All Inclusive with Kids
Dec 11th 2013 | 3:31 pm
#16
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 28,998
Re: All Inclusive with Kids
No, me either. However, if you want to keep your young kids entertained 24 hours a day there's no better way to do it than on a cruise.
Dec 12th 2013 | 8:49 am
#17
Thread Starter
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 286
From: Calgary
Re: All Inclusive with Kids
Because its nice and warm. The kids can be entertained while the adults can get pissed by the pool. 
http://www.atlantis.com/kids.aspx
http://www.atlantis.com/kids.aspx
Have you been here yourself?
Dec 12th 2013 | 8:50 am
#18
Thread Starter
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 286
From: Calgary
Re: All Inclusive with Kids
My sister took her kids on a Disney cruise. She said it was perfect - the kids are entertained all day while parents can either do grown up stuff or do kids stuff with them. There's onboard babysitting so parents can go out for dinner, etc and you don't have to worry about them running off.
Dec 13th 2013 | 6:24 am
#19
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 158
From: Airdrie, AB
Re: All Inclusive with Kids
We did a cruise with our son (he was almost 4) and it was alright. The kids club he was not overly impressed with so for the days we were at sea (3/7) it was a challenge to keep him entertained, especially as the pools were not that warm and the weather was not that great. I found the rushing around in port was not in the slightest bit relaxing, you are always clock watching and as a result I did not get the time I would have liked to have exploring as a family.
I personally would prefer flying to a destination and staying put. Sadly the place we went to with him (age 14 months) was not a hotel I would recommend although there was more to do with him being on terra firma rather than at sea. A cruise ship, no matter how big, can start to feel small and if the weather is not great (as with us) you are severely limited to minimal indoor activities. I also felt because we were going from New Orleans in January (fantastic city to visit without kids) we never really got to fully acclimatise to the heat and that meant the visits to the Caribbean ports left us hot and bothered, more so than had we just been kicking back and relaxing at an all-inclusive.
Oh - babysitting rates on our ship were $19 per hour for one child.
So my vote would be AI (non-cruise). When looking for a hotel, check the boxes for family, ocean front and you will get a wide selection. Watch the flight times though, some are nasty and I would be reluctant to do those by myself, never mind with a couple of small kiddos in tow.
Helen
I personally would prefer flying to a destination and staying put. Sadly the place we went to with him (age 14 months) was not a hotel I would recommend although there was more to do with him being on terra firma rather than at sea. A cruise ship, no matter how big, can start to feel small and if the weather is not great (as with us) you are severely limited to minimal indoor activities. I also felt because we were going from New Orleans in January (fantastic city to visit without kids) we never really got to fully acclimatise to the heat and that meant the visits to the Caribbean ports left us hot and bothered, more so than had we just been kicking back and relaxing at an all-inclusive.
Oh - babysitting rates on our ship were $19 per hour for one child.
So my vote would be AI (non-cruise). When looking for a hotel, check the boxes for family, ocean front and you will get a wide selection. Watch the flight times though, some are nasty and I would be reluctant to do those by myself, never mind with a couple of small kiddos in tow.
Helen
Dec 13th 2013 | 6:38 am
#20
.
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 20,188
Re: All Inclusive with Kids
We did a cruise with our son (he was almost 4) and it was alright. The kids club he was not overly impressed with so for the days we were at sea (3/7) it was a challenge to keep him entertained, especially as the pools were not that warm and the weather was not that great. I found the rushing around in port was not in the slightest bit relaxing, you are always clock watching and as a result I did not get the time I would have liked to have exploring as a family.
Dec 13th 2013 | 7:42 am
#21
Banned
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 3,342
From: Durham Region Extension
Re: All Inclusive with Kids
We did a cruise with our son (he was almost 4) and it was alright. The kids club he was not overly impressed with so for the days we were at sea (3/7) it was a challenge to keep him entertained, especially as the pools were not that warm and the weather was not that great. I found the rushing around in port was not in the slightest bit relaxing, you are always clock watching and as a result I did not get the time I would have liked to have exploring as a family.
I personally would prefer flying to a destination and staying put. Sadly the place we went to with him (age 14 months) was not a hotel I would recommend although there was more to do with him being on terra firma rather than at sea. A cruise ship, no matter how big, can start to feel small and if the weather is not great (as with us) you are severely limited to minimal indoor activities. I also felt because we were going from New Orleans in January (fantastic city to visit without kids) we never really got to fully acclimatise to the heat and that meant the visits to the Caribbean ports left us hot and bothered, more so than had we just been kicking back and relaxing at an all-inclusive.
Oh - babysitting rates on our ship were $19 per hour for one child.
So my vote would be AI (non-cruise). When looking for a hotel, check the boxes for family, ocean front and you will get a wide selection. Watch the flight times though, some are nasty and I would be reluctant to do those by myself, never mind with a couple of small kiddos in tow.
Helen
I personally would prefer flying to a destination and staying put. Sadly the place we went to with him (age 14 months) was not a hotel I would recommend although there was more to do with him being on terra firma rather than at sea. A cruise ship, no matter how big, can start to feel small and if the weather is not great (as with us) you are severely limited to minimal indoor activities. I also felt because we were going from New Orleans in January (fantastic city to visit without kids) we never really got to fully acclimatise to the heat and that meant the visits to the Caribbean ports left us hot and bothered, more so than had we just been kicking back and relaxing at an all-inclusive.
Oh - babysitting rates on our ship were $19 per hour for one child.
So my vote would be AI (non-cruise). When looking for a hotel, check the boxes for family, ocean front and you will get a wide selection. Watch the flight times though, some are nasty and I would be reluctant to do those by myself, never mind with a couple of small kiddos in tow.
Helen
Dec 13th 2013 | 8:47 am
#22
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 158
From: Airdrie, AB
Re: All Inclusive with Kids
Nope, you can stay on board the whole time if you like. On our ship the buffet food outlet remained open but the shops are closed while in port so they don't compromise any local trading laws. Not sure about the booze though.
