Fun 4
Kids™ On-line Travel Booking Link Page.
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list
All Tips are offered as suggestions only
While we have tried to provide you with
a list of suggestions to help parents when travelling with
children to keep them safe, unfortunately, we can’t
think of everything and it is the responsibility of
parents to ensure their children’s safety.
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Also See:
For Hotel and Hotel Room Safety Click Below:
For Children's Club and Playroom Safety Click Below:
For Tips on Who and What to Tip Click Below:
See the following sections for specific tips:
For General Travel Tips
Click on
For Travelling with
Teenagers Tips Click on
For
Tips on Eating out with Children Click Below:
For Tips on Enjoying Live Theatre with
Children Click Below:
For Tips on Travelling with Grandchildren Click Below:
For Tips on Taking Pictures Click Below:
For Tips on Protecting Your Home Click Below:
For Amusement Park Tips Click Below
For Tips on Buying Toys Click
Below:
For Tips on Using and Purchasing Travel Equipment for Babies
Click Below:
For Car Travel Tips Click Below:
For Air Travel Tips Click Below:
For Train Travel Tips Click on
For
Games to Play while travelling, Click Below
For Tips on Taking a Dude Ranch Vacation Click on
For Travel Tips - Children with Severe Allergies
Click on
For Winter - Ski
Holiday Tips Click on
For Travel Safety Tips Click
Below
To Return to Travel Tips Click Below
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