Alternatives to cruise for multi-generational family trip?

July 5, 2024 11:35 AM

We have started planning a family reunion for our extended family for next summer. We are currently looking at cruises, but I'd like to think about some potential alternatives, given some of the negative impacts of cruising. I'm thinking maybe an all inclusive resort somewhere in the Caribbean or Mexico but I am overwhelmed with all the choices. Recommendations for specific resorts would be most valuable. Snowflakes below.

Here's what we'd be looking for -
- Family friendly, we will range from ~75 down to less than a year.
- We will have about 4 kids aged < 1 year to 12. Places with kids programs or available babysitting would be great.
- Relatively easy to get to from the east coast.
- Decent food with a couple of different options. (Buffets are NOT popular in my family, strongly prefer a sit down dinner option.)
- Along those lines, somewhere that we can all arrange to meet up for dinner every evening so even if we are doing different things during the day, we see each other at night. (Splitting up into a couple of tables would be fine.)
- Relatively easy to get around - have at least a couple folks with some early mobility issues (bum knee, etc).
- Popular activities would be fishing, snorkeling, beach & pool, running, walking / hiking, bike riding, nature / birding
- All inclusive with option of drink package
- Not too much more expensive than a cruise - I'm seeing rates for week long cruises around $1000- $1500, is that even in the realm of possibility at these resorts?

Thank you for sharing your wisdom, Metafilter!

posted by pineapplerunner to Travel & Transportation (7 answers total)

I unfortunately do not have direct experience - feel free to flag if this doesn't meet your needs - but this is a situation where travel agents can be really helpful. They should be able to give you a ballpark estimate for a variety of resorts, locations, and amenities, and could also help with cruises. They may have access to special rates, and they usually don't cost the traveler to use. I think you can be upfront that you're not sure about booking an all-inclusive, too.
posted by quadrilaterals at 12:17 PM on July 5 [2 favorites]

One (Mexican) part of my extended family goes to Puerto Escondido for family holidays. I haven't been with them, so I can't recommend a specific resort, but I do recommend the area. It is just lovely, has everything you want and is accessible for everyone. I think it is the place I like best in all of Mexico.
posted by mumimor at 12:29 PM on July 5

I've been curious about East Coast family reunion options and looked at Woodloch (in central PA, 2.5 hours drive from NYC) which has a resort complex (all inclusive) as well as freestanding vacation houses for rent with optional meal plan.
posted by spamandkimchi at 1:10 PM on July 5 [1 favorite]

Cheap Caribbean is a great place to start planning an all-inclusive vacation. You can search packages for hotel + flight and they have many filters - including accessible facilities, child amenities, etc. You can also see how many restaurants they have and whether they are buffet-style. The only peeve I have with the search design is that you have to choose a destination, and you can't just search for anywhere that meets your parameters. From my research it seems like Jamaica, Dominican Republic, and the East Coast of Mexico have the most options accessible from the East Coast. Your budget (per person) should be achievable for a lot of resorts in these areas.

For summer in the Caribbean, be sure to plan around hurricane season as well.
posted by rabbitbookworm at 2:10 PM on July 5 [2 favorites]

My wife’s family enjoyed the Iberostar in Rivera Maya south of Cancun for this type of trip.
posted by Mid at 3:03 PM on July 5 [1 favorite]

Friends of mine took a multi-generational family trip to Grotto Bay in Bermuda and loved it. (Their kids are older, though, so YMMV.)
posted by minervous at 4:13 PM on July 5 [1 favorite]

I recently discovered that Club Med still exists, and actually would fit a lot of your (and mine) needs. They care for kids over 4 without a problem (the infants still have care, you just have to pay for it and not all of their resorts do that), they provide the all inclusive food and activities, and they're mainly located in beach areas that look fun. Not sure about the price point, but worth looking to see if you can make it work.
posted by librarylis at 8:52 PM on July 21