Before You Travel: Planning The Perfect Family Vacation

Every family dreams of having the perfect impulsive family vacation. Images of happy children running across sandy beaches and laughing in the surf dominate almost all family vacation advertising campaigns. The fact is though that at the heart of every care free and stress less vacation is a plan that has been made meticulously and organized long before you jump in your car and head to the airport. In the planning stages of your next family vacation and want to ensure it is as perfect as possible? Here are a few hints and tips:

Proper Prior Planning

When you arrive at your vacation destination you can breath a sigh of relief: trained professionals will ensure that your luggage makes its way to your hotel room, that your children are fed and watered, and effectively that you have all the tools you need to have a good time. Getting to that point, however, is your job. That means planning before you even leave the house is key to enjoying a perfect vacation. First you need to think about money: what can you afford to spend on your vacation? This will determine where you can go and how long your vacation can be. How much spending money will you need to put to one side? Work out a rough budget of how much you think you will need to spend whilst you’re away and then exchange your travel money before you travel: this will ensure you get the best possible currency exchange rate and reduce your stress upon arrival at your destination.

Once you’ve dealt with these ‘grown up’ issues it’s time to involve your kids. Ask your family members what they want to do and gain from their vacation time. The more input you get from each family member, the better your vacation will be. Older children will be able to tell you each specific activity they want to enjoy whilst younger kids may simply know they want to see the sea: any input is massively helpful and will make you vacation that little bit more special. Want to make involve older children further? Then give them specific vacation roles. Children that enjoy photography, for example, can be made the official vacation photographer. Children with a passion for puzzles can be made the trip navigator, charged with deciphering the maps!

When to Travel

Once you’ve decided how you’d like to travel and where you’d like to go, you need to pick the right time of year to take your family vacation. The first factor to take into consideration when making this decision is how old your children are: if you have school-age children then you are tied into travelling during school vacation times, so that your vacation won’t have an impact on their education. This means you have to prepare yourself for travelling during the peak season when lots of other families will be on the road or heading to the airport. If you’re children are younger and not yet in a formalized school environment then you can avoid this scrum by travelling before the school vacations begin so that your journey and your final destination will be quieter and more relaxed. May and September are the ideal months for this, as the weather in most destinations is still clement.

Time To Pack!

Finally, it’s time to think smart when it comes to packing your suitcases. As well as a plentiful supply of sunscreen and weather appropriate clothing for each member of your family you should also think about what else you need to pack that will make your life a little easier when you’re on your vacation. For younger children quiet and distracting toys such as play figures and coloring books will provide a welcome distraction when boredom strikes. Easy to carry snacks are also a handy distraction and will prevent any hunger tantrums at inopportune moments. For older children remember to pack a plentiful supply of batteries to keep consoles and electronic devices powered for the duration of your journey. By anticipating the needs of each member of your family, you can ensure that your travelling time is as pain free and pleasant as possible.

Now you’re equipped with everything you need to start planning that perfect family vacation you’ve always dreamed of. What are you waiting for?

contributed by Susanne Goode

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Cruising with Kids: What You Need to Remember

When many people think of 'family vacations' their first thought probably wouldn't automatically turn to cruising. Confined spaces, adult entertainment and slippery railings might be enough to put some parents off but in fact statistics show that the cruise industry is one of the fastest growing areas of the travel business and many of it's passengers include families with young children.

Flying (or sailing) in the face of their old reputation of being post-retirement vacations, many liners are now specifically designed for families with a range of facilities, clubs and activities to keep the kids occupied on board and giving the whole family the unique opportunity to visit multiple destinations while only unpacking once. Despite their increased family friendliness, some parents still might be wary and let's face it: when kids are involved no trip is ever completely simple. So here are some tips on how you can set sail this summer and cruise safely and happily with your kids.

Safety First

Accidents onboard cruise liners are rare but it is still important to talk to your children about safety and encourage them to follow the rules. It is beneficial for children (who are old enough to understand) to attend the muster drill to make them aware of the risks and how they should act in an emergency. Be aware that younger children require specialist safety equipment and should always be supervised and kept away from balconies – for this reason many families with babies or toddlers opt for interior cabins or suites. Sometimes booking two adjoining cabins can be cheaper than a suite but it is down to parents to make judgement calls on their kids safety in an unsupervised cabin based on their age and abilities. The same applies for letting them explore the ship outside of your accommodation. Ultimately the responsibility is yours to decide if this sort of freedom is appropriate and safe for your child – don't assume that accidents can't happen just because they are confined to a ship.

Be aware of restrictions

Different liners have different age restrictions and obviously this is something you need to check out before booking. Some will accept children of any age, others have a minimum of 3-6 months and others even advise parents to wait until children are 2 years and above before travelling. There may also be age limits on kids clubs, onboard babysitting services and shore excursions so read all of the small print and pick a liner that will best suit the whole family. It is also worth remembering that many cruise liners will not allow swim diapers in their pools due to limited filtering systems and not all cabins have bath tubs which may pose problems for babies and toddlers.

Don't overdo it

The choice of activities onboard a cruise liner and the excursions available on shore can often be overwhelming and when you're on vacation you want to make the most of every opportunity. Family friendly cruise liners such as Disney and Carnival offer everything from live shows to competitive sports to art classes and it's great to let your kids try something new and even participate in family activities – after all that's what a vacation is all about. But overdoing it can leave you with exhausted, grumpy and difficult children so try and incorporate some down time into their day and stick to a flexible routine where possible – even if that just means eating dinner or taking a nap at the same time each day. Although it's great to explore different ports, utilizing time on the ship during the quiet periods when other passengers are on shore can give your kids the opportunity to have the ships facilities all to themselves.

Pack wisely

Prepare to have a lot of luggage. Not only are you packing for the ship but depending on the destination of your cruise, your chosen stopovers and excursions you may need everything from swimwear to hiking boots to winter clothing. Some of the larger cruise liners have laundrettes or offer clothes washing services but check this before you travel as you don't want any of the family to run out of clothes. When it comes to kids the essentials such as bug spray and sunblock for hot days on deck are necessary alongside the usual clothes and toys, whilst a cheap pair of binoculars can keep them occupied for hours as they scour the sea and any nearby land. Although larger cruise liners are generally too big for passengers to feel the motion of the ocean, kids are particularly susceptible to seasickness so it is worth carrying some child-friendly medication or invest in a pair of 'sea bands' – wristbands which regulate the pulse and improve balance, reducing feelings of nausea.

contributed by Susanne Goode

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