I have two
young kids (one 2 yr, another 5 yr) and we’d like to bring them to
Hawaii
for a week or so.
They have never been to an island before, and I am a bit nervous for what we
should prepare as parents.
Would
appreciate any insights that you might have.
Mary Ann
Hi Mary Ann,
Let me share
with you the following “Parents Island Survival Kit” from a fellow travel
counselor – I have shared that with many of my friends and Hilaya travelers and
they all love this!
•Sunscreen-is a must
•Any stuffed animal or blanket that a child is extremely
attached to.
•Coloring or activity books and crayons-this is good to have
on the plane, in restaurants, and on long car rides.
•A stroller and a backpack carrier are great items to bring
for infants and toddlers. And of course, car seats( you could rent one as well)
•Dramamine for motion sickness
•Snacks and beverages
•Disposable cameras for each child-this is a great way to
keep the kids interested in what is going on around them. They are able to save
memories of their vacation memories after their own perspective.
•You can also have fun with your kids by creating a scrap
book of your island vacation memories after you return and have photos
developed!
•Map-free mays are provided when you rent a car.
•Small first aid kit
•Sense of humor! Kids will be kids and there is nothing
worth ruining your entire vacation over.
I’ve
compiled the frequently-asked-questions for all-inclusive vacation as below and
hope this helps.
What’s an
all-inclusive vacation?
•Round-trip air fare and airport transfer, hotel room
accommodation, all the meals, and entertainment programs
•It is much cheaper than if you buy them separately (and…
sometimes, kids can stay free!)
•People also use all-inclusive resorts for weddings, group
reunions and other large events
•Again, travel agents have better deals and deeper knowledge
than a website
What do
families do there?
·Day activities: Whale
watching, Scuba lesson, Watching the sun rise... or set... on the beach, Biking through the breeze, Euro-bungee, Aqua gym, Yoga, Practice putting on a
beautiful green , Tennis, Beach volley ball , Cooking classes, Cocktail lessons,
Slow beach walks, Archery, Badminton, Toss horseshoes, Croquet, Soccer,
Ping-pong…
·Evening activities: Moonlit
theme parties, Outstanding music and shows, Big screen outdoor movies under the
stars, Evening craft market ... and other surprises every night
What are
popular destinations for all-inclusive vacation?
•Caribbean, Bahamas, and Costa Rica
•Mexico (Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta,
Cancun)
What’s
the best time to go?
•High-season: Mid-November through May
•Low-season: June through Mid-November
•Best time: Late October/early November
•Best-to-avoid time: August to November is the Hurricane
season
I am interested in cruise but not sure how to make most out of it. Any tips or suggestions?
Cruiser-wannabe
Hi Cruiser-wannabe,
Thank you for asking this great question. You're not alone in this :-) !
Sometimes even people have been cruised might have same questions if they just treat cruise as any other travel products like airline ticket - they book the cruises online, go there, and come back home with not-so-great experience - and they start asking themselves, "why everyone else seems to like cruise, while I am not...".
Well, cruise is quite different and unique.
And let me share with you a few tips that how you could ensure that you have a great cruise vacation next time (or this time if you haven't cruised before):
•Plan early for early booking discount and the best stateroom
available.
–6-12 months in advance for Alaska cruise
–3 – 6 months in advance for Caribbean, Mediterranean and Europe cruise
–3 + month in advance for Mexico cruise
•Avoid holidays, school breaks, take longer cruises and/or
get a group
–Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring break are most crowded time
–3 to 4 days cruises are busier than 7 days or longer cruise
–Group rate (7 or more staterooms) can give you at least 10%
discount
•Select cruise lines best for your style and family situation
–Most family-friendly cruise: Princess and Disney
–Most romantic and exotic: Cunard and Seven Seas
–Most popular destinations: Western Caribbean, Mexican Rivera and Alaska.
•Use a good travel agent
–Travel agents sell over 70% of total cruises, so they have
absolutely better deals than websites
–Travel agents can take care of everything – cruise, shore
excursions, insurance, air, etc.
–Travel agents look at their customers for long-term
relationships, not short-term transactions
Hi Lingling, I haven't cruised before, but heard from many friends that cruise might be something worth trying, especially for families with children. Why is that?
Let me just share with you top five reasons why families (especially those with kids!) love cruises so much.
•Incredible
travel value
–One price pays for accommodation,
dining, entertainment, childcare and many more activities!
•Extremely
family friendly
–families love cruising! Children's
programs, kid-friendly menus and tours of the ship will make children happy,
plus give their parents some time alone
•Absolutely
simple to plan and enjoy the cruise
–planning a cruise is simple. Once you're
onboard, nearly all expenses are pre-paid...talk about hassle free. And you only unpack once!
•Personal
choice of many activities
–fill your days with sightseeing, sports,
activities, cultural lectures, educational tours or simply lounge by the pool
and relax. At night, enjoy dance extravaganzas, musical revues, gaming or
a quiet evening gazing at the stars
•Variety
of cruise style and destinations
–with over 100 distinctive ships, 1800
ports of call, theme cruises and an unbelievable array of places to see and
things to do, there is a perfect cruise for you. And you can take a cruise vacation any time
of the year!
Please also check out other posts re cruise and I hope you will enjoy cruise soon!
We are thinking of taking a vacation during 2008 holidays, but we are not sure if it's a good idea. It seems the economy is not in good shape, and the gas price is high. But staying at home is really no fun.
Any ideas, suggestions or advice on that?
Thanks.
Eager-to-take-a-break traveler
==================================
Dear Eager-to-take-a-break traveler,
Many people asked me this question as the holidays approach. And let me share with you one recent article by Christopher Elliott, a Travel Columnist and MSNBC contributor. I would tend to agree with him that this holiday season might be the best-ever time to travel around - less crowded airports and hotels, more amenities and activities to enjoy, yet at a softer price.
Of course, just like any holiday trips, you might want to plan it early and book it as soon as you can. I wouldn't recommend to wait until the last minute to see if "Last minute deal" is available - if price is a concern, talk to me and/or get a group, as that would always be better than guessing and waiting for the last minute deal which might or might not be the best deal.
Here is Christopher's "5 Reasons to Travel during the 2008 holidays"
By Christopher Elliott
Travel columnist
MSNBC contributor
updated
8:09 a.m. PT,Mon., Sept. 8, 2008
Christopher
Elliott
Travel columnist
Here's
a holiday travel forecast you probably won't read anywhere else: look for lower prices on everything from air fares to hotel
room rates, smaller crowds and a more pleasant overall experience.
Am
I nuts? Couldn't I just write the same story everyone else is? You know the
holidays are coming! The holidays are coming! They'll be busier than ever this
year. So here are a dozen tips on how to stay sane, but really, you are better
off just staying home.
Thats how the facts seem to line up. Consider:
Airlines will pare their domestic flights by 8.1 percent
during the last four months of the year. That's a total of 25 million fewer
seats, according to an estimate by OAGback Aviation Solutions and reported by my
colleague, Msnbc.com columnist Rob Lovitt. It's the
biggest pullback since 2001 and perhaps ever. Drivers are making similar
cutbacks. Since last November, Americans have driven 53.2 billion miles less
than they did over the same period a year earlier, according to the Transportation Department.
That's a bigger drop than the one in the oil crisis of the 1970s, which
precipitated a decline of 49.3 billion miles. As a result, Labor Day travel by
car was basically flat compared with last year, and car rental rates have
remained more or less unchanged since 2007.
Hotels are feeling the pinch, too.
They were about two-thirds full, on average, during the second quarter of this
year, down by more than two percent from the same period a year earlier,
according to Smith Travel Research. The only bright spot at least for the
hotels is that they've been able to squeeze more money out of each guest.
Average room rates are up by almost four percent for the same period. That's bad
news and more bad news for travelers. Panicky hoteliers are
cranking up the fees and rates on their remaining guests. That's no fun.
You don't have to be a snarky travel columnist to connect
the dots and conclude that this is going to be the worst fall for travel ever
and that the upcoming holidays will be completely unbearable.
But that would be nonsense. The fall of 2008 and
Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years might be among the best for travel in
recent memory. Certainly, the best since 2001. It could even be the best
ever.
I've come to this contrarian conclusion after talking
with a lot of folks in the travel industry and with you, dear travelers. You are
not barricading yourselves in your bedrooms like extras in a zombie movie. You
have no problem scheduling a trip during the holidays. No, you are actually
looking forward to this fall. Here are five reasons why I am, too:
Behold, a president bearing gifts Regardless of who wins the presidential election in
November, travelers can probably expect a change for the better. Practically
speaking, it could mean lower fuel prices (after all, both candidates say they
want to lessen our dependence on foreign oil) and a higher dollar (both
candidates have pledged to control spending and jumpstart the economy). Author
and blogger Janet Groene is
upbeat about travel after the presidential election, adding that her optimism
holds true, no matter who wins. I agree.
A more civil flying experience Air travelers are adjusting to the
historic airline cuts by flying less. So it's unlikely that flights will be more
crowded than ever. In fact, it's possible that more air travelers will forfeit
their trip than the airlines expected, which could translate into smaller crowds
at the airports and possibly even lower fares. There's some evidence this is
already happening. Expedia says in certain markets, prices are dropping
precipitously. Fall fares between Denver and San Francisco are down 32 percent
and those between Denver and San Diego are down 30 percent. How about airline
delays? Passenger trip delays will remain at the same levels as 2007, Lance
Sherry, executive director for the Center for Air Transportation Systems
Research at George Mason University, told me. That's not exactly good news, but
then again, at least it won't be any worse.
Some cruise prices are sinking The cost of a Caribbean cruise is falling to levels
not seen since 2001, according to Sharon Emerson, a Seattle travel agent and blogger. Why the slide? She
speculates that there are overcapacity issues too many berths, not enough
cruisers or that it's just the slow season in the islands. Either way, there
are deals to be had. For instance, Royal Caribbean has cruises from under $700
to the Caribbean, she says. Carnival has many under $600.
Smaller crowds overseas, too The fall and holidays were already a great time to
take an overseas vacation. It's a slow time of year, and most of the rest of
the world has never heard of Thanksgiving, but this year it could be even
better. There will be a lot less traffic to international destinations, predicts Michael Stone, a travel consultant with Gestation, Inc., in Fort
Lauderdale, Fla. This will likely mean better service as employees in
international destinations will be happier to see American travelers. His
personal favorite is the Caribbean, but my colleague Tim Leffel favors Central
American destinations like Panama,
Ecuador and Belize.
Cheaper hotel rooms? You got it! John Boyd, the founder of MeetingWave, an online
networking service for business executives, believes hotel room availability and pricing
should improve as occupancy rates slide later this year. Both corporations and
individuals are cutting back on travel, he says. They should find better deals
at domestic travel destinations such as Las Vegas, Miami and New York.
Now let me connect a few dots. During the last four
months of 2008, prices for almost every travel product could drop. There will be
fewer passengers crowding the airport terminals, fewer motorists on the road and
fewer people on cruise ships. What's not to love about that?
This reminds me of the fall of 2001. Right after the 9/11
terrorist attacks, travel fell off a figurative cliff. I flew a week after Sept.
11, and truth be told, I haven't has such a good flight since airline
deregulation. I was one of only a few guests in my hotel. The staff and flight
attendants were friendly. What a pleasure.
The fact that people are comparing this fall to 2001
gives me hope. It should give all of us hope.
Thank you for contacting me for your cruise. To answer your questions:
1. Western or Eastern Caribbean.
Princess 7-day Eastern Caribbean ItineraryPrincess 7-day Western Caribbean Itinerary
As you can see from the itinerary, eastern Caribbean islands tend to be
smaller and closer, so you will spend less time to sail (the days that
you are on the sea) but more time to go shopping and beaches. But note
the options of shore excursions tend to be fewer.
On the contrary, western Caribbean islands (Jamaica, Grand Cayman,
Cozumel, Bahamas, etc) are bigger and further away from Florida, so you
will spend more time (compare to Eastern) on the sea. Meanwhile, you
will have variety of shore excursions to select other than shopping and
typical beach activities. And water quality tends to be better.
For first-time cruisers, although you will get great experience from
either itinerary, I probably would recommend Western Caribbean cruise
as it's more like a traditional cruise experience - you are on the sea,
away from the crowed cities. and you can have more choices when it
comes to shore excursions if you do want to go ashore.
That's also part of the reasons why we took Western Caribbean last
March. We met many families repeated taking the same itinerary (each
year!). Of course, we will do eastern/south/north Caribbean later.
2. Which cruise line(s) for family with 2-year-old little girl?
One thing that you might already know, the free childcare services
(it's not totally free as you need to pay some money each day for like
$ 10 per day, but it's really nominal fee) on most cruiselines start at
age 3. That means you will either have to pay for childcare, or take
them with you, or leave them at home with grandparents.
Having said that, let me recommend the following to actually overcome this and still have a good time:
Choose Disney or Princess. Disney will be my first
recommendation as it's been constantly and consistently ranked as THE
most family-friendly cruise. They have a nursery services which you pay
around $ 6.00 per hour but it's really great services and the
facilities are fantastic!
One unique thing about Disney is that they don't have Casinos, so the
cruisers for Disney are mostly families with kids (especially young
kids) which provides a great environment for you and your child. Note
that because of this - and all the Disney-type entertainment programs -
Disney cruises tend to be priced higher than average cruises as Casino
income is an important on-board revenue for cruises.
Princess is also wonderful for kids - you can see from my travel blog
:-) - but most importantly, among all the travel agent community ( and
I am in a network of over 600 professional travel agents ), Princess
has been constantly ranked as a very good cruise line for families.
Princess is also famous for great food and high quality entertainment
programs among large-size ships (defined as over 1000 passengers). But
the price point of Princess is lower than that of Disney.
Get a group of multiple families with kids at the same age.
If you have other friends who also have kids at age 2 or below 3, call them and invite them to join you for a group cruise.
Not only will you get a good deal - group rate - but also you guys can
share childcare responsibilities while moms can go shopping, dads are
taking care of the kids ( or dads go to late night shows, moms watching
the kids ) - or one family is taking care of the kids for one day at a
time.
Let me know if this helps. I will be more than happy to help your
questions or booking (early booking discount/group rate can save up to
20%).
